episode_0028

The Ailing Village of Arjel

“Rascal-nim…?”

“Zeke…? Is that Zeke?”

This was deeply perplexing. I had heard that travelers often get caught up in entirely unexpected situations. But to meet someone I knew in Oghposlia, a place I’d expected to be deserted, felt quite novel. It was novel, yet… to meet an acquaintance in Oghposlia, where I’d expected no one…

“How did you get here…?”

“I was about to ask you that… Ah, I momentarily forgot you’re an Explorer. Indeed, it makes sense that you could have come all the way here.”

“What exactly are you talking about…? And what is this village…?”

“…I suppose some explanation is in order. This village was built by the slaves who were freed thanks to your help last time. I discovered this village after visiting Kartun.”

“Yes…? The slaves from Robdom…?”

“That’s right. Well… I’m looking after them now. There’s a lot to explain, but… welcome to Arjel, Zeke. And…”

Rascal looked at Aria, then suddenly turned his head, avoiding her gaze. I know that reaction… Rascal is also scared of Aria… Ah, right. Rascal must have seen the corpses of the Robdom organization members that Aria killed with his own eyes… And Melian too…

“Hmm~ I wonder why Rascal-nim is reacting like that, Zeke-nim? I was going to treat Rascal-nim with utmost respect, as he’s the one who even detoxified the poison in your body… Is there something he’s hiding…!”

“Nothing, Black Saintess. It’s just… you’re a little scary to me…”

“Don’t worry~ I’m kind to Zeke-nim’s benefactors! But I can’t be kinder than I am to Zeke-nim, so be careful!”

“…I will definitely keep that in mind.”

“Don’t mind her, Rascal. Aria is generally kind to people who have helped me in some way.”

“…Understood.”

“But why is it so quiet here? Are there really people living here?”

“Hmm… right. I should probably tell you. Follow me. It’s better to talk inside than out here.”

Rascal gestured for us to follow. Well… he’ll probably explain once we’re inside. I took Aria’s hand and followed Rascal. Is it because I’m holding her hand…? Aria is trying to suppress a smile again… Are you really that happy? I listened to Aria’s uncontrollable laughter until we entered Rascal’s shabby house.

“Yes… it’s humble, but welcome.”

“Yes… well… I suppose a lot of explanation is needed, Rascal. What is this village? Why is it so quiet…?”

“I’ll explain it all, one by one. You must have noticed something while passing through this region, Zeke. There are few monsters here… no, there are none at all.”

“Yes… I was truly surprised that no monsters, which are distributed across the entire Crentid World, were visible here.”

“How much do you know about this place?”

“Uh… Oghposlia has beautiful scenery at night, and according to legend, a war between angels and demons took place here…”

“That’s enough. Perhaps because that legend is true, no monsters have been seen near here. It seems even monsters instinctively perceive this place as a space of fear.”

“Hmm~ That’s strange. As a Saintess, I can feel that the atmosphere here isn’t particularly ominous. I don’t feel any strange or sinister aura at all.”

“Is that true, Aria?”

“Yes, Zeke-nim. That’s why I find it even stranger that no monsters appear here. It’s baffling that there are no monsters in a place with an atmosphere similar to Farene Forest or the Radere Mountains.”

“…..If you, a Saintess, say so… even I, who has lived here for a month, can’t figure out the reason. I had a rough estimate, but…”

Upon hearing Aria’s opinion, Rascal sighed, pulled out a piece of paper, and tore it up. Hmm… A quick glance at the torn paper suggests it was probably the results of an ecological survey of this place. He likely tore up that paper with the results the moment he heard from Aria that his assumption was incorrect… because it wasn’t.

“The reason there are no monsters here is still uncertain. But this strange phenomenon has caused strange rumors to spread outside.”

“Strange rumors?”

“Zeke, haven’t you heard any rumors about this place outside?”

“No. It wasn’t even mentioned, so I haven’t heard anything specific.”

“A rumor that a being even monsters fear is hidden in the Cretone region had already spread in the Magrion region. That’s why the people who escaped from Robdom’s clutches chose this place. They set up their lives here, in a place people were too afraid to even investigate.”

“So the village established is this Arjel… But why Arjel? That name is like…”

“They say it’s named after one of the angels who waged war here. Ah, right. Since you’re an Explorer, this might be helpful to you.”

Rascal suddenly seemed to have an idea and started searching for something in the bookshelf behind him. These days, I’m getting a lot of information from books… I sighed. The only times I’ve directly experienced and recorded things were in Farene Forest or the Radere Mountains… I haven’t had many direct experiences lately… As I was thinking this, Rascal handed me a book he found on the bookshelf.

“What’s this?”

“An Elf living in the Cretone region gave this book to the villagers, he said. It’s a book containing the legend of the War of Angels and Demons. Do you need it?”

“Hmm… a legend… Wait… an Elf…? Could it be that Elf…”

“An Elf from the Provelitu Forest.”

Oh… The Elves of Provelitu seem to have a friendly disposition towards humans. Or perhaps only the Elves living in that forest are unique… I’ve never seen an Elf before, so I have no idea what their personalities are like. Still, I should consider myself fortunate or relieved to have gained this information…

“Hmm… I’ll read it. Let’s see…”

“Zeke-nim, here’s a pen.”

“Ah, thank you.”

As if she knew I was going to take notes, Aria handed me my explorer’s journal and a pen. Thank you, Aria. Alright… shall I delve into this legend with speed-reading for the first time in a while? Fortunately, it’s in a language I can read, so it should be easy.

Approximately 2,000 years ago, angels and demons were engaged in a continuous war. The angels strove to eradicate the demons who were disturbing the creatures in the intermediate realm, while the demons fought back with all their might to drive out the angels who were interfering with their work. The angels poured all their power into expelling the demons to protect life, but the demons’ strength was far more formidable than they had imagined. Ultimately, cornered, the angels realized they would have a chance at victory if they seized the Oghposlia region. But it was the same story for the demons. With the mission and heart to protect life, the angels began their assault on Oghposlia. The demons, united by the single goal of driving out the angels who disrupted their work, also began to push back the angels. The angels held on, but were gradually pushed back, and at that moment…!

“Hear me, demons! Your commander’s head is now in my hand!!!”

Archangel Arjel had taken the head of the demons’ commander. Upon seeing this, the demons’ morale instantly plummeted, and the angels used this opening to advance. As a result, the angels seized Oghposlia, and riding on that momentum, they began to repel the demons. After the war, perhaps to bless the angels’ victory, Oghposlia became a place where beautiful scenery could be seen at night.

“Hmm… so this legend existed. The War of Angels and Demons… I know there’s something similar in the Magrion region too…”

“How would we know about those ancient times, Zeke. Well… such a legend existed. This legend never came out into the open. That’s why humans from other regions wouldn’t even think of coming here. They believe the rumor that there’s some being here that even monsters fear.”

“I see… But, Rascal, why is it so quiet here? Surely it’s not because of a food shortage…”

“We have food. As soon as the residents settled here, they developed this area to farm in the rocky terrain.”

“….That’s possible!?”

“It was possible… and they became accustomed enough to this place to live by farming here… However, the reason it’s quiet here is… an epidemic has broken out.”

“An epi… epidemic?!”

“A virulent disease, causing upset stomachs and pale skin, has spread through this village. Listen closely, Zeke. Then you will hear it.”

“Hear it…? What…!!!!”

I almost cursed for a moment. Indeed, when I listened closely, groans could be heard from everywhere. Groans filled with pain. I had wondered why I hadn’t encountered any diseases during my travels, but to encounter one like this… No, I didn’t even want to get sick in the first place… Wait, does that mean I’m also…?!

“Oh, then…!!”

“Don’t worry. We don’t have any symptoms, perhaps because we aren’t infected with the disease.”

“….That’s fortunate, but… why are you staying here and caring for these people? Of course… caring for the sick is good, but you had something to apologize for to the other slaves…”

“An apology… An apology is important… But I couldn’t bear to leave these people. Their pitiful state is one reason, but it also reminds me of my hometown.”

“Your hometown… You said your family was sick, right…?”

“That’s right. All my family… no, all the people in my hometown contracted a terrible illness, and in that village… I was the only one who survived.”

I remembered Rascal telling me in prison why he became a slave hunter. Indeed, this place and Rascal’s hometown were in almost the same situation, and Rascal would never abandon a village in the same predicament.

“I wanted to cure my family… no, everyone. So I became a slave hunter and kept earning money, believing that a doctor living in this vast Crentid World could surely cure them. But I failed every time, and the condition of my hometown people worsened day by day. And when I returned home after finishing my work…”

“They all died, didn’t they…?”

“…Yes… I don’t know why I was the only one who didn’t contract that terrible illness. I don’t know if it’s because I was the only one who could overcome it… I just don’t know. The reason I happened to have an antidote when you were poisoned was because it reminded me of what happened in my hometown, so I always carry medicine. I was able to cure your poison… but the disease here hasn’t been cured at all.”

“Rascal-nim…”

“Furthermore, the symptoms the villagers are experiencing right now are almost identical to those in my hometown. If I fail to cure this terrible disease again… I will have lost two villages. Zeke… as an Explorer, do you know anything?”

“….I apologize. I don’t know anything either. Especially about diseases. All I know are the history and characteristics of regions… I’m not a doctor.”

“I see… I’m sorry.”

…I am not at fault. Rascal is not at fault either. Yet, for some reason, Rascal and I feel sorry for each other. Rascal-nim, in particular, must be feeling even more bitter than I am, having already gone through the heartbreaking experience of losing his hometown people to the same illness. What kind of disease is this that even doctors in this vast Crentid World cannot identify its cause? And… why are Aria and I, who entered the village, still perfectly fine?

“I’d like to offer you hospitality, but I’m sorry given the village’s current situation…”

“Hospitality in this situation is out of the question…! Shouldn’t we save the villagers first?!”

“….But I can’t think of any way. I just can’t think of how to cure this disease…”

“But is this disease really the same as the one that ravaged your hometown…? Then, since a lot of time has passed, there might be a new way to cure it…”

“That’s right… A method might have emerged in 20 years… I also held onto that hope. But facing this disease again made my mind go blank. All I could do was nurse them.”

No… there must be a way. It makes no sense that there’s no solution in this vast world. There must be an answer… I pulled out all the books from my backpack except my explorer’s journal and Kartun’s history book, and began to flip through them one by one. Herb dictionary, monster dictionary… This isn’t it either… There are symptoms that are similar, but nothing is exactly the same… Wait, hold on…

“Rascal-nim! Have you ever tried giving those people herbs?!”

“No, I can’t. They’re in a state where they vomit anything they try to eat, so I can’t give them anything…”

“Then what about dissolving the herbal ingredients in water and having them drink it?!”

Hearing my words, Rascal fell silent for a moment, then realized something and spoke to me.

“Drinking it might be possible…!!! Yes, that might work. I took care of my family as much as possible that way 20 years ago…”

“Oh, that method is… Ah, right… you were so distracted… Then let’s bring all the herbs we can get from Oghposlia!”

“Understood. Can you tell me what herbs to bring, Zeke?”

“Yes! I recorded all the herbs available in Oghposlia based on the herb dictionary and the herbs I had just discovered! For now, you need to bring Kuhera herbs, Varen herbs, and Critia herbs!”

I described the appearance of the herbs listed in the herb dictionary to Rascal. The Kuhera herb with blue leaves, the Varen herb with yellow flowers and red leaves, and the Critia herb with purple flowers. They each have effects of reducing fever, restoring vitality, and reducing swelling. And all three are easy to digest, so they should be effective.

“Aria! Let’s go find some too! Will you help me!?”

“Ah… If Zeke-nim wishes, of course I’ll follow you!”

“Zeke… why are you helping this village…? The risk of getting sick…”

“That’s important too, but first, those of us who are well need to save these people! The groans are still audible like this; how can we pretend not to hear and just leave?!”

“…Zeke…”

“Have there been any fatalities among the residents so far, Rascal?”

“No. No one has died yet.”

“Then let’s hurry and get the herbs before anyone suddenly dies. How many residents are there in total?”

“There are about 45 in total.”

“Then you should bring about 13 of each! We’ll bring that many too, so hurry!”

“…! Understood.”

Rascal grabbed his crossbow and rushed out. Yes. In this situation where there’s no time to waste, speed is the only important thing. Rascal went east, and Aria and I went south. There, we began to search for herbs in the rock crevices.

“Oh! Found some! It’s a relief to find them right away!”

“Zeke-nim, but aren’t you concerned about the disease?”

As I harvested the Varen herbs in the rock crevices, Aria asked me. Not concerned, huh… Who wouldn’t be concerned about a disease? However.

“I am concerned. But not when people are dying in front of me. If there’s something I can do, I’ll just do my best.”

“But what if Zeke-nim gets sick because of that…?”

“That might happen… but I still won’t stop. Exploration is important, but human lives are also important. That’s why I dislike slave traders so much. They treat human lives like nothing…”

“….Hehe… I guess I’ve truly fallen for Zeke-nim’s kind personality.”

“This isn’t the time for that! Let’s pick them quickly!”

“It is an issue for me… But, alright!”

Even talking like this now was a luxury. To leisurely converse in front of people who might die at any moment… It was wrong. Still, thanks to our quick work in harvesting the herbs, we managed to gather 14 of each of the three types. After confirming that all the herbs had been picked, I grabbed Aria’s arm and hurried towards Arjel. Just then, Rascal also arrived in Arjel in a hurry, seemingly having finished picking all his as well.

“Rascal! Did you get them all?”

“Yes. Let’s boil the herbs in water at once.”

“Who should we start with first?”

“Let’s start with the closest house. Hurry.”

Rascal guided Aria and me to the nearest house. He then opened the door and let us in. Inside, I could definitely hear groans… I could hear them without even straining my ears… Huh…? But…

“Uh… Rascal. This person… no… this isn’t a person, is it…?”

“That’s right. Various races captured as slaves live in Arjel. Lizardmen are no exception.”

Seeing the Lizardman, not a human, lying under the blanket, my mind went blank for a moment. Then I collected myself and quickly began taking herbs out of my backpack. And at that moment, Aria suddenly grabbed my arm. Why so sudden?!

“Aria! You can’t interfere now! Many people… no, many lives are suffering…!”

“Zeke-nim. That’s not a disease.”

“Let go…? What? What did you just say?”

“….?”

At Aria’s words, Rascal’s and my minds went blank. What did she just say? That’s… not a disease? As Rascal and I stood dumbfounded, Aria approached the groaning Lizardman and spoke to me.

“Hmm. Getting closer, I can tell for sure. This isn’t a disease, Zeke-nim. It’s poison. Poison.”

“Poison…? It’s poison?”

At Aria’s words that all the residents of Arjel were suffering not from a disease but from poison, I was shocked, and Rascal was even more shocked than I was.