It didn’t take long for our entire exploration team to assemble. I had already summoned everyone in anticipation of this possibility.
Well, that didn’t mean they were mentally prepared.
“By ‘gear’… do you mean weapons?”
“Yes.”
“Are you… planning to fight them…?”
“What’s wrong with an explorer slaying monsters?”
I asked them, and that was enough.
“…Nothing, sir.”
“What are you waiting for?! Obey the Baron’s orders!”
We don’t have any concrete evidence yet, and Amelia might return if we wait a little longer…
So let’s wait.
Even though they were probably thinking the same thing, no one dared to voice their concerns.
They just whispered among themselves and prepared their weapons.
“Are you… sure about this?”
“What else can we do? Tell me if you have a better idea.”
“…I don’t.”
“And what will you do if things go wrong?”
“It’s better than doing nothing.”
“Right, it’s better than just waiting here.”
So that’s why they were so quiet.
“Bjorn… calm down. You’re scaring everyone…”
Misha’s words made me realize what kind of expression I had been making.
“……!”
I glanced around, and Auyen, who had made eye contact with me, quickly looked away, startled.
Ainar was also acting strangely.
“Did I do something wrong…? They’re… good people… even if we can’t communicate… Ah! I didn’t say anything! I swear!”
He mumbled something and then shook his head, as if trying to deny it.
I walked over to him.
“Ainar.”
“Y-Yes! W-What is it?!”
“Have you gotten attached to those monsters?”
“N-No! It’s just… this essence! It’s affecting my—”
I couldn’t listen to his excuses.
I cut him off.
I understood that his Fighting Spirit had decreased, but…
“Our comrade is in danger. Get a grip. Before I’m disappointed in you.”
“…Understood.”
Okay, so he was back to normal.
The other explorers also seemed ready.
There was no need for a long speech.
“Let’s go.”
I stepped out of the house, and the explorers followed me.
I quickened my pace, almost running.
And then I sensed a presence.
“Mister.”
“It’s him? The one who was watching our house.”
“Yes. Should I capture him?”
I hesitated for a moment and then answered.
“No, leave him alone. He’ll lead us to our destination.”
“Ah…”
“Increase speed!”
With Erwen’s guidance, we pursued the scout.
[Explorers… explorers!]
[Akiti! G-Go inside! Hurry!]
The villagers, surprised by our armed procession, quickly hid themselves.
And after a while…
‘…We’re not heading towards the Elder’s house…’
Where was he going?
My question was soon answered.
[I found a strange place today. It’s about fifteen minutes from the Elder’s house. It looks like an ordinary house, but there are guards everywhere.]
It was the suspicious house Amelia had mentioned.
“Stop.”
We had arrived.
[…Explorers! Lower your weapons!]
Damn it, they had gathered here already.
I looked at the crowd of monsters and muttered,
[No.]
I wasn’t here to talk.
______________________
I’m looking for someone.
If you have nothing to hide, step aside.
I didn’t need to say those words.
Something might happen to Amelia while I was wasting time talking to them.
So…
[Move. Or I’ll kill you.]
That was the most polite warning I could give.
But Nui, the village warrior and the Elder’s right-hand man, ignored my warning.
[The Elder ordered us to let no one through. Leave.]
It wasn’t unexpected.
And I didn’t bother repeating myself. I had given him a warning, and he hadn’t heeded it.
Therefore, I only had one option.
[Oh, really?]
[Yes. So calm down and—]
[Then die.]
As I had warned him, I swung my hammer with killing intent.
「Character has cast [Gigantification].」
My body expanded, and I felt a surge of power.
I poured all my strength into the swing.
「Character has cast [Swing].」
Nui, the archer, quickly dodged and drew his bow.
Archers…
So agile.
「Character has cast [Transcendence].」
「Character has cast [Eye of the Storm].」
As I swung my hammer, I activated [Eye of the Storm] and grabbed him.
And…
Crack!
My hammer struck his head at the perfect moment.
It wasn't a coincidence or a lucky hit.
It was the result of countless battles.
A warrior's instincts.
[……?]
His head caved in like a crushed can, and he looked at me with a dazed expression, blood dripping from his forehead.
But he didn’t die instantly, as expected of the Elder’s right-hand man.
Therefore…
‘One more time.’
I raised my hammer again.
Whoosh!
And swung down with all my might.
Well, Marupichi would be an orphan now, but it couldn’t be helped.
Hans A had also had a child…
‘He’ll be fine…’
Or maybe he would join his father soon—
‘…Huh?’
Something blocked my hammer.
‘A sword.’
I could tell it was a sword, and that it was glowing white.
Kwaaang!
A powerful recoil traveled up my arm as my hammer collided with the white sword.
Flash.
A bright light blinded me, but I forced my eyes open and looked ahead.
And I smirked.
‘So he was just too busy to see me…’
He had appeared as soon as his subordinate was in danger.
______________________
“…….”
“…….”
A tense silence followed.
[…….]
The village warriors, who had been celebrating the end of the rainy season with us just a few days ago, now glared at us, their weapons drawn.
Well, we were also ready for battle.
“…….”
Magic, divine spells, abilities…
The explorers who had followed me were also prepared to fight at any moment.
And in that situation…
“Elder.”
I spoke first.
I was getting impatient.
“Give me back my comrade.”
It was a blunt demand.
But the Elder didn’t ask what I was talking about. He didn’t accuse me of misunderstanding him.
It was unexpected…
“So it was because of her.”
…but he readily admitted it.
And that…
Clench.
…made my blood run cold.
There was a hidden meaning behind his reaction.
He was prepared to fight us, even if we resorted to violence.
But I wasn’t going to back down.
“…Is she dead?”
I asked after a long, tense silence.
The Elder tapped his index and middle fingers twice.
It was a gesture unique to this tribe.
And it meant…
“Don’t worry. She’s alive.”
…no.
I felt a surge of relief.
Of course, there was a chance that he was lying…
But at least Amelia was alive.
“Give her back.”
I said again, my voice firm, and the Elder looked at me and said,
“What will you do if I refuse?”
“I’ll come and get her myself. And I’ll crush anyone who gets in my way.”
“You’re… serious, aren’t you?”
Of course I was.
I wasn’t bluffing.
My comrade's life was on the line.
“I’m stronger than you.”
I nodded.
“Maybe.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“Fear never stopped me from doing what I had to do.”
“Hmm, I see. You’re a warrior. Is she your lover?”
“…….”
I didn’t answer his question. Sёarch* The NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
“If not… you must care about her a great deal.”
The Elder muttered something I couldn’t understand and then gave his subordinates an order.
[Nui… Ah, it seems he’s indisposed at the moment. Someone bring me the female explorer.]
So… she was really alive?
“Wait here. We’ll talk after that.”
I waited anxiously, and after a while, the monster warriors appeared, carrying Amelia on a stretcher.
She was unconscious…
“What happened to her?”
“I just put her to sleep. I didn’t harm her.”
She didn’t seem to have any external injuries.
But appearances could be deceiving.
“Take her. You’re in no state to have a conversation right now.”
I took Amelia and had the priest and the mages examine her.
And…
“As the Elder said… she’s just unconscious…”
Bersil’s confirmation calmed me down.
“Phew…”
Amelia was safe.
It felt like we had overcome a major hurdle, but…
The problem hadn’t been resolved yet.
“Now that she’s safe, are you ready to talk?”
“Why did you kidnap Amelia?”
“Kidnap? That’s a ridiculous accusation. If anything, we’re the ones who should be asking that question. She was the one who trespassed on our territory.”
Right, so that's what had happened.
“But if that was the case, you should have contacted me immediately.”
“That’s true. But I wanted to confirm something first. Whether she trespassed out of personal curiosity…”
The Elder looked at me.
His fish-like eyes were unsettling.
“…or if you had instructed her to do so.”
Before I could answer, he continued.
“Ah, she said she acted alone. She wouldn’t answer any of my other questions. But don’t misunderstand. I didn’t harm her. I just… scared her a little.”
“I appreciate your consider—”
“But you’re responsible for this.”
“…?”
“You’re her leader. It doesn’t matter if you gave her the order or not. Your companion disregarded our goodwill and broke our rules. And not only that, she barged in here and tried to kill one of our warriors without even trying to understand the situation.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
Amelia was safe.
And they had returned her without harming her.
It proved that I had overreacted.
“So, how are you going to take responsibility for this?”
The Elder’s voice was as emotionless as ever, but it felt even more oppressive now.
I couldn’t read his intentions.
‘…An apology won’t be enough…’
I quickly made my decision and spoke.
I wasn’t going to shirk my responsibility as a leader.
“Amelia Raines entered your territory on my orders.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“But there’s a reason.”
“I’m listening.”
I revealed a card I hadn’t intended to use.
Sometimes, a direct approach was the best option.
“I recently ‘found’ a dagger with the Silver Lion Clan’s emblem.”
“And?”
“I was a little suspicious. Why was their weapon in your village, even though they had supposedly left? So I started investigating.”
“So that’s what happened…”
“Now tell me. What’s the story behind the dagger? And what’s hidden in that house?”
The Elder paused for a moment, as if thinking.
And after a while…
“I’ll start with the dagger. I can’t be sure, since I didn’t see it myself… but they traded some items with the villagers before they left. The dagger was probably mixed in with those items.”
Right, that's what I had expected.
There was no way for me to confirm the truth.
I stared at him in silence, and he continued.
“And that house… I’m a little hesitant… but it’s better if you see it for yourself.”
“Alright. Show me.”
The Elder gestured, and the warriors guarding the house stepped aside, clearing a path. I followed him inside.
“It’s down here.”
There was a staircase leading to the basement, hidden beneath the ordinary-looking house.
I descended the stairs…
“…Damn it.”
…and saw what they had been hiding.
A foul stench filled the air, and…
“So this is what you were curious about—”
…the basement was filled with decomposing corpses.
“The secret of our village.”
The bodies were mangled beyond recognition, but it wasn’t difficult to tell…
“But now you know.”
…they were human.