Pseudo-Villaines

Get Out of the Village

Jean realizes that Jhonson's uncle and aunt are still fine when they hear their voices. Jean looked back and saw the two of them running towards her. The two immediately hugged Jean by the time they got in front of the boy.

"Jean!! Thank goodness you're okay, son. We're so worried about you."

Aunt Jhonson cried as she hugged Jean. Jean too. She hugged her aunt and pama Jhonson tightly while crying. The hugs from them were both very warm. The uneasiness and fear that continued to haunt Jean has now disappeared.

The two invite Jean to enter the ruins of the house they occupy. There are still some livable parts. So Jean's in one of the rooms over there.

Perhaps aware that Jean looked thinner than the last time they saw her, Jhonson's aunt served her some food. It was a medium-sized warm bread with warm fish soup as its complement. There are also boiled potatoes that have been pounded.

To drink it, Jhonson's aunt gave him a glass of apple cider with warm honey. Jean ate it up straight away. How long has he not eaten something like this? All he ate yesterday was worms, rats, and sometimes lizards.

It was a little better when he got into the forest, but he could only burn the animals he had managed to capture.

After Jean was satisfied, she turned her head towards Jhonson's uncle and aunt who were in front of her. With a slightly trembling voice, he asked the two of them.

"Uncle, aunt. What is really going on in our village? Why are all the houses on fire and everyone losing their lives? Are there any survivors among us?"

That's a persistent question. Jhonson's uncle and aunt had predicted that this question would come out of Jean's mouth. Therefore, with a voice that also shook, uncle Jhonson began to explain everything that happened.

At that moment, the state of the village was fine. Everyone is doing their usual activities. Mature men and women go to their wheat fields and gardens because the planting period has arrived. Kids playing in the countryside. There's nothing weird about that.

A few days later, however, the dark clouds began to appear. Their village was invaded by bandits. They number more than a hundred. They had swords, spears, and bows.

The first thing they did upon entering this village was to kill every adult who passed in front of them. They arrested children and teenagers and looted the entire house. They took livestock, grain, and all the property of the villagers.

The bandits also gathered all the villagers in the middle of the field. They sort out the girls and young people in this village and force them to join the bandits. Among them are Svetlana, Jean's mother, and Jeanne.

"They promised not to kill the rest and let the others survive if Svetlana wanted to obey their orders. That's why even though she can fight back, Svetlana and Jeanne stay with them. But......"

Uncle Jhonson paused for a moment. He breathed and then exhaled again. Maybe to make himself a little more calm. But Jean knew that anger, hatred, fear, and other bad feelings filled Jhonson's uncle. He can feel that.

"But they are.the bastards...the bastards broke what they promised!! After Svetlana, Jeanne, and the others were taken away by the bandits, they shot at the children, women, parents who did not come with them using arrows!!

"Not only that, they also insulted the women and small children and slit them after that! Then everything was thrown into the quarry they had created and burned down all the houses in this village!

"We survived because at that time we were hiding in the forest. We saw all of those things but we couldn't do anything.Sorry.sorry, forgive us, Jean!"

Uncle Jhonson started crying. She prostrated herself before Jean while holding her foot, as if begging for forgiveness. Jean stared blankly. His mind seemed to be unable to process all of the stories.

"I see....Mother and sister have been taken by them. Then, what about dad? Why didn't he build a mother and sister?"

Uncle Jhonson was so busy crying that he didn't listen to what Jean asked. Instead, Aunt Jhonson begins to explain what really happened to her father.

"Jean, six months ago, your father came in escorted by a merchant from the capital. She was severely injured and before her consciousness disappeared, she told both of us and your mother and brother that you had been kidnapped by the knights.

"He was unconscious for 14 days. Then on the 15th day, Nicholai breathed his last. He died of the terrible wounds he suffered."

"Enough aunt. Enough uncle. I've understood it. Thank you for wanting to tell me this. I'm gonna get out of here...."

"Don't Jean!!"

Aunt Jhonson held Jean's hand in tears. Her tears poured into the bed where they were all sitting.

"Outside is very dangerous. Please, stay here for a moment. Tomorrow, I'll take you to Nicholai's grave."

Jean nodded without saying anything. Suddenly a very tired feeling attacked him until he unconsciously fell asleep.

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The next morning, after Jean returned to her regular practice, although this time without her mother and sister, visited her father's grave with her uncle and aunt Jhonson.

It was just a simple tomb. Only a mound of earth and a wooden plate were stuck there, bearing Nicholai's name. Jean just squatted in front of her father's grave while stroking the wooden plate. Jhonson's uncle and aunt left him alone there.

"Dad.....Youre right. Life is unfair and always unfair. Those who are strong will always oppress the weak. Those at the top will always harass those at the bottom.

"Dad. That's what you always tell me. And you're right again. He is controlled by unjust fools. They killed in the name of the Goddesses, shed blood in the name of welfare, and slaughtered in the name of justice.

"Because that's what Dad is, I'm going to get stronger. I'll be on top. After that, I will declare war on this vile life and world, overthrow its authority, and build a new world on spilled blood and corpses."

Jean then stroked his sword and scratched his palm. His blood poured into the ground where his father's eternal bed lay.

"This is my oath to you, father. Let the earth, trees, sky, and grass that I plant bear witness. Thank you for your guidance all along."

Jean wrapped his wound in cloth, got up, and left his father's grave. He stopped by for a while to the ruins of his family home. He scavenged the remains of the ruins.

Thankfully, there are still some books that have not been broken. There were also two boxes and one small bag of money coins and some of his clothes were still quite good. Jean took all of it and wrapped it in a large cloth and lifted it.

He approached Jhonson's uncle and aunt. They both hold a box. Their faces looked very sad. Aunt Jhonson even cried.

"Jean, we understand that one day you will definitely leave this village. But the two of us never thought that you'd leave so soon."

Uncle Jhonson gave the box to Jean.

"Take this. In this box are stored our deposits for the last few years. Hopefully enough to meet your life's needs out there."

Jean's surprised. He tries to resist but both force to take it. We are old and will stay here until death. So we don't need this money. That's what they say.

In the end, Jean received the box. He thanked them both and hugged them. She cried with both parents. Maybe this is the last time they will meet. For this reason, a feeling of tightness filled Jean's chest.

"Goodbye, Uncle, aunt. Thanks for everything. Let's meet back. Later, when it's all over."

Jean says that to the two before leaving the village where she was raised by her beloved family and people who care about her.