Volume 3 Chapter 3-2 The Village of the Dead
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”The Grace Knights worship the Goddess of Fertility Belzea with crazy devotion, and if you eat anything but wall barley, they’ll come to purge you.”
”What awful bastards! Just bread with no side dishes? No way!”
”I could never live only eating barley forever, that’s just too much for me.”
”Good news for you, the Grace Knights disbanded over a hundred years ago.”
I thought they were enemies I had to take down, even more than some random demon lord, but looks like they vanished ages ago.
They probably got what they deserved──hopefully not some sick fate like killing themselves off by eating bad food though?
Now that I know, they’re just poor victims. Killing them was way too messed up.
”Yeah, I guess it’s better to bury them in a grave.”
I don’t know the funeral customs here, but leaving them like this isn’t right. We should bury them.
If I get the 3 Antfolk girls to help, it won’t take long.
”You gonna say some prayers for ’em?”
Suddenly a woman’s voice came from behind me.
I almost screamed, thinking the corpse was talking.
When I turned, it was a dark-skinned girl dressed like a thief.
Her short curly hair was dark red like blood, and her wild beast-like green eyes glared at me carefully.
”I’m Io, grave robber.”
Being a grave robber is a thief job, so it makes sense she’d have stealth skills.
I thought I was pretty good at searching skills, but I’m only level 4, so it makes sense I got sneaked up on.
If she was an enemy, I’d be dead right now from a surprise critical hit.
”I want you to say some prayers for these poor souls. I’ll pay, so don’t sweat it.”
It felt weird hearing a grave robber talk about honoring the dead.
Well, actually, the job is more about exploring ruins, not just digging up other people’s graves.
Also, in this world, normal graves are just monuments, not where bodies really rest.
”I was gonna bury them anyway. But if you’re offering money, I’m not saying no.”
It’s fine if you want to volunteer, but taking the money means she can finally join the funeral too.
I had a feeling about it.
”Thanks. Is a thousand gold per person okay? Here, I’ll pay you upfront.”
I take the leather pouch from Io.
It’s heavy and filled with coins.
”There are 511 people, including the babies. I prepared 52 coins.”
520,000 gold is a lot of money, but for 511 people!
Even if I do a hundred a day, it’ll take more than 5 days.
But, well, I guess I have to do it.
”For a burial of this scale, how about asking the Goddess of Purification?”
Ms. Nina says it so casually.
I’m not some high priest or anything… oh, right, I feel like there’s a helpful Servant of God nearby.
The Goddess of Purification Keras.
She governs decay and purification, and has Servants like flies and Ms. Lime.
She’s one of the old gods. She was once considered the queen of the dead, but since there are so many other death gods, now she’s just the God of Purification.
Through Ms. Lime, we actually received an oracle from Sir Keras.
We follow the instructions and hurry out of the village.
The village, bathed in the setting sun, looks beautiful as if the tragedy never happened.
I don’t know any funeral rites or rituals, but I just clasp my hands and pray silently for the souls of 5 hundred and 11 strangers.
Then, pillars of light rise from all over the village towards the sky, and something keeps ascending one after another.
The ruins are gradually engulfed in a mist of light and disappear into dust.
After everything is over, only the crumbling stone walls of the village remain.
”Thank you, now everyone can rest in peace.”
When I turn around, Io’s figure is already gone.
Did she use some stealth skill, or was she a real ghost after all?
But, well, the bag of coins was left behind, so I’ll take it.
I was curious about the price for such a flashy miracle, but it seems it was also beneficial for the Goddess of Purification, and according to Ms. Lime, there might even be a reward for me.
Night fell, and I had to camp out in the middle of the swamp.
It’s right after such a big purification; ghosts and evil spirits shouldn’t come around, I bet.
After that, I spent a few days exploring and found out there’s no way through the swamp to get to Toyata village.
The surface is covered with marsh plants, so you can’t tell just by looking, but there’s a soft mud where an old river used to be, completely blocking the way.
Turns out, I can’t walk to the other side unless I cross the bridge on the main road.
I decided to go back to the capital and start the journey over.
I must have taken a wrong turn at the junction that leads to the inn town.
The path along the canal is clearly the one to take, but it’s narrow and not well-maintained.
Normally, I wouldn’t make a mistake like that, but it must be the twilight’s fault.
After spending the night at the inn town, I got back on the main road and crossed a small bridge over the wetlands.
That little bridge, barely 20 meters long, showed me just how important it is.
I laughed at how easily I arrived in Toyata village without a hitch.
Traveling in this world, it’s crystal clear that sticking to the main road is way more comfortable.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply