How a Reincarnated Warlock Lives – Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Flames and Shadows (3)

Unlike the previous villages that were completely destroyed, the last village was relatively intact. Of course, this place couldn’t be considered completely normal either.

“Wh, Who are you?”

A tense voice. What greeted us as we entered the village were a few residents holding worn-out spears.

They looked like the village guards, or more precisely, a vigilante corps.

I glanced at the spears in the men’s hands.

Crude blades attached to wooden shafts that seemed like they would break with a single touch. They were pathetic weapons. Furthermore, the hands holding the crude spears were trembling.

I wondered if they could even handle a wolf properly. From the beginning, the man’s question asking about the identity of us, the strange foreigners, was closer to a plea than a threat.

“I have a few questions.”

I stepped forward and opened my mouth.

“Is it true that the one who attacked the nearby villages is that guy named Balder of Cobeln?”

“……!”

At my question, the man’s expression hardened with shock. It was a reaction that didn’t require an answer.

It was a confirmation rather than a question in the first place.

Seeing that, Jerit clenched his fists. It was a rare sight of him expressing anger. I didn’t know exactly why, but burning down villages and killing innocent people must have been an unforgivable act in his eyes.

“……It seems the target of this mission is quite the villain.”

At Jerit’s words uttered with a hardened face, I replied calmly.

“It’s always been that way.”

🔹🔹🔹

We entered the village to hear a more detailed explanation. Actually, it was embarrassing to even call it the inside.

A few houses made of woven wooden planks that were on the verge of collapsing, and a small, poorly cultivated field. It made me think that the reason Balder didn’t burn this village down might be because he didn’t even feel it was worth the effort.

The villagers, who were terrified at the sight of us armed in an unusual manner, didn’t seem very reassured even after hearing that we were from the Church.

Well, in the first place, most of the people who fled here would have had reasons why they couldn’t live in large cities.

Nine out of ten villages in the mountains are made up of fugitives.

Of course, there are also places made up of vicious criminals like thieves and outlaws, but most villages were created by those who fled to avoid various problems.

Such as exploitation by nobles like excessive taxes and conscription, or fleeing to avoid being caught in the fight between the Catacombs and the Church.

And this nameless village on the mountain ridge was one such place.

“As expected……”

Jerit nodded as he listened to the explanation of the villager who began to speak, seemingly worried that we might demand something. As we had guessed, it was that guy named Balder who had attacked the nearby villages.

This village was relatively lucky. Of course, depending on the perspective, it could be the opposite.

“Children?”

Lephra frowned.

According to what the villagers had revealed, it seemed that Balder hadn’t just taken food.

“He took all the children.”

I narrowed my eyes quietly.

“……Could he be involved in slave trafficking?”

Jerit’s question. Lost in thought, I gazed silently beyond the mountain ridge.

Most areas under the influence of the Church strictly prohibit slavery. Except for the Cravassia Empire, there were no countries on the continent that allowed slavery.

Of course, regardless of that, it wasn’t that the buying and selling of people didn’t happen in the shadows, so it was difficult to say that Jerit’s guess was completely wrong.

However, considering that this area was within the domain of the Catacombs, and the purpose of our visit here, there was a high possibility that the reason was something more sinister.

“In any case, we need to go to that place called Cobeln first.”

Lephra nodded. It was the moment I finished my thoughts and looked around the village one last time.

“My, My Lord……!”

A woman who had been watching us from afar came running hurriedly.

Thud. She knelt down abruptly and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Please save my child……!”

She must have thought this was her last chance after hearing that we were heading there. The kneeling woman hurriedly took something out of her bosom.

“……”

What appeared in her hand were a few copper coins. An insignificant amount that wouldn’t even cover a proper meal in a big city.

“This is all I have. Please……!”

I silently looked down at the woman’s grimy hand.

“It seems she thinks you are some kind of mercenaries?”

Perhaps thinking I was displeased, Werner stepped forward and spoke coldly.

Apart from the fact that corrupt priests are greedy for money, it is a considerable sin to offer money and make a personal request to an Inquisitor who tracks down heretics with a sincere faith in God.

Of course, it was something I didn’t care much about.

“Please forgive our rudeness, My Lords.”

An old man quickly approached us and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Whatever mistakes ignorant people like us have made, please have mercy……”

This woman probably wasn’t the only one whose child was taken. I looked at her with a calm gaze and said,

“I don’t need the money.”

“Ah……!”

At my answer that seemed like an acceptance, a bright light spread across the faces of the villagers, including the woman.

It’s what I was planning to do anyway. Regardless of the tearful plea of a parent whose child was taken, or a few measly coins.

Jerit, who had been watching me from behind, quickly stepped forward, helped the woman up, and said kindly,

“Don’t worry. If what you say is true, God’s judgment will befall him.”

Ha. Lephra, who scoffed softly, added a short remark to his words.

“To be precise, it will be my sword and Luciel’s.”

🔹🔹🔹

The man named Balder who occupied the place called Cobeln was a knight. The place he occupied wasn’t owned by another noble.

To be precise, it was a village made up of people who couldn’t afford taxes or who had fled to avoid conscription, just like the other villages nearby.

It was an unforgivable sin that he burned down nearby villages and kidnapped people, but it seemed that no particular action had been taken in the Pain Kingdom so far.

It was partly because, as Werner explained, they were busy securing their own safety, but even if the situation in the kingdom hadn’t been this bad, it probably wouldn’t have been much different.

The nobles wouldn’t care much about the plight of the fugitives.

Of course, there would be laws that Balder broke by illegally occupying the road and burning down villages, but it was certain that it wasn’t something the kingdom would spend money and mobilize soldiers to rummage through the mountains for.

The suffering of fugitives wouldn’t be that important to the nobles.

“This is the place.”

Jerit, lowering his voice, spoke cautiously.

Unlike the previous villages, Cobeln was a village that could be seen from quite a distance.

No, it would be more accurate to call the place, which was arbitrarily expanded from a village, a kind of makeshift fortress.

“He’s got some semblance of defenses, for what it’s worth.”

Lephra muttered as he looked at the palisade built with large logs, their tops sharpened to a point.

“Wait.”

I raised my hand to stop the group and focused my mind.

‘Vision Field.’

Saaa.

The holy power emanating from me gathered above and blinked like an eye. It was the first time I used a holy spell after receiving power from the Saintess.

Its purity and power were far superior to before. Of course, since it was originally a spell used with demonic energy, it couldn’t match its original power.

“Oh……!”

Jerit let out a small exclamation as he saw my eyes shining with a golden light. On the other hand, Werner, who didn’t know I could use this level of spell, had his mouth wide open in surprise.

“……What’s inside?”

Lephra, who glanced between me and the spell, asked with a slightly intimidated expression.

“I can see something deep inside.”

I stroked the hilt of my sword for a moment and continued speaking calmly.

“We need to go in.”

“……Through the main gate?”

When Werner asked with a slightly frightened expression, Lephra answered coldly in my stead.

“Are you suggesting we turn back from here?”

“……”

Werner, who couldn’t answer her, made a sullen expression and followed me as I stood up.

🔹🔹🔹

The gate of the village, or rather the fortress, was wide open as the sun hadn’t completely set. It was as if they knew all too well that the kingdom’s soldiers wouldn’t come to this remote corner of the mountains.

“Who are you!”

A man with a fierce face, holding up a well-maintained spear, blocked our way. He seemed to be a guard here.

Seeing us not stopping without any reply, he raised his spear without hesitation.

“You bastards……!”

A movement without the slightest hesitation. It seemed like he had quite a bit of experience wielding weapons against people.

But before his spear could even be swung.

Wheeik!

The sword drawn from my hand sliced through the air first.

Puk. Red blood gushed out and splattered down.

“A, Attack!”

The man who was looking down at us from a watchtower-like space above shouted in surprise. Unlike a proper fortress, there were no brass bells or alarm magic, but fifteen people came running after hearing the man’s shout.

Startled by the sight of the man’s body cleanly cut along with his spear, they glared at us fiercely, each holding their weapons.

A brief standoff ensued. Eventually, a man who seemed to hold a slightly higher position among them slowly walked out.

It wasn’t Balder. He was probably a middle manager under him.

“Where are you from?”

The skill to cleanly bisect two solid objects. The man, realizing that we weren’t ordinary travelers, asked relatively calmly.

“You don’t need to know.”

At my curt reply, a small crack appeared on his face. But still, without losing his composure, he spoke.

“The one who manages this place is Sir Balder. He is a person who has officially received the title of knight from the Pain Kingdom Palace. We are here under legitimate rights─”

I tilted my head and interrupted him.

“Oh really? Is burning down villages and kidnapping children also a part of that legitimacy?”

“……Are you trying to apply the same standards to fugitives who abandoned their responsibilities out of fear of their duties as you would to the citizens of the kingdom?”

Perhaps he was in charge of the overall management of this place, because unlike the other thugs who resembled vicious bandits, he was quite eloquent.

However, the way he kept glancing back while speaking seemed like he was hoping that the small commotion here wouldn’t reach the ears of the knight named Balder.

“I don’t know if you are a knight from the capital, but we have nothing to hide under the laws of the Pain Kingdom.”

I laughed shortly at his sophistry and said,

“Right, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with your explanation.”

At my words, a sense of relief spread across his face. I looked at him and continued speaking slowly,

“But what I’m interested in is a little different.”

“What is that……?”

Before vigilance could even appear on his face.

Wheeik!

Having taken a step closer without him noticing, the sword I swung sliced through the man’s neck. I shook off the bloodstains on my sword and muttered softly,

“This place reeks of a terrible demonic scent.”

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