Kunkan's Gift
"The flow of mana here is quite strange."
Roberta looked around from atop her slowly walking horse.
After leaving Count Meyer's territory, Ulrich's group had passed through four domains. And now, they were crossing an unnamed swamp. Thick fog obscured their vision.
She frowned at the damp, musty smell of the swamp and narrowed her eyes to sharpen her sight. Everything around them was gray. The hazy fog, the gray trees, and the surface of the water reflecting both blended together, covering the world in gray.
Some said gray was the color of the afterlife. At this moment, Roberta agreed with that sentiment. The gray swamp they were passing through was filled with death. Normally, a swamp would be full of standing water and floating vegetation—but this one was not.
The water level was so low that it barely concealed the swamp floor, exposing white skeletons buried in the mud. Between crooked trees that bore not a single leaf, countless skeletons clad in rusted armor lay scattered.
"The battle was simply too large."
Ulrich said it was a scar left behind by the Osnover Civil War. Even though the fog concealed it, the vastness of the swamp could be felt—and no matter where one looked, skeletons lay everywhere.
"As you know, those who have received the infant rite carry mana within their bodies. And even after life ends, some mana remains within the corpse."
A large number of corpses meant, in other words, a large amount of mana.
"Even so, it's excessive. The time mana remains in a corpse is short, and it's extremely rare for mana to remain in bare bones, isn't it? Once the will that held the rite disappears, there's nothing to retain the mana."
Thus, when life ended, the mana contained in the body would normally disperse into the air. Occasionally it lingered for long periods, but that was rare.
Roberta observed the flow of mana. The mana entangled in the damp, sticky air was dense. It felt suffocating, like being in a room with all the doors shut on a midsummer day—stagnant, without flow.
"That's usually the case. But there are exceptions."
"A demonic realm… is that what you mean?"
A demonic realm.
A place where the quantity and flow of mana are abnormal.
"It doesn't seem to have reached that point yet, but it will require management."
"It's a problem that places like this still remain even after the civil war has ended."
"It can't be helped. There must be a mountain of problems to resolve."
Well, that's true, Roberta clicked her tongue inwardly.
Normally, when secular rulers fought, the side that took the land bore responsibility. Measures had to be taken immediately—to prevent the dead from rising, and to stop the spread of disease.
If the lord could not handle it, then the local diocese had to step in. Otherwise, it was the people living on that land who would suffer.
"The establishment of a new dynasty doesn't mean everything is over. Right now, the vast majority of Osnover's secular lords are inexperienced. Some weren't even nobles to begin with—or barely qualified to be called such. And yet, those people suddenly found themselves in positions of power."
Not only were individual lords lacking in ability, but the administrative system itself had collapsed after the long civil war. Ulrich said that most lords probably didn't even know how many people lived in their territory or how large their lands were.
'And in this situation, they're opposing the Pantheon?'
There were probably quite a few places in Osnover like this—lands left unattended, showing signs of turning into demonic realms. She let out a sigh. The Pantheon couldn't possibly be unaware of the situation, yet they had summoned the priests.
'Even if the damage isn't visible now, it will only grow worse with each passing year. Once a demonic realm forms, it even affects the surrounding environment.'
How many people would suffer from that damage? And who would bear the consequences? Thinking about it filled her with nothing but sorrow.
"…?"
Suddenly, she turned her head to the right.
Beyond the fog, she saw a faint black shape. It was the form of a person. Though only a silhouette, she felt as though its gaze was directed at her.
A person?
That couldn't be. This was a place devoid of human presence. In the last city they had passed through, when she mentioned traveling this way, a merchant had warned her—saying it was an ominous place no one dared to set foot in.
The figure disappeared just as she tried to stop her horse.
Like a mirage, it scattered into the fog and vanished.
The three of them exited the swamp, but they did not escape the fog. Even the village beyond the swamp was shrouded in it. The village lay close enough to the swamp that the fog drifted into it.
"What brings you here?"
A young man emerged from the fog and blocked their path.
"Greetings, brother."
Roberta stepped forward and greeted him.
"As night approaches, we are looking for a place to stay until morning. If possible, would you accept us as guests?"
She manifested the priest's seal in the palm of her hand. The young man's eyes widened—not because of the seal, but because the moment he saw her emerge from the fog in priestly robes, he looked startled.
"Ah… so you are a priest."
The young man composed himself and bowed cautiously.
"I'm sorry, but… this place… does not have anywhere suitable to receive guests, Priest."
Roberta smiled and waved her hand.
"I understand it may be inconvenient. We only need a place to spend the night—anywhere will do. Is there perhaps even a simple shelter with a roof?"
The answer did not come immediately. His hesitation dragged on.
"That is…"
"Would it truly be impossible?"
The young man hesitated like someone who wished to refuse but could not.
"If you insist… please wait a moment."
He quickly walked into the village.
"It seems like he's wary of you, Priest," Fritz said, watching the young man's retreating figure.
"It does seem that way. Though I'm not sure why."
"If there is a reason… could it be related to the rumors?"
"Perhaps," Roberta murmured as she thought.
Rumors… they said there had been many incidents.
The merchant who had warned her about the swamp and the village beyond had added this:
"That area was once struck by a severe epidemic. They even say the dead rose during the civil war. Recently, there are rumors of monsters as well, and many people have gone missing. You should be careful."
At the time, she had handed Fritz a purple plum and hummed thoughtfully. When so many rumors gathered like that, they were usually nonsense—distorted stories piling on top of each other because the truth was unclear.
Of course, even false rumors had causes. Whether misunderstanding or malice, there was no rumor without origin. Perhaps there was a grain of truth somewhere. It was just that she had rarely ever seen such truths clearly.
Well, for now, it's just a bit suspicious.
Fritz then asked Ulrich,
"Ul— I mean, Lord Armin, what do you think?"
He corrected himself mid-sentence, nearly calling him Ulrich. After leaving Count Meyer's territory, Ulrich had instructed them to use his alias whenever possible.
When the three of them were alone, they could speak freely, but in front of others, he was Armin—the adopted son of the Duke of Dithmarschen and a knight. Fritz was Armin's attendant, and Roberta remained a priest.
"..."
Instead of answering, Ulrich stroked his chin.
Soon after, the young man who had been standing guard returned with a middle-aged man.
"Apologies for making you wait, Priest."
He introduced himself as Tapio.
"It took some time to prepare a place."
Tapio led the three of them to a hut at the edge of the village. It looked as though someone had been living there until just recently. As if the owner had left in a hurry, firewood was still burning in the fireplace, and soup was simmering above it.
"This is the only place we could prepare."
He kept bowing repeatedly, unsure if it would be satisfactory.
"No, it's I who has caused unnecessary trouble."
Roberta took out a few silver coins from her pouch and handed them to Tapio.
"I'm not sure if this will be enough compensation, but please accept it."
"Th-thank you."
He grasped the coins and glanced at her.
"May I ask… how many days you plan to stay…?"
"We'll stay just for tonight and leave in the morning."
"Ah! I see!"
Tapio smiled brightly.
"Then… if there's any problem, please call for me. Priest."
After watching him walk away outside the window, Fritz said,
"Even after receiving silver coins, he didn't seem particularly pleased, did he?"
"Yeah. He kept watching me instead. It didn't seem like he had the leisure to care about the coins."
"It looks like he's hiding something. Though I don't know what."
"Indeed," Roberta replied as she pondered.
Why are they so wary?
She couldn't think of a reason. She had heard rumors, but there was no real reason to be wary of a priest—or to hide anything from one. If anything, they should welcome a priest's visit.
Even if nothing had happened, people rarely showed wariness toward a priest. Even if the authority of the Pantheon had declined, priests were still the bridge between heaven and humanity.
The two continued discussing how there seemed to be fewer people than expected for the size of the village, and how the swamp's influence seemed harmful—but they made no real progress.
"What do you think, Lord Ulrich?"
Fritz asked Ulrich.
"It seems we need to confirm things."
"So you do find it suspicious, then?"
Ulrich did not answer. He remained silent, as if deep in thought, and Fritz moved to the still-burning fireplace to prepare dinner.
Roberta quietly observed Ulrich's expression. What was he thinking? He hadn't ignored the boy's question—he was simply withholding an answer because it wasn't clear yet.
Judging by the fact that he hasn't acted immediately, it doesn't seem serious…
The question lingered in her mind, carrying a hint of unease. But there was nothing she could do right now. If she wandered around the village prying, it would only increase their suspicion. And if it were something that could be resolved simply by asking, it wouldn't be a problem to begin with.
She waited for his answer as they ate and prepared for bed—but in the end, she closed her eyes without hearing it.
Then, suddenly, she opened her eyes.
It was a night lit only by moonlight streaming through the window. Roberta lay in the dark hut, having awakened for no apparent reason. She had been in a deep sleep, yet she woke as if she had never been asleep at all.
She lay there in her sleeping bag, staring blankly. It wasn't a nightmare, yet sleep had completely fled. They had to leave early in the morning, so she turned over, trying to fall asleep again—but sleep did not return.
Is it because the place is uncomfortable?
Suppressing a sigh, she slowly raised her upper body. Perhaps a drink of water would help.
"…?"
Something felt off.
There were only two people inside the hut. Roberta and Fritz. Just the two of them. The third person—Ulrich—was gone. She blinked in the darkness.
The spot where Ulrich had been lying showed only traces that someone had been there. A short distance away, Fritz was fast asleep. Neither she nor the boy had noticed his presence disappearing.
Did he step out for a moment?
Confusion rose within her. This was the first time since leaving Dithmarschen. Where would he go alone in the middle of the night? And why would he leave quietly without telling them? Perhaps he had gone out for some fresh air. He wasn't someone who slept much, so it was possible.
"Fritz, wake up."
Roberta shook Fritz's shoulder. The boy, forcibly dragged out of deep sleep, could barely open his eyes and looked at her as if asking, why?
Instead of answering, she grabbed his head and turned it toward where Ulrich had been.
"Uh… huh? Where did he go?"
"I don't know. He was gone when I woke up."
Of course, no one could have taken him. Most likely, he had gone out on his own to check something. If so, what was he trying to confirm?
The two of them armed themselves and left the hut. The night was deep, but the fog had lifted somewhat, allowing the moonlight to faintly illuminate the path.
Roberta noticed an orange light leaking from a long building nearby. After signaling Fritz to follow quietly, she approached it.
The building was a single-story structure, long and horizontal, with three windows. One of them was slightly open, letting light spill out. Roberta peered inside through the gap.
"You may usually be active at night, but not today."
Tapio, the man who had guided them earlier, was inside.
"It can't be helped. If we get discovered, it'll be a disaster."
"But still, they said they'll leave tomorrow morning anyway, right?"
Beside him stood a man and a woman. Around them, Roberta saw numerous elongated shadows—at a glance, more than a dozen.
Why are they gathered at this hour?
Villagers gathering in the middle of the night?
She opened the window slightly wider to see more clearly.
Then, the owners of the shadows were revealed.
"That—"
Fritz unconsciously started to speak, but Roberta quickly covered his mouth. She didn't need to hear what he was about to say.
Monsters.
That was what Fritz had intended to say.
Inside the building, aside from the three humans, every being present looked different. It wasn't just a matter of differing appearances. Though they had human-like forms, they could hardly be called human.
Some had human upper bodies but serpent lower halves. Others had human bodies below the neck but the heads of cattle. Some had wings instead of arms. And some—no, some creatures—had no human features at all.
So this is why they were wary of me.
Roberta frowned. No matter how she looked at them, none matched any race she knew. They were not creations made by the gods when they dwelled in heaven.
Why did they have such forms? The swamp came to mind. Could that abyss—where countless lives had perished and the flow of mana had tangled—have given birth to these aberrant beings?
It was only natural that Fritz would consider them monsters. And it was only natural that they would be wary of a priest's visit.
What should I do?
After listening for a while, she pulled Fritz back. She couldn't simply ignore this. She had heard the rumors—monsters appearing, people going missing.
Her hand moved to her waist. To confirm the truth of the rumors and uncover what they were, she was about to act—
At that moment, Ulrich appeared.
The man who had left without either her or the boy noticing entered the building. And then he stood before the group, whose eyes widened in shock.
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