Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Atonement_1

Meanwhile, the captain was very popular at the feast, as everyone recognized him as the man who had saved Susan that day.

Even though he was a stranger, the townspeople showed him friendliness and welcome, and his glass never remained empty.

Everyone wanted to release the stress that had built up over time, and since it was a celebration anyway, they didn’t need much of a reason to drink one glass after another.

By the time the event reached midnight, everyone had eaten their fill and gradually began to disperse, heading back to rest up for the next day’s work.

Only a few people cleaning up were still moving around the square when they discovered the captain, drunk and lying under a table.

”Hey, wake up, it’s time to go home.”

The person patted the captain on the shoulder, startling him awake.

”AH!” The captain jerked upright, flailing his limbs and screaming, ”Don’t come any closer!”

The few people cleaning up were also startled by the captain’s reaction.

Under the influence of alcohol, he had already lost consciousness and was instinctively trying to get away.

However, he was already injured, and having drunk so much, he only took a few steps before stumbling. Just as he was about to fall, the woman who had woken him up reached out and caught him.

And there in her arms, the captain’s head lolled to the side as he completely passed out.

”ARGH...” The captain groaned, a splitting headache assailing him. He had drunk too much last night, and his brain was throbbing painfully from the hangover.

At least the alcohol had temporarily freed him from the tormented spirits. It had allowed him to sleep soundly and finally relax his nerves, which had been strained from days of torment.

But where was this place?

The captain looked around. He realized he wasn’t in the same room he had woken up in before but in a rather simple thatched cottage, the kind most ordinary people lived in.

Looking around, he felt as if he had returned home, back to when his family lived together...

”You’re awake!”

A lively voice rang out. Turning to look, the captain saw a plainly dressed girl, who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen, bringing in some food.

”What did I do last night, and where is this place?”

The captain pushed himself up with both hands, terrified he might have gone berserk while drunk the night before. He didn’t want to harm anyone else.

”Hmph, don’t even get me started. You were screaming and thrashing all night long! You woke me up several times. Thankfully, you quieted down a bit in the latter half of the night.”

As she spoke, the girl frowned and complained bluntly, showing no sign of wariness.

”As for where this is? Of course, it’s my home~”

”I’m sorry... I’ll leave right away,” the captain said apologetically, struggling to get up.

”Hey~ what are you doing?” The girl quickly put down her things and helped him sit up, complaining as she did, ”You’re not well yet. Be careful.”

The captain sat up and sighed. Why were the people here so kind to him, a stranger?

”Eat first, then you can go. I have to go to work too.”

The girl brought the food over, placing it between them, and then started to eat hers. Seeing the captain not moving, she looked at him curiously.

”Why aren’t you eating?”

The captain looked at the food. In front of her was probably leftover bread and warmed-up meat soup from last night. On his side, however, there was also an added glass of milk and an egg.

”I’m not hungry yet. You eat,” he said.

The captain pushed the milk toward the girl, but she shook her head in refusal.

”This is for you. I heard from My Lord that it’s good for the body, and it can help you recover faster from your injuries.”

However, as she spoke, her gaze couldn’t help but drift to the glass of milk, and her lips, which had been nibbling on the bread, paused.

How could the captain not understand when he saw this? He had also heard about the situation in town from Susan. These children had suffered so much; they probably had never tasted anything like milk before, let alone meat.

”Why are you being so nice to me?”

”Because you saved Susan. She takes good care of us. I don’t know how to thank you. Eating these will help you get better faster.”

The captain sighed deeply, trying to calm the choke in his throat. He raised his hand to cover his tear-filled eyes, not wanting her to see.

”What’s wrong? Are you unwell?”

”It’s nothing. I just drank too much last night and have a bit of a headache.”

”Are your injuries from fighting bandits?”

The girl’s curious question snapped his attention back. The captain, startled, paused for a couple of seconds before nodding.

”You could say that~”

The Lead Wolf was a kind of bandit, so he hadn’t lied.

The captain, lacking confidence, quickly changed the subject, not wanting to delve further.

”Where are your parents? Why aren’t they at home?”

”They died at the hands of bandits while trying to protect me. Then, after escaping to the fields, I was captured by mercenaries and sold into a brothel. Later, My Lord rescued me.”

Hearing this, a flicker of turmoil crossed the captain’s eyes. His hand seemed glued to his forehead; he didn’t dare move it, lacking the courage to look at the girl again.

”My Lord has been very good to us. He healed our wounds, provided us with housing, and arranged jobs. Now, I earn three copper coins a day! In the evening, I can also go to the square to attend classes and learn to read.”

The girl was simple and innocent. As she spoke of this, her face immediately lit up, her expression animated. Her smile overflowed with youthful vitality—or rather, with hope for a better future.

Her optimistic attitude seemed to infect the captain, and he gradually lowered his hand.

”What about you? How did you end up here alone?”

”I...” The captain tried to speak several times, but the words trembled on his lips and died before he could voice them.

It was then that the girl suddenly remembered Susan mentioning that his family had also been killed by bandits. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared suffering.

”It’s okay. All those bandits have been wiped out by My Lord, so you don’t have to be sad anymore. Besides, My Lord said that we should face reality and look to the future. Life will get better. You can stay here until your injuries heal...”

The girl didn’t understand much. She was simply trying to comfort someone who had suffered like her, using the most straightforward words she knew.

In the end, the captain drank a little milk, as that was the only way the girl would agree to share the food and eat with him.

”Are you really okay?” Seeing the captain’s frail state, the girl couldn’t help but worry. ”You should rest until you feel a bit better before going out.”

”No. There are some things I must do.”

Dragging his feeble body, the captain took steps with unprecedented determination.

He was well aware that he owed the people of this town too much. His recent experiences had taught him that running away was meaningless. The more he fled, the more pain he felt. He had to do something to atone for his sins.

For this, I am willing to pay with my life!