Chapter 207: How’s that for a character’s backstory?

“I was having such a good sleep and yet you still woke me up. It was a lot of trouble preparing that seal, you know. I don’t want to go through that again. So, you better make it up to me by provide for me until I die.”

The woman demanded so.

As such, she has been living in my place since then, doing nothing but eating, sleeping and drinking alcohol day after day.

“Gotta say though, life here has been quite amazing. Your alcohol and food’s great. Plus, your bed’s so comfy. Looks like I’ve been picked up by a fantastic pet owner.”

Before drinking from her cup, Miranda imitated a dog and woofed.

For her to say ‘pet owner’, she’s quite drunk, isn’t she…I mean, she has to be, right?

“But, ahm…Miranda-san, when were you from?”

“Who knows? I don’t really know how much time has passed, so even if you ask me, I don’t know what to tell you.”

“I see…”

“Tell you what though, back then, I was actually revered as the sage of dusk. You know, because of the color of my hair.”

“Ohh.”

I completely didn’t expect that. But then again, considering the tremendous magic power she displayed after her seal was undone, I wouldn’t doubt that she was indeed revered as a sage.

“…I did too good of a job though.”

Why is she boasting all of a sudden?

“I was too kind back then and did everything I could to be helpful to everyone. It reached the point where everyone relied on me for everything. It was already too late by the time I noticed what a mistake that was…I would work myself to death each day, and they just took my efforts for granted.”

Miranda-san looked into the distance while recounting her past, her tone getting angrier and angrier.

“Unsurprisingly, I eventually reached my limit. As soon as I stopped helping, everyone got so furious right away. It was ridiculous, I tell you…I was being called a sage, but I was nothing but a fool all along. At least now I know better than to volunteer my services. I wish I had known that sooner though…”

As the village chief, I could somehow relate to her story.

“At any rate, I stopped helping and ran away. Sadly, they persistently hunted me down. It was so annoying that I decided to seal myself in those ancient ruins. If I had my way, I would have stayed sleeping within that room deep underground forever.”

“Is that so…”

Apparently, those ruins were built way before Miranda-san’s time.

“……how’s that for a character’s backstory?”

“A character’s backstory!?”

Playing the role of the straight man in a comedy, I shouted so.

Seeing me like that, Miranda-san cackled.

“Gyahahahaha! You believed that? You really believed that!? Gyahahahaha!”

This drunk…

“Well, sorry to inform you, but if you want to live in this village, you have to do some kind of work. No one is exempted from that. On the other hand, everyone who works are provided with things they might need—like a place to stay—for free. So, Miranda-san––”

“zzzzzz”

“Are you sleeping!?”

I grabbed hold of the pitcher nearby and splashed its water on her.

“Gaaaa!?”

The self-proclaimed sage thus opened her eyes, all confused.

“*Cough**cough*! What the hell!? I didn’t think it because you had such a cute face, but are you actually nuts or something!?”

“Sure, sure, anyway, ready to listen now? Okay. It doesn’t matter what you do as work, what matters is that you’re contributing something to the village.”

“I refuse! I’d rather be a loafer who stays at some other person’s house for free, drink for free, and eat for free! Everyday!”

“Are you sure about that? …then, I have no other choice.”

I grabbed her arm and then quickly used teleportation.

Our destination was a meadow that had nothing else in the vicinity.

“Feel free to stay here.”

“Huh, hey, wait––”

I ignored her plea and returned to the village.