Fortune After Misfortune

The wheels turned on the snow-covered ground, leaving two tracks.

Crushed snow sprayed behind the wheels and landed on the horses of the carriage behind.

The carriages were not far apart, and the people sat in the carriage canopy, their bodies swaying from side to side as they watched the snow-capped mountains behind them recede into the distance.

I feel a sense of relief that I can finally leave this terrible environment.

"With these replenished rations, it seems there shouldn't be any problem getting out of the snow-capped mountains."

Frog was chewing on a piece of candy, a prize he'd won with the village kids over a bet: whether Lancelot and his friends could defeat the Snow Monster before nightfall and return.

Mmm~ Sweet!

He seemed to want more, and even after throwing it away, he couldn't resist licking the candy wrapper. This was the first time he had eaten sweets on this entire trip, so it's no wonder he cherished it so much.

"The village chief and the others gave us so much food, aren't they worried about themselves?"

Lancelot's voice came from behind Frog. He leaned against the carriage, propping his head up with his sword, looking very tired.

After all, such a long journey, coupled with fighting monsters and not having a proper rest, would make even Superman feel tired.

"Living in a place like this, with winter just around the corner, they'll have a hard time surviving without enough food, won't they?"

Hearing his words, Galan, who was sitting opposite him, also looked at Frog, who was driving.

That makes sense; they did take quite a bit of grain.

"There are basically no problems. That's what the village chief said too. And after you left, I also learned a lot about the village's situation." He paused for a moment as he spoke.

"Don't you guys think Snow Village is pretty big?"

"It's at least bigger than some of the small villages we passed through before."

Lancelot recalled that they had stopped at many villages and towns to replenish supplies, Snow Village was one of the larger ones among them.

"But the truth is, those men we saw at the village entrance that day were all the able-bodied men in the village."

Frog continued.

"Ha?"

Both Galan and Lancelot were somewhat surprised to hear him say that.

"Is there only this many people? Then they..."

1

"The village chief said that the young people in Snow Village are finding it increasingly difficult to endure the harsh living conditions here. In recent years, many have chosen to seek development elsewhere, and over time, the population here has dwindled."

"Once they've established themselves outside, they'll come back and bring their elderly relatives and children with them, which is why there are so many vacant houses available for us to use."

"In short, even though we took a lot of grain, there's enough left for them to eat until next spring. There aren't that many people in the village right now; most of those left are children and the elderly, and they don't have that much of an appetite, so you can rest assured."

After listening to his story, both Galan and Lancelot fell into deep thought.

Lancelot suddenly remembered his childhood. The adults in the village would also go to faraway places to earn money. Gradually, the lively village of his childhood became deserted. Many of the children he played with left, which was part of the reason why he chose to go out and become a mercenary. After that, there were no familiar relatives or friends in the village.

Galan, on the other hand, recalled his high school geography teacher's lecture on "population aging."

I never imagined that similar problems existed in this world.

"Perhaps in a few decades, the Snow Village will disappear; who knows?"

He muttered to himself.

After all, if everyone flocks to places with better environments and living conditions, this place will become an empty village within a generation or two. This is an inevitable trend in historical development, and it is true in every era.

"Yes, but that has nothing to do with us anymore, since it's not a future we can foresee."

.. yes."

That's not the future we can see.

Galan looked at the two of them, and a feeling he couldn't quite describe suddenly welled up inside him.

In that future, in their own time, the two of them would probably be old people with white hair.

I had never seen the two of them before; forty-nine years of trials and tribulations had sculpted them into something quite different.

He suddenly thought of Duncan again, of the Duncan he had met and the Duncan he knew. Who could imagine that a hunched-over, long-bearded old man had once been in his prime?

Having always been by Lia and Frieren's side, I seemed to have been influenced by them and gradually forgot how cruel time could be.

Time is so merciless.

"Frog, have you ever thought about what you'll be like when you're old?"

Galan turned his head to look out of the car, past the long convoy of cars behind him, and gazed at the snow-capped mountains that were gradually receding into the distance.

Looking at it now, it seems like a nice view.

Why are you suddenly asking about this?

Frog was somewhat surprised by Galan's question and paused for a moment.

I didn't expect you to be such a sentimental type.

"Everyone has those moments, right? Suddenly feeling really old and stuff like that."

Galan stretched out his legs and shifted his position to make himself more comfortable. There was enough space for him to move around since it was just him and Lancelot in the car.

"I haven't really thought about that. The world changes so fast, who can predict what they'll become? Maybe they'll end up as a wretched old man like Lancelot."

Frog, playing a little trick, couldn't resist teasing the sleepy Lancelot, "Aren't you being polite? I'm in my prime."

Lancelot, barely keeping his eyes open, replied with dissatisfaction, "But to be honest, I am indeed much older than the two of them."

I'm really getting old...

As he thought this, he gradually closed his eyelids.

"Asleep? You must be tired."

Seeing that Lancelot hadn't spoken again, Frog turned around and looked at him, only to find that he had fallen asleep leaning against his sword.

"You've really worked hard."

"Couldn't you have said it when he was awake?"

Galan closed his eyes to rest; he was feeling quite tired after doing so much.

"That's so cheesy! He'd probably think the same thing if I said it to a grown man. It sounds like I'm his mother."

Frog remained focused on driving, and couldn't help but feel happy as he watched the snow and ice scenery gradually diminish around him.

In a few more days, they will be able to leave the snow-capped mountain. Thanks to the village chief's guidance on a shorter route, their journey can even be shortened by a few days.

Was this accident a stroke of luck or a misfortune?