Chapter 2 Act I-2

Treo's buildings like ordinary villages are not built together, but are built scattered, and there are also stone buildings among them.The central part of the village is where the buildings are most concentrated.Although there are no stone slabs, there are also beautiful roads without potholes.The church that Lawrence was looking for was often immediately visible. It was a large building with towers and falling bells. As long as there are city walls, Treo can be regarded as a city. Heluo also followed Ivan's advice, instead of wearing a turban, he covered his head with Lawrence's coat, only the neck was tied with a belt like a raincoat.Although it was worn by an ordinary city girl, He Luo's eye-catching appearance was still very eye-catching.

No matter what, He Luo is usually very eye-catching. After He Luo changed her attire, Lawrence drove the carriage into the village. Since there are no walls, there are no gates, and of course no taxes are imposed on travelers. The carriage entered the village without being stopped by anyone. The man who was arranging the straw cast a rude look at Lawrence, and Lawrence continued to drive the carriage while nodding to him. The village is very dusty, and all the trails except the main road are full of potholes.The buildings, whether made of stone or wood, are large and have low eaves.There are many houses with courtyards that are not often seen in big cities.

Straws are piled up here and there to symbolize the end of the harvest.Some firewood for the winter was also mixed in the straw. People walking the streets didn't look like there were as many free-range chickens or pigs. But the only thing in common is that everyone stared at Lawrence motionlessly after they noticed Lawrence and his party. It really has more of a village atmosphere than a city. Lawrence hadn't felt this feeling of being a foreigner for a long time. Because Lawrence was also born in a poor small village, it is clear that the villagers have little entertainment, so they are quite curious about the travelers in the past.

While thinking about Lawrence like that, he drove the carriage forward, and soon came to the square where a large rock was placed. This seems to be the center of the village, surrounded by buildings. Judging from the iron signs hanging under the eaves, there are hotels, bakeries, and bars.Workplaces such as woolen fabrics.There is also a building with an exceptionally long frontage, which must have been the place where the wheat was husked, milled and sifted. There are also houses of powerful people who seem to have lived here in the past, and the church is also in it. In the square, there were many people standing and chatting and children playing, all casting curious glances at Lawrence and his party.

[It’s such a big rock, what is it for? ] But He Luo asked in a leisurely voice, not caring at all. [Probably used for ceremonies at festivals, for dancing, or for meetings. ] The rock has been made very flat and the height is about Lawrence's waist, and there are wooden stairs next to it for people to go up and down.It's not just placed as a sign. Of course, if you don't ask the villagers, you won't know the correct answer. He Luo nodded ambiguously and sat down on the driving platform again. Lawrence then drove the carriage over the rock to the church. Although the villagers still cast curious eyes on Lawrence and his party, this is not an unexplored mountain village deep in the mountains.

Lawrence's carriage stopped in front of the church, as if he had come here to pray for the safety of the trip, and the villagers' gazes on Lawrence and the others decreased a lot. [I seem to hear a voice of "Ah, ah, ah". ] He Luo who got off the driving platform said that, and as soon as he finished speaking, He Luo laughed like a happy child who shared a secret. The church was a splendid stone building with a wooden door edged with steel. Although it looks like it has passed through a long time, the corners of the stone are only slightly chipped due to weathering, and the iron knocker on the door looks like it has not been used much.

Generally, the door of the monastery is open even when it is not worship time, but now the door of the monastery is closed. It gave Lawrence the feeling that he had a bad relationship with the villagers. But it's useless to just think about it here, Lawrence took the door knocker in his hand and knocked on the door lightly a few times. The "dong dong" sound from the door made Lawrence feel that the echo seemed to reverberate throughout the square. Lawrence waited for a while but there was no response from the door. Just when Lawrence thought there was no one there, the door opened a little with a loud creaking sound.

[Who is that? ] The voice coming from the slightly opened door was that of an unfriendly girl. [I am deeply confused by the sudden visit. I am Lawrence the Traveling Merchant. ] Lawrence said with a smile that is indispensable for business talks, and the girl on the other side of the door narrowed her eyes in surprise. [merchant……? ] [Yes, we're from Camelson. ] Such a vigilant church is really rare. [...Where is that one? ] The girl turned to He Luo and asked. [Partners who travel together for some reason. ] After listening to Lawrence's brief introduction, the girl looked at Lawrence and He Luo again, then sighed softly and opened the door.

The girl stood at the door wearing a priestly dress that was too long. [What's the matter here? ] Although Lawrence was very confident and cleverly concealed the surprised expression, the unhappy expression of the girl in the priest's attire matched her tone, which did not ease the girl's tight tie of her brown hair. When he stood up, a provocative light appeared in his honey-colored pupils. Compared to that, being asked what you do when you come to church is a rare experience. [Actually we are here to meet the priest. ] Women generally do not become priests, and the church organization is a completely male society.

Lawrence, who was thinking like that, spoke, but the girl in the priest's attire frowned deeper like a knife. The girl looked at her clothes nakedly, then turned her eyes to Lawrence again and said, "Although I am not a priest, I am Elsa who manages this church.Hugh Tinghilt] women, and so young. It was even more surprising than hearing that the capable head of the Great Chamber of Commerce was a young girl. But the girl who called herself Elsa seemed to be used to this situation, and asked Lawrence calmly again: "Then, what's the point of coming here?" ] [That, that, that, I'm here to ask for directions. ] [Ask for directions? ] [Yes, it is the way to the monastery, the name is Durn Dolan Abbey.The Dean's name is Luiz?Lanai?Hugh Tinghilt. ] Lawrence said while thinking that the names might be similar. Hearing what Lawrence said, Elsa seemed to understand something immediately.

Lawrence was thinking "what's the matter?" Elsa put away her nervous expression and said: [Sorry I don't know. ] Only the tone was very polite, but Elsa, who still had a fierce expression, closed the door before Lawrence could answer. If you think that you can close the door in front of the businessman so easily, then you are underestimating the businessman. Lawrence immediately put his feet in the crack of the door, and then said kindly: [I heard that there is a priest named Franz here. ] Elsa stared fiercely at Lawrence's feet who were caught in the door, and then Elsa stared at Lawrence's face again and said: [The priest died in the summer. ] [what. ] Then Elsa continued at the moment of Lawrence's surprise: [It's okay, I don't know the monastery you are talking about, I am very busy now. ] It would be troublesome for Elsa to be entangled like this. Thinking like this, Lawrence pulled out the heavy door, and Elsa closed the door with a sigh containing anger. […] [You are totally hated. ] [Maybe we were angry because we didn't donate money. ] Lawrence shrugged and looked at He Luo next to him and said: [Elsa said that Franz has passed away, is it true? ] [We don't think it's a lie. ] [But if you don't know the location of the monastery, it's a lie. ] Such an obvious reaction, even blindfolded. However, it should be true that Elsa is managing that church, anyway, it would be too dangerous to make such a joke as a prank. It is also possible that Elsa was the daughter or adopted daughter of Priest Franz. [What next? ] Hearing Lawrence's question, He Luo immediately replied: [We can't break in, so let's go to the hotel first. ] Under the strange eyes of the villagers, the two got into the carriage. [Wuwu... It's been a long time since we...] As soon as he entered the hotel room, He Luo couldn't wait to jump on the bed and stretch his limbs and muttered like that. [Although it is somewhat stronger than the loading platform of the wagon, there may be bugs on it, so be careful. ] The bed made of wood is not covered with cotton cloth or the like, but straw that is tightly bundled into bundles.Worms flock to hibernate in winter and reproduce in summer. Even if Lawrence told He Luo to be careful, He Luo couldn't help being careful. He Luo's fluffy tail must be the bug's favorite no matter how you look at it. [What, a nasty bug has already come to us. ] Lawrence looked at He Luo with a vicious smile on his hands, and He Luo also sighed helplessly because of the many bugs rushing towards her. [This village is very small, please don't cause any commotion. ] [It all depends on your attitude. ] Lawrence with a sad face glared at He Luo, and He Luo turned to the side and lay down, yawned and said, "We're a little sleepy, it's okay to sleep, right?" . ] [If I say no, how do you do it. ] Lawrence asked with a smile, and He Luo, who turned around, narrowed her eyes coquettishly and said: [Then let's take a nap on your body. ] That kind of situation is not bad to imagine, and Lawrence felt ashamed of himself for thinking that way. Lawrence pretended to cough twice in order to avoid He Luo's eyes that seemed to say "We've seen through your thoughts". Lawrence didn't want to fight He Luo. [Are you really tired?Resting well before my body breaks down, I, the traveling companion, was also relieved. ] [Well, although I'm sorry, let's rest first. ] Without continuing to pursue Lawrence, He Luo simply closed his eyes. The gently wagging tail also suddenly fell down, as if Lawrence heard Heluo's snoring. [Take off the shawl and the coat that was wrapped around the waist, fold my coat that was left there, and put a blanket on me to sleep after finishing. ] Lawrence had to think that the wayward noble lady who appeared in the comedy was probably like this. Although Lawrence said a lot to He Luo, He Luo didn't even raise his face. [If you don't fold your clothes before I come back, the quality of dinner will drop. ] Lawrence’s words seemed like a parent who was lecturing a child, but Heluo looked at Lawrence a little bit like a child and said: [You are very gentle and would not treat us like that. ] [... You guys, sooner or later you will suffer. ] [If you can do it, then again, you intend to go there. ] For He Luo who was about to fall asleep while talking, Lawrence had no choice but to walk over and cover her with a blanket and said: [It’s okay if you just pass here, but it looks like you’re going to stay here for a while It's time.I'm going to say hello to the village chief, and maybe the village chief will know where the monastery is, but it's not certain. ] [...Yes] [So you give me a good sleep here. ] He Luo nodded while pulling the blanket to the height of her mouth. [But there are no gifts. ] [...doesn't matter. ] He Luo opened his eyes slightly, and said to Lawrence in a sleepy voice: [As long as you come back...] Even though he knew it was a trap, Lawrence couldn't cope with being called that suddenly. He Luo's ears twitched happily. Even though he didn't receive any gifts, he still saw Lawrence's eating turtle. [good night. I need to rest now. ] To Hero, who specialized in blankets, Lawrence replied in a tone that contained the meaning of surrender, [sleep well. ] Lawrence divided the wheat as a cargo into bags, asked the owner of the inn about the village head's residence, and left the inn. It seems that for the travelers who missed the season, the children in the village gathered outside the door as if they were very interested. As soon as Lawrence opened the door, the children gathered outside the door scattered and fled. I heard from the owner of the inn that although some people would come in a hurry during the sowing and harvesting festivals held in spring and autumn, as expected, few travelers came here because it was off the main road.The hotel guests also know Lawrence and his party. The residence of the mayor of Treo Village is the most luxurious building built along the square.The foundation and part of the first floor are made of stone, and the second and third floors are wooden. The gate is also wrapped with iron like the church, and small decorations are also embedded. The iron ring installed on the door makes people think it is something like a snake or a lizard, which is slightly sinister. But probably imitating the appearance of the local gods.Because there are many gods in the form of snakes and frogs. [Sorry to bother you. ] Lawrence knocked on the door with the knocker while thinking like that, and the door was opened soon.A snow-white middle-aged woman appeared in front of Lawrence wearing an apron stained with flour and her hands were sticky with flour. [Come, come, it's that one. ] [It is presumptuous to come here suddenly, I am Crawford, the traveling merchant.Lawrence...] [Ah, ah, village head, it's the rumored guest. ] Although Lawrence was surprised by the sudden interruption of the opening remarks, the middle-aged woman still didn't care and called "village chief" as she walked in. Although no one was there, Lawrence was left alone. Looking at him, Lawrence still coughed twice quietly in order to adjust his mood. While Lawrence was waiting, the middle-aged woman who went in just now walked out with a small old man on crutches. [That, that's the gentleman. ] [Kemp is so rude to the guests. ] Although Lawrence heard the conversation between the two, Lawrence was angry not because he thought he was narrow-minded. It's because a village woman who has no worries, no filter and no secrets is not helpful to business. Lawrence smiled and stood in front of the two. [Hehe, I’m so sorry, I’m Sim who is in charge of Treo Village. ] [First meeting, I am Crawford, a traveling merchant.Lawrence. ] [Kemp goes back inside and continues with everyone... ah.excuse me.Because you are a traveler who missed the season, you become the talk of housewives who have nothing to do all day long. ] [Hopefully the rumors are good. ] Sim smiled and said to Lawrence: [Please come inside. ] and brought Lawrence into the house. In the corridor extending from the entrance, laughter came from the living room inside. The next smell of flour made Lawrence's nose itch, probably because he was talking and laughing while kneading flour in order to make the freshly harvested wheat into bread. This is a common sight in small villages in the countryside. [If you go in, you will be covered in white flour, so please come here. ] After Sim finished speaking, he opened a door in front of the living room, let Lawrence in first, and then followed him in. Lawrence, who entered the room first, froze suddenly. On a shelf in the corner a huge snake coiled up. [Hahaha, please don't be afraid this is not alive. ] Hearing what Sim said, Lawrence took a closer look, the scales glowing black gave a dry feeling, and the scales were wrinkled everywhere.It appears that the snakeskin was dried first, then the stuffing was put in, and finally re-sewn. Lawrence remembered the shape of the knocker fitted to the door, and sure enough the village worshiped snakes. Lawrence sat down and thought about going back and telling Hero this as an interesting question. [You come to see if something is wrong. ] [Yes, the first is to greet you, this is the wheat I operate. ] After Lawrence finished speaking, he took out the wheat that was divided into small portions and packed in the bag. Sim blinked his eyes in surprise. [This is incredible, the recent traveling merchants start talking about business as soon as they sit down. ] It has been said that way before, so Lawrence's words to Sim feel a little harsh. [What about the second purpose? ] [Actually, I am looking for a monastery and would like to ask you about the specific location. ] [Monastery? ] [Yes, although I also asked the church just now, I regret to be told that I don't know. ] Under Sim's embarrassed expression, Lawrence's eyes as a businessman did not miss Sim's gaze wandering. [Unfortunately, I have never heard of a monastery near here, where did you hear it from? ] Lawrence felt that Sim knew the location of the monastery. So if he lied, he might be in trouble, so Lawrence decided to tell the truth. [From the nun in Camelson. ] Sim's beard moves. Lawrence was sure Sim must be hiding something. Both Sim and Elsa seemed to know what was there. The monastery that Lawrence was looking for was a place where monks who specialize in collecting pagan myths were introduced by Diana. If Sim and Elsa knew that was the case, maybe they deliberately pretended to be confused so as not to get involved. Moreover, it was when the priest named Franz, who was known from Diana, had already arrived in the kingdom of heaven. It is not surprising that those who survived sealed the dangerous bridge. [People I know in Camelson told me that the only way to know the exact location of the monastery is to ask a priest named Franz here. ] [左様ですか ... But, Priest Franz already in the summer ...] [I have heard. ] [It is a pity to pass away. Priest Franz was a person who devoted himself to this village for many years during his lifetime. ] Although Sim's sad look does not seem to be acting, but it does not show respect for the church. Lawrence sensed an incongruity there. [So, Miss Elsa is taking care of the church now? ] [Yes, you must have been taken aback by her youth. ] [Yes, then——] Lawrence was about to continue when there was a blunt knock on the door, and someone called [the village chief]. What Lawrence wanted to ask was blocked in his throat, but there was no benefit in being in a hurry. And since he had already said hello, Lawrence also planned to leave now. [It seems that there are guests coming, and I am also a little worried about my traveling companion, so I will leave first. ] [Oh, I'm so sorry that I haven't come and entertained you well. ] Are the people from the village here? The woman named Kemp, who had just come out to meet Lawrence amidst a series of knocks, was again ready to answer the door. [It’s good news...] Lawrence was about to walk out of the room while listening to Sim’s muttering. Stein pushed away and walked towards Sim. [Village Chief, please put this away. ] Although Sim just thanked him with his eyes, Lawrence walked out of the village chief's mansion with a smile on his face. I've already given him a good memory as a businessman. In this way, it should be easier to live in the village. What did the man who rushed in just now bring? When Lawrence came out of the village chief's mansion, he immediately saw a horse that was emitting heat from its whole body. It was left untied, and the children stood watching from a distance. Judging from the equipment, it seems that he came from a little far away, and the man who rushed in was also wearing a travel outfit. What happened to the villagers when they went away? Lawrence thought about it for a while, and it was impossible for him to come to this village because of business. In any case, the first thing to do now is to ask Sim or Elsa for the exact location of the monastery. How to do it well. Lawrence returned to the hotel while thinking. Because He Luo was still fast asleep, Lawrence also lay down lightly, and fell asleep before he knew it. When I woke up, the room was already slightly dark. [If the clothes are not folded and blankets are not covered, the quality of the dinner will be reduced? ] Hearing what Heluo said, Lawrence stood up and found that he was covered with a blanket and said: [You are very gentle, you won't do that. ] Lawrence returned He Luo's lines to her while yawning, and He Luo, who was grooming her tail, giggled. [I slept for a long time... Are you hungry? ] [Even though we were already very hungry, we didn't wake you up, do you understand our gentleness? ] [Isn't it just right to steal money from your wallet? ] Instead of being angry, he smiled and showed his sharp teeth, which is really a heroic style. Lawrence got off the bed, opened the wooden window a little bit, clucked his neck while looking outside and said: [The night in the village is so fast, there is no one in the square at this time. ] [There is not even an open-air shop, so there will be no problem with dinner, right? ] He Luo said that to Lawrence who was sitting on the window basket, halfway through the words, He Luo showed uneasy eyes. [Just go to the tavern, which is a place where travelers go all year round. ] [In that case, let's go too. ] [I just woke up...I got it, I got it] Facing He Luo who was staring at him, Lawrence retracted his shoulders helplessly. Just as he was about to get up from the window frame, he suddenly noticed something. [that is? ] In the dim dusk, a figure galloped across the empty square. Take a closer look, isn't it Ivan who grinds flour? "ほう?" "っ" Herro, who suddenly appeared beside him, made Lawrence scream out in fright. [Don't appear suddenly, it will scare people. ] [It's because you are too timid.What did you say just now? ] The sudden appearance without a sound, no matter who it is, will be shocked.But if he had to respond to He Luo's teasing one by one, his body would not be able to bear it first. [Nothing, just wondering where he would be at this time. ] [It seems to be going to church. ] A boy who grinds wheat flour is expected to be more upright than anyone in any profession. In the church city of Reubenhagen, the shepherd girl Lola will attend every solemn service even though she is given strict work and suspicious eyes by the church. Maybe Ivan just came to worship. [So suspicious. ] [It should be us who are suspicious. ] Just as Lawrence and He Luo were interacting, Ivan gently knocked on the door of the church.Because the way of knocking on the door was very strange, Lawrence thought it might be some kind of signal for Ivan to inform him. Ivan acted as if avoiding people's eyes and ears, knocking on the door very carefully, but as long as I think about Ivan's occupation, Lawrence, he can understand. Moreover, the position of the church in this village is not very good. After thinking about this clearly, Lawrence was about to leave by the wooden window when he noticed that He Luo suddenly pulled the hem of his clothes forcefully. [What's wrong? ] Facing Lawrence's questioning, He Luo just pointed out the window. Of course, only the church was in that direction, and Lawrence turned his gaze there without hesitation. Lawrence was slightly taken aback by the picture that caught his eyes. [Yep.I see. ] He Luo seemed to be very happy and muttered, his tail was wagging there like sweeping the floor. Although Lawrence was temporarily distracted by the scene, he quickly reacted and closed the wooden window. He Luo turned around and stared at Lawrence with dissatisfied eyes. [Only God can peep into other people's private life. ] [...En] He Luo had nothing to say, but looked at the wooden window boredly. Knocking on the door of the church, it was of course Elsa who came out. But Ivan of Elsa, who came out to greet him, hugged Elsa's body tightly as if he was carrying important goods for safekeeping, and turned around in the air. Elsa in Ivan's arms greeted kindly. [Don't you care? ] [Of course I would care if it was a trade secret. ] [Maybe you are doing something, if our ears can eavesdrop, what would you do. ] He Luo only showed her sharp teeth, narrowed her eyes and laughed. [You are actually interested in such low-level things. ] Lawrence sighed and spoke in an even more disgusted tone. Hero, who narrowed his eyes mixed with anger, walked away from between Lawrence and the window, stood up and said, "We are not interested in that." . ] [At least not to be praised. ] In order to eavesdrop on business secrets and lie in the corner to eavesdrop for three consecutive days and three nights, although that will be praised as an example of a businessman, but behaviors such as eavesdropping on other people's private conversations will only be regarded as Vulgar guy. [We didn't say that out of curiosity. ] Heluo crossed her arms, tilted her head and closed her eyes, as if she remembered something. Instead, Lawrence looked forward to it, except for curiosity, what kind of excuse Hero would give. He Luo maintained that gesture, and said shortly after: [En.If I have to say it, it is for learning. ] [Learn? ] Lawrence was disappointed by He Luo's unexpectedly ordinary answer. And what should He Luo do if he has learned more than this. Perhaps it was an attempt to deceive the king there. If that was the case, he would be able to get various tax-free privileges. Lawrence reached out to the kettle to drink water while dreaming about the impossible in his mind.At this time, He Luo continued to speak, "Well, it's learning."What will we and you look like from the perspective of others? ] Lawrence's fingers knocked over the iron kettle, although he tried to contain it in a panic, but finally failed. [No matter what, if you don’t look at it from the side, you won’t understand it, are you listening? ] Hearing He Luo's giggles, Lawrence knew what He Luo's expression was like without looking. Fortunately, the water didn't get too much and it became unmanageable, otherwise it would be miserable for Lawrence. [Oh, you.We can't figure out anything if we're not watching from the sidelines, right?Are you listening? ".] For the nagging Hero, Lawrence covered his ears as if he didn't respond, and began to clean up the overturned kettle. Lawrence didn't even know how to be angry.Maybe it's because you don't even know why you're angry. Because there is such a possibility, I am shaken. [You think you won't lose to those people, right? ] If you respond to He Luo, you don't know what kind of trap you will fall into. So Lawrence just wiped the spilled water, put the kettle back in place, and drank the little water left in it in one gulp.In fact, what Lawrence really wants now is spirits. [You. ] He Luo called Lawrence. If you still ignore it, He Luo might be angry. If there is a quarrel, it will only benefit He Luo. Lawrence sighed, turned around as if giving up, and said, "I'm hungry." ] Hero laughed when he heard Lawrence say that.