The Cursed Blind Woman (12)
The man couldn't string together another word, his mouth gaping open and shut. What the hell is this guy's deal? Does he know me?
"Y-You... Teacher... why are you... here...?" He asked outright, his jaw chattering uncontrollably.
"Why am I here? Because it's my inn."
"N-No, that's not... Why are you running an inn...?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Irritated, I shot back, and suddenly the man dropped to his knees. Water splashed from the puddle, but he didn't care a bit as he slammed his forehead to the ground.
"I... I had no idea...! That you were the owner of this inn!"
"You know me?"
"Of course! How could I not!"
The leader of this pack babbled fervently, bowing his head repeatedly. What the actual fuck is going on here...?
I dragged a chair to the inn's entrance and sat down. It was raining, but not a drop touched me—two hunters had stripped off their coats and were holding them over my head like umbrellas.
Below the low steps leading to the courtyard, the hunters knelt in perfect rows, soaked to the bone. The dead and wounded were roughly piled in one corner of the yard, while a few hunters were rebuilding the collapsed stone wall.
"So, you're saying you've seen me before?"
"Yes, Teacher."
Here's what happened. Back in my hero days, after I'd wiped out monsters or Demon King's forces, these guys would always show up late to rummage through the corpses. Just as I'd suspected, the demon hunters kneeling before me now were exactly those scavengers.
They had a nose for it like ghosts, swooping in to hack off the heads or horns of dead monsters and demons. Those fetched good money from the church or collectors, and it boosted their organization's rep too. There were plenty of small demon-hunting outfits like this one, but these Kali-worshippers had gotten the most famous by playing crow like that. On top of corpse-looting, they had a side gig capturing people suspected of demon possession—like Kosa—and handing them over to the church.
Anyway, this so-called leader claimed he'd spotted me from afar a few times while tailing my kills.
"We tried digging into you through every channel, Teacher, but came up empty. Still, I've always admired you. You're the idol of us demon hunters."
The leader gushed with praise. I sat there listening quietly until he started crossing the line, then raised a hand.
"Got it. I understand now. Time to sort this mess out."
"I've followed in your footsteps, Teacher, holding you up as the ultimate banner for what demon hunters should aspire to..."
I cut him off sharply. "No. Enough. It's late, you've woken all our guests, so let's wrap this up quick."
"Yes! Of course! Right away!"
"Take all those bodies. And pretend this never happened."
"Yes, naturally!"
"Stop rebuilding the wall. It'll be dawn soon—do it properly then. And..."
I paused, glancing up at the inn's outer wall. The rain and Idi's curse barrier hadn't let much damage through, but there were black scorch marks here and there.
"Gotta replace the whole wall surface. Pay up for that."
"R-Really... the whole thing..."
The leader trailed off hesitantly, eyes following mine to the wall.
"What, you want me to saw out sections on a wooden building and patch 'em? Huh?"
"N-No... Of course we'll handle it... How much...?"
"Cough up everything you've got first."
The hunters gathered, emptying their pockets—even digging cash from the corpses. It came to about thirteen gold coins.
Not bad. No plans to actually replace the wall. Just some scorch marks—have Ukun slap on a fresh coat of paint, good as new. A few silvers would cover it.
"One more thing."
"Y-Yes...?"
"That white-haired woman you're after? She's staying at our inn."
"Ah, yes..."
"She's our guest. Drop all interest in her, starting now."
"B-But that woman cannot be left here. She's far too dangerous!"
"I'll be the judge of that. You've already touched my inn—you're all lucky I don't chop you into pieces right now. This is me being generous."
The leader bowed his head, face twisted in despair and terror. Having seen me at a few sites back then, he knew damn well how lucky he was to walk away at all.
"So be grateful and get lost. Come back..."
"Never! If we do, kill us all then!"
The leader slammed his forehead into the steps, pleading. The rest followed, prostrating themselves before me. I rubbed my brow, frowning.
No desire to do more to them. But... no need to kill 'em all, still gotta take precautions. They might change their minds.
I called Idi over for the measure: a stark mark seared onto their foreheads. The black sigil sank into their skin and vanished.
Idi branded it on every hunter's brow, then etched one into the inn yard's soil too.
"Activate the spell... and just stepping nearby'll make their heads burn like hell... hehe..."
The hunters paled at Idi's innocent giggle.
"You. With me."
I grabbed the leader and dragged him inside.
The hall and corridors were packed with guests roused by the chaos. The inn buzzed like a marketplace—some packing to leave, others yelling at the staff.
Coming for rest, only to get firebombed and brawls in the yard? No wonder they were pissed.
I cleared my throat and bellowed to calm them. "Everyone! Take a seat! As apology, free beer for all! Listen up over a pint!"
The promise of free booze visibly stirred them. Not a luxury hotel—mostly commoners scraping by. Free beer was big news for kingdom flatfoots.
Most sat without protest. Rainy autumn night, nowhere else to go, chaos seemingly settled, and free drinks? Sold.
We hauled in a whole oak keg, popped it in the hall's center. Staff poured rounds; even that dwarf shit Ukun snuck in for gulps. Big mouth earlier, but no help during the fight...
I explained everything: minor debt spat earlier, thugs came back for revenge with city riffraff. Proper measures taken, amicable resolution reached, etc.
"Everything he says is true! So sorry for the disturbance! We've committed a grave sin!"
The leader bowed every which way in apology.
Once done, I added a sweetener. "Plus, full refunds on tonight's rooms."
Cheers and applause erupted—they loved it. No big loss; hunter cash covered refunds easy.
"Idi. Activate."
She wove her gestures, and the leader screamed, clutching his head as he bolted outside.
"Aaaagh! It burns!"
Similar cries echoed from the yard. Once they scattered, I had Idi erase the ground sigil.
Black magic pollutes surroundings. Whatever they do about their forehead brands—temple or bust, if they wanna live.
And done. Felt anticlimactic, but a relief too. Can't always smash and kill to end things. Gotta wrap some up smooth sometimes.
Dreamed of peaceful inn life in a quiet provincial town post-retirement... but shit keeps piling up. My greed to expand the place? Or just my fate?
Catching my breath, something pale caught my eye on the stairs.
"Kosa...?!"
The blind Kosa, eyes bound in black cloth, clutched her lute in one hand, groping the railing with the other, descending step by step.
Staff froze in shock at her sudden appearance. If she snapped here and yanked off the eyepatch... disaster.
I rushed to block her path. "Kosa...! Why are you down here?"
"Bertrand. I heard everything. Those hunters came back."
"They're gone. Go back to your room, please. All the guests are in the hall."
She tilted her head as if peering into the unseen hall. "I know. That's why I came down. The inn's in uproar because of me, so..."
She lifted the lute slightly. "I'll offer what little talent I have to help..."
"Sing here?"
"Yes. I'm a bard, after all. Essential for a rainy autumn night in an inn."
She brushed past me into the hall.
"Bertrand! That woman...!"
Celereja bounded down two steps at a time, late to the party.
"We have to stop her! If she removes the eyepatch here...!"
"She wants to sing."
"What?!"
By then, Kosa stood in the hall's center. Eyes locked on the mysterious newcomer.
"Hello, everyone. I'm the wandering bard Kosa. I'll help you all return to peaceful slumber."
She began plucking the lute strings slowly. Its sound was odd—not forceful, but insidiously captivating, drawing listeners in.
As her simple, rising-falling melody played, mouths shut, attention gripped. Once the mood settled, she wove her voice seamlessly into the tail of the tune.
Treasures piled like ancient dragon hoards. Sun-faring fleets to the world's edge. Village girls awaiting boys called by gods. Sunless primordial swamps. Forgotten glorious battles. Gods arranging the heavens' constellations.
Not a breath in the hall. Staff stood or sat transfixed, lost in her song.
I glanced at Celereja to say see?—her jaw hung slack, enthralled.
I scanned the hall once more, then headed upstairs.
Kosa's issue was settled. Her persistent demon-hunter tormentors gone; she could work here in peace.
Of course, ask her first—but she'd say yes. Safe haven to flaunt her talents, steady pay? No-brainer.
But those eyes... Gotta fix 'em somehow. Bug the Goddess about it?
Musing that, I entered my room—and my heart sank at the sight of the bed.