Chapter 12

The wind blows.

A somewhat unsettling wind.

Under the sun, unripe apples sway, their movements reminiscent of hanging bodies.

Juuichi visited that village on his way to a neighboring country.

Standing by the roadside, he spread out a map, letting a chain adorned with black crystal dangle over it as he searched ahead.

He had heard rumors in a nearby town.

A fearsome monster was lurking in the forest near the border…

A creature like a lion, shining white — cloaked in flames, it was said to devour any who carelessly entered the forest.

Through his clairvoyant vision, Juuichi confirmed the creature’s presence. A fragmented shadow appeared within the black crystal that only he could see.

It seemed to be more than just a rumor.

In Juuichi’s experience, unusual beings — whether they could truly be called “living” or not — often contained within them fragments of the goddess.

If so, he would slay it, locate the fragment, and retrieve it.

However, the forest in question was still some distance away.

“It’ll take a few days on foot. I can camp, but…”

Comparing the map to his current location, Juuichi muttered. It wasn’t an urgent journey.

For Juuichi, who was immortal, time wasn’t something he needed to worry about much.

Casting his gaze around, he noticed a narrow side path leading off the main road.

That narrow path led deep into the forest.

“Hmm.”

The presence of a path indicated people lived there… after all, animals don’t make roads.

Perhaps he could borrow lodging there for the night and set out again in the morning. If he was lucky, he might also find some provisions.

With that in mind, Juuichi stepped onto the side path.

The forest path leading to the highlands was densely overgrown, as one might expect after midsummer.

The trees towered above, and in the sky between their branches, the late-summer sun floated.

The path gradually grew mossy. When he looked back, the road he’d come along was obscured by the green.

Emerging from the forest, the view opened up to reveal a mountain hut with a thatched roof.

Just beyond, there was a village. Even from afar, it was clear it was a desolate rural settlement.

But — at first glance, Juuichi felt an odd sense of unease.

It was something he could rationally explain, yet it was also a sort of intuition.

Slowly approaching the village entrance, he peered inside.

Firstly, there was no sign of people out and about. It was nearly evening, yet there were no farmers with tools, no children playing — only a dusty breeze rustling through the deserted streets.

There were no clothes hanging to dry under the eaves, nor any smoke rising from cooking fires.

The village was unnaturally quiet.

And something.

Having experienced countless battles, Juuichi sensed something within that village.

Perhaps it was instinct, or some inexplicable sixth sense.

“……”

For now, it seemed it wouldn’t attack immediately, so Juuichi stepped further into the village.

There were presences lurking inside the houses… eyes watching him from within, though not with explicit hostility. It was still too early to be certain.

In this world, rural villages were often isolated, and there were even villages known for ambushing travelers, killing them to steal their money and belongings.

Yet Juuichi sensed this wasn’t the case here.

At the village center stood an old well.

Juuichi looked around the eerie, empty village from beside the well — checking inside the well at the same time.

He found nothing unusual. The grayish water at the bottom of the well only stirred quietly.

Am I overthinking it? — that’s what he’d usually conclude.

Still, there was no sign of anyone. He couldn’t just help himself to someone’s porch without permission.

Perhaps he should wait. Folding his arms, Juuichi leaned against the pillar supporting the well’s roof.

After a while, as he listened to the sound of birds circling overhead, the door of the house directly in front of him creaked open.

An elderly man dragging his feet emerged.

He approached Juuichi and greeted him hesitantly.

“Good afternoon.”

“Hello. Sorry to intrude.”

Juuichi unfolded his arms and looked at the old man.

Though his clothes were plain, typical of a farmer, they weren’t poorly made.

“I’m, well, the village head, one might say. I’m Origo. Do you need something?”

“I’m a traveler. Name’s Amber. As you can see, I’m something of a mercenary. I’m looking for a place to stay for the night… Sorry, but could you lend me the stable? I’ll pay.”

“A mercenary who’s willing to pay for sleeping in a stable? That’s rare.”

“Sure, many don’t, but I do.”

Juuichi took out a small pouch he used as a wallet and handed the old man a silver coin.

“Is this enough? I’ll be fine in a corner where the horse won’t mind.”

“My goodness. For just a night in a corner of the stable, you’re giving silver? That’s a bit too generous, I’d say.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

The village head, Origo, looked somewhat perplexed, but Juuichi wasn’t concerned. This amount of money was trivial.

Juuichi possessed considerable wealth, stored within his inventory.

Due to his mission to collect fragments of the goddess, Juuichi frequently traveled across various countries. Along the way, he’d had plenty of opportunities to earn more than enough travel money.

However, the reason Juuichi paid Origo a high price wasn’t merely a charitable gesture from someone with means.

He wanted to loosen the man’s tongue a bit.

Or… perhaps he was a little worn out by something.

“So then… What’s with the strange atmosphere in the village? I know there are people in the houses, and they’re not planning to attack me. Is it that some uncontrollable monster shows up here every night?”

In the unlikely event the creature was involved, it could be an opportunity to collect a fragment of the goddess…

“That’s…”

Origo hesitated but, glancing at the silver coin and then at Juuichi, eventually opened his mouth as if resigned.

“The truth is, a large group of bandits has taken root near the village. They threatened us, demanding money and food if we value our lives. Everyone’s too afraid to go outside.

They’ve already taken this year’s provisions.”

“Bandits? But this is along the highway. Even in the Northern Provinces, this should be within the territory of a reigning kingdom. Where’s the king’s army?”

“Of course, we sent a petition, but received little response… The messenger heard rumors that the king is preparing for an expedition against another country.

It seems there are no soldiers to spare for this village.”

“So you’ve been abandoned, then.”

Origo’s shoulders sagged in sorrow. It seemed that monsters weren’t the issue.

Juuichi felt sympathy but was not in a position to assist them.

“As for the harvest, there’s not much to be done now. You’ll have to appeal for reduced tribute this year. But more importantly, be careful not to lose your lives to those bandits.”

“Yes. Even this silver coin will be a great help… But, traveler, how about a whole house instead of just the stable?

I could ask someone in the village to prepare a modest dinner for you. And perhaps a bath as well?”

Origo seemed to be suggesting that for a little more money, he could provide better accommodations and a meal.

In a normal town, a silver coin could cover such services with change to spare.

But with the village struggling financially, it seemed Origo, as the head, had no choice but to act, regardless of how greedy it seemed.

Normally, Juuichi would refuse, but he was the one who’d pressed Origo for information.

“If it pleases you, we can arrange for companionship as well. A young maiden, if you wish… So please…”

“Hah, fine. Here’s another silver coin. I’ll take a meal, some liquor, and a bath. No need for a woman… Instead, give me some good liquor, will you?”

“Oh, thank you very much! I’ll arrange everything at once.”

Origo hurried back to the house and spoke to the people who had been hiding at the doorway, watching from the shadows.

After a while, a few villagers hurried out, heading toward nearby houses.

Origo returned to Juuichi, urging him, “Please, come this way,” and led the way, walking as quickly as he could.

“Hey, Origo, was it? Your leg’s not so good, is it? No need to rush.”

“No, no. You’re very kind, sir. I’ve met many mercenaries before, but… Anyway, this way, please.”

Origo led him to a small but decently sturdy house.

It looked relatively new, and upon opening the door, the interior seemed well-cleaned.

“It has a bed and some chairs, at least. Long ago, villagers tried to make it an inn, though no one’s been able to manage it lately. Still, it’s been kept clean.”

“This will do nicely.”

The bed was basic, a wooden frame stuffed with straw, but for a rural village, it was more than adequate. It was certainly better than sleeping in a stable with the smell of manure.

Juuichi removed the sword from his waist, leaned it against the bed, and settled into a well-used but comfortable armchair with a backrest.

“I hope it’s to your liking.”

“It’s fine. Also, I’d like a bath before dinner.”

“I’ll arrange it right away. I’ll go inform the villagers.”

Origo bowed and stepped out.

Leaning back in the chair, Juuichi thought that, while it was costly, a little luxury now and then wasn’t so bad.

In a few days, he’d need to hunt monsters. He didn’t mind taking some time to rest and recover.

In the distance, he could hear children’s voices.

—“Are you ready yet?” —“Not yet!”

Playful sounds.

Even in this world, hide-and-seek existed. It seemed to be a universal game.

Juuichi soaked in a hot bath, listening to the echoes of the children’s voices.

Bathing in this world involved filling a large tub with water from the river, then mixing in boiling water heated in a pot to reach a suitable temperature.

Compared to modern Japan, it was a labor-intensive process, but baths were still a thing here.

“Phew…”

After stepping out of the large tub placed behind the house, Juuichi dried himself off with a rough towel.

Dressed and stepping out of the makeshift tent, he noticed village women standing by who bowed in respect. Juuichi returned the gesture lightly.

Heading back to the house, he caught sight of children watching him from the shadows of the trees.

With fingers in their mouths, they stared at him.

For the villagers, a bath using firewood was a luxury, something they couldn’t indulge in often.

Juuichi beckoned them over.

“If you don’t mind coming in after me, you can use it. No one’s in there now.”

The children looked at each other, then quickly dashed over.

“Really? We can go in?”

“I’m the one who paid, so go ahead. Better hurry before the adults take it.”

In an instant, the children undressed and raced to the bath. The women cleaning up were startled, shouting, “Hey, you little rascals! We were supposed to be next!” But the kids ignored them and jumped in.

Juuichi chuckled quietly, watching them, then went back inside, grabbing his armor.

He pulled a cloth from his inventory and began wiping off the mud and dust from the armor, cleaning the gauntlets and leg guards in the same way.

After some time, there was a knock on the door, and an elderly woman hesitantly entered with food.

“Here you are, sir. I’ve brought you a meal. It’s humble fare, what we usually eat, but I hope it’s acceptable.”

She placed a dinner tray on the table.

It was a simple meal of vegetable scraps in soup and oatmeal made from old grains. Juuichi had specified he didn’t need anything fancy.

“This is just fine. A bit of alcohol, and I’ll be more than content.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. This is the best we have. Bandits have taken so much from us, and this hardly matches the two silvers… but if you don’t mind.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

Juuichi took a wooden spoon from his belongings and scooped up some oatmeal.

It wasn’t even seasoned with salt, but it would be filling enough.

The old woman watched him curiously, intrigued by the spoon.

“Um, what is that? Is it a little ladle?”

“Consider it a custom from my homeland. It’s what we use when eating.”

In this world, cutlery was scarce, even among the common folk, who mostly used their hands to eat.

Even among nobles, the use of knives was common, but the use of utensils was limited mainly to monks and the educated upper classes.

Incidentally, Juuichi had once tried to popularize spoons here, but it hadn’t caught on.

People here simply didn’t see any inconvenience in eating with their hands. They were remarkably adept at using them for their meals.

Juuichi quickly finished his meal and returned the empty tray to the elderly woman who had patiently waited for him.

“That was delicious. Thank you.”

“Oh my, such a kind mercenary, aren’t you? To say this old woman’s cooking is tasty, even if it’s just to be polite—that’s a rare thing,” the elderly woman remarked, looking intently at Juuichi.

“When I heard there was a mercenary guest from Origo, I couldn’t help but worry, you know? Mercenaries are usually a scary bunch, right?”

“Well, that’s true. Most mercenaries around here are nothing but trash.”

“A few years back, five mercenaries came to our village. They were noisy, complaining about being hungry, so I served them oatmeal, just like this. But they threw their plates right in front of me, saying they couldn’t eat such stuff. They touched my granddaughter, drank, made a ruckus, broke the furniture… It was horrible.”

“My condolences. Those types deserve nothing better than horse dung for food.”

“Haha, that’s true, isn’t it? Oh dear, I need to clear these plates and bring some wine.”

“I promise I won’t get rowdy, even if I get a bit tipsy.”

“I’m counting on it, haha. Take your time and relax.”

The elderly woman went back. Juuichi sat on the edge of his bed, drew his sword, and began to clean it.

He only sharpened it lightly with a whetstone, but Juuichi never neglected the care of his equipment. Due to the nature of his work, his gear often suffered wear and damage, but he enjoyed honing the blade. Sharpening it to a keen edge gave him a satisfying sense of clarity, as though his mind was being honed along with it.

That night, a calm wind carried the sounds of rustling leaves and night insects. There was no otherworldly moon rising in the west, and thick clouds shrouded the sky overhead.

Lulled by drink, Juuichi lay on the straw bed, replaying his earlier conversation with Origo: the bandits terrorizing the village, the frightened villagers.

Nothing in the story sounded odd. The villagers seemed normal enough. Yet Juuichi’s instincts told him there was more to it than that.

Something just didn’t sit right.

However… he was reluctant to act without solid information.

This was Juuichi’s way. He always investigated matters as thoroughly as possible, identifying motives and context before making a move.

Juuichi possessed the ability to revisit the past. Gathering necessary information was an easy task.

But regardless of what might be hidden, charging in blindly was unwise. This guiding principle had developed from his experiences since arriving in this world.

The ‘unknown’ here was dangerous—any misstep in handling it, and even an immortal like Juuichi might struggle to contain the situation.

And that went for people’s deceptions and lies as well.

While this village intrigued him, he decided to let things be for now.

He wouldn’t use his ability just yet. Doing so would reveal most of the truth.

Although Juuichi could keep his past visions hidden from others, some beings with heightened senses could still detect it. He had no desire to “wake a sleeping giant,” even with only a one-in-a-hundred chance.

He resolved to deal with his current task, the mysterious “white, glowing lion,” and then gather information on the village elsewhere. While he trusted his instincts, if it turned out to be nothing, that would be fine too.

Juuichi reached for his propped-up sword, closed his eyes in the night’s darkness.

Despite his suspicions, he was used to resting his body when needed and was prepared to wake instantly should any danger arise.