“We have arrived.”
At the young man’s words, I cautiously looked around. A thick fog clung to the area, and through it, only a few wooden buildings could be seen.
The gloomy atmosphere was unsettling. It wasn’t a town one would willingly step into.
Of course, the young man’s face contributed to that very atmosphere.
‘What about the compass?’
I asked with a glance, and Lily carefully showed it to me.
The compass needle was still pointing somewhere within the village.
‘So, we haven’t arrived yet?’
According to Evan, this compass is supposed to spin wildly once we reach the designated location.
In other words, the Emperor’s hometown is deeper within this area—not here.
That realization gave me a slight headache.
“Where might we find a place to stay?”
At Evan’s question, the young man gestured for us to follow. His demeanor was suspicious, but there was no going back now.
“Just follow me.”
Evan kept his hand on his sword and followed slowly. The young man merely glanced at him indifferently, saying nothing, despite Evan’s guarded stance.
Is it boldness or just recklessness on his part? Indeed, something about this man seemed off.
“Here it is.”
The young man stopped in front of what appeared to be an old, abandoned house. Burn marks covered it, evidence of a fire long ago, no doubt.
It looked like it might collapse if touched. Inside, although tidier due to recent care, the overall state was far from ideal.
I tried hard not to sigh. Lily’s and Evan’s expressions darkened as they eyed the place with clear dissatisfaction.
I turned to see the young man’s unchanging, inscrutable face.
“There’s nothing else besides this place. Or, you could try asking at another house.”
He scratched his head and said this with what I could only interpret as a lack of sincerity. Who chooses to stay at a creepy, run-down place like this, let alone pay for it?
He must have seen Lily’s disapproving look because he clicked his tongue and turned away.
“Whatever suits you. If you change your minds, just come by my house.”
As he started to walk away, he then remembered something and turned back.
“Oh, by the way, my house is the one with the yellow roof. Don’t confuse it with others.”
With that, he disappeared into the fog. Evan and I silently watched him go before he clicked his tongue.
Lily, it seemed, shared this sentiment, having a similar expression on her face.
“I sense something strange. Please, don’t stray too far from me.”
At his words, I nodded and stepped closer to him. Lily understood and nodded vigorously.
She glanced at the compass in her hand, then pointed in a particular direction with her finger.
“Apparently, this isn’t the right place either.”
Evan muttered, taking the lead toward the direction Lily indicated. His usual relaxed demeanor was replaced with sharp alertness, his voice much calmer and darker because of it.
As we continued walking through the village where visibility was practically nonexistent, a dense forest loomed in front of us. Beyond the trees, nothing could be seen due to the thick fog. This hindered our steps significantly.
Evan stopped and turned back.
“We’ve been walking for a while. Would you like to continue?”
It was true we’d been walking for quite some time. Lily was slightly out of breath, and even I wasn’t in great shape.
Even though we rested a few times along the way, the conditions made it tough. The abandoned house, despite everything, was better than sleeping in the woods.
“We might as well rest in the house rather than out here in the forest.”
Evan seemed to share this sentiment. Still, Lily hesitated, frowning.
“But… that man earlier…”
After a pause, she let out a deep sigh.
“Isn’t it possible that the village itself is dangerous?”
“That’s a good point.”
Lily wasn’t wrong. There was something off about the young man, and Evan had even mentioned strange sensations.
Moreover, I’d noticed while crossing the village that the abandoned house was oddly located almost right in the middle. Something clearly didn’t add up.
Evan seemed to agree, nodding.
“Alright then. Let’s go check it out.”
We still had time before nightfall. If anything, we could come back later at night.
Swooosh.
Evan unsheathed his sword and made a cut across a nearby tree. He continued this as he led the way, marking our path.
Perhaps to avoid getting lost. We could use these marks to return to the village—a pretty good plan, all things considered.
Following the compass, we walked for what felt like a while.
Before long, a plain came into view.
A patch of green fields stood unnaturally among the dense forest.
Suspicious as it was, the compass needle remained steadfast in pointing past the plain.
“Are you feeling alright?”
“… We have to keep moving.”
At Evan’s question, I affirmed my determination. Lily concurred, nodding vigorously.
“Stay cautious.”
With that, Evan moved forward again, cutting through the tall grass ahead of us. Lily and I followed closely.
With his sword clenched tightly, Evan treaded slowly, maintaining constant vigilance. Lily, too, was watchful as she followed.
“Is that… a cabin?”
In the distance stood a small log cabin, much simpler than the other houses we’d seen in the village.
Through the window, a faint glow of light could be seen, and smoke rose gently from the chimney. It exuded warmth, unlike the eerie, abandoned building we had seen earlier.
Evan quietly approached the door and knocked with his sword sheathed again.
Knock knock.
There was no answer.
The sky was starting to darken, but inside the cabin, the light remained steady. Confused, Evan knocked again.
“Is anyone home?”
Knock knock.
Footsteps followed, and the door opened to reveal an old woman.
She glanced around the area cautiously before quietly motioning us inside with a wave of her hand.
Without a word, she swiftly closed and locked the door behind us, her demeanor urgent.
“So, you’re travelers.”
“Yes.”
She leaned on her walking stick and sighed deeply, then collapsed into a chair.
“Make yourself comfortable. It’s a bit disappointing that I have nothing to offer, but thank you for coming in.”
“I’m grateful just for the refuge.”
It was certainly better than staying at the abandoned house.
Satisfied with that thought, I sat on one of the wooden chairs. The old woman scrutinized us briefly and then asked in a calm voice.
“Why have you come to this place?”
At her words, Lily hesitated, glancing at me. The compass in her hand had begun to spin wildly, indicating it had fulfilled its purpose.
This meant that this house was the Emperor’s hometown.
Turning to see her expression again, she looked at me with suspicion.
‘No lies will work.’
Evan had knocked quietly, and he got no immediate response. Also, upon entering, she locked the door again almost immediately.
She was the type of cautious person who wouldn’t fall for lies—only risking backlash.
Perhaps telling the truth was the better option.
After finishing my thoughts, I spoke slowly.
“The Emperor’s hometown.”
The old woman’s expression darkened slightly.
“We’ve come to this village looking for the Emperor’s hometown.”
At my unexpected declaration, Lily gasped and covered her mouth. Evan too seemed shocked, his gaping mouth betraying his surprise.
The old woman, observing our reactions carefully, placed her walking stick on the table.
She sat quietly for a moment, then chuckled wryly.
“Quite a candid woman you are.”
“Miss Adelle!”
Lily, who had silently slipped behind me, was whispering frantically. Even Evan was looking at me with a disturbed expression.
“Don’t worry, it’s alright. If you were spies of the royal family, you wouldn’t have come out and said it like that.”
The old woman smiled kindly and said this. Reassured, Lily hesitantly sat beside me, and Evan let out a sigh, then spoke.
“Miss Adelle, please consult with us next time.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll keep that in mind.”
At my apology, he nodded and came closer.
“So, why are you searching for the Emperor’s hometown?”
“The secret of the royal family.”
The old woman whistled softly at my blunt statement.
“How straightforward you are. If only I’d been like that when I was younger…”
Muttering to herself, she shook her head and continued.
“I did raise the child when he was young, so yes, this can be called his hometown.”
She referred to “the child,” which clearly was the Emperor.
It seemed we had come to the right place.
“I can’t offer much information. I’m not of the royal bloodline.”
Her words made me pause.
Non-royal individuals cannot reveal the secrets of the royal family.
Even here, this restriction had caught up with me, leaving me feeling somewhat drained.
As if reading my face, the old woman shook her head and spoke again.
“But there is one thing I can tell you.”
“What is it?”
After a pause, the old woman slowly began to speak. At the same time, blood started to trickle from her eyes.
Could this be some other form of constraint?
Despite the blood flowing down her cheeks, she didn’t stop talking.
“That child is not the Emperor.”
