People are weird.
They fear the unknown a lot more than the known.
Even if they face an unimaginable being, if they know even a little about it, they won't fear them as much as they will if they know nothing.
The fear of the unknown is endless in them.
And that's why they make the unknown either the evilest thing in existence or their God.
"...Is this the place where that 'God' of yours was seen?" I quietly asked as I turned to look at the old man.
He nodded vigorously, standing behind as if hiding, "...Yes, my lord."
I turned and observed the place.
We stood at the entrance of a dark and gloomy forest hill which was already dried up because of the winter.
The trees seed endless, with no end or light visible. From here, all I saw was gloom.
Taking a step forward, I moved towards the closest tree, which was half-broken.
The branches were snapped off, and many trees were broken as if making a way for soone to move inside the town.
...Soone huge.
"Are you sure it's not just a monster?" I asked, turning around and walking back towards the old man.
"No." He replied confidently, "Monsters don't have the mind to kidnap specific people and not destroy the whole town."
I nodded my head, "So an intelligent monster."
"There is no such thing."
"Oh, you know nothing, old man." I scoffed, looking around the place.
We stood at the edge of the town, on an unpaved road made of dirt and mud.
There was also a huge open field with dried-up tall grasses between the town and the forest, almost enough to make another small town in between.
"You said they only co out after midnight, right?" I asked as I looked at him.
He was now sweating beads, even though the chilly winds were blowing across.
"Yes." He replied, nodding his head, "They mainly target children or young girls, especially virgin ones."
"So they can sense if one is a virgin or not?" I curiously asked, looking at him.
"We don't know." The old man shook his head, "We have never seen him."
'And yet you made him a god.'
Keeping those thoughts to myself, I looked around the place.
And within the field, sothing caught my eye.
As I walked forward, I asked the old man, "I believe I wasn't the first to arrive here, right?"
"Yes, my lord." He replied, walking behind , careful not to step on the field, "...There was another person who arrived before you."
"What happened to him?" I asked as I quickened my pace.
"...Not good." The old man replied, gulping down his saliva as his breath turned ragged, "We warned him not to stay out at night."
"What happened to him?" I asked, my curiosity clear.
"He d-died." The old man muttered, sweating, "He was impaled on a tree—his own guts and intestines wrapped around him."
"Hey!" Even though his words interested , I shouted at the woman who walked through the field, "You! Stop!"
The woman stopped, turning around, and I imdiately noticed her attire.
...A nun.
Her hair was covered, and I could only see her oval face and normal brown eyes.
I quickly arrived in front of her, the old man barely catching up with .
"...Can I help you, my lord?" She asked, her body trembling with fear.
Do I look that scary?
"Where are you going?" I asked, narrowing my eyes as I observed her.
She didn't seem suspicious, but being this far away from the town, knowing about the kidnappings, was enough for to stop her.
"...My lord, we should let her be." The old man whispered softly, "She is on duty."
"Duty in the woods?" I asked, turning to look at him.
"...I purify places, my lord." The nun replied, her voice soft, "...It's my duty to purify the land of the dead every week."
"A graveyard?" I asked, understanding her words.
"Yes."
"Take there."
"My lor—."
I raised my hand to stop the old man.
The nun looked confused, but she nodded nonetheless.
Turning around, she started to lead us, the rustling sound of the grass filling the silence.
"...I've never heard of purifying a graveyard." Walking behind her, I asked, "Care to explain a little?"
"...It's not your normal graveyard." The nun replied, her voice soft, almost inaudible, "...That graveyard is as old as the town."
"And?"
"And the first generation of the town is buried there." She turned around to look at , "....The generation that worshipped a Primordial Demoness."
"...Who?" I pressed further.
"Anant."
I halted my steps, my eyes widening at her words.
...Is that a coincidence?
...No.
It can't be.
"Are you alright?" The nun asked, noticing my abnormal behavior.
"Y-yeah." I replied, taking in a deep breath as I looked at her, "Can you tell about her?"
"Asking a nun about a demoness doesn't seem good, my lord." She replied with an awkward smile.
I nodded my head in response, not pressing further.
We quickly arrived at the graveyard, encircled by a huge wall covering it.
"Would you like to co in?" The nun asked.
I shook my head, "I will wait here."
She nodded before walking in, while the old man and I stood outside.
"Hey, old man." I turned towards him, "Is there a place that can give the history of this town and also the myths sourounding it?"
He looked at confused, "Why?"
"Just tell ."
"So people can help you." He replied with a slight nod, "I can give you their address."
I nodded, turning silent.
Too many thoughts filled my mind.
"Hmm?"
But sothing else brought back to reality.
"My lord?" The old man mumbled as I moved, following the sound I just heard.
And just a few yards away from the graveyard, I found an old house.
"My lord." The old man mumbled fearfully as I walked closer to the house.
Two children played at the forefront of the house.
They road around a being, laughing as they ran.
...A bull lay at the center, bound by an old oak tree.
A bulky bull with pitch-black color and eyes, horns curving towards its face.
"My lord?" A different voice made look towards my side.
A middle-aged lady, wearing old clothes, stood there, bowed, her hands clasped as if praying as she looked at .
Her hair was rough blonde, eyes matching, and her face pale.
"Can I help you?" The lady asked, "This is my house."
"Why do you live so close to a graveyard?" I asked, looking at her.
"It's a cheap place, my lord." She replied, bowing further, "...I bought it with my deceased husband leftover money."
I turned to look at the house. The children had stopped playing and were now looking at , smiling.
"...That bull." I whispered softly, turning back to look at her, "...Did you buy it?"
"No, my lord." She replied honestly, "...That's a wild bull that one day arrived at our house."
"And you just kept it?" I pressed further, narrowing my eyes.
"It helps us in the field, my lord." The lady replied.
I turned back. The children now stood even closer, still smiling.
"...I see." I whispered softly, looking at the bull, whose eyes t with mine.
'El.'
[...Yes?]
'....Nothing.'
I thought as I turned around.
The old man looked even more frightened than before as he looked at , gulping nervously.
I walked past him, and he quickly turned and walked beside .
"Why were they thrown out of the town?" I whispered as I looked at the man.
His eyes widened slightly before he slowly replied, "...Her husband tried to kill a girl...We burned him down."
"....I see." I whispered softly as I turned to look towards the forest.
Due to it being situated on the hill, it was clear even from this far away.
And I can see a clear path this way.
If I were the monster kidnapping people, I would have chosen this as my first target.
....And yet that monster didn't.
My gaze shifted to the gate of the graveyard as the nun walked out.
"Shall we go back, my lord?" She asked with a light bow.
"Yeah." I replied.
I need to visit the orphanage again.
.....
.....
.....
The sound of children laughing filled my ears as I arrived back at the gate of the orphanage.
I walked in, half expecting Aimar to be the reason for the commotion.
But I quickly found him standing at the side.
"Huh?"
I turned to look at the place where the children had surrounded a young girl.
I recognized her almost imdiately.
She wore a normal white t-shirt and a blue skirt, her black hair tied down.
"Nella?"
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