I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 149
149 The Weeping Forest
A winter drought had persisted for several years, leaving the water levels of many lakes and reservoirs low even as spring arrived.
While this heavily forested region fared slightly better, other noble fiefs were increasingly unable to farm properly due to the water shortage.
It seemed some areas were facing a truly dire situation.
The Margrave looked up at the darkening sky. A single raindrop fell.
The amount wasn’t significant, but there had already been several light rains this year. It felt as though the sky, which had been burning with invisible flames, was finally beginning to cool.
“It seems tomorrow’s hunt will have to be canceled.”
“Ah, we should call for a few more jesters. Let’s increase the entertainment a bit.”
“Yes, my lord. I am already making preparations.”
The Margrave stood in the rain for a moment, watching the people laughing and chatting under the large pavilion.
The hunt was nearing its end. In a few days, everyone would return to their respective estates and mansions.
“Your body is getting cold. Please come inside.”
“Right, I should… How was that child?”
“He seemed to be doing well. He’s gained more weight than before. His grumbling way of speaking is the same as ever.”
The Margrave let out a short chuckle and headed toward his tent.
While other couples shared a tent, he and his wife used separate ones.
His wife had gathered all the unmarried noblewomen to stay in her tent.
On the surface, it was said the Margrave’s wife was personally looking after and protecting the young women participating in the hunt, but in reality, it was because her anger had not yet subsided.
The Margrave sighed lightly and glanced at the head butler.
“Well? Did she seem to have softened a bit?”
“…Yes, it seems so. She wept a little after seeing the young master’s handwriting.”
“She didn’t realize I was involved, did she?”
“Of course not. Since I have brought news of the young master’s whereabouts before, she likely thinks I simply went on an errand and brought back a single letter. Do not worry.”
As they entered the tent, the head butler helped the Margrave out of his overcoat. The butler asked with a slightly worried expression.
“But is it truly alright, my lord? Might it not be too early to reveal that region to Mr. Juhwan?”
“Well, perhaps it is.”
The Margrave visualized the bleak landscape of Tomb Village.
Shortly after he had been named the successor of the house, his father had taken him to visit that village.
There had been no trace of anything living anywhere. The heavy air, the gloomy atmosphere of a forest where death seemed to drift.
He had only seen it once, but even after many years, the image of that village and the surrounding forest remained etched in his mind.
“I heard the soil of that village and forest is starting to get damp.”
“….”
“A man came to report that the parched forest, which hadn’t a grain of moisture, was slowly beginning to get wet. It was when I was out patrolling the borders. He came to find me there.”
The Margrave tilted his glass.
“The report said it was as if the forest was weeping. Looking at the dates, it started around the time Juhwan was discovered.”
The Margrave looked at the head butler, who stood quietly.
“It has been raining frequently lately. Though it’s not much, people are calling it a blessed rain that came out of nowhere, saying it’s thanks to the Hero coming to this land. It’s a rumor Tairon spread.”
The Margrave smirked.
“But I’m starting to think it might not be a total lie. Perhaps a being that brings rain has set foot on this land.”
“Do you believe it is that man?”
“Well, I don’t know. Perhaps he is just a Santa contractor. It’s said a contractor can only use one type of magic, but who knows? A person with special talent might be able to use two or three.”
The Margrave relaxed his back against the chair. As his body loosened, his head naturally came to rest against the backrest. Staring at the pointed ceiling of the circular tent, the Margrave continued as if muttering to himself.
“But I felt that I had to let him go. I don’t know why, but I just had that feeling. The current situation—where dead Magic Beasts are moving again and a Hero who drives people mad has appeared—feels like it’s pushing me. Telling me to hurry and send Juhwan to that village.”
The Margrave closed his eyes. He had always had good intuition since he was young.
Though he had suffered the pain of losing his sons several times, he had been able to handle wars and battles without major failure thanks to his instincts. He had been able to protect this land and its people.
The intuition that had saved him many times told him there was something about that man this time. Even without an explainable reason, he had no choice but to follow it.
The rain seemed to have thickened. The sound of rain drumming against the tent echoed inside. If the rainfall was low again this year, reservoirs in this land would eventually run dry to the bottom.
‘I pray this rain lasts even a little longer.’
The Margrave whispered softly, picturing Juhwan’s face.
Dorothy sat in the middle of the driver’s seat and tilted her head back as far as it would go. Her round eyes moved frantically up, down, left, and right, following the trees that soared high into the sky.
“Daddy, why are the trees here so poor? They don’t have a single leaf.”
Juhwan was anxious that her head might snap back, but perhaps because her body was flexible, Dorothy chattered away just fine in that position.
“Oz says he’s really curious too.”
“Well, I’m not sure.”
Juhwan placed his hand behind the child’s head and looked around.
It had been a few days since they left the adventurer village in search of Tomb Village, and Juhwan had now entered the forest where the village was marked on the map.
However, he wasn’t sure if he had found the right place. The closer they got to this area, the more sparse the villages became, and for the past two days, they hadn’t seen a single person or village.
Since there were no road signs like on Earth, he had to navigate by checking the village names, place names, and unique terrain marked on the map, but there was nowhere to ask for directions.
Yet, following only the map made it impossible to know if they were truly going the right way. What was drawn on the map were large mountains, forests, and plains; honestly, everything looked the same here and there. It was difficult to distinguish.
It became even more troublesome whenever they entered a small stream or a narrow path, as he would lose all sense of the overall geography.
That was the case now. He felt like he had arrived roughly in the right area, but if asked if this was truly the place, he honestly couldn’t be certain.
‘But this is likely the right spot.’
Juhwan looked around.
This place was different from other forests. The state of the trees and grass was truly suspicious. The trees weren’t dead, yet they didn’t have a single leaf.
It was the same for the twisted brambles and low shrubs nearby. They had countless branches stretching out, but no leaves.
The trees weren’t the only strange thing here. The air felt bone-dry, yet the ground felt damp enough to pull at his feet when he stepped on it. The air was dry while the ground was full of moisture; it was a mismatch.
Tall trees without a single leaf stretched straight up toward the sky, making it feel like they were entering a land of giants. If one were to realize the land of death where Hades lived in reality, it might look like this.
“….”
Juhwan shivered involuntarily. He had felt strange ever since they entered this forest. His stomach felt uneasy, as if he were motion sick.
“Juhwan, are you alright?”
Riji looked at Juhwan’s face with concern.
“I’m fine.”
As he answered, Dorothy asked with wide eyes.
“Daddy, are you cold?”
At those words, he looked at his skin and saw goosebumps. Dorothy hurriedly took off her coat and handed it to him.
“Daddy, do you want to wear this? Dorothy isn’t cold, so I’ll lend it to you.”
“…Right, thank you.”
Should he really accept a tiny coat that seemed barely enough to cover one arm? But this was Dorothy’s favorite coat. Since she was lending it to him, he felt he should accept it with gratitude.
When Juhwan took it carefully and placed it on his lap, Dorothy beamed.
“Daddy, it’s warm, right? That’s a really good one.”
“….”
This was probably the joy of raising a daughter. When Juhwan smiled and said it was warm, Dorothy also smiled broadly, her eyes turning into crescents.
They continued deeper inside, passing between the lanky trees.
He was scanning the surroundings with Mana Detection, but there was nothing. No beasts, no birds. Only trees. This forest was truly strange.
However, neither Yeonhwa nor Oz were particularly wary of this forest. They moved straight ahead as if traveling through an ordinary place.
Suddenly, Riji, who was driving the carriage, tilted her head.
“It’s strange. I feel like the carriage wheels are sinking into the ground more and more. Um, no, it feels like something is pulling them slightly?”
Hearing that, Juhwan hopped down. There was mud on the wheels, but they hadn’t sunk deep enough to be considered stuck. However, to the person driving the carriage, there might be a subtle difference in sensation.
“Should we change paths?”
He muttered as he looked for another way. Although there were many trees, there were plenty of paths wide enough for the carriage to pass.
Juhwan grabbed Yeonhwa’s reins and headed toward the widest path. The ground there was also muddy, but it seemed to have less moisture than the path the carriage had just come from.
Just then, Dorothy stood up on the driver’s seat, craned her neck, and said,
“Daddy, did you pee your pants?”
“….”
No. Daddy doesn’t do things like that.
But before he could answer, Juhwan realized there was far more moisture around his own feet than on the surrounding ground.
Thick moisture was soaked into every footprint he had made. To an outsider, it truly would have looked as if he had been walking while leaking urine.
“Juhwan.”
Riji looked at him, appearing a bit frightened.
“….”
Small droplets of water were forming on his skin. But it wasn’t a cold sensation. It was lukewarm, like tears or body fluids.
“What is this?”
Juhwan held up both hands. Water droplets formed on his skin and rolled down like tears.
“…What’s happening?”
He didn’t know why. Suddenly, tears began to pour down. He wasn’t sad, and nothing had happened, but his body was crying.
“Juhwan.”
Riji and Dorothy were getting scared. He needed to stop, but he couldn’t stop the tears. Even though it was his own body, it wouldn’t listen to him.
At that moment, the nearby trees began to vibrate and make noise as if resonating with Juhwan.
Hummmm, hummmm. The vibration that started from one or two trees soon spread to the ones next to them like a contagion.
It felt as if every tree was shaking. The sound grew more intense. The entire area was humming. It felt like entering hell.
“Daddy, I’m scared. This place is scary, Daddy.”
Juhwan hopped back up onto the driver’s seat. He sat Dorothy on his lap and pulled Riji into his arms.
He wasn’t afraid of this forest. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t feel it was scary or dangerous. Still, if Riji and Dorothy were this frightened…
“Should we just go back?”
When Juhwan asked gently, Riji looked up at him silently before looking around again. Then she shook her head.
“Yeonhwa and Oz are both calm… It probably isn’t dangerous. And I have a feeling this forest is connected to you. It’s a bit scary, but I’ll be okay.”
Riji looked into Dorothy’s face.
“Dorothy, let’s try to endure a little. You won’t be scared if you’re with Oz. It’ll be okay.”
“….”
Dorothy lowered her head slightly, looked down at Oz, and whispered.
“Okay, I understand, Mommy. Dorothy will do her best for Daddy too.”
“Good girl.”
The tears had stopped before he knew it. However, the sound of the trees continued.
Riji looked deep into the distant forest with a hint of fear.
“Riji, you don’t have to push yourself. No matter what happens, you and Dorothy come first to me.”
“No, I’m fine. I really am. Yeonhwa, let’s go.”
When Riji spoke in a small voice, Yeonhwa began to walk, her hooves clicking lightly.
The carriage wheels rolled, picking up mud. It seemed moisture was gathering near Juhwan. Along the path the carriage took, the ground became soaked with moisture so thick it was clearly different from the surroundings.
As time passed, the movement of the weeping trees gradually quieted down, starting from the distance.
However, the trees along the path Juhwan passed still shook and made noise. It was as if they were sensing Juhwan’s presence. Trees didn’t have eyes, yet it felt eerie.
Dorothy held onto Juhwan’s body, half-rose, and whispered softly into his ear.
“Daddy, I think the trees are watching us.”
It really felt that way. Juhwan quietly observed the surrounding trees and cast his gaze forward. Although he couldn’t see them yet, his Mana Detection had picked up several people.
Could they be the residents of Tomb Village?
They didn’t seem to have weapons, but one could never be sure. People living in a place like this might possess some bizarre abilities.
Juhwan quietly gathered mana in his body and stared straight ahead.
