Chương 407: 402. Kirnos - II

Levalas held up his hands to show he was unarmed.

"You're Juhibi?" The woman nodded.

"I'm here about Joric." Her eyes spread wide." Joric? What happened to him? Is he…" Levalas shook his head.

"No, no, he's fine. Can I come inside? Don't wanna let the neighbors see me talking to you." Juhibi frowned." Why...? Who are you? Did that bastard Torhan send you?"

"No. I'm called Levalo. And I've never even met that guy." He smiled, trying to appear harmless despite his ill-timed appearance.

"I'm here because I have a way to let you meet with Joric. Trust me, you'll understand once you listen more." The woman stared at him for a moment, looking unconvinced. A young girl peeked from behind Juhibi.

"Who is it, ma?"

"Get inside, Polly!" the woman scolded, and the kid ran away.

"Look," Levalas began, showing both his empty hands, and that he wasn't carrying a sword, "I'm not carrying any weapons at all. And you can keep the knife with you while we talk. I don't mind." Juhibi looked surprised before she chuckled.

"You seem like a smart man. I guess I could hear you out. Come on in." Levalas removed his muddy boots, and took them in his hands as he walked inside. Juhibi frowned.

"Can't you—?"

"A man's empty boots at your door?" Levalas replied.

"You really want to let others see that? The rain isn't gonna last forever."

"Fine. Just put them near the door on the inside." Levalas brought his shoes inside and closed the door. He glanced around the place. It was fairly small, with a large-ish room which doubled as a sitting room as well as the sewing shop. There were some small bolts of cloth kept on one side, as well as some furs. A stack of needles and threads was kept on a wooden stand on a large table, while some commoners' clothes which looked nearly ready were hung on hooks fixed in the side walls.

All in all, it was a simple affair compared to the seamstress' shops in Cinran Town—which usually held luxury clothing for nobles too—but for a small village like Kirnos, it was nearly opulent. Joric selling himself to Torhan as a slave must have paid good money, which allowed them to pay off the debt on the shop's lease, and still have enough leftover for his wife to continue her trade.

He saw the eight to nine-year-old girl, Polly, hiding behind another door—probably the path to the upper floor—and looking at him curiously. Juhibi was standing nearby, with her knife still in her hands, now kept openly.

"Well? Speak. How is Joric?"

"Is anyone else here?" Levalas asked.

"Any other adult?" Juhibi glared at him.

"I don't see how that's any of your concern." Levalas knew he wasn't going to get a better reception than this, so he kept standing as well.

"That's because what I'm going to say isn't something that's going to be liked by Baron Farodas, or his son Lanidas—the young master."

"And why would that be?" Levalas glanced around, being fairly satisfied by now that there was no one else here. He hadn't seen anyone else come out in curiosity, and despite the sound of the rain, he would've noticed the sound of wooden boards creaking if there was someone else. He was fairly experienced in doing the same thing, after all.

"That's because I'm here to suggest that you move out of Kirnos."

"Oh, really...? And why would I do that?" Juhibi stared at him.

"Wait, are you one of Lanidas' thugs? This shop's lease is fully paid for the next 20 years. I'm not gonna give him any more money than I already have." Levalas exhaled. This wasn't going to be easy. He was far more at ease talking with others when he was threatening them with something, or when he just had to send them to the goddess. It was a completely different matter when he had to be... polite.

"I've got nothing to do with the young master either," Levalas said.

"I'm here to invite you to come back with me to my village, which is where you'll get to meet your husband." The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Internally, Levalas snorted. How fast some things changed. Now he was calling Tiranat his home, instead of Cinran. Juhibi looked unconvinced.

"You haven't told me anything about Joric. Where is he?"

"Joric is fine— good, even. But he doesn't live in Torhan's clay mine anymore. He's fine and unharmed, and lives in a different village now. And he isn't a slave anymore." Juhibi's eyebrows kept rising as he spoke.

"He doesn't live in the clay mine? He lives in a different village instead? But why would he ever leave us! And you say he isn't even a slave now? Just what the heck are you talking about?" She frowned.

"You don't look drunk or high on veydril…" Levalas snorted.

"No, I'm not. Let me start from the beginning then. Joric used to work at Torhan's clay mine, but... things happened, and now he lives in Tiranat as a free man. So I'm here on behest of Tiranat's baron, as well as Joric, to take you both with me to that village. As a proof—" He put a hand into his pocket. Juhibi brought the knife in front.

"What are you doing!"

"Calm down, lady. If I wanted to harm you, I already would have." Levalas brought out an amulet. The thread to hang it around the neck was already broken, but it would do. He showed it to her.

"This is the proof." Juhibi moved a few steps closer and took it from him.

"This is… This is Joric's! How do I know you didn't just kill him and take it from him?" Levalas proceeded to tell a few memories which Joric had told him to make her believe his story. By the time he ended, Juhibi seemed to be in tears. The young woman had to hold a chair for support.

"Ma, what's wrong?" Polly asked, tugging her mother's sleeve. Juhibi ran a hand over Polly's head.

"It's nothing, dear. Everything's fine." She looked back at Levalas.

"Okay. I believe you now. You could have tortured him to get a lot of that story, but he would never ever tell anyone about that time, unless he actually wanted to. That means most likely he isn't doing this under pressure. But what were you even saying about me moving out? I don't get it."

"Joric now lives in Tiranat, like I said," Levalas replied.

"He's a free man there, and works as a laborer these days, although he plans to open a clothing shop again in the future once you've all reunited. He would've come here himself if it were possible, but you know that officially he's still a slave in this village, so that'd be too risky. That's why he sent me to convince you both to come back with me."

"But…" Juhibi hesitated.

"Even if you're right, and Joric is waiting for us in Tiranat… I can't just leave the shop. Or this village. I was born here, just like my husband, and this is the only place I know." Levalas nodded.

"I understand that, more than you can imagine. But sometimes it's a good idea to leave your familiar surroundings and look for a better life elsewhere. Joric told me how the other men here leered at you; how Lanidas kept trying to harass you one way or another—wanting you to become a concubine of his. You know that you're still young and good-looking, and your husband isn't coming back for decades. That means those men will never stop trying. It'll be the same when your daughter grows up.

She'll also have to deal with such things, because she won't have a father here to protect her. I know this shop allows you to make an honest living, but if you still think this is a good life for you and your daughter, then I'll just return and never bother you again."

"But Joric sold his freedom in exchange for this! How can I just…" Levalas shook his head.

"I didn't say you have to leave everything like it is. I'll be here for a few more days. I can extend it further if there's a need. So if you agree, I'll help you to sell this shop quickly. It won't be the best price you get because of you selling in a hurry, but you'll still get most of your money back from your lease. That money'll allow you to open another shop in Tiranat.

I'll also transport any of your tools of trade which can fit under a wagon—or inside a barrel—although you'll have to leave the furnishings here." Juhibi seemed like she was seriously considering it. She glanced at her daughter, and pulled her close, hugging her to her side.

"But… Tiranat is just a coal mining village, right? From what I know, it's like... half the size of Kirnos. Even if everything worked out well and I opened another shop there, who'll even buy my clothes? Miners won't have enough coin for it, that much I know already. They can barely afford to buy enough rags to cover their bodies. I've also heard that Tiranat is a far more dangerous place than here, since it is located in the middle of forests, while Kirnos is at the coast.

Tiranat doesn't even have a wall, for Goddess' sake! I don't want to fear my daughter being attacked by wild beasts when she's out playing with friends." Levalas snorted.

"Yeah, you're right in most things—except your information's a little outdated. Things have changed in Tiranat. A lot. I can't tell you everything in case you decide not to join me, but let me just say that as of now, Tiranat does have a wall, and it's a far safer place than Kirnos, for reasons I can't say here." He went on, "As for you making a living—yeah, Tiranat is still only a village, not a rich town like Cinran.

But as per what I've heard in passing from one of the baron's advisors, right now Tiranat has more people living there than Kirnos. Perhaps just marginally, but yeah, Tiranat is bigger than this village, and it's growing fast. That means you won't have any shortage of customers in the future once you've set up your sewing shop. That being said, coal mining isn't all we do these days.

Again, I can't say too much, but there are a lot of craftsmen and merchants there who would like to buy new clothes from you for themselves and their families." He paused, then smiled, "But that's the most likely scenario. There's a better option too."

"There is an even better option than what you've said?" Juhibi frowned, still holding her daughter close.

"I'm nearly convinced already."