Ch.257257. A Happy Little Village

Late dawn.

Soho and Dokkaebi joined me as we ventured into the streets. The two followed behind me with tense expressions.

Dokkaebi glanced around nervously, while Soho simply kept his head down in silence.

Under the cool moonlight, the sight of lanterns hanging to illuminate the streets instead of magical lamps was quite impressive.

If this had been an ordinary journey, I might have stayed in this town for a few more days to enjoy the local cuisine and culture.

‘I can save that for later.’

There’s no need to rush.

Strictly speaking, Luanes’s soul annihilation plan wouldn’t happen for another three years.

Since I’d already resolved the incident that would occur when Aria entered her fifth year, there was no immediate urgency.

Walking leisurely to savor the streets took some time, but eventually we reached the alley where the incident had occurred.

Bang.

Crack.

Bang.

Crack.

Strange sounds greeted us.

They were quite rhythmic. Like a metronome had been set up, the sounds were remarkably consistent in their timing, but…

The sounds themselves had subtle differences.

Inside the alley where even moonlight couldn’t reach.

It was so dark that nothing inside was visible from the outside.

Bang.

Crack.

Why?

Though it didn’t sound like it at all, the moment I heard it, I realized it was a distress signal.

I wasn’t the only one who thought so—Soho unconsciously tried to rush into the alley, but Dokkaebi held him back.

Help me.

A pitiful voice that resonated in my chest.

A child fallen into a stream, a girl fleeing from a murderer, a man caught in a trap…

The voice that evoked countless images of people requesting help was honestly impressive.

Like a siren.

A heavenly voice that lures seafarers. While this cry couldn’t be called heavenly, if sirens were about enchanting seduction, this was testing one’s human duty.

My heart pounded heavily, asking if I wouldn’t save this poor soul, but…

“This brings back rather unpleasant memories.”

There was once a woman who forced me to experience false love.

A woman who had people who fell out of love killed by her daughter.

A prostitute who gained the ability to charm people through a deal with Learic.

It felt similar to when I met Ophelia. It manipulated emotions intensely.

This explained why people entered this alley where nothing could be seen.

Bang.

Crack.

Please, please help me.

“Sh-shouldn’t we help?!”

Finally, Soho behind me couldn’t hold back and blurted out. If Dokkaebi hadn’t been holding him, he would have rushed past me immediately.

“Look at this.”

I quietly pointed to a red cord with talismans hanging at the alley entrance.

A police line used in the Han Empire. It was untied and scattered on the ground.

“The security forces must have been guarding the crime scene.”

A place where six people had died.

Because they hadn’t found anything, they would have been even more vigilant about not leaving it unattended.

“Where did the security forces go?”

As I spoke, I naturally turned my head toward the inside of the alley.

Bang.

Crack.

Help me! Please! Help me!

As the cries of something inhuman grew more intense, the feeling that I needed to help whatever was in the alley resonated roughly within me.

The urgent sensation even made me feel like I shouldn’t just stand still.

Bang.

Crack.

Bang.

Crack.

Bang.

Crack.

The increasingly rough sounds urged me to come in quickly.

By now, even Soho seemed to sense something strange and hugged Dokkaebi tightly out of fear.

Dokkaebi also swallowed hard and watched for my reaction.

“Follow me.”

“What?”

“Um… us too?”

The two monsters were surprised that I suggested we go in together.

But I responded as if it were obvious.

“We came to see what’s there, right? If you’re that scared, I’ll go in first, and you can follow slowly.”

After saying that, I…

Walked steadily into the darkness of the alley.

The cool night air became hot and stuffy just by entering the alley.

But it wasn’t like the warmth of sunshine or a heater. It was the sticky heat of human sweat and blood mingling together.

The kind you’d only feel on a battlefield.

Bang.

Crack.

Help me!

I walked deeper inside, listening to the cries. Being a prosthetic body, I didn’t need time for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.

The secrets hidden in the alley, invisible from outside, now came clearly into view.

The interior was chaotic.

The smell of blood harshly stung my nose, and blood thoroughly soaked the alley walls as if street urchins had painted them.

A massive head.

In comparison, the arms and legs were small, but its elongated form seemed to be about 2 meters tall.

The thick teeth occupying half of the head were red, appearing so because they were coated with blood like seasoning.

Pale skin with long straight hair.

If I had to guess, it would be female.

And now I finally…

Realized the source of the disturbing sounds.

A lower body with no upper half, just legs left alone. The woman held the ankle of the lower body dressed in security force uniform and slammed it against the wall.

Bang!

Then she grabbed the softened calves and thighs with both hands and broke them as if stripping meat from bones.

Crack.

Then she put the calf part into her mouth and again…

Bang!

Crack.

She slammed the remaining part against the wall and broke the bones again before eating it.

“Help meeeee!”

She screamed with blood thoroughly smeared around her mouth. The bright smile on her face didn’t look like someone requesting help at all.

“Eek!”

“……”

The two who followed me in showed miserable reactions. But despite our entrance, the woman continued eating until finally…

After consuming everything, she began to scream and cry.

No!

Nooooo!

Noooooooo!

What kind of scream it was and why she had asked for help. By now, it was impossible not to understand.

“You’re still hungry, aren’t you?”

At my question, the woman’s large eyes turned to me. She who had been shedding tears until just now nodded with a grin.

“Hehe, yes.”

Help me because I’m hungry.

Screams of lamentation because she finished eating.

She was truly a beastly woman.

The woman was delighted that new prey had arrived. Her tongue darted out, and she began licking the pool of blood on the floor as she approached us.

At that moment.

“Soho! Run away!”

“What?!”

“Hurry and run!”

Suddenly Dokkaebi pushed Soho outside and shouted. Though confused by the unexpected situation, Soho followed Dokkaebi’s instructions and hurriedly left the alley.

And then…

The darkness lifted.

Even the woman in the alley seemed somewhat surprised, but there came rumbling noises.

Numerous monsters appeared, blocking both ends of the alley. Not only that, they climbed the walls and completely blocked the sky.

“Hey, noble sir.”

A middle-aged man with numerous hands on both sides climbed down the wall and called to me.

The stickiness felt in his voice and the unmistakable fishy undertone.

The smell of blood.

“You could have just passed by quietly. Why threaten us?”

When I silently stared at him, he snorted and grinned.

“You cut your own lifeline. Threatening us?”

“……”

“I heard you’re the one who made all the souls retreat? The owner of that damn voice that suddenly rang out.”

Even the dumbfounded woman in the alley glared at me when she heard that.

All the monsters in the city converged on me, baring their teeth in hatred. To them, I must be like a plague of locusts.

The only difference from locusts was that they could take revenge on me.

“Ingwi! Help us! This is the culprit who took all the souls!”

Dokkaebi shouted toward the woman in the alley. She ground her teeth and took a stance ready to pounce on me at any moment.

Ingwi, a woman clearly different in caliber from the other monsters. Had they followed me here so obediently to kill me for certain with her help?

I could say they had planned it well.

The number of monsters was surprisingly large, but actually, I had one question.

“Where’s the Dragon King?”

Would the being called the guardian deity know that the monsters were attacking me like this?

Dokkaebi snickered and drew his large crescent blade.

“The Dragon King has already given permission. Can’t you see all the monsters in the area have gathered?”

Dokkaebi was full of confidence.

Indeed, there was nowhere to escape, and the number of opponents was overwhelming. There were plenty of hideous creatures among them.

“I see.”

I nodded.

I understood, but I wanted to tell the Dragon King it wasn’t a very good choice.

“Begging?”

Had he sent the monsters to beg for his life? He was a selfish guardian deity to an absurd degree.

The monsters approaching me excitedly, unaware of this, seemed somewhat pitiful.

“After eating human souls like that, you didn’t think you would die?”

I tried to give them time for excuses in my own way, but they burst into laughter as if they thought I was making pathetic struggles.

“They’re already dead. What’s wrong with eating them a bit!”

“Do you know how much we suffered because of you!”

“You bastard! We almost starved to death!”

The curses of the monsters rang out.

They claimed they did it to survive in their own way, but…

“That’s not it.”

Unfortunately, that couldn’t be.

“You shouldn’t be able to feel hunger.”

At my firm declaration, the monsters made strange expressions.

Strictly speaking, monsters were spiritual entities.

If Luanes’s plan had succeeded, they would all have been annihilated.

And the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella who were nearby right now. Not to mention other ghosts.

If I had to mention, even the monsters who enjoyed the night parade of a hundred demons in Claren.

None of them feel hunger.

Silence settled with the darkness.

Some monsters seemed to believe it couldn’t be true, while others looked as if they had known all along.

“You don’t need to eat anything.”

Though each had different origins, in the end, they were all fundamentally the same.

“Rather.”

I shook my head and let out a deep sigh.

“If you had said you were born from legends or stories about killing humans, I might have felt a bit sorry for you.”

If their excuse had been that they were born as monsters destined to kill humans, I would have felt somewhat pitiful.

To such monsters, I would have offered apology, comfort, and a peaceful death.

“Tell me honestly.”

I urged the monsters who had entered the alley to confess.

“You ate them because they were delicious, didn’t you?”

If they had really eaten them to survive…

“You ate them because you were bored, didn’t you?”

There was no need to eat human souls.

“Hunger is all fake, isn’t it?”

And questions remain.

Human souls have been gone for three months.

There’s nothing to eat.

So how are you all still surviving here?

“And one more thing. Did you only eat dead souls?”

That couldn’t be.

Starting with the woman called Ingwi right now. Probably many monsters secretly killed humans and ate their souls and flesh.

“You know what?”

Heh.

A laugh escaped.

Among the emotions of hatred the monsters were pouring toward me…

“Some of you are actually grateful to me.”

The screams of humans during the hunt became their entertainment. Some monsters were thankful to me for giving them an excuse to eat not just souls but flesh as well.

“Don’t ask for any mercy from me now.”

I glanced up at the sky.

On the rooftop of the alley building.

Soho was peeking over the railing, listening to everything.

This is a small town.

The one the girl loved.

Where everyone was kind and happy.

Where they ate each other’s flesh, clinked glasses, shared friendship, and enjoyed festivals.

This is a town of man-eating demons.