Chapter 27
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Village Feast
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Deep footprints stretched out in a long line through the snow.
It was a very conspicuous invitation.
‘Just one set of footprints.’
A whole company vanished, yet there was only a single trail of footprints—.
Galahad crouched down to examine them more closely. There was a slight curve in the impressions.
‘Overlapping footprints.’
It was the mark of several people walking in a single file with the exact same stride, as if playing a game.
He couldn't get an exact count from the overlapping tracks, but it was at least more than five people.
‘The entire company walked in single file, matching their steps?’
What kind of threat would make an entire company walk in single file, perfectly in step?
He tried to imagine the method, but nothing came to mind.
It wasn’t a threat.
He took a deep drag from his smoke. The scent of lemon spread, clearing his hazy mind.
‘Vanished in a straight line, with matching strides—.’
If not a threat, the next possibility was magic.
Human magic fundamentally incorporated elements. Without them, it lacked power.
There was a reason a non-elemental mana arrow was classified as a 1st-tier spell.
While it was easy to fry a person with lightning or roast them with fire, meddling with their mind was considerably more difficult.
By striking an opponent’s brain with dense, elementless mana, one could induce a moment of confusion. It was Galahad's preferred method of persuasion.
However, casting mental magic on an entire company was impossible.
This was less like magic and more like—.
‘Ah, it must be a demon.’
The corners of Galahad’s mouth lifted.
A demon that meddles with the mind—. Galahad pulled a notebook from his inner pocket. The torch Damian held pushed back the darkness.
‘It was somewhere around here… Ah, there it is.’
[A commander gave an inexplicable order to charge, causing the front line to collapse.]
If there was a mind-controlling demon, this part could be explained.
“It’s likely a demon that affects the mind.”
Galahad said, putting the notebook away.
“The mind?”
He nodded at Damian’s impassive question.
“A threat might work on two or three, but this kind of conga line is impossible. It seems to be a mind-affecting demon. Interesting.”
“I see.”
“Are you all right?”
“No, I’m hungry.”
“That’s good.”
Galahad chuckled.
There were two ways to break mental magic.
One was to simplify one’s mind completely. The cruder and simpler the mind, the harder it was to influence. A simple mind had a thicker foundation.
A person with many thoughts was easy to sway with a few words, but for someone whose only thought was hunger, there was no way to sway them other than to offer food.
The other was—.
“Don’t leave my side from now on. If we’re separated, I’ll have to be suspicious.”
“Yes, I’m hungry.”
“Just hold on a little longer.”
Galahad nodded and repositioned his smokes for easier access.
“Damian. When I give the signal, I need you to stab me with your sword.”
“Yes.”
“Somewhere damn painful, but not fatal.”
Damian’s unhesitating nod was truly reassuring.
His preparations complete, Galahad followed the footprints.
“What’s your dream?”
“I don’t have one.”
“A dream is a signpost. Without one, it’s easy to lose your way.”
“Do you have one?”
“I do. To spend my old age in peace. Reading grimoires at my leisure in the warm, clean central region.”
“I’m going to eat my fill of meat even when I’m old.”
“Isn’t that a bit too simple?”
“I’ll eat bread, too.”
“Much more complex now. A good sign.”
Galahad kept the conversation going with Damian. It was to keep his mind sharp.
Damian, with his short and unpredictable answers, was a rather good conversation partner. Of course, most of his answers were ‘I’m hungry,’ but—.
After walking for some time, a village surrounded by a wooden palisade appeared.
The footprints led to the village.
It was a village that felt disconnected from the world, covered in white snow.
The torches on the palisade lit up the world like lighthouses.
To follow the footprints and arrive at a village—.
‘Were these not the company’s footprints?’
Whatever the case, the invitation led to the village.
“Sounds noisy. They must be having a feast.”
“Really?”
Smiling faintly at Damian’s response, he headed toward the village.
As they drew closer, they could hear the boisterous chatter of voices. The laughter of children played like background music.
No one stopped them until they reached the front. Galahad cleared his throat.
“Hello there!”
A moment after he shouted, a face appeared over the palisade. It was a one-eyed, middle-aged man armed like a soldier. His face was red, as if he’d been drinking.
“Who goes there?”
The middle-aged man on the palisade aimed a large crossbow at Galahad.
“We’re from the 5th Battalion.”
“...The 5th Battalion?”
The middle-aged man repeated, looking unconvinced.
“Did a company pass through here?”
“A company? A few soldiers passed by. They seemed a bit strange, so we didn’t let them in!”
At that answer, Galahad glanced down. There were too many footprints. Some of them led away.
‘Did I come to the wrong place?’
Galahad’s brow furrowed. He took a deep drag of his smoke.
There were many footprints. It was possible they had strayed elsewhere. Was that more likely?
He looked up at the man on the palisade.
“I see. It’s getting late, may we rest here for the night?”
“Hmm, wait there. I’ll get the village chief.”
A short while later, an old man appeared on the palisade. He was a kind-looking elder.
“Who are you?”
“Galahad, Captain of the Special Task Force.”
“Special Task Force? What’s that?”
The old man asked, looking to his side. After some muttering amongst themselves, they all shook their heads.
“And the one next to you?”
“My attendant.”
He faintly heard a curse about what a wicked man would use a boy as an attendant.
“We can’t turn away guests. Open up!”
Thanks to the good-natured old man, the gate opened quickly.
It was bustling inside. The sounds of laughter and music filled the air.
The old man wore a hat made of fox fur. The fox’s face, positioned at the crown, was rather cute.
“Welcome. I’m Headric, the village chief. Did you say Galahad?”
“That’s right. A pleasure to meet you.”
Galahad offered his hand first. The old man looked at it and shook his head.
“We don’t shake hands with strangers.”
“Why not?”
“There’s an old tale that’s been passed down. About a demon that bewitches people—.”
“Bewitches people?”
Galahad felt a deep sense of interest. The old man coughed and subtly averted his gaze. His intention in showing his palm was transparent.
“This is for tonight’s lodging and food.”
He tossed a silver coin.
“Well, you’re quite generous.”
“The boy eats quite a lot.”
“How much can a child possibly eat?”
Galahad laughed aloud at the old man’s words. The old man squinted, displeased.
“Could you finish the story about the bewitching demon?”
“There’s a demon in this forest that bewitches people. It’s a very old story. That demon approaches without its target noticing, bewitches them, and leads them into the forest. You said you were looking for a company?”
“I did.”
“That demon probably took them.”
The orange glow of the torchlight cast shadows on the old man’s face. The shadows deepened in his fine wrinkles.
‘A wild goose chase.’
Galahad’s brow furrowed.
“Do you know where that demon is?”
“You don’t seem to know how frightening demons are, son.”
“Are they frightening?”
The old man’s mouth fell silent at Galahad’s question. Soon, he let out a chuckle and shook his head.
“Of course they are. How would we know the demon’s location? If we knew, we would have contacted the army long ago.”
Galahad clicked his tongue softly. It was possible the invitation had led elsewhere.
“But for you not to know our village, you must be new around here, eh?”
The old man’s lips twitched. He looked like he was dying to brag.
“The commander of the 5th Battalion is from our village, you see. On top of that, quite a few of our people have joined the 4th Battalion. It’s thanks to them that our village, situated between the two battalions, is so peaceful.”
The old man’s explanation was quite plausible. Galahad nodded. So that’s how it was.
“This is a village that has produced such outstanding young men, I tell you. And you didn’t know of it. Tsk, tsk.”
Galahad glanced behind him. The one-eyed, middle-aged man was fiddling with his crossbow.
“Ex-military?”
“There’s no one in the North who isn’t ex-military.”
It was a blunt reply.
“You’re a lucky man. Coming on the day of a feast.”
The old man grinned broadly and pointed behind him. It was the village square. A large pile of firewood was stacked there.
Musicians playing instruments, women dancing beside them, and meat smoking away—it was a village feast.
“It’s my daughter’s birthday today.”
A warm smile appeared on the old man’s face. He then squinted at Galahad.
“Be careful! My daughter is a great beauty. Don’t even think about making a pass at her, or you’ll regret it.”
“Ah, don’t worry. I have a fiancée.”
“Still! People line up just to come to the village to see my daughter!”
Galahad smiled faintly at the old man’s continued warning.
“I can assure you, my fiancée is more beautiful. Don’t worry. It’s impossible to be more beautiful than my fiancée.”
“...That’s some incredible love, eh?”
“It’s not love, it’s a simple fact.”
The old man made a dubious face and waved his hand.
“You, young man with the very pretty wife, don’t just stand there, give us a hand.”
At the old man’s prodding, Galahad headed toward the pile of firewood.
A little kid was struggling to light it with a torch.
“May I help?”
“It’s harder than it looks!”
The kid shot back cheekily.
Galahad decided to watch for a moment. The kid shoved the torch, which was bigger than his head, into the pile of wood.
The wood seemed damp from the snow, and the fire wouldn’t catch. Beads of sweat formed on the kid’s forehead.
After struggling for a long while, the kid handed the torch to Galahad.
“I’m only giving it to you because you look like you want to try!”
“Thanks. It looked so fun, I really wanted to have a go.”
The kid let out a clear, high-pitched laugh.
Galahad pushed the torch into the wood and snapped his fingers. The flame on the torch instantly swelled.
“Wooooow—!”
The kid gasped in amazement. Soon, the firewood caught fire. The small flame quickly grew into a roaring blaze.
“How did you do that?!”
“It’s a secret.”
“Whaaaat?! No fair!”
The kid’s eyes scrunched up in a fierce scowl.
“The world is a cold place. If you want to know a secret, you have to offer one of your own. It's called a secret trade.”
“...A secret trade?”
The kid’s eyes sparkled. ‘Secret’ and ‘trade’ were both words that were fatal to a child.
After glancing around furtively, the kid opened his mouth.
“My big sister is getting married soon!”
“Hmm, that’s not a secret.”
“It is a secret! Because it’s going to be a really cool wedding!”
Galahad quietly mumbled the kid's words.
“Hurry up and tell me.”
“It’s magic.”
“Ma-gic-!”
The kid let out a piercing shriek. The area around them instantly fell silent.
The one-armed, middle-aged man who was bringing more firewood, the woman stirring a giant pot, and the old man who was giving orders for some preparation—.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked their way.
“A pleasure to meet you. I’m a mage.”
Galahad gave a relaxed wave.
“You didn’t say you were a mage!”
The old man came rushing over breathlessly, raising his voice.
“You didn’t ask.”
“Dammit! We’ve let a mage in!”
The old man exploded with a fierce reaction. The middle-aged man’s crossbow was aimed at Galahad again. Galahad raised both hands.
“What’s all the fuss about?”
“Aren’t you a minion of the demons! The demons will invade!”
His attempt to calm them down had the opposite effect.
At the old man’s shout, the atmosphere instantly turned menacing. The middle-aged man’s finger moved to the crossbow’s trigger.
Just then, a low voice came from one side.
“Everyone, please calm down. It’s a joyous day, isn’t it?”
It was a voice as sweet as candy and as languid as a midday nap. He turned his head to see a woman in simple clothes approaching.
She was unnaturally beautiful.
Not on Adrianna’s level, of course, but she had a strange charm that captivated the eye. The moment he saw her, Galahad’s heart fluttered.
“Ah, right. It is a joyous day! Amanda!”
Galahad marveled that such a woman could come from that old man.
“Leave as soon as the feast is over. I’ll give you your money back.”
“How harsh.”
“You brought this upon yourself by hiding your identity.”
Soon, the feast began. The villagers gathered around the roaring fire, talking and singing.
Hearty laughter erupted. At the center of it all was the woman named Amanda. She smiled benevolently as she talked and laughed with the people.
He could see why they were throwing a feast for her birthday.
Everything revolved around Amanda.
Damian just stood there, looking up at Galahad.
Just then, the one-eyed man began to play a guitar-like instrument. The twanging sound heightened the festive mood.
Amanda raised her hands, clapping as she spun around and around. Her dancing was quite skilled.
Amanda’s dance came to a sudden halt. She extended her hand to Galahad.
“I’m terrible at dancing.”
Galahad refused flatly.
The corners of Amanda’s eyes lifted slightly. A chorus of boos erupted from the crowd. Whispers spread that he was impotent.
The commotion only died down after Amanda started dancing again.
Amanda’s dance continued for a long time. It was hard to tear his eyes away. Several times, his feet nearly moved of their own accord.
Eventually, as the villagers began to dance together in a tangled mass, Amanda slipped away.
Her eyes met Galahad’s, and her red lips curled into a smile.
Amanda approached with a bouncing step, as if she were dancing.
“I heard you’re a mage.”
“A very skilled one.”
“Oh my, can you show me?”
Amanda’s eyes curved into half-moons. It was a deadly eye-smile.
Amanda drew a little closer. Her strange aura shook Galahad powerfully.
‘Being popular is exhausting—.’
Galahad clicked his tongue softly and snapped his fingers.
A spark that started at his index finger leaped to his middle finger, taking shape as it went. Soon, a flower-shaped bolt of lightning floated above Galahad’s palm.
“Wow, it’s so pretty—.”
Galahad continued to display his magic. Pretty spells were a piece of cake for him.
How long had he been cycling through spells—.
Galahad felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
The village was overly peaceful, but not to a suspicious degree. In fact, the explanation for it was quite plausible.
The village was between the 4th and 5th battalions, after all.
But something was missing.
Galahad thought hard.
“Our village has a tradition.”
Amanda, who had come right up beside him, whispered. It was enough to make his ears melt.
[In the North, adultery is punishable by death.]
It was as if he could hear Gilberton’s nagging. Unfortunately, Gilberton was not here.
“A tradition? What kind of tradition?”
“On the day we come of age, we choose a partner to spend the night with.”
Amanda’s red lips drew a beautiful arc. They were the color of a handful of wild raspberries.
He could hear the laughter of people behind him. The music grew faster and faster.
*Thrum-thrum-thrum-thrum—.*
“A very passionate tradition, I must say.”
Galahad touched his dry throat.
What was missing—.
*Thrum-thrum-thrum-thrum—.*
Amanda swayed her shoulders slightly. It was a dance like a flower swaying in the wind.
Amanda’s red lips slowly parted.
“Today is my birthday.”
The whisper was sweet enough to melt his ears.
Her excited breath and faint fragrance—.
It was an irresistible temptation.
‘This is a bit embarrassing to show Damian.’
*Thrum-thrum-thrum-thrum—.*
“Ah, I see.”
He finally remembered what was missing.
Damian was staring intently up at Galahad.
“If you would.”
Without hesitation, Damian stabbed Galahad’s shoulder with his sword.
It was as if he had been waiting, without a hint of reluctance.
Ah—.
A searing pain shot through his shoulder. His mind cleared as if stagnant blood had suddenly started to flow.
Only then did his mana begin to circulate. To think he had forgotten the very existence of his mana—. Incredible.
Galahad marveled as he blinked his eyes open.
His vision flickered and changed.
A massive bonfire was burning. The landscape illuminated by the hazy flames was different from before.
Figures with the tops of their heads open, as if someone had taken a bite out of each one, were staring at Galahad with red eyes.
Their ghastly shadows flickered in the roaring flames.
‘So I’ve found the missing company.’
Unfortunately, their survival seemed unlikely.
“How did you know?”
Amanda asked, her eyes narrowing.
A deep interest was visible in them.
It was certainly a plausible village setup.
Being on the border of two battalions, the connections to each unit—there was no room for suspicion.
That was only natural. It was a setup that the bewitched Galahad had created himself.
But there was one thing missing.
“Damian didn’t say he was hungry.”
“He didn’t say he was hungry, so you got stabbed? What if you were wrong?”
“I’d just patch it up. I have another shoulder. You’re quite petty, aren’t you?”
"...Petty?"
Galahad replied, pressing a finger to the hole in his shoulder. It was a wound that would be fine once the surface was sealed.
A flame ignited from his fingertip. The smell of something roasting filled the air. Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
“Clean work. Well done, Damian.”
Damian nodded.
“Hmm, interesting.”
The corners of Amanda’s red lips lifted.
A drop of blood had formed at the end of her smile.
“I found it quite interesting myself. This level of mental interference—. Impressive. Why leave the skulls open? Is it easier that way?”
Amanda laughed out loud. It was a laugh like a bat’s cry.
“Hilarious! I see why that person was looking for you.”
“That person?”
“It’s no fun if I tell you beforehand.”
“That’s true.”
“Are you even human?”
Instead of answering, Galahad took a deep breath.
“You’ll find out if you open me up, won’t you?”
Amanda twirled a finger.
The soldiers with open heads approached. Their eyes were filled with rage and resentment. Blood that had trickled from their heads ran past their eyes, looking like tears of blood.
Their footsteps were heavy.
“Damn demons! How dare you kill my mother!”
“I’ll kill you! Even if it costs me my life!”
To them, it seemed Galahad appeared as a demon.
“You ruined my sister’s wedding!!”
A particularly small soldier shrieked.
Their seething rage poured from them.
The sharp animosity made his skin prickle.
It was a little unfair, but it didn’t really matter.
He was used to this kind of treatment.
“Now, Damian. Time to work.”
Galahad put a smoke to his lips and smiled.
“Yes, brother.”
Damian let out a burp and drew his sword.
He looked absolutely thrilled.
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