Chapter 46 Village (4)
The Village (4)
"We've arrived."
At the young man's words, I cautiously surveyed our surroundings. Thick fog obscured the view, with only a few wooden buildings faintly visible through it.
The gloomy atmosphere combined with the unsettling feeling made this a village where I'd rather not set foot.
Of course, the young man's face only contributed to that oppressive mood.
Where's the compass?
When I silently asked with my eyes, Lily carefully produced the compass.
The needle still pointed somewhere within the village.
So we haven't actually arrived yet.
According to Evan's explanation, this compass was supposed to spin wildly on its own once we reached the designated location.
Which meant the Emperor's Hometown lay even deeper than this place.
That realization gave me a slight headache.
"Where might we stay for the night?"
At Evan's question, the young man gestured for us to follow. The way he moved was deeply unsettling, but it wasn't as if we could turn back now.
"Just follow behind me."
Evan kept a hand on his scabbard as he slowly trailed after him.
The young man merely observed Evan's vigilant demeanor with indifference, saying nothing.
To react so casually toward a knight with his hand on his sword—
Should I call that boldness? He really was a strange man in every way.
"Here we are."
Where the young man stopped stood an abandoned house. Blackened marks dotted the structure here and there, as if it had once caught fire.
It looked like the slightest touch might send it collapsing at any moment.
The interior appeared somewhat maintained and tidy, but that was all.
I barely suppressed the sigh threatening to escape. Both Lily and Evan's expressions twisted into grimaces at the state of our supposed lodging.
When I turned my head, the young man's face remained as indifferent as ever.
Not even their sharp gazes could make him change his expression.
"This is all there is. If you don't like it, you're welcome to find another place yourselves."
He scratched his head as he spoke.
No matter how much this was the only option, what kind of person would willingly stay in such a creepy abandoned house?
The fact that he even intended to charge lodging fees for this place nearly made me laugh in disbelief.
Perhaps reading the refusal in Lily's eyes, he clicked his tongue and turned away.
"Well, suit yourselves. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."
He started walking off but then seemed to remember something and turned back.
"Oh, right. My place is the one with the yellow roof. Don't get it mixed up with the others."
With those final words, he vanished into the fog. Evan watched his retreating figure silently before clicking his tongue in disapproval.
Lily seemed to share the sentiment, wearing a similarly displeased expression.
"I sense something strange here. Don't stray too far from me."
I nodded at his words and moved closer to Evan. Lily also nodded vigorously, as if to show she understood.
She glanced at the compass in her hands briefly before pointing in a direction with her finger.
"So, this wasn't the place after all."
Evan muttered under his breath and took the lead, walking in the direction Lily had indicated.
His voice was lower than usual, likely because he had heightened his vigilance to the extreme.
Walking through the village where even a step ahead was barely visible, we soon came upon dense woods again.
Beyond the trees, the fog obscured everything. Because of it, my footsteps hesitated.
Evan paused ahead before turning back.
"You must be getting tired. Can you manage a little further?"
We had been walking for quite a while.
Lily was also slightly out of breath, clearly fatigued. I wasn't in the best condition myself either.
Though we'd taken short breaks along the way, that alone wasn't enough to keep exhaustion at bay.
Even if it was an abandoned house, staying there was still far better than sleeping out in the woods.
"Resting in that house would still be preferable to the forest."
Evan seemed to share my thoughts as he spoke.
But Lily frowned deeply, still visibly uneasy.
"But that man earlier, and..."
After a brief pause, she let out a heavy sigh.
"Isn't the village itself more dangerous?"
"That's a fair point."
Lily wasn't wrong. The young man's unsettling aura aside, the strange presence Evan had mentioned was also deeply concerning.
Moreover, as we crossed the village, I'd noticed something—that abandoned house was located almost at the very center of the settlement.
No matter how I looked at it, there had to be some ulterior motive at play.
Evan seemed to agree, nodding at the thought.
"Very well. Let's proceed for now."
There was still time before nightfall.
If worse came to worst, we could always return after dark.
Swish.
Evan drew his sword and lightly slashed a tree. He continued leading the way, cutting into every tree we passed.
Was he leaving marks to avoid getting lost?
It was a clever idea—we could use these traces to find our way back to the village later.
We had walked for quite some time following the compass's direction.
Before I knew it, a plain came into view.
A patch of unnaturally lush green grass amidst the dense forest.
It was highly suspicious, but the compass still pointed beyond the plain.
"Are you sure you're alright with this?"
"...We have to go."
That was my answer to Evan's question. Lily, too, nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Be careful."
With those words, he began moving forward again.
Evan led the way, cutting through the grass, while Lily and I followed behind.
He walked slowly, gripping his sword tightly. Lily also kept her eyes peeled as she trailed after him.
...A cabin?
A single log cabin came into view. Unlike the houses we had seen in the village, it wasn't particularly large.
A faint light flickered through the window, and smoke rose from the chimney.
Unlike that eerie abandoned house, this place had a rather cozy atmosphere.
Evan quietly approached the door. After sheathing his sword, he cautiously knocked.
Knock, knock.
No response came.
Though the sky was gradually darkening, a small light still glowed inside. Sensing something amiss, Evan knocked again.
"Anyone there?"
Knock, knock.
Movement stirred beyond the door. Moments later, an elderly woman swung it wide open.
Her eyes darted warily around before she silently gestured for us to come inside.
Without a word, we stepped in, and she immediately locked the door behind us. Her urgency raised questions.
"You must be outsiders."
"Yes."
The old woman sighed deeply, leaning on her staff before sinking heavily into a chair.
"Make yourselves comfortable. I'm afraid I don't have much to offer."
"No, we're just grateful for your hospitality."
It was far better than staying in that abandoned house.
With that thought, I took a seat on a wooden chair. The old woman studied us for a moment before asking calmly,
"What brings outsiders like you here?"
At her question, Lily hesitated, glancing at me for guidance.
The compass in her hands had seemingly fulfilled its purpose—its needle now spun wildly.
Did that mean this house was the Emperor's Hometown?
When I turned my head, the old woman was watching me with suspicion in her eyes.
She won't fall for lies.
She hadn't responded immediately when Evan knocked without a sound.
And the moment we stepped inside, she locked the door again.
Someone that vigilant would see right through deception—lying would only backfire.
In that case, perhaps the truth was the better option.
Having made up my mind, I slowly spoke.
"The Emperor's Hometown."
At my words, the old woman's expression twisted slightly.
"We came to this village searching for the Emperor's Hometown."
Lily gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Evan, too, looked stunned, his lips slightly parted.
The old woman studied us intently before setting her staff down on the table.
After a moment of silence, she let out a dry chuckle.
"My, what an honest girl."
"L-Lady Adel!"
Lily, who had somehow hidden behind me, whispered urgently into my ear. Evan stared at me with bewildered eyes.
His trembling pupils spoke volumes about his emotions.
"It's fine, it's fine. If you were truly the Imperial House's spies, you wouldn't have come out with something like this."
The old woman smiled kindly as she spoke. Reassured, Lily hesitantly took a seat beside me.
Evan exhaled and finally spoke up.
"Lady Adel, next time, please consult with us first."
"I'm sorry. I'll do that."
At my apology, he nodded curtly and stepped closer to me.
"So, why are you searching for the Emperor's Hometown?"
"I want to know the Imperial House's deepest secret."
The old woman let out a breathy "Hah."
"Straight to the point, aren't you? If only I'd been that bold in my youth..."
Muttering to herself, she shook her head before answering.
"I was the one who raised that child when he was young. So yes, you could say this is his hometown."
That child—she must mean the Emperor.
It seemed we had come to the right place.
"There isn't much I can tell you. I'm not part of the Imperial Family, after all."
Her words made me freeze.
Those outside the Imperial Family cannot speak of its secrets.
To think that restriction would trip me up even here. I couldn't help but feel a little deflated.
Perhaps reading my expression, the old woman shook her head and spoke again.
"However... there is one thing I can tell you."
"What is it?"
After a brief pause, she slowly opened her mouth—and blood vessels burst in her eyes.
Was this another form of restriction?
Despite the blood trickling down her cheeks, she showed no sign of stopping.
"That child... is not the Emperor."