AnnouncementOh boy, I really cooked today, I don't know if I'll be in such a good mood again next week, but today I was good. Motivated. Proud. Satisfied with the chapter. I hope it stays that way. Enjoy it and see u guys next weekThird person POV
The sun had long since set and Oriana was getting ready to go to the promised dinner an tee with the vilge elder. Her subordinates were not finished because, after careful consideration she had decided that it would be better if they kept an eye on the vilgers while she was otherwise occupied. Of course, the vilgers' incredible fighting strength wasn't a problem, but they wanted to be on the safe side before something else unforeseen happened.
There was a knock and at her behest Mariana opened the door. On the threshold stood the gate guard who had let her into the vilge that afternoon. He looked very tired, with dark circles under his eyes, but even his tiredness couldn't quite hide the slight nervousness that seemed to be slumbering behind his eyes.
"Ahh I assume you are the guide who should take us to your eldest" asked Oriana
"That is correct, the elder asked me to bring you to her" answered the guard
"That's very kind of you. I was just going to... That reminds me, my two friends weren't that hungry would it be fine if it was only I who attended the dinner, and they could explore the vilge a bit. Or would that be rude?" Oriana asked cautiously.
"That is fine, even better, the elder doesn't like crowded meetings that much I will send them a some men to guide them around" responded the guard quickly
Too quickly Oriana thought
"Excellent, then we shouldn't keep the eldest waiting" Oriana said with a fake smile on her lips
“Perfect” The guard excimed with relief and pulled out a small wooden pte with a sword symbol from his colr. He kissed it gratefully and wiped the remaining sweat from his forehead.
What the hell?
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The path to the eldest's house wasn't particurly far. Just a few steps through the earthy ground, and they were already standing right in front of the door of a quite luxurious house that seemed to be clearly different from the others in the vilge. Unlike the normal block huts, this one seemed to be built in the old Japanese style, Oriana never saw anything like it in person in her old world, but she clearly recognized the simirity from pictures and the occasional buildings in YGGDRASIL.
What was going on in this vilge?
The guard stepped forward and knocked tentatively on the door. After a short wait, the door opened and revealed an old woman who had long since left her best years behind, but you could see that she must have once been very beautiful. But that wasn't the only thing Oriana noticed. Through the slits of her half-closed eyes and her toothless smile, she could sense a cunning like that of a fox.
"Ohh come in, come in, *cough* I hope you are hungry..." The old woman said, giving Oriana a particurly toothless smile.
"Hooh, *cough* where are your two friends? Were they to tired to come?" She remarked before Oriana could even respond.
"They weren't hungry elder, and wanted to explore the vilge, but don't worry I have sent some men with them." said the guard and gave the old woman a meaningful look
"Ohh, that is sad but if they aren't hungry *cough* then it can't be helped and Yato I told you, you could call me grandmother, I do not like the title elder." said the elder
"Ahh, yes of course eld...ehh Grandmother" answered the men called Yato hastily and tried to duck under the old woman's stern gaze
"Oh the youth..." began the old woman as she led Oriana into her house
"...always so *cough* hectic without rest. Tee?" asked the old dy and fiddled with the tea tray
“Yes please” replied Oriana politely
"Oh but what am I saying, you're still a young thing yourself *cough* I didn't want to get too close to you, forgive me"mumbled the old Lady
"No harm done" said Oriana and let her eyes wander around the house. The symbol that she had seen on the pte on Yato's neck immediately caught her eye. But instead of being on a small pte, it was hung on a rge banner on the wall.
"If you don't mind me asking, we are traveler and have never been in that region. Could you expin to me, what meaning the symbol on the wall has, I have seen it on some vilgers before." asked Oriana
"This symbol?" asked the Old woman and picket up a pte out of her colr, it was the same as the one Yato had just looking a bit older.
"Eh, yes that's the one" confirmed Oriana
"Well, since you are not from here its clear why you don't recognize it. *cough* It is the symbol of our guardian god, that has protected*cough*...us for the st centuries" answered the old dy with a smile
"Guardian God?" Oriana asked.
"Oh yes, It was said that he was a descendant of the god Susanoo who came to this nd hundreds of years ago.*cough* Back then the nd here was so harsh and dangerous that it wasn't a good pce for people to live, even more dangerous *cough* than it is today. With his inhuman strength, the god shaped the nd and created a pce where people could live safely. The promise of protection and security quickly *cough* attracted more people and a small town soon formed.
Our god Susanoo became the leader of the city-state and its nds and appointed himself with the title of the Akai shōgun. But things did not stay the same as the war broke out with the demon gods, the shōgun set out to defend his nds against the forces of evil. *cough* Unfortunately, he never returned and so his only son took the title of Akai Shōgun from his father and with it the burden of protecting this nd, just as his child and his children's children would ter do. *cough* *cough* *cough*" the woman expined after a particurly violent coughing fit
"If you don't mind me asking what happened to the Descendant of the god, is he still alive and why have I never heard of a city-state like this?" asked Oriana
"It doesn't bother me that you ask, child. Some more tea?" asked the vilge elder without coughing this time.
“Thanks” Oriana said, pushing the bottom of her mask aside just enough to sip the tea
"Allright" said the vilge leader "Where was I?"
"Ahh yes, his son took the title and made it his mission to defend the vilge. *cough* Only after he reached old age did he give the title to his eldest son, who in turn did the same after he became too old for the task. *cough* Everything was fine, but where there is strength, other countries also see danger, and so when the shōgun was outside the vilge they tried to take his wife hostage. When the shōgun found out about this, he became furious and tried to free his wife, but a stray arrow that was intended for him hit his wife and fatally injured her.
The death of his wife changed everything, his anger became so great that his hatred blinded him. Driven by anger, his violence was directed not only against the attackers but also against his own subjects. *cough* Many people died that day, but some managed to escape, and the survivors built a vilge. Over time, we forgot the story and tried to return to the shōgun's nd, but every exploration attempt was unsuccessful and none of our scout teams ever returned alive. *cough*
We learned our lesson and from then on refrained from entering the shōgun's holy nd. We don't know much about what has happened in his domain since then *cough* , but thanks to his protection, neither monsters nor animal people dare to come to us, which has protected us since then, and I'm sure as long as we continue to pray to him and are pious, *cough* it will stay that way." The old woman finished her story with a cough.
"Some more tea, dear," asked the old woman with a soothing voice and turned around to prepare the tea on the tea server at the table behind her
"Thank you very much..." the old woman heard Oriana's voice far away from the other side of the room
"...the poison you use really gives the tea that special note" The voice of the disguised adventurer whispered directly into the ear of the vilge leader
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