Chapter 02: A Small Village
Sol-yure's fingers caught the stem of a falling leaf.
The wind blew, making the hem of her dress and her hair sway gently in the breeze.
"How long has it been since you last saw the world?" Kaiser asked the Darkness, who was playing with the fallen leaf.
Different from their first meeting until after the battle, Sol-yure was now wearing clothes, even if it was only a plain black one-piece dress. This time, Sol-yure looked like an ordinary human wearing proper clothing.
"The last time was when the kingdom called U-Tsar was ruled by a king named Vasilye. He was the last human who challenged me together with his army. Though in the end, they lost to nothing more than a simple illusion."
"U-Tsar...?" Kaiser had never heard the name of the kingdom before. But from its name, it sounds like it came from the north. Then again, Kaiser's knowledge of this world was very limited to the information of cities he visited.
He did not know when King Vasilye was active.
'At the very least, rumours about this king's expedition should've been heard once, even if it failed. Unless they hid the information expedition because it was a failure and a disgrace.'
"What are you thinking about, Warrior?"
"About this kingdom of U-Tsar. I've never heard its name reach the village where I lived, or even the cities I visited. It's just simple curiosity, nothing important." Kaiser casually waved his hand, diverting the discussion.
U-Tsar.
Hearing that name reminds Kaiser of an empire that existed before the modern era. A famous nation, remembered even in modern times after its fall.
Kaiser stopped walking.
"Are we going to visit that village?" Sol-yure asked, following Kaiser's line of sight.
"Yes. I also need to replenish our supplies."
Even without using his Evil Eye's ability, Kaiser could see a plain human settlement. That's what it looked like from the outside, at least.
"Hopefully, they can be reasoned with." Kaiser continued, with Sol-yure following beside him.
The village was relatively small. It could be compared to the village where Kaiser and his master lived once. However, unlike the prosperous village where Kaiser had once lived, this place truly resembled what one would imagine an actual dark age village to be like.
People looked at Kaiser and Sol-yure warily. Their clothes were rough and dull, like rags with no color variations; earthy, dull tones. They built their homes from wood, and these structures, lacking any aesthetic appeal, served only as places to rest.
And such caution was natural for villagers, especially when Kaiser's clothing looked very foreign and Sol-yure looked like a noblewoman, but at this level, Kaiser could only furrow his brows in suspicion.
Some lowered their heads, yet still stared sharply when passing by; some peeked from inside their homes, while others pulled their children's hands tightly as though that Kaiser would take them away.
He also did not see any fields, gardens, pens, or anything showing it was the village's source of income. It exists, of course, but not anymore. As someone buried and destroyed it to the ground.
"... Humans. Of course, what else did I expect?"
Sol-yure glanced to her side upon hearing that whisper but not replying to his rhetorical words.
'... But why?' Kaiser glanced back toward Sol-yure. He remembers one famous depiction of the Sacred Beast in stories.
'—Punishment.' Kaiser received the answer.
"They offended a noble," Kaiser said clearly.
All the villagers around them immediately reacted like worms. Kaiser was right. Someone instantly ran toward them. He threw himself down and kneeled beneath Kaiser's feet.
"P–Please forgive us, Honorable Sir, Lady... we failed to welcome you! As compensation, I offer this v–virgin girl to you!"
Two other people brought forward a young girl—no, she was a small child no older than twelve. In Kaiser's eyes, the two adults were trying their best to appear smiling, while one of them tightly gripped the child's hand. The adults' firm grip left faint bruises on the child's hand.
Kaiser shifted his attention back to the one greeting him with a kneeling to the ground. A stiff, forced smile stretched across the man's lips. Sol-yure, who did not react in the slightest to the barbaric sight, made Kaiser let out a sigh.
This was the reality of this world.
"Get them away. Give me a place to rest."
"Y-yes, Sir. Please follow me."
He guided Kaiser and Sol-yure to a house. It differed from the other houses in the village. Better and larger than the others.
Kaiser and Sol-yure took seats, while the person guiding them dropped to his knees and sat on the floor.
This man was the village chief. It was obvious from how he spoke on behalf of others that he had done this many times before.
"What did you people do?"
Kaiser's voice made the village chief flinch.
"... A noble fell wh-while walking through our village." A loud knocking sound echoed as the man's head hit the floor, prostrating beneath Kaiser's feet. "We have committed a great sin!"
Was it really that simple? Kaiser was not sure. He had not heard the nobles' side yet. Was this truly an accident or an intentional fall?
[Are you thinking about what happened in this village?] Sol-yure's voice sounded right into Kaiser's ears, but no movement on her lips or the village chief heard at all. He glanced toward the Sacred Beast next to him.
[Yes.] Kaiser answered without opening his mouth, using the Sound Transmission technique with the Hi toward Sol-yure.
[Do you intend to help them?]
Kaiser remained silent in thought for several moments.
[I'm not that kind-hearted, but I am tempted to give a little help if this is not their fault.]
"Who did it?"
"... The Honorable Lord, Baron of Tomavel, sir."
This troublesome situation made Kaiser rethink what he should do. He couldn't fill his supplies from this place, so he would have to forage and hunt on his own. He couldn't waste time dealing with nobles and kingdoms while it was not even his job to begin with.
As much as possible, he refused to swim even if he's already wet to the knees.
"Move! Where is the village chief?!"
Someone's voice sounded from outside the building. The voice was full of authority and pride. The village chief, who also heard the voice, began sweating coldly and kept shifting his focus between Kaiser and the situation outside the door.
Obviously, a noble.
[What do you think, Sol?]
[I shall completely follow your plan this time, Warrior.]
"Go," Kaiser interrupted the village chief.
"Y-yes, sir. I-I shall take my leave." Hesitantly and carefully, the village chief took the chance to leave and, after passing through the doorway, ran off.
"... He did not even close the door again." Sol-yure commented with an amused smile. Seeing the frightened village chief reminded her of a rabbit cornered by several goblins in the past.
"How did you do it?" Kaiser's question made her look aside.
"A simple trick I made," she answered. [It was an application of my power. To simply put, I'm deceiving your ear as if you're mishearing something.]
"I see. Quite convenient." It surely was only a part of the surface of the iceberg. For a powerful nature of the world, surely she can do even crazier feats. He wonders how far she can deceive the world with her power.
But not today. It'll be a question for another day. They don't have time to explain because of the things happening outside.
"I'm going to watch." Kaiser stood from his seat and walked outside. Sol-yure followed him behind.