Chapter 38 - A Better Next Time (3)

"You surprisingly didn't kill them all."

Just in case, I twisted the legs of those who surrendered and scoured the rest of the area.

After beating down all the bastards that needed beating down and returning to the cavern, the others arrived shortly after. They had joined me later than expected.

"Walk faster, will you?"

Actually, seeing DeB bringing people bound with ropes, maybe they weren't that late. They must have rescued the captives too, as there were people hugging each other behind the Inquisitor.

Sitting on a rock, I only cast brief glances at them.

For the record, my current posture involved spreading my legs slightly, resting my forearms on my thighs, and hunching my back—a so-called 'setting the mood' pose.

"But this is..."

More importantly, Archmage. Did you really just notice the people I kept alive before the mural? Doesn't the mural stand out more than the people? Or maybe not. I suppose the people stand out more because they're groaning.

"What a bizarre mural."

Anyway, that was the impression of someone who knew more and understood the world's lore better than I did. Listening to him, I discreetly checked the mural as well.

It was a heavily damaged drawing due to the passage of time, but I could still make out most of it.

"Is it a mural about a dragon?"

"If it's a dragon..."

"It's probably the Sea Dragon, the divine beast of the Porzen Region."

"That earthworm-looking thing?"

"Yes. That earthworm-looking thing is indeed the Sea Dragon. Horns and a long body are characteristic of a dragon."

For reference, in the original game, entities like dragons, fairies, and spirits—referred to as 'primeval beasts' or 'divine beasts'—frequently appeared.

They were beings somewhat different from demons... It's easier to just think of them as entities that existed on the continent before humans appeared. Transcendent beings that are too ambiguous to be considered enemies of humanity, but also too vague to be called allies.

In reality, they were just a product of capitalism created to add more raid bosses.

"The picture of it floating above the sea and bringing storms describes the Sea Dragon itself, so the story must start from here..."

"And next to it?"

"Seeing as the people are offering something to the dragon, it seems they were trying to appease its anger. And the result of that would be this next picture."

I focused on the next picture the Mage pointed at. It was a drawing of a calm sea and nets being hauled up full of fish.

Even without an explanation, one could tell that the people's ritual had been effective.

"This next one is erased so it's impossible to tell... and the one after that is the dragon and its hatchling...?"

There were two dragons in the picture following the erased scene. However, since one of them was small, one could guess it was a young one.

"The one after this is also erased, and the final picture only has one dragon again."

I didn't know where the young dragon went. With the middle picture erased, all we could do was form hypotheses.

Such as whether the adult dragon died and the young dragon grew up, or the young dragon died and only the adult dragon remained.

"If I had my way, I'd want to restore and investigate these... but I shouldn't, of course."

There was no way these ruins were created for no reason, so there was a high chance a quest would pop up if we dug deeper.

However, just as the Archmage said, the main quest was more important. It might have been different if my concept was brimming with curiosity, but it was even more so since my concept was being obsessed with demons.

"I will settle for contacting the Magic Tower."

Around that time, I lifted my ass off the rock.

Left awkwardly alone due to the two people focusing on the mural and DeB engrossed in tying up the bandits, the people—who had been held captive by the bandits—flinched and shrank back.

Looking closely, some of them were doing more than just supporting others; they were carrying someone on their backs. The limply drooping, bloodless limbs made me think they were already dead.

"More importantly, what do we do with these things?"

Having just finished tying up all the bandits, DeB asked while kicking them lightly.

"Don't tell me you're going to spare..."

"They kidnapped people, worked them like slaves, and even harassed and killed some of them. It's obviously the death penalty."

At the Inquisitor's stern voice, the bandits screamed and started begging her to spare them just this once. However, the Inquisitor was an incredibly stubborn person...

"You've said something agreeable for the first time?"

DeB didn't seem to have any intention of objecting this time either.

"Die."

Right in front of the victims, all the perpetrators' heads were chopped off.

By modern ethical standards, I wondered if even this would be considered traumatic violence for the victims, but thankfully, the people's expressions weren't too bad. If anything, they looked like they wanted to tear the bandits apart themselves.

"The ones here aren't all of them."

Someone even said that when all the bandits were dead.

"The bastards who are like brothers with these guys are in the valley just beyond here."

It was a person with bloodshot eyes, as if the capillaries in their eyes had burst. Hugging the corpse of their dead sibling—whose features and age were similar—the way they spat out the words as if chewing them showed no ordinary level of resentment. Though anyone would be like that if their flesh and blood died.

"Let's go take care of them."

The Inquisitor, who had crushed all the people's heads with her mace, spoke while wiping off the splattered blood.

"The road we used is a path frequently taken by travelers. We cannot leave them be."

The Archmage added neither agreement nor disagreement to those words. It was likely a sign that he would follow along with whatever we did regarding this matter.

"Taking out the trash sounds good. Leave the guiding to me."

Even the guy who usually picked fights with the Inquisitor was expressing complete agreement this time. So, I had no real reason to object either.

Though I'd take the lead like I did this time.

"We have no further use for this stronghold, so you all can use it. The same goes for the food and supplies. Just don't damage the ruins. Rest up and then return to your hometowns."

"I-Is that really okay...?"

"They are things we have little need for. Isn't that right?"

Behind me as I took the first steps to leave the cave, the Archmage tossed the offer to the people and turned the question to us. Since it naturally didn't matter to me, I didn't even turn my head.

"I don't know if it's okay to leave them here on their own."

"We don't have the luxury to care for them that far, so it can't be helped."

"Even if they're people of the sea, would they really be unable to descend a single mountain? We even left them food."

The conversation I heard as I walked out of the cave was somewhat unexpected.

For someone who was merciless at first, the Inquisitor cared the most about the people's safety, and for someone who had run his mouth to save them, DeB was surprisingly cold.

"You're surprisingly clear-cut."

"I can clear an innocent person's name, but I can't be responsible for their livelihood too, can I? It's easiest to help by clearly separating what they can and cannot do."

What I could gather from eavesdropping on their conversation was that DeB was a person with truly clear boundaries. Though why a guy like that had followed along on this journey was still a mystery.

Soon, the end of the ruins came into view.

* * *

"It's finally the end of the mountain range."

Did we spend a whole day wiping out all the Thieves on the mountain? We finally descended the mountain.

The coastline was visible in the distance.

"Seeing the smoke rising, it seems there's a village too."

I would have had no regrets if Gruh Telz appeared right away, but it wasn't a world that operated that comfortably.

"Looking at the distance, it seems we'll have to impose on that village for a night."

"Phew, we'll finally get to sleep somewhere with a roof."

To reach Gruh Telz, we needed to stop by another village, if only to restock on supplies. The food was fine since we got some from the bandits, but the fatigue from sleeping rough was a separate matter.

I only realized it now, but sleeping rough continuously caused fatigue to slowly accumulate.

"Let's hurry up and go."

We hurried our steps and set foot on the shoreline.

"It smells rotten..."

"This smell is..."

However, rather than the village, an ominous sign popped up right from the shore. A stench that rivaled a draugr wafted up.

"Is there a problem?"

Perhaps this was her first time at the sea, as the Inquisitor was the only one who didn't grasp the situation. She might have remarked that the smell was strange, but she seemed to think this was what the sea naturally smelled like.

However, that wasn't the case for the three of us who knew the smell of the sea. Starting with me, DeB and the Archmage's complexions stiffened.

"Did they catch a whale and dump its guts on the beach or something? Because it wouldn't reek of rot this badly otherwise."

"I'm not sure. Whaling is mostly done in the East Sea."

"To say it's a mass die-off, there are no fish in sight..."

There was a high probability that a quest was nearby. Whether it was a main quest or a side quest, it was the type where we'd have to investigate and resolve the cause!

"Sir Archmage?"

"Ah, Inquisitor. Normal seas don't emit this kind of stench, so I was merely wondering about it."

"Ah, so not all seas are like this?"

"Yes."

"Then why...?"

"Who knows. We might learn something if we hear what the villagers over there have to say. This might even be the reason the people of the sea climbed up the mountain."

"Is that so..."

"More importantly, Inquisitor, do you happen to sense any demonic energy?"

At the Archmage's question, the Kimchi Dumpling gave a slight shake of her head.

"Nothing is catching my senses yet."

"Hmm."

If there was no demonic energy felt, maybe it wasn't related to demons. But there was also the possibility that the demonic energy was being concealed, like back in Somon. Everything could only be clarified after investigating.

And the possibility that it could be demons made my concept go somewhat crazy.

"We'll know when we get there."

"Excuse me?"

I gave a signal to my horse. The horse, which had been walking at a flat pace through the sand, snorted and broke into a gallop.

"Sir Knight really has no regard for the consequences!"

Since I was running, how could the other three just stay put? The formation shifted in an instant as we charged forward with a clatter.

As if they had spotted us, the people visible around the edge of the village began to cause a commotion.

"The people will get scared. How about we get off and approach slowly?"

"Just because they're scared doesn't mean their mouths will disappear."

"But their willingness to speak might disappear, no?"

It was a statement arguing for efficiency, and a proposal I had no reason to refuse. If it had been about looking out for his own safety, there would be no need to comply, but this was a process to obtain clues more easily.

Clicking my tongue, I slowly lowered my speed.

"They already look as scared as they can be, though."

"It's still better than galloping all the way into the village, isn't it?"

"That's true."

We slowly walked our way in starting from 30 meters outside the village. I could see a few people standing in the middle of the village. Most of them were hiding inside the buildings with only their eyes peeking out.

"..."

"If we end up getting stabbed like this, it's all your fault, sir."

In the less-than-pleasant atmosphere, the Inquisitor wore a stiff expression while DeB blathered out that kind of joke. The Inquisitor gave him a dirty look, asking if that was supposed to be a joke, but whatever.

Still, even though several people had entered my 30-meter radius, my enemy-detection skill didn't react. It might change depending on how the conversation goes, but they didn't seem particularly hostile in this current state.

Rather, with everyone having terrified looks on their faces, it seemed they were worried we might harm them.

"Wait, are they...?"

"Ah."

Had we just entered the village under the people's gazes?

Coincidentally—or perhaps naturally—we were able to come face-to-face with familiar faces.

"Th-Those people...!"

"They're our saviors...!"

It was the folks we had parted ways with yesterday. It seemed they managed to leave the stronghold and return safely to the village somehow.

"You were safe. Thank goodness. But... what brings you to this village...?"

I looked at the people trailing behind them like tails.

Most of them were young children or siblings. They hadn't come all the way to the mountain for no reason just because the fishing was bad. With so many mouths to feed, they had no choice but to head to the mountain if fishing wasn't an option.

"What is going on?"

Just then, someone came running *thump-thump* from the beach. Their hair and clothes were wet as if they had just been in the sea.

"Village Chief!"

"The ones who helped us have arrived."

"Those are the people who saved us. The ones who even gave us their food."

"They healed us, too."

Upon hearing the villagers' words, her eyes widened.

"As the representative of the village, I thank you."

The village chief immediately bowed her waist, saying she had heard a lot about us and asking what brought us here. Seeing how she handled things with such quick wits and propriety, I suspected that was why she held the position of village chief despite looking so young.

Her words were neither too long nor too short, continuing in a polite and pleasant voice.

"We are on our way to the city and merely came seeking a place to stay for a night."

"Is that so? You have come to the right place. We were just worrying over not having a way to repay your kindness."

Well, it wasn't my job to deal with someone like her. I looked around while the Archmage negotiated. Perhaps because of the chilling aura I emitted, the people stealthily avoided my gaze.

Among them were also people wearing black clothes reminiscent of mourning garments.

"They said the sea went crazy, and it seems they weren't talking about anything ordinary."

As I carefully observed them, DeB, who had been looking around the village, murmured.

I could only tell that the people were painfully thin and reeked heavily of fish, but he seemed to have figured out something more.

"They said there were unusual rumors circulating in this region, so could it be related to that?"

I didn't know either. But my gamer's intuition was screaming that it was a 100% match.

"Look here. I heard the sea had grown strange, making it impossible to catch fish. The smell of the sea on our way here was quite different from what I know."

Just then, the conversation between the Archmage and the village chief moved on to that topic. DeB, who had been prattling off questions that I'd never answer, clamped his mouth shut as well.

"Could you tell us the details?"

"It's not difficult to tell you, but why do you ask...?"

"I suspect it might be related to the incident we are investigating."

"If that's the case... Yes. It's possible. However, the story will be a bit long, so would you like to head to my house?"

"I don't mind."

"I don't mind either."

"I am fine with it as well."

DeB and the Inquisitor agreed, and lastly, the party's gazes landed on me.

What reaction would be good here? After a bit of thought, I crumpled my brow like a piece of paper.

"Do you want your eyeballs plucked out?"

At the fierce response, the three of them immediately turned their gazes away.

"He says he'll go."