episode_0048

Jules walks into the conference room, holding my hand.

Several scented candles were lit inside, and it was a space cut off from the outside.

A tree with autumn leaves was planted in the center.

The roots and trees protruding through the ceiling were intertwined, giving a mysterious feeling.

Flowers are in full bloom outside the room and give off a nice smell.

The leaves are brown, yellow, and red, with no set color, and the petals are purple or white.

At first glance, even the leaves looked like flowers.

Five Ramrats were sitting in front of the large round table behind the beautiful tree, and several demi-humans were sitting around them.

The first to react was the owl-like ramrat sitting in front. He tilted his head like an owl and pretended to know first.

“Oh! Isn’t it Seolrang!”

One word catches people’s attention.

“Seolrang? Juyul is here?!”

There was a Lamia with a long spear, two elves equipped with a bow and a dagger, a male Hosot with a sword and various equipment, and a female Horsot with a long great sword.

Perhaps these people are executioners.

“”See the White King.””

The two hosots knelt down and bowed their heads.

Even as an outsider, I was almost shocked by the extreme greeting that I could understand.

The Jules I know are people who enjoy joking around with the villagers, slapping their backs, and drinking together. Without realizing it, I thought he was a loser.

What does it mean to be a king to Juul?

“Wake up.”

Jules frowned and sat down on the chair.

“You guys are the reason I can’t go back.”

What on earth happened?

Isn’t Zul’s hometown the home of ogres? Come to think of it, when we first met, Jules said that his hometown was in the east.

Hosot is a tribal-oriented society.

Each tribe has different personalities, and even within the same tribe, they compete for hunting grounds. As a result, it is not an atmosphere that accepts hosots from other tribes.

If you think about it, many Ajin recognized Juul first and treated him with respect. Isn’t he just a priest? I’ll have to ask later or something. The two hossots glanced at me next to Jules, then sat down again.

“Jwiyul. Isn’t that person next to you… a human?”

“You are my slave.”

“Is there a need to bring him here?”

“Yes. Looking at it this way, he’s smart, so he might be more helpful than me.”

Don’t launch it in a place like this!

The eyes of the two elves sitting on the chairs turned round.

I could sense interest in the cynical gaze of Lamia, who was curled up with her back against the wall. No, why are you introducing me like that?! I’m an asshole! You’re a mindless idiot!

“So, it’s not too late, right?”

The deer-headed Ramrat smiled quietly at Zul.

“···You really haven’t changed.”

Ramrat, who resembles a sloth, rolls his eyes as if he doesn’t like me.

“Is there any use for raising humans?”

“It will help you when you grow up.”

Jules took a seat in the corner.

Bas glanced at Jules and took a seat on the opposite side.

“······There is something strange about human plunder.”

Ramrat, who looked like a fruit bat and had a long white beard, spoke first.

“How specifically?”

“I have a strong feeling that this is some kind of retaliatory activity. Cut off the hands and feet of the corpse and remove the skin.”

Jules frowned.

“Has Ramrat ever plundered humans in the south?”

“Not at all. What’s really vicious is that they break the bones and then skin them alive without stopping them.”

······Isn’t this leather trafficking?

I saw on TV how animals were skinned at a Chinese leather wholesale market. They skinned the animals alive.

When asked by a reporter why they didn’t kill it, the contractor said that if you skin it while it’s still alive, you get better quality leather. same. They peel it off while it is still alive because they are afraid that the skin will be damaged.

However, Ramrat seemed unable to reach the inhumane idea of people selling human skin.

If you open your mouth hastily, you will be in big trouble.

The reason why security in the south is bad is because Drekkar’s criminals are exiled outside the Great Wall, which is called the Wall of No Return.

My father used to stop me from going down to the village for that reason. It is a punishment similar to a kind of exile.

However, contrary to the nickname of ‘no return’, the wall of the great wall did not mean that it could not come back. Because the Debergs were doing trade right now.

What if smuggling is possible?

This means that people can pass by at the same time. They would probably hand over the loot and hides there and take the money.

My father said he cut up a rabbit’s leg and made it into an amulet.

The hands and feet may have been used as amulets.

“Hmm, I don’t know. I guess we can just hit him and interrogate him.”

Jules shrugged.

I hope you don’t know. If the truth is revealed, there may be a movement to suppress humans in the South on a large scale.

Many wars throughout history started from personal matters and spread like fire.

“No elves were attacked?”

The female elf spoke first.

“No. There is an elf who escaped after being hit by an arrow…”

Should I say it?

Jules glances at me.

“Do you have any idea?”

No, why are you doing this to me?! In a place like this?

On the one hand, I was worried. Should I speak up? Should I not? Even though it may be shocking to them right now, if I change their perspective by revealing this fact, it may help solve the case.

As Juul’s eyes turned to me, Ramrat and the bailiff’s attention focused on me. I guess I really don’t like the way they show their disdainful looks without any filtering.

It was all the fault of this crazy owner.

“Hehe… It seems that our Lord Seollang really trusts that human slave. Where should we listen to the opinion of a capable human being whom Mr. Seollang favors?”

A guy who looks like a sloth looks at me sarcastically. I want to stick my fist into that lazy-looking face. Jules shrugged and looked down at me as if to give it a try.

“I fell under Dragonia’s translation spell. So my words may not sound elvish.”

Perhaps because they suddenly heard the words in each race’s language, Hosot, Lamia, and Ramrat’s eyes widened like flower lanterns. Let’s summarize. How can I not get excited? No, thinking about it is meaningless. Are you not excited about selling human skin?

That’s even crazier.

“Humans receive the blessing of a messenger. The world is coming to an end.”

Someone is looking at me sarcastically.

Things like that happen, too. First, I calmed down and spoke out what I had organized.

“I think the idea is to skin them and sell them. Horses and carriages are also good sources of income.”

“What?! What a devil…!”

I understand the reaction, but this is reality.

“The method itself is the same as skinning an animal. Since the skin of a dead animal is of little value, first they catch it and break its bones with a club. Humans sometimes make rabbit feet into talismans and sell them. Probably Ramrat’s hands and feet too────.”

“Stop.”

Jules put his hand on my shoulder.

“Why do you say it so explicitly?”

You were thinking the same thing as me.

Ramrat’s face was pale, but in contrast, the executioner’s head was calm. Elves and Horsots must have noticed that their hands and feet were cut off while hunting.

When skinning an animal, the hands and feet are often cut off cleanly. Because it’s just scraps and it’s useless. Sometimes, when saving the dignity of a large beast such as a bear or a tiger, the hands and feet are left behind.

What if they wanted extreme pain out of revenge?

We will skin them and leave them alive, but we will not cut off their hands and feet to cause excessive bleeding.

“How can there be such devils…?!”

“We need to catch and kill them now!”

“Same! Take off the skin!!”

“We must kill every single human in the south, skin them, and throw them in front of the Great Wall!”

The Ramrats are so angry that they raise their voices.

Ramrat, on the far left, bared his teeth and cried, perhaps because he had a family member among the victims.

“Punishment is determined after capture and interrogation.”

Jules’ words made the inside of the conference room cold, as if water had been poured on a bonfire.

“I’m saying that now──.”

“They die by Yunaira’s sword. There is just a difference in method.”

People flinched and fell silent at Jules’ low voice.

“I promise to the victim’s family that I will make them suffer as much as they deserve.”

Jules’ calm sentence echoed throughout the conference room.

*

Several demi-humans were looking at the unfolded map.

The black ramrat called Bas and the siren named Elysia also returned at dusk, increasing the number of executioners from five to seven.

On the map, the distances were drawn and the towns of Puri Village were drawn in the southwest, south, southeast, northwest, and north.

The villages where the dead Ramrat was kidnapped were in the southwest, north, and southeast in that order, and a total of three wagons each filled with paper and fabric were looted. The bodies were piled to the east and dumped as if abandoned.

“···What should we do?”

I don’t know why, but Hosott, Ramrat, and the elves were relying on Jul. The only ones that don’t are Lamia and Siren, who resemble angels.

“Bas, along with Hozu, will set up traps in the north and northwest when the sun rises tomorrow.”

Hosott, who was carrying a sword on his waist, lowered his head.

“I will follow your orders.”

Jules’ expression was sour.

“That. Didn’t I tell you not to do it?”

Regardless of whether Jules frowns or not, the Hosotts seem to be planning to treat him with the utmost respect. Vas tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“Not right away?”

“The sun will set soon. It’s time for the looters to act.”

“Well, you’re still human.”

“Bath. Humans train to kill us.”

Vas had an expression on his face that he didn’t understand Jules’ words at all.

“Hoz, has Nemstov ever smelled a human scent while coming here?”

Hosott, who had relatively simple equipment, spoke first.

“No. There is no smell.”

“I also checked on the way home, but it was the same. I was curious and looked around, but there was no smell of excrement.”

Jules tilts his head.

“No smell? Even if you delete it intentionally, a little bit remains, right?”

“Yes. Yes. This is our first time experiencing something like this, so we have no idea what to do.”

“Once Hoz finishes setting up the trap with Bas, look for the smell of ash or urine and feces on the outskirts of the village with Nemstov. If it rains soon, that opportunity will disappear.”

The two hosots looked at each other and grinned.

“”I will follow your orders.””

“Don’t do that!”

They seem to hate it so much that they even show their fangs.

On the contrary, the two hosots were squinting at the corners of their mouths.

Bass looked at the map for a while and then looked at Jules.

“I don’t know about the outskirts, but there are a lot of people around the village, so wouldn’t it be okay to act alone? Even if we meet, humans are weaker than us.”

Jules shook his head.

“Humans’ purpose is not to fight you. The goal is to hunt you down and take your skin.”

“No. So…”

Bath doesn’t seem to consider this a big deal.

In the first place, even if you hit the bath a lot, you are still 20 years old. Of course, in terms of Ramrat’s lifespan, he is in his mid-thirties, but you may not know this.

Mentally, I am the youngest here.

Bas made a disapproving face and continued to grumble.

Hosott seemed to be equally unconvinced. Although he doesn’t say anything, there is frustration in his eyes. Is there a lack of awareness that the other person is the same person?

Just because a weak person stabs him doesn’t mean he won’t bleed…

“Humans are weak.”

People looked at me with puzzled eyes.

Bas tilted his head and looked this way.

“Who doesn’t know that?”

“Human power is insignificant, but that does not mean that humans are stupid. In other words, I was weak. The attack will most likely be a surprise attack. What if I chase it? There must be a hidden trap. Of course I will put poison on the arrowhead.”

That’s obvious.

But was it because I, who was younger than him, said those words? Bas rolled his eyes and showed his teeth.

“Bullshit House──!”

“I couldn’t defeat this child’s father.”

People’s faces were filled with surprise at Jules’ words.

His eyes, as big as the lanterns of Bath, were completely fixated on Jules.

“I was attacked one-sidedly, and I couldn’t even guess the opponent’s location while being attacked. If I hadn’t taken this kid hostage, I might not have been here.”

Only then did Bas close his mouth.

This is something I brought up to help you come to your senses. The atmosphere completely calmed down when Jules joined in to defend the show’s condescending attitude towards slavery.

It was Lamia who broke the calm atmosphere.

She approached me without hesitation. Then he stroked my head while drawing lines in his eyes.

“You’re smart for your age.”

“Yes?”

what? Why is this a compliment all of a sudden?

“Besides, I think the way he thinks is similar to mine. how is it? We’ll cooperate, so why don’t you come up with a good strategy with me?”

People’s attention was drawn to the strange remark.

Are you really planning on cooperating with me? Certainly, if she helps me, what I can do increases. This might be an opportunity to be of some help to Jules.

“Are you sure you want to help me?”

“No.”

“Claudia, don’t make fun of her.”

Jules laughed and shook his head, and Claudia smiled and shrugged.

“Are you teasing me? That’s because it’s cute.”

Is that kind of mischievousness a characteristic of Lamia?

I think Julia was similar. Still, I felt that the atmosphere that had settled down due to Claudia’s joke had eased a little.

“What do you plan to do?”

“Humans have similar hunting methods to elves, so we plan to check and track traces separately. If you search like this, you might be able to find a clue.”

“Me too.”

“I just do what I do.”

Elysia’s absence is unavoidable.

If there is no guard, bands of marauders will kidnap and skin ramrats even during the day.

Now only Claudia is left.

“I want to guard the village at night.”

“Where?”

Claudia marked the southern village on the map with her hand.

“Southwest, south, southeast. This place is enough for me alone.”

“No, I go with Bath.”

Claudia casts a strange look at Bath.

“Can such a cute kid fight?”

“You’re noisy, grandma.”

“Yes~ My grandchild.”

Claudia waved her hand and rested her chin.

“At night, Jegird and Hoz enter the northern village. I would like Nemstov and Yusria to watch over the northwest village.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

The male elf is Jegird, and the female elf is Yuthria.

“What are you planning to do?”

Elysia looked down at Jules crookedly.

“I plan to go to the human village.”

Elysia’s and other people’s faces turned bizarre. Except Claudia.

Only she was looking at me.

“What? Human village? Are you planning to go and commit massacre?”

“You should go and ask. There are humans here too, right?”

People’s eyes are focused on me like a barrage of bullets.

I had an intuition that something was wrong.