The Villain Carries the Holy Sword – Chapter 58.2

Chapter 58.2: A Chance Encounter (3)

Aaron arrived at the Miner’s Union building that he saw from afar, with Cain and his party.

“How did you get the knights here so quickly……?”

The Union President Powell, who had been sighing after sending Aaron away, blinked his eyes.

It had not been long since he sent Aaron to Qaclington, and even if Aaron arrived at Ironheart, he had expected it would take a long time for the knights to arrive after getting permission from the princess who was currently in charge of Crowl’s work.

“We met them on our way here.”

Cain answered nonchalantly.

Union President Powell looked around the group, seemingly in disbelief.

Except for Asher, the other three didn’t look like ordinary people, so they did seem like knights.

But he still couldn’t shake off his doubts.

“You do seem like knights, but I can’t believe you came here so suddenly. It’s been 25 years since I took charge of the miners’ union, and this has never happened before.”

Cain had come to find Oswald, Ethelred’s former butler, so he stepped back.

Oleciren spoke in her characteristic raspy voice.

“Qaclington’s taxes have been the same for 25 years. I saw from the data that the mining guild pays on their behalf, so I guess I came to the right place.”

Union President Powell froze on the spot.

His fingertips trembled subtly, as if he knew this day would come.

Oleciren looked around the interior and then turned her gaze to the window with its blunt hole.

Qaclington, a crude but peaceful town.

She leaned against the window.

The midday sun looked like a halo behind her.

“From what I can see, you’re not embezzling money, and there’s no unidentified organization wearing masks, so what is it?”

“It’s all because of those jingling natives!”

From the window opposite Oleciren, the entrance to Qaclington Mountain and the iron mine could be seen.

At the entrance, several people wearing black masks were guarding it.

Union President Powell pointed towards them and began to pour out his words relentlessly, as if to vent the frustration he had accumulated over the years.

“Those damn bastards control everything. We want to go into the iron mine and dig more, but they won’t let us, and the problem is, even if we try to dig less, they somehow catch us and push us out.”

“Natives……?”

The culprits behind the Qaclington kidnapping case were the natives.

Union President Powell drank some cold water and continued.

“They’re natives who have lived on this land since ancient times and wear masks. Those who don’t, like me, are called immigrants even if we were born and raised here.”

“Why do those people do such things?”

Oleciren tilted her head and asked.

If they were preventing them from mining altogether, she could understand, but she couldn’t understand why they were only allowing them to mine a certain amount.

Thump, thump.

Unable to calm his boiling insides even with cold water, Powell pounded his chest with his fist.

“I don’t know! They’re all covered in black, so I don’t even know who is who, and they don’t answer when I ask them why.”

“Are they unable to speak?”

Cain intervened.

Powell shook his head.

“There are about three times a month when we have exchanges. They talk a lot then.”

“Exchanges?”

“We sell food and other external goods, and the natives buy them. It’s better than nothing, though, because they bring good herbs and metals, so we both benefit.”

It was a difficult situation to understand, but seeing Powell’s behavior, it didn’t seem like a lie.

Oleciren crossed her arms and nodded.

“If you only mine a certain amount, the taxes will always be the same. But wouldn’t it be possible to go to another mine by then?”

Powell let out a long sigh.

He then rolled up his sleeve to show his arm. His wrinkled skin and protruding veins showed how long he had lived.

“Those who could leave have already left, and those who stayed are my age. And even if we wanted to do something else, we’ve only ever known mining all our lives.”

“I guess the mine is efficient enough for you to stay here until now.”

“That’s true, but the Qaclington mine is my whole life.”

Powell’s gaze turned to the mine once again. Although he was called an immigrant, this place was undoubtedly his hometown.

His eyes held the unique gaze of someone longing for their home.

“You can’t leave, the natives are blocking the mine, so what’s the kidnapping about?”

Cain sat down on a nearby chair and asked. This time, it was Aaron, who had first mentioned the kidnapping, who answered.

“It’s a town where everyone is getting old, but there are very few children. But since last month, every time the ‘exchange’ takes place, one disappears!”

“So, this exchange happens within the town? The natives don’t usually come in?”

“Yes!”

Aaron and Powell nodded in unison, like a father and son.

Cain stroked his chin.

The disappearance of children at a time when dissatisfaction and distrust towards each other were intensifying was a serious matter.

Oleciren recalled the geography book she had seen before coming here and asked.

“As far as I know, the Qaclington mine existed even a hundred years ago. So, the exchange must have been going on for that long, and if they haven’t caused any problems during that time, shouldn’t you trust them a little?”

“No. The mine was closed for a few years because the vein was depleted.”

“But you said it’s producing well now?”

“Yes. It’s been yielding well again since the elder, who is the only native who doesn’t wear a mask, returned.”

Cain’s eyebrows twitched at the mention of the old man.

“Is this elder ‘s name by any chance Oswald?”

“H, How did you…? He’s the only one among the natives who revealed his name.”

“Just a hunch.”

Cain recalled the time he had consumed his future.

He wondered if his consumed future had led to this outcome.

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