“What will you do now?”
“He said the old man dispatched his disciple to this village. First, we gather intelligence and then rendezvous. One extra person doesn’t equate to one extra person’s worth of work.”
Semi, watching the hunched back of the chieftain, spoke up.
“But you never even asked where he is.”
Jo gave a half-hearted answer to Semi’s question.
“That… we’ll know once we wait a bit.”
He strode into the market, where a merchant—displaying no wares—glared at him with thinly veiled annoyance.
“Why’re you here?”
“I came to resolve a problem.”
“Problem? What problem? That half-baked kid running around? Or the children disappearing? I’m not sure which, but at least stop that young fellow firing arrows everywhere. That’s the biggest issue here.”
Jo betrayed no reaction to the merchant’s hostility. Encouraged by his silence, the merchant pressed on.
“But do you really think you can fix it? That young man’s new—he said he’s troubled by the sick, poking at wounds and whatnot. You planning to do the same?”
“If it’s necessary work, I will. But I won’t unsettle the village more than necessary.”
The merchant regarded him with suspicion.
“Fine. I’ve told that kid everything already. If you want more, pay for it first. It’s volatile enough—outsiders meddling never ends well. Even including you lot. So-called balance and all that.”
He quickened his pace and pushed harder.
“What’s wrong with catching a villain, killing him, and driving him out? Leaving them inside town is the real problem.”
“Maybe you’re right. Once you cross the line, the next time is easier.”
“Yeah, yeah. Enough. People need a foundation and something to look up to—take our late chieftain, for example. He was one of those busybodies like you once.”
“That’s also necessary work—as long as it’s done in moderation, it’s good.”
“All right, enough grandstanding. About that young lady…”
The merchant glanced toward the distant sound of rushing water.
“Ah, seems to be her. Do I really have to go look?”
“Not that I must go myself.”
Semi nodded at the merchant’s gesture and turned toward the commotion.
The merchant observed them with a short, amused laugh before addressing Jo again.
“You handle children rough, don’t you?”
“She’s self-reliant. More importantly, aren’t you selling anything? We need supplies.”
Rather than speak, the merchant opened his slim bundle and revealed its emptiness.
“As you see, no customers—and no goods.”
“Tough times. Has everyone gone stingy?”
“Who’d be stupid enough to buy wares when they’re dying? People like us sell because we need to eat. Lately, too many outsiders dumped supplies here. At first, street urchins swiped them. Then even they stopped—afraid the same fate might be theirs. Now they’ve vanished entirely.”
The merchant set down the bundle and continued.
“Still, if you need tools, I can carve or cut something. Need a stake?”
“Getting here was tough without markers. We need pointed stakes to plant in the ground and guide our path. I could manage alone, but the girl can’t handle long detours.”
“Stakes, huh? I know a carpenter with no customers—ask him. Though if you two stick together, won’t you need gear for the girl too?”
“True enough. We can’t be inseparable—could we have an extra stake?”
“Sure. Simple shape, quick to make. Still, it’ll take some time.”
Erael shook his head at the merchant, signaling the matter was settled.
The merchant hoisted his empty bundle and disappeared beyond the village gates.
Erael stepped toward the source of the commotion where Semi had gone.
The uproar had clustered around a small building but still continued.
“No, I’m telling you it wasn’t me!”
“But you were seen slipping from your bed last night and moving a dead child’s body. What’s your explanation?”
The clamor was unmistakable, rising and falling but never stopping.
“It was necessary! She was already dead. Why’s it strange to clear away a corpse? I just removed a discarded body.”
“In ordinary times, that logic holds. But now it’s odd—yes, it’s strange.”
The young man raised his hands in exasperation at the woman’s calm rebuttal.
“Honestly, you’re making a mountain out of nothing. You’re not from here, nor a saint. I’m not doing some weird ritual with the body. Why cling so hard? Do you think I’m the culprit?”
The woman stepped back, shaking her head.
“No. We suspect an outsider in the children’s disappearances. We haven’t caught them yet but we’re working on it. Your cooperation matters. Why did you take the body?”
The young man, sensing victory, pressed his advantage.
“Find the culprit, then ask me! If you think I’m meddling, I’ll toss you out! I’ll let this slide once—watch yourself!”
He turned and stormed down the alley, water dripping in his wake.
“Huh. Calmer than I thought. I expected a punch.”
“I believe his reason for taking the corpse wasn’t ill-intentioned. The blood scent was faint.”
The woman looked at Erael and inclined her head.
“Right? I learned to classify people from my mentor, but I’m not yet fully confident. I used extreme measures—if the kid hadn’t helped, one punch wouldn’t suffice.”
Erael let out a wordless laugh; the woman managed a wry smile.
“I consider the children like kin.”
“So many have died, they’d overlook another. He probably thought the body might be eaten.”
“These are dark times. We need to solve this quickly. But one thing bothers me.”
“Why send a child alone in a village where kids are dying?”
Erael was reprimanded before he could answer.
“You said you’d help me? So I should help you?”
“That’s what the old man said. Right?”
“Yes. He told you to fix the chieftain’s problems, and us to solve the missing children.”
The woman gave a rueful smile.
“Fix the chieftain’s problems? Cheer him to be less soft?”
“We don’t know. You know the old man best here, and he knows you best there. He must have had purpose. Before overthinking, let’s sort the facts.”
The woman took a sip of water then spoke.
“In conclusion, this seems the work of a single vampire. Pureblood, not a hybrid.”
“As I expected. The blood scent was strong.”
Semi tilted her head. Since when had she sensed blood?
“The boy looks puzzled. I guess I never explained.”
“When you entered, you frowned—I assumed you smelled it. Now lower your hand.”
The woman began her account for Semi’s sake.
“I should start from my arrival here.”
It was night when I reached the village. Rumor said incidents occurred nightly, so I scouted the alleys to verify.
I found a corpse almost immediately. The way it was torn and mangled matched a vampire’s work.
They live long and often thirst for blood. While stronger blood doesn’t always mean more ferocity, age often intensifies it.
Then I spoke with the chieftain and villagers and observed their routines.
No one showed vampiric traits or emitted strong blood scent.
A day passed and night returned—this time the blood scent was overwhelming, and another incident occurred.
Only then did I realize it wasn’t corpse odor but fresh blood I’d detected.
My initial approach was flawed. I’d been distinguishing Sandbeast and Burdenbeast blood in a blood-soaked setting.
I was too weak to chase a vampire, so I ambushed in an alley where it might flee. I spotted it, shouted to wake everyone, and hurled a flask of oil.
“So that was why you hesitated.”
“Throwing oil, lighting fires—anything to stop it.”
“You two have substance to your talk.”
From Semi’s perspective, Jo already knew most of this.
He failed to capture it, so the incidents persisted until now, but something still feels missing.”
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