#018. The Young Lady of a Small Village (1)
The underground prison of Verner.
There was no focus in the fallen Hanna's eyes.
How much time had passed?
She had long forgotten hunger.
The floor was cold, her body stiff.
More than anything, the fact that Virgil had abandoned her was the most shocking.
How was she supposed to survive this absurd world alone....
If this feeling continued, she felt she would lose the will to live.
Clank.
The sound of a firmly shut iron barred door opening.
"Get her up."
The voice of Azel, the most ferocious witch.
Reacting to it, Hanna curled her body.
Save me. Save me.
Inside, she was begging for her life, but only a faint groan escaped her lips.
"What's wrong with this girl? Did you torture her?"
"No, Lady Azel. How could we? It's been less than thirty minutes since we locked her up. She even had a simple meal."
"Then why is she in such a state?"
"W-we don't know either."
"Hmm... a strange child. Anyway, that Demon Hunter named Virgil is quite skilled too. I don't know how he persuaded Lady Mater, but to think the day would come when I'd release an unreformed Pelles with my own hands."
At the sound of Virgil's name, Hanna gritted her teeth, veins bulging.
She would have revenge.
She would make him regret abandoning her, shedding bloody tears.
"Send her up now."
"Yes, Lady Azel."
***
Hanna's sorrow completely vanished the moment she faced Virgil.
"Waaah! Why did you do that! Why did you send me there! I almost died!"
Virgil pushed away Hanna, who was clinging to him wailing loudly, and looked at Mater.
She avoided Virgil's eyes and looked at Azel.
Azel looked around, realized there were no other witches, and shook her head as if wronged.
"Lady Mater, that Pelles has not even been in Verner for two hours. She has not inflicted any direct harm whatsoever."
"Boohoo! She covered my eyes and poked my stomach!"
"Hah! Child! The sorcery inflicted upon you was all fabricated pain! It does not harm a Pelles who has yet to undergo reformation!"
As Azel raised her voice, Hanna burst into tears even louder.
"Azel, you may leave now."
"Yes, Lady Mater...."
Azel shook her head and entered the flames of the fireplace.
"Truly a clean and pure child. I suppose it was your idea for her to learn sorcery?"
"It was."
Chill still lingered on Mater's face, but the anger and contempt she had shown before were gone.
Now, only curiosity and interest remained.
"Sir Virgil! That woman was choking my neck...."
She stopped speaking and hid behind Virgil.
Because she felt Mater's cold gaze.
Mater smiled faintly at Virgil and nodded slightly.
"Then, on the day your request is completed, I shall formally invite the two of you to Verner."
"Understood."
Mater, who had turned and was heading toward the fireplace, paused briefly.
"Ah, please give Ekirna my regards."
"...You knew?"
"You must not underestimate witches, O Savior of Javelin."
At her last words, Virgil let out a wry laugh.
To think she had traced his movements in such a short time.
It was likely the doing of the Shadow Witch Azel, who had been beside him.
"Next time, I would like to have a conversation about your true identity, as well."
True identity.
'I'm curious myself.'
"Then may Ragna's grace be with you."
As Mater disappeared into the fireplace, Hanna dug further into Virgil's embrace.
Her grip on his shoulder plate felt like a silent threat demanding an immediate apology.
Virgil forcefully peeled her off.
Only now did her surroundings begin to enter her eyes.
"But Sir Virgil, why is your armor like this...."
It was scorched black here and there, and the right breastplate was crumpled gruesomely.
At Virgil's words that it was nothing, she looked around.
One wall of the previously intact house had a gaping hole, and Virgil's greatsword was embedded deep in a large tree outside.
"This... it was that Fire Wing lady, wasn't it! No wonder she looked like a ghost! Are you okay?"
"Don't exaggerate. The witches aren't as evil as you think."
"You didn't see it? She said she'd rip my tongue out, covered my eyes, and hit my stomach! What exactly is a Pelles that they'd do that!"
"Pelles refers to women who learned sorcery outside without being proper witches."
"Just because they learned sorcery outside, do they all try to kill them?"
"Most Pelles learn sorcery for unsavory purposes. Things like appearance or revenge. That's why incidents and accidents caused by Pelles are frequent."
"But they burn them at the stake!"
"Hm. That's not it...."
"Sir Virgil... why do you keep taking their side?"
Hanna squinted her large eyes and glared.
Virgil tried to ignore her but thought an explanation was necessary after all.
Because she would eventually have to become one of them, and he couldn't let her develop hostility before even starting.
"Listen to me until the end. The witches take Pelles and begin with reformation. They treat them harshly on purpose to break their spirits beforehand. If they are reformed, they are accepted as one of their own; if not, a seal is placed on their hearts so they can never use magic power again."
"Then the burning at the stake...?"
"It was to scare you."
"Just a scare... but more importantly, does that mean you shouldn't learn sorcery in this world?"
"That's not it. It's just that the perception isn't good because of dark sorcerers; there are many sorcerers who operate openly. It's just that the witch hunts started a few years ago in this area, in Rown. The Pelles are the ones fanning those flames. So you just need to lay low for the time being."
"......."
"Understood?"
"But Sir Virgil."
"What."
"Can't you talk this much normally too?"
"......."
Virgil didn't answer and headed toward the tree where the greatsword was embedded.
A sigh escaped him.
Being with that woman somehow made him feel like he was becoming an encyclopedia.
No, more like an electronic guidebook that spews explanations when you press a switch.
They called people like this explanation junkies, if he recalled.
He vowed once more to be sparing with his words.
"But Sir Virgil."
Hanna came hopping over.
"......."
"Are sorcerers and mages different? I thought they were the same...."
"Let's go. Ekirna will be waiting."
***
"So what is Ragna?"
"...She is the goddess of witches and the goddess of fire."
"Ah, then...."
"Enough. We've arrived at the village."
Enduring Hanna's endless barrage of questions, they arrived at the village where Ekirna was.
The name of this place was Denliph.
It was a very small village where slash-and-burn farmers lived.
The moment the two entered the village, piercing gazes fell upon them.
An interest too sticky to be mere wariness of outsiders.
"Hmm, this village is unfamiliar...."
Virgil looked around, searching for a place where Ekirna might be.
A place with the only signboard in a corner of the village caught his eye.
A shabby and worn exterior.
It looked more like a resting place for villagers than for travelers.
Creak.
As he opened the door and entered, piercing gazes flew toward them.
Five large men and a middle-aged man who appeared to be the tavern owner.
They couldn't take their eyes off Hanna's face.
Virgil ignored their attention and approached the tavern owner.
Clank, clank.
With the loud clashing sounds of the greatsword and armor ringing in time with his steps, the men's attention shifted from Hanna to Virgil.
As expected, the first thing visible was the large weapon on his back.
Looking at him, they began to mutter amongst themselves.
"Hmm, he's no ordinary fellow...."
"He must be passing through...."
As Virgil arrived at the counter, the owner greeted him first.
"Welcome to Denliph. I'm sorry, but we do not offer lodging."
"I'm looking for someone."
"Ah, my apologies. Who might that be?"
"A woman in her mid-thirties wearing a hooded robe."
The tavern owner scrutinized Virgil carefully before opening his mouth.
"Might you be the Demon Hunter from Javelin?"
"I am."
"Ah, you've arrived early. That woman told me to give you this."
The tavern owner held out a small folded piece of paper.
"My thanks."
As Virgil reached to take it, the owner slyly pulled his hand back.
Virgil narrowed his brows and handed over a coin from his belt.
He had plenty of money received from Sophia and from temporarily selling Hanna over, so this amount was no loss.
The owner quickly placed the note on the counter.
"This is too much for an errand fee. If you wait a moment, I'll treat you to a beer."
"There's no nee—"
Before he could finish speaking, Hanna sat in a chair.
"...Just one glass."
"Yes, sir!"
Virgil leaned his greatsword against the counter and opened the note Ekirna had left.
-If you're reading this, it means you're still alive. I'd like to congratulate you in person, but something came up. If your business goes well, the witches will probably find me soon. So don't worry about me and do what you need to do.
"Tch...."
'She's no help at all.'
He had thought to get more awakening potion from her, but she had disappeared without a word.
Thud.
A large wooden mug was placed before Virgil and Hanna.
"Our village's pride: the extra-large beer."
"My thanks."
"Great!"
Virgil took a sip, while Hanna grasped it with both hands and gulped it down greedily.
They enjoyed the reprieve for a brief moment before a man approached them.
One of the large men who had been glancing at them the whole time.
"I say."
Virgil answered with a glance instead of words.
"I heard you say you're a Demon Hunter just now. Is that right?"
"That's right."
"Haha! What excellent fortune! I am Giras, commander of the Orbus Mercenary Corps. Pleased to meet you."
The man extended a crude hand.
His hand was still covered in grease from the chicken leg he had been tearing at moments ago.
Naturally, Virgil didn't shake it.
"Hehe, they say Demon Hunters are mostly cold. Seems that's true."
"State your business."
"Dear me, you're impatient."
The man plopped down in the empty chair beside Virgil.
"By the way, the lady beside you is a tremendous beauty. Having seen many beauties hailing from Elladris, I don't think my heart has ever pounded like this."
"Ahaha... thank you."
Hanna turned her head the other way.
She had no way to stop the smile seeping out.
Conversely, more wrinkles began to form on Virgil's brows.
"Loosen up a bit. It looks like that head of yours is going to split from that greatsword."
"Business."
Annoyed by Virgil's tiresome and irritated reaction, the largest of the man's companions sprang up from his seat.
"Has that son of a bitch lost all his manners?"
Glaring at Virgil's back, he reached for the sword leaning against the table.
"I'll teach that brat some manners right—"
Bang!
A bullet lodged in the sword hilt, knocking it backward.
The men were startled and gripped their weapons.
But they couldn't draw them.
Because the gun barrel poking from Virgil's side was aimed at them.
"Get lost."
"Have you lost your mind?"
"Next time, it's your head."
"...You'll regret this."
Giras led his subordinates outside.
Hanna looked at the barrel of Somnium poking out beside Virgil and asked.
"Wow, Sir Virgil, do you have eyes in the back of your head too...?"
"Luck."
"Huh?"
"I shot the floor."
"Ah... yes.... But why did you attack so suddenly...?"
"A nauseating stench is coming off those bastards."
Because of the demon blood flowing through half his body, Virgil's five senses were exceptional.
A faint scent of blood had lingered at the tip of his nose since entering the tavern, and only now had he found the source.
The tavern owner quietly approached Virgil.
"They are mercenaries hired by our village chief."
Virgil only sipped his beer without responding, and the owner awkwardly retreated.
After a while, the owner approached again upon confirming that Virgil's mug had emptied considerably.
"That was remarkable skill, by the way."
"State your business."
"Actually, some unpleasant things have been happening in our village. That's why the chief requested those mercenaries."
"What happened?"
Hanna, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, and Virgil clicked his tongue at her.
The tavern owner took the opportunity to continue what he had to say.
"About a month ago? A widow living on that hill went missing. She'd always kept the men of the village awake at night with her plump backside...."
Meeting Virgil's fierce eyes, the owner quickly nodded and continued.
"After that, eight women disappeared over the course of three months. The chief, realizing the seriousness of the situation, began searching for mercenaries."
The owner held out another beer mug he had brought to Hanna.
"And the moment the chief put up a notice, they arrived as if they'd been waiting. Within about two days? Three days? They said they just happened to be passing through nearby.... Whew, I'll have a drink too."
Stopping mid-sentence, the tavern owner lifted his mug and chugged.
"But do you know what those bastards said after wasting time until recently? They said this doesn't seem like the work of a human, so we should call a mage or a Demon Hunter. Crazy bastards. How much beer they've shoved down their gullets in the meantime.... If you aren't going to drink that, may I have it?"
"...Do as you like."
"Kaah... anyway, if you have time, would you mind meeting our chief? The harvest was recent, so the reward should be sufficient."
Hanna's face suddenly entered Virgil's field of vision as he was about to refuse.
"Sir Virgil."
"What."
"A quest window popped up."
"Hmm... innkeeper."
"Please speak."
"Please step away for a moment."
"Oh, understood. Please talk comfortably."
The tavern owner stepped back from the two and went to clean up where the mercenaries had been sitting.
Hanna leaned toward Virgil and began to speak.
"This time it says it's a sub-quest. The small village of Denliph on the outskirts of Rown. Something unusual is happening here...."
Hanna raised her hand in front of Virgil's face.
"You were about to say 'just the gist,' weren't you?"
"Yes."
"It says to meet the chief."
"Reward and time limit."
"A sorcery book and money. The deadline is tomorrow."
Virgil narrowed his brows at her words.
"A sorcery book?"
Usually, quest rewards were related to the place or content of the quest.
He had thought it would end with just a few coppers, but a sorcery book?
His interest was piqued.
It seemed like it would be extremely simple.
"What should we do?"
"Let's go."
"Yes. Accepted."
"Hanna."
"Yes?"
"I've been meaning to mention it—you can speak the status window internally."
"Of course I know that."
He didn't ask, "Then why?"
Because it somehow felt like it would be deflating.