Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 163

Having finished the simple explanation for the girl, the blacksmith stared at us. His expression seemed even more hardened than before.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Ah, no. Seeing that you know even that much, I guess you’re not ordinary people after all.”

“It’s nothing. Anyone interested in spirit magic would know these basics. Has no one who’s passed through here known about spirits before?”

“Nope, no one. I guess since this is the countryside, there aren’t many opportunities to encounter abilities.”

“I see. This village is really lucky. Among spirit mages, earth spirit mages are especially popular. They make the land fertile wherever they stay. You said you’re already growing plants well, right? Once you start using spirit magic in earnest, it’ll be even more amazing than that. In a few years, a huge forest might spring up in this area.”

Was it because I was rambling on too much? I said it hoping he’d be proud, but the person listening seemed dazed. He stared at us with trembling eyes for a long time before asking.

“Being popular means being welcomed wherever you go, right?”

“Yes? Ah, of course. Even if you’re not an earth spirit mage, a mid-level spirit mage would be treated like nobility in any country.”

“…I see, so that’s how it is? This is really unfair. If someone like you had been here sooner…”

Muttering like a sigh, he trailed off, biting his lip. Just as Isana and I were exchanging bewildered glances at the suddenly serious atmosphere, the blacksmith abruptly raised his head and said to us.

“Hey, you know. Would you do me a favor?”

“A favor?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry to ask this out of the blue, but the young lady recognized you, and I feel like I can trust you.”

The blacksmith scratched his head awkwardly, but his expression was resolute. I was inwardly puzzled, but I waited silently for him to continue. I decided to hear what the request was first. Finally, he said in a solemn voice.

“Please, save Alisa.”

* * *

Blacksmith Fallon’s smithy was quite large for a privately run one. Dozens of weapons and farming tools hung on the walls, and various tools were scattered everywhere. We were led to a small lounge beyond the workshop. It was just another door, but it had a table and chairs, probably for resting. The blacksmith looked embarrassed.

“Sorry, it’s cramped, isn’t it? But I thought it would be better than talking outside.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

He smiled, seemingly relieved by my words. But his face was still pale. Ever since making the unexpected request, his face had been bloodless.

The sudden request to save the young lady was not only difficult to understand but also bewildering. But the impression was so strong that I decided to hear the details. As a result, we ended up having this separate meeting.

The blacksmith sat across from us with a very nervous expression. He had already closed shop for the day. After a while, the story began in earnest, and it was ominous from the first word.

“A human sacrifice?”

At the same time, we both exclaimed, and the blacksmith nodded with a gloomy face. There were drinks he had offered on the table, but no one thought of drinking them.

“A human sacrifice? What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s just a metaphor. But I can’t think of any other way to describe it.”

“…Please explain in more detail.”

Even at this moment, he couldn’t shake off his hesitation. He didn’t seem sure if he should tell strangers he had just met about the secret circumstances known only to them. But having made up his mind, he soon raised his head with a resolute expression.

“Please listen. It’s going to be a very long story.”

‘Ailias Deba Sasra,’ or Alisa for short, was born as the illegitimate daughter of a count’s family. Her family, the Sasra County, was once one of the most prestigious families in the empire, but as generations passed, they gradually lost their power and were now barely maintaining their lineage. Of course, even so, they were still nobles with land granted by the state, so they were not in such dire straits that their fortunes were declining. Rather, they had weathered the Ten-Year Calamity without much trouble, while most noble families were faltering, and they had recently begun to recover.

A family that grew fertile crops even in a severe drought. Moreover, because they owned a large amount of farmland, the nearby residents also benefited. Until then, everyone liked Alisa. They praised her ability to grow plants well and regarded it as a blessing. As rumors spread, more and more people began to move in. It was truly like an oasis in the desert.

But here, no one considered one thing. The fact that land good for humans to live in was also good for other beings.

“At first, animals attacked. Boars and bears, things like that. But we were able to fend them off with the strength of the village guard, so it was okay. Besides, we could get meat and leather from the ones we caught, so the atmosphere was rather positive. But before long, an even greater threat came. …Monsters began to appear.”

The blacksmith’s face was clouded with deep sorrow as he recalled the past. Monsters were strong and fast, and even small ones tended to move in packs, making them a very difficult opponent even for professional subjugation forces. It was inevitable that they would be too much for soldiers at the level of the village guard. If their only goal was plunder, it was enough to hide. But there was no way to stop monsters that attacked humans from the start. Even if they managed to defend the village, the damage they suffered each time was enormous.

As this happened repeatedly, public sentiment also became increasingly fierce. People who had enjoyed prosperity in the drought could not endure living in fear of monster attacks that could happen at any time. Then, the spark flew in a completely unexpected direction. People began to resent Alisa’s ability, which had been a blessing, in reverse.

The dissatisfied people did not look back on the happiness they had enjoyed in the past. They only thought about the misfortune that was right in front of them. It was just a scapegoat created by the collective desire to blame someone.

Moreover, Alisa was too conspicuous. She not only grew plants well but also began to see through the intentions of others and see the future. The girl, born with the energy of the earth, was simply awakening to her innate power, but people who didn’t know that feared her whenever she showed mysterious abilities and said that evil spirits had attached themselves to her. That atmosphere reached its worst when Alisa summoned Muldon. People who couldn’t imagine that it was a spirit believed that the girl had begun to summon monsters.

‘The girl who brings disaster.’

People called Alisa that in unison.

When I heard that far, I noticed that Isana was clenching her fist tightly. I couldn’t see her face because she was wearing a hood, but she must have had a bad expression. The blacksmith’s face, who was continuing the explanation, also looked troubled.

“Besides, the timing wasn’t good either. On the day the young lady summoned Muldon, a large monster happened to settle near the village.”

“A large monster?”

“Do you know about the Tunnel Horned Demon?”

“Tunnel Horned Demon?”

“It’s a giant monster of the flatworm family that lives deep underground. It’s usually quiet, but it comes up to the surface every full moon to hunt for food, so it’s also called the Full Moon Eater.”

If the most famous monster that lives underground is the Hell Ground Spider that lives in the Baron Desert, the Tunnel Horned Demon was a monster that was not very well known. But the blacksmith Fallon added that its danger was even higher than that of the Hell Ground Spider. Its leather is tough and difficult to cut, and its vitality is enormous.

“The Tunnel Horned Demon is originally a species that lives in the middle of the desert. I don’t know why such a terrifying creature came down to the inhabited area. But people think it’s because of the young lady.”

“…That monster appeared on the day she summoned Muldon?”

“That’s right. They believe that the young lady’s special power attracts monsters.”

Oh my god.

Swallowing the sigh that came out on its own, I rubbed my head. There were too many things to argue about, so I couldn’t think of anything. Then Isana asked in a calm tone.

“Was that monster caught?”

“No, not yet. We tried to catch it, but it was impossible with our strength. We found the nest, but there was no way to pull it out because it was hiding underneath. Instead, we found another way. We put food in its nest every full moon. Things like cows and pigs.”

“Is that effective?”

“Can’t you see? The fact that this village is running smoothly is proof that it’s effective. Fortunately, the Tunnel Horned Demon is docile as long as it gets the food it needs. Besides, perhaps because this place has become its territory, attacks from other monsters have almost disappeared. Thanks to that, the village atmosphere is stable.”

Indeed, when I first saw this place, I thought it was a very lively village. No one would have thought that it had such a dark story. Judging from the fact that there was almost no sorrow on people’s faces, it was clear that it was not something that had started recently. Sure enough, the blacksmith said it had already been two years.

“You’re holding out well.”

“Right? In fact, the young lady came up with that method. She told the Count about her idea, and the Count proposed it to the Lord, and it was successful.”

“Hee, really? That’s amazing, considering she was younger than she is now two years ago. She’s a smart young lady.”

“Of course, she was born under a lucky star. If it weren’t for her, this village would have been a place where people went missing every full moon.”

It didn’t seem like much at first glance, but when I thought about the meaning behind those words, it was chilling. I reflexively frowned.

“But even with that much contribution, it didn’t have any impact on her reputation?”

“…No one here is grateful to the young lady. To them, all of this happened because of her. Even if she helps, they just seem resentful. They even started to begrudge the livestock now that they’re able to live. They say that if the young lady hadn’t attracted the monsters in the first place, they wouldn’t have lost their livestock.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“They’re ridiculous. Who do they think they were able to raise those livestock thanks to? If it weren’t for the young lady’s ability, they would have all starved to death a long time ago!”

I fully sympathized with the blacksmith’s anger. At the same time, I was glad that at least one person was angry for the girl.

I remembered the young girl’s first impression from a little while ago. She was as determined and energetic as her cute face. Even though the gazes around her were cold, I couldn’t feel any sense of intimidation from the girl. Perhaps the blacksmith’s contribution in front of me was great. People don’t collapse easily if they have even one person who believes in them.

“Are there any people who harm her?”

“For now, she’s from the Count’s family. Besides, as I said, everyone is afraid of her. They just whisper behind her back, but no one touches her recklessly. That’s the only fortunate thing. But as time goes on, a strange atmosphere is forming…”

“A strange atmosphere?”

“…It’s logically absurd. The reason I’m asking you for help is because of that.”

“What is it…?”

“Think about it. There’s only one reason why disasters happen to the people here. So what do you think everyone is thinking?”

He closed his eyes tightly, like someone committing a taboo.

“They think that if the young lady dies, all this misfortune will end.”

“…!”

At that moment, Isana jumped up from her seat like a spring. I also realized anew. What these long stories were for.

“Don’t tell me that the human sacrifice is…!”

“For now, it’s a monster subjugation on the surface.”

The blacksmith said in a resentful voice. His clenched fists clearly revealed blue veins, as if representing his feelings.

“Subjugation?”

“The Lord has formed a subjugation team for the Tunnel Horned Demon once again. And he told the young lady to stand at the forefront of the subjugation team. He told her to use her talent for summoning monsters to save the village. To a 13-year-old girl.”

“…!”

It was a subjugation in name only, but it was no different from telling her to go and die. The blacksmith’s expression was accurate. This was just a human sacrifice. The purpose was so obvious that it was even embarrassing to call it a conspiracy.

“What are her family doing…?”

“Those great nobles who ignore the young lady because she’s an illegitimate child? The Count said that she should get rid of the monster and clear the disgrace on the family.”

“…”

“The young lady said she would. It seemed like they would have dragged her away by force even if she had refused, and she thought it would be okay because she had the power to protect herself. Thanks to that, she’s still living as usual. I don’t even want to imagine what they would have done if she had said she didn’t want to.”

I groaned and buried myself deep in the chair. I felt like I had aged ten years at once after hearing a series of bad things for my heart.

“When is the subjugation?”

Isana’s voice, who asked the question, was much lower than usual. It was a tone I had hardly heard since we first met. The blacksmith, who didn’t know the difference, reacted with a bright expression.

“Are you going to help the young lady?”

“I asked when the subjugation is.”

“Huh? Ah, that, well, that’s…”

After receiving a stern response, the blacksmith showed a cautious attitude. He had only now realized that Isana was very angry.

“It’s the next full moon night. The Tunnel Horned Demon only appears on the full moon, so that’s the only chance to catch it.”

“When is that?”

It was me who asked this time. But he looked like he was about to cry for a moment, even though he seemed like he would answer right away. The moment I heard the following words, I could understand why.

“…It’s tomorrow.”