“…Has anyone ever gone beyond that place and confirmed what’s at the end?”
“Of course not. Who would want to go somewhere so dangerous? Right after we discovered the tragedy, we completely blocked off all access to that area. Even after increasing security, we couldn’t stop people from disappearing.”
After asking the question and hearing the answer, Riel looked deeply troubled.
It was just my intuition, but I was certain—she knew what lay beyond that place.
More than anything, she had accurately predicted the strange occurrences happening in this town.
On top of that, the higher-ups of the Security Bureau had personally invited her.
…She must have investigated a similar case before.
And in that case, it was highly likely that the mysterious organization called Familie was involved—or perhaps even the main culprit.
Perhaps mistaking Riel’s hesitation as a sign of refusal, the old man continued to plead with us desperately.
“Please… I beg you. If it were up to us, we would have sought help from the outside. But if we’re discovered by the demons, it’s all over. We have no way out. Those devilish fiends wouldn’t believe our situation. Instead, they’d brand us as conspirators and wipe us out.”
“This village would be completely destroyed, and no one would ever be able to live here again.”
Insulting demons was the same as insulting Yuria.
I reflexively frowned and narrowed my eyes sharply, but at the same time, I couldn’t say I didn’t understand their predicament.
No matter how much they claimed they were innocent, to an outsider, it would be easy to assume that everyone in this village was in on it together.
And if they were also accused of the unthinkable crime—the resurrection of the previous Hero—then just being associated with it could be a death sentence for any human involved.
But in the end, that was their problem, not mine or Riel’s.
Even so, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in my chest as I recalled the faces of the children I had seen on my way here.
Just then, as if she had finished processing her thoughts, Riel asked for the number of missing people and a brief summary of their details.
Once she received an answer, she spoke with confidence.
“You don’t need to worry. It looks like the key to every incident we’re investigating is in that place. We’ll take care of it for you.”
“Hooh…! Is that true?”
“If you tell us the direction and location of the sealed-off area, we can handle the rest. And once we eliminate the cause of this, you should be able to return to your peaceful lives.”
Hearing her clear and concise response, the old man and the other villagers couldn’t hide their joy as their faces lit up.
Riel didn’t ask for anything in return.
She didn’t demand any conditions.
Considering her actions in our previous standoff, it seemed that she wasn’t the type to seek unnecessary conflict or interference.
From that point on, everything proceeded swiftly.
Neither we nor the villagers had any reason to drag things out.
All that was left now was to take care of the sinister entity lurking beyond that chilling place.
***
“…Once we eliminate the ‘something’ beyond that barrier, the request will be complete. Our target is likely in that place as well.”
“I suppose there’s no way this will be solved with words. Then, how many are there? And how strong are they?”
“Hmm… That’s hard to explain.”
Riel’s response was vague.
“You’ve probably already noticed, but I’ve handled multiple cases similar to this in the past. And each time, I encountered a type of enemy I had never seen before. But one thing is for certain… The monsters we’re about to face will be so terrifying that normal creatures will seem almost cute in comparison. So, prepare yourselves.”
Just before we set off, she murmured that short warning in response to my question.
Even though she trusted my skills, she still offered to request backup if I felt uneasy.
Of course, I had absolutely no intention of getting further involved with the secret enforcers, so I firmly declined.
Still… I couldn’t deny that I was a little worried.
Not because I feared the enemy—
But because I was more concerned about myself.
Looking back, my actions during the guild’s recent ranking exam had been utterly reckless, even by my own standards.
‘What if something similar happens again in the upcoming battle…?’
That unsettling thought gnawed at my nerves.
And this time, unlike before, I also had to ensure Riel’s safety.
Which meant my anxiety was doubled.
The only thing I could do now was remind myself to keep my composure, unlike last time.
The irony wasn’t lost on me.
I was more worried about myself than about the enemy we were about to face.
To an outsider, it might have seemed absurd.
But I was dead serious.
As I took a deep breath, focusing on maintaining my composure before departure, Riel continued speaking with the villagers.
The gist of the conversation was that the villagers wanted to provide support troops to assist us, even if only a little.
However, despite their offer, Riel’s response was a firm refusal.
She appreciated the sentiment, but given the skill level of the villagers, they would only be a burden rather than actual help.
It was a reason that would no doubt hurt their pride.
As if to prove it, the expressions of the able-bodied men watching Riel hardened as if they had swallowed something bitter.
But even so, she didn’t waver in the slightest.
In the end, the only one joining our party was a young woman, who seemed to have just come of age, tasked with guiding us.
Her name was Purin—a girl with ordinary brown hair tied into a ponytail, still showing clear traces of youth.
Despite her small frame, even for a woman, and her lean build, the villagers explained that she was the most knowledgeable about the surrounding geography.
Of course, since this decision had been made without consulting her, Purin had immediately shown her reluctance when she first heard about it.
But under the village elder’s desperate gaze, her resistance didn’t last long.
As a result, after making all necessary preparations, our group—myself included—set off from the village toward the mysterious location.
And just as the old man had said, the first obstacle we encountered was the crude barricades built by the villagers.
Fortunately, since none of us had large builds, we passed through without much trouble.
As we moved forward, a question that had been lingering in my mind since our departure finally reached the point where I had to voice it.
Lowering my voice, I directed my question to Riel, who was leading the way ahead.
“Riel, I’ve been wondering… Why aren’t you using your spirits this time? If you used your ability, we wouldn’t have needed to bring that girl along.”
Purin, who had introduced herself earlier, was diligently leading us, walking far ahead.
Judging the distance to be safe enough for her not to overhear, I asked why Riel had chosen to bring her despite the potential dangers.
After a brief silence, Riel also lowered her voice and responded.
“…If I summon spirits in the place we’re heading to, there’s a high risk of them going berserk. It’s hard to explain in detail, but the things ahead of us defy common sense. If I bring spirits—natural beings of pure essence—into such a place, they could be corrupted, lose control, and turn against us.”
…I wasn’t entirely sure I understood, but at the very least, I got the message: summoning spirits here was a bad idea.
I had expected her to have a valid reason for bringing Purin despite rejecting all other offers of help, but it seemed the situation was even more complicated than I had assumed.
Well, the elder had mentioned the location wasn’t too far away, so even traveling on foot shouldn’t be a problem.
But that wasn’t the part that concerned me.
And unfortunately, my ominous premonition turned into reality when we passed through the sealed-off area and reached a relatively clear section of the underground sewers.
***
Purin, who had been leading the way, had suddenly stopped moving forward.
Instead, she stood in place with her arms crossed, waiting for us.
At a time when every second was critical, she had simply stopped.
Riel and I exchanged puzzled glances, our eyes widening slightly.
And then, as if she had been waiting for this moment, Purin finally spoke.
It was the exact moment my uneasy feeling turned into reality.
“Hold on a second. My instincts are screaming at me—this place up ahead feels seriously dangerous. I came because the elder asked me to, but my life is on the line here, so I need to make sure of something first. I want to confirm whether you two actually have the ability to handle the root of all this. Can I really trust you with my life?”
Haah… So it’s come to this after all.
I had gotten a sense of her wariness when we first set out, so I had expected this might happen.
And, sure enough, here we were.
Objectively speaking, neither Riel nor I looked particularly trustworthy.
Riel, as a spirit wielder, might have seemed capable, but as for me—
I was just a suspicious-looking beastkin woman, wrapped head to toe in layers of covering.
From an outsider’s perspective, there was no reason not to be suspicious of us.
While the village leaders had been swayed by Riel’s eloquent words, Purin wasn’t someone who had willingly chosen to accompany us.
She had been forced into this.
And unlike the villagers, who could wait safely behind, she was the one who had to venture into the unknown with us.
Her caution was only natural.