Chapter 87 : Danger Lurking (Part 2)

This world that they were living on is based on a certain otome game called [Fantasia Love Doki-doki ♡ in Magic Academy]. An otome game that was originally the story of a commoner girl who was destined to be a [Saintess], with a twist of RPG style game where you can fought monsters and stuffs.

And this game also have two kinds of [Quest], the [Side Quest] and the [Main Quest].

[Main Quest] leads to a [Quest] that has to be followed for the story to progress to the end of the game.

While [Side Quest] leads to a [Quest] that can be used to gather strength, experience, and acquiring a rare [Item], also learning other kind of history of this world.

There's a [Side Story] where the heroine reached the very dark side of this world, and that's when she and the other male lead encountered a group of fanatic whose goal was beyond their comprehension.

And that group was called...[The Demon Cult].

******

Iris who has been listening the girls of the Adventurers team, the girls explained why they behave like that because they were told by Crimson(Rei) to let their guards up and there's something wrong about this village.

Iris continue to recall the village name again and again, '[Loren Village]...Loren...' Then she began to realize just what have felt wrong all this time.

'No way...no way!! how can I forgot such things!' Iris slightly panicked but she remained quiet in front of them.

She reminded about certain [Quest] that she have forgotten, a [Side Quest] which is different than helping and acquiring item.

'[Save the Village from The Dangerous Group].'

'That was the name of that quest! It might sound absurd but this is one of the most dangerous of all side quest.'

'This village...is where one of the [Demon Cult] members stayed and controlled everyone in the village.'

'Originally I planned to finish all of those [Side Quest] stuff after everything was resolved with the Elves...but we arrived at this village earlier than expected and I have forgotten the existence of such [Quest].'

'I just realized the reason why I forgot about it...is because I don't want to remember it. It was very depressing [Quest]...' Iris sighed.

'But this quest happen only after few years later and the Heroine would be the one who resolved this problem along with other male lead.'

'Although the quest was indeed depressing, it's also very hard since the leader who led this [Demon Cult] could summon high-level monster.'

'But I think I should consider it lucky, I mean encountering this quest that would happen few years later in the future means that the leader is now weak.' Iris thought, trying to view this situation in a positive light despite everything.

'Hmmmm...also, it seems that Village Head is the leader of the [Demon Cult] that controlled this village.'

'Now I understand everything.' Iris thought when she remembered how sly the Village Head was when they greeted them earlier in the day, and her silence made the others and Silvi nervous.

Kagura raised her hand, "Ummmm...may I ask a question?"

Iris quickly snapped out of it, "Yes? What is it?"

"It might be rude of me to ask...but is there something wrong with this village?" Kagura asked while staring at her.

"Yeah...i'm curious as well since Crimson-san even told us to be wary...." Lena spoke as well, she looked restless.

Iris knew they were gonna ask that, but she was curious about something too

'Wait...since I'm the only one who knows about this [Quest], why did Crimson told them to be wary of this village? Did he notice something?'

Iris sighed heavily, there seems to be many things weighing down her mind lately. But luckily, [The Villainess] skill activated to calm her down.

[Notice!]

[Skill "The Villainess" have been activated]

Iris looked at them, "This might sound very crazy, but I will tell you."

They looked at her in confusion, including Silvi who stood beside her.

"This village...is very dangerous one." Iris spoke while looking at them seriously.

Of course they were surprised about that but what they didn't understand is what kind of danger this village held in store for them.

Bandits?

Monsters?

That was the question that popped out inside their head.

Iris continued her words and that made them go extremely pale.

[The Demon Cult].

******

Meanwhile, back to the dark forest behind the village. Rei and Fang were walking together with a little boy who followed them to the depths of the forest.

"So you were saying that you and your mom are not from here?" Fang asked the kid curiously.

The kid nodded, "Mhm...we came from another village."

Fang raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You are?? Why did you move out?"

The kid looked down to his feet and whispered an answer, "Monsters...."

"....?!" Fang widened his eyes a bit when he heard it and Rei remained quiet.

"Monsters started to attack our village...and we had no choice but to move out." The kid suddenly stopped walking and his body started to tremble.

"It's okay...kid! You don't have to continue it. I'm sorry for asking." Fang apologized while trying to comfort him by holding his shoulders.

"N-no...It's okay! I'm strong! I promise dad I will be strong enough to protect mom!" The kid clenched his own shirt while lifting his head up high, as if he's trying to face his fear and grinned widely to prove that.

They felt bad for making the kid talk about something like that, especially Rei who felt that story hit too close to home, and it happened to another soul inside him.

'Kiritsuka...now is not the time for pity party.' Ray spoke, mostly to himself, knowing this feelings stemmed from the past that haunted him.

But now, they already changed the past and defeated the monsters, so there will be nothing left to be worried about.

'I understand.' Rei answered him.

Rei looked at the kid, "Hey, kid."

"Y-yes?"

"What is your name and how old are you?" Rei asked.

"Crimson! This isn't the time to ask–"

Rei raised his hand as if to shut him up and let the kid answer him

"I-i am Edric! 6 years old." Edric introduced himself.

Rei looked at him for a moment, then he chuckled. "Heh, you're very brave kid...very brave, especially by coming to this forest despite knowing there ight be monsters lurking around somewhere."

Edric widened his eyes in surprise to hear such kind words coming from this scary armored man.

"But being brave and reckless are two different things. Remember that you have your mom waiting for you at home." Rei gave him an advice, although the kid doesn't seem to understand him so he just nodded in response.

"Good, well I shall introduce ourselves first, I am Crimson and this guy is Fang." Rei smiled behind his helmet as he introduced himself and Fang.

"You can count on us, we will save your mom and this village." Rei reassured him that he and his team would help this village, Edric couldn't help but to feel elated to hear this since he nodded frantically.

"Now then, can we start by talking about what is wrong with the village and your mom, Edric."

"O-oh right!" Edric nodded again.

"Let's start with a simple question, when did your mom start acting weird?" Rei asked him.

Edric scratched his head, "Ummm...I don't remember, but I think it's when we came to the village!"

"Anything to add? Like what did the villagers do to you and your mom when you both came here?"

"No! They're all super nice when we came here!" Edric explained cheerfully.

"Super nice?" Rei repeated.

Fang looked as if there's something weird about that word too.

"I see...one last thing, did your mom have been going out lately or something?" Rei asked him.

"Umm...I think mom did! I remember she got called by that old man!"

Fang knitted his brows in suspicion, "That old man?"

"Mhm! He is the head village!"

"So your mom got called by the head village?"

Edric started to fidget, "Yeah...and since that...mom have been acting weird."

"Like what?" Rei asked.

"Well she seems to be much nicer for some reason...but when I asked her if I could play outside and checking out the forest, she suddenly stared at me...with creepy eyes."

"Creepy eyes..." Fang murmurred.

"Yeah! I don't know why but then she went back to her usual self!" Edric explained.

"That's very strange indeed." Rei mumbled, recalling the moment the villagers stared at him and Fang earlier, 'Did she look at him just like the other villagers?'

Edric sniffled as he's about to cry, "I just know that old man did something to her! But no one listen..."

'I am guessing that they might be under some sort of control...or even being brainwashed.' Ray added in his head.

"Hmmmm..I guess that's true, I can guess that old man have something to do with this kid's mother. I mean he's the only one that have a scent!" Fang spoke.

"I agree." Rei nodded, "That's why we need to search some evidence to prove it. After that...we will think about what to do with this head village."

Fang smiled and declared, "Yeah, let's beat him up and save this village!"

Edric who stood a bit from behind, looked at them with admiration.

After that, they continued to walk again but Rei stumbled against something on the ground so suddenly.

*THUD*

"Hmm?"

He saw a big bulge on the ground, as if something is poking out from there. When he looked up he could see more of them poking out from the ground all over this forest, there're lots of them.

Fang who stopped next to him, caught on to a particular smell, "Crimson...I think I can smell something in here."

"Yeah...same, I can tell from the looks of it." Rei replied.

"It's all--ugh, blood and rot in he--wait no, it's everywhere!" Fang shouted while covering his nose, before turning to look at him, "Crimson...what is this place."

Rei didn't answer but he knelt down instead, then digging something out.

"A grave...our evidence." He answered him, he kept on digging until he found a piece of someone's hands buried under the ground.

"T-this?!" Fang widened his eyes when he saw that, and quickly covered Edric's eyes, "Don't look!"

Both of them could see the ground was filled with many body pieces. There was a leg, a body, and finally some's head, all of them were buried close with each other. Some of the body part still have rotten flesh on them, while the rest already left only bones.

"Such a messy way to bury someone." Rei spoke while trying to hold down his anger.

Edric could only tremble from fear after he saw a glance of it.

"No way...did that village done this all?" Fang muttered, disgusted at the sight of it.

Meanwhile, Rei remained calm from the outside but internally he was filled with white-hot rage burning inside of him.

'How could such a thing happen to these innocent people...' Rei thought while fisting both of his hands.

Ray agreed with him, 'Yeah...I never saw a [Demon Cultist] member before...but this is beyond disgusting.'

Fang grounded his teeth, "I'm beyond pissed....how could they!"

Of course, Rei felt the same.

"Right now we have found the evidence, and from the looks of it..." Rei suddenly used his [Appraisal] by Ray's suggestion.

"I can tell they are people we might know."

"Know?"

'Well more like their clothing...since [Appraisal] from [Blacksmith] can only appraise item, and clothing is an item.' Rei thought of it.

"So what is it about, what are you trying to tell me." Fang asked, a bit impatiently.

Rei gulped, a bit hesitated to tell him what it was about, "It seems these people are....[Adventurers]."

"Huh?! H-how come?! Wait, how did you know that?!"

"I use [Appraisal] on them..." Rei spoke, 'Well...their item.'

"And it is said they were a former Adventurer, based on their name and their job." Rei explained him, although it was based on what they were wearing.

'A robe that looks to be from a [Priest] or [Mage], a simple outfit and the armor might have been taken but it's from a [Warrior] or other combat focused type job.' Rei observed as he continued to use [Appraisal].

"So rather than those villagers...these graves are from Adventurers like us?!" Fang shouted in disbelief.

"Well it's hard to say...some of the corpses have been here for too long." Rei explained, 'Even the [Appraisal] cannot appraise them all, it means the items had been broken and left to decompose for a long time.'

"Edric." Rei called his name.

Edric who couldn't see yet, replied, "Y-yes."

"Did you ever saw other Adventurers like us before?" Rei asked, to confirm what he found.

"Adventurers? Ummm...I think I do, but I don't remember because mom told me to stay at home, whenever there was a guest." Edric explained.

"I see..." Rei spoke as he looked at him, 'Is he the only one who's excluded from that village? I mean I saw some kids...but for him to not know about them...'

'That is very strange...is he special than the others?' Rei asked himself, but something interrupted his thoughts.

*RING* *RING* *RING*

Edric was the only one that was surprised at the sudden ringing noise in the forest, "W-what was that?!"

Rei opened his [Inventory] then took out an orb which was making that noise, "Yes, it's me."

"Crimson-san! I have something to tell!" Iris spoke through it.

"Really? I have something to tell as well." Rei replied to her.

"You do?"

"Yeah I do." Rei nodded.

'Are you both having some sort of comedy skit or something.' Fang commented in his head. Edric was finally freed from his hand and he could see the orb that Rei was holding now.

"Woah! What is that?! How come I heard a girl's voice!" Edric exclaimed while he looked at in fascination.

"Hmm? Who is that?" Iris asked.

"I am Edric! 6 years old!" Edric spoke while lifting his hand.

"A kid? Wait–are you with onii-sama? Where are you right now?"

"Calm down, calm down...I can explain it later, tell me what you wanted to say to me." Rei asked.

"Uhhh...I wish onii-sama is there to listen but I guess it couldn't be helped, I need your help Crimson-san." Iris spoke.

"What is it?" Rei asked curiously.

"Please...save this village." Iris requested.

Rei and Fang widened their eyes when hearing that, "What do you mean by that?" Rei asked.

"It is hard to believe but I think I have an information about this village."

"What kind of information?" Rei kept asking since he felt like she's onto something.

"This village...is under control by one of the members of [Demon Cult]." Iris spoke.

"....?!" Both of them were suprised to hear it, and Rei was the most surprised.

'How come...' Rei asked to himself in disbelief.

"I know it is hard to believe but...listen to–" Iris who was about to explain it, was quickly cut off by his words.

"I believe you." Rei replied without hesitation.

"Huh??–You do?" Iris asked.

"That's right." Rei nodded.

"W-wait–how could you easily believe what I said?"

Rei went silent for a moment before he replied to her, looking at the grave he dug up, "...I found where they buried the bodies of their victims."

"B-bodies?" Iris stuttered at that and his reply also surprised the girls who stayed in the same room as her.

Fang joined in, "Yeah...we found dead bodies here, buried on the ground not so perfectly."

Iris was surprised to hear his voice, "Fang-san?!"

"You are with him?!" Ruru joined the call.

"Yeah, our boss here have been getting weird feelings and order me to follow him here." Fang explained.

"Wait–where do you mean by here?" Iris asked.

Fang looked at Rei for a moment to ask if he has the permission to tell them, Rei responded to that with a nod.

"We're in a forest behind the village, it was dark and we could barely seeing anything, we are on our way to investigate."

"Investigate what?" Iris asked.

"To investigate whether it is true or not...that this village are being controlled by this [Demon Cultist]." Rei answered.

"....?!" Iris was suprised to hear it, 'He knew, and already at the crime scene?!'

Rei was silent for a bit, but then he spoke once more. "Save those questions for later...we have work to do right?"

"R-right...sorry about that, so you guys found bodies there? Whose bodies are they?" Iris asked.

"I assumed that...these bodies belong to none other than [Adventurers] like us, but it's still hard to differentiate them because some of them were all bones." Rei answered.

"Adventurers? I see..." Iris nodded, 'Just like in the game.'

"Yeah...it seems they have been using Adventurers who came to rest here as sacrifices." Rei explained.

"That's true..." Iris muttered.

"And also...I heard some other information from this kid."

"What is it?"

"These villagers...it seems they are being brainwashed or being controlled by the Village Head." Rei spoke.

"They are?!–" Iris acted like she was suprised

'I know they were, but how come he know this? And who is this kid?' Iris have so many questions but right now, she needed to focus on this.

"Yeah...and from the looks of it, it seems like this kid is the only one who isn't being brainwashed." Rei explained.

Iris raised her eyebrows in surprise, she's not acting this time, "He's not? Wait...that's strange...why isn't he being controlled?"

"I don't know...maybe they made a mistake or something." Rei replied.

'Mistake? No...they wouldn't be so foolish if they were that infamous for murdering countless people.' Iris thought for a moment.

'But wait...an uncontrolled child, in their younger years....innocence...'

"Crimson-san...may I ask when the new moon starts?" Iris asked.

"New moon? I think...it's today." Fang replied in his stead.

Iris widened her eyes when she finally connected them, "New moon... Festival... that's it!! I get it now!"

"What is it?"

"Crimson-san...listen what I am about to say."

Rei gulped, feeling somewhat nervous, "Tell me."

"That kid...Edric, he wasn't controlled not because of mistakes, but because he need to stay like that, stay innocent, and stay untainted for..."

"F-for?..."

"For sacrifice."

Rei and Fang quickly look at Edric who was looking at them in confusion.

"A sacrifice?" Rei asked.

"Him?" Fang as well.

"Why is he the sacrifice?!" Rei demanded for an answer, "I thought we were going to be the sacrifice here?!"

"I know, but [Demon Cult] isn't that simple."

"We all knew [Demon Cult] is a fanatic who would kill their own kin just to pray for their God right?" Iris spoke.

Rei and Fang nodded, "Yeah."

"But there're some exceptions for the sacrifice they need." Iris explained.

"The first one is an ordinary people which were sacrificed in order for their prayers to be heard."

"While the other one...is a child under 10 years old, or around that age, which was sacrificed as an offering to gain wealth and power from a Demon."

"A child?!"

"Yes...since children have pure innocent soul that haven't been tainted before they reached adulthood which is at the age of 14."

"And that soul is the most delicious for the Demon, and that's why brainwashing and controlling them would taint their soul with magic."

"That's the reason, Edric here hasn't been touched or brainwashed, but I don't know why out of all the kids they have in the village, they chose him." Iris explained.

"....?! I get it!" Rei spoke.

"What do you mean?" Iris asked.

"Edric told us that he's not from this village, why not choose the children from their village which they have more than enough?" Rei spoke.

"That's true..." Fang spoke.

"Indeed." Iris replied.

"The only answer is...it's because he was an outsider which is not affiliated with the village, and because their children are used to continue their legacy from generations to generations." Rei explained.

"....?!" Fang and Iris widened their eyes in realization.

"I see, the reason was much simpler than I thought, never thought I would be saying this...you're quite smart for a C-class warrior, Crimson." Iris smiled.

"Heh, right back at you...you're smart for an 8 years old." Rei spoke.

"Ara~ how did you know my age~?" Iris asked in a teasing way.

Rei realized he almost revealed his own identity and dug his own grave by saying that, "I-i mean I do heard some information of course."

Iris giggled, "Enough with the jokes, since you've found the evidence and everything...I am guessing that you want me to contact the authorities of the Kingdom huh?"

"Yeah, that was my plan before informing you, but I want to ask you a small request."

"What is it?"

"I want you...to let me deal with the Village's Head." Rei spoke his demand.

"What are you going to do to him?" Iris asked out of curiosity.

"What he did to those adventurers...I will make sure he suffer the same thing." His words have weight on it, Fang could tell despite his calm behavior...

His inside is filled with raging wave of anger, like a sea of waves that's about to swallow up everything.

Iris nodded, "I understand, I leave up to you...but what about the guards around here? I don't think they were brainwashed like the villagers."

"Of course we will deal with them all, in fact...I can already guess what they are."

"You do?" Iris asked.

"Yes...more in the fact, it's very easy to guess who they are based on their conversation and the evidence here." Rei explained.

"I see, well I will leave everything to you then."

"Don't worry...tonight it will be their last banquet." Rei smirked behind the helmet.

"You are quite nasty one~" Iris commented.

"Heh, tell the others that we need to get ready, since this will be their first time battling a [Demon Cultist] and I want them to prepared...

.

.

.

on how to kill a human just like themselves."

Rei spoke those words as his body clad with dark red aura, and that moment this will be the first time his team to face...

Something evil that cannot be described in this world...

To be continue...