I Became A Married Man in Another World
Chapter 97
097 The Gaze
As Juhwan emerged from the parking area pulling the cart carrying the Orthos, a crowd of people gathered in thick layers. He wasn’t sure when they had all assembled, but there seemed to be three or four times more than before. It felt as if nearly everyone in the village had come out.
Dorothy’s jaw dropped when she saw the alleyway leading out of the parking area packed with people.
“There are so many people!”
A few people in the crowd bobbed up and down, pushing down on the heads of those in front of them to get a better look at the unicorn.
Seeing this, Lij lightly took hold of Juhwan’s arm.
“It’s my first time seeing a unicorn too, but is it really such a big deal that people would swarm like this?”
Since the unicorn had followed Juhwan from the start, Lij seemed to think he might know something.
But Juhwan, of course, had no idea. He had only learned that unicorns actually existed after coming here.
Chatterbox let out a laugh and spoke up.
“There’s a rumor that a unicorn’s horn is a panacea that cures all ills. That’s why everyone’s come to look. It’s not like looking at it makes it theirs, but people’s hearts don’t work that way. Besides, if there’s something good nearby, it’s only natural to want to get a little closer.
People feel like some of that luck might rub off on them if they’re close. One way or another, it stirs up a lot of interest.”
“But is it really a cure-all?”
When Lij asked in a low voice, Chatterbox shrugged.
“Who knows? Many people don’t believe it. A unicorn is a magical beast, after all, and no one’s ever actually cured a disease by eating a magical beast’s horn. Well, if you go to the big cities, there are shops that sell things related to magical beasts, and they sell horns there too. They’re incredibly expensive. I don’t know if a magical beast’s horn is actually good for the body, though.”
Juhwan quietly observed the faces of the gathered crowd. It didn’t seem like everyone was there out of mere curiosity. Among them were a few who looked quite ill.
The powerful, like the nobility, could call for a healing magician or afford expensive medicinal herbs and doctors when they fell sick.
But for the commoners living in a village like this, such things were an unattainable dream.
While this adventurer village was in better shape than the other villages he had seen so far, it still wasn’t wealthy enough for people to spend money on healing magic.
‘It would be nice if even poor people like this could obtain basic medicine.’
Juhwan himself possessed more than enough healing mana to be generous, but he couldn’t use it as he pleased.
According to what the Red Sword had taught him, the rules in each profession were quite strict.
The minimum price, in particular, was heavily regulated. It was fine to charge a higher price, but treating someone cheaply or for free was forbidden.
If anyone stepped outside the price framework set by their respective industry, they would face severe ostracization and retaliation.
He had heard that even the Adventurer’s Guild set most of its fees with an eye toward maintaining parity with other professions.
He had no intention of playing the saint. Juhwan didn’t think of himself as an evil man, but he knew he wasn’t exactly a “good” person either.
If there was even a slight chance it would bring harm to Lij and Dorothy, he was a selfish and cold enough man to never use healing magic on another person for the rest of his life.
However, humans tend to become generous toward others when they are happy themselves.
Because he was happy now, he simply had a bit more room in his heart. There was enough space left to feel pity for the misfortunes of others.
Lij must have been thinking something similar, as she whispered softly while walking beside Juhwan.
“I wish there was medicine that was a bit cheaper. Then fewer people would have to die in pain.”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
Juhwan narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked down at Lij.
He hoped the world she lived in would be a place with at least a little more light and hope.
He wished that no matter where she looked, there would be flowers, happy people, and bright sunshine—but most of what existed in this world was misery and the gutter.
“….”
As he pushed the cart, the wheels rattling along, he suddenly felt a gaze upon him.
When he lifted his head toward the guild, he saw the female reader who handled the literacy lessons watching him quietly.
As their eyes met, she gave a slight nod of her head.
Was her name Annette?
Lij had been a bit envious, saying it was a beautiful name. She had mentioned that she didn’t like her own name much—that she hated it.
She said that during her childhood, the name “Lij” was only ever called out when someone was shouting at her venomously.
When she was clumsy or slow or when things didn’t go their way, the memory of her father and mother calling her name in irritation stayed with her, making her hate it….
Juhwan liked it, though; when he whispered “Lij” to himself, it had a cute sound that suited her.
Sometimes he wanted to leap back into Lij’s childhood and snatch her away from her family. Then he could have left her with nothing but beautiful, happy memories. He often felt a pang of regret that he couldn’t do that.
Lij seemed to have spotted Annette as well. Her body stiffened slightly.
Perhaps it was because Annette was her first teacher, or perhaps Annette’s voice during lessons reminded her of her mother’s voice from her childhood, but Lij always became a bit tense whenever she encountered her.
She looked exactly like an elementary schooler staring at their teacher after breaking a window. Finding it both cute and a little pitiful, Juhwan tilted his head and gave her a light “clink” with his forehead against hers.
Lij looked up at him with a dazed expression before letting out a little chuckle.
Dorothy seemed to think it looked fun and started hopping up and down as she looked at Juhwan.
“Daddy, Daddy, Dorothy wants a clink too!”
When he bent his waist deep and offered his forehead, Dorothy giggled gleefully.
Chatterbox, who was following behind, let out a sigh and muttered.
“You two really get along well. I don’t have any fantasies about marriage or women, but seeing you two makes me think getting married might not be so bad. Haa, but when will I ever be able to start a family?”
“….”
“I should try going on a blind date or chasing after a woman or something, but haa, I can’t even find the time because of work. Haa. I’m afraid I’ll end up growing old and dying all alone in a corner of my room without a wife or a child. Just an old man still cleaning up after the Master. Haa.”
His sighs were long and frequent. Being a guild staff member seemed to be quite a difficult job.
Juhwan glanced at Lij’s face.
Despite finding studying difficult, Lij seemed very dedicated to her lessons, often repeating her work. He had once caught her practicing in secret. Though she was a bit clumsy, her pronunciation was incredibly cute.
Perhaps Lij had a natural disposition for enjoying study. If so, he wanted to let her learn as many things as possible.
From morning until late at night, this world moved only to sustain life, without much in the way of entertainment. He hoped that in the midst of such a daily routine, there would be at least a few more things she could find joy in.
‘It would be nice if I could find some books somewhere.’
Picture books for the child, novels for the woman—they might be out there somewhere. He hadn’t dared to think of buying them until now, but he could afford it now. Would they both be very happy if he presented them as New Year’s gifts?
‘I’ll have to look for some once we get to Moderni.’
He wondered if there was anything Lij would enjoy. In his imagination, Lij smiled with a book in her hands. His heart felt glad, and Juhwan’s steps grew lighter on their own.
The guild doors were wide open on both sides, unlike usual. Several guild staff members came out with their sleeves rolled up, their eyes widening at the sight.
“Wow, it really is huge. Much bigger than I thought. This way, please.”
As he pushed the cart inside following the staff member’s guidance, the murmuring of the people inside the guild grew louder.
Dorothy, who had been beside Lij, scurried forward. She walked alongside the cart with her chest puffed out. Her small body strutted along like the Emperor in his New Clothes.
Even Oz’s expression, perched atop her hat, was somehow arrogant.
Perhaps the rabbit was bragging about having played a part in killing the Orthos.
Lij watched Dorothy and Oz with an incredulous expression before let out a snicker.
A few people chuckled at the sight of the child and the horned rabbit, but to Dorothy’s ears, it seemed to sound like they were envying or admiring her. Her face tilted further and further toward the sky.
That kind of thing would surely become a “dark history” once she got a bit older. Well, everyone has a past they’d rather bury.
The guild’s reception desk didn’t seem to be fixed to the floor. Part of the desk had already been cleared away so the cart could be pulled inside.
However, before going behind the counter, Chatterbox called the adventurers together.
“Now, everyone, come over here and take a look for a moment. This is the two-headed dog, the magical beast known as the Orthos. Mr. Juhwan, I’m sorry, but would it be alright if I cut these ropes?”
“Let’s do that.”
At Chatterbox’s words, Juhwan snapped the ropes binding the Orthos.
As the Orthos’s limbs, which had been tightly constricted, shifted as if they were alive, screams echoed from all directions.
Even Dorothy, who had been nearby, shrieked and ran away. Even Lij seemed a bit startled; her eyes were as wide as saucers.
No, no, you both know this thing is dead. Why are you getting scared?
Dorothy, who had fled toward the back office, came running back to Juhwan and hid behind him.
The people who had screamed at the sight of the Orthos laughed when they saw her. They seemed to finally calm down after seeing the child’s flustered reaction.
Chatterbox laughed as he spread out the limbs and heads so the Orthos could be seen more clearly.
“Take a good look. This is an Orthos. If you ever encounter one of these, the first thing you should do is run. Because with your skills, you’ll never be able to kill it.”
However, neither Chatterbox nor the other staff knew much about the Orthos.
Knowing the characteristics of a magical beast was a form of professional know-how. Because of that, monster hunters rarely shared what they knew unless it was with someone they were close to.
Those who processed magical beast hides would know in more detail, but they hardly shared anything either.
It felt less like they were intentionally hiding it and more like they just didn’t bother to say.
The other party usually didn’t ask, either. They knew it was deeply connected to one’s livelihood. It was a sort of professional etiquette.
While guild staff tended to try and share as much information as possible, they didn’t pry into things that adventurers were reluctant to reveal.
High-level information was something adventurers gained through experience and then shared among those they were close to.
One way or another, information on magical beasts was bound to be scarce.
Once he felt the people had seen enough of the Orthos, Chatterbox pulled the cart further inside.
Juhwan had pushed it as easily as a child’s toy, but it seemed heavier than Chatterbox expected. He struggled to turn it properly, so another staff member had to pull from the front.
“Daddy, why is that mister having such a hard time? Daddy pushes it with one hand. Is it because his power is weak? Is he a weakling?”
At Dorothy’s words, Chatterbox’s shoulders slumped slightly.
Children are so honest that they are sometimes cruel. Lij took Dorothy’s hand and followed into the inner part of the guild.
She heard that processing the hide was more difficult because the Orthos possessed regenerative abilities. Since this village only had craftsmen who handled ordinary magical beast hides, they were sending the carcass to the city of Moderni today.
Chatterbox asked a few questions about the situation when they arrived at the other village and about Gwen. Since Gwen was someone dispatched by the Moderni guild, it seemed some coordination was needed.
Juhwan understood Chatterbox’s words instantly. Their conversation skipped along like a grasshopper, jumping over parts he didn’t know.
When there were gaps like this, Lij couldn’t quite follow. She could hear the words clearly, but she didn’t know why the topic went from here to there. Even if she did understand, it wasn’t as if she would join the conversation.
Lij sat quietly by Juhwan’s side and looked up at his face.
He really was a smart person.
Seeing him out here talking to others made it clear.
Juhwan was likely smarter than anyone else Lij knew. He might even be more intelligent than the priest who occasionally visited the village from the city.
‘Ah, there it is again.’
Whenever she realized how large the gap was between Juhwan and herself, she always felt anxious. It felt like reaching out for a very tall tree that her hands could never touch.
Lij glanced toward the guild’s reception counter. The desk that had been pushed aside to make space had already been returned to its original position.
Beyond the counter, people were still stealing glances toward them.
Among them was Annette.
As their eyes met, Lij’s mood sank to the bottom again.
Annette was likely a good woman. She was gentle, smart, and cultured.
Unlike most women, she had a job, so in Lij’s eyes, she seemed like a truly impressive person.
According to Juhwan, she was likely a noble.
Lij thought that made sense after hearing it. Annette had an aura about her that was somehow different from other women.
The clothes she wore were similar to Lij’s, but when Annette wore them, they somehow looked different. She looked more precious than even the stylish women Lij had seen on the streets of Moderni.
It wasn’t just the clothes; it was everything.
The way she moved a single finger, the way she tilted her head—every little thing was different, making her look like a true noble lady.
Lij lowered her head slightly to avoid Annette’s gaze.
Her own rough hands came into view.
Having done housework since she was a child, Lij’s hands were always red, lumpy, and chapped. It was even worse now that it was winter.
Annette’s hands weren’t like this. They were the hands of someone who had never worked. Unlike Lij’s lumpy, roughened skin, hers were as soft and slender as a baby’s.
Her face, her neck—Lij imagined her chest, waist, and legs were likely the same. Everything would be smooth, soft, and glowing.
Annette was surely older than her, but she didn’t show it. In fact, if one didn’t know her age, she might even look younger than Lij.
Lij made up her mind to work hard to stay by Juhwan’s side, and she tried to believe him when he said she was pretty, but she knew just by looking. She knew she was a shabby, miserable woman. She couldn’t help but know.
For some reason, her heart suddenly felt impoverished. She had clearly become wealthier than she had ever been, yet Lij’s heart felt threadbare.
Furthermore, looking into Annette’s eyes made her realize what the other woman thought of her.
When she couldn’t memorize letters properly, or when her pronunciation was clumsy or she stammered, Annette didn’t get angry or say anything. She just stole a glance at her. But that gaze held a lot of meaning. Though Juhwan didn’t seem to notice.
It wasn’t exactly mockery. It was more like a look one gives to a creature more insignificant than oneself. She couldn’t describe it well, but when she received that gaze, she felt herself shrinking. She felt like a tiny ant. An insignificant little ant that would just die if someone pressed down with a finger.
‘I can’t tell Juhwan about this.’
She didn’t want him to know she was a woman who had such pathetic thoughts.
When she lifted her eyes slightly to check where Annette had been, the woman seemed to have already returned to her usual corner. She was nowhere to be seen.
She let out a sigh of relief, and Juhwan placed a hand on her shoulder. He looked at her intently.
Are you okay?
Even without him saying it, she knew he was asking. Juhwan’s tender gaze poured over her face like sunshine.
The woman who had been feeling discouraged and shabby just moments ago began to sprout like a seedling after a spring rain.
Lij gave a small smile and wrapped her arm around the back of Juhwan’s waist.
Normally she wouldn’t do something so embarrassing, but this was armor. She was wrapping her heart in warmth, donning a very sturdy set of armor.
As long as Juhwan was there, she felt she could endure even if ten or a hundred people looked down on her and insulted her. She could persevere and fight as much as needed. She felt courageous.
When she looked up at Juhwan with those feelings, his fierce eyes crinkled into a smile. Giving her shoulder a light squeeze, Juhwan turned his attention back to Chatterbox.
Ah, that’s right, he was in the middle of a conversation. Even so, he had noticed the slight shift in her feelings. Such a kind man. Her heart felt like it was overflowing with joy.
Lij lowered her head slightly. She was embarrassed because she felt like her smiling face would show otherwise.
Don’t look, I’m a bit unsightly right now.
She said it inwardly, but for some reason, Juhwan was looking down at her again. There was no way he could have heard her, but as she wondered why, her husband’s low voice echoed in her ear.
“You’re cute.”
Her heart truly began to dance.
Suddenly, Dorothy thrust her face in front of Lij and said.
“You’re cute!”
“….”
The people behind the reception counter burst into loud laughter. Lij was so embarrassed she wanted to turn into a tree standing outside right that instant.
Suddenly, she felt a gaze and turned her head to see Annette watching them from among the crowd.
It was strange. For some reason, her gaze seemed different than usual. But Lij didn’t know what it was. Moreover, their eyes were meeting unusually often.
She felt a slightly unsettling sensation.
