Chapter 288 - 288. The Giant’s Return and the Banquet
When we returned to the village after leaving the dungeon, the villagers were in a panic, running around with weapons in hand. Seeing this, we exchanged glances.
"Something happened?"
Maira gripped her battle-axe. Was she already eager to test out the weapon she’d obtained? Even after finishing healing, I hated back-to-back fights. But she didn’t seem to mind.
The villagers were rushing toward the gate. Fam took off after them, running in that direction.
"I’ll go check!"
"Full of energy, huh…"
Before I could finish, Mizuki overheard me.
"Don’t say stupid things like that, you sound like my grandpa!"
"You’re pretty energetic yourself. Wait until tonight."
Her cheeks flushed red at that.
"Instead of saying something so dumb, shouldn’t we go too?" Nefee suggested.
"No, even if there was a fight, I don’t want to get involved."
Mizuki sighed at my words.
"Stop being such a shut-in…"
"Mizuki, you don’t understand, do you? How someone with no complaints about society can become useless after a little setback."
"Don’t say creepy things! But… I kind of get it."
She laughed weakly, but her eyes weren’t smiling. Just as I was about to press her on what she meant, I felt fingers tapping on my back. Turning, I saw Marmy looking up at me.
"You look pretty tired."
I ruffled her hair, but she shook her head and pointed to the stone monument. Unlike when we entered the dungeon, it was still there, weathered to show the years it had stood. Like the monument in Fam’s village, it was changing. Marmy’s fingertip brushed against the faded inscriptions, but nothing happened—no being pulled into the dungeon. Mizuki was frowning as she tried to decipher the writing, but the missing pieces of stone made it impossible.
“On the maiden’s breast Where I placed the sword Terrible will be the blade…”
Mizuki murmured the verse. I didn’t know if she’d memorized the monument’s inscription or had always known it. The one who left this poem wasn’t the “Prince,” but nor was it the “Bishop.” But if I considered it an artifact of the “Ark,” then the pieces started to fit. In my original world, the holder of this staff wasn’t in Japanese attire, but he was a priest. And the legends about the staff causing the “Ten Plagues” included summoning creatures.
"You’re sure there were two staffs, right?"
Mizuki asked as she looked at Maira’s battle-axe.
"Were there?"
"Yeah, definitely two. Both turned into snakes. The worms weren’t summoned, though."
"I always thought it was just one…"
"There are theories like that, but the interpretation of two is pretty common, right? The “Ark” was said to contain the older brother’s staff, though."
Having only read the Bible for fun, I’d always assumed they were the same staff passed down through siblings.
"Does that mean the ‘Anointing Oil Vessel’ is also..."
"It’s said to be one. But the golden vessel that holds it is just a container, and the text said that it only contained a handful of mana…"
"A handful, huh…"
It sounded like an interpretation that could mean anything. And that handful of mana created the vast world of the Anointing Oil Vessel, including another dimension like the dungeon, the concepts of magic, and even monsters.
"How do you know all this? Are you a follower?"
Mizuki shook her head. "My dad told me about it in our tent at night when we went hiking."
What a weird father.
"You could’ve told me sooner."
"Well, Mash spoke with so much confidence, and I didn’t actually read it. It’s an interpretation; there’s no one right answer."
I couldn’t argue with her logic. I nearly reached out to cop a feel to spite her, but Mizuki sensed it and crossed her arms to cover herself before suddenly pulling back.
As it was, it was possible the thing sealed here was the real deal, not a doppelganger. And there’s a chance that the last one sealed away corresponds to the Anointing Oil Vessel. What is the God of the End trying to do by gathering these?
"...Mizuki’s dad is like Mash?"
Marmy questioned Mizuki as I pondered. Mizuki immediately denied it. "No, he’s nothing like that!"
"‘I love my dad!’ You shouted that, right? Sounds like you’re similar!"
"I didn’t shout that!"
Mizuki’s face turned completely red and she shouted back. Fam returned as she was shouting. She was panting and her breath was rough.
"Master, a black giant seems to have appeared."
"What?!"
I glanced around in a panic. If it was that big, I should be able to see it, no matter where it was. Besides, the ground would shake with every step it took. However, it wasn’t there. The area was quiet.
"The giant…?"
"He was heading this way, but then he changed direction," Fam said.
"Is it related to the seal being broken?"
Maira asked in response to Fam’s answer. However, I didn’t know.
The sun was setting, and bonfires were lit in the center of the village. A sweet and savory smell of roasted meat filled the air. The difference from last night was the addition of grilled corn and matsutake mushrooms. Fam’s secret stash had finally been taken out. When was the last time I had matsutake? Would it taste different from the Japanese version? I had some worries, but the smell of grilled matsutake made those worries irrelevant. I sprinkled fish sauce on the grilled matsutake, and the droplets falling into the charcoal pit crackled. The briny scent mixed with the matsutake’s aroma, further stimulating my appetite. I couldn’t resist anymore, grabbing one with chopsticks and bringing it to my mouth.
"Ugh, delicious…"
If I had to be greedy, I would’ve wanted some acidity too. But the matsutake’s flavor spreading in my mouth and the satisfying chew of its fibers were overwhelmingly pleasant. After finishing one, I realized Fam was peering at my face.
"Master… so you liked this matsutake so much. Could it be that I was doing something terrible to Master…"
Fam said with her face pressed close to mine, making me feel embarrassed. I shifted my gaze to the next matsutake.
"No, in my original world, it was a luxury and I rarely got to eat it. So don’t worry too much about it. Mizuki’s family probably eats a lot, being rich."
"I’m not rich!"
Mizuki immediately retorted.
Across from me, the three bald skinheads were sitting in the same spots as last night.
"So, what about the giant?"
I asked Erne while shoving another matsutake into my mouth. He nodded slightly.
"The giant appeared beyond the mountains. At first, it seemed to be heading for us. But suddenly, it changed direction, walked southward, and then disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
Erne nodded in response to my question.
"The black mist surrounding its body melted away and vanished."
We exchanged glances.
"Did it die?"
"Maybe it can appear and disappear at will?"
Nefee answered Mizuki. If that was the case, the blow Racshell gave yesterday might not have had any effect.
"Why did it go south?"
Erne stopped bringing his wooden cup to his lips at Mizuki’s question.
"The shrine the giant is heading towards is said to be the fourth shrine known to the dog-eared race."
The first shrine was in Fam’s village, the seal on the second shrine had already been broken, and the stone tablet taken from it was placed in the Migul government building. And the third shrine was in this village. The place the giant was heading to was the last shrine.
"Does that mean it won’t target us when the seal is broken?"
"If that’s the case, then this village is safe, but the giant’s goal would be to break the seal,"
Mizuki frowned at my words. I didn’t know the giant’s purpose. Our actions could be causing further disasters. She stared into her wooden cup. The white liquid was Ayran, but I’d seen her secretly adding mead. Her cheeks flushed red, but she never got drunk, so she must be keeping her promise to only have one cup.
"For now, we need to thank them for saving the village."
Erne said with a troubled look, glancing suggestively away. I followed his gaze and saw Lily, with her white dog ears. She, too, noticed our gaze and hurriedly hid herself among the other villagers.
I watched until her white tail disappeared, then turned my gaze back. Except for Nefee, the members of Levante were giving me cold glances.
"Wait, I’m not asking for anything!"
Nefee looked at me with a puzzled expression and tilted her head at those words.
"Why? Mash only looks at women with that kind of gaze, right? The villagers here should take responsibility. I don’t understand why you’d refuse."
"Is that what you think of me? I have some ethics too."
If Lilywanted that, then things would be different, I added in my head.
"What are you even thinking?"
I glanced at Mizuki. She stared at the embers for a long moment.
"I can’t understand how you think. But at the same time, I don’t understand why Mizuki and the others want to follow Mash."
I wanted to press her on that, but Fam and the others’ gazes felt too piercing. I cleared my throat and turned to Erne.
"I’m not a bandit. I don’t demand women as rewards, and above all, I think it’s important that Fam’s wishes come true in this village. So, there’s no need to offer a reward."
"Is that alright?"
"Yeah, but if there’s a pretty woman who’s into erotic stuff…"
Mizuki elbowed me, cutting me off.
"So, is there a dog-eared village where the giant is heading?"
Mizuki asked Erne. Erne hesitated, closing his mouth, then sighed.
"The shrine the giant seemed to be heading to is far south of here. We have no settlements there. However…"
"However?"
"There’s an old fort."
"Fort…?"
I muttered. The two skinheads grimaced.
"It’s now the base of the Crimson Brigade."
At Erne’s words, I unconsciously looked at Fam. However, she didn’t show any signs of agitation, still smearing sauce on corn.
"Leave them to their fate. It’s their own fault," one of the skinheads spat bitterly.
"But if the giant breaks the seal on the shrine…"
"What will happen?"
I couldn’t answer his question. And even if they were bandits raiding the village, was it right to kill them out of spite? There was supposed to be a transfer student among them. When I heard Fam’s story, I thought they were people who’d be better off dead. But when I encountered them in the battle in Migul, I missed the chance to wipe them out. Fam had stopped me, too.
I’d left their handling to House Wanland. But wasn’t that irresponsible? I was responsible for Sam Aim now. I didn't want to do anything that would disappoint Fam and Sam Aim. The Crimson Brigade was in a state of ruin, but I didn’t think they’d be able to recover cleanly. They’d probably resume their banditry. Their targets might be this village, or an unknown village.
"But it would take more than half a month to get to the fort from this settlement. We wouldn't make it even if we chased after the giant's trail,"
Erne exhaled heavily. That was probably relief that I didn't have a choice. When I looked at Fam, she was still smearing sauce on the corn.
"Hey, isn’t that too much sauce?"
"It’s alright. It tastes better that way."
Fam replied, her gaze fixed on the corn that was darkening with charred sauce.
"Even if it’s late, shouldn’t we go to the fort?"
"I think Master should decide. I’ll follow,"
Fam began smearing sauce on the corn again. I shifted my gaze to Mizuki, Maira, Marmy, and Nefee, but none of them wanted to say anything, like Fam. I wanted them to just put it to a vote and decide for me while expecting them to do so. When I looked back at Fam:
"I want to know what you’re thinking…"
At that moment, Erne, who had been watching our exchange, smiled suddenly. I felt slightly irritated and looked at him.
"Master Mash, there’s no need to gauge the atmosphere around you. Just act as you please. Fam there will guide you to the right path."
I nodded vaguely at Erne’s words. Was that true? She seemed hesitant about going to the fort as well.
Fam finally picked up the corn. It was blackened to the point where I couldn’t tell whether it was sauce or char. She stuffed it into her mouth. And chewed with a munch munch sound. Then she frowned.
"It’s bitter. I put too much sauce on it. Please help Master eat this."
I took the corn she offered. The corn’s sweetness disappeared due to the intense sauce, and the skin left between my teeth felt like my teeth were coated with sauce.
.hr.
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