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Amidst the pouring rain, the village chief and his wife had many things to do. While knocking on every door to tell people to evacuate to the monastery, they also had to secure the village's grain storehouse.
They had no time to look after their son, who had been out of his mind lately.
‘Robbie! Your father and I are going up first, so make sure you bring the food sacks your mother packed and come quickly. Understand?’
The chief's wife gave her son strict instructions as she headed up to Wind Rock Monastery to avoid the rain.
However, Robbie hesitated for a long time in front of the sacks his mother had tied. It was because he thought that if he went up to that monastery, he would surely encounter that red-eyed bastard.
‘I don't want to go….’
Robbie, who had been rambling in terror for the past few days, had only just regained his senses. But that didn't mean he had overcome his fear.
To call it a dream, Karl was still missing, and the demon who had made Iris his wife was still roaming about.
But he couldn't not go. If he didn't go up, Robbie's parents would be left to starve in the monastery.
‘Next time I follow Father to Arnsberg, I'll report that bastard.’
No matter how he thought about it, the monks of Wind Rock Monastery were being deceived by that guy. Therefore, he had no choice but to seek the help of higher-ups.
Having decided this, Robbie stepped outside.
Vandel was silent. Since the rain began pouring this morning, most of the villagers had already evacuated to the monastery.
Since the goats, sheep, and even the cows had all been taken up to the monastery, the atmosphere of the village was almost eerie.
“Ugh, scary.”
It was as Robbie was walking with his shoulders hunched.
“Is no one here!”
A shout was heard. Robbie's eyes widened as he looked in that direction.
* * *
“It seems no one is left in the village.”
At the report from one of the Imperial guard knights, Elio clicked his tongue.
He had been pleased for a moment that meeting Archbishop Victor on the road was a stroke of luck, but then a typhoon hit. All the villagers had evacuated to the monastery.
‘I intended to bribe a few people to testify that they saw a demon.’
Prince Elio already knew that Archbishop Victor was frantically investigating after hearing that the current Potato Blight was a plague caused by a demon. This was because Philod, feeling guilty, had confessed everything.
The fact that someone as high as an Archbishop had traveled to a remote corner of the empire's west would also serve as strong evidence for Prince Elio later.
However, he needed someone who could testify that Rahan Norwich had contracted with a demon and caused all these disasters. People around Prince Elio or Philod wouldn't suffice.
More than anything, Prince Elio wanted to bind his sister securely.
Thus, he planned to bribe several villagers in Vandel with gold coins to testify that they 'saw Rahan Norwich summoning a demon.'
‘But the timing is just so off. Tsk. I suppose I have no choice but to push forward with momentum.’
However, it seemed luck was on Prince Elio's side today.
“I found someone who remained and brought him here! He says he is the village chief's son!”
The person the Imperial knight brought was none other than Robbie. Prince Elio's eyes gleamed.
* * *
The monastery in the rain was dark and noisy. In the monastery courtyard, flocks of goats and sheep that had been suddenly dragged in were bleating anxiously, and people were preoccupied with taking care of their families.
Still, since this wasn't the first or second time such a thing had happened, everyone looked for tasks to do with relative familiarity. The women split into two groups; one prepared meals for the people, and the other looked after the children.
The men were busy cleaning the empty halls and rooms of the monastery to create sleeping quarters for the people.
“Hey! Come and get a bowl!”
Of course, Rahan was among them. He didn't go to the hut but helped the busy hands. Since he had nothing particular to do until Iris arrived anyway.
But his mind was complicated. It was because of the conversation he had while drinking tea with Abbot Wilbert.
‘I happened to find out. Is it true that the Demon's Footprint remains on Sir Norwich's soul?’
Rahan, who was about to drink his tea, flinched, and the teacup in his hand hit the saucer with a clink.
Rahan realized a moment later that this was as good as an answer. However, Abbot Wilbert just looked at him silently, waiting for Rahan's direct response.
Rahan conflicted. Should he lie?
But he didn't want to. After taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth.
‘…It is true.’
‘…Then the current plague is….’
‘It was not me.’
Since Rahan also believed Leviathan was the culprit, he wasn't surprised that Abbot Wilbert asked. Thus, even knowing he might not be believed, he had no choice but to answer that way.
But surprisingly, Abbot Wilbert nodded.
‘I understand.’
It was a reaction that flustered even Rahan, who had admitted it. He asked Abbot Wilbert back in bewilderment.
‘Do you… believe me?’
‘Why would a person who admitted to having the Demon's Footprint lie only partially by saying he is not the culprit?’
Abbot Wilbert's smile was serene. Rahan stammered and asked again.
‘Will you… report me?’
Those who contract with demons are excommunicated and then executed. However, Abbot Wilbert shook his head.
‘I wonder. There are many things in the world called the work of demons. Today's typhoon is one such example. But the people of Arnsberg know that this typhoon happens every year. So now, they simply think it is the will of Eridrahan and seek refuge in the monastery.’
‘….’
‘We cannot know all the meanings behind the works of Eridrahan. However, from what I have seen of Sir Norwich, I assume there must have been some circumstances….’
Rahan sat in silence, looking down at his knees. He didn't know how to respond.
Originally, he had intended to tell the stories from the expedition days, but for some reason, a strange feeling prevented him from speaking.
He was a person who always had to prove something, yet had never received trust despite it.
But in Arnsberg, for some reason, it wasn't like that.
He began to pour out his story haltingly. However, Abbot Wilbert, who had been listening silently, cut Rahan off.
‘Unfortunately, as you can see, the monastery is too busy to listen to the entire story. I will hear it later. However….’
‘….’
‘The reason I called Sir Norwich was because there is one thing I wanted to let you know.’
His thoughts ended there.
“Rahan! Sorry, but could you take this to those people? They arrived a bit late and said they came from the seaside village. The rain damage there was severe, so they couldn't bring anything.”
It was Auntie Laura. In the busy monastery, there was no time for Rahan to be spacing out.
“I will.”
Rahan smiled and took two bowls of corn porridge from Laura.
* * *
Akim Norwich was also no exception to the monastery's bustle. He was unexpectedly mobilized to clean the monastery's chapel and guest hall.
Among people struggling to avoid the rain, a sturdy man who looked capable of using strength couldn't just sit around and eat.
‘I need to find Rahan.’
“Honey! Come and eat some corn porridge in a bit. You too, the person from the other village!”
A middle-aged woman shouted from the chapel door. A middle-aged man cleaning the chapel with him responded.
“I got it! Where's Robbie?”
“Oh, I don't know. He's probably somewhere!”
“That wretched brat. I hope he just gets swept away by the typhoon!”
The man raised his fist and shook it. It seemed they were talking about their child. Then, upon making eye contact with Akim, he looked embarrassed.
“No, he's my son, but he keeps blabbing nonsense and is lazy as can be….”
Akim simply nodded. Everywhere, there were parents suffering because of inadequate children.
“By the way, where are you from?”
“I came from the coast.”
Akim recalled the place names mentioned by the people who had mixed in when he entered the monastery earlier and recited them.
The man said, "Ah," and then bragged slightly, "I'm the village chief of Vandel." Akim responded vaguely, "Is that so. You must be going through a lot of trouble."
For Margrave Norwich to use polite speech toward a commoner—the knights of the border would have flipped if they knew.
“Seaside village? There are only thirty people there. Was there such a distinguished person?”
“Ah, I am a traveler, but I happened to evacuate with them.”
“Oh, I see. I thought….”
It was fortunate that he was good at improvising.
“You're very handsome. Your parents must be very proud. Compared to that, my son, oh boy. My heart is bursting. Others his age would have married and had two kids. But he just keeps talking about demons and whatnot.”
“Demons?”
Akim flinched and asked at the sudden mention. To this, the chief waved his hand.
“Oh, no. My kid is just talking nonsense. No, there's a man who happened to marry into our village, and his eyes are bright red like a rabbit's….”
He was talking about Rahan. Strictly speaking, everything from 'into our village' to 'married' was not true, but at some point, it had become an established fact in the chief's head.
“Have you seen him?”
“Ah, yes. I happened to.”
Akim answered cautiously, gauging the reaction. The chief slapped his knee.
“Our villagers were surprised too! As you know, those eyes are a bit… right? But as it turns out, he's a truly genuine person. He even saved our village.”
“…Is that so.”
“But that brat Robbie just drinks alcohol with my money and keeps talking nonsense about something he saw wrong….”
The chief thought his son was ungrateful and a fool compared to Rahan, but he didn't want to excessively praise someone else's son to a complete stranger.
Thus, while the two went to receive their corn porridge, the conversation consisted mostly of lamentations about a son who had grown old but still hadn't come to his senses.
However, it was enough to complicate the mind of Akim, who was worrying about a younger brother he had never even met.
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