Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Where Does This Entanglement Start? (2)
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A massive pit had been dug into the ground.
And standing in front of it were the slave traders.
I raised my arm and pointed at the pit.
"Come on, get in."
"...You planning to bury us alive?"
Honestly, live burial wasn't a bad idea.
Leaving scum like these alive would just create more victims.
But as a shaman, I didn't feel right about turning them into vengeful spirits.
"Hurry up and get in. I'm busy."
The men flinched, then started complaining all at once.
"Spare us!"
"We'll give you as much money as you want...!"
This was exactly what "bullshit" was for.
How many people had they kidnapped? And now they were begging to be spared?
Parmon seemed to share my thoughts.
"Hm... Refusal, is it..."
Shing.
The old man's sword, which he hadn't drawn before, gleamed coldly.
"Hup...!"
"Want to refuse and see what happens?"
The slave traders gulped in unison.
The ones who'd already been beaten by the old man were convulsing.
Even the unconscious ones trembled as if sensing something.
"If you have no legs, crawl in."
"W-We’ll get in!"
"Please let us in!"
They rushed in—
One by one, they filled the pit to the brim.
There were so many that even the large pit was running out of space.
Perfect timing, since I needed hands for the job.
"Using spirits here might piss off the gnomes, right?"
"Yes."
"No choice, then."
You had to atone for your own sins.
They didn't vanish just because someone else beat you for them.
"The ones who couldn't fit in? Bury that lot."
The men glanced around nervously before starting to shovel dirt into the pit.
"I-I thought it was first-come, first-served or I wouldn't have...!"
"Shut up or what? Got something to say for yourselves?"
I considered burying them head and all, but this was mercy enough.
"You know what karma is? What you sow comes back around."
Good deeds brought blessings too.
People who piled up good karma steadily would meet benefactors, or those who'd witnessed their actions would become ones.
Blessings returned in countless ways.
Evil deeds were no different.
This time, they'd run into me, and their karma had caught up.
"Bury them good and tight."
Before long, only their heads stuck out of the ground.
I stomped around the edges, packing the earth down firmly.
"The rest of you, tie each other up."
"...Pardon?"
Rummaging through their carts spilled out kidnapping tools.
Handcuffs and shackles.
Ropes and strange potions.
Big operation, judging by the hefty stash of precious metals too.
"What are you waiting for? Hang 'em upside down."
"..."
Only one remained, glancing around warily, while people dangled thickly from the trees around him.
Like beans from a beanstalk and red beans from a red bean plant—quite the sight, hanging everywhere.
Swish—
"I'll tie that one up myself."
"Thanks."
Parmon himself stepped up with a rope.
"Mm..."
Now came the interrogation.
Given the circumstances, it was clear they'd snatched slaves elsewhere too.
"This country's a total mess."
Now that necromancers were confirmed involved, it needed attention.
The problem?
I'd never interrogated anyone before.
"Should I just beat it out of him..."
Or maybe...
"Burn him with fire?"
"...Hup!"
Luckily, no need for such brutality.
I could see spirits ready to spill the info freely.
"Um... Elder?"
-...?
A acrid smell of burnt flesh.
Skin charred and twisted by flames.
But they hadn't lingered from burning to death in this world.
They stayed because of a man named Ferrant’s life.
"Why didn't you live right? Breaks my heart seeing you elders like this."
"..."
With his ruined son's life being set right, the elders were cooperative.
"Where do these guys hand off the slaves they catch?"
The spirits' faces hardened instantly.
I had a rough idea what was happening.
-...
"I know it's to necromancers. Need specifics."
Nod.
The fatherly elder gestured.
A rectangle drawn in the air.
Pointing at the ground.
"You need a map?"
Nod.
Serena pulled one out as I spoke.
"Here?"
-...
Astor Closel peered at the map gravely too.
"Can read maps, huh? No ordinary folk, then."
"Mercenary, looks like."
Nod.
"That's right."
The spirit's fingertip pointed to one spot.
A territory not far from here.
Then tracing along the road.
"Here too?"
Nod.
Not just one or two places.
Finally, the hand pointed to a coastal area.
The old man stroked his beard.
"The capital, as expected. But odd."
"What is?"
"No signs of anything suspicious there."
Everything screamed that the capital was the issue.
"The Empire's been tracking them for years."
"You mentioned."
"We didn't skip the kingdoms' capitals either. Investigations continue discreetly."
That explained it.
The identity of the passing Empire intel agent.
"Even a death squad's been dispatched now. Dodging their eyes isn't easy."
"Hm..."
"I'll request a deeper probe."
My gut feeling had been spot on.
The capital was rotten from the start, likely.
If they only gathered souls there, traces would be hard to find.
"For now, let's move and rescue folks along the way."
"Indeed."
I stopped before a spirit blankly staring at the scene, about to leave them behind.
"Sigh..."
I gently shook Luna, who was dozing on my back.
"Luna, honey, lend a hand?"
"Mm...? Hewe!"
If even this didn't work, it was karma—no helping it.
"Gwow! I gwow biggew again!"
"Yeah?"
"Wing! I doing good, so gwow! Gwowing fast!"
"Huh?"
What was this now?
***
"Don't ever go out alone again!"
Sniff—
The hunter, who'd nearly lost his child recently, patted his chest in relief.
How empty it had felt.
Like the whole world had vanished.
"No more solo hunts from now on."
Who knew sending him for rabbits would lead to this?
He regretted raising his son as a hunter so soon.
Should've waited longer.
The hunter was surrounded by companions.
All parents whose kids had been kidnapped too.
"Let's head home quick."
If the priests hadn't come with the news, they never would've reached this place.
He recalled the priests who'd personally sought them out to help.
"Hans, was it...?"
Easy name to remember.
There was even a Hans living across the street.
"Those priest uncles are amazing."
"Yeah..."
The hunter tilted his head slightly.
Priests were near-noble status to commoners.
Intimidating to even speak to.
But these priests were different.
Names like theirs, endlessly kind.
Even healed them with holy power, saying not to get sick.
"Never thought I'd get healed by holy power."
"My daughter got treated by the priest too."
"My sore back's all better now!"
The chatting group hurried along.
Their village was a bit farther.
Dawdle, and it'd be dark long past sunset.
"Let's go!"
"W-Wait...!"
One pointed somewhere.
The hunter turned, frowning at the odd sight.
"...People?"
"Why are people floating in the air?"
"No."
Not floating.
Just tied and hanging from trees.
"Maybe slave traders got 'em."
"Let's help quick."
Judging no nearby threats, the hunter ran ahead.
What they found: heads jutting from the ground and people bound to trees.
"Who the hell did this...!"
"Bandits?"
Voices begged from the dirt and tree bases.
"Help us!"
"Bandits attacked!"
The hunter's face went cold as he drew his dagger.
He'd just rescued his own kidnapped kids.
No love for bandits.
"I'll cut you loose soon."
As he approached the bound—
"Daddy!"
"Huh?"
"It's them!"
The trailing kids made a fuss.
Familiar faces.
"These guys kidnapped me!"
"...!!!"
"Yeah! That uncle there!"
Some adults recognized them too.
Someone who'd approached claiming their kid had mana talent.
The mood soured, cold glares flying.
"Ptooey!"
They spat, grabbing broken branches nearby.
Arm-thick ones.
"You dare touch my kid!"
Thwack—
"Urk!"
Smack!
Clubs rained endlessly.
Heads in the ground got kicks.
"S-Spare...!"
Thud!
They were bloody messes in no time.
The beating didn't stop.
Until the hunter spotted a note on one bound man.
[Slave hunters. Please deliver this note to the nearby priests.]
Below: Chris.
And next to Luna, a tiny handprint.
The kids reacted instantly.
"Huh? That's what the priest brother had!"
"Yeah! Looks just like the one he treasured."
"More than his sister even."
Everyone pictured one man.
The priest waiting at the orphanage.
"Guess we should deliver it to him."