Chapter 38 - Wolf's Village (2)
“But, it’s strangely devoid of people. It's like a horror movie set.”
It was a comment made while walking through the fog-filled village.
In fact, Seo Ah-in, who had said it, was slightly shivering as if looking around was giving her the creeps.
It did look a bit like that.
The empty buildings in the thick fog, where it was hard to see even what was in front, gave off an eerie feeling on their own.
“Come to think of it, wasn't there an old horror movie like that?”
“Pardon?”
“The whole village is steeped in a cult, and the travelers who visit without knowing are killed off one by one-”
Before I could finish, Seo Ah-in, her face pale, clung to me.
The way she was trembling and holding onto one of my arms showed she was more than just scared.
“…Were you this much of a coward?”
“Th-th-that kind of thing! I'm not, very! Scared of! It's just! A little! Cold!”
Ah, is that so.
As I was thinking that, I felt someone else grab my other hand.
It was Ms. Seo Hye-in, who had been walking in the lead.
“…Ms. Seo Hye-in? What is this?”
“Visibility is not properly secured, so this is to prevent us from getting separated. Please do not misunderstand.”
Her voice was dignified, but the arm holding my hand was trembling.
Hmm.
By any chance.
“Are you also scar-”
“I am not.”
“For that, you're too-”
“Did I not say I wasn't.”
“…”
Right.
I’ll just pretend that was the case.
With my arms blockaded by the sisters, I diligently looked around.
The classic movie thing I just mentioned wasn't meant to be anything special, but at least one part of it could actually apply to the current situation.
The part about being ‘into a religion’.
It was also the core theme running through this entire floor.
“Huh?”
And then, Seo Ah-in, who had spotted something in the fog, stopped in her tracks.
A giant wolf statue. And around it, numerous people were prostrated.
It looked like all the villagers had gathered here.
“…This isn't a very pleasant atmosphere.”
Jeong Woo-jin muttered as he slightly lowered his sunglasses.
Hey, you were still wearing those?
“It isn't, right?”
However, I couldn't agree more with what this guy just said.
At least, the ritual happening over there felt much more strongly of something decadent than the reverence one could feel in a typical religious ceremony.
And in the center of that ritual, there was one particularly eye-catching woman.
Well.
If asked, she was undoubtedly a beauty, but there was a swamp-like, sticky unpleasantness that pierced through even that beauty.
A black widow. A man-eating snake. A predator. Malice and cunning.
A woman with an aura that could be described with such words.
And at that moment, the woman's gaze, which had been looking down at the people, shot up.
Caught at the edge of her eyes was me.
“…”
I met her gaze squarely and snorted.
Well, this one probably knew too.
At least, as long as I had some sort of contact with the 'sacrifice', it was inevitable that this woman would sense it.
The two were a little close.
Of course, she wouldn't be able to determine exactly how I was involved with that side.
And for now, that was enough.
“My dear followers. We must end today's ritual here. We have guests.”
As the woman said that and rose, all the villagers who had been prostrating nearby shot up.
Their gaunt eyes and soul-less expressions were even bizarre.
“Welcome. I am Yelena, the Head Priestess of this village.”
“…A pleasure to meet you. My name is Seo Hye-in.”
Seo Hye-in replied in a stiff voice.
The situation might be strange, but her deeply ingrained etiquette seemed to have made the greeting come out as a conditioned reflex.
“By any chance, are you all from the 'outside', not from our world?”
At the series of eye-opening words, Seo Hye-in's expression instantly became serious.
In any case, this person was also a veteran Climber.
Meaning, she could quickly notice that the words that just came out were pointing to the core of the current situation.
“…My answer will depend on what you mean, but it is certain that we have come from a different place.”
“Ah, as I thought! The Wolf God has not abandoned our prayers!”
Yelena, her eyes glistening as she clasped her hands, said in a bright voice.
She had the air of a girl with sincere faith meeting her savior.
“Mr. Kim Gyu-sik, your expression is strange.”
“Yeah. I'm feeling sick.”
In other words, from my perspective, who knew what kind of person she was, it really made me want to throw up.
As I replied to Seo Ah-in, who was tilting her head and asking questions beside me, Yelena continued her sentence with the same atmosphere.
“We are currently facing an unprecedented threat. You must be the apostles sent by the Wolf God to save us!”
“…”
Seo Hye-in's face twitched with a strange expression.
She wanted to clarify that she had never heard a peep about any Wolf God, but she seemed to be barely holding back, fearing it would make the atmosphere strange.
This person, she's surprisingly weak to atmosphere. In this aspect, she's just like her sister.
The way her gaze turned to me as if asking for help was also a carbon copy.
But this time, I just shrugged my shoulders.
And while our side remained silent, the other party continued to speak with an ardent look.
“If you save us, the Wolf God will also bestow a fitting reward! Please grant our earnest request!”
At the word ‘reward’, Seo Hye-in's expression wavered for a moment.
Yes, for someone who didn't know, it was a word that could be tempting. At least for a Climber who climbed the Tower.
Even on the 1st floor, some areas could be conquered through ‘quests’ given by Demi-humans and the ‘rewards’ obtained by clearing them.
She might think it was a similar structure this time as well.
“Please, become our village's guardian warrior!”
Yelena said that and approached Seo Hye-in closely.
As she spoke, some kind of energy was rising from her hand, making it clear that something would happen if they clasped hands.
“Hurry, the Wolf God's covenant!”
Yelena said that and slowly approached Seo Hye-in.
Seeing Seo Hye-in waver, she seemed to want to push the momentum and get her to sign the contract.
Well, Seo Hye-in also seemed to be 고민ing a lot.
She was probably furiously calculating in her head which side would be more beneficial.
Seeing her hesitantly raise her hand in response, it seemed her calculations had concluded that it would be better to agree to this, one way or another.
“Uh…?”
Before that could happen, I wrapped my arm around Seo Hye-in's waist from behind and pulled her back.
I didn't add any other words, but the action clearly conveyed my intention that she should not agree to this.
Yes, whatever else.
I couldn't just let this happen.
“Mr. Kim Gyu-sik…?”
“Stay still.”
As I answered in a low voice, Seo Hye-in wriggled and muttered.
“No, it's not that… you're too, too close…”
“…”
I ignored Seo Hye-in, who was diligently ruining the mood, and stared fixedly at Yelena's face.
It was only for a fleeting moment, but I caught a look of disappointment flash across her face.
That's what I mean.
It might work on others, but not on me.
As I was having a staring contest with her thinking that.
“That covenant, I will accept it!”
Someone grabbed Yelena's hand.
***
One of the rules that has held true, then and now.
Men have a shorter average lifespan than women.
There may be various reasons, but at least Mr. Han Seong-wook in front of me must be a person who proves the results of such statistics with his whole body.
“I will become the guardian warrior! I will protect this village!”
Han Seong-wook said with a slightly flushed face, grabbing and shaking Yelena's hand.
The way he kept looking back at us triumphantly while speaking showed his desire to boast about gaining some sort of advantage over us.
This person probably had his eyes turned by the 'Wolf God's reward' or whatever Yelena had mentioned.
With no one to stop him like me, it was a natural result for him to accept it so readily.
“…Ah, there was another guest.”
Yelena quickly put on a smile again and looked back at Han Seong-wook, who had clasped her hand.
It wasn't Seo Hye-in she was originally aiming for, but she seemed slightly relieved that someone had taken the bait anyway.
And from my perspective, I was also a little relieved.
I had been hoping inside that this uncle would cause some trouble, and to think he would just charge in like this without thinking.
Seeing a rune-like character being engraved on Han Seong-wook's forehead, I felt like a broad smile was about to bloom on my face.
That thing.
It's not as good as you think it is.
“Then, Guardian Warrior. As the leader who will lead the new 'holy war', I will delegate to you the authority to lead other warriors should they come from the outside.”
“What does that mean?”
“From now on, this Wolf's Village will be opened to the outside to accept new warriors, and you will be the foremost among all those warriors.”
“Wait. What do you mean by being opened to the outside?”
Seo Hye-in, who said that, flinched.
A huge pillar of light had suddenly shot up from the center of the village.
It looked anything but ordinary, soaring as if it would pierce through the entire sky.
“That is…?”
“Well, let's get ready to go back.”
I said, stretching beside her.
Well, if this were a game, a cutscene would have played by now with the text 'Check Point!' popping up.
”Ready to go back..?“
“That's a 'passage' connected to the outside of the Tower. You can go in and out directly through it.”
I let out a hollow laugh at the dazed Seo Hye-in and continued.
In other words, it's like a waypoint or a portal.
In the game, it was a function that existed for the player's convenience, but here, it was likely to have a more important meaning.
If the conquest of the 2nd floor progressed and as a result, a passage opened up that anyone could use, the guilds that had been wondering what to do would likely throw themselves at it with gritted teeth.
And with Mr. Han Seong-wook, who had now received the title of Guardian Warrior, at the forefront, everyone would be twisting themselves to carry out what Yelena requested.
“…”
And thinking that it would really happen like that, I could barely hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.
Well.
That was truly a case of killing two birds with one stone.