“We’ve arrived,” said the young man.
I cautiously looked around. Thick fog and a few barely visible wooden buildings scattered through it.
With the gloomy atmosphere, a prickly feeling arose. It was a place I didn’t want to set foot in.
Of course, the young man’s face contributed to the ambiance.
‘Where’s the compass?’
I silently asked with my eyes, and Lily cautiously showed the compass. The needle was still pointing somewhere in the village.
‘So we haven’t arrived yet.’
According to Evan’s explanation, the compass spins wildly only when you reach the designated location.
That meant Emperor’s Hometown was deeper in than here.
That fact gave me a slight headache.
“Where’s a decent place to stay?”
At Evan’s question, the young man gestured for us to follow. Despite the unsettling vibe, I couldn’t just back out now.
“Just follow me from behind.”
Evan placed a hand on his sheathed sword and slowly followed him.
With his face full of tension, the young man only stared blankly at him, saying nothing.
Reacting like that to someone with their hand on a sword… Was it boldness? He really was a strange guy.
“Here it is.”
The place where the young man stopped revealed an abandoned house. It looked like it had burned at one point, dark marks sporadically visible.
It seemed on the brink of collapse with just a gentle nudge.
The inside appeared to be somewhat neat, but that was about it.
I tried to suppress an impending sigh. The state of this place made both Lily and Evan grimace.
Turning my head, I saw the young man’s nonchalant face still looking unchanged.
“There’s nothing else. Unless you want to go find another house,” he said, scratching his head.
Even if he insisted this was the only place, who would want to stay in such a creepy abandoned house?
The fact that he even wanted to charge for staying in such a place made me chuckle humorlessly.
He seemed to read Lily’s refusal in her eyes, clicked his tongue, and turned away.
“Well, if you don’t like it, just drink. If you change your mind, come visit my house.”
With that, he walked off, seemingly recalling something, he turned back.
“Oh, my house has a yellow roof over there. Don’t get it confused with the others.”
After finishing his words, the young man disappeared into the mist. Evan, who had been quietly watching his back, clicked his tongue.
Lily seemed to share the same sentiment, her expression mirroring his.
“There’s an odd presence. Don’t stray too far from me,” Evan said.
I nodded and moved closer to him. Lily also seemed to understand, vigorously nodding.
She took a quick glance at the compass before pointing with her finger.
“Indeed, this wasn’t it.”
Evan muttered, leading the way in the direction Lily indicated.
His voice was notably lower than usual, likely due to the heightened sense of caution.
As we walked through the village, unable to see even a step ahead, the dense forest came back into view.
Beyond the forest, everything was obscured by fog. Perhaps that’s why my steps felt heavy.
Evan stopped in front and turned around.
“It must be getting tiring; are you sure you want to keep going?”
We had definitely been walking for quite a while.
Lily was slightly out of breath too, and I wasn’t feeling great either.
We had taken breaks several times, but it still wasn’t enough.
Even if it was an abandoned house, it was far better than falling asleep in the woods.
“Better to rest in that house than the woods.”
Evan seemed to be thinking along the same lines.
But Lily frowned, clearly still uneasy.
“But what about that guy from earlier…”
She paused briefly, before letting out a deep sigh.
“Isn’t the village actually the dangerous part?”
“That does make sense,” Evan admitted.
Lily’s point wasn’t wrong. The young man’s odd vibe bothered me, and Evan’s mention of a strange presence was also concerning.
In fact, I realized while passing through the village that the abandoned house was situated almost in the center of it.
No matter how I thought about it, something felt off.
Seemingly agreeing with my thoughts, Evan nodded.
“Alright, let’s go take a look for now.”
There was still time before night fell. If worse came to worst, we could always come back after it got dark.
Swoosh.
Evan drew his sword and lightly hacked at a tree. He proceeded to cut down every tree in his path as he led the way.
Was he leaving traces so we wouldn’t get lost?
It was certainly a smart idea, as those marks would guide us back to the village later.
How long we walked following the direction of the compass, I wonder?
Before I knew it, a meadow came into view.
A patch of green grass unnaturally standing out amid the thick forest.
It looked highly suspicious, but the compass still pointed beyond the meadow.
“Are you alright?”
“…We have to go,” I replied.
Lily nodded vigorously, seeming to agree.
“Be careful.”
With those words, he began to move forward again.
As Evan pressed on, cutting through the grass, Lily and I followed closely behind him.
He walked slowly, gripping his sword tightly. Lily also kept her eyes peeled as she followed.
‘…A cabin?’
A small cabin made of logs appeared before us. Unlike the houses we saw in the village, it wasn’t very big.
A warm, cozy atmosphere contrasted sharply with that eerie abandoned house, as a small light flickered through the window and smoke billowed from the chimney.
Evan quietly approached the front door. After putting his sword back in its sheath, he knocked gently.
Knock, knock.
No response came from the knock.
As the sky grew darker, a small light still shone from inside the house. Evan seemed to wonder about it, so he knocked again.
“Is anyone there?”
Knock, knock.
A presence was felt from beyond the door. After a while, an old woman swung the door wide open.
She looked around cautiously, surveying her surroundings, then quietly gestured for us to come inside.
Once we stepped in without saying a word, the old woman immediately locked the door behind us. She seemed quite flustered, raising my suspicions.
“You must be outsiders.”
“Yes.”
The old woman leaned on her cane, sighing deeply. Then she plopped down onto a chair.
“Make yourself comfortable. I wish I could offer you something, but it’s a bit lacking.”
“No, I’m grateful just to be let in.”
It was far better than staying in that abandoned house.
Thinking that, I sat on a wooden chair. The old woman silently looked us over before asking in a calm voice.
“Why has an outsider come here?”
At her question, Lily glanced at me anxiously.
The compass in Lily’s hand spun wildly as if it had done its job.
That meant this house might actually be Emperor’s Hometown.
Turning my head, I saw the old woman watching me with suspicion-filled eyes.
‘A lie won’t work on her.’
When Evan knocked without getting a response and she locked the door right after we entered, she was certainly on high alert.
Trying to lie to someone like that would only backfire.
Maybe it was better to tell the truth.
With that thought, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Emperor’s Hometown.”
At my words, the old woman’s expression shifted slightly.
“We’ve come to find Emperor’s Hometown.”
At my sudden declaration, Lily gasped, covering her mouth. Evan too seemed surprised, his mouth slightly ajar in disbelief.
The old woman, observing them closely, placed her cane down on the table.
After pondering for a moment, she let out a hollow laugh.
“Such a blunt girl.”
“Um, Miss Adele!”
Before long, Lily whispered in my ear from behind, hiding. Evan looked at me with a bewildered gaze.
His quaking eyes spoke for his feelings without a word.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. If you two really were imperial agents, you wouldn’t have just blurted that out.”
The old woman smiled kindly as she said that. With a mingled sense of hesitance, Lily finally settled into the chair beside me.
Evan let out a sigh and opened his mouth.
“Miss Adele, please consult with us before you act next time.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to do that next time.”
As I apologized, he nodded amicably and came closer to me.
“So, what brings you to search for Emperor’s Hometown?”
“I want to learn the imperial family’s secrets.”
At my words, the old woman let out a “ha” sound.
“Quite forward, aren’t you? I wish I’d been as bold when I was young…”
Muttering in a small voice, she shook her head. Then she answered my question.
“I raised that child when they were little. You could say this is their hometown.”
That child must be referring to the Emperor.
It seemed like I had genuinely found my way here.
“There isn’t much I can tell you. I’m not part of the royal family.”
At that statement, I froze momentarily.
Anyone who wasn’t of royal blood couldn’t reveal family secrets.
That restriction caught me off guard once again now that I had come this far. I felt somewhat deflated.
Noticing my expression, the old woman shook her head and spoke.
“However, there’s one thing I can disclose.”
“What is it?”
After a brief pause, she slowly opened her mouth. At the same time, blood trickled from her eyes.
Was this another form of restriction?
The blood running down her cheek didn’t faze her as she continued to speak.
“That child is not the Emperor.”
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