Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 75
“Let’s leave her be for now.”
Eugene stepped back, and Adlen helped Irene with her clothes. Then, just like Eugene, Adlen quietly stepped back.
‘What on earth could have happened to the saintess?’
Both fell into deep thought. But they knew that merely thinking wouldn’t solve anything, so they decided to act instead.
“Let’s prepare a meal first.”
As if it were the most natural thing, Eugene pushed Adlen, who was about to head to the kitchen, and then he asked asked,
“Do we have any grains?”
“We do. We got some during the last distribution.”
“Then give me some of that. I’ll make porridge at least.”
“Stew wouldn’t be bad either. When it’s simmered well, she eats it nicely.”
“That?”
Eugene looked at Adlen with a bewildered expression.
“What’s wrong with my stew!”
“Nothing, really.”
Eugene mumbled his response as he ground the grains Adlen handed over and put them into the pot. Before long, a delicious aroma wafted through the air, signaling that the porridge was ready.
“When she wakes up, we’ll give it to her.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t start with sudden questions.”
“I know, you mean to find out carefully and subtly, right?”
“Exactly.”
Eugene wasn’t sure if Adlen could manage that, though.
* * *
Irene started dreaming. Events from the past flashed by, and Chess’s question resurfaced.
She tried to block out the agony, but the sound was too loud to completely shut out.
‘This is painful.’
She groaned, clutching her chest, when she heard someone’s voice.
“…Lady, Lady Saintess! Wake up!”
As she opened her eyes at the sound, Adlen’s face came into view.
“It looked like you were having a nightmare. I changed your clothes, but you’re drenched in sweat again.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. More importantly, aren’t you hungry? We made something much tastier this time.”
Hungry? Hearing that word suddenly brought Adlen’s words to mind.
“Cooked wild pigeon.”
“Huh?”
“You said you would teach me that.”
“I’ll teach you after you eat some porridge and rest a bit. In your current state, you wouldn’t even be able to cut the pigeon’s neck.”
“You have to cut the neck?”
“The head isn’t really appetizing, is it?”
She understood.
Irene thought so with a dazed mind. As she ate the warm porridge Adlen brought her, her body relaxed. After that, she slept well without any more dreams.
Bang!
With a strong chop of the knife on the cutting board, the wild pigeon’s head was severed. Afterward, they removed the entrails and blood and plucked the feathers.
Then, they wrapped the pigeon in a large leaf and covered it with clay before burying it in the ground with fire.
It looked difficult just watching. Despite helping out, Irene thought it would be hard to make it alone later.
“This is my secret recipe.”
Adlen said with a bright smile. Even Chess, who hadn’t shown himself for a few days, was sitting quietly on the opposite side.
He looked like he had a lot to say.
‘This is awkward.’
While she was thinking that, Adlen gave Chess a firm slap on the back.
“Speak.”
Only then did Chess begin to speak hesitantly.
“My words were too harsh that day. I’m sorry.”
“Okay.”
Without the energy to respond at length, Irene answered briefly, and the atmosphere grew chilly again.
“It might not be much of a compensation, but I’ll show you around the village.”
Irene nodded at Chess’s words. Although his previous words still lingered, she wanted to see the village.
So, while the wild pigeon roast was cooking, she decided to follow Chess and take a tour of the village.
“I’ll keep an eye on the roast,”
Adlen said, opting to stay behind, leaving Irene and Chess to explore the village.
As they walked around the village, Irene realized that Chess was right. Only the weak remained in the village.
Children, the elderly, and those with physical disabilities.
Despite this, not one of them was idle. The children leveled the ground, the elderly sowed seeds, and those with disabilities struggled to contribute in some way.
“They all feel a sense of burden,”
Chess said.
“A sense of burden?”
“They feel guilty for those who leave the village to find food. They know it’s not easy to gather food while bearing an ominous symbol.”
“So, hunting and farming aren’t enough to sustain everyone?”
“No, there aren’t enough people to meet all needs through hunting and farming alone. And sickness isn’t solved just by having enough food.”
“There are many sick people?”
“More than you might think.”
With that, Chess fell silent.
