The place she took Jean to was more like a private store than a market. Jean thought it was different from where she had shopped earlier, but he decided to follow her. She took Jean to a deserted place, and they came across a row of buildings. Even though it was daytime, almost no one was around. It seems people had fled during the war. Or, Jean thought, there was a possibility that some people may be hiding inside the building. When she entered the store in the corner, Jean obediently entered the store as well.

However, the store seemed to look empty. It looked like the store had been abandoned for quite some time. Some pots and cooking utensils are left but covered in dust.

"Granny, where are the pants?"

When Jean asked, she turned and smiled.

"It looks like the person at the shop has gone somewhere."

The old woman said as she approached Jean.

"Shall I buy you some pants?"
"Do you have the money?"
"No. I'll pay with your money."

The old woman said and Jean shook his head.

"I'll choose, and I'll pay."

Jean said, but she came closer and closer and tried to raise her hand. However, Jean also stepped back and distanced himself from her.

"Okay, give me your wallet."
"No, Granny."

Jean stepped back again.

"Do you think my brothers will forgive you?"
"Your brothers are already in our hands."
"Who are they?"

Jean stepped back again.

"Tux Kingdom."

She reached out to grab him, but Jean quickly dodged it.

"So, my brother is in the Tux Kingdom now?"
"Ha! So cocky...!"

Jean moved quickly again, keeping his eyes on her.

"Hey, Granny, tell me. Where is Brother Sahim?"
"Nothing!"

Jean asked as he moved, and she stopped to catch her breath.

"Hah, huh, who are you?"
"Hmm, on the contrary, but who are you anyway? Tell me, Granny."

When Jean asked in return, she glared at him. Then she picked up a stick on the floor and tried to hit Jean with it.

However, Jean evaded the attack and laughed.

"Stop it, Granny."

When Jean said this, she gasped and struggled to breathe.

"That's enough. I don't care who you are. But please tell me where Brother Sahim is."
"A cheeky child..."
"Huh?"

Jean grinned and quickly pulled out Shamshir.

"If you don't tell me, you might die, right?"
"..."

Jean pressed Shamshir against her stomach. As the blood oozed out, her face turned pale.

"Boy, boy, isn’t it dangerous?"
"Yes, it's dangerous."

Jean replied without changing his complexion.

"So tell me, where is Brother Sahim?"
"I might lie, right?"
"Oh, you would?"

Jean tilted his head.

"Then I have no choice but to kill you."

Jean pushed Shamshir a little harder, causing her to tremble.

She thought that if he pulled it out, it would bleed.

"Who are you?"
"I'm Sahim's younger brother."

Jean answered.

"So tell me, where is he? If you keep talking to gain time, I am sure I will stab you to death."

Jean smiled at her.

"So tell me..."

She suddenly tried to brush Jean's hand away with the stick. However, it had the opposite effect. Jean reflexively tried to block the attack, but it ended up cutting her stomach. She collapsed and was having trouble breathing.

"That's why you should just be quiet..."

Jean squats down and looks at her. The old woman looks up at Jean in pain.

"Granny, if you tell me the truth, I can help you, but I want you to stop lying."

When Jean said this, she looked at him and had mixed feelings.

"Since when did I..."

"Well, to tell you the truth, from the beginning, you are suspicious. You were running an inn where no one was around, which was suspicious. Even though it was an inn, there was a lot of dust in the room, and the bed wasn't clean. And when you said you didn't know where Brother Sahim was, you unnaturally denied it."

"...Huh?"
"Hmm, I thought there were some other things you did that were suspicious, but...the most decisive thing was that lunch was full of poison. I asked you to eat it with me, but you didn't eat at all, right?"

When Jean said this, her tremors became stronger.

"The poison doesn't seem to be very poisonous, so your goal isn't to kill me, right? Maybe you're thinking of putting me to sleep and selling me to a slave trader? Since I'm such a light-skinned child, I'm sure you'll sell me for a high price. Right?"

When Jean said this, her face became even worse.

"Why poison..."
"Why did I know it's poisonous? That's easy."

Jean took out a throwing knife from his pouch and held it near her nose.

"See, because it smelled so sweet like this, right?"

When Jean said this with a smile, she suddenly started twitching in pain. Jean puts the knife back in her pouch and looks at her.

"Lastly, I ask you, Granny. I hope you are willing to tell me where Brother Sahim is?"
"...Escaveres anuto zafia..."

She said and Jean tilted his head. And he silently looked at the limp old woman.

"It can not be helped."

Jean got up and inspected the store. This building had been abandoned long before the Kingdom of Tux conquered this village. Jean returned, took a small bottle from his pocket, and sprinkled it over her body. Jean closed the bottle and put it back in his pocket. It is a fire starter for making a bonfire he received from Jahir. When exposed to air, it ignites on its own.

Jean looked around and was surprised to see her dead face.

She smiled.

That's why this poison is called "The Goddess' Smile". Jean was satisfied with the name and went outside. After all, there was no one outside. Jean closed the door and left the area. After a while, flames erupted from her corpse and continued to grow, engulfing the entire building.

Jean turned around, saw the flames rising, and headed toward the market again. He saw some people who looked not so well, mostly the elderly. Even if a fire breaks out, no sign of anyone around panicking.

"Excuse me··."

Jean was standing in front of a skewer shop and asked the shopkeeper. He noticed the skewers had been re-roasted for several days and were charred black.

"Huh?"

The old man looked at his little guest and smiled. However, deep sadness was reflected in his eyes.

"One, please. How much is it?"
"It’s 30 Dali."
"Okay."

Jean took the money out of his pocket and handed it to him. The old man took the money, selected a slightly better skewer, and gave it to Jean.

"Thank you, Grandpa."

When Jean takes it, the old man looks at him strangely.

"Are you alone?"
"Yes, I am."
"What about your father and brother?"
"My brother was here, but he seems to have gone somewhere."
"Are you a traveler?"
"Yes. Wow! It's delicious..."

Jean is sitting near the shop and eating skewers.

"Why is this village so lonely?"

Jean asked while eating, and the old man sighed.

"It's been a lively village until recently."
"Is that so?"

Jean looks around while eating.

"As soon as your brother returns, leave this village immediately."
"Why?"
"The Tux Army will capture you."
"Is the Tux army already in this village?"
"Yeah, they are."
"Are there many?"
"There were a lot."
"Were? So there are not many here now?"
"After capturing the villagers, other units moved south."

The old man sat next to Jean and drank water from his canteen.

"Where are the remaining Tux troops in this village?"

When Jean asked, he pointed to a building seen from the market.

"Do you see a tall building over there?"
"Is that the building with the triangular roof?"
"Yeah."

The old man nodded.

"That building now belongs to the military, and there are a lot of soldiers there. Most of the villagers are being held captive in the square nearby."

The old man said this while looking around.

"If I ask those soldiers, will they tell me where my brother is?"
"Are you looking for your brother?"
"Yes. I am worried. He went and didn't come back."

When Jean said this, the old man looked at him with pity.

"Okay? Don't go near that place. Absolutely."
"Why?"
"Because you'll be captured and made into a slave."
"So, your family is also being held prisoner by the soldiers, too?"

When Jean asked, the old man did not answer. Tears are just flowing from his eyes.

"Most of the villagers are in the square near that building. Many have their hands and feet tied to prevent them from running away."

"Then why did they leave only the elderly behind? There's only an old woman and an old man over there..."
"I'm too old to be sold as a slave, but my sons and grandchildren are still young...oh, shit! What should I do?"

When the old man started crying, Jean finished eating the skewers and stood up.

"Are you worried about your son and grandchildren?"
"Of course. Damn, I wish them safe..."

The old man answered immediately.

"When will they be sent to Tux Kingdom?"
"Tomorrow··."

The old man cried again. Jean looked at the old man, held his hand silently, and left.

After walking for a while, Jean returned to the inn. He went into the room where the old woman was in the inn. Nothing around, Jean thought to himself after searching for a bit. And again he climbed onto the roof.

Jean looked around and thought.

If this village has already fallen into the Kingdom of Tux, there is a high possibility that the captured people will be sold as slaves.

And that old woman is probably an agent of the enemy. Since she speaks Tux, she could be an enemy spy. However, her body will be severely damaged by the fire that Jean started. Therefore, Jean thought it would take some time to discover his identity.

However, Jean thought that it was still a lot of trouble. First, he is illiterate. And he can't speak the Tux language.

Jean sighed again, wondering what the words the old woman said before she died, "Escaveles anuto zafia''.

If he lets her live, he might get some information. But, Jean thought, he wasn't sure. She might lie. So Jean didn't want to take that much of a risk.

It can't be helped, Jean changed his mind. He looked at the darkened sky and began to move under cover of darkness. The place he headed to was where the villagers were stored.

Shack.

One soldier collapsed and died. Jean approached the soldier, took the knife, and put it back in his pouch. He takes the key from the soldier and sees people connected in the square. He also sees some children who are no different from him. Only men and children are in this place.

"Uncle, can I ask you something?"

Jean said in a low voice, and the villager nodded. The villager noticed the key in Jean's hand.

"Open it. I'll tell you everything."
"Okay, but I just want to know something. Do you know where Sahim is?"

As Jean asked, he unchained the man's hand.

"Sahim? I don't know. Hey, do you know anyone named Sahim?"

He asked around, and Jean silently looked at the man and handed him the key. Then, they began to release their comrades one by one.

"I know Sahim."

A man said.

"What is your relation with Sahim? Are you his child?"
"He is my brother."
"Oh really?"

He reached out and touched his free hand.

"They put him in that aviary. They're going to tear him apart tomorrow as a show."

When the man pointed to the aviary, Jean tilted his head.

"Why?"
"Because he helped a child."
"A child? Is the child safe?"
"The child is safe. But it could be a disaster in another sense. Tomorrow, the children will also be sent to Tux as slaves."
"I see."

Despite what the man said, Jean thought Sahim might have been just an idiot.

"Thank you! Uncle, be safe!"
"I hope you're safe, too! And thank you for the key, kid!"

Jean bowed his head and then ran. When he went to near the aviary, he saw several soldiers. However, Jean did not relent. The knife he threw killed them in an instant.

Jean looked into the aviary and saw a man lying down with his hands and feet bound. His mouth was also covered, so he could not make any loud noises. Jean touched the man's nose and felt warm breath. Then when he removed the cloth covering the man's mouth, he opened his eyes.

"Are you Sahim?"
"Who are you...?"
"Just answer the question, please."

When Jean said this, the man looked at him with sharp eyes.

"Yeah, I'm Sahim."
"Sahim what?"
"..."
"Answer, please."
"Sahim Tareq."

When the man said this, Jean smiled.

"Then let me help you, Brother."

Jean took the key and unchained Sahim's hands and feet. Sahim sat down and brushed off the bird dropping all over his body.

"Can Brother Sahim stand up?"
"Okay, but who are you?"
"I'm Brother Sahim's younger brother."
"My brother? Sabadda?"
"No."

Jean shook his head.

"I came here on Father's orders. Together with Brother Sabadda."
"Where is Sabadda now?"
"I don't know."

Jean got out of the aviary, ran away from the chaotic area, and jumped towards the high roof. Sahim also-ran next to Jean and quickly climbed onto the roof, glancing at him.

"Did Father remarry?"
"I don't know."

Jean shook his head.

"Then why?"
"Hmm, I'd like to know, too."

Jean looked around while answering that. Enraged village men could be seen attacking enemy troops coming out of the building. Flames were also rising from another building, creating a tense atmosphere surrounding the area.

Despite the situation, Sahim still looks at the small child in front of him in disbelief.

"How old are you?"
"I'm 4 years old."
"..."

Sahim blinked.

"How old is Sabadda now?"
"From what I heard, he's 16 years old."
"Has he reached that age already?"

Sahim blinked. He can imagine how long he didn't go home, Jean thought as he looked at Sahim.

"What's your name?"
"I'm Jean."
"Jean.., Jean Tareq?"
"Yes. I am the seventh son of the Tareq family."

Jean nodded. Looking down, he saw the village men attacking the soldiers. The soldiers tried to resist, but the villagers had an advantage due to their large numbers.

"Why were you arrested?"
"I protected a child who was being beaten."
"Hmmm."
"Right after that, I hit the other soldier and killed him."
"I see."

Jean nodded.

"Then let's get out of here."
"We have to do something about them..."
"It's impossible, Brother."

Jean looks at Sahim in shock.

"It's just the two of us, right? It's impossible to deal with that large army."
"But I'll go."
"No."

Jean shook his head.

"Father gave me three orders. One is to find out where you are. Two, to free you. Three, to take you back to Magraf Village. If I find it difficult to bring you home, I have to kill you."

When Jean said this, Sahim's face turned grim.

"Are you going to carry out the last command?"
"If it's necessary, I'll do it."
"Do you think you can beat me?"
"I think I can win against you, who was easily captured by the enemy."

Jean said and Sahim sighed. Although he has been away from home for many years and has adventures here and there, he is confident in his assassination skills. However, Sahim thought the small child in front of him was abnormal.

He was declared that a four-year-old could beat him. He felt a pang somewhere in his heart.

"What, are you okay?"

When they heard someone's voice, they turned around. Salam is there.

"Brother Salam!"
"Yo, Jean!"

Salam patted Jean on the head and took a bag from his pocket.

"It's my leftovers, but if you don't mind having something like this, you can eat the rest."
"Thank you!"

Jean happily accepted the bag.

"Sahim, if you are safe, leave here with Jean. This is an order!"

Salam said and Sahim nodded. Sahim thought that even though he hadn't seen his brother in a long time, instead of being impressed, he was very nervous.

"Jean, where is Sabadda?"
"(mumbling) I don’t know."

Jean answered while eating the bread Salam gave him.

"Where did that Sabadda guy go?"

Salam said this while giving a signal, and several men appeared. Salam's hand moved forward, and the men moved quickly.

"That's it, Jean. You guys should move to a safe place."
"Yes, Brother."
"See you."
"Please be safe."
"Ah..."

Salam smiled and moved quickly. Seeing this, Sahim blinked and looked at Jean who was eating the bread.

"After you finish eating the bread, let's move on, Jean."
"Yes, Brother!"

Jean nodded and stuffed his mouth with bread again.

Jean, the Darkness (17)