Vermillion

The firewood from the bonfire makes a sound.

"- Who are you!

Forward, about ten steps apart, the man with the short spear looks at Kay. What comes to mind on that face is the color of tension.

Eye of suspicion shooting through Kay. The surrounding men have a similar appearance, with a pair of weapons such as a stick, a hammer, and a harvesting hand axe, standing on their mid hips so that they can move at any time.

Full imminent posture. All of them, they're not even trying to hide their vigilance against Kay.

(… that's a lot of stuff)

I thought it was hard on one of you - but in view of the fact that you had been up and making a scene before you showed up, there might have been something else to be wary of. Kay opened his mouth as he wanted to know what was going on around it.

"Excuse me for the night. I'm a traveler. Never suspicious."

For now, first and foremost, I declare that I am not an adversary.

"'Not a suspicious one' ……?

The men bothered with Kay's remarks, which were very serious.

Dark night of the crescent moon. Rarely during a time when people don't walk.

A man appeared riding on a horse, without holding a pine light from the darkness.

Leather armor covering the entire body. Sword on hips and bow heavy equipment on hands.

Her face is not known because she is hiding her mouth with a cloth.

Quote, I have an old girl in my left arm.

A daughter who seeps sweat into her forehead and looks pale like a sick person.

What I'm wearing is an exotic black outfit I've never seen before.

And it's as if you were rambled by who (...) or (...).

Her collar was torn open and her white chest was exposed.

…………

- To be clear, it was too suspicious a style.

"…… So, who is it?"

With a slightly toned voice, the man's center, the young man who re-gripped the short spear, asks.

"……… In short, the thief attacked me earlier and fled"

While shrugging her shoulders like she was in trouble, Kay discusses the current situation in obscurity.

I was swallowed by the fog, and when I realized it, I was in a strange place, and when the sun set, I thought I was a bandit and a bunch of people attacked me, and I fled into the jungle. And I found a pine light in the dark, so I approached it - to things like that.

I'm not lying at all. However, he blurs the fact that the Kays were players in the "game" called [DEMONDAL] and puts it as if they were just ordinary travelers.

"… I mean, what's your purpose?

Listening to Kay, the villager with a mixed look of vigilance and confusion on his stern face asks, slightly lowering the tip of his short spear.

"Oh... as you can see, he's not feeling well. If there was a place where I could rest my body for her, it would be a fold, because I could just see the pine light. Why did you wake up all of a sudden and make a scene at this hour?

Now on the contrary, Kay casts his doubts.

"……… I will answer that."

Relaxed, low man voice.

Kay's right hand side. A man with a bow in his hand appeared snuggly from the shadow of a small house that was just a blind spot.

A man with a thick face. Covering the lower half of his face, his beard is tannic. A disappointing physique for an honest and serious look. He wore a leather hat with decorative feathers, dressed in brown and perfectly dressed clothes.

"It's called Mandel. … the hunter of this village."

The dark-faced man - Mandel, saying so, lifts his hat gently.

"It's Kay. Greetings."

Speaking of which, I forgot to name him, Kay glanced at him thinking that he was a bowman's sex or that his gaze was drawn to the bow held by nature and Mandel.

Simple made shortbow. Made of wood with a lustrous finish, the handles have multiple rolls of black cloth. Some of the villagers also have bows, but Mandel's is under the impression that they are being used more than others. Probably using that bow as a hunting tool on a daily basis.

And the next thing I saw was Mandel's hat. To be exact, it was a feather decoration on that hat. Mandel is Mandel, and he gazes at the leather helmet Kay equips, the feather ornament attached to it.

…………

For a moment, their gaze crossed.

Fluttering, smiling neither way. Silent sympathy. The surrounding men with a bewildered look.

"…… so that's why we were making a scene."

Back to her true face as if nothing had happened, Mandel continues the conversation.

"Earlier, all of a sudden, I heard a terrible beast roar. Guys, that's what got me up to.... could be a ferocious monster"

"Monsters?"

"Oh. Sometimes in this season, from the woods and mountains, it comes down to people. I can't stop being attacked by sleeping. … Tonight, it will be my turn to take turns"

That's why the men are out there, Mandel showed the villagers around him.

"Kay, you're from over there, aren't you?... Anything at all?

"Hmmm... I didn't see any of those beasts in particular."

In retrospect, I had no idea. If you insist, it's about the hunting wolves (houndwolves) that the raiders have hit, but they haven't reached the jungle.

"In this darkness, even with monsters, you won't see them."

A short-speared man pinches his mouth with an irritating mixed voice at Kay and Mandel, who converse with prolonged air.

"Mikazuki - the horses weren't on guard either, so at least there shouldn't be anything around them. For once, it's better for me and this guy to be smart at night."

Pom Pom and I slapped Mikazuki's neck.

The villagers look frigid compared to the darkness over the bonfire and the confident Kay. Mandel just nodded "well" with a serious face.

"- I'm just talking, excuse me"

Footsteps kicking gravel all the way. From the center of the village, signs of people come this way.

It was the old man with curved hips and a middle-aged man with small fat hair who appeared out of the dark.

"Welcome, traveler. I'm Bennett. I work as a compiler for the village of Taaf."

"His son, Danny."

The gray-haired old man Bennett smiled small on his face, and the son-like little fat man Danny, in a dignified manner, each named after him.

(I see. Are you here for the village chief and the next village chief)

Observe them, taking care not to be too grumpy.

Bennett, the village chief, is a gracious old man. At first glance, people look good, but under a brow draped by the letter (c), both eyes subtly observe Kay's entire body. Intuitively, the word 'Tanuki Father' came to mind.

By contrast, that son Danny has nothing in particular to think of. Little fat, sloppy shapes go hand in hand with the image of 'just a great guy' for better or worse. In a sense, even though we are each other, as opposed to Bennett, we are turning our gaze at each other with no cowardice. That gaze, in particular, seemed to concentrate on Eileen in her arms.

(And the village of "Taaf", or…)

That's a name I've never heard of in the game. Kay opens his mouth, even though it still makes him wonder if it's the game itself.

"Rude than a horse. I'm Kaich-Nogawa. Kaichi is the first name and Nogawa the last name. I'm sorry for making such a scene."

Kay, who took off his face cloth, named his name with perseverance. To Kay's words, the villagers shrug. Bennett didn't change his expression with a sticky smile on his face, but Danny jumped up his eyebrows perfectly to make his face strong with no heart.

"…… Lord Nogawa. What purpose did you want from our village?

Asking in a polite tone, Bennett doesn't break his loving laugh.

"'Kay' is fine. We talked about it earlier, but I'm not feeling well with him."

Drop your gaze on the girl in your arm. Irene seeps sweat into her forehead and is called "Ugh......"

"In this state, you don't have to sneak up on Nojuku. If only she could, I'd like to give her a break..."

What do you think? and ask with your eyes.

"Of course, I'll thank you for that."

"I see, I see"

Bennett slowly hammered.

"Sure, if you're with me, you don't feel great. But maybe this is a small village...... Is there anything I can help you with? I'll ask the villagers, so if you'll excuse me for a moment."

"I don't mind, it helps"

"No, whatever. So... Danny, Kronen, help me."

I'll be right back, so Bennett turns his back and walks out. Behind it followed Danny and the tough-faced man who had a short spear - he said Cronen.

As he dropped them off from the horse, Kay stopped looking behind Cronen and Bennett, who had a somewhat similar atmosphere,

"…… Mandel"

"Hmm?... what?"

"Is that Kronen, the man with the short spear, also the blood of the village chief?"

"Yeah, he's my son, too.... my oldest son Danny, my second son Kronen."

"I see. Thanks."

Convinced, Kay, who thought he was a little bit of a brother away, did not realize that the men in the surrounding village looked sinister.

†††

Bennett cuts out the story, "Well," as he walks from Kay to the invisible darkness.

"Cronen, you have an empty bunk in your house, don't you?

"Dad! Are you going to let him into the village?

"I don't mean to."

To Cronen, who absurds his voice, he says, "How about it?" and Bennett tilting his neck.

"My fathers would have listened to me too! What if he was a bandit himself!

Cronen's biggest concern was in that regard.

The victim, who was attacked by a bandit and forced to flee with his life - dives into the target village beforehand, carries out sabotage work from within, and raids it multiplied by the confusion.

Cronen had heard rumors from travellers who visited the village that some bandits were making rough money from this modus operandi.

"Ha... I wonder what you're making noise about, is that so? You don't think my father or I would have thought of anything that even you could come up with?

In contrast, Danny shrugs his shoulders and sighs at this sight. This is why my brother is so bad, it's just an atmosphere.

"Your thoughts are best, Kronen. I think that's unlikely."

Not to be angry or ridiculous, Bennett paled,

"I know that there have been people in those arrangements lately. But a young man like Kay is too suspicious to let him infiltrate. In the habit of dressing up as a meadow folk, when I named my family (surname) by name. It's not suspicious. Besides, if you can afford to have all that gear in your pocket - I'm not gonna bandit you from the start, but you're gonna eat enough."

"My father is right. If I were a bandit, I'd send him in a little more."

As he stroked his jaw, Danny took over the words.

"You don't see it because you don't have eyes, Kronen. The guy named Kay's gear, his whole body, it's all first-class."

"... Really?

For the first time since my brother pointed me out, Cronen realized he wasn't at all distracted by the belongings of a man named 'Kay'.

Bennett, the village chief, of course, and Danny, who inherits the trail, also touches a variety of products as a representative of the village, so his eyes on nature and objects are forged. The appraisal eye also plays a role as an observation eye in identifying the first person to meet.

Bennett narrows his eyes and puts his thoughts around the gear Kay was wearing.

"That leather armor was terribly carefully tailored. Plus, it's a great decoration that I've never seen before - even if it's just a torso, I don't think ten pieces of silver coins are coming down."

"Ten silver coins!?

It was Kronen who raised his barbaric voice to that standout. When it comes to ten pieces of silver coins, it is comparable to the cost of one average farmer, that one year's worth of food.

"Leather armor, expensive but not at most one piece of silver coin or something like that?

"Idiot, that's a cheap price for just layering and stitching the skin together. The man's armor is hardened, and he can't compare the effort and defense of making it to the cheap stuff. First of all, they have different statuses as things. And that fine relief. Previously, when I went to the city to buy out, I looked around at all the martial arts and clothing, but I didn't see any decorations that sprinkled so much. It's also well worth it as a work of art"

"I guess it was tailored by a skilled craftsman. Just because you've loaded the money doesn't seem like a substitute for it to be ready to buy.... and Danny, have you noticed? That horse."

"Oh, that was a brilliant horse!

Pan, clap his hand, and Danny reviews Kays' horse.

"With lustrous hairs, a witty face, and horses in line, you can't compare physique! I've never seen a famous horse before, but I guess I'll say that. And that's two heads!

If you ask me, Cronen also recalls. Wouldn't that horse that a man named Kay rode really fall into a pretty good category?

One horse in the village also had a horse for a carriage, but the brown horses were full of strength to compare to it.

"Yes, the horse itself is not a big deal… it's the forehead that those horses wore. Both of them were implanted by Talismans."

"" Talisman?

Danny and Cronen hear it back with a different accent.

"I've only seen it twice for real, too. An exorcism talisman. It's not an edge, it's a real thing with magic. They say they weaken the powers of illusions and demonic men and protect their bearers. How powerful a substitute for even the magic I can feel."

Ho, ho, and Bennett laughs out loud.

In general, human magic increases loosely with each age and begins to grow dramatically from around the past fifties, except in cases of special talent or harsh training like a magician.

With it, perceptions of magic are sharpened, and the older they get, the more acutely people can perceive such 'demonic' things. At the hour of his death, he said that his perception would be brought closer to the Spirits.

Therefore, Bennett, an elderly man with a finger fold in the village of Taaf, had a slight sense of the magic embedded in the Talisman.

"Talisman, huh?"

Cronen laid his hand on his chin and breathed furiously.

- I know it's awesome, but I can't really feel it.

That was Cronen's honest sentiment.

Although Kronen has lived for more than twenty years now, he has never seen a substitute such as "a product with magic". Of course, I understood that such things were valuable, and I knew from what the pedestrians had told me that I needed a lot of money to get my magic props done.

However, it is a story that is too unrelated to me, so it does not come with a sense of its awesomeness.

"... who the hell is that guy?"

The brother, Danny, on the other hand, seemed to take matters seriously.

"Father, I wonder if that man is really precious."

"That's right."

With a floating attitude, Bennett strokes his beard.

"So is armor, but Talisman is not a substitute for getting it as soon as you pile up the money."

"Bringing that to a horse..."

"After all, I can't do it without being in the right place."

"I let the horse have it, but he doesn't have his share."

"Bye. There are four Talismans, thinking that the girl with her (stomach) will have them.... the only thing that the man can wear is something that everyone in this village can play with for a year."

"That's right! Speaking of taking her, she's not the only one!

Danny's companionship, which made his nose rough, collapses nonchalantly.

"That fine, stainless, bright white skin! Long stretched by it, glossy and beautiful blonde! It can't be civilians, that's definitely noble!

Cronen openly sighs each small without changing his expression at the appearance of a little fat man in a state of excitement.

(to the habit of marrying the most beautiful woman in the village...... I also had trouble being a female lover)

Cronen's eyes, looking at his older, separated brother, are cold. Whenever Danny went to the city to buy it, it was an open secret of the village to return with the fragrance of the perfume from the whorehouse. No one can complain because they are not embezzling the village's gold, but selling the produce higher than the market and using the profits that came out of it.

"Hey Dad, are you also noble to the people of the meadows?

Cronen asked Bennett as he supported his body, which was attacked by weakness, so that it could be brought to the spear.

"Oops. Essentially, they're hardened by family. There are chiefs of their families and elders who bind them."

"Well, then, that Kay guy is………."

"I didn't even put a tattoo of my family's tattoo on my face, and the way I named it was strange. First of all, the people of the meadows.... I don't even know why I bothered to dress like a meadow people. Where the hell did he come from?

"He doesn't even know who he is. I was swallowed by the mist on my journey, and when I realized it, I was near" Rock Mountain ". He said he might have been involved in some kind of mysterious phenomenon."

To Kronen, who says so, Bennett turns a frivolous eye. And then I realized that my own son received the words of a suspicious traveler almost intact, and he looked half stunned, and half then gave up.

"... well yeah wow. There's a situation over there that you don't want to be asked about. Well, that's why we're here. This, Danny! Don't you listen to me!

One smiles with a nitanita smile and brings Danny back to reality like he's not here.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dad. I was stuck with it."

"…… ha. Back to the first question, Kronen. You had a spare bunk in your house, didn't you?

"Oh. For once, I should be able to use it at any time."

Kronen nodded small. It's a small room that is almost like a storage unit, but my beautiful wife has been cleaning it every day.

"All right. Then I'll keep that girl in your house."

"What! Dad, we'll have a guest bedroom too! Whatever, you can wake Cynthia up, that'll empty one more sleeping area!

Danny, whose nose was rough again, bit Bennett's words.

"Tomorrow morning will be hard. Let my dear wife (Cynthia) sleep."

Bennett's return against me is unsatisfactory.

"So, Kronen, you have one favor to ask. I want you to keep an eye on that girl."

"……… watch?

Nursing, not watching. Cronen frowned at the discomfort of the words.

"Yes, watch. I don't know if they are... because they were bandits."

Bennett with a serious look also tightens the face of nature, Danny and Cronen.

"Because even a little girl like that can do enough to go around setting the village on fire if she steals her eyes and gets out. Cronen, you'd be strong, and your arms would stand. Even if that girl was a bandit, I'd hold her back if you followed her."

"Of course, you can't beat a little girl like that"

Cronen nodded with a confident smile.

"Mm-hmm. If you're really that energetic in that way, as an actor of the sick, you're not in the first degree……"

Bennett shrugged small, thinking of the face of a girl who looked ill, embraced by Kay's arm.

"Well, yeah, wow. So, you know, a guy like Kay, he invites us, just like his usual visitors. And just in case, don't call Mandel as an escort."

"……… Mandel to us?

Danny looks blatantly disgusted.

"Let's have no choice. More than Mandel, who can stand up in this village? Arm strength, bow handling."

"Well... yes."

Reluctantly, Danny admitted it in such a way, but still seemed dissatisfied and his expression remained blurred. But without looking at such a childish protest, Bennett with a harsh expression just tells the decision.

"Um, that's not what I'm talking about. You guys, don't listen to me get in here. Doing such a thing means that there is a good reason for it. And for that reason, it's better not to get involved. I will welcome you carefully, take care of you without leaving, get what you can and leave as soon as possible. Don't forget that."

"Ooh."

"Okay."

Whatever it was, I snorted heavily at my sons, um, who showed their willingness to understand.

"- Well,"

Bennett stuck a grin on his face as he looked back and pounded his crooked hips.

"We can't keep our guests waiting forever. I thought I'd pick you up and go."

One loving old man slowly walked out to the uninvited guest waiting.