Chapter 242 – 236 Ouling, the Village on the Bridge
Cedar, who lifted his chin slightly as if asking for a kiss and accepted Hwanin’s aura, smiled faintly at Hwanin.
“This energy is so…… Nice It feels as cozy and warm as when I was in my mother’s arms when I was a child.”
“Is that so.”
From the calm Hwanin’s attitude, Cedar’s faith was born for no reason. It is the belief that no matter what happens, he will be able to trust and rely on. Cedar, whose faith was further strengthened by the existing grace added to it, quietly bowed.
“… Thank you, Spirit Master. I was able to let go of my lingering feelings thanks to the spirit master.”
When I first saw him, Cedar, who had created a sad and sorrowful atmosphere with his facial expressions and gestures, was now relaxed and blurred as if he had been half liberated.
He was seen a lot with sexual misfortune. The appearance of the souls who conveyed the words they could not leave in their lives to his family, right before they resolved their lingering feelings and attained Buddhahood.
‘The last time she spent with her son must have relieved her resentment.’
Even though she was murdered after undergoing sexual torture, she is a woman who worried more about her son than resenting Aldhelm.
She could have been with her son for 30 hours, so she couldn’t ask for more.
Cedar, who bowed slightly to her waist, spoke to her a moment later with her concerned gaze, hoping that her phantom would change her mind.
“Aldhelm is a really dangerous person. The fact that the soul master is a high-level soul master will spread quickly, so she won’t be able to harm that person recklessly, but I think that the less contact, the better the person.”
“Cedar. Even if Aldhelm Lemarite is destined to be a man who will do great things in this world, I have no intention of letting him live.”
She remarks that she will kill him no matter what. Cedar and his girlfriends, feeling the murderous intent in that calm tone, simultaneously shook her shoulders and swallowed her saliva.
“… I also think that if there’s a person who must die, it’s Aldhelm…….”
Her ghost waited wordlessly for Cedar, lost in her thoughts, fiddling with one of her two rich fox tails, as if it had been a habit in her life.
Moments later, Cedar let out a small sigh and muttered, passing the hair on the side of her hair over her lower ear.
“Your strong will, a man and a soul, shouldn’t be weakened by a weak woman…” ….”
Cedar nodded his head and opened his mouth, staring into the distance as if to retrieve his memory.
“Visalux is a town that can be called a mining town. Does it feel like it is on the verge of being upgraded from a village to a small town? Everyone sees that it will become a small town in a few years.”
“If you look at a small town, it must be a big town.”
“Yes. Because there are over 10,000 households. The reason why it was able to grow that much even though it is a village is because it is adjacent to the Bijarucks Mountains, which are rich in mineral veins, which can be said to be a hotbed of natural minerals…….”
As you can tell from the village’s modifier, Cedar said that Bijalux is a village that gathers wealth by developing technology related to steelmaking based on mining.
“Minerals from the Bizarucks Mountains are known to be of very good quality. Bijalux melts those minerals and turns them into ingots to sell, or hires a large number of blacksmiths to produce high-quality metal weapons and metal armor and deliver them to cities and towns in south-central Radsea.”
“If you hired a large number of blacksmiths…… Are you saying you didn’t create a commercial district?”
“Yes. I heard that everything made by blacksmiths and mines belongs to Bijalux.”
=That’s why the price of metal ingots from Bijalux is so jagged. Since it is a monopoly production without competition, the seller has no choice but to do what he wants…….=
Anne asked Yurupa, who was slightly frowning as if thinking of something.
= Huh? Did you know Visalux too?=
= I don’t know the details. Bijalux metal ingots are famous for their high purity, so blacksmiths and metalwork-related jobs use a lot of Bijalux acid when making high-end items? I also used it often. I am still writing.=
“Even our village guards are wearing Bijalux weapons and armor. For that reason, the Bijalux family is so wealthy that it is known that the family possesses an unvillable force. Even though it is a village, it forms an army to the extent that it periodically cleans the area around the village.”
“How is the atmosphere in town?”
“I’ll tell you in advance, I’ve never been to Visalux either. As the owner of the village, you have to keep studying the surrounding villages and cities, so you only have knowledge, so don’t forget that.”
“I know. Don’t worry, even a story close to such rumors will help.”
“Then I’m glad. Oh, you asked about the atmosphere of Bijalux, right? Not bad, not good. I know it’s a mix of Craberly and Farhist.”
If that’s the case, wouldn’t that mean it’s similar to Wayford? Sounds like a good thing to live for.
“As for the characteristics of Visalux…… Wandering adventurers are not well received. It is said that where strength is needed, it will be solved with an army raised by itself. I heard that the function of the village is also focused on mining, so all daily necessities and food that the village cannot produce are purchased from outside through the upper house…….」
Taken together, Visalux was in the form of a company, not a village.
The house, land, and buildings all belong to the Visalux family, and the people living in the house are the people hired by Visalux and their families. A method of preventing outside interference and intervention and solving problems or troubles with the power of the village as much as possible.
Although it is a unique type of village in this world, there are many specialized and specialized villages on Earth, so Hwanin accepted and moved on.
“Next is the story of Bijalux’s family.”
“Yes.”
“The composition of the Bizalux family consists of the direct line of the family and the eighth cousin of the head of the family. All important positions in the village were occupied by the children and siblings of the head of the family, and the administrative positions below them were also occupied by the family head’s relatives, cousins, and eighth cousins. Things like the chief of the security guard who maintains peace, the chief of the Self-Defense Force who hunts beasts and beasts, the head of a large merchant troupe, the workshop manager who manages blacksmiths, and the miner who is in charge of mining.”
“How are their personalities?”
“It’s similar to other noble families. No…… It was known that it was similar, but now I don’t know.”
Even Hwanin had met one of the powerful clans on one hand, so he had no idea what the average of the powerful clans was.
“How strong is the Bizalux family?”
“I know there are two 6th grade workers, six 5th grade workers, and a lot of people below that. The soldiers are almost at the level of the regular army.”
“… What kind of person is Aldhelm? I heard that he is a direct descendant of the lord.”
“He is the son born to the family head and his third wife. He is the second son, and I heard that he invented and developed several innovative technologies, and he is highly trusted by the head of the family.”
=Innovative Technology?=
Perhaps he opened his mouth without realizing it, Yu Lepa was startled and covered his mouth with both hands and rolled his eyes.
“It was a technique that allows you to distribute the weight and put heavy things on top of structures without using magic or special materials.”
‘Have you figured out something like a load distribution structure in architectural engineering?’
“In addition, he is young, handsome, and has a good personality, so he is attracting attention as a bridegroom for the noble and noble families of various villages and cities. In reality, he’s a crazy murderer who catches people and kills them…….」
“…… ?”
Hearing Cedar’s story, Hwanin felt his sense of distance shake. The feeling that there is a clue to something in the story that has just come out.
“Cedar. Let me ask you one question. Are things like what Aldhelm did in Owling relatively common?”
“Though it often happens that people commit serious crimes and are sentenced to death on the spot, killing dozens of people doesn’t happen very often.”
“That’s not it. I’m asking if it’s common for barons to treat high tribes in this way.”
“It happens sometimes, but…… What happened in our village wasn’t something that would turn into something like that.”
It is known to be sincere and kind. But in a village about Owling in 100 days, the mistress of the family is sexually tortured and murdered like that?
The intrusiveness becomes a little clearer. A very small and short thread pops out of the grievance.
Hwanin pinched the thread with the tip of his fingernail and began to pull it.
“Why did Aldhelm come to Ouling? From Visalux’s point of view, Owling doesn’t have much business merit.”
If you look at the cities marked on the map that Galot gave you, there are three. If you want to increase your business partners, visit a city, not a village…….
For a moment.
Hwanin’s eyes narrowed as he just realized that there was an error in his thinking.
Cedar said that Aldhelm was credited with inventing innovative technology, but he never said a word about commerce or trade.
Invent innovative technologies related to loads. A reputation known for being good. A massacre committed in Owling with no reason to come. The seemingly artificial actions of the Louvise family as if they had done something wrong to themselves…….
In the midst of quickly organizing his thoughts, Seeder answers Hwanin’s question.
“The murderer is said to come out of town and wander around often.”
“It’s a trip to find her wife. Has she never been to Owling before?”
Suddenly, the question becomes specific, and Cedar frowns as if trying to squeeze his memory.
“I do not know. He seems to have heard that he passed Owling once before…….”
“I need a definitive answer. Who can I ask?”
“Yes? If you know, it must be the captain of the guard or Helisa.”
Hwanin asked Isilite and Anne to bring them.
The two women left the house without saying anything, and after a while the two were brought back. Hwanin asked the same question to the captain of the guard and Helisa.
I asked if Aldhelm had been to the village before.
The two people who were dragged in without knowing why saw Cedar and Hwanin sitting opposite to each other and felt a serious atmosphere permeate them, answering Hwanin’s questions wholeheartedly.
=I remember visiting for several hours while being curious about Dali Village.=
“How many hours is it? Do you remember where you mainly visited?”
=I would have mainly looked at the bridge and the pier.=
“…….”
As the emotions disappeared from Hwanin’s expression, the guard commander and Helisa became tense. Did I miss something in my answer?
Asking her girlfriend to bring a piece of paper and a pen, Hwanin drew a picture of a black female spirit from Carton Village on her paper.
Ambiguous animal ears that make it difficult to distinguish what species it is, and a tail that is both cat-like and dog-like. Even the shape of the leather armor he was wearing and his face.
It was almost three months ago, so I don’t remember much, but I showed it to the two of them and Cedar after focusing on the appearance and characteristics as much as possible.
“Do you know this person?”
= This person…… Do you think it is Miriam, who is Malvin’s second cousin?=
“Oh? That’s right.」
“…… Where is this person now?”
=He disappeared from the village a few years ago and has not been heard from.=
At Helisa’s answer, the sketches that had been fragmented and floated in my head were assembled at once.
‘If hardleg is specially hardened and applied to the legs, the stability will be sure, but the technology to prepare for erosion…….’
‘Yuri unnie, what is Hardrec?’
‘Yes? It’s a variant of Thrim that has the property of becoming extremely hard when sprayed with special chemicals.’
‘Oh~. If I used magic and monster materials, my legs would be strong.’
‘…… Ah! Now I remembered I heard that there is a hardreck origin near here, but Ouling is the hardreck origin. Somehow, I heard that there aren’t many hardlegs on the market, so they seem to be using most of them for bridge repairs.’
‘What is so expensive? It’s five or six times the toll in other towns.’
‘That’s because the price includes the fee for using the bridge. Almost 80% of the toll is spent on repairs and maintenance of the bridge.’
Aldhelm showed interest in the bridge.
A woman from Ouling’s owner clan who was killed by Aldhelm in Carton Village.
Invent innovative technologies related to loads.
A reputation known for being good.
A relative of Malvin who disappeared.
A massacre committed in Owling with no reason to come.
An act that put the blame on the Ruby Joo family.
Hwanin was 98% sure after sending the guard commander and Helisa back, but he also asked Cedar for confirmation.
“Cedar. There seems to be a labyrinth where mutant streams appear in Owling.”
“U-how?”
It was bingo.
“Combining your story and a few memories led me to a conclusion. The reason why Aldhelm committed the murder in Owling was to devour Owling. The reason is to occupy the labyrinth where Slim appears. Because the material of the slim is a material that greatly helps the load distribution structure that Aldhelm invented.”
“What…….」
“The real purpose of blaming rudeness and killing the people of the village must have been to enlist you and the family of the owners of Owling and kill all but one. Wasn’t Malbin the youngest member of the Luv Iju family at the time?”
“…….」
Not only Cedar, but also Hwanin’s girlfriends are stunned.
「Ha, but Aldhelm promised not to touch Malvin! She even swore on the name of the Beast God!”
“What exactly did he say?”
“Joe, that’s good. I swear in the name of the Beast God that I won’t lay a finger on anyone you point out if you’ll be my entertainment, I said this!”
“As expected, it is an oath that is expedient in interpretation. ‘I’ will not lift a finger. Do you understand what this means?”
At the accented word, Hwanin’s girlfriends felt goose bumps on their arms. The light slowly fades from Cedar’s eyes.
Anne, who had been listening to the story as if she was dead, unable to breathe deeply, managed to bring her words out as if her throat was choking.
= What, what I won’t touch it, but my subordinates will touch it…… You mean that? It’s about killing Malvin…….=
“Okay. What if, at her passing words, her own loyal underling moved out of excessive loyalty and murdered her Malvin? She didn’t touch her, so she doesn’t break her promise.”
Hwanin, who straightened his posture and folded his arms, continued to speak to Cedar in a low voice.
“The reason for keeping Malvin alive is probably because they want the Louvijou family to rule Owling until they legally take over the authority of being the owner of Owling. If the ruling family of this size disappears, the neighboring, higher city families will send people to try to rule it. If Aldhelm comes to visit next time, he will be holding a baby in his arms, whether or not the blood of the Louvijou family is connected. Before Malvin, she will be killed by mysterious assassins.”
=…… !=
=…….=
= Ah….=
Hwanin’s women were so shocked that they couldn’t even speak properly.
The results he came up with by combining the given information turned out to be almost true. In fact, what happened after killing Gilles = Bexel, Hwanin’s assumptions and plans were all true, and everything came true as he said.
Of course, since he was not a god, trouble arose due to the information that was not given (Jeha = Messiah and Crabberry’s intervention), but even that was solved casually as if it had been blown by a light breeze, and he even received a certificate of the declaration of support from the Lord of the Farghist Castle. Wasn’t it
That’s what he concluded.
The worst scum called Aldhelm played with a good old family at will and destroyed half of it to take over the labyrinth, and after a while, he couldn’t completely destroy it, so he would set up a puppet in that family and take it over himself.
The women, who were stunned by the contents that could not help but be surprised, at that moment felt an eerie feeling as if the temperature in the room had dropped by 5 degrees.
Why did it get so cold all of a sudden? While looking for the cause of the sudden drop in temperature, the women fixed their eyes on Cedar, who was sitting across from Hwanin.
「Huh…….”
Cedar was exhaling white cold steam, turning dark red all over his body.
Hwanin looked at Cedar with a dark gaze and smiled faintly inwardly.
