Hunter’s Blade

C18 – Rumors

The country banquet featuring Duren Village’s specialties commenced without delay.

Shire had witnessed similar scenes in his youth. The banquet was an integral part of Lorman’s culture. During every spring festival, the villagers would become busy, offering sacrifices to gods like God Edwar, the agriculture deity Anjeri, and the rain God Juvia. They prayed for a year of favorable weather, and most of the time, it proved effective. However, there were occasions when the gods would punish the people for their reckless actions, resulting in scarce rainfall throughout the year. In such situations, the priest would appear, and the people’s transgressions would be… The subsequent year’s ritual would be even more opulent, an attempt to appease the gods’ wrath.

Seated on a hard bench, Shire surrounded the table with men from neighboring villages. The wives of these men moved busily around the courtyard, washing vegetables, tending to animals, and preparing abundant meals. A delightful aroma wafted through the air, tempting Shire’s taste buds.

Wild dogs and cats roamed the yard, observing from a distance but too fearful to venture closer. Normally, they would linger around people’s feet, awaiting the opportunity to scavenge bones and food scraps. However, at this moment, they seemed intimidated, hesitant to take a single step forward.

Magnon grasped a bottle of red wine, removed the cork with a deft motion, and proceeded to pour a cup for Shire and the other villagers.

“To the hero!” He picked up the cup and drank it all.

“Oh, oh!”

“That’s great!”

The atmosphere was joyous, and Shire also lifted his cup and savored the appetizer. The villagers engaged in lively conversations about the weather, war, and monsters. While Shire wasn’t shy, he was reserved and didn’t talk much. Rambling was something he wasn’t accustomed to.

The food was exceptional. A woman with a robust figure presented a sizeable country roast chicken to Shire, the chicken’s skin perfectly bald, coated with a layer of tangy-sweet jam from the base to the neck. Shire picked it up, feeling the heat, but his hunger overruled any concern. He took a hearty bite.

Spices were expensive, beyond the reach of the poor, so they used jam as a substitute for seasoning meat. The result was remarkable. Shire relished the succulent and tender chicken meat, the skin crispy, and the entire chicken infused with delectable berry jam, creating an impeccable taste.

These chickens must have been active, exercising and eating heartily every day, as their meat was chewy and satisfyingly thick. It was a true blessing to savor such a generously sized chicken. Shire ate with gusto, the chicken drumstick tender and the chicken wing bursting with flavor, the oil roasted to perfection. The villagers gazed at Shire’s appetite, awestruck. They received only small pieces of chicken, while he relished the entire feast, earning envious glances.

Midway through the roast chicken, the women brought a large bowl of mushroom soup for Shire. The soup was rich and filled with generous slices of plump mushrooms, topped with coriander and onion shreds. The enticing aroma reached Shire even from a distance, and he continued eating. After all, it had been a long time since he had a proper meal.

Sipping the soup, Shire answered Magnon’s inquiry, “I’m headed to the next destination. Staying here for the night sounds like a good idea.”

“Stay for the night!”

“Have a good rest for a few days.” The villagers enthusiastically encouraged him.

“No need.” Shire simply refused, “I want to go to Gray Tree Hall.”

“Uh…” Everyone looked at each other.

The atmosphere quickly changed, making Shire feel strange. He put down the bowl of soup and wiped his mouth.

“What happened to Gray Tree Hall?” He asked.

“Something big has happened…” Magnon said uneasily, “Sir, we can’t go to Gray Tree Hall now.”

“Why?” Shire was confused.

“It’s a demon!” Magnon whispered, his voice filled with fear. As he mentioned the word “demon,” he quickly pointed to the sky, seeking the protection of the Gods to shield him from harm by the malevolent spirit.

“A demon?” Shire became alert, his gaze turning cold. “Tell me everything you know.”

“In the Hunter Palace of Gray Tree Hall, a ‘creature’ emerged.” Magnon’s terror was evident. “It possesses incredible strength and is impervious to weapons. It kills indiscriminately, preying on cows and sheep. Anyone who ventures alone outside meets their doom by its hands. It’s utterly terrifying, sir. You should avoid drawing attention to yourself in Duolun.”

“Yeah, quite a number of people have been killed.”

“No one dares to leave the village now,” Wang Yao said.

“It is not safe to stay in the village. The devil can easily kill an army.”

“The Lord has sent double the sentries in the castle.” Everyone was talking at the same time.

A demon was attacking the countryside.

“How could this be…” Shire frowned.

He knew they had captured a demon in the Hunter Palace, but he had no idea of its identity or strength.

If the escaped demon was on the same level as the Blade Devil, then Gray Tree Hall would be in grave peril. Shire’s heart tightened at the thought.

“Impossible!” Gradiu was flustered and annoyed. “I am the Devil God! Do you think your insignificant little church can contain a Lord on the same level as me? It’s an insult to hell. Correct your way of thinking.”

Ignoring Gradiu’s complaints, Shire explained to Magnon.

“Regardless of the dangers that await outside, I have a compelling reason to go to Gray Tree Hall. I apologize,” Shire affirmed.

“That’s true, it’s what you must do,” Magnon nodded vigorously. “You possess strength and composure, which will help you confront the demons.”

“But under no circumstances should you confront the demons! Facing them will either cost you your life or your sanity!” an old man cautioned Shire with fear in his voice.

“Yes, indeed, Master. I will obtain a horse in town and find a way to enter the city as soon as possible. I won’t linger outside the city walls,” Shire reassured them.

Shire held the wine cup and contemplated how to deal with the devil. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a young child standing in the courtyard, staring at him.

“Who is he?” Shire asked.

Magnon glanced at the young man.

“Lordan. Duolun’s Lordan, come here quickly, my boy,” Magnon beckoned.

“I’m not a boy. I’m already an adult,” Lordan retorted as he walked to the table. He appeared to be around the same age as Shire, perhaps just a year younger. His distinguishing features included red hair, blue eyes, a short nose, thick eyebrows, and a broad forehead, which was believed to indicate intelligence.

“Why are you staring at me?” Shire picked up a bottle of wine and poured himself a drink, savoring its rich taste. The first sip was unpleasant, but it quickly grew addictive.

“You snatched my job,” Lordan mustered his courage and said, “I had planned to slay that troll myself.”

“The sooner you defeat that river giant demon, the sooner you’ll find peace,” Shire replied casually. “You seem quite courageous.”

“He’s a vagabond,” Magnon explained. “Poor Lordan. He tends to his sheep in the village.”

“He’s got some wild thoughts, Lord Braveheart,” the other villagers chimed in.

“He is a reliable shepherd”

“He himself would use tree branches as swords to draw randomly”

Deep in thought, Shire was the sole inhabitant of Hunter Palace. He needed followers and assistants, and he saw potential in young Lordan as a potential adventurer. With only himself remaining, rebuilding the Hunter Organization seemed like an achievable task.

“Why don’t you join me?” Shire proposed, “We can undertake missions together. You’ll have a chance to face a monster akin to a Giant Demon.”

Lordan nodded excitedly.

“Okay! I want to be someone like you!”

Shire couldn’t help but find it amusing, wondering if he was now seen as a role model by others. Regardless, being a role model was a positive thing.

“Why?” Shire inquired, “It’s highly dangerous. You know how powerful Giant Demons are.”

Unfazed by the danger, Lordan patted his chest, saying, “I fear no danger. I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth and be your loyal servant.”

After dinner, the villagers presented Shire with a generous offering of food, including smoked dried meat, hard cheese, bread, and more. They wrapped it tightly in linen and handed it over to Shire. Placing the provisions into his backpack, Shire noticed a considerable increase in weight.

“This is the only thing we can do.” Magnon said earnestly.

“Let’s go. I know the way!” Lordan was eager to give it a try.

The young Lordan led Shire out of Duren Village, heading north along the way.

They reached a crossroad where signs pointed in multiple directions. Shire noticed the words “Pea Mill” on one of the signs, a place where the eight Devil Hunters gathered and decided to embark on the mission to hunt down the Bladed Demons.

The events of that day made him feel like he had been cut off from the rest of the world.

“Who taught you how to fight? Killing that Giant Demon was incredible! In the past, some arrogant mercenaries came to the village with exceptional skills, but they were all killed by the troll,” Lordan inquired.

Shire felt that there was no need to hide anything from this child.

“Devil Hunter, it’s the Devil Hunter that taught me the skill.”

“Ah?” Lordan was taken aback and asked, “Demon… Devil Hunter? Are you a Devil Hunter?”

“Yes,” Shire said, gently stroking the words “Pea Mill” on the sign. Memories of that night when the eight Devil Hunters pledged to fight the devils to the death flooded his heart. “We vowed to give everything we have to combat the devils. We’ll go to Gray Tree Hall and take control of Hunter Palace.”

Lordan widened his eyes. His eyes were filled with fear.

“Then… we will fight the devils?”

“Yes. Don’t be afraid, the Evil Demons aren’t…”

Lordan was stunned and quickly recoiled, as if he had been shocked. He ran back to the village without looking back, taking three steps at a time. Panic-stricken, he nearly stumbled, as if trying to avoid a plague. Upon reaching the entrance, Lordan spoke hurriedly and pointed in Shire’s direction, shouting something loudly. In no time, the villagers rushed to drag him indoors, clearly fearful and not daring to stay outside any longer.

Suddenly, the entire Duren Village fell into an eerie silence, as if it had been deserted.

Shire stood there blankly for a while.

Gradiu proclaimed with pride, “See, no one wants to join you. You’re just a group of disgraced scoundrels. We devils are too formidable! Who dares to hunt us? Despite that, you still want to be a Devil Hunter?”

“… Because of this.” Shire said quietly, “That’s why I want to be a Devil Hunter with all my heart.”