Chapter 84

"It's been a long time, Roy. You seem to be doing well."

The woman appeared in Roy's hometown, where his former companion Roy lived, without any warning.

Seeing the woman, Roy was bewildered.

She was Astilla, who was supposed to be dead. A reunion with someone he thought he would never see again. However, Roy felt something was off about her.

She appeared just as she had before.

...Despite the fact that it had been over a decade since then.

"Are you alive, Astilla... But, are you really you?"

"What are you talking about, Roy?

It must be me.

Have you forgotten your companion's face? How sad."

He couldn't believe it at first. Recalling that she was a half-elf, a long-lived race, Roy began to accept it, but the feeling of unease remained.

Indeed, it was the face of the woman he knew.

But the aura she exuded was completely different from before.

However, few people knew the location of Roy's hometown. The village of the Lepi, Roy's hometown, was hidden deep in a rugged mountain, a place that no one could reach unless they knew of its existence. The Lepi, who had lived in seclusion for generations, were extremely wary of their village being discovered and rarely allowed outsiders to approach, and even more rarely left the village.

In fact, it wasn't necessary.

They were content with their life in the village.

The Lepi were born with the special ability to communicate with various creatures, such as birds and animals. Using this innate power, they could easily obtain enough food to sustain a large family by borrowing the strength of animals to till the fields and hunt in the forest, even though their lifestyle was simple.

On the other hand, the Lepi encountered various troubles when they left the village.

The Lepi's power could read the thoughts of others if used skillfully.

In the village, where everyone understood each other's hearts, most conflicts were resolved before they began. However, outside the village, it became a source of conflict.

—Having one's heart read unilaterally by another.

For those without such power, it was nothing but a source of fear.

Revealing their power led to persecution of the Lepi.

Moreover, they were targeted by evil people for various reasons.

They had a history of suffering from such persecution.

Therefore, they began to live in remote areas where no one would visit, and made it a rule never to reveal their power to outsiders, and strictly prohibited contact with the outside world except for the minimum necessary trade.

That's why, until Roy, who was particularly curious among the Lepi, said he wanted to see the outside world, no one had left the village for several generations.

Among the Lepi, Roy was also considered an "outsider."

Every time he expressed his desire to see the outside world, he was looked at strangely by his peers and told by the adults to stop such foolishness. His close friendship with Okken, who was called a "weirdo" among humans, might have been influenced by his upbringing in the village.

Despite this, Roy, who had a relatively open-minded attitude among the Lepi, still adhered to the village's rules and only revealed the existence of his hometown to people he truly trusted.

There were only two such people: Okken, with whom he had traveled for a long time, and Astilla.

Roy had repeatedly questioned himself and used birds to send messages to persuade the elders, explaining that it would benefit the village in the future, to obtain permission for their stay.

It was simply because he wanted them to see his hometown, which he considered family.

Therefore, the mere fact that the woman was there was proof that she was Astilla.

At least, that's what Roy thought at the time.

"Right, I'm sorry. I was just surprised. How did you find this place?

In any case, I'm glad you're safe... How about coming to my house?

I want to introduce you to my wife and children."

"──Yes, I would like that.

I'm a bit tired from the long journey, so could I stay the night?"

"Of course, you're welcome."

That day, Roy invited Astilla to his house.

During dinner, Roy again felt a sense of unease about the woman in front of him, and his wife also sensed something was wrong.

—He couldn't read her thoughts.

This had never happened before.

When they were traveling as adventurers, Astilla and Okken never told him everything.

However, Roy could always hear their "inner voices" and understand their characters well.

Despite feeling uncomfortable about not being able to tell them about his own power, Roy always found their inner voices comforting.

He always thought they were trustworthy people.

—But.

Now, he couldn't hear any of her inner voices.

He should have realized what this meant sooner.

The indelible memory of her as an important companion clouded his judgment.

—Something is wrong.

By the time he realized something was amiss the next morning, it was already too late.

"…What do you mean?"

When he noticed, the "Red Stone," the treasure of the Lepi, was missing from the elder's house.

The whole village was in an uproar, and Roy immediately searched for the outsider he had brought in, Astilla.

He soon found her.

"Is something wrong? It's quite noisy."

Then, Roy noticed what she was holding in her hand.

"What are you doing, Astilla!! That's the village's treasure. Give it back!"

"This? But I can't. I came here to take it... I won't give it to anyone."

Roy, who had blamed himself for abandoning Astilla and escaping with Okken in the "Lamenting Labyrinth," interpreted her motive as hatred towards him and knelt before her.

"…Astilla, I understand if you hate me. But the other villagers are not involved…! If you want revenge, take it on me alone!"

"Haha, Roy. What are you talking about? Revenge? I don't hate anyone. In fact, I'm very grateful to you. You told me about the existence of this."

"What…?"

Roy had never told her or Okken about the "Red Stone," a secret of his clan.

But when he visited the elder's house, there might have been a large "Red Stone" there.

At least, that's what it should have been.

—She must have recognized it at first sight.

"As I thought, this is a wonderful thing. I never imagined such a thing existed on the surface. It's really fortunate. The 'Holy Mystra' desires much blood for her resurrection. This will be of great use."

"What are you saying? Astilla, what do you mean…?"

Roy couldn't understand the words of the woman in front of him and asked her again.

But the woman turned and faced away from Roy.

"Then, I'll leave now. I came here only to take this."

"…No!! This is the bloodline and history of our ancestors. We can't let it leave the village. Please, just give it back. I'll be in real trouble if you take it…!!"

It was a heartfelt plea from Roy.

He couldn't bring himself to raise a hand against someone he felt guilty about.

More than anything, he didn't want to hurt his former companion any further.

Roy only wanted to plead.

Please, give it back.

He believed that if he talked to his former companion, she would understand.

That's why he spoke.

He revealed that the "Red Stone," a treasure passed down in their village, was the result of their ancestors' transformation.

He confessed that at the end of their lives, they channeled strong emotions and magic into their bodies, transforming into a special stone with unparalleled brilliance and immense power.

—Without realizing who the person in front of him truly was.

"…So, you mean this is the condensed blood of your clan? And 'one'… Does that mean there are more? That's wonderful news."

The being in front of Roy smiled with a chilling, eerie grin.

It was not the smile of the Astilla he knew.

"…Astilla, I don't understand what you're thinking… If you're targeting someone, make it me alone. I can't give it to you."

"Only you? That would be a waste."

"…What…?"

Seeing Roy standing there in shock, Astilla smiled with pleasure.

"…After hearing your story, I've changed my mind. I will now offer everything here to my master. Yes, that's the best course of action. Roy, you've really done me a great favor."

"…Who are you? Are you really that Astilla?"

"Yes, Roy. I am your and Okken's adventuring companion, Astilla.

And now, I am the loyal servant of 'Holy Mystra.'"

"…A servant…?"

Hearing words that were far from the person he knew, Roy was speechless.

He finally realized that this woman was completely different from the person he knew, except in appearance.

But by the time he realized, it was already too late.

—It was far too late.

"Your clan will serve as the sustenance for Mystra's resurrection. This 'Red Stone' is truly remarkable. I never imagined such a creature existed outside. Perhaps the two thousand years of waiting were not in vain."

"What are you saying… Stop. This is the history of our bloodline. Please… stop."

Facing Roy, who continued to plead, Astilla laughed coldly and with pleasure.

"Your history will not be wasted.

Be honored—it will be put to the best use.

By the way, you have a rather peculiar power, don't you? The ability to 'read the hearts' of those you face."

"…Astilla, how do you know about that?"

He had never told her or Okken.

Looking at Roy's confused face, the woman smiled with an unprecedented joy.

It was a kind of smile Roy had never seen before.

"…I have a good idea. Look forward to it."

With that eerie smile, the woman disappeared.

Roy searched frantically, but she was nowhere to be found.

After that, the hellish days began in the Lepi village.

◇◇◇

"…She's gone again. Aron's children. The two brothers have disappeared together."

"Did you search thoroughly…?"

"…Of course!! I searched!! But I couldn't find them. It's the same as before. Eventually… our children will be taken too."

First, the 'Red Stones' enshrined in the altars of the houses were stolen one by one while the owners were away.

Then, after a brief lull, children in the village began to disappear one after another.

The missing children were never found, no matter how long or where they searched.

—It was clear that an outsider had entered, stolen the stones, and kidnapped the children.

"It's your fault. You broke the clan's rules by inviting such an outsider to the village…!!"

"…I'm sorry… It's really my fault. I'll take responsibility…"

"…Will you promise?"

"Yes, I promise. I'll protect them."

—But, Roy's promise was never fulfilled.

Over the next few months, more than half of the Lepi disappeared.

First, the children began to disappear one by one, then the women went missing.

Next, the young men and youths.

The bodies of the elderly were frequently found in deserted places.

Still, the Lepi did not resist.

Originally, they were a gentle people who did not know how to fight.

No, it wasn't that they didn't know how to fight at all.

They could have easily obtained the power to fight by using their innate ability to communicate with living beings for a different purpose.

But their rules strictly prohibited it.

Using their innate power to 'fight' was their greatest taboo.

—Do not use the power given to you by the heavens to harm others.

The clan's rules strongly warned against it.

They had almost been destroyed once because of it.

So, they followed the teachings of their ancestors and the instructions of the elders, enduring without resistance no matter what happened.

They remained silent even as women and children were kidnapped and men were killed.

They just endured.

As a result, their numbers dwindled.

Without much resistance, they continued to decrease, and the village quickly fell into ruin.

Still, they continued to endure, hoping that this calamity would eventually end.

Roy followed the clan leader's policy, setting traps and warning his companions of the presence of outsiders, but avoided retaliation.

He believed that if they endured, the calamity would eventually pass.

But—

He realized that this was just a wish when his seven-year-old son disappeared one day.

In the middle of farming, Roy noticed that his son was missing and searched the village frantically.

But he couldn't find his son anywhere.

Even after three days, Roy couldn't find his son.

"…It was inevitable. We, who have no power, should not have involved ourselves with outsiders."

Roy's wife, overcome with grief, gradually stopped drinking water.

"…"

After his wife, who wasted away and passed away, Roy left the village without saying a word to anyone.

He knew that this situation was all his doing.

—So, he had to settle this on his own.

For that, he needed more than what he had.

He needed sufficient 'power.'

That's what Roy thought.

So, he decided to break the 'forbidden rule' that his clan had always protected.

He believed it was the only thing he could do.

The greatest taboo of the Lepi, which they were always told not to do.

—The summoning of powerful 'monsters.'

To do this, he went to the mountain in the north where the black dragon lived.

The next day, Roy appeared in the village with a giant dragon at his command.

Seeing this, the elders were enraged and shouted at Roy.

Do not break the rules that our ancestors warned against.

This power will surely bring destruction to the clan.

That's why it must not be used.

Roy understood the meaning of the rules.

So, he cut ties with the Lepi village and asked his fellow clansmen not to follow him, ignoring the elders' attempts to stop him, and flew out of the village on the dragon.

—By breaking the clan's taboo, he literally gained immense 'power' overnight.

He could command a large number of powerful monsters on his own.

He found and destroyed the humans who had attacked the Lepi village.

It was so easy that the outsiders were quickly eliminated.

It was indeed a power that was too strong, as the taboo warned.

But when the young Lepi saw Roy using such power, they all wanted to emulate him.

Someone whispered.

If such power can be obtained—why didn't we do it sooner?

Why didn't you let us do it?

They blamed the clan leader and followed Roy one after another.

In no time, a large