Volume 3 Chapter 13 Kou Tenhou And Gen Touri Head To The Jinkyo Tribe's Land Iv
After parting ways with Tougen Shimei, we spent the night in a cave.
During that time, Reki told us about a village that supports the moderates.
The village is near the forest.
Although the Jinkyo Tribe often moves around, the people in that village have built homes and settled down.
It's a village created by those who are relatively weak and can't endure traveling.
Because of that, there are many gentle-natured people... that sort of thing.
"The village is led by a very old lady. Both the young lady and I have been helped by her."
Reki said in front of the campfire.
"The old lady is a fortune teller. She has weak legs and can't walk, but she is still respected among the Jinkyo Tribe."
"A fortune teller?"
"Yes. It seems even the king of the Jinkyo Tribe has come to have his fortune told by her."
Reki nodded.
I straightened my posture and turned to Reki.
"Soukaku-san. Can I ask you something?"
"...Y-yes."
"I heard from one of Zeng Taiga's subordinates that the fortune told for the Jinkyo Tribe says 'Aika Country will perish.' Could it be that the one who made that fortune is..."
"The fortune was done by several people. However, the old lady was one of those who made that fortune."
There are several fortune tellers in the Jinkyo Tribe.
The old lady in the village is one of them.
"The old lady said, 'This result is strange'."
Reki shook his head and said,
"The old lady was the only one among the fortune tellers who disagreed. 'You shouldn't trust this result,' she said. 'It feels like the future is being forced upon us'."
That old woman performed rituals and followed procedures to see the future during her fortune-telling.
Yet, the moment she started the ritual, she could only see the future where 'Aika Country will be destroyed.'
It was fundamentally different from anything before.
It was as if the future was being imposed on her.
──That's what the fortune-telling old lady said.
"She told everyone that they shouldn't trust the future shown by the fortune-telling."
Reki continued to explain.
"The young lady's father believed her words. However, His Royal Highness Zeng and others..."
"Believed the result that 'Aika Country will be destroyed,' right?"
"That's right."
I see. So that's how it is.
The fortune-telling of the Jinkyo Tribe showed the result that 'Aika Country will be destroyed.'
Zeng Taiga and the others believed it.
That's why the hardliners of the Jinkyo Tribe are seriously trying to destroy Aika Country.
But there are also people who have doubts about it... is that it?
"I want to meet that old lady."
I said.
"Can you introduce me when we get to the village?"
"Of course. The old lady is the contacts for the moderates, so we will meet her anyway."
"Touri also... has something she wants to ask about."
Suddenly, Touri said something like that.
"If someone knows the future, I have something I want to inquire about."
"Got it. We'll ask the old lady."
"As for me, please skip the fortune-telling."
"Y-yes. If Rikuho-sama says so..."
I've decided not to believe in fate.
Besides, if they told me, 'Aika Country will be destroyed!' I'd probably lose hope.
If a fortune-teller said, 'You are a reincarnator!' that would be a problem. Right now, I'm acting as a messenger for Suuki. If people think I'm different from regular folks, it might cause issues between Aika Country and the Jinkyo Tribe.
So, I'll meet that old lady as a regular messenger.
The journey was going smoothly.
After passing through the 'River Path,' we reached a grassy highland.
It seems to be a place where the villagers graze their livestock, but... right now, there are only a few sheep.
There are even more sheepdogs watching over the sheep.
I've heard that Zeng Taiga is gathering livestock, grains, and people for the war. It seems to be affecting things here.
The lack of people is probably because of that.
In the distance, I can see someone on a horse, but that's about it.
Reki waves at the person on the horse.
Then, the figure heads back toward the sheep. It looks like they are herding alone.
They probably think we are traveling merchants guided by a child from the Jinkyo Tribe.
"Shuu Rikuho-sama, Gen Touri-sama. We will soon arrive at the village."
Reki calls out to me and Touri.
Soon, we can see a village surrounded by a wooden fence.
There are a few sheep and some old horses around.
On the other side, there are small houses lined up.
That's the village that supports the moderates.
Of course, they don't openly lend a hand.
If they did, they would quickly be attacked and destroyed by Zeng Taiga.
They just secretly pass letters and transport food, it seems.
"It's rare to have a guest. Where do you come from?"
At the entrance of the village, there was a guard.
It was a pair of old men holding spears.
"Is someone from the clan bringing you... from Aika Country? What brings you here?"
"I'm from the Soukaku clan. The people behind me are a couple of merchants from Aika Country."
"I'm Shuu Rikuhou. This is my wife──"
"...Huh!?"
No, Touri.
You don't need to react to the word 'wife,' okay?
If you get embarrassed, they might get suspicious.
I thought she would be used to it since I treated her like my wife during our journey.
But it seems she's still not used to it. She's turning bright red.
...Then maybe I should set it up so it's okay for her to be embarrassed.
For example──
"She is my new wife, Touri."
"────!?"
"We just got married and she seems nervous about living together."
"Y-Yes, that's right!"
Touri nods repeatedly, yes, yes, yes.
"Touri is a newlywed. Touri wants to stay like this forever..."
Alright, she went along with it.
As expected of Touri.
"I'm a merchant apprentice, and my wife is a traveling doctor in training."
I continue with my self-introduction.
"On our honeymoon trip, we have arrived in a foreign land. If you have any requests for goods or medical services, I would be happy to assist you."
"Thank you for your polite greeting."
The old gatekeeper bowed his head.
"It is fortunate to have merchants or those knowledgeable in medicine here. Perhaps you were introduced by someone?"
When asked, I exchanged glances with Reki.
Reki nodded. He wanted to say that this gatekeeper could be trusted.
So──
"I was introduced by a noble girl who possesses an obsidian dagger."
──I conveyed those words to the gatekeeper.
The obsidian dagger was something Suuki had shown us.
It was proof of being from the royal family.
If I said I came by the introduction of the girl who owns it, he should understand its significance.
"...I see."
The old gatekeeper's expression changed.
He looked at Reki's face and nodded as if realizing something.
"You said the person has an obsidian dagger?"
"Yes."
"Where is that person now?"
"She has crossed the indigo river and entered another country. By now, she is likely arranging a meeting with someone upstream."
"Is it going as her and her father's wishes?"
"I would like to inform her father about that."
These were the words we decided on after discussing with Touri and Reki.
'The girl with the obsidian dagger' refers to Suuki Taiga.
And the words "She crossed the indigo river and entered another country" mean that she has entered Aika Country, while "meeting with the person upstream of the river" indicates that she is meeting with a high official of Aika Country.
This is the territory of the Jinkyo Tribe.
There might be members of Zeng Taiga nearby.
So, I thought of a code that only those who know Suuki's situation would understand.
"Thank you for the valuable information."
The gatekeeper bowed to us.
"Who are you hoping to do business with?"
"I would like to meet the oldest person."
"The elder, I see."
"Older people often have health issues. My wife has medical knowledge. By talking, we might be able to help the elder."
"Then, let me check with the elder."
The gatekeeper nodded to his colleague.
The other gatekeeper ran deeper into the village.
We waited for a few minutes.
"The elder would like to meet you. Please, this way."
The other gatekeeper quickly returned and guided us into the village.
After walking for a while, we came to a large house.
We left our bags at the entrance and went inside.
The inside of the house was dim.
A faint flame lit the room.
"The old lady has trouble with her legs and eyes. To avoid straining her eyes, the house is kept dim."
Reki explained.
And then──
"Welcome, dear guests."
In the back of the room, there was an elderly woman with white hair.
She wore a padded garment and had bird feathers in her hair.
She is the Village Head and supports the moderates.
And she is one of the fortune tellers who showed the future where 'Aika Country will perish.'
"Is that you, Reki?"
"Y-yes, Grandma."
The elder easily saw through Reki's disguise.
Well, that makes sense.
Since she can't see, there's no way a disguise would work.
"Can you tell me about the people with you?"
"Yes, Grandma."
Reki bowed to the elder and said,
"This is a merchant from Aika Country, and this is the martial artist's apprentice who helped me and the young lady. We were attacked on our way to Aika Country..."
"...Were you attacked by Zeng's men?"
"Probably, yes."
"The prince is doing foolish things."
The elder sighed.
"Bound by the results of the fortune-telling, causing trouble. No... It was all the fortune tellers saying the same thing that confused the prince. I didn't realize how much the fortune-telling would affect him; that was my mistake..."
"Grandma..."
"The prince... can no longer be saved. He is possessed by martial power. If those around him had guided him correctly, he might have become the king of the continent."
The elder let out a long sigh.
Then she shook her head and said,
"I apologize. First, let me introduce myself to our guests."
She bowed deeply to us.
"I am Eigan Taiga. I am just a humble fortune teller living in this village."
"Nice to meet you. I am Shuu Rikuhou."
"I am Gen Touri, the new wife of the treasure."
Touri and I clasped our hands in front of the elder.
"We have come to deliver a letter from Suuki Taiga-sama. Could you please pass it on to Suuki-sama's father?"
"Of course."
The elder squinted her wrinkled eyes and smiled.
"Suuki and her father are our relatives. Helping them is only natural."
"Thank you very much."
"If possible, I would like Suuki's father to lead our clan. We do not wish for war with Aika Country. However... if my fortune-telling is the cause of the prince's rampage, I must take responsibility."
"Elder-sama."
I realized I was speaking to the elder.
"Please tell me. What future did you see through your fortune-telling?"
Reki had said that the elder's vision of 'Aika Country will perish' was different from normal fortune-telling results.
It felt like the future was being forced upon us.
"As a person from Aika Country, I want to know the future you saw."
"That's fine."
The elder looked at me and Touri and nodded.
"Those who have come this far have the right to know. It may be the ramblings of an old one, but will you listen?"
"Please."
"Touri is also interested."
"...Then, I will tell you."
The elder said this and straightened her posture.
"The future shown by the fortune-telling of the old woman from the Jinkyo Tribe... a terrible sight where that country is devoured by beasts."
With that, the elder of the Jinkyo Tribe slowly began to speak.
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