How a wizard lives 9

Chapter 9- The Adult.

Yurik woke up abruptly to the sound of a rooster crowing.

Having tossed and turned all night in an unfamiliar bed, his eyes felt as stiff as unoiled hinges, still heavy with fatigue.

He buried his face in the musty pillow for a moment, then pulled it away.

As his feet touched the cold, rough wooden floor, a startled mouse scurried away.

He washed his face and hands in the basin he had filled with water the night before.

After dressing and slinging his bag over his shoulder, he left the cramped inn room.

The hallway was still dark, filled with the sound of snoring.

Yurik stepped carefully on the creaky wooden floor as he made his way down to the first floor.

Mercenaries preparing for an early expedition were having breakfast.

He joined them for a bland meal.

…Still, it was better than the failed potions he had tasted before.

After finishing his meal, Yurik left the inn early in the morning.

Though spring had arrived, the dawn air was still chilly.

He tightened his scarf and set off.

He could have stayed another day or two, but Yurik felt no need to linger.

His money pouch was still full, and he had no further business here.

“I want to see my brother soon.”

It had already been eight years since he last saw his beloved older brother, Luke.

From the moment he left Arpenheim, Yurik had been in a hurry.

He had sent letters occasionally, but he didn’t know if they had reached Luke.

There had been no letters from his brother either.

Their remote village, visited only occasionally by merchants buying lumber, was not the kind of place where a courier would willingly deliver a single letter.

Yurik arrived at the carriage station near the south gate of Mound Castle.

The station was bustling from the early morning with people preparing to depart.

Old coachmen hung crooked signs around their necks, shouting destinations at passersby.

“Cors!”

“Einbreeder!”

“Pontu!”

“Gailston!”

Yurik, chewing on a piece of dried pumpkin he had bought from a woman carrying a baby, approached the coachman calling for Gailston.

He paid the fare and boarded the carriage.

There were already five passengers, four of whom appeared to be mercenaries, judging by their weapons.

As the sun rose over the horizon, the coachman stopped calling for passengers and raised the step.

The carriages departed almost simultaneously at sunrise.

Unable to resist his curiosity, a scar-faced mercenary asked the well-groomed young man.

“You look like you’ve made some girls cry. Where are you headed?”

“Back to my hometown.”

The mercenary clapped his knee and savored the word ‘hometown.’

“Hometown…! You’re lucky to have a place to return to. Judging by the direction, it’s somewhere in the south, right?”

“A very remote village in the south.”

“You’ve made it big, huh? Your family must be proud. …But don’t give away everything you have. In this world, people who receive gifts often ask for more.”

“Right, I’ll be careful.”

Yurik smiled faintly.

“By the way, you’re leaving at a chaotic time.”

“…Chaotic?”

“Haven’t you heard? The demonic race is causing quite a stir on the southern front. Everyone smelling money is flocking south. Me, these guys, everyone.”

The mercenary pointed to the others with his finger.

Having been cut off from the world for nearly eight years, Yurik was naturally unaware of the rumors.

A flat-nosed female mercenary grinned, her yellow teeth showing, as she fiddled with the blade of her large axe.

“It’s a chance to make a fortune.”

“A fortune? Small fry like us should just try to survive and pick up the scraps, you idiot.”

“That’s why you’ll always be small fry, you brat.”

“Stop pretending you’re not small fry.”

“That’s why I’m trying to shed that label this time.”

“Know your place. If you’ve been a small fry until now, it’s your fate. Don’t screw around and get your head chopped off.”

“Damn it, save the preaching for the temple.”

Though their words were sharp, this was normal banter among mercenaries who lived on the edge.

Yurik turned his gaze outside the carriage.

“The southern front… the demonic race… a fortune….”

He watched the sunlit wilderness for a moment.

The unripe barley swayed like waves in the wind.

The noisy carriage soon filled with the sounds of sleep.

Yurik took out paper and charcoal from his bag and sketched the barley fields.

The road to his hometown was still long.

—

After a full month, Yurik arrived at the baron of Grozia, home to 50,000 people.

The barley, still unripe when he left, had turned golden and was now being harvested.

The farmers, enjoying a bountiful year, smiled despite their hardships.

Yurik searched for a carriage to take him to his remote village.

Naturally, no coachman was willing to make such a long trip for a single passenger.

Eventually, he paid for five fares and secured a small cart pulled by an old mule.

After another half-day of travel, Yurik finally saw a familiar path.

The entrance to the village.

The small fields and broken wooden fences stirred memories of his childhood, which he thought had faded.

His heart pounded strangely at the thought of finally being back. It was an indescribable feeling.

As he entered the village and turned onto a winding path, a familiar hill came into view.

The rock where the evening sun shone was desolate and empty.

Finally, the village came into sight.

Much had changed in the eight years he had been away.

A baby born around the time he left would now be running around on their own.

The villagers looked curiously at the stranger arriving late in the evening.

It was just two people—Yurik and the coachman.

The coachman drove the cart to the house Yurik pointed out.

Along the way, Yurik got out to walk up a low hill, while the mule struggled up the slope.

Finally, they arrived at his childhood home.

As the cart stopped in front of the house, his family, who had been watching from the window, came out.

His parents, now graying, asked who he was.

Despite their cold and indifferent nature, Yurik’s heart swelled as he stood before them.

“Father, Mother, it’s me.”

“……Yurik?”

Yurik hugged his parents.

He noticed a small child holding onto the doorframe.

Judging by the unfamiliar face, it must have been his younger brother, born after he left.

No one else was there.

Not his eldest brother, not his second brother, not Luke, and not his younger sister, Yeri.

“Where are my brothers?”

“They’ve all left already.”

His father’s voice was heavy.

“Let’s go inside first.”

His mother led Yurik by the hand.

He also invited the old coachman inside.

They seemed to have been having dinner, as food was still on the table.

Life seemed unchanged—the food was as simple as ever.

His mother brought two more bowls and served Yurik and the coachman.

She even took out a hard loaf of bread and some dried meat for her long-lost son.

His father seemed to think it unnecessary but didn’t say anything outright.

“How have you been all this time?”

“I went with a Mage. I learned magic.”

His parents’ eyes widened in surprise.

They had thought he had recklessly followed mercenaries to the city, unaware of this turn of events.

“You learned magic? You’re a mage?”

“Yes, I’m a mage. I became independent recently.”

“I see. That’s good. Very good.”

His father muttered this several times as he stirred the soup.

But the spoonful of soup didn’t reach his mouth for a long time.

“Where are Luke and Yeri now?”

The atmosphere grew awkward.

“Yeri got married recently. To Daik. You remember him, right? Big and strong.”

Yurik vaguely remembered Daik. A large but simple fellow.

“Luke… I don’t know. He left five years ago.”

“He left? But his leg…”

“Anyway, he left. I don’t know where he is now. He’s not here.”

The meal ended on an uncomfortable note.

His mother showed Yurik and the coachman to their sleeping quarters.

His younger brother, curious, followed them around.

Yurik patted his brother’s head and gave him some dried fruit from his bag.

The coachman fell asleep immediately, snoring loudly.

Once the coachman was asleep, Yurik left the house and walked down the path.

He knocked on Daik’s door, and a young man and a grown woman came out.

He saw traces of his younger sister in her face.

“Yeri.”

“……Brother?”

But perhaps too much time had passed.

Yeri didn’t seem to reminisce about the past as much as Yurik did.

She had been too young when he left.

They had only spent about two years together before he left, and now eight years had passed.

Daik, still simple-minded, warmly welcomed Yurik.

“Come in and have some tea.”

But Yurik waved his hand.

“I just came to say hello.”

“…Alright, then….”

Daik stepped aside to give them privacy. Yeri stood facing Yurik outside the door.

“You’ve grown up. You’re even married now.”

The once mischievous Yeri simply smiled shyly.

“I’m relieved to see you’re doing well. Now I can leave with peace of mind.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“I have to go tomorrow. I just stopped by for a bit.”

Yurik opened his bag and handed Yeri a bundle. When she opened it, she found a pile of silver coins.

“It’s… too much, Brother. Are you sure?”

“Take it. It’s fine. Use it for your family.”

He then handed her a piece of paper and a small carving. It was a portrait of her and a figurine of the three siblings sitting together.

“Keep this safe for me.”

“Okay, it’s beautiful. I’ll treasure it.”

“Good…. By the way, Yeri, do you know anything about Luke?”

“Luke?”

“Yeah.”

Yeri glanced at Yurik.

“It’s okay. Tell me.”

“……It was hard for him. When you suddenly disappeared, it caused a lot of trouble. You know how Father is. Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore and left on his own.”

Ah.

Hearing this, Yurik’s chest grew hot, and his eyes reddened.

The thought of Luke, limping alone down that long road.

“I don’t know where he is now. It’s been a while. …I’m sorry, Brother.”

Yeri cried.

She, too, knew how much Luke had cared for her.

Like Yurik, Luke had been like a father to her.

“……No, you have nothing to be sorry for. It’s okay. Don’t cry. I’ll find him. I’ll find him no matter what. So don’t worry, alright?”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help at all….”

Yurik hugged Yeri tightly.

She sobbed in his arms for a long time.

“It’s too late. Go inside now. Calm down. Alright? I’ll definitely find him, so don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

“Good…. Take care.”

“You too, Brother.”

Yurik left Daik’s house.

But instead of returning home, he climbed the hill where he and Luke had always spent time together.

The hill overlooking the village, bathed in moonlight.

The rock where the three of them had drawn and carved was empty.

Yurik slowly walked over and sat on the rock.

He stared into the distance and spent the night there.

Returning home early in the morning, he found his parents preparing feed for the livestock.

He placed a money pouch on the table.

His father immediately snatched it up to check its contents.

“Use this for your living expenses.”

After a quick meal with the coachman, Yurik prepared to leave.

He kissed his still-sleeping younger brother on the forehead.

‘Listen to Yeri. Grow up well.’

When his mother asked when he would return, Yurik replied,

“I’m going far away. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Soon, the coachman lightly tapped the mule’s rear with a whip, and the cart began to move.

Yerik saw Yeri standing by the road.

He smiled and waved goodbye to her.

Goodbye, take care.

My home, my sister.

My childhood.

Yurik did not look back.

He left his hometown once more.

—

The young man woke up early.

Rising from a corner of the stable, he limped busily to feed the horses.

After cleaning the manure and fetching water, the sun rose.

The innkeeper brought him a bowl of food, which he accepted with a bow.

But he didn’t eat immediately. Instead, he carried the bowl to an alley where homeless children gathered.

“Kids, let’s eat.”

Though the portion was barely enough for one, he gave most of it to the children.

The young man spent the day tending to the stables, despite his bad leg.

He cleaned manure, fed the horses, and tidied up, earning his meals from the innkeeper.

This was the best he could do with his disability.

To some, his life might seem unfortunate.

But he didn’t see it that way.

Being able to earn his keep and feed parentless children was a great blessing!

Looking at the children, he sometimes thought of his younger brother, who had left.

His beloved brother.

He must have become a great man by now.

He taught the children how to draw and carve.

He often told them stories about his brother—the boy who had left home with a mage.

Though he sometimes faced harsh treatment from the guests, he never lost his smile.

‘Life has its ups and downs,’ he told the children. ‘But never lose hope.’

– Someday, a wizard will appear.

And so, the young man continued his work in the stables.

Cleaning manure, feeding the horses, fetching water, tidying up, and…….

“Brother.”

At the sound of the voice, the young man’s body trembled as if struck by lightning.

“Luke….”

Luke slowly turned his head. The face was so familiar, so dearly missed.

How could he not recognize his beloved brother at a glance!

“Yurik….”

“Luke.”

Luke didn’t move. He couldn’t.

Tears streamed down his face.

Tears he hadn’t shed even when he left home.

My beloved brother.

“Yurik…!”

“Brother.”

After a long pause, the two ran toward each other as if by agreement and embraced.

“Thank you. Thank you, heavens.”

They had become each other’s home.

Such is life.

But never lose hope.

– Someday, a mage will appear.

A mage had appeared for Luke.

His beloved brother had returned.

Luke cried in Yurik’s arms.

Now, his brother could comfort his tears.

They had become adults.