Chapter 396

396 Moon and Hill and the Sorcerer #2

“Turmeric, helmflower, sea salt. Seashells. Potatoes. And I even added a strand of Doris’s hair I’d been saving, but there’s no sign of it being complete!”

Luna pointed at the contents inside her jar.

Sure enough, it contained a curious orange liquid bubbling away, which looked nothing like the clear, golden nectar it was supposed to resemble.

“Hassan, did you say the nectar was golden?”

“That’s right. Transparent and golden. And it tasted fresh and sweet, like a mix of apples and grapes with a hint of various fruits steeped into it.”

“Ah… So it’s no good! Hassan, if you don’t have any plans tonight, let’s go to the mountains together!”

“Are we going to fetch spring water from Hill Island?”

“That’s right! If we can get the spring water from Hill Island, I think we can make it. I’ve heard that a truly marvelous and effective water grows on Moonrise Mountain!”

Moonrise Mountain, huh. What could be a better name for the mountain located on an island inhabited by pink-haired girls?

The problem is, it’s not cute creatures like pipis or fairies that live there.

I recalled the sharp sound of a horn from the other day. It was also the direction the terrifying two-headed hellhound Orthos had fled.

There’s no doubt that some horrifying monster lives there.

At that moment, a loud shout came from somewhere.

“Noxdotty! Where have you gone now without cleaning the floor as I told you? Don’t tell me you’re hanging out with that Hassan or whatever!”

“Crikey, well, the elder is calling me…! Anyway, Hassan, when the elder is asleep later, I’ll sneak out. Let’s go to Hill Island together!”

With that, Luna left without waiting for my response.

The sounds of the elder reprimanding her and the slaps of punishment were so loud that I decided to stop thinking about it.

That evening.

“Look at this! An outsider named Hassan has brought back a wild boar! Quite the catch! It’s huge!”

Elpride, who was practicing soul sorcery, and Luna, who was busy running errands for the elder, were too occupied to pay any attention to me. Feeling bored, I wandered around the outskirts of the village, hunting wild animals like boars and rabbits.

I ambushed animals while hiding between the jungle and trees to improve my Agility stat to 10. By doing so, I became more aware of my own capabilities and limitations, which boosted my confidence.

The wilderness is a great place to push your human limits and gain an objective view of yourself.

I wouldn’t have been able to do this in Sodomora.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and boil the water!”

“It’s meat! Catching a Mild Boar alone is impressive! Is this the blessing of the hunting god?”

The female hunters of the Nox Child Tribe were amazed that I had caught such a large boar.

Honestly, I was surprised myself at how I managed to catch that enormous beast.

It all happened because I luckily found a split hoof print and tracked it. Then, hiding behind some bushes, I tackled it and strangled it with my arms.

Maybe I have a hidden talent for hunting.

“Everyone, bring any leftover ingredients from your homes!”

“Let’s start the fire! With this size, we can use the festival voodoo!”

In the village, they dropped chunks of the wild boar into a large pot and boiled a massive quantity of soup.

They added various herbs and spicy incense, brewing a broth that filled the air. The pot was so big, and the boar so large, that even if every member of the Nox Child Tribe and the visiting guests each had two bowls, the food would still be enough.

“That was a good meal.”

“Same here, I haven’t eaten this much meat in ages.”

“Let’s do something fun after this?”

Feeling full from the warm meal, the girls started playing music with drums and flutes.

Those without instruments clapped their hands or softly sang along.

Though it wasn’t really structured language or conversation, it had a folksy and mysterious atmosphere that stirred the air. Sparks from the fire danced rhythmically to the music.

Clap, clap.

Barefoot girls similar to Luna twirled around the large hearth.

The sound of their jewelry jingling as they danced made me feel happy too.

It seemed like there was some meaning to my efforts catching the boar while being bitten by mosquitoes in the bushes.

“Did you really catch that big beast alone?”

“Amazing. No weapons or traps, just your bare hands? Is it because your arms are so thick?”

Sitting awkwardly by myself, a few women approached and showed interest.

The pink-haired women, who either wore masks and carried spears or were village guards, had initially been quite wary when I first arrived. However, they now appeared to be quite interested in the strength I displayed.

Indeed, nothing beats winning someone’s favor with gifts.

“Doris mentioned you chased away a monstrous dog earlier…!”

“That nasty dog was causing trouble by attacking the sheep and the girls. Chasing it away was impressive! You’re really strong! Are you really the son of Pluto?”

“Come to think of it, you seem to have a lot of hell energy gathering beneath you. Like underground aquifers sleeping beneath rocks, but deep down below…”

Whether it be the sleeping aquifers beneath the rocks or the fact that I’m surrounded by many curious girls, I don’t quite know what to say. How do popular boys act in situations like this?

Should I confidently throw in a witty line? But if I open my mouth, it could easily ruin the vibe.

They say to keep your lips heavy and your tongue light when you speak well.

What exactly does that mean?

Deciding to just sip on some sweet honey liquor, someone nearby let out a hmm and approached me.

It was Elpride, wearing her hair in a ponytail like the Ideope girls and dressed like a mysterious dancer.

Elpride’s face was flushed as if she were sick, and the girls who had brought her seemed to be showing her off to their friends.

“Ta-daa, what do you think? Isn’t she pretty? Thanks to the good materials, the artwork turned out well! This could even be set up as a totem in front of the village, right?”

“Awesome!”

The Ideope sorcerers, nodding in agreement, seemed to think so too, and so did I. Elpride always wore long pants or robes, but in Ideope’s traditional attire, she looked completely transformed.

I couldn’t help but feel a bit more drawn to her.

“Well, we have to go now since we have duties.”

“Enjoy your time. It’s been a while since we had a festival!”

As if they had great sense, the girls left Elpride and me alone.

Swish.

The moment they left, Elpride put her previously worn mask on over her face, covering her expression.

I asked, “In Ideope, isn’t it forbidden for women to approach men closer than three steps?”

To which she replied from behind the mask.

“It’s fine if you’re wearing a mask.”

“So you dressed like this and wore a mask because of me?”

“Whoa, no, not because of you! I said I didn’t want to wear it, but I was forced to!”

“Oh?”

“To feel the soul, they said it would be better to expose the skin. But I didn’t really want to wear this. It doesn’t suit me…”

It sounded somewhat like a confession or excuse.

“You can laugh if you want to.”

“Nah, it suits you well. I didn’t recognize you at first. Seeing you wear something this revealing actually surprised me…”

I had nothing else to say but some random excuses.

Though Elpride usually wore long pants and minimized exposure, her body wasn’t particularly angular or unattractive. Anything she wore would likely suit her well. And she had long legs.

Click, click.

Despite wearing a mask from Ideope, her long ears poked out and wiggled. Maybe she liked my compliments.

Elpride said, “I heard from Luna that you’re planning to go to Moonrise Mountain tonight.”

“You told her too?”

“Even if I can’t sense souls, my sorcery… no, my magic is strong, so I might tag along just in case. Maybe it’ll help.”

It seems that Luna also knew that going to the Hill Island wasn’t an ordinary trip.

I had thought going on a stroll would be fine, but it seems she had anticipated the danger well.

Elpride continued, “But will it be safe? I heard the girls in the village say that the king of the monsters lives at the top of Hill Island.”

“King of monsters?”

I’ve encountered a few monsters with the title of “King.”

Regulus on my head, its mother Echidna, and her husband Typhon—all are kings of monsters.

Do monsters just crown anyone as king?

There are too many kings.

Elpride added another comment.

“Right, since that king of monsters showed up this spring, disputes on the island have gotten worse. There are rumors that it’s teaming up with the Tatari tribe to incite war.”

“That’s a problem.”

“They say he uses Orthos as his guard dog. That probably means he’s not your average creature. It’d be better to just quietly sneak in and steal the water without a fight if possible.”

Elpride seemed to already have a well-thought-out plan.

I, on the other hand, have no talent for planning or thinking ahead—just a drop in the bucket compared to ants. In situations like this, the cautious and meticulous nature of Elpride is really helpful.

At that moment, the music and the cheering of the people began to fade.

Slowly…

A long shadow fell over the giant communal hearth in the village. Its owner was the elder of the Nox Child Tribe, wearing a mask with a skull and horns.

Approaching the people celebrating the festival, she shouted,

“Well then, as the elder of the Nox Child Tribe, I’ll wrap up today’s festival voodoo! Let’s bring this to an end with a blessing of the deep night, the deep darkness—!”

She grabbed handfuls of dried branches and flowers and waved them in all directions. The rustling sound of dry leaves was quite peculiar.

To this, Elpride sitting beside me muttered,

“Primitive blessings. Whether they work is questionable.”

“Probably just for ambiance.”

Just as I agreed with her thoughts, the elder continued,

“But today’s blessing will not come from me. It will be given by my successor, who will bring prosperity to this island—the young night’s Noxdotty!”

Jingling bells sounded off.

The swish of fabric brushing against the ground followed, likely due to the overly long dress she wore.

“This dress is too long. It’s kicking up dust…”

The nymph Doris of honey water held the hem of the long dress high above her head like an attendant, treating her as if she were a noblewoman or even someone of higher status.

“…”

I temporarily lost my words and looked at the person supported by Doris as they made their grand entrance to the large hearth.

Her dress was layered with thin, white veils. Bells were attached to her hands and feet that emitted mysterious sounds.

Even the crown in her hair was crafted with peacock feathers.

Though small in stature, her figure, glowing under the moonlight and the hearthfire, carried an aura of intimidation, silencing everyone around her.

It was probably Luna.

“…”

Luna, wearing a creepy ghost mask.

In her hands were flowers resembling a bouquet, and her appearance reminded me so much of a ghost bride that it exuded a strange beauty.

“Seeing this, she resembles a goddess. The goddess of this island. Primitive, destructive, yet pure—.”

Elpride seemed to sense something as well, as she hesitantly voiced her thoughts from behind her mask.

Indeed, as Elpride described, Luna was reigning over the moment like the goddess of this island, leaving no room for argument.

Holding the bouquet high in her hands, Luna declared,

“O foolish and pitiable people—witness the divine power I bestow upon you!”

And so, she threw the bouquet into the hearth.

The dry grass released strange pink smoke as it caught fire, creating a spicy yet intoxicating fragrance which made me feel somewhat strange.

Ding.

Suddenly, a message appeared in front of my eyes, snapping me back to my senses.

“The blessing of deep sleep is being cast on you by the little night and shallow darkness, and unknown gods.”

Did Luna cast this blessing?

“Little night and shallow darkness”…

Could this minor version have occurred because Luna is the youngest daughter born between Nox, the goddess of night, and Erebus, the god of darkness?

What about this last “unknown god”?

There’s a lot we don’t know, but the blessing of deep sleep felt quite remarkable.

With the pink mist in their lungs, members of the Nox Child Tribe, one by one, began covering themselves in blankets or furs and falling asleep where they stood.

Even the intimidating elder leaned against the wall, letting out a steady breathing sound.

Then Luna approached me.

She raised her mask and whispered to me,

“Great, everyone’s asleep! Ideopeans fall asleep quickly once they inhale the scent of the sleeping herb! Let’s quickly make a break for it and head to Moonrise Mountain!”

Luna must have deliberately burned a sleeping agent to escape unnoticed from the elder’s watchful eye.

It was indeed an intelligent move, characteristic of her cleverness.

Elpride made a comment as she watched Luna.

“You don’t plan to use that sleeping herb on the monster at the mountain peak, do you? Its effect is pretty… strong. I’m feeling… sleepy…”

“Sleepy feeling will go away fast if you eat this lightning walnut!”

The lightning walnut, an item we owed a great debt to when entering the abyss. It was extremely potent, shocking me back to life instantly.

Luna said,

“Besides, I heard that the monster Chrome has poor eyesight. We’ll use this method to sneak past it! I’ve got everything planned out!”

Luna held up a piece of leather in her hand.

A really large raccoon pelt.

She handed it to Elpride.

“Wear it! We’re going to become raccoons now!”

“Whaaat? You want us to wear this ridiculous fur and act like raccoons?”

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