Chapter 92
A man’s loud voice echoed through the area.
Blake and Angelina exchanged glances. They were unsure what to do.
Meanwhile, Haley took a fighting stance, ready to block and counter any attacks, while Sean cast an amplification spell so Blake and Angelina could speak comfortably with the villagers.
“State your purpose for coming here!”
“We came to meet the village chief.”
“We have something we’d like to ask.”
Blake spoke first, and Angelina added the explanation.
In the distance, they could see people whispering among themselves. It seemed they were discussing whether to believe Blake’s words.
After much whispering, someone who appeared to be their representative shouted again.
“Identify yourselves.”
Blake and Angelina looked at each other again.
Should they reveal their identities? Would it have adverse effects?
The deliberation didn’t last long.
Since Blake’s group had been here before, it was only a matter of time before they were found out.
If they hid it, it might create unnecessary friction due to mistrust.
“I am Blake Kadenhart, head of the Kadenhart Duchy.”
“I’m Angelina Flaubert of the Flaubert Marquis family.”
As soon as the two finished their introductions, the villagers became restless.
The drawn bowstrings loosened, and other weapons were lowered from sight.
Then, from behind the person who had been shouting, a woman suddenly appeared and ran toward Angelina’s group.
She was running so hurriedly that it seemed she might fall at any moment.
“Duke Kadenhart! You’ve come!”
She approached Blake and Angelina directly, shouting in a joyful voice.
“And this must be the person from Flaubert. We’ve been waiting, we knew you would come someday.”
She extended her hand emotionally.
“I’m Yansen, currently representing Kuns Village. We apologize for our rudeness earlier, not recognizing who you were.”
Though the sudden change in attitude was startling, Angelina decided to accept the goodwill and took her hand.
“What do you mean you knew we would come?”
“Aren’t you here to find the truth?”
“….”
Truth? What could she mean?
Angelina held her tongue.
“Ah… if only you had come when the village chief was still here. But I’m so happy you’ve come even now.”
She showed both regret and joy as she led them toward the village.
“The village chief said that Duke Kadenhart would return someday.”
“He was that certain?”
“He said that when the Duke visited before, you discussed something. He believed you would return to confirm that conversation. This way, please…”
She led the group into the village.
Blake followed behind while asking, “He knew even then that I would become interested in that story?”
He was slightly frowning.
“We are observers and narrators who follow the flow of time. Those who seek the truth have no choice but to find us, the intermediaries.”
It was an answer whose meaning was unclear.
“I never expected both of you to come together, but this is fortunate. It means destiny is already in motion.”
“Um, Yansen? Just a moment.”
“Please speak comfortably. There’s no reason for the Flaubert descendant to be formal with us.”
“Yes, then, Yansen. The words you’re speaking to us now are too complicated. There’s much we don’t understand. Could you explain from the very beginning?”
“From the beginning?”
“Yes. Why the village chief isn’t here now, why the atmosphere is so different from when the Duke visited years ago, and this ‘truth’ you speak of. I’d like you to explain it all slowly.”
“I got too excited and rushed things.”
Yansen stopped in her tracks with a smile.
“Of course. You have the right to know everything, and you must know. Only then can the stagnant emotions of an era that couldn’t flow finally reach their conclusion.”
They had stopped in front of a modest structure.
Only then could Angelina see that much of the village they had passed through was left abandoned and largely destroyed.
It seemed they had tried to reconstruct it, but the work was incredibly crude. Even the more sturdy buildings had many scorch marks.
“Please come in.”
Yansen invited them into the modest structure, pulling aside a makeshift entrance made of cloth.
Angelina hesitated for a moment.
Would following Yansen answer all her questions? She felt such curiosity.
But after seeing the state of the village, her heart felt heavy.
Entering this place felt like diving into a vast unknown world. Could she handle it?
And seeing Angelina’s hesitation, Blake took her hand in his.
“I think we came to the right place.”
At his soft whisper, Angelina turned her head to look at him.
His blue eyes, reflecting the sunlight that peeked through the clouds, were warm.
Seeing that, the fear that had frozen her body melted away.
‘Right, even if I can’t handle it, the male lead will.’
Even though the original story was flowing differently, he was still the male lead after all.
A person destined to be the strongest in this world’s setting and fated to eliminate evil.
And now that she thought about it, the original work’s description of his appearance seemed accurate too.
‘I admit he has looks that make you stare mindlessly.’
His charm was different from her brother’s.
While her brother was a striking beauty that caught your eye immediately, he had a subtle and noble charm that drew you in the more you looked at him.
“Yes.”
Angelina returned his grip with a comfortable smile. It was an unconscious action seeking safety.
What could be safer than being beside the male lead?
“I think we came to the right place.”
And together, they stepped inside.
***
Upon entering the structure, they found themselves in a space that looked like a living room with one attached room. The group sat around a large table placed in the center.
Although Kuns Village followed a floor-sitting lifestyle, the group, trained from camping, fortunately didn’t feel uncomfortable.
While Yansen disappeared into the room to look for something, a child who had guided them with Yansen brought tea.
The child had a quiver and a bow on their back. Finding it ill-fitting for their age, Angelina found herself repeatedly glancing at the child.
Yansen, who returned with a thick book from the room, noticed Angelina’s gaze as she sat down and began awkwardly.
“Since all the young men were taken away, anyone strong enough had to take up weapons to protect us.”
“All the young men? Why were they taken?”
“To silence them.”
“If it’s about silencing… is it related to that ‘truth’ you mentioned?”
“Yes.”
The child who had finished brewing the tea left.
As Angelina watched the child leave, Blake asked on her behalf.
“Who did such a thing?”
“It was mercenaries who attacked us. But mercenaries would have no reason to attack such a small village.”
“They must have moved on someone’s money. Those people probably used mercenaries to hide their identity.”
“We didn’t understand at first either. But when they burned all the books in the village and took away all adults, regardless of gender, we could guess who was behind it.”
At the mention of all adults being taken away, Angelina understood why everyone here looked so young.
“Who was it?”
At the question, Yansen sighed.
“The foolish ones who drove the Sun to become a witch.”
When the connection between the ‘witch’ and ‘sun’ they had been searching for appeared, Blake slightly furrowed his brow and Angelina narrowed her eyes.
Angelina slowly opened her mouth and whispered.
“Witch, oh witch, hello witch.”
As Angelina started, Yansen added with a pained smile.
“When the Sun falls, she became a witch.”
“So those lyrics weren’t simply made up.”
“That’s right. If I remove the poetic metaphors and coded language and explain it in modern terms…”
Yansen placed the dust-covered large book in the middle of the table and opened it.
Inside the book, she opened were bizarre drawings.
Being an old book, it was stained with what appeared to be mold, and similar to the ruins outside, there were burn marks scattered throughout.
However, there was no problem confirming the contents.
“Those who accused the Saint of being a witch to steal her power.”
Yansen said while carefully turning the pages one by one. The pictures inside continued the story.
It was a story of a woman in white clothing, appearing to be a Saint, gradually turning red as she became stained by the blood flowing around her.
“The traitors who betrayed their faith in the Sun God, forgot their duty, killed their comrades, and violated the doctrine.”
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