Chapter 166
After successfully slipping out of the Inn without being discovered, we walked towards the edge of the Village.
We had already gathered information anyway. Now, it was time to head back slowly to the Campsite where the Extermination Squad was gathered. Since there was a Priest there, he might be able to lift the Mind Control that Hanbyeol Shin might have fallen under. I also had the “mirror” they used tucked away. What kind of Magic was cast on it that they were so eager to show it to everyone, like a Hypnosis App? I had many questions.
However, my plan was soon thwarted. That was because numerous Villagers were already positioned near the Boundary Wall.
*Aren't those guys tired?*
Meanwhile, I, who had inadvertently stayed up all night, felt my eyelids heavy. They were even reasonably Armed. Everyone wore light Leather Armor and carried either a spear or a shield. Just by looking at that, I could be sure that the entire Village was in on it.
I muttered, looking at the Villagers surrounding the Boundary Wall.
“Hmm... we'll have to get through them, won't we?”
Of course, it wasn't impossible to get through. Just a little bothersome.
As I'd confirmed earlier, the Villagers' strength was not ordinary.
Perhaps because the Demon Sitri had imbued them with demonic energy, they seemed capable of holding their own against even a seasoned Frontline Adventurer.
But there was a bigger problem than that. It was that they were Common People, not Monsters, nor Lemegeton who intentionally served Demons.
Of course, they were currently serving a Demon, but... from the feeling I got, they weren't doing it of their own free will. They had all fallen victim to the Hypnosis App, serving Half-willingly and Half-unwillingly.
*With their weapons in hand, I can't easily subdue them.*
Incapacitating them with punches or slaps, like before, was out of the question.
It would likely turn into a bloody fight... And I couldn't help but hesitate at that prospect.
Fortunately, my dilemma didn't last long.
That was because Hanbyeol made a suggestion from right behind me. I turned around to see Hanbyeol looking at me with bright, clear eyes. I asked her.
“Are you okay? Wouldn't it be better to just leave and go to the Priest?”
“Hmm, you have a point. But I'm fine. I don't feel anything strange.”
“...Really?”
I observed her carefully for a moment. Perhaps burdened by my Blatant Gaze, she subtly shifted her eyes sideways.
She certainly seemed fine. Both earlier and now, she was speaking rationally. She didn't seem like she would suddenly snap like the Villagers. Still, just in case, I asked a few things.
“You're not hearing strange voices in your head, or suddenly feeling an urge to attack someone, are you?” “What are you talking about? Stop with the weird talk and just make a decision.”
Perhaps my words were absurd, as she replied with a curt voice. I began to ponder for a moment.
It's true... leaving now would be a bit of a shame.
And I wasn't keen on forcing my way through the front. While we had gained something, information was still lacking. I'd heard the Demon's name was Sitri, but everything else was unclear. I didn't know Sitri's appearance, and his location was still vague. If we left now, it would probably be difficult to re-enter the Village. The Villagers' vigilance would only grow stronger.
Therefore, I decided to follow her suggestion.
“Alright, let's look around a bit more.”
It seemed better to at least confirm where the Demon Sitri was before leaving. That way, it would be easier when we returned next time. And so, we began to head back into the Village.
*
The Village being large was an advantage in this situation. It meant there were plenty of Hiding Places. And perhaps because some had left for the City long ago, there were surprisingly many Empty Houses. Thanks to that, we were able to move around the City more easily than expected.
Of course, we had to be extra careful, as someone with exceptionally good Observational Skills, like the Freckled Girl, might appear.
As we wandered, we also encountered a rather awkward scene. While walking down a gloomy Back Alley, I suddenly heard an Erotic Sound.
“Haaah...! Ah, more...!”
“?”
It was a woman's passionate voice. Startled, we immediately looked towards where the sound came from. In the shaded alleyway, where sunlight barely reached, a pair of men and women were coupling. The woman's pleasure-filled smile was clearly visible. That sight was subtly arousing... but there was something even more surprising.
The woman having sex there was actually one of our Extermination Squad members. I didn't remember her name, but I definitely remembered her face. I was sure she had infiltrated with us as part of the same Exploration Team.
*Did she fall for it?*
The guy there seemed to be a Villager, so it looked like that was the case. Even amidst all that, the woman's words continued.
“To be able to do something so pleasurable to my heart's content!” “Will you serve Lord Sitri?” “Yes, yes! Of course, I'll serve him! Not meeting Lord Sitri until now, I've wasted half my life!”
*Hmm...*
I couldn't watch anymore and turned my head. I certainly understood how Sitri managed to have so many people under his command. Hypnotic Sex Evangelism, huh? No wonder they'd fall for it. Fortunately, I've had enough experience to be fine. If I were in a situation where I craved sex just as desperately, I'd probably fall for it too.
“Right, right. So, how many Travelers came with you?”
“Ten! Nine women and, *huff*, one Man!”
“Yes~ Thank you.”
Anyway, that was enough sightseeing. I also saw our information being sold in real-time. I looked at Hanbyeol and said.
“Let's get out of here.”
“Uh, yeah...”
She nodded dazedly and followed, pulled by my hand.
Hanbyeol couldn't take her eyes off the spot until the two men and women were out of sight.
“Ugh, haah...!”
“Deeper inside...”
“Mmm, ugh...”
After that, we heard quite a few moaning sounds. For about 30 minutes, erotic voices could be heard from inside houses or at the corners of alleyways. What's more, men and women were mixed without gender distinction, making the atmosphere very peculiar.
At this point, it was hard to tell if this was a Village or a Giant Brothel. Well, since the Sex Sounds were overflowing, it was good that we could hide our presence.
“...”
“...Hmm.”
It seemed we couldn't avoid the awkwardness between us. Especially since we were walking quietly, and the only sounds we heard were those moans. It was inevitable for men and women to feel awkward with each other in such a situation. What's more, we'd been moving for several hours, and there was no sign of the Demon Sitri.
“Damn it, where the hell is that bastard Sitri?”
Because of that, I muttered somewhat irritably. I was sleepy, bored, and awkward. Hanbyeol, hearing my muttering, replied in a more awkward tone than usual.
“He's probably in the Center...”
It was a rational deduction. We had only been circling the outskirts of the village, conducting our investigation. There were more people moving around in the center than expected, so we didn't dare go in. We'd be immediately discovered if we did.
That's why we had only been looking around the Periphery, but because we saw no trace of him, it was clear he was in the Center. In fact, after wandering a bit more, we managed to secure some good news.
“...So, where can *The One* be seen?” “...You can have an audience at the Village Hall. A gathering will be held in a few days, so you can meet him then.”
That was the information: the Demon was in the Village Hall. I didn't know where the Village Hall was, but given the nature of such a building, it would likely be in the center. And the building would probably be unusually large to accommodate many people.
It was very, very good information. The problem was that we couldn't just storm in right now.
“Ah.”
After hiding for a long time, the darkening sky eventually became visible. Having wandered all day, the day had turned evening quickly.
Perhaps because the light entering my vision decreased, a wave of fatigue suddenly washed over me. Now that I thought about it, I hadn't gotten proper sleep last night, supposedly on guard.
Because of that, I looked at Hanbyeol and said.
“This won't do. Let's go somewhere and rest.”
“Okay.”
She must have been just as tired, as she nodded quickly. So, we found a nearby house and went inside.
It was a moderately shabby, dilapidated house. Perhaps it hadn't been maintained for a long time, as a musty dusty smell wafted up. But right now, that fact was actually a relief. Didn't it mean that people wouldn't likely come in?
“Haaah, I'm tired.”
I just sat down casually on the ground. The Naturalist Lifestyle came in handy at times like this. Because I no longer felt much aversion to such a dirty floor.
“...”
“...”
A brief silence fell immediately after. It happened often. Hanbyeol wasn't very talkative, and I preferred to listen. Moreover, the scenes we had witnessed today were rather embarrassing, so the awkwardness was even stronger. And Hanbyeol's state seemed particularly dazed today.
To be honest... seeing those scenes today, I even imagined Hanbyeol and me in their place. It was an unconscious thought, so I couldn't help it. Lust was just like that.
*Ah, whatever, I'll just sleep.*
Unable to bear the awkwardness, I decided to just get some sleep quickly. Of course, I couldn't just sleep like this. We didn't know when someone might come in.
“To do that, we'd need to stand watch...”
I suggested to Hanbyeol that we take two 2-hour shifts for watch. That's a total of 8 hours, with 4 hours of sleep each. Hanbyeol, who had been staring blankly at me for a moment, then flinched and nodded. After that, she made a suggestion to me first.
“Then, Yor, do you want to sleep first?”
“It doesn't matter to me. Aren't you tired?”
“No, I'm not sleepy right now.”
“In that case...”
I gratefully lay down. Honestly, I was on the verge of collapse. ...However, there was one thing that worried me.
None other than Hanbyeol Shin was the problem.
*She really is okay, right?*
She seemed fine on the surface, but she had looked into the mirror too. There was no telling what she was thinking inside.
*...Ah, whatever, I'll just sleep.*
Of course, I didn't dwell on this thought either. After all, in this situation, there was no one else I could trust but her. Her reason still seemed intact, so if she felt anything strange, she would tell me herself.
“...”
Fortunately, the demon of sleep quickly found me. And so, I fell into a deep sleep.