episode_0009

“But how did you end up stepping foot in Daesurim? Especially someone like you, a priest who would never have a reason to come to a place like this in their lifetime.”

Chew, chew.

While not as tender as wolf meat, the bear meat had a satisfying chewiness to it as I threw a question at the priest.

The situation was somewhat apparent that the agents of the Church were onto me, but I wanted to hear more details from her.

What rumors had spread that the Church was already after me?

And how far had these rumors spread beyond Daesurim?

Gulp.

Swallowing the meat, I gazed intently at the priest, who seemed uneasy under my scrutiny.

Then, with a serious expression, she began pondering something.

…Was this question really worth pondering so seriously?

Couldn’t she just tell me what I needed to know as before?

Did she shake her head in confusion at not understanding the situation? The priest, after an awkward smile, slowly began to speak.

“T-th-that’s… I-I was just dispatched to investigate something in Daesurim. Th-there’s no other ulterior motive!”

“Hmm?”

“It has nothing to do with the witch! I swear!”

Whether she was asserting her innocence or struggling even in her bound state to shout, I chuckled at her actions and pulled out a mushroom from my pouch, chewing thoughtfully.

A moment of silence.

Perhaps feeling uneasy, the priest avoided eye contact, trembling slightly. I cautiously picked up the chopsticks on the table while watching her.

“Indeed, people from the Church can’t lie.”

“W-what?!”

“They’re not skilled enough to deceive anyone, not even fooling someone like me who is easily deceived by others.”

“T-that’s not true! I’ve never lied…”

“You haven’t.”

Crunch!

I smiled wryly as I stabbed the chopsticks into the bear meat.

You lack detail, detail.

If you’re going to lie, at least think about it first.

I sliced the bear meat into bite-sized pieces and corrected the priest’s lie.

“I’ve never once revealed myself as a ‘witch,’ have I?”

“…!”

Only then did the priest realize her mistake. She tried to cover it up, stumbling over her words in an extreme state of embarrassment.

“T-that… You just seemed so much like a witch… N-no, that’s not it? Ahh…”

But she was already extremely flustered.

Not that she couldn’t lie, but why had she become so disheveled? Even someone who couldn’t lie was now flustered, leading to a breakdown.

The priest, tears welling up in her eyes, began to beg for her life.

“W-witch? I’ll tell you the truth, s-so please spare me just this once?”

“…?”

“Oh, no, I won’t ask you to spare me. Just kill me gently…”

Why is she acting like this?

I may not be doing anything wrong, but why has this once dignified priest turned into such a pitiful sight?

…At this rate, I’ll truly look like a wicked witch.

I’m not some sadistic pervert who plays with people’s lives, deriving pleasure from causing pain.

To clear up any misunderstandings, I set aside the meat and chopsticks I was preparing and approached her.

“It seems there’s a misunderstanding.”

With the most harmless smile I could muster, I looked calmly into her fearful eyes.

“I have no interest in your life.”

I gently stroked the priest’s soft hair, indicating for her to calm down.

“I’m only interested in external matters.”

Exactly.

At this moment, above all else, I need external information.

With the author remaking the novel, all the original settings have become unclear.

Now that there’s no reason to follow the original story, escape is necessary if possible.

Honestly, isn’t there no need to adventure with those lunatics?

In the original novel, ‘Beatrice,’ we were together because she had some grand goal, but I don’t have such lofty ambitions.

Just ‘surviving.’ If possible, ‘living quietly and leisurely.’

So, in order to achieve that goal.

“I must tell you everything you know.”

All information that can be extracted from this priestess must be drawn out.

Even if what she knows is infinitely lacking.

Was I gently comforting her so that she could feel at ease?

The priestess finally seemed to regain her composure and slowly turned towards where I was.

And.

“…The witch is truly a terribly wicked person.”

She muttered quietly with a face full of horror.

No, what did I do wrong to deserve this slander again?

—–

On a dark night, only the sound of rustling reeds quietly echoed in the nameless village.

The village chief, surrounded by a lonely silence that settled over the village, gazed at the bonfire alone.

Sss…

The flame of the bonfire extinguished suddenly in the chilly night breeze.

He sighed as he felt a presence behind him and spoke up.

“The ones sent from the Church haven’t returned.”

“Shouldn’t we wait a little longer, Chief? After all, twenty Paladins accompanied the promising Saint candidate.”

“If that many resources were invested and it’s as quiet as a mouse, that’s the problem. At least if we heard some noise like on the first day they entered…”

“Hmm…”

The retired adventurer mumbled at the chief’s feeble words.

If even the elite forces of the Church were rendered powerless, how sinister must the Southern Great Forest be?

With a sense of unease, he gazed at the forest alongside the village chief.

The Great Forest stood proudly under the faint moonlight.

The dark area that seemed like an entrance looked like the gate of the underworld. Was it just his imagination?

Feeling a chilling sensation, he gripped the longsword at his waist. In a gesture of reassurance, the chief lent him a single piece of kindling.

“Are you okay?”

“…I wish I could say empty words are enough, but I can’t. It feels like I’m pushing the Church people into death with my own hands.”

“How could that be your fault? It’s the fault of the wicked witch within the Great Forest. Sigh…”

The village chief gazed at the Great Forest with a wistful look while burning the kindling. The retired adventurer, too, burned the kindling with him for a while before a sudden question crossed his mind.

“I have one question, Chief.”

“Ask away.”

“Is there really a witch living in the Great Forest?”

“…”

After a brief silence, the chief stepped on the bonfire to put it out and spoke.

“You’re curious about that now?”

“…”

“Oh, don’t look at me with such fearful eyes. There is indeed one wicked witch living there.”

As the adventurer began to glare fiercely, the chief continued with an impassive face.

“But… I mean… In truth, that witch has not caused any harm to our village. Although the legends describe her as evil, whether she truly is remains unknown.”

“What are you muttering about now?”

“I’m just stating the facts. If you’ve contributed significantly to our village’s long-standing safety, you should know the truth.”

“What?”

Though he immediately drew his sword in questioning, the chief continued to mock him fearlessly.

“Why, planning to kill this old man? But what will you do? Even killing seems impossible now.”

“…You.”

“Why can’t I move my body? Oh, could it be paralysis? It’s truly unfortunate; the village must know that their chief is such a person.”

The chief picked up a fallen New Year’s arrow from the adventurer’s mouth and spoke to someone in the air.

“Take them. They may not be as skilled as those sacrificed before, but they should suffice.”

“Hmph… Is this how a chief should be? Well, as long as we get our reward, it doesn’t matter to us.”

“Four more to go. If you sacrifice four more, we will uphold the promise for a hundred years.”

“Well, do you think we, with our high pride, would break a promise? Hehe…”

Covering only the vital parts with leaves, the figure carefully carried the paralyzed adventurer and looked down at him, licking its lips.

“Sigh… Shall we have a quick round before we leave? Going back to the village means waiting in line for a long time…”

“Stop babbling and return quickly. If anyone sees…”

“Alright, alright. Anyway, this inspiration, always so worried.”

With a grumble, the figure disappeared into the darkness, and the chief sighed heavily, looking down at the sword on the ground.

“I’m sorry.”

Gripping the sword that belonged to the lost owner, the chief gazed towards the Great Forest.

“It’s a sacrifice for the clan; what can we do? Your noble sacrifice will be remembered until my last breath.”

Then, noticing a bright light approaching from afar towards the village, the chief started walking slowly in that direction.

Four of them…

If luck is on my side, I might be able to complete the contract with ‘them’ within this week.

As they reached the entrance of the village, what caught their eye were the four figures that would astonish anyone who saw them.

“They’re first-rate.”

The chief welcomed them with a warm smile.

“Welcome, why have you come to this humble village?”

One of the figures grinned broadly in response, “To find fresh recruits.”