The old militiaman had been captured. Not one of the twenty-one crewmen had escaped.
Their weapons were confiscated, their gems taken, their boat seized. A Dog-kin hunter tried to snatch the golden Sun Amulet hanging at Priest Mekat's neck. Mekat roared in fury and fought as if ready to die. In the end, the Red-hair Dog-kin captain came out, scolded the hunter a few times, and actually let the matter go.
"What did he say?"
"I couldn't understand him."
Priest Mekat shook his head, a trace of puzzlement appearing on his face.
"But I think I heard the Main God's name... Does he believe in the Main God?"
No one knew the answer. They were simply shoved all at once, like some kind of cargo, into the village elder's large thatched hut, becoming imprisoned captives. Yet unexpectedly, after stripping them of all their wealth and weapons, this band of Dog-kin warriors who had appeared from who knew where still provided them with food, and treated the wounded as well.
"Mekat, did you see? The weapon their leader was holding seemed to be from the Kingdom..."
"Of course. They robbed us..."
"No. I mean, he was already holding it the first time we saw him."
"Mm?! The first time we saw him?"
In the pitch-black thatched hut, Priest Mekat suddenly rose to his feet. He pondered for a moment, hesitation showing on his face.
"You mean..."
"These aren't those savage Dog-kin from the wasteland... They've had contact with the Kingdom!"
"Contact?... Then what kind of contact was it?"
At this, both of them fell silent at the same time. Given the Kingdom's always overbearing ways, no matter how they thought about it, it could not have been good contact. And every day right now might be the last day of their