AN armed group calling themselves the Messengers of Gaea has shown up at the entrance to Elle Village, where my original village confidants, Jasper and Canna, as well as Julius, Laurent, and I, are already waiting.
The group is made up of thirteen people: a portly middle-aged man dressed in flamboyant silks, ten men decked out in plate armor, and two people hidden under hooded robes.
I glare at them with eyes that say, “Ohoho, what business brings you to my village?” Too bad they don’t seem to care about the way I’m staring them down.
Of course they wouldn’t. Both Julius and I are hidden from the unwelcome messengers by Julius’s Hide spell.
With our exotic looks and attire, we run the risk of being immediately outed as non-Gaeans. Julius is incredibly sensitive about word getting out that Analian sorcerers are living in this village. That’s supposedly the worst thing that could happen.
Hence why we are currently chilling on the sidelines as invisible people. The best part? The residents of Elle Village can see us just fine. I have absolutely no idea how Julius pulled that off. He really is capable of anything. He’s starting to seem a lot like a certain blue cat robot from my past life’s memories.
“My, my, my! This village is even more magnificent than I imagined. Ah, I’m Magnus Calmir-Fenlit, messenger for Lord Ayrscott, the seigneur presiding over this region. Can you fetch the village representative for us first, dollface?” the messenger asks Canna in a sickeningly beseeching voice.
This seigneur’s messenger gives off totally creepy vibes. I mean, he’s pretending to survey the village while his eyes chase after every cute village girl’s behind. Perversion gleams in his beady eyes.
“If it’s the representative you seek, that would be me,” Jasper says, taking a step forward.
Neither Julius nor I can take up the mantle without trouble, so we appointed Jasper as acting mayor. After all, Jasper is from Gaea, has a thick beard, and comes across as a clean-shaven grandfather, so he definitely has the whole mayor vibe going for him.
“Ooh? You’re the mayor? You’re more average than I expected. You look nothing like a heinous villain who would kidnap people from the surrounding villages to make your own village without government permission,” the messenger says with a sticky smirk.
How rude! Old man Jasper isn’t a heinous villain! He’s as charming of a gentleman as he looks! Besides, I’m the kidnapper, not Jasper!
I knew it. This messenger dude is the type of creeper I viscerally can’t stand. I mean, he’s taking every chance he gets to ogle the young ladies of Elle Village, lingering especially long looks on Canna’s buttocks.
“This is the village rumored to increase its population by kidnapping people from neighboring villages? It doesn’t look the way the rumors made it out to be.”
The smaller of the two hooded figures speaks out against the messenger’s haughty accusations. Their hood obstructs their face from view, so I was surprised to hear the adorable, dulcet tones of a teenage girl.
“You mustn’t be deceived by appearances,” the messenger slurs. “The scale of the kidnappings and the method used all point to there being a WICKED sorcerer hidden in this village.” He rakes his eyes over the villagers.
My MO gave me away?! Er, I can’t deny I go all-out during kidnappings. B-But I’m not a wicked sorcerer! I’m a good one! After all, I make sure to get permission from people before I kidnap them!
I’m a little shaken up by how astute the messenger is contrary to his looks.
“Then again, I find it hard to believe a sorcerer is lingering in this dinky, third-rate village,” the man says with a snicker. “Anyone who can use just a sprinkle of magic in this era is raised up as a hero by Gaea. Word has it they can have all the women and money they want. They would have to have a few screws loose to purposely live out in the boondocks. Speaking of which, there’s even a cheeky little girl strutting around with the title of saint when she’s commoner riffraff… What a sorry world we live in… Oh, master sorcerers, please don’t be offended. Sorcerers who choose to serve under us of noble blood where you belong are quite splendid.”
He slides his disgusting gaze to the two people hidden under hoods and heavy cloaks.
There’s no way in magic hell that this creeper finds anything about sorcerers splendid. A prickly aura pours off the hooded figures.
No matter how I look at the pair, they give off a completely different feeling from the messenger and his henchmen.
If what the messenger said is anything to go by, they seem to fall into a mercenary bodyguard role. Sorcerer bodyguards. I definitely sense extraordinary power from them—magic.
Things could turn bad fast.
Julius hid our magic, but a talented sorcerer could possibly see through the spell. On the upside, the caster is Analia’s strongest sorcerer, so the chances of us being outed are thin, but it’s better to be on the cautious side.
“…A wicked sorcerer, you say? Nothing heinous has been done here as far as I can see. The villagers don’t look like they are being held here against their will,” says the taller hooded figure with a fit physique noticeable even under their heavy robe. The low voice reminds me of a bubbling brook and definitely sounds masculine.
Looks like the cloaked figures are a man and a woman.
“You really think so?” the messenger drawls. “Now, now. No need to pass judgment on the spot. We just need to have a little chat to tell if the sorcerer here is good or evil.”
His gaze snaps to Jasper.
“There’s no point in beating around the bush: I know a sorcerer is here. Ah, I wouldn’t get any smart ideas. As you can see, I have two sorcerers with me as well. You know what to expect if your sorcerer…goes crazy, yes? Now then, Mr. Jasper, you seem to represent this village—are you the sorcerer? You don’t look the part.”
Everyone in Elle Village definitely picked up on this guy’s nasty personality from his demeaning tone.