# 17
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While Elinor was unhappy with the way Matthias was handling things, he had just returned from abroad.
Elinor called him.
“Sit here a moment.”
"What?"
I made him sit down as he returned to his room, and told him about the visit of the village chief and what he had said.
Mathias listened quietly for a while, then frowned.
“I kindly advised him, but he has not learned his lesson yet.”
“What are you going to do now?”
Elinor questioned seriously.
"If you couldn't solve the problem properly, you shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. You've created an unnecessary problem."
“Listen, mother of the child. That day, I saved you and the child. How could you change your attitude so quickly?”
“They might expel me from the village.”
Elinor pressed her fingers to her forehead.
“That field was neglected because of the wild boars. Even if I plant and graze the herbs, if the wild boars coming from the mountain are not dealt with, everything will be in vain. Then the village head will use that as an excuse to hold me accountable.”
"accounting?"
"He will force me to leave the village. Or he may harass me in small ways. In the worst case, he may suggest a deal."
"Deal? What kind of deal?"
“For example, he might say he'll relieve me of running the weed field if I take care of James, who's hiding in his house in pain...”
“Did he go crazy?”
Matthias frowned in disgust.
Elinor sighed deeply.
“In a closed and isolated village like this, the local mentality is strong. Even if it doesn’t seem like it from the outside.”
For Elinor, who had to hide with the child, the isolation of the village was an added advantage when choosing a place of refuge.
But now, the situation has become complicated.
Elinor groaned in pain.
“I chose this place carefully.”
If you leave here, where will you go next?
Unlike before, Matthias now appeared as an additional obstacle.
Since she and the baby are the key to finding Charlotte, he won't leave her easily.
It became exponentially more stressful.
“He was showing off who he was...”
“Mother, did you accidentally say something instead of thinking it?”
“He was showing off who he was...”
"Okay, okay. I'll take responsibility."
"how?"
Elinor stared at him sharply.
“How are you going to solve it?”
Matthias leaned back comfortably on the back of the chair.
“I have a plan. So, rest assured.”
I can't be sure, but can I trust him?
Elinor held the child tightly.
At times like these, the baby was the only one who calmed her down. genuinely.
* * *
Matthias, who promised to solve James' problem, told her not to go to the weed field.
“You're taking the baby with you, aren't you?”
“I can't just leave him with Sophie, so I have to take him.”
“It was said that wild boars appear in the grass field. Why would you put him in danger? Wait until I solve the problem.”
In fact, the village chief did not expect Elinor to actually solve the problem of the weed field.
His real goal was to pressure Elinor because she had upset James.
So, even if she worked it out, it was obvious that he would find an excuse to harass her.
“If I even thought about at least making an effort...”
But with Matthias watching, it won't be easy to go secretly.
In contrast to his behavior as a cruel villain, he cared greatly about the child's safety.
In the end, Elinor decided to temporarily follow his word.
She was planning to monitor how he handled it.
After visiting the village chief, I stayed home for more than a week.
This news reached the ears of the village chief who assigned her the task.
“As I expected, there is nothing you can do.”
The village chief laughed sarcastically and raised the corner of his mouth.
He gave a glass of lukewarm beer to an old man sitting in the living room.
“Brother, didn’t I tell you? I was sure she would be so frightened that she wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
“Right, as I planned.”
"I'm the brain of the village. Just trust me. I'll teach that impudent girl a lesson."
The visiting old man was Thomas, James's father.
As Elinor guessed, her assignment to the herb field was prompted by a request from Thomas.
“The herb field on the mountain has been deserted for more than two years due to wild boars. You couldn’t have known that. Even if you knew, I am the village chief, so you should move.”
"naturally."
“But it has been more than a week since I assigned her to manage the field, and she has not moved. Now we can hold her accountable for not doing the work.”
“Then you suggest that, in exchange for your mercy, she meet my son?”
“That's right. A man in recovery needs a woman to take care of him. Isn't that much easier than taking care of a field full of wild boars?”
The village chief laughed in a sly tone and emptied his beer cup.
The old man said in a low voice:
"Thanks."
“Thanks between us? How much have you helped me so far? I became the village chief after you thanks to your support.”
“You have no idea how upset I felt.”
“How is James?”
“He doesn't leave his room.”
The old man sighed sadly.
“Even when I ask him to tell me everything, he doesn’t listen.”
“You are the father of the previous village head, and I am the current village head, so why were you so afraid?”
“That impudent young man threatened my son.”
The old man shuddered and put the beer down hard.
“I mean that guy, ex-husband or whatever! He acts so careless, his face shines like he lived ling his face in the streets!”
“It's true, he's handsome. He looks like me when I was young.”
"What?"
"No, no, that's not what I meant... Haha! Men don't care about their looks, it's their character. How worthy and perfect is your son?"
“His only flaw is that he has a weak heart.”
The old man clicked his tongue.
"So he feels sorry for a woman with a child and wants to embrace her. Why did he fall in love with such women instead of ordinary women?"
Everything James did to Elinor was harassment and stalking.
But Thomas, the biased father, ruled as he wanted to see it.
The village head agreed for his part.
"That's what makes him a real man. Not everyone can handle the responsibility of a homeless woman."
"I'm saying this because I'm angry. He should be starting a family and having children, but he's doing this."
"Don't worry, brother. The girl may have been married before, but she's young, so she can have more. To satisfy you, maybe five kids? Haha, James will have to make an effort."
“What about the existing child?”
“Since the child’s father is there, it can be handed over to him. Wouldn’t she be more welcoming if it was said that she could have a fresh start without the child? She would definitely want to marry James.”
"…truly?"
“Of course! Don't worry. I'll take care of everything. I was planning to visit her tomorrow...”
Knock knock.
While the village chief was excitedly talking about his plan, someone suddenly knocked on his door.
He stopped talking and walked towards the door and asked:
“Who's there?”
"Ah! Here you are, Mr. President. A message has arrived. I have come to deliver it."
"message?"
The president received the package.
It was a thick brown envelope, stamped with a red stamp bearing the word “Urgent.”
He tilted his head.
"From the National Bank? Nothing is supposed to arrive. What is this?"