Chapter 15 : The Storm’s Aftermath

The red moon was over. The ones who had been raging until dawn began to disappear one by one as the sun rose. I was so tired from dealing with the red demons for nearly 12 hours.

Eventually, towards the end, I fought them half-asleep.

And as soon as I confirmed that the moon was over and the dawn was breaking, I jumped into the sea as if jumping into bed and immediately fell asleep. Without waking up once, I slept deeply and woke up, only to find that the day was already almost over.

“I fought for 12 hours and slept for 12 hours… Is this right?”

It’s a simple but too intense schedule. I don’t think I’ll ever do it again.

“…I should clean up the surroundings for the time being.”

Last night, the storm created by my water responsiveness made a mess of the surroundings and then disappeared. I had told the waters to run wild as they pleased so that it wouldn’t put a strain on my mental strength, but they ran too wild.

Dozens of trees were uprooted from the ground due to the storm, and a considerable number of rocks fell from the cliff.

I have a slight doubt whether I really protected this place from the red moon. Rather, I might have destroyed more than the red demons…

“If you receive it by the peck, you should return it by the bushel, right?”

Yes, let’s plant more trees than were uprooted. And reinforce the cliff.

Then it will be a reward for nature to some extent. I heard a sound like the water in the uprooted trees was cursing, but I deliberately ignored it. Nature is the survival of the fittest. Hmm.

“So, assuming I clean up the surroundings… Ah, what happened to the people?”

I lightly flew into the air and observed Estel Village from afar.

I was worried that the village might have been damaged by the raging storm, but fortunately, it was a needless worry. Also, as I wanted, the red demons did not go to the village and all came to me, so there seemed to be no casualties.

“But why are they still like that?”

But there was something strange. The defenses of Estel Village were very tight even until midday. I wondered if the red moon lasted for several days, but I heard from Jonan that it disappeared the next day after the full moon.

It wasn’t the village guards who were always there.

People with equipment distinctly different from the villagers were also guarding the surroundings.

“…Wait.”

Then, a hypothesis suddenly crossed my mind.

Could it be that they are continuing to be vigilant, feeling strange that the red demons did not come?

It seemed likely. It’s like waiting a little longer when the person who was supposed to show up doesn’t come. But what if the meeting place is my house, and the person I’m meeting is a criminal?

Of course, you will be vigilant.

You’ll think, “Why isn’t this bastard coming?” and you’ll be anxious even if they come, and even more anxious if they don’t come, creating a crazy situation.

“…I should have sent a few.”

But I couldn’t let them know that the red moon was over because I had no way to let them know. In a way, contact with other humans was entrusted to Jonan’s family.

Jonan and Rachel were a very likable family, even though I only saw them for a short time, and they knew the people of Artera better.

Me just showing up?

It’s like a huge being they’ve never seen before coming to them. In a way, I’m like an Outer God. Those squid friends that exude cosmic horror.

“The dragon was a divine being in the East… and in this place where there is no information about dragons… it’s like an Outer God.”

I even have the power to back it up, so it’s ambiguous to step forward recklessly.

“…Just keep suffering.”

In the end, all I could do was watch and feel sorry for them.

A week had passed since the red moon.

During that time, there were many changes on the cliff.

First of all, the forest became more abundant. In addition to the trees that were previously uprooted, several more trees were planted, and grass was also planted on the rocky cliffs that felt a little barren.

At the same time, the entrance to the cliff was trimmed a little more.

Previously, the trees were standing here and there, so it felt like suddenly popping out from the forest to the cliff. But through this remodeling, the forest attached to the cliff was made into a U-shape to give a sense of openness.

If you get out of the forest from a human’s point of view, the forest suddenly goes out in a circle, and you can see the sea in full view.

Also, the U-shaped flat ground was made wide so that it could be used in various ways.

If you add the semicircular cliff that surrounds the sea, it will look like a rice bowl on top of a wine glass.

In addition, the rocks that fell from the cliff were returned to their original positions and their durability was strengthened.

After that, finally, a few obelisks from the canyon and pillars from the underwater cave were pulled out and decorated in the sea below the cliff, making it a perfect home.

“That’s why people remodel.”

The surrounding scenery, which was already good, has become a work of art. It was of such quality that it would not be strange at all to bring it to the Greek seaside.

“Now all I need is a housewarming party…”

Personally, the first person I want to show it to is Rachel. Jonan… second. If Jonan is also a doting father, he will step back obediently.

Anyway, when the village’s vigilance is released, Rachel will come running, so I just have to wait until then.

“Huh?”

Then, I heard footsteps from far away in the forest.

A week had passed.

But there was no incident where red demons came to the village. Everyone was embarrassed by the unfamiliar situation.

Of course, I didn’t want the red demons to come, but when they didn’t come, it rather spread anxiety. It was only a moment that people were happy to greet their sons, husbands, and fathers in the morning.

What should have ended in one night lasted all week. To make matters worse, it was difficult to properly check the moon due to the residual clouds of the storm.

In the end, the village was suffering in a different way.

Needless to say, the stress experienced by the villagers, and the mercenaries also became sensitive to the sudden extension of the request.

In the end, after much consideration, the village chief announced that the guard duty would end.

“Sigh… I don’t know if this is the right decision.”

The village chief was already wrapping his head even after giving the order. He was worried about whether he had made a mistake in his calculations and whether they would come tonight.

In addition, the mercenaries who kept protesting to him were also a headache.

Two days ago, Jonan found and stopped some mercenaries dragging a village maiden. They were the ones who made Jonan be chased by a red bear last time.

Because of them, the conflict between the villagers and the mercenaries had even intensified.

“…First of all, I need to send the mercenaries out quickly.”

It would be better to think that the red moon ended without red demons coming to the village due to some reason, maybe the storm.

Knock, knock.

Then, someone knocked on the hall door.

“Who is it?”

“Chief.”

“Jonan. Come in.”

Jonan, who came in, looked better than yesterday. Jonan, who stood guard every night until yesterday, was more tired than anyone else. So, as soon as I delivered the cancellation of the guard this morning, I let him go home and rest.

“You didn’t rest more.”

“I came after getting enough rest. More than that, I came to tell you something.”

“Okay, let’s hear what made you come so urgently.”

“It’s about the dragon I told you about last time.”

“Sigh… Jonan.”

The village chief touched his throbbing head and looked at Jonan. I thought I had just taken off one load, but this good hunter brought another load.

So I was going to say something to scold him, but Jonan took the lead first.

“Chief.”

“…Yes.”

“We were able to buy time until the red moon. The dragon also seemed to be interested in the red moon, and he didn’t seem to be particularly interested in our village.”

The village chief tried to recall the description of the dragon that Jonan had said last time, but no matter how hard he tried to imagine, he couldn’t think of a detailed image.

“But it’s been a week since the red moon ended. Now is the time to decide on a policy. It’s too late if you go further.”

But Jonan was insisting that he should serve a being whose appearance he couldn’t even imagine. Honestly, the village chief felt unfamiliar with him.

‘It’s like a heretic I saw at the temple of the Rehel Church.’

A mad woman who preached their gospel with madness despite having several wounds due to interrogation. It felt like the scene I saw dozens of years ago was appearing in front of me.

Fortunately, Jonan was a man he knew well, and he knew how sound a young man he was, so it didn’t go so far as to be creepy.

‘Also, it handles the storm and lasts for half a day?’

Even those great wizards and elves can’t do that. I couldn’t even tell if the dragons could do it.

‘Of course, what knowledge would a village chief in a frontier village have… but Jonan’s story is too far-fetched.’

“So Jonan, according to you, the storm a week ago was the dragon’s arrangement, and thanks to that, the red demons did not come.”

“I told you that six days ago.”

“Jonan, I’ll tell you my honest position. Your words are too burdensome for me as the village chief.”

“…”

“You said that it can maintain a storm for half a day, detect and deal with all the red demons that appear on the red moon, and even float and control opponents with unknown power.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If such a being is hostile to us at any time, the village will be destroyed in an instant. Of course, as you said, it may be friendly to you and Rachel. But there is no guarantee that it will extend to our entire village.”

Jonan was at a loss for words at the village chief’s words. He had a complacent thought that it would naturally be friendly to the villagers because it was friendly to him and his daughter, so his words were painful.

“I agree that we should not be hostile to the being called a dragon. But to go out of our way to find it and form a friendly relationship? I think it’s difficult.”

The village chief recalled the story about the dragon he had heard in the past. It was a story that a village was burned down after visiting a dragon that lived on the mountain behind it.

He didn’t want his village to be the protagonist of that story.

“But Chief, we will have to face the dragon someday.”

“Yes, I know. You said it’s on the cliff beyond the forest. It may have already identified our village.”

“In that case…”

“If that happens, I would rather report to the Count and abandon Estel Village.”

“…What?”

“Jonan, I am the village chief. I have to choose a safe path for the village. I can’t gamble. I am willing to abandon the village if it can keep our residents safe.”

“But Chief, I’m not saying this recklessly…”

Thump!

Jonan stopped talking and looked at the door. A sound that disappeared in an instant. It was the sound of shoes.

“…Could it be.”

“Someone heard it.”

Jonan hurriedly opened the door and looked around, but there was no one who looked like the culprit. Then, Jonan ran into a hunter who had just come back after going out of the village.

“Chris!”

“Jonan? Are you finally awake?”

“Did anyone just leave the village? It’s urgent, quickly.”

“Uh… Ah, come to think of it, the Lester bastards were f*cking excited and ran like crazy. What the hell are those bastards up to again… huh?”

Chris put the rabbit corpse he was holding next to him and rolled his rarely used head. And as soon as he finally heard the name that came out of his mouth, Jonan and the village chief began to head for the forest.

The Lester bastards.

It was a nickname for the villagers who tried to rape the village maiden and the mercenaries who were chased by the red bear while drunk.

Lester and his subordinates were now going to the dragon.