Episode 1079
The sun was bright the next day too.
In the end, the new groom was not found, and the people of Mahihala village began their day in a chaotic atmosphere. It was the most important harvest season in farming in a year, so work could not be neglected.
However, the outsiders decided not to cooperate any further.
-There must be something strange going on in this town!
-I agree.
People keep disappearing overnight. Even her new bride, who was sleeping in the
same room as her, lost her husband right before her eyes.
What kind of harvest season event is this in this atmosphere?
The group suddenly felt fearful of this peaceful, small rural village, and became afraid of the gentle and kind villagers. I started to be wary of everything.
-My husband! Please give me my husband back! Please! please! Please just tell me
where it went!
The new bride went half crazy with worry and fear.
She grabbed villagers harvesting tomatoes and begged them to return her husband,
or threatened to report this to the kingdom and call in necromancers.
After hearing the story, the village chief jumped up and showed his resentment on
his face.
-We are going crazy and jumping around! Who would lose if something like this happens during the harvest season, which is responsible for the year’s crops and sales?
Other villagers also felt that it was unfair. I searched not only the entire village but
also the nearby forest where monsters roam, but I could not find any traces of the
missing people.
But distrust has already spread. Some of the group decided to refuse the remainder
of their itinerary and remain at the village hall.
The people who were most anxious were the humanities scholars and senior journalists. They suggested to the mercenary who seemed to be good at fighting that they
leave the village.
-I don’t want to stay in this horrible place even for a moment! Someone else might
disappear at night!
-Let’s go back on our own!
The mercenary expressed his disapproval at those words.
-Don’t you guys know? It’s not a distance you can travel on foot without a carriage. There will be monsters swarming nearby, and wouldn’t a tired human climbing the mountain look like nothing more than a lunchbox in their eyes? Whether you like
it or not, the carriage will come in two days, so just be patient until then.
-It’s better to risk your life and escape than to stay here!
When the senior reporter said that, the mercenary reluctantly spread his palms wide.
-1,000 gold. I too have to suffer and risk my life, so I must accept that.
-Wow, where do you get such a large amount of money all of a sudden!
-If you don’t like it, don’t drink it. We’ll just have to wait until the carriage comes
in two days. If you two can’t afford to pay, try getting someone else to do it.
After hearing that, the two people dispersed. The humanities scholar visited the drunkard and persuaded him.
-Ha ha ha ha ha! me? I have no money! Why should I leave here when there is something more interesting to see?
The drunkard said he would stay in the village.
Next, the reporter went to see the reporter, but the manager, who heard her story,
became angry and screamed as if he had no choice.
-Are you out of your mind now? What about special articles? This is our main job
and our contract!
-Is work important when your life is at stake? This town is dangerous, sir!
-This is your chance for a scoop! How much readers can be attracted by a simple local event! This is what readers want!
-Are you willing to throw your life away for money? it’s crazy!
They were two people who could not communicate at all.
Of course, there was a part of what the manager said was correct. No matter what,
I had to film and report, and that was my main job and part of my contract.
So, Manager, Simone, and Meilin decided to continue filming with the villagers. The senior reporter stayed at the village hall, saying he would rather be fired.
“Umm… … .”
Meilin filmed a scene where villagers were sorting tomatoes while holding up the
magic camera. She soon turned over the magic shooting sphere and checked the photos she had taken.
“Maybe it’s because the expressions on the villagers’ faces are stiff, but the picture
isn’t as cheerful as it was on the first day.”
Simon also nodded.
Due to the recent situation, the villagers seemed to be a little more cautious towards outsiders. For a long time, I didn’t speak well.
“What do you think, Simon?”
Maylin lowered her voice and said.
“Are the people of this village really related to the disappearance of the group?”
“I’m not sure yet. “If there really is a magic sword in this village, it could have happened because of the magic sword.”
Simon sighed lightly and lowered the magic shooting device.
“Let’s check again tonight.”
“Ah, Simon! “It’s coming, it’s coming!”
Simon quickly came to his senses and looked ahead at Meilin’s words. An elderly-looking village woman was approaching with a somewhat bitter smile on her face.
“Thank you for your hard work, reporters.”
“Village residents are having a harder time. “We just capture your image.”
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Meilin spoke with the residents in a friendly manner. The old woman sighed deeply.
“We also want to prove our innocence, but I think talking about it now will only increase distrust. “Residents have been told not to approach the community center except during meal times.”
“Ah, thank you for your concern. “It suddenly became like this.”
“Yes, what is all this about?”
The two people stopped talking for a moment and turned their heads at the sudden loud shout.
The new bride, who seemed to have completely lost her mind, was making a fuss, screaming loudly and kicking the basket containing tomatoes, demanding that her husband be returned to her. Her villagers were so embarrassed that they couldn’t even touch her. Eventually, her inferior manager went to stop her.
“Oh, and after the sorting process is over, a little special ceremony will begin in the village. Please make sure reporters come and take pictures… … .”
“ah! of course! “It’s our job!”
Simon, who was listening to the story, tilted his head.
‘Special ritual?’
* * *
Around the time Simon and Maylin were talking.
At the home where the two people sneaked in last night, a woman was standing in
front of her house with a serious expression.
As she opened the wall and wiped the blood stains on her armor with a handkerchief, her expression became even colder.
A long hair had fallen out. Even rare light blue hair that is not common on the continent.
She had black short hair.
In addition, none of the villagers had hair of this color, so her eyes widened as she
quietly thought about it while holding it.
There is one person.
Although I am not from this village.
“… … The woman.”
The corners of her mouth were torn apart like a monster.
* * *
The traditional harvest season rituals of Mahihala Village have begun.
The sound of flutes and drums rang out everywhere, and people in long clothes danced. Due to the nature of the Dark Alliance, which prohibits religion, it is not possible to worship God. According to the village chief, it is a traditional ceremony to pray for a successful harvest and the well-being of the village.
One way or another, it was the event with the most things to see after the ordinary
process of harvesting tomatoes. The manager was frantically moving around and filming, and so were Simone and Maylin.
‘There was a place like this in this village.’
This was a high cliff located a little outside of the village. Go a little further and you’ll reach a cliff. The village residents carried out the ceremony, clapping and cheering with excitement and liveliness as if they had never done so before.
“I am grateful that I was able to safely harvest this year’s crops, and I hope that next year’s farming will be successful as well.”
The village chief stepped forward and spoke. He stood in front of the white cloth in the middle.
“Finally, we will begin the ceremony to select this year’s ‘Sword Master.’”
Flap!
The moment he lifted the cloth, Simon’s eyes widened.
I saw a sword stuck deep in a crevice in the cliff. It was a very old-looking sword,
as if it were a relic from a past era. People cheered, but Simon was smiling crookedly.
‘How can you not have doubts like this?’
Sword ritual.
It originates from a tale of a famous swordmaster from a past empire pulling out a
legendary sword, and refers to the act of pulling out a sword stuck in a rock or a crevice in the ground.
In fact, it has only been about 300 to 400 years since the era of knights ended. Young people in the Dark Alliance frown upon seeing remnants of a past era, but in old, closed rural villages, there are many places where these remnants of the past are
practiced in the name of tradition.
This village could have been overlooked if it were just a tradition, but Simon felt it
was meaningful because it was a place connected to the 1st Corps.
The sturdy village men stood up one by one and lined up, rubbing their palms or relaxing their shoulders as if they had been waiting. It was evident from their expressions that they all wanted to be the protagonist of the day.
“Simon, that.”
Meilin approached and asked quietly.
“Could that be the magic sword Juul is looking for?”
“well.”
Simon also strained his eyes and looked at the sword stuck in the rock. No matter
how you look at it, it looks too ordinary to be called a magic sword, and it doesn’t have the slightest hint of ominous energy.
“You could just ask me directly. what do you think about it?”
Simon said that with the communication crystal ball he had hidden in his chest. After a while, he received an answer from Jules, who was probably hiding somewhere
and watching.
-The magic sword is not responding. That appears to be an ordinary ceremonial sword.
Jules’ words must be certain. Simon was finally able to feel at ease.
Just like that, the men of the village came out and whined, trying to grab the sword and pull it out. Some people were red-hot all the way to their necks and were shaking their whole bodies trying to get it out, while others seemed to have a lot of regrets and kept lifting and putting it down and trying it multiple times. All of those who gave up had deep regret on their faces.
Men who said they were strong failed, and even elderly people and women tried it
once in a while, but they all failed.
“… … “There is always one person selected each year.”
“This year is particularly unusual.”
While people were chatting, the old woman who had spoken earlier approached Simon and Meilin.
“Would you two reporters want to try it too?”
“ah! Is that okay?”
“of course. “There’s nothing that outsiders can’t do.”
Meilin tapped Simon’s arm with her elbow with a playful look on her face.
“Are you going to pick it?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
This is an opportunity. You have to do the research anyway.
If you go and hold the sword in person, you will be able to know for sure whether it is a trick and whether it is really a magic sword. Simon planned to cut the rock out even if the sword was not lifted.
“Then let’s go! “Starting with Reporter Lin!”
Meilin, who had been pointed out, smiled and looked back at Simon.
“You’re going to pick it anyway, so I’ll go and give it a try and come back!”
“Okay, be careful.”
Meilin raised her hand and said, ‘I’m going!’ And she stepped forward. The village
people all laughed and clapped their hands. An expression that is not expected at all just by looking at her delicate appearance.
Soon, Meilin rubbed her hands together and grabbed the handle of the sword.
“yap!”
Tuk.
However, the sword was pulled out too easily without even applying any force.
There was silence for a moment, and Meilin stiffened.
Wow!
There were wild cheers from all directions. At the words of one villager, Meilin showed her embarrassed expression and raised her sword above her head in an awkward pose.
Simon scratched his head.
‘hmm.’
Sigh.
Simon’s gaze turned to the audience.
It was an unexpected situation that the sword was drawn during Meyrin’s turn, but
it seemed like I got an important hint thanks to her.
Anyway, Meirin, who drew her sword, became the main character of this year’s event, wearing a cape and being carried on a palanquin and circled around. Meilin waved her arms and greeted people around her, and her manager worked hard to activate the magic camera to capture her appearance.
So the whole event ended.
“Reporter Lin.”
The old woman came groveling.
“Congratulations on becoming a sword master this year.”
“Oh, thank you! “I’m a little dazed.”
“There is nothing else I would like to ask of you, so if you feel uncomfortable, please let me know.”
What the old woman said was that she would like to participate in the ceremony as a ‘sword master’ until the evening’s event. Meilin glanced at Simon and Simon shook her head.
‘This is crossing a line. ‘It’s too dangerous.’
Maylin seemed to understand as well and said with an apologetic smile.
“Uh, I’m sorry. I guess the situation is a bit… … .”
Well I refused.
Simon looked at the old woman’s expression. Should I force it? Or threats?
“Oh no! I guess we asked too much. sorry. “Please rest well.”
Surprisingly, it came off easily. The others also said that although Mei Lin became
a sword lord, she did not try to do anything more than that.
and.
The third night in question drew closer and closer.
* * *
It’s almost night now.
Before dinner time, Simone left under the pretext of wrapping up the filming and
called Maylin and Jules again.
“ruler.”
Simon crossed his arms with a serious expression.
“I gathered some evidence. “Let’s turn it over starting tomorrow.”
