Shirou's Nighttime Investigation / Shirou and the Old Woman

Shirou felt that it might not be knowledge of village management, but rather related to the inheritance of magic. But what about locking his companions in a cave? However, Magecraft are inherently devoid of humanity, single-mindedly pursuing the source of something otherworldly. If they can achieve their goal, they might not even care about the lives of their families.

"Anyway, Akechi has no children, so the hereditary system should come to an end here."

"Even Akechi isn't married?"

"I heard they got married, but the village chief's wife later fell ill and passed away. The two didn't have any children, so the history of the Pan family has come to an end. Everyone is concerned about who will take over next, but no one dares to ask openly." Kinoshita had a look of annoyance on his face.

When dinner was almost over, Kinoshita said, "It's rare to have guests over," and took out Japanese sake, starting to sip it from small cups.

After drinking for a while, Kinoshita suddenly stood up. Shirou wondered what had happened, looked up at him, and saw Kinoshita rubbing his eyes like a child, rudely saying, "I'm going to sleep."

Shirou was surprised at how fast time had passed. He glanced at the clock on the pillar and realized it wasn't even 8 p. m. anymore; even elementary school students weren't going to bed this early these days.

"Are you ready to rest?"

"I'm not sleepy at all!" Kinoshita said, his eyelids almost closing, and he staggered out of the living room.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh," Nene said with a wry smile. "That's just how he is."

"Don't say that." Perhaps the old man's departure will allow us to learn more, and the woman in front of us clearly knows some of the inside story.

Holmes, who was standing nearby, immediately cut to the chase, "Don't the villagers like Akechi?"

"How should I put it..." Nene tilted her head in thought, "His personality is too strict."

Why do he and Hatano not get along so well?

"I don't know the details either," Nene closed her eyes, her expression somewhat forlorn, "I've only...heard some things..."

She seemed reluctant to speak, and her words came out in fits and starts.

Tell me what you heard.

"Hatano used to have a girlfriend, I think it was back in high school..."

"Is she the lover your husband mentioned who later passed away?"

"I heard the girl was from a neighboring county, and she committed suicide..."

"How tragic."

"Yes, it's very tragic."

"Has anything happened?"

"These stories all came from gossipy people, so I don't know how credible they are. But what I heard was that the girl was humiliated by a man, and out of shame and indignation, she..."

"Is that so?" Shirou understood that in modern times, such a problem, if not handled properly, could lead to the breakdown of a family, let alone decades ago, especially in the countryside where traditional rules prevailed.

"Later, for some reason, some people spread rumors that it was Akechi who did it." Nene showed a look of disgust, as if she were gnawing on a bitter fruit.

"They Akechi bullied that girl?"

"No... the rumor is... he commissioned someone else to do it..."

"Is there any evidence?"

"There's no evidence. The person who did it died suddenly not long after, so it can be considered karma! It's just that I can't figure out Akechi, and Hatano has always had his suspicions."

"Yes, they did stop talking after that. But what reason would Akechi have to deliberately hurt Hatano's lover?"

"Yeah, why..." Nene couldn't explain it either. Indeed, she couldn't have known the reason before she moved into this village. "Hatano in the village than Akechi, and some people say it's out of jealousy."

"Well, it's not impossible." Shirou had no way of knowing what kind of feelings Akechi had or what actions he took when he was a teenager back then, and with jealousy and resentment mixed in, it was even harder for outsiders to imagine.

"I heard from the villagers that Akechi and Hatano were really close when they were little. They were the only two children of similar age in the village, and I heard they played together like brothers. They went to school together, and after school Hatano would go to Akechi family to do his homework together."

"I see."

He also met the condition of being accepted as a disciple by a powerful demonic family and taught together.

"This is truly heartbreaking," Nene said, seemingly gazing into the distance. "The two haven't spoken to each other for over thirty years."

"So you think that Akechi's Hatano as a sacrifice was due to these thirty years of discord?"

"I guess I'm overthinking it." Nene smiled weakly, a hint of gloom flashing across her face. Shirou knew that she still couldn't let go of it.

Shirou wanted to press the matter further, but Holmes patted his shoulder, and he realized he shouldn't be so persistent, so he shut his mouth.

His original goal was still to find Kameda and retrieve the fragments of the Power Gemstone. The extent to which Kameda was involved in the events of this village was still unknown, so it was best for them not to delve too deeply.

Chapter 1157 Shirou's Nighttime Search

After midnight, Nene was already fast asleep.

Shirou changed into a black outfit, quietly slipped out of the courtyard, and prepared to investigate the area around the village.

During the day, being outsiders, they are generally not very welcome in such a remote and conservative village. Not to mention that this might be a secluded family of Magecraft, making them even more exclusive.

This world is different from the world Shirou remembers, but the inheritance of magic ultimately comes from mysterious forces. One's own aptitude is also very important in learning Magecraft, so large-scale transmission is unlikely.

Each generation should have a stable bloodline as the main inheritor, and then select some qualified people to be taken as disciples and taught.

Shirou's target is the village chief Akechi's house. If village chief Akechi is the successor, and Hatano is a fellow disciple of the same generation, then it is not uncommon in the world of magic that disciples turn against each other due to some kind of conflict of interest.

Of course, no matter how ingenious the reasoning, the truth of the matter still needs to be verified in reality.

Shirou quickly arrived at his destination. The village chief's house was indeed different from everyone else's. Kinoshita's house was a very ordinary old wooden house, which he must have bought from the village when he moved here nine years ago. The village chief's house, on the other hand, was a three-story villa with marble paving, surrounded by an imposing wall and gate. Even if you said this was a wealthy residential area in the city, Shirou wouldn't doubt it. In this village, such housing was unique and stood out from the crowd.

Shirou climbed over the eaves and went inside. Strangely, there was no sign of anyone inside. The village chief was not home at this hour.

Shirou tiptoed silently into the room. The newly built house had ordinary furniture. Shirou then turned his gaze to a preserved detached house, which seemed to be the wooden house where the village chief held meetings with the villagers.

As Shirou approached the secluded courtyard, he noticed that the stone statues of Divine Beast standing at the four corners of the eaves emitted light from their eyes, and he could vaguely see magical fluctuations emanating from them. A thin film enveloped the house.

It's a barrier!

Although the effect was not strong, Shirou had no way to sneak in undetected, so he had to retreat.

"How is it?" Holmes asked.

"There was a barrier, so I didn't force my way in. At least I'm certain that Village Chief Akechi is Magecraft," Shirou said.

"Is that so? I just went to the Hatano family's house too, and I didn't find any trace of Magecraft. He should be an ordinary person," Holmes said.

"Things are getting increasingly complicated, but in my experience, now is the perfect time to break through the fog. If you want to get to the truth, you'll have to put in more effort."

"I understand. I'll go out and ask around tomorrow," Shirou said.

"Well, good luck then. I'll stay here. That old man named Kinoshita is quite interesting; he invited me to see his work tomorrow," Holmes said with a smile.

"Whatever you want," Shirou replied casually. He was used to it; Holmes had obviously guessed something, but he wouldn't say it until the very end. Even with his companion, it was the same. Shirou still had to find the truth himself.

Shirou calmed himself down and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning at eight o'clock, Holmes stayed behind while Shirou set off to the village to gather information. The Granny Songbai, lived in the most remote tile-roofed bungalow. She was ninety years old and her children had died long ago, so she lived alone there.

"My mother-in-law is ninety years old. She is almost blind, but she is very healthy and walks more nimbly than a sixty-year-old."

Nene had described the old woman in this way before, Shirou thought it was an exaggeration. However, after meeting Granny Songbai in person, he realized that the rumors might not be exaggerated. The old woman was petite with sparse hair, but she stood very straight without any hunchback, and you couldn't tell that she was a ninety-year-old woman at all.

However, there was still no magical reaction, confirming that this old woman was not Magecraft; at most, her physique was simply stronger than that of ordinary people. Perhaps this was because this family of magicians had a lot of experience in longevity, and their descendants had inherited this benefit in their genes. This old woman could probably live for quite some time to come.

"Oh my, I was wondering why someone would come to our door, and such a handsome young man has arrived!" The old woman's face was full of wrinkles, and her skin was dull, but her expression was quite lively. Her teeth were perfectly aligned, not a single one missing. "I heard from the neighbors that two strangers came to the village. Was that you? Where is the other person?"

"The news travels fast. The other one is still at the Kinoshita house; he doesn't like to move around." Shirou said with a wry smile.

"You guys went to find that weirdo?"

"Yes, I stayed at Mr. Kinoshita's house last night. Is he a strange guy?"

"Isn't it strange that these guys are so excited to move to such a remote village?" the old woman said matter-of-factly.

"He was always very resentful, saying that everyone in the village ostracized him," Shirou said with a laugh.

Granny Songbai chuckled. "That guy's overthinking it. Nobody means that. Besides, there's no benefit in getting along with everyone in the village. What's that called? 'The neighbor's lawn is greener,' right?" Granny Songbai seemed to have a knack for talking, getting more and more excited as she went on.

"It must have been tough coming to such a remote place."

"I've come to ask you something; I'm looking for someone." He took out a photo from his pocket and showed it to Granny Songbai.

"Who is this? Who is this?" the mother-in-law asked, leaning closer to the photo.

"His name is Kameda. Have you seen him around here?"

"Hmm, I've never seen him before. You came all the way to our village just for this?"

"I've heard about the customs of the sacrificers."

"Oh dear, have you heard? It must seem very strange. You've come at the right time; I was just on my way to the sacrificer. Shall we come together?"

"Are you going to that mountain?"

"I don't know if you've heard, but I'm a messenger of the gods, and I'm in charge of the three meals a day for the sacrificers this time. I'm going to deliver today's breakfast. If it's convenient for you, you can come along. It's a rare opportunity."

"Does my going have nothing to do with it? Isn't it forbidden to enter the mountains during the cave's stay?" Shirou recalled Kinoshita's warning.

"There won't be any problems. Just say that I dragged you there, and everything will be fine. At my age, I generally won't get scolded for anything I do. Besides, it's better to have a young person with you when going to such a creepy place." The mother-in-law said as she turned and walked into the house.

A little while later, my mother-in-law came out with a transparent lunchbox, which was probably full of food.

"Alright, let's go."

Granny Songbai walks with a brisk pace, not at all like a ninety-year-old woman. On the contrary, Shirou has to worry that he might not be able to keep up with her pace if he is not careful.

"Hey, what do you think of the customs surrounding the sacrifices? Such a strange ritual must seem very eerie to you, an outsider."

"It's alright," Shirou said vaguely. "It's certainly novel."

"'It's alright. It's certainly novel.'" Granny Songbai deliberately Shirou's tone. "You're really handsome, and you speak so pleasantly. You must be very popular with girls."

"I'm single now, after all, I'm busy with work," Shirou replied cautiously. This old woman was really perceptive. So he had been very careful to keep his distance from any young women he encountered along the way.

"Don't worry, our village is full of old women, there aren't any young widows so thirsty they want to eat men," Granny Songbai said reassuringly.

Chapter 1158 Shirou and the Old Woman

"This Hatano seems to be very popular with the villagers?" The old woman walked quickly, and Shirou followed behind her, asking as he went.

"Yes, he's probably around fifty years old, all alone, with a steady, gentle personality and a friendly demeanor."

"Does he not get along with Akechi? Well, he's telling the truth."

"What is the reputation of Akechi?"

"Oh dear, those in high positions inevitably face criticism and gossip. If they're looked down upon, they're finished. But Akechi really doesn't know how to handle people," the mother-in-law added. "She's worlds apart from Hatano."

There were no pedestrians on the cobblestone path. The two walked side by side in the middle of the road. The clear blue sky was dotted with wisps of white clouds like light smoke. Shirou couldn't help but be moved by this leisurely scene.

On his way to God Manifest Town, Shirou hadn't noticed, but the mountain road seemed to be curving gently. He had thought that going straight ahead would lead to the mountain peak, but now it appeared to his right, with the rock wall nearby.

The surroundings were tranquil, with only the light sound of shoes on the ground. Under such a clear and refreshing sky, strolling side by side with a woman more than seventy years my senior was such a rare and luxurious experience!

But seriously, is this old lady really ninety years old?

"So? What do you think?" After walking several dozen meters, Granny Songbai suddenly asked.

"What do you think?"

"What do you think of the custom of offering sacrifices in caves?"

Shirou was about to reply to his grandmother, "You already asked that," but he sensed that she was just trying to start a conversation; she actually had something to say herself. So Shirou asked her in return, "What do you think?"

As expected.

"Actually, I'm guessing..." Granny Songbai slowly said, "There might be something fishy about human sacrifice."

"Oh..." Shirou's eyes flickered.

"I'm naturally suspicious, and I always feel that there's another side to everything, so I'm reserved when I hear things like this. Saying things like 'as long as you offer a living person to the god, the bandits will disappear' sounds like a lie."

There are many incredible stories in the world, all of which have ultimately been proven to be lies. But the only thing I believe in is the cave in this village; at least it has actually worked before."

"Are you saying it's true that the bandits have disappeared?" Shirou asked.

"No, that's not it. Although no one knows what happened in the cave afterward—perhaps the woman committed suicide—in any case, everyone in the village believed that the sacrifice in the cave had really worked. Of course, that was hundreds of years ago."

"Don't you suspect that these things were actually just superstition from the beginning, like the events of that year were all coincidences? Or that the village chief made some shady deal with the bandits back then?" Shirou asked tentatively.

"Well, that kind of thing might have happened, but it was so long ago. In fact, young people born in recent decades don't believe in that stuff anymore. I haven't seen it myself, so I'm not sure."

However, the reason I believe this is probably because of the Nobunaga Incident that happened about thirty years ago. I became certain that some kind of man-eating creature truly existed in that demonic cave. However, I have also been a sacrifice a few times, and I always came out safely."

Did you notice anything while you were inside?

"No, it's too dark in the cave; I can't see anything clearly. Even if I wanted to confirm, I wouldn't know where to begin."

The Nobunaga Incident —this phrase echoed in Shirou's ears, and he was deeply concerned about it, but he still asked another question first, "What is it like to be a sacrifice?"