Chapter 99: For the Town
Saul looked around and found an empty cupboard to hide in.
The cupboard didn’t contain any food or supplies; it was clearly just for decoration, meant to mislead.
Saul curled up inside, sitting in a cramped position.
To avoid alerting those below with fluctuations in his spiritual energy, he refrained from meditating. Instead, he passed the time by counting the cracks in the cupboard door.
After about two or three hours, the hidden door behind the stove finally opened, and two people crawled out.
Judging by the footsteps, there were two of them.
They continued talking as they emerged.
“…Tomorrow’s matter is in your hands.”
“Don’t worry. As long as the goods are sufficient, it’s a minor issue.”
“But that person is returning in a few days.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, congratulations, sir.”
The two men’s footsteps gradually faded into the distance, leaving Saul in the cupboard, completely confused.
What were they talking about?
Aren’t eavesdroppers supposed to overhear critical information effortlessly?
Why did he end up with nothing useful?
Still, after thinking it over, Saul realized he did gain some information.
Something was going to happen tomorrow.
One party was solving the problem, while the other was providing compensation.
And someone had received congratulations for something.
Saul waited a little longer. When he was sure no one was returning, he slipped out of the cupboard.
Perhaps because the two men had left, there were no guards outside the house. Even the soldiers who had been stationed there had withdrawn.
Saul took another trip to the area where the Grinding Sound Fruits were being grown. Before dawn, he turned back toward Ada’s home.
Exhausted from his labor the previous day, Ada was still sound asleep. He never realized that his guest had been out all night.
The next morning, Ada got up to start the fire and cook breakfast, calling Saul to help.
The meal was simple—just plain green cakes and wild vegetables.
They set aside a portion of lunch for Penny before hurrying out the door.
But to Saul’s surprise, Ada refused to take him around town to look for work.
“I saw yesterday that you’ve got some strength. Why not come with me to work on the mayor’s farmland? Land is scarce here, so it’s a good job. If you work for two years, you can build a little house for yourself outside the town.”
Saul immediately shook his head. “I can’t do that kind of work.”
Ada frowned. “Then what can you do? The town doesn’t exactly have a shortage of workers.”
Saul didn’t answer. He just wanted to explore the town on his own.
Ada assumed he simply didn’t want to farm, which annoyed him. But he didn’t argue.
He led Saul toward the part of town where workers were hired.
“I’ll take you to the spot, but whether you find a job is up to you. I still need to go till the fields.”
However, before they reached the hiring area, they stumbled upon a commotion.
They arrived at a fairly well-maintained street and found a house surrounded by a large crowd.
The people were packed together in layers, making Saul realize that the town actually had quite a large population.
From within the crowd, the sound of crying could be heard.
Ada, who had no intention of getting involved, glanced over hesitantly and then grabbed Saul, trying to pull him away.
Saul, however, felt that this wasn’t just any ordinary spectacle.
Using his small frame and strength, he squeezed his way into the center.
Ada reached out to pull him back but lost sight of him in an instant.
Not wanting to shove through the crowd himself, Ada stood on tiptoe, straining to see, frustration clear on his face.
“If it weren’t for the fact that you’re strong…” he muttered, unsure if he regretted taking Saul in.
Inside the crowd, Saul finally saw what was causing the stir.
At the very center was a weeping couple.
Beside them stood an elderly man with graying hair, smiling as he spoke soothingly.
Captain Jeff, whom Saul had met the day before, stood across from the couple, expressionless, his hand resting on the curved blade at his waist.
Behind Jeff, two soldiers were holding up a girl who was too weak to stand.
She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen, dressed in a blue checkered dress. Compared to the other townspeople, she was quite beautiful.
In Saul’s line of sight, a figure in a black robe and hood stood with arms crossed.
No one dared to stand close to him, leaving a wide empty space around him.
“Sigh, how do I explain this to you?” The elderly man patted the weeping couple gently. “This concerns the survival of our town, and it’s not a bad thing!”
Saul looked at the crying couple, then at the terrified girl. He couldn’t imagine what could be considered a good thing here.
However, the surrounding onlookers clearly had a different perspective.
A woman carrying a basket shouted impatiently, “What are you crying for? This is for the sake of the whole town! If I had a daughter, I’d be happy to send her.”
Saul recognized her—it was Aunt Jenny, who had been so enthusiastic yesterday.
The sobbing woman lowered her hands from her face and choked out, “But Minnie is our only daughter!”
Immediately, someone in the crowd responded, “Then just have another one! Do you want to doom the whole town for one girl?”
The moment that was said, murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd.
The couple, overwhelmed by the pressure, were speechless.
The elderly man patted the father’s shoulder, his smile widening.
“So, you agree? That’s good. I wouldn’t want to force anyone. But Minnie is the only one who meets the wizard’s requirements. This is an honor for her—and for our town. After all, the Holy Fruit determines our survival. If the yield keeps dropping, and the Wizard Tower gets angry, none of us will survive.”
The old man’s words were skillfully phrased. The crowd instantly turned on the couple again.
“Is one girl’s life worth more than the entire town?”
The mother was too devastated to speak, collapsing in tears.
The father, legs shaking, suddenly dropped to his knees. Mustering his last bit of courage, he grabbed the old man’s hand and cried out:
“But, Mayor—over the years, we’ve sacrificed so many girls already! And the Holy Fruit yield hasn’t recovered! Could it be that this method—”
Before he could finish, the robed wizard apprentice let out a cold snort.
The sound was chilling.
All at once, the spectators and the family covered their ears, their faces twisting in pain.
Two townspeople closest to the father had blood trickling from their ears.
Saul pressed his hands over his ears, rolling his eyes as he ducked his head.
“That Coughing Spell is so unfocused. Doesn’t he even know how to direct it with spiritual power?”
The only one who held his ground was Captain Jeff. Even so, his face was tense, his hands twitching as he resisted the urge to cover his ears.
The intimidation worked. No one dared to make another sound. Even the couple’s sobs quieted.
And just like that, the girl was taken away, leaving behind a bag of money for her parents.
Even after the spectacle ended, the crowd lingered, murmuring.
Some tried to console the family, pointing out that at least the mayor had given them compensation—they wouldn’t have to worry about money for years.
Aunt Jenny even stepped forward with a bright smile, congratulating them and giving advice on how best to use the money.
As the crowd finally began to disperse, Ada found Saul, who had been lost in the throng.
With a dark expression, he yanked Saul out and dragged him to the side of the road.
“Do you have to watch every little commotion? If we weren’t lucky and had been closer, your ears might be bleeding right now!”
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