Volume 2 Chapter 8 Chase, and Then We Flee
The storehouse was locked, but I had no trouble picking the lock.
Belle gave me the side-eye, saying, "So, you're a thief instead of an enchanter?" but I didn't care.
The door was heavy and difficult to open, but it was no match for me, wielding the 〈Magic Stone of Powerful Arms〉.
We had to search the house quickly, since we didn't know when the residents might return.
"Well, well..."
What awaited us after opening the door was──the blatantly suspicious altar we had seen around the village.
I thought they'd at least try to hide it a little better.
"Lene, are you sure?"
"Yes, it's an altar for offering power to the Evil God Abnella. There's no mistake."
Leaving aside why Lene knows about such things, the Evil God Abnella is a god who rules over monsters.
Could this be the cause of the monsters' increased activity?
Either way, we couldn't leave it like this, so I carefully borrowed the golden Orb and had Minori slice the pedestal to pieces.
"Yep, that should have eliminated the source of the Magic Power."
"Anything else?"
"Nope. All good."
It seems the Magic Power Suzu sensed was definitely coming from this altar.
Then, the mission in Cattle Village is complete.
However, there are still a lot of things that bother me.
Why was this village worshiping the Evil God?
The fact that there was an altar of a dark religion means there was a connection to a Dark Mage.
"This calls for a consultation with His Excellency Duke Hoffman."
If it's a problem in Marquis Reichner's territory, we should probably tell Marquis Reichner, but this is Marquis Strauss territory.
Since the territories are different, there's no way to petition Marquis Strauss.
In that case, it would be best to consult with a prominent figure in the country.
"What in the world are you doing there!"
"...Huh?"
Suddenly, a voice from outside the warehouse made us turn around, and the village head was glaring at us with a terrifying expression.
I had dispelled my invisibility magic to conserve magic power, so our forms were completely visible.
My bad.
Still, there's no point in panicking now.
Should I press him?
"...Village head? What's that altar doing here? I felt the power of the Evil God Abnella, but do you even understand what it means to worship an Evil God?"
Worshipping an Evil God is a serious crime in any country.
Even a baby would know that.
It's the same even if you were unknowingly involved.
"Shut up! We wouldn't get Sedum's Fruit without that altar! What have you done!"
The village head didn't flinch at all at my questioning and just started throwing accusations at us.
So, he knew it was an evil cult's altar.
"...So, the fruit and this altar were connected after all. But judging by your tone, it sounds like you're close to being addicted. Good thing you didn't eat it, Belle."
"Eep!"
Realizing how close she was to danger, Belle let out a short scream from the back of her throat.
If she'd eaten it, we wouldn't have asked Sartzstadt for help, and we wouldn't have found this evil cult's altar.
Good job.
"Alright, village head. Who's that Dark Mage lurking behind you? Given that there's an altar for a cult, it stands to reason that the Dark Mage is involved. I'll have you spill the beans right now!"
The village head spun on his heel and sprinted towards the heart of the village.
Wow, he's a strong runner, even though he's quite old.
"Now's not the time to be impressed. He's probably gone to gather reinforcements. We need to get out of the village. Lene, I'm counting on you to keep us hidden."
"Yes, sir!"
After Lene cast her Spirit magic on us, we left the storeroom and made our way to the village exit, only to be ambushed by villagers armed with farming tools as expected.
Even with our invisibility spell, if we're spotted by that crowd, we're in for a world of hurt.
"What do we do, Big Bro Ryuuji? I could chop a path through with a hoe or something."
"No, losing our weapons might dampen our fighting spirit. It's like becoming dependent on drugs, isn't it?"
I cut Minori's suggestion short.
We've seen villages where people became drug-dependent during our travels with 'Teacher,' and let's just say, controlling emotions doesn't always work.
We've seen people get beaten up and come back laughing, and that's a terrifying sight.
"Belle, do you know any back ways out? We should check those out too."
"Oh, right, this way!"
With Belle leading the way, we decided to take the back route.
Here's hoping it's less guarded.
* * *
(Third Person's Perspective)
From the back alleys of the village to the eastern forest, a shadow watched Ryuuji and his group from atop a large tree.
"Good grief, they've completely ruined the altar I set up in the village. They're utterly reckless."
The woman with fiery red long hair murmured, looking a bit bored, as she rearranged her legs, exposing her somewhat chilly skin in clothes that seemed more suited for autumn.
Her striking eyes were fixed on one person in the group──an elf Alchemist.
"The eastern forest has become strong enough, but letting you go just like that doesn't sit right with me. How about we have a little fun? Yes, yes, let's do that."
With a spark of inspiration, she toyed with the golden needle in her hand and murmured.
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