Chapter 229

Just like those who engage in feudal superstition.

Those sorcerers and shamans knew very well that their methods were just tricks to deceive people, so they must have known that the Sacrifice Ritual were nothing more than sending innocent people to their deaths, and could not achieve anything other than diverting attention and creating conflict.

Ironically, the Chief Priest didn't care about whether he could accomplish anything; what he cared about was whether he could divert attention.

Therefore, it's highly likely that Yae Sakura and Yae Rin are not biologically related.

More importantly!

In the previous dream, the Saber had already met this Chief Priest, but they didn't have much contact. Overall, this Chief Priest was neither stupid nor foolish, nor did he seem to believe in Sacrifice Ritual like those ignorant people.

This guy is shrewd and cunning.

He knew that the only purpose of the Sacrifice Ritual was to divert attention, but that was exactly what he wanted.

Other people's children are always dying!

Using other people's children to protect one's own position.

He would be more than happy to do so.

So this Chief Priest came to me to discuss this issue.

It's definitely something special!

After all, in the dream, the Chief Priest didn't even have time to look at him properly!

"We come from the west." After thinking for a while, the Saber decided to deceive the Chief Priest a little and said, "We encountered a storm at sea and were swept up by the storm and brought here."

"This signaled that our physical strength allowed us to survive."

"Oh~" the Chief Priest said, seemingly agreeing. "Is that so? You all have really suffered."

"If that's the case, may I ask what your plans are for the future?"

"Plans?" said the guy with the ahoge. "No plans yet."

I have many plans, but why would I tell you this?

"Oh~" The Chief Priest suddenly seemed relieved and said happily, "Since you all don't have any plans, why don't you stay in Yae Village for a few more days?"

"The villagers of Yae Village are simple, honest, and hospitable."

"If you all wish to reside permanently in Yae Village."

"It's not that it's impossible."

"This..." Saber's eyes widened, seemingly unwilling to believe his ears. But after looking for a while, he realized that the Chief Priest seemed to really be trying to persuade them to stay.

"Then I will respectfully accept your offer. It may be a while before I need to trouble the Chief Priest and villagers."

"No trouble at all!" the Chief Priest said happily.

"I'll arrange it right away."

The Chief Priest seemed very happy and acted quickly. He really was like a hospitable and honest person; he decisively got up and went to arrange the accommodations for Saber, Mei, and Theresa others.

'This Chief Priest!' The Saber felt a sense of foreboding as he watched the Chief Priest get up and leave.

Are the Chief Priest really that hospitable?

Definitely not.

At least in the previous dream Chief Priest, this Chief Priest wasn't very welcoming to outsiders. Even when he helped Yae Sakura drive away the Honkai Beast, Kallen was completely indifferent to her!

The idea that they would actively seek you out or try to keep you is simply not true.

At the time, Li Pu barely gave him a second glance.

When Li Pu said he wanted to stay in Yae Village, the Chief Priest simply replied, "Okay, I understand," and then said nothing more. Kallen did something similar.

The Saber guessed the Chief Priest's little scheme quite accurately.

Both Kallen and she were outsiders to the Chief Priest.

One disadvantage of outsiders for these local rulers is that they themselves pose a threat to the authority of the local rulers.

If these outsiders were to "behave themselves," that would be fine.

If they don't behave themselves and even spread rumors and mislead the locals, then things could get very bad.

Anything that undermines the local rulers will be met with their resentment and suppression.

They certainly wouldn't like people like Kallen and Saber who might threaten their rule and authority. More importantly, Kallen and Saber who cannot be directly expelled by force.

They would be even less likely to like it.

This kind of warm hospitality really made Saber feel that something was wrong!

Something's not right, but something's not right.

But for now, we can't find any fault with the Saber.

You can't just ask directly or give a direct answer.

"Oh, so you're that kind of person? If you are, I'll livestream myself doing a handstand and eating 'Oli Gei' (a popular Taiwanese snack). Just tell me what your schemes are."

She Saber, is not such a silly person.

Seeing that the Chief Priest had left, Saber got up and ran into Theresa and Mei as soon as she stepped outside.

Seeing the strange looks on these two people's faces Saber roughly guessed what was going on and said, "Did this Chief Priest also come looking for you?"

"I wasn't looking for her," Theresa replied. "I just happened to run into her."

"This Chief Priest," Mei said after a moment of thought, "Doesn't seem like a bad person."

"Doesn't seem like it?" Saber looked at the two of them and asked, "Did you say anything?"

"I asked about Yae Sakura and Yae Rin," Mei said. "But the Chief Priest didn't answer. He didn't seem to want to talk about Yae Sakura and Yae Rin."

"I always felt that he seemed to be avoiding this matter."

"I asked the Sacrifice Ritual," Theresa said. "The Chief Priest seems confused."

He said there have been no Sacrifice Ritual rites recently.

"There is no need to hold Sacrifice Ritual."

"Human sacrifice is utter nonsense."

"Did we make a mistake?" Theresa asked, puzzled.

"No Sacrifice Ritual?" Saber frowned and said, "Is there no need to hold Sacrifice Ritual? Nor are there any human Sacrifice Ritual?"

Are you sure?

"Yes," Theresa said. "The Chief Priest just said that human Sacrifice Ritual is a very ancient practice. Now, Sacrifice Ritual are performed using livestock and grains."

"If we use living people as Sacrifice Ritual, we might anger the gods."

"The sixteenth year of Wenzheng." The Saber stroked his chin, deep in thought.

The sixteenth year of the Wenzheng era corresponds to the eighth year of the Wenming era in the previous history, which is also 1477. So when was 1477? In the Celestial Empire, 1477 was the thirteenth year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, the Eleventh District had long since undergone the Taika Reform, and the Eleventh District had evolved from the original slave society to the feudal era.

Using living people as sacrifices is indeed not typical of current mainstream Sacrifice Ritual practices.

Of course, not looking very similar doesn't mean they've completely disappeared.

At least from the words of this Chief Priest, there are indeed no very obvious loopholes.

"So," Mei asked, also feeling a little strange, "Have we made a mistake?"

"Yes," Theresa said, "Did you remember something wrong?"

"We were heading in the wrong direction from the start?"

Although the Saber emphasized not to act rashly or speak carelessly, they still decided to try to persuade him once they received a clear answer from the Chief Priest.

Appeal to their emotions and reason with them.

Of course, physical principles are the last resort.

If you can't solve the problem, at least you can deal with the person who caused it.

Although Theresa and Mei did not want this to happen.

But the Chief Priest's answer left them at a loss for what to do.

"The Chief Priest should not be lying." The Saber disregarded the two people's behavior and said after thinking for a moment, "The Chief Priest should not need to lie to us about this matter anymore."

"If he says no, then there really isn't."

"That means at least for the time being."

"Then this..." Theresa asked.

"No, it's precisely because the Chief Priest didn't lie," said the Saber. "That's why this is the most perplexing thing."

Suddenly, the Saber thought of something.

This matter is about 'public opinion'.

There's a saying, "The will of the people cannot be defied." So, at this moment, the Chief Priest really doesn't need to do anything that would annoy them; showing genuine goodwill wouldn't be out of the question.

He could even say that the idea of using living people for Sacrifice Ritual is completely unfounded and absurd.

Then, after the so-called 'public opinion' has accumulated to a certain level, it will erupt.

He doesn't need to do anything.

All you need to do is act as if you know it's impossible but have no choice but to do it.

But what exactly is he trying to do?

Saber doesn't think the Chief Priest need to go through all that trouble just to use Rin as a sacrifice. Compared to Yae Sakura, Yae Rin is far more powerless.

Moreover, Yae Sakura isn't such a domineering person.

Therefore, the Chief Priest does not need to rack his brains to deal with these two people.

There is no need to lower our guard against these outsiders.

"Perhaps Theresa is right," said the Saber after a moment of thought. "Perhaps we've been looking at the problem from a slightly off-target angle."

"What will happen in this place in the future has already changed because of us."

"You mean it's going to rain?" Theresa asked. "The Sacrifice Ritual is canceled?"

"It's hard to say," said the Saber. "Without more clues, we can't draw any more conclusions."

"But something has definitely changed."

"We need to be careful."

Chapter 262 Some Conspiracies

Doesn't Yae Village look very harmonious?

Saber stood beneath the torii gate of Yae Shrine, overlooking the entire Yae Village. Yae Shrine was on a hillside, while Yae Village lay at the foot of the mountain. The long approach to the shrine, like a gray serpent, snaked up the hillside, connecting the shrine and Yae Village.

For ordinary locals, Yae Shrine is more than just a place to pray for peace and safety.

It is also one of the local symbols of authority.

Another symbol is the Tenshu-kaku.

The Tenshu-kaku tenshukaku) is the highest and most important part of a Japanese castle, not the entire castle. The Tenshu-kaku serves functions such as observation and command.

This is a symbol of secular rule in this era.

In Yae Village, the Tenshu-kaku refers directly to the castle located on the west side of the village.

This is a symbol of the authority of the secular rule in Yae Village.

Secular and religious elements coexist and govern this Yae Village.

Beneath the secular and religious boundaries lies another ruling force: the village's own Villager Autonomy Alliance. This Villager Autonomy Alliance is a rather peculiar entity.

It doesn't have a clear symbol to demonstrate its existence like secular regimes and religious authorities.

It has a very clear successor.

He was like a voice hidden in the mist, appearing and disappearing intermittently.