.
.
.
[In a huge mansion on a rocky mountain northeast of the village outskirts lives a monster that eats people alive.]
It was a legend that even a five-year-old child from the small town of Ailon in the east would know.
"Really?"
"That's what I'm saying, you haven't been here long so you probably don't know much about it, so you'd better be careful."
“Oh, I see,” Gray nodded, listening to the kind words of Aunt Donna. He then quickly finished putting the rest of the baguettes in the basket.
"Thank you, here's 5 silver."
She simply placed five silver coins on the counter with a bright smile on her face that reminded her of sunshine, and left the bakery clutching the butter cookies that Aunt Donna had offered as a courtesy.
"Next... Oh right, I need to buy milk too."
Thinking so, Gray turned toward the dairy store, and as she walked down the pristine white brick road, thoughts of the strange story she had just heard floated through her mind.
Suddenly, she raised her head and turned her gaze to the northeast, and her vision caught sight of a pointed roof rising from the middle of a gray rocky mountain, with a black flag fluttering from its peak.
According to the village elders, the huge building, which may be a castle or a mansion, has been there for tens, or perhaps hundreds, of years.
Well... it's just a light story about the town's famous landmarks, a monster that eats people, that's ridiculous... It would be nice to create a haunted house experience atmosphere during Halloween.
Thinking that way, Gray shook his head slightly, shook off the distracting thoughts that had been interesting for a moment, and continued on his way.
.
.
.
"Ah... my shoulder..."
After wandering around the market, the basket had become quite heavy, and Gray, seemingly hanging on to it, barely managed to drag it to his small house.
As she slammed the basket down on the wooden table in the kitchen, a groan escaped her lips. Oh my, my arm is going to fall off. I'll have to buy one with wheels later.
Gray put the heavy basket aside for a moment, then reached into the mouth of the overflowing mailbox and pulled out a large pile of its contents.
Among the pristine white letters, including a notice from the publisher's president urging the publication of a new book and a notice from Chief Brown, one purple letter stood out.
'Recipient Town Ailon 11 - 6 Gray Valentine'
'From: Felix Valentine, Dukedom of Valentine'
"To my beloved brother Gray,
It's been a while since you left home to chase your dreams
It's already been a month. I'm worried that it might be hard to be alone in an unfamiliar place...
.
.
.
Please stop by my house sometime when you have time.
- From my brother Felix - 」
It was a letter from the only duke in the country, and Gray couldn't help but laugh as he read the contents filled with all sorts of concerns and greetings.
Gray Valentine, once the reckless youngest daughter of the Valentine family, left home one day after reaching adulthood, leaving behind a single letter stating that she would go on a journey to fulfill her long-held dream of becoming a writer.
Yes, Gray Valentine ran away from home as soon as he became an adult. The only reason he said was that he was leaving to pursue his dreams.
Carrying only a suitcase, she wandered throughout the East until she reached Ailon, a small town in the far east, and fell in love with this romantic place, so she settled down there.
Naturally, as soon as her parents heard the news of their runaway daughter, they personally sent their eldest son, Felix, and her older brother also came here willingly to find his only sister.
"...gray,"
"...Uh... Hello, oppa..?"
It was a strange feeling to be standing in front of my house in the dark dawn before the sun had even risen, breathing heavily and roughly running my silver hair, facing a handsome man who was my family but not of the same blood as me.
"...Let's go home..."
"..sorry, I don't like it,"
"....why..?"
His eyes fluttered as he saw his sister firmly reject his suggestion to go home, and her appearance was so pitiful that it reminded him of a wounded cat.
"...I feel suffocated,"
It was stuffy, because Gray had been free-spirited and had a finite personality since childhood, the strict rules of the system always suffocated her, and he knew that better than anyone else.
"...Okay, take care,"
"Keep in touch often,"
That was my last goodbye to my brother, Felix Valentine.
.
.
.
"Oh my, why are there so many letters?"
Gray pressed his throbbing temples against the feast of letters piled on the table. Let's see... This is a bill... This is a fan letter... As he was organizing them one by one by type, a strange piece of mail caught her eye.
'Recipient Town Aylon Ian Jeon'
Ian Zeon, why was the recipient's name written as an unfamiliar name instead of hers, and the letter didn't even have a sender or address written properly.
"...What the... If the letter is strange, I'll just take it back.
Why are you sending me to the wrong person's house?"
Perhaps the delivery man had just shoved it in because her house was closest to the entrance of the village.
"No, and who reads Jeon as Jeon?"
Judging by the high quality of the paper, he must have been at least an upper-middle class nobleman, but he seemed to not know the letters that even commoners knew. Anyone can see this.jeonBut which stone head did this?XeonIs that what you mean,
"...I'll have to ask the village chief tomorrow..."
In the end, she decided to find out the truth about the suspicious letter tomorrow, threw it on the sofa, and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. “I should make chicken soup today.”
.
.
.