### Chapter 38: Magical Beasts and the Black Brotherhood
#### 114 – Magical Beasts and Brotherhood #3
The village of Salom, situated along the road leading to the kingdom, was a tiny settlement similar in size to the village of Sinai.
However, unlike Sinai, which had cleanly built houses of plaster and straight wood, the homes in Salom looked like they were made from nothing more than straw bundles and wooden boards. One might say it was a bit more eco-friendly, or conversely, that it resembled a slum.
Nevertheless, the smiles plastered on the faces of the residents suggested that Salom had something going for it.
The villagers wore old clothes, torn slippers, and straw sandals, yet they still wore expressions of happiness as if embracing the comfort of a simple life.
Was carrying bundles of hay and logs under the blazing sun truly that enjoyable?
Batus, Shuleiman, Vitali, and Leaf hopped off their cart.
Suddenly, a middle-aged countryman appeared out of nowhere, approaching them with a friendly demeanor.
“Ah! The Platinum Hunter and a hunter of the same caliber! Coming from Sinai village, are you?”
The middle-aged man wore a plain, slightly stylish cotton shirt with brown pants.
With everyone in the village looking similarly dressed, it felt like they had all bought their outfits in bulk—as if it were some kind of school uniform.
Batus proudly displayed his platinum plate to the man. This little ID tag seemed to serve as a hunter’s identity proof.
“I am Batus of the Platinum tier, in a hurry to get to the Royal Capital. But first, I’d like to drop these fellows off at the Guard.”
The man gazed at the Black Brotherhood piled up in the cart. With narrowed eyes, he cautiously questioned Batus.
“And what are these…?”
“They are the Black Brotherhood. Their bridge by the creek was broken, forcing us to detour this way. Which way should I go to reach the Guard building? I’d appreciate it if you could point me to a stable where I can rest the cart and horses.”
“The Guard is just around that corner. As for the stable…”
The man looked over at the horses hitched to the cart. He then frowned slightly while looking back at Batus.
“There isn’t a stable in this village. We don’t have the resources to keep animals. By the way, is this creature a magical beast? I’ve never seen such an animal before.”
He pointed at me. Batus shrugged, as if it were nothing serious.
“You don’t need to worry about it biting unless provoked. Anyway, no stable, huh…”
Batus frowned, clearly facing an unexpected problem. Then Shuleiman, who had been listening nearby, wisely chimed in.
“Let’s leave the cart in front of the Guard barracks. I’ll buy some wooden troughs and hay to feed the horses.”
“Well then, I’ll need to ask you for a favor.”
“Let’s gather at a nearby restaurant. Come on now, Leaf.”
Shuleiman led the cart and me towards what was presumably the Guard building. I, dragging the heavy cart, scanned the village with suspicion.
‘This village is supposedly a magical realm, a testing ground for long-tails? At first glance, it just looks like an ordinary village.’
According to the signs that popped into my mind, this village seemed to qualify as the ‘magical realm.’
It was clear that the words had never lied, making Salom a very suspicious and questionable place.
‘Just an ordinary countryside with ordinary farmers, huh?’
I felt the stares of the villagers on me. Whenever I passed by, they all paused what they were doing just to watch me silently.
“Hello there!”
I wagged my tail as a greeting.
I expected a cacophony of squeaks, but the villagers merely stared at me, their mouths tightly sealed.
‘Does my appearance not impress them here?’
Their attitude towards me stood in stark contrast to the warm reception I received at Sinai village.
Having gathered from several people’s reactions that I appeared somewhat cute and lovable, I felt a bit crushed by this indifferent response.
“A flag with a hawk! So this is the Guard’s barracks.”
Shuleiman stopped the cart in front of a run-down little cabin.
It looked just as shabby as the other houses, but there was a flag embroidered with golden thread flapping in the wind at the door.
‘I thought the Guard would have a somewhat decent building.’
I suddenly realized that the hunter’s branch in Sinai village had a surprisingly splendid structure.
After halting the cart, Shuleiman unhitched the horse and tied its reins to a post out front.
“Wait here.”
As he stroked the horses’ backs, they responded with a soft whinny. Soon, he approached me and undid the yoke resting on my back.
Liberated from restraint, I stretched my shoulders and neck, relishing the freedom.
“How did this little body manage to pull such heavy loads? Such a commendable little guy!”
Shuleiman took out another piece of jerky from his waist pouch and offered it to me.
“Don’t just give me a nibble! Be generous and give me the whole pack!”
I accepted it eagerly and let out a satisfied grunt.
Smiling gently, Shuleiman ruffled my fur before turning his gaze towards the door of the Guardhouse.
“Ahem.”
He cleared his throat and knocked politely on the wooden door, two firm knocks.
“Is anyone home? I have business with the Guard.”
The sound of movement came from inside after a moment.
“Ahem. Who is it…?”
“I am Sir Knight Ephraim Shuleiman.”
“A, knight? Uh-huh, wait a moment.”
From inside the hut, there came the sound of something crashing.
The door creaked open to reveal a man in his late thirties with a scruffy beard, resembling a goat.
“Come on in.”
He wore a shirt with mismatched buttons, and his belt was haphazardly fastened while his baggy trousers hung down awkwardly. I couldn’t help but cringe.
The inside of the hut was a mess, with bottles of liquor and fruit peels strewn about.
‘What a pigsty.’
Old man Shuleiman remained unfazed, simply smiling amiably as he tilted his head.
“I must have interrupted your rest. Are you the captain of this village’s guard?”
“I’m Sergeant Garfield. So, what brings a knight to this peaceful village? We haven’t had any incidents here, not even a mouse nibbling on grain. Surely, it’s not time for inspection yet…?”
“That’s right. Anyway, I’ve come to hand over these individuals to the Guard.”
Shuleiman gestured slightly to the wooden cart behind him. Garfield raised an eyebrow and scratched his head.
“What are those?”
“The Black Brotherhood. I suspect they’ve recently been responsible for breaking bridges and roads.”
“And you want to turn them over to me? Hmm. I’m not sure if I can even take care of them. With over ten of them, just feeding them would break our budget…”
Garfield stroked his scruffy beard, looking dissatisfied.
While he didn’t explicitly show his displeasure, it was clear he wasn’t too thrilled about the situation.
In a low, discreet voice, Shuleiman addressed Garfield.
“It might mean extra work for you, but it would certainly reflect well on your records. You could easily brag about it during the next inspection.”
“Well, that’s true. Hmm. Alright. Since it’s an old knight’s request, I’ll accommodate you. Though it is a pity about the damaged bridges and roads; it’s leaving me strapped for resources.”
Garfield cocked an exaggerated smile, nodding at his own rhetorical questions.
Listening in on the conversation, Shuleiman furrowed his brow slightly.
“Has a bridge really broken here too? I thought there’d be a passable road…”
At this, Sergeant Garfield clicked his tongue.
“It’s been broken for quite a while. My subordinates are doing repairs, so you might be able to cross by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow, huh… how long would it take to find another road around the village?”
“Probably about two days. Best to wait here and set out again tomorrow. It might seem boring to be stuck here forever, but Salom is a lovely village for a day’s stay. The women here are exceptional cooks with vegetables.”
Garfield’s lips twitched, as if he were recalling delicious food.
Seeing him smacking his lips, I too found myself swallowing as I imagined dishes I’d never had.
‘Vegetable dishes.’
After indulging in greasy meats, sausages, and whole scorpions recently, I was actually looking forward to enjoying some vegetable cuisine.
‘Eating raw veggies or fruits is fine, but nothing beats a well-cooked meal.’
I wagged my tail in satisfaction while smiling, and Garfield’s attention turned to me.
“Is this Sir Knight’s pet?”
“Not quite. Is there a problem? Should I put it on a leash?”
“No, nothing like that. The villagers here aren’t fond of animals. It might be best to keep a tight watch on it so it doesn’t run amok. By the way, it’s quite cute!”
Garfield reached out his hand toward me. Seeing the grease on his fingertips made me scrunch up my nose.
‘My fur will get dirty.’
“Whoa, feisty, huh?”
As I growled, Garfield instinctively yanked his hand back, startled. He must have thought I would bite him!
*
Once inside the shabby restaurant in Salom, Batus and Vitali, already seated, waved at us.
“Over here!”
“Payment will be charged to Batus from the hunter’s branch!”
The six tables inside the eatery sat empty, evoking curiosity about how the place stayed in business during lunch hour.
Sitting at a table, Leaf showed me something resembling a wooden board.
“Look at this. Is this what humans call writing? What does it say?”
Leaf held up a wooden plank with unknown letters carved on it.
Taking it from Leaf, Shuleiman adjusted his monocle and cleared his throat.
“The menu is quite complex. There’s a thick, hearty steak made entirely of beans! Hmm. Hamburgers made from ground grains…?”
Hearing this, Batus shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s all just vegetable and grain dishes. They don’t even sell the most common milk. Seems like it’s deliberately not for sale.”
“They mentioned it was a poor village, so meat and livestock must be scarce. Either way, I’ll be ordering steak.”
Vitaly seemed to have made his selection first, followed quickly by Batus and Shuleiman.
Leaf stared intensely at the menu Vitaly handed him.
“I have no idea what any of this says. You’re telling me I can just choose whatever food I like from these letters?”
“Yup.”
“I can just pick what I want to eat? How cool is that!”
The raccoon, experiencing capitalism for the first time, squealed in excitement.
But apparently not being able to read, he frowned, mumbled, and pointed at some random letter.
“This one looks the cutest being all round and bubbly! I want this! Can’t wait to find out what it is!”
Leaf purred, gazing at Vitaly.
Vitaly tilted his head as he looked at the menu Leaf picked.
“You want to eat… an extremely spicy fried pasta? What about something else? Like a corn soup made with millet?”
Vitaly pointed to another dish on the menu. But Leaf, enamored with the round letters, scowled and tapped the letters he had chosen.
“I’m having this!”
“Well, hmmm… sure! Excuse me! I’d like to place an order!”
Vitaly called out loudly toward the kitchen. Instantly, there was a significant commotion from inside, and someone approached our table.
“Can I help you with your orders?”
The man who appeared to be the chef greeted us with a beaming smile, yet the peculiar odor emanating from him made me scrunch my nose.
‘That’s a beast smell. Where have I smelled this before? I know that beast.’
How could a shop selling only vegetable dishes have the smell of a beast? I regarded the chef suspiciously. Seemingly noticing my gaze, the chef shuddered slightly.
“Dear guests, I’m sorry, but our establishment prohibits the entry of animals.”
‘That rascal…?’
