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Chapter 121: Death, The White-Robed Figure

1. Death, The White-Robed Figure

In the still dim light of early summer morning, Otta called out to me as I was about to leave the house and head for the forest.

“Could you deliver this to Neighbor Hark’s house?”

What she handed me was a board the village called a “schedule board.”

It had the upcoming pioneer work schedules that would be jointly carried out by the villagers written on it, similar to a circular notice board from my previous world.

“I would normally ask Prough to do this, but that child is such a sleepyhead, you see.”

Otta said with a wry smile, her gentle gaze falling upon Prough-kun still wrapped up asleep in his bedding.

“Understood.”

“I’m counting on you! Hark and Grute will likely be out in the fields already, so just leave it by the entrance.”

With Otta seeing me off, I left the house.

“Shumimimimi……Shumimimimi……”

Advancing along the country road, bathed in the pleasant morning breeze, I listened to the chirping of some unknown insect.

The crimson sun began rising beyond the wheat fields.

The purple sky gradually changed its hue from the horizon, slowly dyeing itself azure.

It was supposed to be the start of another peaceful day like any other.

The start of another blissful time like always.

Although called “neighbor,” Hark’s house was still a few hundred meters away from Otta’s home.

Its outward appearance was that of a typical single-story wooden house for this village.

“…………?”

Now then, regarding Hark’s house, candlelight spilled from inside.

According to Otta, the uncle and granny would normally be out in the fields at this hour, leaving the house dark.

Uneasy about this irregular situation, I opened the unlocked front door and peeked inside.

……There was Hark, hunched over in a daze.

His gaze falling upon……Granny Grute.

Granny Grute lay motionless, face-down on the earthen floor.

“…………!!”

I instinctively rushed inside and cradled the granny.

Checking her pulse, I couldn’t detect any life rhythm from Granny Grute.

No mana leaking from her body either.

Her body was unnaturally cold despite the summer weather.

She had passed away.

“……Ah, good morning, Emi.”

Hark greeted me in his usual tone.

“Did you bring the schedule board? Just leave it anywhere for now. You’re going hunting, right? Do your best. I too……I too must head to the fields. Gotta tend to the wheat……”

As usual.

Hark spoke in his usual tone, behaving as usual, attempting to go about his usual routine.

“What about Granny?”

He’s likely in shock, in denial of reality.

I understand the pain.

But this won’t do.

“You need to hold a wake for her.”

“…………”

Hark’s hands, which had started preparing for fieldwork, came to a stop.

Silence for a few seconds.

“Say, Emi. Could you do me a favor……”

What the uncle then requested of me was the second favor of the day.

The task Hark asked of me was to carry Granny’s remains to the village plaza before the statue of the god.

That must be how this village holds funerals, I suppose.

After entrusting me with that request, Hark staggered off toward the fields in a daze.

Is that really okay?

It was his own mother, yet he won’t hold the wake himself?

That’s what I thought, but……the uncle is likely in denial, unable to face the reality of his loved one’s passing.

I couldn’t bring myself to force such a person to do this or that.

Well, I probably should have been more insistent that he at least conduct the final rites.

But I didn’t know how to voice those words.

I haven’t had much experience dealing with the loss of close ones myself.

To some extent, I too was confused.

So for the time being, I simply accepted the uncle’s request.

Carrying Granny’s remains on my back, I proceeded along the village’s country road.

I held no aversion toward the remains.

I’m long past being fazed by such extraordinary sensations.

I’ve already killed countless beasts, monsters, and bandits up to now.

It had grown considerably brighter by then.

The once cool morning air started feeling warm, and the Myogomyogoshugos cried from the distant forest.

Summer had arrived.

“…………”

Passing through the wheat fields, I arrived at the village plaza.

Under the deep azure summer sky stood the twisted, dirty wooden statue and slightly small shrine building.

Laying Granny’s remains before the statue, I……found myself at a loss for what to do next.

What should I do from here?

Hark had only asked me to “carry Granny to the statue of the god.”

I had no idea about properly arranging the remains, or if I should offer flowers or anything, completely unfamiliar with this village’s customs.

I was at a total loss.

Yet leaving the remains here unattended while searching for another villager didn’t sit right with me either.

What if a bird or something came along and started pecking at Granny in my absence? The thought was unacceptable.

After hesitating, I decided to wait here in the plaza for someone to arrive.

The villagers frequently used this plaza for short breaks as well.

Surely someone would show up if I waited a bit.

I could ask them what I should do.

I shuffled over to the side of the shrine building and sat in the shade formed under the eaves.

“Myogon, Myogoshugomyonshugoh! Myogon, Myogoshugomyonshugoh!”

Listening to the Myogomyogoshugo cries sounding closer now, I waited silently for someone’s arrival.

Gazing upward revealed the deep azure sky.

Beautiful white clouds drifted off somewhere, carried by the wind.

Gradually lowering my gaze led to an expansive green sea stretching out before me.

The wheat fields.

Swaying gently in the summer breeze, glistening brilliantly under the sunlight.

Surrounded by that shimmering life, Granny’s remains lay on the ground.

Bidding farewell to this world, embraced by her beloved wheat fields.

I vaguely thought, this scene alone might exemplify a funeral custom fitting for this village.

The next instant.

Ko, ko, ko, ko……

My hearing picked up sounds like someone ascending stairs.

Stairs?

There were no such things in this vicinity.

This was the center of the wheat fields.

Puzzled yet wary, I concealed my presence with 【Presence Concealment】, hiding myself behind the shrine wall’s protrusion.

Ko, ko, ko, ko……

The sound gradually grew louder.

And because I had pressed myself flat against the shrine wall to hide, I realized.

This sound was resonating from inside the shrine building itself.

Someone was ascending from underground depths into the shrine’s interior.

This shrine has an underground basement?

I had never peeked inside, so I was unaware, but that must be the case.

But what purpose could an underground room serve?

No, more importantly.

What is the true purpose of this shrine building itself?

I had simply assumed it was a “shrine” since the god’s statue stood beside it, but come to think of it, neither Prough-kun nor Otta had ever explained this building to me.

Huh?

Why had I never shown any interest in this building until now?

Well, it’s not that strange, I suppose.

Apart from some decorative designs on the roof and walls, it’s ultimately just a small wooden hut.

Not a particularly notable building.

And yet.

Hmm?

What is this feeling of dissonance?

Just what is this discomfort?

Garara……

While I was lost in confusion, the sound of footsteps ascending from inside the shrine gradually grew louder until the doors were finally opened from the inside.

Witnessing who emerged, I inadvertently held my breath in surprise.

It was a person dressed in flowing white robes and wearing a chef’s hat-like headpiece.

Broad-shouldered with a well-built physique, likely male.

A bizarre outfit resembling a hakama fused with an apron.

His face was concealed by a white cloth draped down from the hat, obscuring it from view.

Extraordinarily out of place.

The white-robed figure’s leisurely advance from the shrine, framed by the swaying wheat fields against the azure sky, could only be described as utterly displaced from this scenery.

Throughout the few months I had spent in this village, I was completely unaware of such a person’s existence here.

“…………”

The white-robed man slowly approached Granny’s remains, wordlessly grasped them, and dragged them back into the shrine’s interior.

Not a shred of reverence or mourning could be sensed.

The white-robed figure simply acted indifferently.

Indifferently grasping Granny’s collar and dragging her inside, disappearing into the shrine.

My 【Presence Concealment】 seemingly worked, as he didn’t notice my presence.

Garara……ko, ko, ko, ko……

The shrine doors closed, and the footsteps descending grew fainter.

Once that sound faded beyond my hearing range, I cautiously opened the shrine doors myself.

Illuminated by the sunlight pouring in was the entrance to a staircase leading underground.

Quite a long, deep flight of stairs by the looks of it.

Peering down revealed an endless spread of darkness as far as I could see.