[ 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐢'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 ]

There's an elephantine table set just in case they need to entertain dozens of people at once, but Roy finds that he's eating alone. The table is adorned with various food and drink fit for a king. Red wines, golden liquors, sumptuous meats, gleaming golden breads, all tempt him.

The room is large, with a high vaulted ceiling and several trinkets nailed haphazardly around it.

The old room is run down, showing the signs of neglect and disuse. However, it seems like Rita takes care of it - otherwise it would have long since collapsed.

Despite the room's state, Roy registers that it has a certain charm to it. The trinkets and other knick-knacks that are haphazardly placed around add up to create a picture, something resembling a whole. It's definitely not the most beautiful room he has ever witnessed, but he appreciates the aesthetics of it.

"Malacus? What's that?" Roy asks  as he gnaws off the juicy lamb steak in front of him, tearing a jumbo piece of meat off with his teeth like a savage and chewing thoughtfully.


"Malacus Mumud. It’s what we call our Baron lord."  Rui's mother, Rita, let's out an extended sigh whereas gazing down at the trite concrete floor. "He's a mad man. Insane!"


Roy nonchalantly bottles more food and homes in on savoring the taste. Olaf surges out of Roy's pocket like a mouse and gradually tastes some food too. "Mmmm, so tastyyy! Awwh."

 Roy has already realised Rita hasn't discerned Olaf yet. If she heeded Olaf, she would have bombarded Roy with myriads of reactions. Oddly enough, Roy has observed that folks don't generally notice mucoons so easily.

Rita continues "It was about ten years ago during a war with neighbouring country, the lord took five hundred prisoners, impaled every last one of them on the wooden stakes, and lined them up along the border. Not just soldiers either, women children, priests... All of them!"

 Rita gulps, takes a deep breath and continues again "Even after ten years we have been commanded not to remove them. They still stand on the hill at the border."

Mouthful Roy can barely speak clearly. "I figured they weren’t scarecrows."

Rita peers down with a concentrated look in her almost velvety, solemn black eyes as though she is attempting to recollect something. She clasps her hands like she's going to pray  and talks in an unstable voice. "Indeed, even wartime was superior to it is currently."

Malicious bloody flames in the hearth is overrunning the woods like a sea of red. The ambiance in the house is heavy as if a storm is about to hit.

"When the lord ran out of his enemies, he began turning his hand against his own people." She turns her eyes attention away from peering down and looks straight ahead; Her eyes widen as though she's witnessing a nightmare. She's here, however currently dwelling in her memories, attempting to recall the details.

"Several years ago, a sinister rumour was going around that the lord was gathering young women from within his own domain and butchering them, night after night...."

A drop of sweat trickles down from Rita's forehead, plays along a little with the eyebrow and slowly dives down to the end.

She takes a deep breath and relaxes before the continuation. "The story is that the lord gathers the girls to be maidservants."

Her tone shakes as she barely speaks the next words "Four has been chosen from the village, and not one has come back safely."

Olaf jumps back to Roy's pocket and grabs whatever he can tightly while shuddering vigorously.

"No one believed at first.." Rita pauses her voice imbued with grave tone, and then resumes.

"But after a time, a girl's corpse surfaced in the river running behind the castle. A corpes skewered from its head through its torso!"

Hearing this, Olaf closes his eyes.

Roy chugs the rich wine from the whacking mug. "Hmm...and so...the fifth one is your daughter?" Even though Roy's mouth is busy savoring the fine taste of the wine, his eye is  intensely staring at Rita without blinking.


"......" Till now Ruwi was listening to the conversation attentively, but she looks away awkwardly.


Rita briefly closes her eyes and says "She could've just ran away...." She presses her teeth. Deep folds appear in her forehead as she furrows it.

"Then another girl would probably be taken." Ruwi speaks emotionlessly as if sacrificing herself for others' sake is not a hefty deal, her own life is meaningless to this child.

"Ruwi...." Rita reaches for Ruwi as the motherly tears fail to stay within the prison of those eyes.
She hugs her and says "I know! I know that! But still....."


"So sad.." Olaf's eyes gets watery.

"One more ma'am." Roy stretches out his large, brawny arm holding the mug. His face is glowing a content smile of enjoying the robust wine.

There’s a knock on the door.

Everyone gets a hit from the hammer of cautiousness.

Knock! Thud!

Rita stands up, slowly walks to the door and opens it. A crowd of people has gathered there.

"What's the matter everyone?" Rita asks.

A talented person with an enormous facial hair growth and  little bruised eyes arrived forward. He is enclosed by an enormous earthy colored sheet, holding a stick in his grasp. It's Lucius. Continually keeping a stick in his grasp is one of his propensities.

"Ma'am, we'd like to have a word with him."

Olaf looks at them with sheer curiosity while standing on Roy's shoulder. Without moving his face much, Roy rolls his apathetic eyes to the side where he can see the crowd.

Lucius progresses towards Roy step by step as few other men follow Lucius from behind.

"Sir, Roy. You are a great warrior. That is without a doubt. No question." Lucius smiles and says "We, villagers, have a favor to ask of you."

Roy sees a glimmer of emotion in his eyes. Anger? Betrayal?Whatever it is, it passes as quickly as it comes. However, Roy sits there expressionlessly like a carved statue.

Lucius feels awkward. He feels like he's a child asking for candy. He clears his throat. "Sir, the villagers...we..."