Chapter 44 The Escape Plan (1)
The mountain resort located on the east side of the Albion has a fresh and serene ambiance. On it, Jeongjin could appreciate a panorama view of the mountain’s peak piled up with ice caps from the hotel’s front bungalow.
There, he did not need to feel envious of the world. As such, he could ensconce himself comfortably on a wide wooden balcony with a bungalow, a comfortable armchair, and a cold pintos wine.
‘This pintos wine has the same taste like the one that came out of the school cafeteria at the time.’ Jeongjin released a satisfied sigh as he reminisced his time at the school restaurant after the twins and Celestes left him alone.
Jeongjin now has all the freedom to drink several glasses of wine, to eat delicious grapes, and to eat wild sheep that have served to him.
‘Ah~ This is the taste of life.’ He sighed, genuinely appreciating this moment with his whole heart. He was indeed living his dream.
The resort he inhabited has situated against the side of the mountain, and despite being moderately populated with guests, its atmosphere was still quite peaceful.
‘Good thing I got off at the train station where there were few people around.’ He thought as he slightly nodded to himself.
This resort wasn’t one that was commonly used by aristocrats. Therefore, this place was a right hiding spot for him. The hotel he was staying in also had private facilities for hikers and aides for their guests. Thus, most of the foreign and local visitors didn’t have to worry about their privacy and fear others might be able to peek at their activities.
Moreover, in Pintos, hot spring water unceasingly flowed every day. Thus, any valued customers of the hotels were allowed to take a hot spring bath at the hotel’s leading bathtub as they wished. So, Jeongjin took this chance and had a thorough hot tub twice a day to soothe his whole body and to get rid of his headache.
Now and then, when he longed for something amid his wayward thoughts, he just stared down from the balcony and listened to the hymn of innocent birds. Then, he drank and enjoyed the beauty of the scenery.
Sometimes, when he found himself tired of watching the scenery, he simply reflected on some of the previous events in the novel using the “Memories” of the “Promise.”
At those times, he would reminisce about the usual events of his life yesterday, his life the day before yesterday, or even his life three days ago. He could undeniably infer that his daily life felt like an everlasting ten days that were similar to one another. Meanwhile, the days that he spent in Lundane had already felt distant and somehow abated as if it was merely a dream.
‘With this much money still left, no matter what I do, I don’t have to feel troubled with my spending.’
Jeongjin has dressed in a comfortable indoor suit with all his money stuffed in a pouch under his clothes. He had always kept this money on his person. And he wouldn’t part with it even for a single second, much less a single minute.
‘Because of the abundant supply, the prices of goods here are low. But thanks to that, the amount of money in my hands has hardly diminished.’
However, Jeongjin knew that his vacation would only end in 6 weeks. And he planned to extend this for an additional two months. That way, he would definitely be expelled due to poor attendance. And when he imagined such a future, all he felt was anticipation as if he was waiting to taste his first high-quality alcohol.
‘Really, at this age, I had already been compelled to study until late time. I had gone around to the playground as well. Not only that, but I had also disciplined harshly. I had done all sorts of things at school. So, what else do I have to achieve there? Anyway, I’ve already gotten my 1.2 million dinars that were my reward for getting good grades. So, it should be fine just to drop out, right?’
Jeongjin felt a little annoyed when he thought of those things. Nevertheless, he had gained more than enough to compensate for his troubles. So, he thought he might as well drop the topic.
‘Rather than that, I should be anxious about carrying this huge amount of money on my person. Then again, there should be nothing to worry about since I’ve learned my lesson and had gotten enough defensive magic to protect myself.’
Currently, his pocket was palpably thicker than usual. Therefore, when one looked at him, they wouldn’t be able to see any sign of bitterness on his face. After all, he could ascertain without any doubt that these days were the best days he dreamt of ever since he was young.
‘Anyway, I have already been here for four days. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to expand my horizon by exploring something new? For example, I’ve heard that Apple Whiskey and Caramel are popular local products here. So, shouldn’t I try some?’
Jeongjin was longingly thinking as he read the tour guidebook he bought in front of the station while lying down in an armchair. Moreover, while reading, he was also sipping on a branded wine and enjoying its fragrance. At this moment, he felt that it was good to be alive.
On one side, Jeongjin knew his escape and adventure in this place was a gamble. He was hoping that the manuscript would be torn down to pieces and out of the author’s control completely. He was challenging the author’s decree and trying to carve out a refuge for himself that the author would finally accede to his will.