Jean, the Darkness

第1話 Kingdom of Urda

“Follow me.”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

The old man said, and a child walking behind him replied loudly. The old man was his grandfather and walked forward without looking back.

“Are you okay with this, old man?”

“No problem.”

“But that child is still young...”

A man walking beside him turns around, looks at the child, and then looks ahead again.

“Even though he's only 4 years old, he has to do it.”

“I wish he could stay here forever.”

“No.”

The old man shook his head.

“He can not do that.”

The old man sighed.

“We decided it.”

“Hmm...”

The man mused.

“What about the other siblings? From what I heard, there are seven siblings, right? He has some older brothers, right?”

“There are, but everyone has their role.”

The old man sighed.

“His eldest brother went to Ircandia to study technology. His second brother went to Erganti to study law. And his third brother went to Torpia last month to study economics.”

“Hmm. What else?”

“His three sisters are studying politics to marry into good families.”

“The rest is him...”

“Yes. He's the youngest.”

The old man nodded.

“Anyway, there's no problem with that kid. He's physically strong and smart.”

“However, I don't think it would be a good idea, to train a four-year-old child in assassination techniques.”

The man said with a confused look on his face.

“That's his role. I want him to do his best for the sake of the house and Archia.”

“If you said so.., alright, I'll teach him.”

The two stopped in front of a large tent.

“But before that, please say hello to the head-chief.”

“Of course.”

The old man nodded and turned around.

“You wait here.”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

The old man nodded and went into the tent with the man. The child waiting outside stands silently. Then, several young men appeared from around the tent and looked at the child with great interest.

However, no one speaks out.

He wore an unusual outfit. He must have come from a foreign country, those young men thought.

This is a nomadic village located on the west side of the desert in the Kingdom of Urda. The village has a small oasis nearby where nomads raise sheep and live in tents. It doesn't seem like a rich life, but it doesn't feel like poverty either. The child looks around and sees people staring at him. The appearance of those around him is different from his.

The child looked down, feeling uncomfortable.

“Hey, come in.”

Suddenly the man appeared from the tent and said to the child. The child nodded and went into the tent. Inside the tent, an old man was sitting on a carpet. The child's grandfather is sitting in front of him, and they are having a peaceful conversation.

“Jean, say hello to him. In Urda.”

When the grandfather said this, the child nodded in confusion. Then he bowed to the man sitting in front of his grandfather.

“My name is Jean Prava. I'm from Archia.”

“Hohoho, your Urda is very fluent, child.”

When the child introduced himself in Urda, the man smiled and nodded.

“I'm Jenal Jazar. I'm a distant relative of yours.”

“Distant relative?”

“Yes, I'm your grandfather's cousin's cousin.”

“I see.”

Jean tilted his head to the side, trying to understand. Seeing this, Jenal laughed and ordered him to sit nearby.

“Smaller than my grandson.”

“Hahaha. I would love to meet him, then.”

“He'll be back tonight.”

Jenal laughed and nodded. Jenal's wife came from a nearby kitchen and silently brewed tea for everyone before returning to the kitchen.

“I taught him some basic training.”

Jean's grandfather picked up the tea he was offered and drank it slowly.

“Since when?”

“Since he was two years old.”

“Too early”

“It can't be helped, the situation there isn't good.”

“Hmm. What about his parents?”

“His father died in the war before he was born. His mother became the head of the family over there.”

“Is she okay with being away from her child?”

“No problem. She's my daughter. She follows my decisions.”

“I see.”

Jenal drank her tea and thought.

“How long do you want it to be?”

“Two years.”

“Two years...It's too fast.”

“We can't wait any longer.”

“Hmm, okay. Understood.”

“I appreciate it.”

“No problem.”

Jenal drank tea again.

“Instead, here, have this.”

The old man took a box from his pocket and placed it in front of Jenal. Jenal took the box and opened the lid.

“Wow, what a big pearl!”

“Yes, it is.”

The old man nodded.

“It's called Archia's tears. There's nothing that can beat that.”

“I see.”

“So big that the Queen of Ircandia would want it for her crown.”

“Hahaha, such a troublesome thing, isn't it?”

“That’s why it's better to put it here.”

“Well then, I'm happy to have it, hahaha.”

Jenal closed the lid and put the box in his pocket.

“I also left the rice outside.”

“I appreciate that.”

“And this is the box of gold chunks. Please take care of my grandson, cousin Jenal.”

The old man smiled and bowed his head. Jenal also smiled and took the old man's hand.

“Of course, I'll do. Besides, we are family, aren't we?”

“No doubt about it.”

“Isn’t it natural to help each other?”

“Yeah.”

The old man smiled.

“Please stay here tonight. We have something to talk about, right?”

“Hahaha, alright.”

The old man laughed and nodded.

“I'll take advantage of your kindness.”

“Then let's have a party!”

Jenal laughed and finished his tea.

The next day.

"You will train here for two years."

"Yes, Grandpa."

The old man said as he hugged his beloved grandson. Tears are flowing from the child's eyes.

"Grandpa, please stay here with me."

"I wish I could, but I can't."

The old man answered, looking into his grandson's eyes.

“I have something to do.”

"I see."

"So, from now on, you will follow Mr. Jahir and live here."

"Yes, Grandpa."

"Good boy."

"Grandpa..."

Jean just hugged his beloved grandfather. The old man rubbed his back, then moved away and stood up.

"You are an Archian. You are Jean Prava, the youngest son of the Prava family. Don't forget that pride."

"Yes, Grandpa."

"I'll come get you in two years."

Saying this, the old man got on his horse and set off with several men who had come to pick him up.

"How long will you be there?"

It was the vice-chief Jahir called out to the little boy who was staring at the desert.

"Come. I'll show you where you'll be living from now on."

"Yes, Sir."

The two walked in silence. Jahir stopped in front of a tent and went inside. Jean also enters and stands next to Jahir. The four boys were lined up in front of him, looking at him.

These were the boys from yesterday, Jean remembered.

"Let me introduce you. From left to right: Amir, Abu, Saman, and Sabadda. This is Jean, he is from Archia."

"I'm Jean. Nice to meet you."

When Jahir introduced them, the children placed their hands on their hearts and bowed their heads. Jean also imitated them and performed the same movements.

"From now on, Jean will live in this tent. You guys should be friends with him and teach him how to live here."

"Yes, Sir!"

All four responded loudly.

"I'm planning to take a little walk in the afternoon. Saman will teach you how to ride a camel."

"Yes, Sir."

"The other three should pack up."

Jahir said as he walked outside.

"Wow, you're small."

A boy called Saman approached and touched Jean's head. However, Jean reflexively brushed his hand away.

"Oh, sorry. I guess you don't like having your head touched."

Saman apologized and Jean shook his head.

"I'm sorry."

"No, you don't have to apologize. It was my fault."

Jean said, and Saman smiled. The other three people were also staring at Jean's clothes with curiosity.

"Where Archia is?"

When Abu asked, Jean was deep in thought.

"It's far, across the ocean."

“So how did you come?”

"I went on a boat. It was a big boat."

"Wow."

Abu nodded in surprise.

"Are there any other children like you on the ship?"

Amir asked, and Jean shook his head.

"There was a lot of rice, but not many people rode on it."

"Then it's not a slave ship."

"I think so."

Jean nodded after hearing Amir's words.

“What is a slave ship?”

Sabadda asked, and Amir sighed.

"It's a ship for transporting slaves. I heard that my mother was once sold as a slave in this desert."

Amir said in a small voice.

"But my father took her away. He loves her."

Amir smiled.

"That's why I was born."

"Is your mother still well?"

"She's passed away."

"I'm sorry."

Jean asked and Amir shook his head.

"She died when I gave birth to my younger brother. He also died three days later."

Amir said as he turned around. Because he could hear a voice calling his name from outside.

"Abu, Sabadda, let's go. We'll have to pack."

"Okay!"

When Amir said this, Abu and Sabadda responded at the same time. They placed nearby swords on their waists and then headed out.

"Do you always carry a sword with you?"

"Yup. It's a must here."

Saman also answered while attaching his sword to his waist.

"I don't have a sword."

“I think you have that dagger.”

"Is this okay?"

"No problem."

Saman nodded.

“But just now, Mr. Jahir didn’t carry any weapon, right?”

"Call him teacher."

Saman smiled and motioned for Jean to follow him.

"Teacher?"

"Yes. He's our teacher."

Jean asked, and Saman nodded and headed to a place a little far away from the tent.

"He is an amazing person. He can easily kill bandits with or without a weapon."

“Bandit?”

"You didn't know?"

"No."

Jean nodded. Seeing Jean's gesture, Saman couldn't help but smile, picked up Jean's little body, and held him in his arms.

“Jean is small.”

While saying that, Saman looked around at the animals around him.

“May I know, how old you are now?”

Jean asked.

"I don't know. Amir is 16 years old, and Sabadda is also 16 years old. Abu is 13 years old. I'm not that different from Abu, so we're probably about the same age."

"Hmm."

"How old are you?"

"4 years old"

"Ah, that's why you are so small, then."

Saman laughed lightly and looked around, then looked for a smaller camel.

“Have you ever seen a camel?”

"I saw it yesterday"

“You don't have it in Archia?”

"No, we do not have any of it."

Jean nods and looks at the large camel in front of him. Saman whistled a signal to the camel, and the camel lowered its feet. Then Saman quickly climbed onto the camel's back and sat down, holding Jean in his arms. He sat Jean down in front of him, then took the camel's leash and whistled again.

"Oh!"

"A little bit high?"

"Yeah!"

Jean is looking ahead with sparkling eyes. Saman laughed and briefly taught Jean how to handle a camel.

"Jean is a quick learner."

Saman says this while looking at Jean happily riding a camel. He had never heard that a camel could be driven freely in just one hour.

“Maybe it looks like a horse.”

“Can you ride a horse too?”

"Yes, I can."

Jean nodded.

“What else can you do?”

“What?”

"Teacher is asking me what else can you do? For example, like throwing daggers and how to fight."

Saman asked, and Jean thought again.

"I once jumped out of a palm tree at my grandpa's house."

"I've heard that coconut trees are very high.''

“Yeah, it was high.”

"Did you jump from that tree?"

"Yeah."

Jean nodded.

"You'll get seriously hurt, right?"

"No."

Jean shook his head.

“Then how?”

"Hmm."

Jean thought.

"First you go up, and when you get to the top, you choose the prettiest and largest leaf."

Jean explained step by step.

“And then?”

"And then  I cut it with a dagger, climbed on top of it, kicked it with my foot, and jumped off."

"Weren't you scared?"

"No, it was fun!"

Jean said with a laugh.

"So, did you learn how to fight?"

"Well, I can do it a little, but I'm still young so I'm not very good at it."

Jean answered honestly.

"Well, you're going to get better from now on, so no problem, Jean."

"Yeah."

Jean nodded.

"But you're so cute. I'd love to have you as my little brother."

"Little brother?"

"You hate it?"

"No"

"Then it's decided. Call me brother."

“Brother?”

"Yup."

Saman laughed and let Jan run the camel for a while until lunch.