Chapter 74 - SUMMER REGION

After Ben awoke from his fainting, they all immediately set off for the Summer Region, and Ben is now being their hostage.  Actually, only he thought he was, as no one explaining anything to him.  They just keep him in the dark like a punishment for the wrong deed he done before to Jieun and Mia.  And now he just obediently  following them on that journey. 

They actually just brought him together as he is one of the local there.  To not raise too much suspicion from the villagers there.    That's their only reason actually. 

About three days they are travelling and finally they reach the Summer Region.  Just like its name, the land is on summer all year, but it's not like it unpleasantly hot there.  It's just right with a soft breeze there.  The land also has rain, but even when its raining the temperature is not as cold as in normal land.  It's raining, but the sun still shows itself.  Just like that.

Just started entering the city area, the condition is normally looking.  Nothing suspicion been detected by all of them.  For now.

To get to the Solitude Village, they need to cross one thick forest, cross a big river full of rocks and walk quite a distance to the inland as the village is located at the foot of the mountain. 

Arriving in one area, Ben stopped walking and told them.

"You need to wear a mask from here.  You won't be able to stand the stench that will appear later."  He said while taking out his face mask.  "The smell is bearable when it rain, but its its already long from the last rain." 

Because they were all ready, they also now each wore a face mask at that time.  After that, they walked again within 500 meters from there and entered the village.  They calculated in their mind that, its about 45 minutes walking from the main city.

Just entering there, their noses started to catch a foul smell like a carcass, but it was too strong there.  Even though they wore face masks there, the bad smell could still be smelled.

"Bring us to your house."  Ray directed.

Ben nodded understanding and started leading them towards his house.  On the way, they could see many elderly people in pain here and there.  Coughing, lying on the ground in a state of shivering, with red skin as if about to burn.  The crying of a small child also did not stop at that time.  The soil in the area also looks infertile and cracked due to dryness.  Worsened by the many flies and mosquitoes here and there. 

"What is happening here?"  Jieun feel surprised by what she saw then.  The condition in there is worse than expected.  It turned out not to be the right place to live.  It's like they were in a long war.

"Why didn't all of you move away from here?  When the situation is getting worse each day like this."  Mia asked Ben then.  She just doesn't understand it.

"This is where our ancestors built life.  Our heritage.  Its important to us especially the elders here.  No one wanted to leave this place.  Before, we were among the races that produced the most vegetables and fruits and distributed throughout the Summer Region but after the disease attacked, all vegetables and the fruit is also infertile.  Even if there is, no one wants to buy it for fear of getting infected. "  Ben explained.

Suddenly an old grandmother started jumping in front of Ben and shaking his body at that moment.

"Why?  Why are you bringing all their people here?  The devil is enraging!  Don't you hear what the shaman said not to bring outsiders here?"  The grandmother said with a widened eyes there.

"We are here to help."  Haru told while looking at the old woman.

"Help?  No one can help us.  We are being cursed.  Our ancestors have sinned.  We need to pay the price for it!  Just go now.  Drive them away!"  The grandmother said that again to Ben.

"What are you doing here Granny?  Don't you know the shaman said to you that you can't speak to outsiders or your illness will began to worse?"  Ben finally start to speak now.

"Huh? No.. No!"  Quickly the old woman left them there. 

Ben sighs a little.

"I'm sorry.  All of the elders here were not fond of outsiders as they follow what the shaman told them."  Ben explains.

"I guess you are not fond of the shaman?"  Leo wants to confirm.

"I don't know what to believe anymore.  People here were also angry at me when I reported this matters to the city's top administration in the Summer Region.  But I haven't gotten a response yet."  Ben said in a sad tone.  He really hope something can be done to stop all this nightmare.  He miss his normal life now.

They all realized something then.  Apparently they are here because of the guy.

"You're our client then."  Syaoran is the one who tells him.  Ben looked curious then.  Did not understand the meaning of the words. 

Ray then pulled something out of his pocket.  The royal insignia that he has been kept there.  He only uses when necessary when they travel in disguise. 

Ben was shocked at that time.  Did he mess up with the royal all this time?  He feel corner and scared now.  No one wants to mess the royal.  After knowing that, he looked at all of the six princes face there and his eyes began to trembled.  Only then did he realize...

"Oh my.... your... your high ne..."

"Shh!"  Ray brought his finger to his lips, as a signal telling him to be quiet, not wanting to stand out too much in there.

"Don't say anything for now.  Quickly bring us to your house."  He directed.

"Ooo..okay."  Ben then quickly followed the instructions.  He is feel more nervous now.  He knows what the princes look like looking at the newspaper and all but when he meets them himself, he doesn't even know them.  Hopefully he is not punished for trying to rob them before. 

Arriving at a relatively small house there Ben continued to open the door of his house using a key and let them all in before closing the door again.

"Listen here carefully."  Ray started talking to Ben.

"Don't tell anyone about our coming here.  You, yourself told us earlier that the villagers here were not fond of the outsiders.  Also, we need to investigate something here to see what makes the stench, and why only this village is affected disease.  I don't want any useless problem to arise when we are working on it. "  Ray said firmly.

Apart from that, he just doesn't want the person that called 'shaman' by the people there to notice their movement.  At least for now.

"I understand your highness."  Ben obeyed. 

At that time, Jieun was walking, observing the whole house.  There are two rooms there and one of them is closed.  On the close door there was a yellow paper with words written that Jieun did not understand at that time was pasted there, as if to prevent anyone from entering and exiting.  Because if the door is opened the paper will be broken.

Just now Jieun wanted to hold the paper to inspect more.  Ben immediately stopped her on her track.

"Don't!"  The tone of his voice seemed to get angry at Jieun at that time.  He continued to run towards her now and stood in front of her at that moment while both his hands were raised as if to protect what was in the room.

"What are you trying to do?!"  He seems shaken in anger now.

Eun-Woo quickly stood next to Jieun while looking at the man with his cold stare.  Jieun at the time only looked towards Ben.  Not even impressed by his anger.  She just observes his behavior.

"How dare you talk to a princess like that!"  Mia is now feeling angry.  She isn't usually using their status like that, but she just didn't like the man's behavior ever since he tries to attack them before.  Although he was in a state of desperation.

"I... I mean... I'm sorry, but please don't enter this room or touch this prayer paper."  Ben changed the tone of his voice when he regained consciousness with whom he was talking.

"Is your mother inside?"  Jieun asking.

Ben nodded.

"This is the prayer paper that was given by the shaman.  My mother cannot move around now because she cannot even get up.  She also cannot eat and drink because her mouth is also full of wounds.  This praying paper is for her to die naturally and not seeing any ghost before leaving."  He said with tears.

"I need to buy this praying paper in high price.  It needs to be renewed every three days.  That's why I try to rob before.  As it seems easy to find money, in s fast way."  He explains.

Jieun let out a heavy sighed there.  This stupid man.

"Move aside."  Jieun said in a somewhat irritated voice after hearing his words earlier.

"What?  Don't you hear me before?  I can't let you enter this room."  Ben is still stubborn.

"If you want your mother to continue living, let me see her myself.  You also said it before, as if like you didn't believe what was the shaman is doing and that's why you call us for help.  And now you're making a tantrum when we are trying to solve this.  Do you think we are a joke now?! " Jieun started to feel her temper to be arising now. 

All of six prince together with Mia also startled at the time.  Never once saw Jieun being like this.

"But... but..."

"You're wasting our time now."  Eun-Woo also said that while grit his teeth there. 

"You're wasting our time now."  Eun-Woo also said that while grit his teeth there.

"Move if you don't want to get hurt."  He is now putting his hand on his sword that was at his waist all the time.  Just to scares the man in front. 

Ben is shivering now.  Don't know what to do.

Jieun now come a little closer.  Ben flinch a little, afraid, if Jieun trying something to hurt him.  But, Jieun just brought her hand to his stomach, to where the wounds caused from her knife is.  She had never treated the man before, only disinfected the wound as she wanted him to learn from his mistake.  And know, it come to her aids. 

Her hand is now glowing with white light.  Ben did not know what was going on then, felt shocked.  His eyes widened, then as if in disbelief.  The pain he had been experiencing for days sudden disappeared just like that.  He then opened his shirt a little to see the wound in his stomach.  Absolutely nothing!  He also touches on his skin there.  It doesn't hurt at all!  He then looked towards Jieun again.

"What? Who are you?"  He asked.

"A physician.  So now, I asked you again..  Can I see your mother now?"  Jieun said that one more time with a smirk on her face.