How to Survive Against Villains Chapter 118

118 Awakening Signal (3)

“I heard a rumor that a witch appeared nearby.”

“Where exactly?”

“It seems to be sowhere around the villages near Blyer. But the tone of the conversation felt more like idle chatter. It’s a sha it might end as just a rumor.”

Disappointnt flickered across Nella’s face.

Does she want to et the witch?

Ah, co to think of it, I once saw her wearing a red ribbon.

The red ribbon was a signature accessory of the Witch Lily.

Those who admired her always had at least one red ribbon as a keepsake.

It seed that because Nella liked Lily, she never missed a single rumor about witches, even from trivial chatter.

But still, it’s about a witch.

I asked again.

“Was there no more detailed information?”

“Well, it’s absurd, but they said she’s been charming people wherever she goes. So say it’s because of her beauty, and others claim it’s because of so vast amount of gold. Oh, and she also has a pet with her.”

“…What?”

A witch, who’s already feared by many, walking around with heaps of gold and a pet?

It was akin to asking to be killed.

This witch was seriously crossing the line.

“Couldn’t it just be a rich noble posing as a witch?”

“The knights are leaning toward the possibility of a noble disguised as a witch.”

“Are you talking about them?”

I had heard about them before.

They were fugitives from fallen noble families who, in order to survive, disguised themselves as witches and fled into the Ordor Forest.

Since the forest lies beyond the Elletor Fortress, it was difficult for Kal to send troops there, making it the final refuge for the fugitives. But running into the forest was like leaping into the jaws of a tiger to escape a wolf.

‘It’s a perfect place to get trapped.’

Ordor Forest contains a boundary known as the Forest of Ghosts.

Even wizards cannot break through the boundary. How would ordinary nobles manage to breach it?

The mont they step into the boundary, they will be surrounded by ghosts, and their souls will be devoured.

Even if they realize it too late, it will already be over by then.

Kal likely unleashed slave hunters there to drive them like sheep.

They would instill fear, forcing the fugitives to enter the Forest of Ghosts on their own or capture them if they tried to escape.

There was a high possibility that’s exactly what they did.

“For people who are on the run, would they really have such leisure?”

“It’s behavior that neither a witch nor a fugitive would normally display. That’s why I said there’s a high chance it will end as just a rumor.”

“Were there any other topics of conversation?”

“Just that they wanted to kill us and bury us in a pit.”

“…That’s enough.”

The rain, which had started as a drizzle, soon turned into a downpour.

Looking up at the sky darkened by thick clouds, it seed the rain wouldn’t stop anyti soon.

Since the downstream path to the Korun River was still quite far, we decided to borrow a carriage from a nearby village.

“People seem scared.”

“It’s probably because of the clothes we’re wearing. Let’s get the carriage quickly and leave.”

As soon as we entered the small village in our shaman’s attire, the villagers noticeably stiffened in their movents.

They disappeared quickly, casting wary glances, their faces tense with fear, as if worried about drawing attention.

In the rain-soaked street, only Nella and I remained, standing alone.

“Why are they acting like that?”

“It looks like shamans have taken many people away in the past.”

“…That child over there.”

“There’s resentnt in his eyes.”

I made eye contact with a seven-year-old child peeking out from a window. Soone quickly pulled him back, but from that brief interaction, I could gauge Kal’s reputation here.

“Children can’t hide their emotions. That resentnt must have co from the adults around them.”

“Do you think it’s directed at the lord?”

I nodded slightly.

The villagers may be hiding their emotions out of fear, but deep in their hearts, they must be filled with resentnt toward Kal.

And was this village the only one like this?

I had sensed a similar atmosphere back at Wailing Hill.

The stronger the shamans’ power grew, the more fierce the villagers’ resentnt would beco. After all, the power of shamans directly correlates with the number of sacrifices.

Moreover, troublemakers like Jack and Howell, who acted under Kal’s protection, wouldn’t stay idle.

Even the nobles couldn’t escape the suffering.

What would happen if all that resentnt and anger piled up until soone created a spark to ignite it?

‘All those festering emotions will erupt at once.’

Lochter Felice.

That’s why I wanted to recruit him into the hunt.

Lochter was the perfect card to revive the spark of rebellion that Kal had worked so hard to suppress.

***

“Ah, please, take whatever you want!”

“How much for everything?”

“No, it’s fine! Really!”

We visited a shop that dealt in horses and selected two horses and a small carriage. The shopkeeper, however, waved his hands frantically, refusing to take any money.

When I stared at him in silence, he swallowed nervously and averted his gaze.

Sweat dripped profusely from his forehead, betraying how tense he was.

What’s going on? His reaction is much more extre than I expected.

Or is the fear of shamans even greater than I thought?

The villagers also seed to react similarly—more cautiously than the people back at Wailing Hill.

At that mont, I noticed the shopkeeper’s gaze fixed on sothing. When I turned to look, I saw a small girl standing by the door, clutching the handle tightly.

The girl stared at my outfit for a mont, then pointed at with her finger and muttered softly.

“Doggy, bite.”

“…What?”

Bite what?

Blinking in disbelief, I stared at the girl. The shopkeeper quickly stepped in, shielding the girl with his body, and forced an awkward laugh.

“She’s just woken up, so she’s probably saying nonsense. I have better horses; I’ll prepare them for you. Also, please accept this as a token of my sincerity…”

Not only did he give us the horses and carriage, but he also handed a pouch of money.

Since black shamans were naturally greedy by nature, it would’ve looked strange to refuse, so I accepted the money pouch and gave a slight nod before leaving with the carriage.

Nella, who looked exhausted, climbed into the carriage, and I took the coachman’s seat.

As I quietly drove the carriage forward, she yawned and spoke.

“That was a lie.”

“What was?”

“The part about the child talking nonsense. Sure, the child had just woken up, but she wasn’t speaking nonsense.”

“So? Should we go back and confront the shopkeeper and the child about it?”

“No, I just ntioned it because it caught my eye.”

Stretching lazily, she leaned against the window and closed her eyes.

Monts later, light breathing sounds indicated she had fallen asleep.

Sleeping at a ti like this, huh?

‘She must be tired.’

We had been traveling through the Laup Forest for about three days with barely any sleep. While I could endure it without rest, Nella was not like .

She must have pushed herself to the limit.

I decided to let her sleep soundly until we reached the Korun River.

The carriage rattled quietly.

As I drove through the rain, a concern I had set aside earlier resurfaced.

The Massacrer’s sudden move toward Etor.

That guy should’ve been focused on preparing for war. So why head to Etor all of a sudden?

‘Rengua, and the Madman.’

I knew about the Madman of Etor, but it wasn’t significant enough to warrant the Massacrer’s personal involvent.

What bothered was Rengua’s divine awakening. That wasn’t sothing that happened in the original novel.

The best way to be sure was to go and check it out myself, but…

‘Lochter and Karl co first.’

Whatever it was, securing those two took priority.

Sssshhh—

“…It’s raining heavily.”

The rain-soaked ground slowed the carriage down considerably.

Still, it was a relief that we had the carriage. If we had been on foot, Nella wouldn’t have been able to endure it.

Calming the restless horses, I looked up at the pouring rain.

“Will Lochter’s divine awakening really happen?”

The downpour reminded of Lochter.

I rembered that it was on a day like this, during a torrential rain, that he awakened.

A lot had changed because of .

Lochter’s fate was no exception.

The line from the birth of the first hero ca to mind.

[…I’ll kill them all.]

The upright knight, weeping bitterly in front of his family’s tombstone. As raindrops fell, countless tears stread down his cheeks.

With countless emotions swirling in his eyes, the knight gazed at Blyer’s banner.

[My beloved estate, Blyer, that I defended all my life. My brilliant holand, where I shared joys and sorrows.]

The knight gripped his sword tightly.

Tears of blood stread down his eyes.

The Betrayer Knight, Lochter Felice.

[I will cut it all down with my own hands.]

That rainy day was the beginning of the knight’s journey as a hero.

***

“Hoo—”

The shopkeeper clutched his chest and let out a long sigh.

He could see the shamans riding away in their carriage.

It truly felt like he had narrowly escaped death.

Since they accepted the carriage and left without issue, it seed they weren’t here because of the shamans who disappeared a few days ago.

“Dad!”

His daughter ran to him, and he lifted her into his arms.

Feeling her warmth, the tension in his hardened face eased slightly, and he felt relief once again at having her by his side.

A few days ago, shamans had co and tried to take the children from the village.

No amount of pleading or wealth could stop them. Resistance ant death, with their bodies twisted like playthings by curses.

When nothing worked, so even cursed themselves, offering to be taken in their children’s stead.

Just when it seed all hope was lost, a woman’s voice echoed in everyone’s minds.

[Doggy, bite.]

It was a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Though her form was faint, it was imnse.

All he could see clearly were the gleaming white teeth.

Sharp and rciless, the mont they bit down, the shamans were torn apart like chunks of at.

All that was left on the ground were pools of blood. The shamans had vanished without a trace in an instant.

With a re wave of her hand, the woman erased every trace of them.

He saw her then.

[Let’s get out of here.]

The shopkeeper closed his eyes tightly.

The figure of the witch, wearing a broad-brimd hat, was seared into his mory.

Amid the overwhelming slaughter, one thing stood out clearly.

He gently stroked his daughter’s head, where a small red ribbon was tied.

Looking at that red ribbon, he smiled faintly.

***

“Woof!”

“Shh! Quiet, Keros.”

Lily flicked her finger lightly against the forehead of the black puppy.

The puppy shuddered slightly, then closed its mouth tight.

The black Shiba Inu, its ears perked up, remained as still as a toy.

Lily petted the small puppy perched on her shoulder, then turned to the approaching innkeeper.

As she adjusted her robe and turned her head, the innkeeper nervously placed a plate of food on the table.

Lily’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the food, but she coughed lightly and waited quietly.

“Is there anything else you need?”

“Raw at.”

“…R-raw at?!”

“With plenty of fresh blood.”

“Y-yes! Please wait a mont!”

Pale as a sheet, the innkeeper fled the hall and soon returned with a plate of raw at.

As the sll of the raw at wafted through the air, the puppy-like doll on her shoulder began to twitch, startling the innkeeper. He instinctively raised his hands in defense.

Lily, however, interpreted his reaction differently.

It must be ti to use the gold!

She fished out a chunk of gold from her pouch and handed it over, but the innkeeper fell to his knees, begging for his life.

Having encountered similar reactions several tis since entering Blyer, Lily pouted and put the gold back.

Once again, she hadn’t been able to spend any of her gold.

The innkeeper bowed repeatedly before quickly retreating from the hall.

“Grandma said humans love money. So why doesn’t anyone take it?”

“Woof!”

“Right? Let’s just eat and think later.”

For Lily, thinking while food was in front of her was unthinkable.

She took off her red cloak and hung it over the chair.

The red cloak was sothing she had taken after killing those shamans a few days ago.