Aw shucks. I put a fountain in the center of the town square too. 5 points. As a bonus, the water gushing out doesn’t give off those creepy vibes anymore.
“Welcome back, everyone!” a voice called. Many villagers were standing in front of the fountain. It seemed like the village leader, Okhar, had gathered everyone.
“Datil, we should apologize in Apple-san’s stead...”
“Right, he seemed really bothered by it.”
Thanks, guys. I’m glad you understand me. I’d like to apologize first. I made this to save them, but anyone would get angry if their hometown was completely torn apart and rebuilt into something new.
“Datil-san, Fresa-san, could you leave this to me?” Gruszka said with a serious expression. I was sure he had stuff to say as Gaokerena. I rolled around him.
“Well, if you’re okay with that...”
“Gruszka, we’re leaving this to you, okaaay?”
He silently nodded and faced the villagers. “Everyone! I’m sure you’re all surprised by the recent course of events. I can start by explaining why this happened—”
“Gruszka-sama, we’ve all retained our memories,” Okhar suddenly called out, cutting him off. At once, the villagers started kneeling and bowing their heads toward Gruszka. “We have a request! Would you please be the leader of our village?”
Huh?
“Wh-What are you all doing? What’s going on?” Gruszka said, wide-eyed. He seemed at a loss for words.
A couple stepped forward. “Gruszka-sama, you sacrificed your body to save my family—my children.” Eight kids lined up in front and bowed their heads.
“Thank you, Gruszka-sama!”
“I was so scared!”
“You were so cool!”
“Thank you very much.”
“Hey, stay with us in this village!”
The kids started to surround Gruszka and tugged on his arms and sleeves as they expressed their gratitude. He didn’t know how to react.
“We were out of our minds. I can’t believe we’ve been sacrificing our own children.”
“There was always this sort of fog in my head, and I was genuinely wishing that my family and I would get sacrificed. Just thinking about that fireball almost burning my kids terrifies me.”
The young couple, tears rolling down their faces, bowed their heads as well. “Thank you. Truly, thank you so much. Please continue to lead us!”
Gruszka stared at the ground. “I don’t deserve to lead you all.” With a determined look on his face, he lifted his head back up toward the villagers. “Inside me is Gaokerena, who trapped and ate so many of you. I am half him.”
The villagers started whispering to each other, but Okhar immediately spoke. “We know.”
Huh?! How?!
“What?!” Gruszka exclaimed.
Okhar smiled. “We’ve been worshiping the Great Gaokerena since we were born, living by his side. There isn’t a person in this village who hasn’t noticed the Great Gaokerena’s presence inside of you.”
Seriously?! I can’t tell at all...
“But, I—Gaokerena has been fooling you this entire time!”
The villagers looked at each other and smiled. “Gruszka-sama, the fact that you told us this honestly is all we need to know. I’m sure you’ll treasure us. Besides,” Okhar said, pointing to his head, “you’re the one giving us a lot of power from this, aren’t you?”
Giving power from the path? Gruszka—I mean, Gaokerena’s been doing that?!
“You...you can tell?!”
Speaking of, the villagers were all getting their dayquril absorbed. They looked all wrinkly and frail, like when someone gets their life force drained in a manga or something...
“Yes. I can’t say it with absolute certainty, but I can feel a warm and kind power flowing into all of us.”
But Gaokerena used all of that, didn’t he? Isn’t it taking a toll on him if he’s giving his power to, like, one hundred villagers?
“Your dayquril was about to be completely drained. If no one’s there to refill that, you’ll die. This is what I—I mean, Gaokerena must atone for.”
Okhar and Noix took Gruszka’s hands. “The past is the past. You’re our savior.”
In addition to the eight kids already there, Okhar’s four children also started tugging on Gruszka’s sleeves. Jeez, that’s adorable!
“Please, lead this renewed Rhuvae Village. Please lead us!” Okhar said.
“Gruszka-sama! Please stay here forever!”
“Pretty please!”
“Please! I beg you, stay with us!”
The other villagers started joining in as well. Gruszka glanced toward us apologetically.
Datil laughed. “It’s up to you. Isn’t this nice?”
“I’m happy for you! But if you aren’t a good leader, I’ll get mad, okay?” Fresa said.
Seems like they’re both fine with this situation. Guess I’ll signal it too. As I rolled around him, Gruszka’s shoulders trembled and he stared at the ground.
After a while, he looked up and smiled. “Thank you so much, everyone. Thank you for forgiving a man like me. Let’s work hard together from now on. We’ll make this the best village ever!”
The villagers cheered and clapped.
“Let’s do this, Gruszka-sama!”
“Yes, of course!” he replied. Though Gruszka and the villagers all looked shaky on their feet from the day’s events, he and Okhar exchanged a handshake with smiles on their faces.
Well, I didn’t expect this guy to end up the leader of a village...
“I have a request!” Gruszka suddenly said, bowing deeply with an apologetic look. “Um... I know this is rather impertinent of me to ask, but my—”
“Yep, we knooow! Your subordinates, right?” Fresa said, cutting him off as though she was waiting for him to ask.
“If we don’t hurry, things might get a little complicated, Fresa-san,” Datil said.
I guess you guys saw through him.
Gruszka looked shocked, and took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing. “Thank you for your kind words. My subordinates have indeed committed evil acts, but they’re like family to me. Please, allow me to relocate them to this village.”
The members of the Gruszka Group had all been captured, placed in a carriage, and sent off with the two Rank C adventurers. By now, they should be at a campsite and turned over to the authorities...
“They’re very loyal toward me. I’ll see to it that they never cause trouble to other people ever again. Please let them stay here,” Gruszka said, bowing again.
“Apple-san, I’m sure there’s no need for me to ask, but what do you wanna do?” Datil said.
Ha ha ha. Right, you don’t need to ask. I heard that all bandits get hanged. If his subordinates promise to never do anything evil again, help these villagers, and start living together, they’d be a great asset to society. I rolled around Datil and Fresa.
“I knew it! You’re such a sweet apple!” Fresa said.
Well, I am an apple. You don’t want me to be sour all the time, do you?
Grida giggled. “Furutsu, you didn’t have to phrase it all uncool like that!”
Heh, pretty clever wordplay on my part there, right?
“Huh? You weren’t sounding uncool on purpose?”
Wait, what? Grida?
“Um! N-Nothing!”
Weird, but okay. Anyway, let’s hurry and go to that thing.
“Oh, we’re going already?”
“Right. That thing will totally come in handy right now!”
I knew you’d get it. Roll. Roll. Roll.
“E-Excuse me, where are you going?” Gruszka said, following us with a puzzled look on his face.
“Apple-san, that’s the flying tree, isn’t it?” Datil asked.
“A wonderful tree indeed!” Fresa said.
In a wide plain were two large trees. Each of these cost 500 points, you know.
“What?! Are you sure we can use these for my subordinates?!” Gruszka said.
“What are you on about? Apple-san prepared these specially for them,” Datil replied.
I didn’t think you’d end up a village chief though—I just knew we’d need these to bring your subordinates. I made two of ’em just in case.
“I see. Th-Thank you so much!” Gruszka said, wiping his tears.
I should be using these points for the villagers, but better to save a few lives, right?
“How does this work again?” Fresa asked.
“Were you not listening, Fresa-san?” Datil said, staring at Fresa with a withering look. He then reached for the tree. “Um, you touch it here...”
Yep, if anyone I have a path connected to touches the trunk...
“Oh! Something fell from the branches! Is this the fruit?” Fresa said.
Yeah! Say hello to a fruit from Tobiume, the flying plum tree.
“If we use this, any person with a path connected to Apple-san can instantaneously teleport back here,” Datil said.
“Like the legendary teleportation magic!” Fresa said.
Heh, amazing, isn’t it? If we use this, we can bring Gruszka’s subordinates here in an instant.
“Thank you for using your precious flying tree for my subordinates. Thank you!”
Don’t worry about it. These aren’t single-use items either. I’ll make some more of these so that we can warp to wherever we like!