Double Stellar Calendar, Year 56. Late autumn was still here, but there was only a little tail left.
The north wind was getting colder and colder, blowing through the Forest of the Dead. The cold wind fell into the trees, causing the withered leaves to fall into the soil.
The north wind didn't take away the branches and leaves of the forest, but the decayed things were carried away by the wind and blown to other places.
The Dark Sea in the east was as calm as a pool of stagnant water. During the summer, the storms that came from the sea brought the forest one test after another. But now, the sea had quietened down. Only the gentle sea breeze and waves brought about the little warmth that was left.
Near the winter season, although the sea was ruthless, at this time, it was warmer than the cold wind. But it was just a little warmer.
In the chapel on the cape, the waves under the cape didn't jump high, as if they had lost their vitality and could only hit the reef below.
After the weather turned cold, Romuona changed into a warm and thick clothes. Now, no matter how she looked, she looked like a girl from a peasant family. The thick brown skirt reached to her ankles, she also had a shawl on her body, and a headscarf on her head to protect her hair and resist the cold.
She came to the edge of the cape with a basket hanging from her arm. Inside the basket were edible plants and fruits picked from the forest.
Romuona felt that today's wind was a little different from usual, but she couldn't feel anything else.
If this was the change of the season, it seemed to be mixed with something else.
If she had to say, it shouldn't be so cold.
The temperature in the morning was indeed lower, but it shouldn't give people a bone-deep chill.
Romuona thought that her body was still good. After staying in this place for so long, she was also training herself.
She shouldn't be so weak. Then what was the problem? Was she the only one who felt this, or could ordinary people feel it?
In this remote place, there was no one else to be used as a reference. There was only one girl, her, and two old men.
Romuona walked back to the chapel. Olga was in the chapel, sitting on the only bench, looking at the dusty glass painting.
After seeing Romuona come in, Olga turned to look at her. "Maybe you should add another set of clothes."
"That's enough. Any more and it'll be inconvenient for us to move around."
Romuona said to Olga, "Maybe you're the one who needs more clothes, Olga."
"My body is much stronger than yours, Onna. Don't worry." Olga coughed a few times after saying that.
"You're not in good health." Romuona walked to Olga's side and bent down to hold his hand.
The withered hand was covered with veins. This hand was not small, and the joints were covered with thick calluses. It was a strong hand.
However, Romuona did not feel at ease because of this. This hand felt even colder than before.
"Your hands are cold," she said.
"Winter is coming. The hands of an old man like me are always colder than the hands of a young man."
Olga smiled and coughed a few times. "People will always get sick, even I am no exception. You don't need to worry too much."
Romuona was a little uneasy, but she believed in Olga's words.
Maybe he was just a little uncomfortable. A few coughs were not a big problem.
Although his coughs from time to time always worried Romuona, but as Olga said, he was already an old man. There would always be some problems, even if he was a strong and powerful warrior.
"You continue to rest for a while, Olga." Romuona said, "There's no work to do for a while."
"What about the preparation for winter?"
Olga said, "That's not the time when there's no work to do. Before winter, it's the busiest time."
"It's not that time yet.
You just rest for a few more days, okay? "Romuona continued to persuade Olga." There's still Apo. It's not that urgent. "
Olga sighed and nodded. "Well … When people are old, they have to admit that they are really old. They don't even have the chance to show off."
Romuona squeezed out a smile on her face. "You're still very healthy. You're just a little uncomfortable."
The door of the church was opened. Apo came in, carrying a piece of fur on his shoulder.
The fur was just peeled off. He also carried a bag in his hand. It was probably filled with fresh meat cut from animals. The bottom of the bag was dyed red and dripping with dark red liquid.
Apo's expression looked a little serious. It was unclear whether the cold wind had frozen his face or something was bothering him. Neither Romuona nor Olga could know what he was thinking. Maybe Lulunaka could.
"Did anything happen in the church when I was not here?" Apo came in and asked Olga and Romuona.
His expression not only looked a little serious, but also a little nervous. Even Romuona could see it.
"Nothing at all. What can happen in a place like this?" Romuiona replied. "There are only three of us here, and no one else."
Apo did not continue. He walked to the door leading to the back of the church. "Recently, don't go too deep into the forest … and don't go too far.
Especially you, Romuona. "
"Did something happen?" Romuona asked.
Apo did not answer. He left the hall, leaving Olga and Romuona puzzled.
"Since he said so, then don't go too far for a little food." Olga said to Romuona. "It's better to be careful."
Romuona looked at the opened door. Apo's figure had disappeared. "But he didn't say why."
Olga was silent for a while before he continued to speak to Romuona. "I can feel that the Forest of the Dead may not be peaceful recently … Something might happen further north."
Romuona looked at Olga for a while. "You've been to the north before."
The 'you' that Romuona was referring to, apart from Lulunaka, Olga, and Julius, there was no one else.
"If you want to get some explanation from me, it's probably in vain."
Olga said, "The person who can explain is not here. He's already in the King's Castle — in your hometown."
Romuona did not ask any more questions.
She knew that Olga was telling the truth. She also believed that Olga would not lie to her.
After letting Olga continue to rest, Romuona walked in the direction that Apo left.
When she passed by the backyard and kitchen, she saw the fur hanging outside the kitchen. The bag of fresh meat was probably placed in the kitchen.
But she did not see Apo. Apo was not here.
Since he was not here, then he should be in another place.
She put the basket in the kitchen and walked to the cape.
Apo stood at the end of the cape, looking at the sea in the distance.
Romuona walked towards him and stopped a few steps away from him. "You seem to have something on your mind."
Apo looked back at Romuona. "Something on my mind?" He whispered, not answering Romuona's question.
"Is it something important that you can't say?"
Romuona said, "If that's the case, then I won't continue to ask …"
Apo shook his head. "There's nothing to hide." After he said this, he fell silent again.
The silence between the two lasted for a long time. At least, it was within the range that both of them could endure and accept.
"The undead in the north have become more active."
Apo suddenly said, "I don't know where the undead's range of activity will spread to, but the undead's attack to the south has happened before … For your safety, I hope you don't go out too far recently.
At least … wait until this cold feeling passes and your body becomes warm, then you can make plans. "
At least, Apo gave an acceptable explanation and reason, instead of forbidding Romuona and Olga to go far for no reason.
But Romuona had a vague feeling in her heart that Apo did not say everything. There were still some things hidden in his heart that he did not intend to share with Romuona.