Enkrid took in the people welcoming him, those watching from afar, and others. Purple skin, clear brown eyes. Generally speaking.
"My name is Zoroslav. This way."
The man called Zoroslav guided them to a house with a round roof in the center. In the process, he saw people peeking their heads out like frightened squirrels or curious cats, or craning their necks while watching from afar. It was a scene not much different from the eyes that watched strangers in any village.
In other words, you could call it a human reaction.
The place the man who stepped forward guided them to was a house built with plaster and brick. It was presumed to be a building that served as both a village hall and something like a church, and it was the only building that could hold more than ten people.
"We should offer you food, but I'm not sure if it will suit your taste."
A woman also stepped forward behind the man.
"Welcome. I think this is the first time we've had so many guests."
Following the guidance of a woman befitting anyone's definition of a beauty, they headed to a reception room that doubled as a dining hall, and sat in clearly handmade dark brown wooden chairs around a large table.
There was no threat or danger. Everyone would have similar impressions.
Then, among ordinary utensils, they received ordinary tableware.
Jaxen checked the scent and taste of the food, then nodded. No poison. Setting aside Shinar and Luagarne, who ate differently, the rest roughly put food in their mouths.
A stew mixing potato-like survival crops with meat, along with tough but savory bread.
After being treated to a meal and staying for half a day, Rem looked around and said, "Hmm—"
"It's a bit..."
What meaning was contained in those words?
Though they worshipped the Demon-Lord, these people looked like ordinary people, so it felt uncomfortable to swing his axe—something like that was the meaning.
Shinar frowned lightly, so lightly you wouldn't see it unless you looked closely.
When entering a Demonic Realm, you felt the air change, and this village was similar.
Enkrid felt it too.
'Not as much as a Demonic Realm, but—'
An ominous air flowed.
That brought back bad memories for Shinar. The moment she'd been captured in the demon's den.
So it was natural to feel unpleasant, but she too wasn't an ordinary Fairy, so she endured well.
"Fiancé, don't stray from my side."
She only said this.
Enkrid considered her feelings and did so. As much as possible, he stayed close to Shinar.
Roman looked around at the group and scratched his head.
"I said it wasn't ordinary, but it's quite a shock, right? I felt the same."
Enkrid nodded. The others' reactions were similar.
It was only half a day, but summing up the feelings received during that time—
'Ordinary.'
It wasn't that there were no peculiarities, but in terms of eating, drinking, resting, working, and living out daily life, they were utterly ordinary.
In the cultivated field inside the village, they'd planted various crops, and from trees planted in rows beside it, they picked blue fruits. They probably weren't ordinary crops or fruits. They didn't look like it either.
'Still, not inedible.'
The peculiar thing was that the village residents prayed three times a day. For whom? As the central symbol indicated, toward the Demon-Lord.
"Let us pray."
Before the evening sun set, looking at the form of the Demon-Lord erected in the center, wherever they stood, whether on dirt ground or whatever, they knelt and touched their foreheads to the ground.
Those who'd been inside houses also came out and acted the same way. In the midst of it, those who were coughing or sick also rested.
It meant this wasn't done through coercion or force. There was no need to dig deeply into why they worshipped the Demon-Lord.
And seeing the way they prayed, it didn't seem like they were offering it with much heart either.
Just an attitude of doing it because they're told to.
"It's a peculiar place."
Luagarne said, wiggling her cheeks.
This place was embarrassing to even call a Demonic Realm border zone. Rather, it was more appropriate to call it the front yard of the Demonic Realm.
What this meant was—
It was a place where you couldn't survive with only a weak wooden fence.
It was a place monsters and beasts should visit as if it were their food storage.
Moreover, weren't there several more famous wandering-type monsters in this vicinity that couldn't be easily killed?
"The Demon-Lord's protection."
Enkrid muttered. Those words were exactly right.
This village was a gathering place for those who lived with the Demon-Lord as their backing.
The reason their skin color had a purple tint was probably similar.
Lawford looked around the village and said.
"If beasts are stained with demonic energy they become beasts, so should we call these Demon-Men?"
As a term for humans invaded by demonic energy, it was quite appropriate.
[ * * * ]
So then, what should be done about this place right away? For that, these people were just living.
"Let's leave them be. They too are just living."
Worshipping the Demon-Lord was heresy. But Audin took the lead in saying to leave them alone.
"Hehe, if it were the old me, that's right. I would have said we must express our anger rising like flames, then scatter Divine Power to drive out their demonic energy. But not now. I've learned to respect each person's way of life."
White light shone in Audin's eyes as he spoke. Divinity that arose naturally. Enkrid met those eyes directly and nodded.
"Let's do that."
What could you say about these people who were just living, who worshipped the Demon-Lord to survive in this place?
Zoroslav occasionally came to explain the ecology of this village.
"That's right. We're protected because we worship the Demon-Lord. So if you ask whether we worship sincerely, well..."
Did they have blind faith?
No. That wasn't it.
Then?
"It's to survive."
They were people who worshipped a god for a purpose. And they said—
"We're fine with things as they are. Even if it's a life of revering the god of the Demonic Realm and staying on that boundary line."
This small village and community was all of one mind. There was no discord. Those who created disharmony had all been expelled, become sacrifices, and died.
So should they all be killed? That wouldn't be it.
If that was their will, they'd just be left to their desires.
Enkrid knew himself well. He wasn't an orator but a swordsman.
Therefore, in times like this, if not killing them all, it was right to do nothing here and stop.
The man called Zoroslav was this village's representative. The man who started with hospitality spoke with an indifferent attitude.
"Then I'll ask. Do you see us as evil and have you come to punish us?"
From Zoroslav's perspective, they were a threat.
There were several swordsmen, and even a Frog and Fairy came together. How would such people view a village where the Eroded gathered?
It was a question with such things implied.
Enkrid asked inwardly.
'Are they evil?'
No one could answer carelessly.
Enkrid knew better than anyone that good and evil couldn't be divided by binary thinking. What might be good for someone could be evil for someone else. A righteous person might also appear as a guardian of injustice to others.
That said, it didn't mean he wouldn't raise his sword because he didn't want to become evil to them.
He just didn't want to lose respect.
They said they'd live according to their will, and Enkrid respected that.
"That's not it."
At the words of denial, Zoroslav smiled.
He'd seen those who lived offering part of themselves to the Demon-Lord.
While respecting them, whether this life was truly what they desired was worth thinking about.
But could anything be done right away? It was a problem to consider.
Zoroslav provided the group with a place to rest.
When the next day came, Ragna said he was frustrated and wanted to go out, and Lawford followed behind him.
"You mustn't go alone."
"Why?"
At Ragna's calm question in return, Rem answered from behind.
"Do you really not know why you're asking?"
"If I knew, why would I ask? It's common sense, barbarian."
Enkrid just quietly listened to the conversation and watched. Rem's head turned toward Enkrid.
"...I'm really curious, but can't we bury that somewhere and leave? Going around looking for him all the time is more work."
Rem spoke half-seriously, and that day Ragna returned after dealing with one Demonic Realm with Lawford.
There were monsters called Drowned Ones, swollen with water, and Ghouls as the main force, and at the center was a demon with a bent waist who cast spells.
"Ah, those bastards settled in since last year, and we suffered greatly because of them. They were eyeing us to capture us if we crossed the boundary even a little."
Zoroslav was greatly pleased by this fact.
Lawford said the one called a demon had scattered lightning from its hands, but Ragna's sword suddenly shone brightly and burned the demon.
"I'm getting the hang of it now."
Ragna said nonchalantly. A Knight, and a genius of outstanding talent at that, went on a rampage wielding not just an Inscribed Weapon but a family heirloom passed down through generations.
A natural result, but you couldn't simply call it natural.
"We don't have much to offer, but—"
Zoroslav butchered a sheep. They did raise livestock. In considerable numbers too.
In other words, real livestock, not beasts. The group filled their bellies with mutton that day.
"It would be convenient to use this as a base."
Luagarne said after checking the surrounding terrain.
What was the original purpose? Dealing with small Demonic Realms as soon as they were seen, and chasing and killing wandering-type monsters.
Since Balrog was also a wandering-type monster whose location couldn't be specified, it was to sing a seductive serenade toward him.
The village of the Demonic Realm was suitable as a base camp in terms of location.
Enkrid nodded and walked around the village. The entire time he walked, the dreams he'd had for two days kept coming to mind.
Along with the sound of rippling waves, Enkrid saw the ferry grow much wider.
Crunch.
Pebbles piled on the floor, and waves came in right up to the pebbles.
Though on the ferry, it was like walking along a riverside.
"Let's walk a bit."
The Ferryman said with a calm attitude, holding a lamp. Enkrid walked standing beside the Ferryman. The distance was three and a half steps. The Ferryman's voice was softer and thinner than usual.
"Yes, I want to ask your impression of the village."
A conversation during a stroll, ordinary dialogue was exchanged. The next day after the first was similar.
"Did you observe those who believe in the Demon-Lord well? Did you also see traces of sacrifices?"
The Ferryman asked again.
Understanding the meaning contained in his question wasn't difficult.
The Ferryman didn't bother hiding his intention, and Enkrid was quick to catch on.
Since they both knew this, the Ferryman brought out the real question a bit earlier than prepared.
"Are they also among those standing behind you?"
Are they worth protecting? Or are they those who should be cut down?
Where is the standard of good and evil? Where exactly does the path you walk lead?
Can all who worship the Demon-Lord be called evil?
It was a time of forcing cruel choices following cruel fantasies.
The Ferryman couldn't predict the future, but he'd seen countless branches.
He pulled out and observed Enkrid's future.
One was a tomorrow where he cut down all the residents of the Demon-Lord.
"They were just people."
The one called Roman condemned such an Enkrid. Enkrid also wavered.
Was this truly the right path?
The second branch was a tomorrow where he left all the residents of the Demon-Lord behind.
Then, after several years passed, they would all become able to survive only by consuming human blood and flesh. That end was clear.
They were people who offered their future to live the present. It was something anyone could do.
Selling tomorrow for today, and such.
Between the two choices, the Ferryman asked.
"Where is the path you desire? Does such a thing as the right path exist in this world?"
Enkrid realized, following the previous times, that the Ferryman's test hadn't ended.
"What thoughts are you so absorbed in?"
He woke from his reverie at Shinar's question. Enkrid blinked and looked at the Fairy with otherworldly beauty.
'Was the Ferryman a woman too?'
Somehow, looking at Shinar, such doubt arose. Then he naturally threw out an associated question.
"After migrating, the place you lived changed, and the way you lived changed. Was that okay?"
The Fairy village had started trading with humans and even had to exchange various technologies.
At the question he'd never asked until now, Shinar showed that smile she rarely displayed.
Her eye corners holding dark green eyes curved. Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind.
"Where Fairies live is the Fairy village."
It was the right words.
Enkrid reflected on the Ferryman's question.
'What is the path I desire?'