52

“Who are you people?”

The hunched old woman asked warily.

She held a club in her hand.

Hamel stepped forward and took out his badge, offering it.

“I am a priest of the order.”

“… A priest? Why would a priest be in a place like this…”

The old woman reached out hesitantly toward Hamel’s badge.

When Hamel put it in her hand, she finally nodded vigorously.

“This indeed… it is the mark of the order. Come in for now.”

Only then did the old woman lower her guard and throw the door wide open.

“Then excuse us.”

Hamel brushed the dust from his clothes and entered.

A warm air different from outside filled his lungs and warmed his body.

“Follow me. I’ll show you to the Reception room.”

“Yes.”

The old woman slowly led the way.

Hamel and his companions followed slowly behind her.

Ready to draw their weapons at any moment.

“…”

Hamel exchanged glances with the others.

They all felt the strangeness without speaking.

A lavish mansion suddenly appearing in these mountains.

It was only natural to feel out of place.

They should be on guard, but for now they needed to follow the old woman’s lead and assess the situation.

Their goal was to rescue the man’s family.

“First, warm yourselves.”

The reception room the old woman led them to was much cozier and warmer.

A fire burned quietly in the hearth and the air was filled with the smell of dry wood.

Once everyone had taken a seat, the old woman asked, finally sounding curious.

“So. What brings a priest to a place like this?”

“…”

Hamel stared at her for a moment, then spoke.

“We’re looking for people.”

“…People?”

The old woman’s eyes narrowed and trembled.

She looked as if she were hiding something.

Hamel watched her expression and continued.

“Yes. A man on the edge of the forest asked us. He said his wife and children went into the forest and did not return. Have you seen them?”

The old woman averted her eyes and murmured.

But she exhaled as if resigned and asked cautiously in return.

“…And if I have seen them, what then?”

“We should bring them back,”

“Even if they don’t want that?”

“…?”

Hamel tilted his head in puzzlement.

The old woman continued in a reproachful tone.

“What if the wife and children fled to avoid the man?”

“…”

Hamel could not answer the unexpected question, and the old woman sighed and said,

“I saw them. I have been protecting them. The forester husband becomes like an animal when he drinks and beats people. The wife, unable to bear it, brought her children to me.”

“…Who are you?”

“I am the steward of Lonelybirch, the lord’s villa. The lord and his wife come here in the summer.”

The unexpected tale left Hamel confused.

On reflection, there had been many oddities in the man’s story.

For example, why hadn’t the man gone into the forest himself to look for his family?

Sensing the group’s unease, the old woman sighed and said,

“There is a perceptual-hindering spell on this mansion. Without my permission, even the forester cannot find this place. Though some priest managed to get in easily…”

“Ah.”

Hamel nodded.

That explained why the man had asked for his help.

“First, we must meet them.”

“Yes, do that. Wait and have something to eat.”

The old woman pointed to the wine, bread, and fruit on the table and slowly left the room.

“Phew.”

Hamel relaxed slightly and breathed more slowly.

Although things had gone differently than expected, it wasn’t a bad situation.

At that moment, someone’s stomach growled.

Hamel turned and the others shook their heads at each other.

“Not me.”

“What are you looking at? Not me either.”

“It’s not me either. Mr. Ono, really not you?”

“This kid… even if I say no?”

“…”

Who had spoken that?

Hamel nodded as if he understood.

Now that he thought about it, he was hungry.

It had been a long time since they last ate.

“Help yourselves. Just don’t touch what’s on the table.”

“Alright.”

The group nodded and rummaged through their pockets for food.

They still couldn’t fully trust the old woman.

Each of them took out jerky or dried rations and chewed.

Then Ono casually tossed something to Hamel.

It was a fruit called a winter plum.

“What’s this for?”

“I picked it up just ahead.”

“When did you have time… Phew, I’m fine.”

“Say so if you don’t want it.”

Ono shrugged and passed them to Daniel and Lena as well.

The two, tired of dried rations, accepted the fruit while watching Hamel.

‘…It’s not theft, right.’

After all, there were plums among the fruit laid out on the table.

Hamel swallowed and nodded.

The two bit into the plums.

The ripe plums burst with sweet juice at the first bite and dripped down.

Even watching it made Hamel swallow involuntarily.

‘So they were tired of dried rations.’

Hamel squeezed his eyes shut and shoved jerky into his mouth.

The jerky seemed tougher than usual, as if chewing bark.

After chewing for a long time, Hamel slowly opened his eyes.

An unbelievable sight lay before him.

“…!”

The three who had been eating moments ago had all collapsed.

He quickly checked Rena’s neck, nearest to him.

Her breathing was steady and her heart beat evenly.

She was asleep.

‘We’ve been tricked.’

Hamel drew his sword and sprang to his feet.

Could the fruit have been poisoned?

‘But how did they know and prepare all this in advance…’

Hamel’s thoughts could go no further.

He felt himself tip over and hit his head on the floor.

“…?”

What had happened?

He hadn’t even touched the fruit.

In Hamel’s dizzy ears he heard the crackling of wood.

‘…Ah.’

It had been since he entered the room.

Something in the air had done this to him.

Now that he thought about it, there had been a faint scent in the air.

Perhaps that was why he’d felt unusually drowsy and relaxed.

Hamel gritted his teeth and tried to get up.

As he barely lifted half his body, a familiar voice came from behind.

“Well, there’s still someone twitching. A religious fellow? Or some wannabe knight?”

Muttering that she was fed up, the old woman approached, clicking her tongue.

Then.

Thunk

A dizzying blow struck the back of his neck and Hamel fell to the floor.

In his fading consciousness he heard a faint voice mocking him.

“Whatever it is, coming here of your own accord. How foolish. Heh heh.”

That was Hamel’s last memory.

“…Ugh”

Hamel opened his eyes to a pounding headache.

It was dark around him, but not so dark that he couldn’t make out shapes.

The first thing he saw was iron bars.

And handcuffs on his wrists and shackles on his ankles.

‘Handcuffs?’

Hamel, still groggy, snapped awake.

‘Am I still alive?’

Coming to, he was startled once more to be alive and hurriedly looked around.

Inside the iron bars, Hamel and his comrades were bound together.

The others still seemed asleep, unconscious.

Hamel gritted his teeth and strained to free the cuffs.

Creak

Drops of blood welled at his cuffed wrists, but to no avail.

His body felt strangely weak.

He felt a mess inside.

The mana in his body ran rampant.

‘Poison, huh.’

Hamel frowned.

If the sleep and weakness were due to poisoning, it made sense.

With his sword taken, there was nothing he could do.

“…We made a mistake.”

Hamel muttered softly.

“Hey there… are you awake?”

A boy’s voice came from beyond the partition.

The trembling voice was cautious and frightened.

Hamel answered in an even tone.

“Yes. I just woke up.”

“Ah!”

The boy seemed surprised that Hamel had replied.

Then his tone suddenly brightened.

“I saw you being dragged down by that witch earlier. I’m glad you’re unharmed.”

That he had watched them be trapped here meant he had been imprisoned here earlier.

Hamel easily guessed the boy’s identity.

“So it’s you. The forester’s son.”

“Huh? How did you know that?”

The boy asked back, startled.

Hamel replied quickly.

“Your father asked me to come fetch you. Where are your mother and siblings?”

“My father?”

The boy brightened for a moment, then suddenly sniffled and said,

“My sibling… the witch has them. And my mother…”

He couldn’t continue for some time.

After swallowing several times, the boy stammered on.

“My mother is here beside me… but she’s turned into a tree.”

“…A tree?”

“Yes… at first buds sprouted from her head, then her skin started to become like bark… now she doesn’t move at all.”

Hamel fell silent at the shocking story.

The boy wiped his tears as if remembering something and hurriedly added,

“Please, never eat what the witch gives! My mother ate it and changed.”

Food.

Hamel suddenly perked up as an idea struck him.

He quickly checked his companions again.

“…”

As he expected.

Small buds had sprouted from the heads of his companions.

Hamel finally realized what they had encountered.

He had read about it in a book once.

A blood-drinking flower that parasitizes human bodies and expands its influence.

An advanced demon: Carnosa Vinea.

But there were puzzling points.

Why had the plums his companions ate—and why was there no lingering trace of magi in this mansion?

How had the old woman concealed her identity?

Regardless, identifying the enemy was a great help for now.

“Thank you. Thanks to you I know who we’re dealing with.”

“Huh? Oh.”

The boy, as if surprised to be thanked, replied dazedly.

A short silence passed between them.

After a moment of thought, Hamel, unusually hesitant, asked,

“Are you all right?”

“Me? I…”

The boy smiled awkwardly and answered.

“I’m fine for now.”

“‘For now’?”

“…”

After a moment of silence, the boy spoke with a trembling voice.

“The witch says that if I don’t eat the fruit today she’ll feed it to my sibling.”

The boy inhaled sharply, then

murmured as if steeling himself.

“I have to eat it now. I was waiting to warn you when you woke up.”

Beyond the wall, the clatter of dishes was heard.

Hamel urgently stopped him.

“Wait a moment.”

“…Yes?”

“I have a way.”

The boy did not answer for a long moment.

Then the trembling voice came again.

A faint hope laced his choked voice.

“Is it… really?”

“It won’t be easy, but it’s worth trying.”

Hamel hesitated a little, but then spoke with certainty.