◈Better than Episode 38 (3)
“You didn’t manage to kill them all.”
Those who surrendered twisted their legs and searched the rest of the place just in case.
We returned to the group after defeating everyone we could kill, and it wasn’t long before others arrived here as well. It was a later joining than expected.
“Aren’t you walking fast?”
No, if you see Dev tying a person to a rope and bringing them in, it might not be that late. Behind the Inquisitor, there are people embracing each other, as if they had rescued the prisoners.
I sat down on the rock and just glanced at them.
For reference, the posture I’m in is the so-called mood-setting posture, where I’m bending at the waist with my legs slightly apart and my forearms resting on both thighs.
“But this…”
Rather, it’s an Archmage. Is it true that I saw the people I saved before the mural? Aren’t the murals more noticeable than the people? is not it. Does the groaning sound make people notice you more?
“It’s a strange mural.”
In any case, this is the impression of many people who know and understand the worldview better than I do. I listened to it and secretly checked the mural together.
Although the painting had been greatly damaged over time, most of it was still recognizable.
“Is this a mural about a dragon?”
“If it’s a dragon…”
“It’s probably a sea dragon, the divine beast of the Forzen region.”
“Like that earthworm?”
“okay. That earthworm-like thing is a sea dragon. “Horns and a long body are characteristics of a dragon.”
For reference, in the original work, beings such as dragons and fairy spirits called ‘primeval beasts’ or ‘divine beasts’ often appear.
They are somewhat different from demons… but it is convenient to think of them as people who existed on the continent before humans appeared. These transcendental people are vaguely considered enemies of humanity, but are also vaguely allies.
In reality, it is just a product of capitalism created to add raid bosses.
“The picture floating on the sea, bringing wind and rain, is an explanation of the sea dragon itself, so let’s start here…”
“What about next to it?”
“Seeing as people were offering something to the dragon, it seems like they were trying to appease their anger. And the result will be this next picture.”
I focused on the next picture the wizard pointed to. It was a picture of a calm sea and a net full of fish being caught.
Even without hearing an explanation, you can tell that the people’s ancestral rites were effective.
“After this, I can’t tell because it has been erased… Is it the dragon and its cub…?”
The picture after the erased scene showed two dragons. However, it was possible to guess that one of them was small and young.
“The next picture has been erased, and the last picture is of a dragon again.”
I don’t know where the young dragon went. Since the picture in the middle has been erased, all that can be done is to formulate a hypothesis.
Did the adult dragon die and the young dragon become an adult, or did the young dragon die and only the adult dragon remained?
“I really want to restore these things and investigate them, but I don’t think I can do that.”
Those ruins couldn’t have been created for nothing, so if you dig closely, there’s a high chance that you’ll find a quest.
However, as the Archmage said, the main quest is more important. If my concept was overflowing with curiosity, I wouldn’t know it, but it’s even more so because it’s a devil-crazy concept.
“I will be satisfied with contacting the Magic Tower.”
At that point, I lifted my butt off the rock.
With the two people concentrating on the mural and Dev concentrating on tying up the bandits, the people left behind – those who had been taken prisoner by the bandits – flinched in surprise.
If you look closely, some of them go beyond supporting others and are carrying someone else. I think the limp, bloodless limbs indicate that the person is already dead.
“But what about these?”
Dev, who had just tied up all the bandits, tapped them and asked.
“No way, they will save you…”
“They kidnapped people, manipulated them, molested some, and even killed them. Of course it is the death penalty.”
Hearing the Inquisitor’s stern voice, the bandits began to scream and beg to be spared just once. However, the Inquisitor was a very stubborn person…
“Did you say something worth seeing for the first time?”
Dev also seemed to have no intention of objecting this time.
“die.”
The perpetrators’ heads were all ripped off in front of the victims.
In modern ethics, even this seemed like violence to the victims, but fortunately, the people’s expressions did not look too bad. Rather, they even looked like they wanted to tear them to death.
“It’s not all these guys here.”
He even said that when all the bandits were dead.
“There are guys in the valley beyond who are like brothers to these guys.”
He had red eyes, as if the veins in his eyes had burst. It was not normal to hug the bodies of a dead brother and sister—who had similar features and ages—and spew out words as if chewing on them. Who wouldn’t think so if their blood relatives were dead?
“I’ll take care of it and leave.”
The Inquisitor, who had crushed a person’s head with a mace, spoke while wiping away the blood that had spattered.
“The road we used is one that travelers often use. “I can’t leave it alone.”
The Archmage neither agreed nor disagreed with those words. Regarding this matter, it would be an indication that they will follow whatever they do.
“It’s good to clean up trash. “Please leave the directions to me.”
Fortunately, even the person who was arguing with the Inquisitor is now completely positive. I have no reason to object either.
Instead, I will take the lead like this time.
“There is no need to see this mountain house anymore, so you can use it. The same goes for food and goods. All you have to do is not destroy the ruins. Rest and return to your hometown.”
“I guess that’s okay….”
“These are things we don’t really need. “Isn’t that so?”
As I walked out of the cave first, the Archmage behind me made suggestions to the people and then turned to us. Of course it didn’t matter, so I didn’t even turn my head.
“I don’t know if I can leave them alone.”
“I can’t afford to worry about that, so there’s nothing I can do.”
“Even a sea person can’t climb down a mountain? “They also gave me food.”
The conversation I heard on the way out of the cave was somewhat surprising.
Although he was merciless at first, the Inquisitor was most concerned about the safety of the people, and Dev was surprisingly calm when he spoke out about saving the people.
“You look surprisingly like a sword.”
“You can clear the name of an innocent person, but you can’t take responsibility for their life, right? “It’s easiest to help them by clearly defining what they can and cannot do.”
What we can tell from the overheard conversation is that Dev is a person with really clear lines. It’s still unclear why someone like that followed me on this journey.
Soon the end of the ruins was visible.
* * *
“It’s finally the end of the mountain range.”
Did they rob all the bandits on the mountain in one day? We finally came down the mountain.
The coast was visible in the distance.
“Seeing the smoke rising, it looks like there is a village.”
If Grue Teltz comes out right away, there will be no problem, but it is not a world that runs comfortably.
“Looking at the streets, it looks like I’ll have to spend the night in that town.”
“Well, I guess I’ll finally be able to sleep somewhere with a roof.”
To get to Grutelc, you need to stop by another village to replenish supplies. It was okay because I got some food from the bandits, but the fatigue from being homeless was something else.
Now I realized that if you stay homeless continuously, fatigue gradually accumulates.
“Let’s go.”
We hurriedly set foot on the shore.
“Rotten smell…”
“This smell…”
However, not from the village, but from the coast, an ominous sign emerged. A stench comparable to that of a draugr rose up.
“Is there a problem?”
Perhaps it was his first time at the sea, but the Inquisitor was the only one who did not notice the situation. Although she said the smell was strange, she seemed to think it was the original smell of the sea.
However, these are not the three people who know the smell of the sea. The complexions of me, Dev, and the Archmage hardened.
“You caught a whale and threw its intestines on the beach? “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be shaking like this.”
“I don’t know. “A lot of whaling will take place in the East Sea.”
“There are no fish to be seen because there was a mass death…”
I think there is a high probability that there is a quest nearby. A type of quest where you investigate and solve the cause, whether it is main or side!
“Archmage?”
“Ah, Inquisitor. “I was just curious because this kind of odor does not occur in normal seas.”
“Aren’t all seas like this?”
“yes.”
“Then why…?”
“well. If you listen to the story from that villager, you might be able to learn something. “Maybe this is why sea people came up to the mountains.”
“Is that so…”
“Don’t you feel the Inquisitor’s magic more than that?”
Kimchi Dumpling slightly shook his head in response to the Archmage’s question.
“Nothing is bothering me yet.”
“Hmm.”
If you can’t feel demon energy, it probably has something to do with the devil. However, it is also possible to conceal demonic energy as in the case of Somon. Everything can only be clarified by investigation.
And the possibility that it could be the devil makes my concept a bit crazy.
“You’ll find out when you get there.”
“yes?”
I gave the horse a signal. The horse, which was walking at a flat pace on the sandy field, began to run along with Tourezil.
“Is your knight really behind you?”
As I run, can three people stay still? The ranks changed in an instant and began to move forward.
As if they had discovered us, the people on the edge of the village began to tremble.
“People will be scared. “How about slowly getting down and approaching?”
“I won’t be able to say that I’m scared.”
“But wouldn’t the thought of speaking disappear?”
It was a discussion of efficiency and an offer with no reason to refuse. There is no need to follow it if you are concerned about the safety of your body, but this was a process to obtain clues more easily.
I clicked my tongue and slowly lowered my speed.
“It looks like you’ve already had enough of being scared.”
“Isn’t it better than running all the way to the village?”
“That’s right.”
I approached the village by walking slowly from 30 meters away. I saw some people in the middle of the village. Most of them are hiding inside the building with only their eyes exposed.
“….”
“If you do this and get stabbed, it will all be my fault.”
The Inquisitor had a stern look on his face in a not-so-good mood, and Dev was telling jokes like that. The Inquisitor asked if it was a joke and had white eyes, but whatever.
Still, the tracking skill does not respond no matter how many people come within a 30m radius. It may change depending on the outcome of the conversation, but as of now, it doesn’t seem like they will be particularly hostile.
Everyone’s scared faces look like they’re worried that we’ll harm them.
“Wait, are they…?”
“oh.”
Did he enter the village with people looking at him like that?
We were able to encounter faces we knew by chance – or naturally.
“Those people…!”
“You are my benefactors…!”
These are the guys who broke up yesterday. It seems like he managed to escape the mountain village and return to the village.
“You’re safe. Fortunately, the. But… I wonder what brought you to this village…”
I saw these people with their tails on them.
Most of them were young brothers and sisters. I didn’t come all the way to the mountain for no reason because I couldn’t fish. There are so many mouths out there that if you can’t catch fish, you have no choice but to come all the way to the mountain.
“What is going on?”
At that time, someone came running from the beach. My hair and clothes were wet as I came out of the sea.
“Chief!”
“The person who helped me came here.”
“Those are the people who saved us. “They even handed over food.”
“He also gave me treatment.”
She listened to the residents and opened her eyes.
“As a representative of the village, I thank you.”
The village chief immediately bowed and said that he had heard many stories, but how did he come here? He still looks young, but I think his ability to take on the position of village chief comes from his quick wit and appropriate behavior.
Her words were neither too long nor too short, but were spoken in a polite, pleasant voice.
“I just came here to see if I could stay for a day on the way to the city.”
“Is that so? Welcome to the right place! “I was already worried because I had no way to repay the favor.”
Well, it’s not me who has to deal with someone like that. I looked around while the Archmage was negotiating. Perhaps because of the cool atmosphere I was surrounded by, people slowly avoided looking at me.
Among them, there were people dressed in black, reminiscent of mourning clothes.
“I heard the sea went crazy, but I guess that’s not normal.”
As I was watching them closely, Dev, who was looking around the village, started to think.
All I know is that the people are skinny and that the fish smells really fishy, but he seems to have figured out something more.
“There is a strange rumor going around in this area. Is it related to that?”
I don’t know either. But gamer intuition says it’s almost 100%.
“Look. From what I heard, it was said that the sea became strange and it became impossible to catch fish. “When I came here, the smell of the sea was very different from what I knew.”
Coincidentally, the conversation between the Archmage and the village chief also moved on to that part. Dev, who had been asking me a question that would not be answered, also kept his mouth shut.
“Can you tell me the details?”
“It’s not difficult to tell you, but how dare you ask that…”
“I wonder if it’s related to the case we’re looking for.”
“If that’s the case… yes. it’s possible. “This is going to be a bit of a long story, but would you like to go to my house?”
“I don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind either.”
“I’m fine too.”
Dev and the Inquisitor agreed, and the group’s eyes finally landed on me.
What kind of reaction would be good at this time? After thinking for a bit, I wrinkled my forehead like a piece of paper.
“Do you want to have your eyes gouged out?”
The three people immediately looked away at the fierce response.
“They’re leaving.”
“Since when did the threat of wanting to have your eyes gouged out become an affirmation…?”
“You didn’t say you weren’t going.”
“You didn’t even say you were going?”
Dev and Inquisitor were a little upset about my reaction, but Archmage was calm.
I’m sure. That guy now knows how to handle me.