Gresvin's story and the report delivered in the middle of the night

The villagers had made dinner, and once the food was ready, the whole village had their share before they once more started to tell tall tales and the like. 

But unlike before, the village elder was present, and he, too, had some stories to tell. When he started, the whole group fell silent, intent on listening to the old man speak.

"Haha, since you are intent on hearing this old man's story, then I shall gladly comply." he gave a light laugh. Mm, where to start? Well... ah, yes! Let us begin by the time I have just reached adulthood. I come from a small kingdom called Veluca, which is far south. The kingdom of Veluca was situated on the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea." the village elder started to explain softly.

"I come from a commoner family that resided in the countryside, my family were farmers and we would deliver our harvested goods to the nobles of Veluca. Veluca was not a very strong kingdom in comparison to some of the bigger regions like Aehtelgard, but we were able to trade with different kingdoms due to our location. Well, of course, I, as a young adult thought our kingdom to be very strong. It was only when i left home and join the military that i realized the truth."

"Our military was not strong. The kingdom had spent all its resources on naval armies and ships, which meant our land borders were quite weak. We dared to venture into the open seas and had confidence in dealing with almost anything." 

"That said, when I left my home and reached the capital, I petitioned to join the navy. I wanted to protect my kingdom as any filial man would do. I was accepted into the army and started off as nothing but a ship's hand early on. I was not allowed to partake in battles and would only be training every now and then." The old man told the tale with a twinkle in his eye as if he were relieving the memories.

"I joined the battalion stationed on the 'Falke'. Oh, boy, how lucky I was! The captains and leaders were quite frightening and stern, but boy, did they teach us. We were able to grow quickly thanks to their guidance, and after I spent four years as a ship's hand, I was able to advance to rank 1 warrior and allowed to partake in battles on the sea."

"Battling on the open sea was something… the salt in your throat and nose… the gentle breeze flowing through your hair… the rays of sun stinging against your face and the ever swaying boat. Those were the days we as naval warriors enjoyed and relished. I had my fair share of tales and adventures on the 'Falke' but nothing of the extraordinary sort." the man said with yearning, the twinkle in his eyes intensifying for just a moment before it slowly diminished. 

The village elder gave a deep and sorrowful sigh: "It was then, after my 16th year of service as a warrior on board the 'Falke', Veluca had encountered an enemy unlike any before. Every battle on the sea we lost. Our forces dwindled too fast, and before we knew it, only half of our naval forces remained before the higher echelons realized what had occurred."

The village elder gave a long pause before a youngish voice asked curiously, "What happened to the Village leader?" a young-looking man asked.

"Ha! We were ambushed by a far superior enemy, and no matter what we did, we could not stop the march of the enemy. They were ruthless and cruel men who had left nothing in their path; only destruction and death remained. They were like poison, spreading all across our small kingdom, and eventually, the kingdom of Veluca had fallen." The old man spoke with anger in his voice, yet a sense of powerlessness could be felt.

The villagers gazed at the old man, surprised at the story, not because it was different or strange; many a time, kingdoms fall, and the people scatter. It was just that they had never heard the elder speak of this, and he had lived in this small village even before most of them were born.

"Elder, if it's not too much to ask, may I know the name of the kingdom that invaded Veluca?" Gresvin asked curiously. The old man's life story was short, as he did not go too much into various details, but the notion of the coastal kingdoms intrigued Gresvin, and he could not help but ask.

The elder glanced at Gresvin and spoke softly, "It was a kingdom called Azurean." The mere mention of the name seemed to deflate the elder; his spirits plummeted by speaking the name of the kingdom that invaded his home.

Gresvin knew that the old man did not speak in detail, but he could guess what caused him to still have such resentment toward the invading kingdom. Seeing the elder's response made him give up on asking for clarity.

'He probably doesn't want to speak about that,' he thought silently. The atmosphere took a hit, and the upbeat and warm feel was now gone. The villagers wanted to hear the old man's stories, and he was willing to share them, but it seemed that it brought up unpleasant memories, and the elder did not want to elaborate any further.

"Mm, I will take my leave," the old man stood up and spoke. The group could see the elder was not in the mood to continue discussing adventures and tall tales. They greeted the elderly man before their whispers sounded around the fire.

"Lord Gresvin! What is your homeland like?" the youngish voice sounded once more. Gresvin was caught in surprise as he gazed at the rather young-looking man seated in the opposite area of the fire.

His words had caught the interest of all the villagers, and soon they too urged Gresvin to speak, 'Calm down." Gresvin smiled with a light chuckle.