Ch.60Report on the Downfall of Humility (8)

# Evening has fallen. The sun tilts, peering over the horizon as if searching for a place to rest. Despite this, the city of Emmaus remains as bright as midday. With nothing but plains stretching to the horizon, there’s nothing to block the sunlight.

The streets are boiling with heat. The building walls radiate warmth, having absorbed the day’s sun. Though painted white to reflect as much sunlight as possible, they seemed irritated after standing all day in the heat.

Because of this, Kain blinked frequently as he walked through the market.

Even for Emmaus, the market should be closing at this hour, yet it was even more bustling than midday. Merchants who couldn’t leave the city had set up stalls right on the streets.

A peculiar scene unfolded as caravan merchants exchanged goods with one another. City guards and officials seemed to have given up on maintaining order and were browsing the displayed merchandise. Sensing opportunity, vendors selling carbonated water wandered about. Cheerful melodies echoed through the air.

While examining the stalls, Kain picked up one item. It was a small whistle about the length and thickness of a pinky finger.

Despite its small size, blowing it hard produced a piercing sound that could split eardrums. The merchant explained it was used for emergencies in the wasteland. Kain figured it would be loud enough to call for help if he got trapped alone in Arianne’s room.

Grateful that Kain didn’t even try to haggle, the pagan merchant threw in a free necklace cord made of twisted animal tendons.

With so little information to base their decisions on, Kain, Lily, and Maria had decided to establish only basic guidelines.

What they knew for certain was that Kain would enter Arianne’s room alone, that Arianne would burn asas grass, and that communication with the outside would become difficult once inside.

So Lily and Maria would wait at the Holy Grail Knights’ outpost, armed and cloaked.

Since Arianne’s house was in the middle of the Samaritan quarter, sneaking in or disguising themselves wasn’t feasible. They decided it was better to apply pressure openly.

“The problem is what to do if I get addicted to the asas grass too quickly to even blow the whistle,” Kain worried.

Maria looked at him with surprised eyes.

“I thought you knew all about asas grass? You seemed knowledgeable about its calming and stimulating effects.”

“I learned about it at the Security Bureau. But there are separate departments that specialize in drugs and poisons. We usually just learn the basics or how to use them. Most of what we learn is how not to fall victim to them and emergency measures.”

“Ah.” Maria nodded, understanding the situation.

“There’s not much to worry about. They say it causes hallucinations, but to reach that point, you need prolonged, gradual exposure. At least three months, I’d say? The more dangerous aspect is addiction.

You saw Arianne, right? Addiction also takes time, but once you break, it endlessly eats away at your mind. If it really could enchant people immediately upon exposure, we should have shown symptoms during our first visit.”

It made sense. Kain hadn’t experienced any symptoms, and Maria and Lily had only felt slight discomfort. Maria rubbed her forehead as if remembering something.

“Oh, there is one thing. It’s a rumor, but they say some pagans in the west extract and boil asas grass juice to make a potent hallucinogen. Supposedly used as anesthesia for surgery? But that would require a lot of grass and a complex process, so I don’t think we need to worry.”

“What if I am exposed?”

“You need to get it out of your body. Either by vomiting or…” Maria shrugged. “The best way is to drink water with lots of dissolved salt.”

So Kain bought some finely ground rock salt at the market. Since there was a spring next to the house, he figured he could pour the salt into his mouth and drink water if needed. Of course, that would only work if he was still conscious enough to reach the spring.

The preparations were complete. He had his staff, and the Imperial sword was securely in its scabbard on his belt. It was time to head east.

As he walked, Kain thought about Shajar al-Durr. He wondered if she had knowingly addicted her daughter to such a hard-to-obtain grass.

Whether she had been like that before becoming a “hero” or had changed after returning was something he needed to find out, but either way, Shajar must have known the grass was harmful.

‘Why did she kill? Why did she die? What kind of situation would make both the killer and the killed smile happily? Were they under the influence of drugs?’ Such thoughts crossed his mind.

Kain stopped walking as he noticed a commotion ahead. Along the main boulevard, Holy Grail Knights, city guards, and even soldiers from the southwestern command were lined up. City hall officials could be seen running around, sweating profusely.

“Buy some water! Cheap prices! The coolest carbonated water you can’t taste anywhere else in the Empire!”

Here too was a carbonated water vendor. He was surprisingly well-built and sturdy.

With white cloth wrapped around his entire head, it was difficult to see his face, but his voice was gruff yet cheerful. Kain paid him, considering it a fee for information.

The vendor put down the large water container he carried on his back and offered a ladle. When he set it down, there was a metallic clang.

It wasn’t as cool as advertised—lukewarm at best.

But the sensation of bubbles popping in his mouth was unique. It was similar to drinking fresh beer with live carbonation—a refreshing feeling that was captivating without being intoxicating.

“Would you like another cup? How was it?”

“I’m good with the water.” Kain handed back the ladle. “What’s going on up ahead?”

“Oh, there?” The vendor grinned. “Well, those eastern folks are blocking the way. They say they’re short on water. Funny people, aren’t they? They have two large, wide springs over there, while we on the west side only have wells.”

“Aren’t there more people living on that side?”

“You should try telling that to those soldiers up front.” The vendor grunted as he bent his knees to hoist his load onto his back.

Pushing through the crowd a bit, Kain saw the mayor talking with a relatively well-dressed Samaritan. The Samaritan was gesturing wildly and speaking passionately, but the mayor just smiled and shook his head. Probably a request to use the wells in the west.

Beside them, people carrying water containers lined the boulevard with pitiful expressions.

Kain noticed some children. They wore shabby clothes, not much different from the adults. The children were coughing as if thirsty. He saw an older boy putting a large button in a smaller child’s mouth.

‘What if he swallows it…’

Kain called the vendor back and beckoned to the thick-headed boy. The boy approached hesitantly. A guard shook his spear as if to deny passage, but Kain waved him off.

“Let him through.”

The guard stepped back, perhaps thinking Kain was not a local.

“I’ll buy all your water.”

“What?”

“I said I’ll buy it all. Give it to those children.”

The vendor grumbled as if he’d seen all sorts of strange people, but he didn’t refuse the money.

The thick-headed boy ran over with a grin and grabbed the ladle brimming with carbonated water. Though short, he was quite sturdy. He offered it to the youngest of the children who had suddenly gathered around.

“Can’t these children drink carbonated water freely? They’re Emmaus citizens, aren’t they?”

“Carbonated water is paid for.” The vendor whispered, moving slightly away from the gap-toothed grinning child.

“Even if they’re citizens, there are no exceptions. The city hall manages and sells it. Otherwise, all sorts of riffraff would smuggle it out to sell, wouldn’t they? It’s all policy for the citizens of Emmaus.”

Kain looked at the vendor with disbelief. The vendor remained defiant.

“I’m running a legitimate business. I even have permission from city hall. Want to see my permit?”

“No, that won’t be necessary.” Kain shook his head. Instead, he knelt toward the thick-headed boy.

“Since you’ve had water, how about guiding me?”

Thanks to this, Kain ended up in the rather strange position of being escorted by neighborhood children. The Samaritans looked at him oddly, but seeing how happy the children were, they didn’t say anything. Since Kain’s attire was that of an outsider rather than an Emmaus resident, they probably thought he was just a clueless tourist.

“Can’t you drink water from across the street?”

“Why would we go there?” The child fidgeted. “We’d just be humiliated and lucky not to be cursed at. Even though they collect taxes from us without fail. But then again, their people don’t come to our side either, so I guess it’s fair.”

“You speak well. You’re smart.”

“The rabbi taught me.” The child flashed a bright smile. But he soon became gloomy.

“Why do good people leave early, mister?”

“That’s not something a child should say.”

“That’s what adults say.”

“I’m not ‘mister.’ And… well, I wonder why. Actually, I’m on my way to find out.”

“It must have been the westerners who killed her,” the child replied curtly. Kain wanted to tell him that wasn’t right.

But there was defiance in the child’s eyes. The same look he had seen in the expressions of Samaritan “adults.”

“They said Samaritans would be eaten if they went outside. They said the Imperial people see us as monsters, not humans. The humble Arianne could have lived luxuriously as an Imperial hero, but they said she came back for us.”

“…Who said that?”

“The rabbi.”

Kain’s eyes narrowed.

“The rabbi said that Samaritans would be eaten if they went outside?”

“That’s my interpretation. But from what I understood, that’s what he meant. And adults who actually went outside said the same. They said Imperial people spat at their feet, insulted them, and swung clubs at them. They said we have bad blood flowing in our bodies. Isn’t that ridiculous? Both we and the westerners have the same red blood flowing through us.”

The other children nodded in unison, saying “That’s right.” Kain felt disheartened. He couldn’t believe Shajar al-Durr had said such things. What exactly had she instilled in these people?

“You must be sad that the rabbi passed away.”

“Yes… but we’ll see him again soon.”

The child smiled innocently. Then he looked up at Kain curiously.

“Is your leg hurting?”

“No. No, it’s not.” Kain calmed his startled heart.

“What do you mean you’ll see him again?”

“He said there’s a paradise prepared only for us Samaritans. He said it will ‘descend’ soon.”

“…Descend?”

“Yes. If we devote our entire bodies, all our sincerity, and pray with all our hearts. On that day, punishment will fall. On everyone who made us suffer and hurt. He said angels would descend from heaven to punish everyone… Are you really okay? Or do you need the bathroom?”

“No. No, I’m fine.”

“You’re walking faster now, so I guess you do.”

The children giggled. Kain tousled their hair with his large hands. They scattered, laughing.

Kain continued walking. Passing the outpost of the tired Holy Grail Knights, he arrived at Arianne’s residence. Samaritans had gathered around the house. They stood holding torches.

The smell of burning grass came from somewhere. Animal entrails were being burned on altars set up in various places. The smoke writhed and surged upward as if conveying resentment.