Miracle of Myth (5)

“It’s my first time coming to a place like this and seeing something like this.”

“That’s good. Though it’s quite strange.”

In the end, the content we ended up watching was called “The Life of the Shadow Hero.”

Honestly, even looking at the plot, I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t know or question what had happened in this world during the 10,000 years since the Tower collapsed.

At least, seeing that the Tower was mentioned and numerous characters presumed to be climbers appeared, it was comforting to think of it as a kind of historical piece based on that era.

It wasn’t like a movie with fancy CGI, but the play, which actually employed magic and various magical tools, was more entertaining to watch than expected.

“Then, the second act will start in 15 minutes…”

There was even an intermission. It was only then that I yawned and looked around, having been sitting and watching the play while munching on handfuls of snacks that seemed to be a substitute for popcorn.

“Hmm, as expected of Suan’s theater troupe with their quick information, the historical accuracy is fast.”

“Is there a newly deciphered part this time?”

“I’m not sure if it’s newly deciphered or if they’re just releasing bits and pieces of what they’ve already fully deciphered for their own use.”

The problem was a group of people sitting a little ahead of us. I didn’t know about the rest, but those twitching red fox ears were familiar.

Given how they were coming and going from the city hall and now chattering among themselves in a place like this, it was clear that this fox spirit beast and her companions were scholars researching the mythical era.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the many people in the cramped indoor space, she was no longer sniffing around.

“It’s strange, though they didn’t include it in the play. Is the ‘Tower’ where the Shadow Hero was active really the same ‘Tower’ we know? Even the legends passed down don’t match up. The story of the guide on the first floor of the Tower blowing up the head of an arrogant climber doesn’t appear in other historical materials.”

True to their researcher nature, they were seriously discussing even while others were leaving their seats to rest. From what I heard, the heroic tales of this Shadow Hero seem quite famous among ordinary people, but the scholars’ thoughts seemed a bit different.

“It’s frustrating… There’s not much material, and even that needs to be deciphered from the mythical era’s writing, and we even have to distinguish whether it’s real or not.”

“It’s the fate of people like us. I wish I could time travel back to that era.”

The woman shook her head in agreement with the sigh of the man who seemed to be her assistant. My heart twinged unnecessarily as I heard their words about wanting to go back to that time because it was so frustrating.

As Ethan said, if I revealed my identity, people like them would immediately become interested.

Perhaps my trivial knowledge could fill in the true answers they desire. And based on that knowledge, it’s unknown how they might expand their thinking and make leaps.

“…”

But I didn’t do that.

The powerful laziness stemming from the emptiness still remaining in my body even at this moment was the biggest reason, but I couldn’t deny that there was a faint fear in the cracks.

It was the fear that the more I cling to my roots, which have already become too distant a past, the further I might drift from reality.

Instinctively, I sensed that this fear would grow stronger the more I become attached to this world.

This emptiness and fear are incompatible emotions within me, so if one is removed, the other will inevitably grow by that much.

* * *

“Did you enjoy your leisure time? For people like us, managing our physical condition is always important. If you feel unwell at all, tell me right away. Hiding it and having it catch up to you later is even worse.”

“O-of course. I rested well and slept well.”

The next day, Patrick checked our condition as soon as he saw us. Lina, who had been my body pillow again yesterday, nodded awkwardly with a smile.

The expensive hotel bed was certainly not uncomfortable for sleeping.

“Then let’s depart. There’s no need to walk when we have a set destination. Let’s save our energy and time.”

Patrick called for a carriage. This small carriage pulled by two horses was essentially the taxi of this place, used for relatively short distance travel.

With Patrick next to the driver and Lina and me in the back seat, the carriage soon started racing towards our destination.

“More than ten villagers have gone missing, I wonder what happened?”

“Well, even if we try to find out, it seems such incidents happen quite frequently there.”

Lina muttered with a tense face as the carriage rattled along. Pretending to be an adventurer because of me, she seemed afraid of this mission.

I wanted to reassure her, but nothing proper came out, so it was impossible.

I had Ethan look into it a bit, but in this world, one person dying or going missing wasn’t even a rare occurrence to begin with.

“It could be just a simple magical beast, but if it’s a beast that has harmed more than ten people, that’s not something we can overlook either. Once we get there, something will surely become clear.”

Patrick, who had been listening to our conversation, turned his head and added an explanation.

After all, we’re not going with the intention of fighting, so as he said, we’ll only know once we get there.

“We’ve arrived. That’s the village.”

Soon we arrived at a village after traveling along the road connected to the city. The not-so-small village had a very gloomy atmosphere with a depressed mood.

“This doesn’t look good, it might be difficult to even ask for information?”

Patrick muttered, looking around cautiously after getting off the carriage.

It would be like rubbing salt in the wound of a mourning house that had lost family or acquaintances, so it wouldn’t be easy to pry into what happened even if we came to investigate.

“—?”

‘A suspicious aura, you say.’

However, there was no need for that in the first place. The moment I got off the carriage and stood on the ground, the earth spirit popped out and urgently started to inform me of something.

“You know the direction?”

“We’ll know if we go that way. Probably we’ll know more details as we get closer.”

I told Patrick this fact and took off my shoes and socks to stand barefoot on the ground. With stronger communion with the earth through direct contact, I can know more details about what happened on this land.

“We don’t have any other particular method right now, so let’s go.”

Patrick glanced around cautiously and headed in the direction I pointed. As we passed through the fields and facilities made by the villagers and entered the nearby forest.

The ground touching my soles warned me more strongly.

‘The same as that werewolf, no, even stronger.’

This trace, which I couldn’t identify exactly, is clearly similar to or the same as the curse that the werewolf we encountered last time carried. The mayor’s ominous prediction about something happening seems to be coming true.

“Everyone, be on guard. It’s the curse of corruption.”

Unable to hide this fact, I warned my companions. True to the notoriety that the curse of corruption has built up over the years, both Patrick, who was shocked, and Lina, who fell into fear, turned pale.

“W-wait. If it’s really the curse of corruption, isn’t it dangerous!? It means that demon tribes were involved in this after all!”

“Well, we’ll have to see when we get there to know the details?”

Patrick panicked, but I shook my head.

The information conveyed by the earth spirit was a bit different from the case of the werewolf I had directly encountered.

Even the earth spirit can’t detect in detail if it’s just the presence of a cursed individual like the werewolf.

“–, –? —!”

But now it was a bit different. It was the first time I had seen the earth spirit so urgent.

This land, crying out for me to resolve it quickly, was now crying out for me to purify its polluted self.

‘Don’t worry.’

I smiled and reassured the spirit.

If nothing else, I couldn’t dare ignore the spirits I communed with pleading for help in pain.

My bond with them is practically all I have now.

Even if there were no penalties, I wouldn’t abandon those who have been with me since the Tower.

“You two run away immediately if it’s dangerous.”

“I-Isilia!”

I started running, pushing past the two of them. There’s no need for them to get involved since it’s my stubbornness that’s making us enter a dangerous place.

“Lina, let’s go quickly!”

However, Patrick and Lina followed me. I smirked and immediately moved the power of the earth. Under my feet and under theirs.

“Eek!”

“W-what is this?!”

The ground shook and the land we were standing on changed into a kind of surfboard, and we started sliding across the ground. The speed was much faster than running.

“Just keep your balance. It’ll move on its own.”

Seeing them managing to keep their balance, befitting a beastkin and an adventurer, I smirked and increased the speed further. While it’s impossible to reach the level of folding the earth to run, I can now pull off tricks like this.

“%@$^%!!”

‘As expected, there’s someone ahead.’

As we were quickly crossing the rough forest path where no one was supposed to be, heading towards our destination. A noise was heard from the direction of our destination.

I stopped the earth and perked up my ears. This sound, a mix of strange noises and shouts, was clearly the sound of some people fighting each other.