I Became a Druid in Another World

Around sunset.

I instructed Lloyd and El to keep an eye on the village's movements. I also told them to subdue the villagers immediately if anything suspicious happened. Considering the villagers had no real combat experience, the two of them would be more than enough to handle it.

We have to move quickly.

The demon was still here. To uproot it completely, it was important to strike while it was weakened. No mistakes, it had to be perfect.

Ayla and Legion accompanied me. I left Ayla to guard the entrance and then entered the village chief's house. Naturally, the door was locked, but before the "Key that Opens Anything", no lock could hold. I walked slowly while keeping my footsteps quiet. When I looked around, I noticed that the windows were tightly secured and salt was sprinkled at every doorway, likely in preparation for the coming night.

They must be afraid the ghost dog might attack this place too.

From the direction of the kitchen, I heard clattering sounds, perhaps from the wife doing the dishes. Quietly, I approached the room with the old curtains. The village chief whose body was half burned was feeble and unable to move well, so he was probably resting there.

"Cusus."

– Such a trivial thing.

Despite grumbling, Demarcushel swiftly expanded his shadow and swallowed the house whole. As his shadow stretched out, blackening the floor, walls, and everything in its path, the entire house was engulfed in darkness in an instant.

-Clang!

There was a shattering sound from the kitchen, perhaps from the wife dropping a plate. Seizing the moment, I swiftly entered the kitchen and held a dagger to her throat.

"Shh."

"...!"

"Stay quiet."

"...."

"Then you'll be safe."

The wife nodded her head and raised her hands in surrender. I used [Plants Binding] and wrapped her entire body tightly with vines, from her ankles up to just below her nose, then set her aside in a corner of the kitchen.

"Wh-What going on! Dolores! Dolores!"

From behind the curtain, the village chief's angry voice called out his wife's name.

"Dolores!"

Staying hidden in the shadows, I stepped quietly beyond the curtain. I saw the chief stumbling around in the darkness; he was half awake and was still searching for his wife. He couldn't understand why she didn't answer.

I moved behind the bed and watched him as he anxiously peered beyond the curtain. Unable to endure the ominous silence any longer, he reached under his pillow and tried to draw a dagger.

"You'd better stop."

I pressed the dagger to the chief's neck first. The darkness obscured his vision, but the chill of the blade under his chin was unmistakable. He froze and couldn't move.

After a brief moment.

"I was foolish."

"..."

"Instead of mercenaries, I brought in rats to this village."

When I heard his teeth grind as he spat out the words, I scoffed.

"Unfortunately for you, I am a mercenary, just not a 'stupid' one."

"What do you want? Did you, too, see the gold in the mansion?"

The chief didn't even wait for my response. He whispered through his twisted and pained expression.

"Fine. I'll give you half of my gold."

"…'Your' gold?"

The man was truly out of his mind. Just how long, and how deeply, had he been bewitched…? Keeping the dagger pressed against his throat, I shouted at him.

"There's no gold in that mansion! Only the soul of a poor child lingers there. You still don't realize the horrible things you've done!"

"We defeated an evil wizard and a witch to protect this village! What do you know to be talking like this!"

"…You sure talk big for someone hiding behind a human mask."

The grip on my dagger tightened with each passing second. At this rate, I might just lose my temper and slit the chief's throat. I barely contained my anger and struck the chief in the back of the neck with the blunt end of the dagger, knocking him unconscious. Then I dragged his limp body out and hoisted him onto Ayla's back.

We headed toward the mansion.

"..."

The sun had set, and the village was shrouded in darkness, cloaked in silence.

It's like the calm before the storm.

A breeze blew in from the distance; it felt different from the previously murky, fog-filled air; it was clear and fresh. Perhaps the wind sent by the forest spirit had finally arrived. The fog had lifted, revealing a village that ironically looked small and peaceful. This must have been what the Dawsons had wished for—a small and peaceful village where they could raise their beloved child.

…But you can never judge something by its appearance alone.

"Master!"

Elle greeted me when I reached the mansion. I had her help support the chief, then stepped inside. Waiting for us at the door was…

-Bark! Bark bark!

A ghostly dog.

Its translucent tail swayed faintly from side to side, showing its delight. I slowly approached it and petted its head. Unlike Ayla, its touch felt cold, almost like touching ice. But it was cute still.

"Were you the one who stole my butternut-berry-cold soup?"

Its tail wagged vigorously. It seemed like it had quite enjoyed it.

"And you were the one luring Ayla out every night?"

– Whimper.

"Hey, I'm not trying to scold you. I just wanted to clear things up."

– Whimper.

Ayla, who had come closer at some point, nudged her head against my shoulder, whining as if to say it wouldn't happen again. After petting the two—no, the dog and the wolf—I stood up.

I took off my starfish leather gloves and stored them in the space ring. Having seen the power of the green flames, it would be wise to store items vulnerable to fire damage ahead of time.

We dragged the village chief inside the mansion. When I slapped the chief across the face, he let out a choked gasp and opened his eyes. Looking around, he realized this was the cursed mansion and his face twisted in horror as he began to struggle. I slapped him across the face again.

– Smack!!!

"Gah…!"

"Where are the remains of the Dawsons?"

The chief glared at me with sharp eyes, as if he already knew what I was about to do. He let out a sneering laugh.

"No, no! Those wretches can't be buried in this land! If their corrupted souls curse this village…!"

– Smack!!!!

I slapped the chief's face again. Eventually, dark red blood trickled down from his melted nostril.

"This village was already cursed, long before that couple ever arrived."

If the crows had interfered, it would make sense. They must have spent a long time manipulating this village to frame the couple as the culprits. They unleashed fog, ruined the crops… and then sent the Dawsons as prey to the villagers who needed someone to blame.

"Tell me. Where are the couple's remains?"

"...."

There was only one reason I sought the remains of the Dawsons; it was to send the poor girl bound to this mansion where she belonged. I couldn't let her endlessly wander these halls without her parents, trapped in a tragedy without end. I knew all too well the pain of continuing a journey in an unwanted world.

If the Dawsons' remains were properly buried, their souls could find some semblance of peace. And then the girl would follow her parents.

But the village chief remained silent, his twisted desires sealed his lips. I smiled crookedly, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him toward the "small room". The village chief screamed and thrashed wildly, but in his near-paralyzed state, he was no match for me. I threw him onto the floor and he panted as he looked up at me.

"If you won't talk, then I'll have no choice but to make you suffer the same fate."

"...!"

"You know all too well what happens to those who go down to the basement, don't you?"

Of course he knew. The scars of hellfire had burned half of the village chief's body. He tried to back away as if to escape, but there was only a wall behind him.

"I-I-I…I…"

"I'll ask you one last time. Where did you hide the Dawsons' remains?"

In the end, the village chief fell to his knees. He bowed his head and started muttering something for a long time before finally speaking up.

"A-At the village entrance…"

"You crazy bastard."

So he'd pulled some sick trick and buried them at the entrance where they'd be trampled underfoot even in death. I signaled to Lloyd.

"Go."

Lloyd nodded and left the mansion. Now, all that was left was to wait for him to return with the Dawsons' remains.

…The village better stays quiet until then.

***

The village chief's wife, Dolores, staggered to her feet. Her body was cut from the shards of broken plates scattered on the floor, but it had been worth it. She had finally managed to sever the tenacious vine that bound her.

"Ugh…"

The mercenaries, the mercenaries had taken her husband. The village chief! They had surely been possessed by the curse of that mansion. Dolores had to inform the villagers immediately. With her injured body, she stumbled out of the house. One of the village's most important rules was never to wander outside after the sun had set and darkness had fallen, but with the very chief who had established that rule now taken, surely he would forgive her. Dolores grabbed a torch and knocked on the doors of the darkened houses before shouting.

"The chief, the chief has been dragged to that cursed mansion!"

People gathered, and the murmuring grew louder. One, two, three, four, five… The number of torches increased until they were impossible to count.

Just like "that day".

"Those mercenaries! The mercenaries have been bewitched by ghosts!"

"My God, you're saying the mad wizards' curse has spread even to the mercenaries?"

"Those evil things! This time, we must destroy the mansion for good!"

"But what about the gold?"

"The gold will be safe. The gold."

"Yeah, as long as the gold is safe. The gold!"

The ominous flickering of torches engulfed the entire village, and the frenzied footsteps of the villagers shook the ground. They were heading to the mansion for the chief—no, for the village—or rather, for the gold! They marched toward the mansion for the gold.