Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 54

Chapter 54

"Hebenia, look at this."

Inside the ladle Ian had pulled from the well was a small wooden box.

It was old but well-maintained. Looking closely, the joints were firmly sealed with wax.

We took the box and headed to the village hall.

I took a utility knife carelessly stuck in a pencil holder on the desk, carefully peeled off the wax, and opened the lid.

Inside the box were a train ticket, a letter, and a ring carved from white jade.

I picked up the letter.

[I have secured the train ticket. The enclosed ring is proof of my, Saker's, identity. If anything happens, be sure to use it.]

After handing the letter to Ian, I placed the ring in my palm and examined it closely.

'It's heavy.'

Looking closely, there was a pattern engraved on the white jade.

"...A wolf?"

"It's the symbol of the state religion."

Ian, who had taken the letter, explained.

"Two winged wolves. Divine beasts that serve the gods."

Ian's face grew more serious as he examined the ring.

"Priest Saker really was a Salvation Priest."

"Salvation?"

"Among priests who have endured trials and awakened healing magic, those who have been ordained directly by the Holy King are called Salvation Priests."

"Th-they were amazing people..."

"I heard Salvation Priests are treated as equals to Head Priests. He probably has considerable influence within the temple."

That brought back a past memory.

"He never showed any evidence that he could actually use healing magic."

So that's why they spoke of Head Priest Saikeuf that way.

'And the fact that news of the well still hasn't left the temple shows he has considerable power.'

Meaning he can control the temple to that extent.

The white jade ring rolled around in my palm.

'...This is a sign of trust.'

A ring personally delivered by the head of the state religion.

And he gave it to us.

Priests Saker and Chel do had decided to stand with us no matter what happened.

As I silently bit my lip, Ian asked.

"When's the date on the ticket?"

"Four days from now."

"Plenty of time to prepare."

"Yeah..."

"Nervous?"

"A little."

Honestly, it was daunting enough to send chills down my spine.

'The Antema Research Lab...'

A horrific place where they conduct unethical experiments on people.

It was the most heavily influenced by the Emperor, so security would be tight. The likelihood of armed conflict was very high.

Our goals at the Antema Research Lab were twofold.

One: To determine the lab's purpose.

Two: To destroy the lab and sabotage the Emperor's unknown plans.

'To do that...'

We'd have to kill.

Everyone involved in the lab.

'This time, I have to throw away human rights and morality.'

The Antema Research Lab is a hellish place conducting insane research.

They kill people as needed, turn dead bodies into undead, and conduct all kinds of unethical experiments.

Everyone in the lab is an accomplice.

Their individual circumstances don't matter. They wouldn't have considered the victims' circumstances when experimenting on them, either.

To leave no loose ends, all of them must die.

'...Tch, this is an unpleasant resolve.'

An invisible line begins to grow clearer.

The ancient pact that one must not kill one's own kind—a universal principle that has always been violated—appeared before my eyes.

'I have to cross this line too.'

Just as a headache from heavy thoughts began to set in.

"Hebenia."

I looked up at the voice calling me, and found Ian looking down at me.

His lavender hair, shimmering in the early summer sunlight, was as soft as hydrangeas.

"Don't worry too much."

"......"

"I'm here."

"......Which is why I'm more worried."

Because if I hesitate, Ian will kill for me.

'I don't want that either.'

That would just be me dumping my burdens on someone else.

Thinking of Ian enduring such hardship because of me, I felt it would be easier to just kill them myself.

'And Priest Saker entrusted even his life to us...'

This was supposed to be identification, but if things went wrong, Priest Saker could be excommunicated.

'Having more allies doesn't mean my mind is at ease.'

Rather, more people to protect means more worries.

Not that I hate it.

"...Being village chief is hard."

"Leaders always have it tough."

"I just want to enjoy the power..."

"You little thing, always saying the strangest things."

Ian's voice, as he patted my head, was as light as laughter.

---

The departure date for the Antema Territory was set, and I informed the villagers.

"We leave in four days. And we'll probably return in about four or five days."

"That's a short stay."

At Libby's question, I nodded.

"I'm going to use my ability to come back. Once we're done, we need to hurry."

"Do you need anything?"

Aunt Daliss asked with a worried expression. The other adults behind her also had faces full of concern.

"Oh, I'll be fine! I'll just squeeze Verity..."

I was about to decline as usual, but I paused.

"Uh, hmm."

I slowly rolled my eyes and hesitated.

"Actually, there is something."

"What?"

"Th-that bread you made yesterday."

I whispered secretly that I was getting tired of the instant food Verity pulled out every time we went out. Aunt Daliss beamed and nodded.

"I'll make a lot. You can eat it on the train too."

"And also, what else..."

I started making demands like a shameless child.

Bread from Aunt Daliss, herbs grown by Uncle Aig.

I asked Aunt Elva for medicine, and Uncle Pofina for sandwiches to eat on the way.

"Aunt Neiph, could I ask you to manage the library's collection? I saw this method somewhere and thought of it..."

"Uncle Organ, could you compose music to announce noon and five in the afternoon? I'm thinking of making a village square after I get back."

"Uncle Modi, please take care of the village while I'm gone. And I won't be able to visit the Deste Territory for a while, so when you go to the mansion today..."

"Uncle Pex, please wait here. I'll contact you as soon as we reach the lab. There might be tools there that you need for your research."

The adults gladly accepted my requests.

Far from looking bothered, they seemed pleased, as if they'd received a gift.

'Just as Ian oppa said...'

A little while ago, on the way back from the well.

"Hebenia, you need to rely on the adults."

"Huh? I already rely on them plenty?"

"I mean, you should let the adults take care of you."

"That would make me a burden, wouldn't it?"

"When a seven-year-old says that, it hurts my head and my heart..."

"Double whammy!"

Ian said I should act more spoiled with the adults.

Honestly, I didn't really understand.

'Wouldn't they hate me for acting spoiled? They'd probably think I can't even do that. Besides, I'm the village chief...'

But the moment I saw the excited faces of the adults at my requests, I realized that was my mistake.

'Right, these people...'

They aren't those monsters.

'I thought I'd gotten over it, but I was more bound than I realized.'

My heart felt lighter.

Ian had seen right through my problem and immediately offered a solution.

Rely on and act spoiled with the trustworthy adults.

What I couldn't do for twenty-five years, I could definitely do now that I was seven again.

Judging by the adults' reactions, they'd known about my problem all along. They'd just been waiting for me to bring it up first.

"Lean on me a little."

Senior.

'Senior was worried about me too...'

Ignoring the stinging in my eyes, I grinned and looked for Aunt Nema.

'I need to ask Auntie for some comfortable pants.'

To move freely no matter what happened at the lab, I needed pants made by Aunt Nema.

But I couldn't find her anywhere.

As I looked around, someone tugged at my clothes.

"Poppy, Chuchu."

The dogs, once they had my attention, dropped my clothes and started running somewhere.

When I just stood and watched without following, they came back and tugged at my clothes again.

"Ah, you want me to follow?"

"Woof."

Poppy barked, and Chuchu nudged my parked scooter with his nose.

I rode my beloved scooter and followed where the two dogs led.

"This is..."

We arrived at the training ground.

Located on the outskirts, the training ground was the largest building in the village. According to Verity, it was made of a special shape-memory alloy, so no matter how damaged it got, it would be restored between 11:30 PM and 12:10 AM the next day.

'Sounds like a bank system check.'

Libby had actually destroyed the ceiling while practicing mana control, but when I came the next day, it was as good as new.

But.

"Th-this is...!"

I was speechless as I entered the training ground.

It was a complete mess.

Pillars collapsed even more horribly than when Libby had half-destroyed our house, the floor was gouged as if a giant beast had clawed it, and there was even white dust piled on the debris.

As I stared blankly at the ceiling, another hole had appeared in it.

"......"

My eyes, wide with shock, fell on Aunt Nema, standing alone amidst the terrible wreckage.

A chilling glint flashed through the disheveled reddish-brown hair.

The emotion and longing that had filled my heart just moments before evaporated instantly.

It was a chilling sensation, like having a knife forced through forcibly opened pores and sweat glands.

'More vivid than when the guard was trying to kill me...'

Killing intent.

I moistened my dry mouth with saliva and managed to speak.

"A-Auntie...?"

"......"

"Aunt Nema. Are you alr..."

"Hebenia."

"Yes."

I straightened my posture. Poppy and Chuchu sat on either side of me.

Aunt Nema swept back her disheveled hair with one hand.

Her exhausted face looked strangely refreshed.

And it looked sad.

"Being an adult, this is quite embarrassing, but..."

Aunt Nema said.

"Could I ask you for some advice?"

"Your servant humbly accepts."

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