The Demon Whispers
The Demon Whispers
At the sudden proposal, the farmers murmured anxiously.
“D-don’t listen to it.”
“It’s surely trying to bewitch us!”
“But still…”
They could not help but be tempted. Deals with demons could bring prosperity to a farm. As long as a fair price was paid, even this cramped storage could become as plentiful as a noble’s warehouse.
“This is absurd. Do you all wish to shrivel up and die, twisted?”
A man stepped out from the group of farmers. His appearance was unlike that of a border peasant. He reminded them of a trained soldier.
The farmers’ eyes turned to him.
The man spoke again.
“The moment we contract with that demon, we will be nothing but walking corpses. Our souls will be devoured, and we will be discarded like rags.”
Demonic sorcery could aid farming, but in return, it demanded human souls or lives as sacrifices.
In the end, it led only to ruin.
The farmers nodded, taking cues from the man’s stern gaze.
“Th-that’s true. To deal with a demon… Even the gods would be angered.”
“Indeed, let us deal with this wretched monster at once.”
“Before the church finds out.”
It was unlikely that a holy knight from the Order would be dispatched to such a remote area. Normally, that was the case. But what if an anomaly occurred? The village of Taharan might fall, not to a demon, but to humans.
Everyone shuddered in fear.
Johan was not entirely at ease either. The appearance of that large man had completely swayed public opinion. If this continued, he could not avoid death.
‘Think, think, please.’
In urgent situations, he had to remain calm. He could not afford to appear confused. The moment he was underestimated, he would be killed. He did not wish to die unfairly without even knowing why he had transmigrated.
He needed information. He scanned every sight that entered his vision.
Shabby appearances, old and rusty farming tools, heaps of straw, collapsing storage… Such things held no informational value.
Most farms in this novel would look identical to this scene before him.
To resolve this situation, he needed a unique point he could exploit.
While he was swiftly scanning his surroundings, a hoarse old voice came from the farmers.
“So Gaf, what do you think we should do? About this half-breed, I mean.”
It was an old man seated on a straw pile. He tapped the soldier-like man with his cane.
…Gaf, was it? A flash of realization struck Johan’s mind. It was a very familiar name. Gaf, captain of the Kandeya Mercenaries. A character in the novel who held considerable importance.
Having lost all his subordinates due to his own mistake, he had settled in this border village, drowning in despair.
At least, that was how Johan remembered it.
It was a common enough setup found everywhere. That was not why Gaf was a named character.
It was because of his daughter. The great witch, Illea. She was the reason Gaf had any significance in the story.
The moment Johan heard the name Gaf, he fell deep into thought.
There would surely be something he could use.
While he was pondering, the old man spoke again.
“Gaf, I asked for your opinion.”
Gaf looked at the old man.
“We must deal with it as soon as possible. Before it brings us great harm.”
“That is true. However, the method is the problem, is it not?”
A farmer interjected into their conversation.
“Let’s burn it! Along with the mother!”
Both Gaf and the old man shook their heads.
The old man spoke.
“That would be foolish. Demons always leave curses behind when they die. Land soaked in black blood will never grow life again, and the smoke from burning them will summon other demons. That is common sense.”
The farmer looked puzzled.
“Village elder, I know that much. But doesn’t that only apply to high-ranking demons? This one is merely an infant who hasn’t even learned to walk.”
The elder clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, your eyes are as good as knots in wood.”
He then pointed at Johan.
“Look at its forehead. That newborn already has a horn.”
A small, white horn protruded from Johan’s forehead. It was no larger than a fingernail, but it was unmistakably a horn, the threatening symbol of a demon.
No sooner had the elder spoken than the farmers began murmuring again.
“A horn, where…”
“Look there! That tiny thing!”
When they looked closely, they truly saw it.
Everyone took a few steps back from Johan.
“If we cannot kill it, then what are we supposed to do!”
“Elder, please give us an answer!”
The elder, known to be the wisest in the village and knowledgeable about demons, was awaited by all the villagers for a decision.
“We must abandon it in the Valley of Death.”
The one who answered was Gaf.
The elder nodded in agreement.
“That is the best alternative.”
The farmers swallowed nervously.
“The Valley of Death…”
“Are you serious?”
The elder nodded solemnly.
“There is no other way. Killing it will bring disaster, hiding it will get us caught by the church. It is only a matter of time.”
He then swept his gaze over the farmers.
“It must be cast into the Abyss. Who will go?”
Everyone looked at each other, gauging reactions. No one volunteered.
The Abyss, known as the Valley of Death, was more terrifying than hell for humans. The remnants of the Holy War. The echoes of the great war from five hundred years ago still lingered there.
Ordinary humans could not even approach it. Even going near it would suffocate them with miasma, killing them.
A farmer muttered.
“…You’re telling us to commit suicide.”
The elder clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, all we need to do is load it onto a boat and send it downriver at the right tide.”
A small river flowed near the Valley of Death.
If someone released the baby upstream, the elder’s plan would work.
Even so, no one stepped forward. Regardless of safety, accompanying a demon itself was unpleasant.
“You, weren’t you free these days? You could use this as a chance to get some work from the lord…”
“What nonsense. Just the other day, the stable broke down and I need to repair it. Actually, aren’t you the better choice? You know the roads well.”
“What, as if I know the roads.”
Everyone tried to push the task onto someone else. An uncomfortable tension filled the hall.
Meanwhile, Johan’s feelings were somewhat different.
He felt hope. The name ‘Valley of Death’ supported the hypothesis he had been forming.
This place would be in the southern part of the kingdom.
Furthermore, by gauging Gaf’s age with his own eyes, he could roughly estimate the point in time he had transmigrated to.
It was the introduction phase of Illea’s arc in the novel. It was enough information to resolve this crisis.
Just as these thoughts formed, Gaf took a step toward Johan.
“I will go.”
The elder raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
“You will?”
“Yes, I will take this half-breed and abandon it.”
The villagers looked visibly relieved, wearing awkward expressions.
“If it’s Gaf, we can trust him.”
“Please, we’re in the middle of harvest season.”
“I owe you for this.”
Ignoring the polite words coming from all sides, Gaf looked down at the demon child.
“Don’t try to scheme. You cannot escape.”
At this rate, he would be abandoned in the Valley of Death. Even if he used the information from the novel, he had no means to survive in that accursed land.
He was still just a powerless child.
The elder, watching, spoke.
“You can leave immediately. It will take about four days to arrive.”
Gaf nodded and reached out with his large hand. Just as he was about to grab the baby by the scruff of its neck, Johan spoke with a composed expression.
“You will regret this.”
Gaf furrowed his brows.
“Bullshit…”
“You haven’t even heard my proposal yet.”
“Shut up. I will not sell my soul for temporary gain.”
Saying that, Gaf tore his upper garment.
“The road is long. I have no desire to listen to your nonsense along the way. I will shut that disgusting mouth of yours.”
He brought the torn cloth toward the demon’s mouth.
Johan remained unfazed.
“Temporary, you say. Who said that? Perhaps, for you, getting your lost child back is nothing more than a fleeting happiness?”
The moment Johan finished speaking, the farmers stirred.
“W-what!”
“What did that demon just say!”
“Something about children…”
Even on Gaf’s face, a flicker of agitation appeared.
It worked. Johan let out a breath of relief inside. As he had expected, children had been disappearing from this village.
The Taharan Village Disappearance Incident. Just like the early parts of the original story.
Gaf clenched his fist.
“This wicked half-breed is peering into our hearts! Do not be deceived!”
He lifted Johan by the scruff.
“If you say another word, I will rip out your tongue!”
The man before him was a mercenary who had made a living by killing. To a modern person, his murderous gaze was unbearably oppressive.
Honestly, Johan was afraid, but he barely held on.
Without showing it, he calmly spoke.
“Illea.”
At that moment, Gaf’s eyes wavered.
Johan did not miss his reaction. Holding a faint sneer, he continued.
“Yes, your daughter Illea. She disappeared too, didn’t she?”
Gaf’s whole body began to tremble.
Johan added in a low, chilling voice.
“So, can you still tear out this tongue now?”
If he did, Gaf would never know the whereabouts of his daughter.
“G-Gaf! Didn’t that demon just say your daughter’s name!”
“I heard it clearly too. Illea, he said!”
“How did that come from its mouth…”
The reactions varied, but everyone was clearly shaken.
Held in Gaf’s grasp, Johan swept his gaze over the villagers.
“Many of you are likely in the same situation as Gaf. You have lost your precious children, haven’t you? Perhaps you believed they were dead? You are mistaken. Your daughters are very much alive.”
The faces of everyone present were painted with confusion.
How could a newborn know the situation of the village, and even mention the specific name Illea? Moreover, the demon had declared that the missing children were alive.
The villagers were so shocked they could not close their mouths. The elder’s face was turning pale.
Watching their reactions, Johan spoke again.
“You can meet your children again. Isn’t that enough motivation to talk with me?”
Then he fixed his gaze on Gaf.
“Gaf, aren’t you curious about Illea’s whereabouts?”
Gaf bit his lip. Red blood began to seep out.
“…How do you know.”
Had it really seen into his heart? Or…
Someone shouted.
“L-let’s at least hear it out!”
“Yes! We have nothing to lose!”
Johan raised the corners of his mouth in a wide smile.
“There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Deals with demons always required payment.
“So, let us trade.”
Eyes redder than blood stared directly at the villagers.
“What will you give me in return?”
Demons were, by nature, monsters that bewitched humans. Their proposals were enticing, their temptations irresistible. By the time one realized it, they would find themselves heading toward a cliff’s edge.
Johan knew the nature of demons well, and he too despised them, but for now, he had no choice but to play the demon.
He had to survive.
Begging and pleading for his life would be far less effective than this.
Johan curved his lips into a sinister smile. Overt malice began to emanate. Or at least, it appeared so.
“Now, answer me. How will you pay the price?”
The villagers swallowed dryly.
At some point, they had begun to listen to the whispers of the demon.