Chapter 123: Zzz, Zzzzz

Chapter 123: Zzz, Zzzzz Zzz, Zzzzz

* * *

“Uncle Hark!”

The place I ran to after fleeing from the shrine was Uncle Hark’s wheat field. I thought I had to inform Hark, Granny Grute’s son, about what happened to her remains.

“Oh? What’s wrong, Emi?”

Uncle stopped weeding and stood up, asking me in his usual relaxed tone.

“Granny became bread...!”

“Hm?”

“Granny glowed and became bread!!”

Ah! My lack of conversation skills due to being inarticulate is frustrating! I can’t properly explain what happened!

However, in response to my flustered state, Uncle Hark’s reaction was very calm.

He looked puzzled for a moment, but quickly regained his smile and stroked my head.

“Calm down, Emi.”

“........”

I took a deep breath.

That’s right, as Uncle says, I should calm down a bit.

I steadied my ragged breathing.

Filling my chest with the fresh scent of the wheat fields carried by the wind.

“So you saw it, huh?”

“!!!”

My heart thumped loudly.

I inadvertently held my breath.

Looking up, there was Uncle’s face.

The same gentle, usual smile.

......There wasn’t a shred remaining of the sorrow over his loved one’s passing that was definitely there when I met him this morning.

I unconsciously backed away.

“You witnessed the ‘Sacrificial Bread Offering Ritual’ for the first time. That’s why you’re confused, isn’t it? I understand how you feel.”

“Sacrificial...Bread...Offering...?!”

What is this guy saying...?!

“But there’s no need to panic, Emi. And no need to grieve. Through that ritual, my mother’s body was offered to our god, the Harvest God Muwidgi, becoming nourishment for them. And in exchange, the Harvest God bestowed the nourishment for us to live on. Thanks to that, we can avoid starvation and grow even more wheat. We can further expand the wheat fields. Isn’t that wonderful? ......Look, Emi.”

Saying that, Uncle turned his face sideways to gaze at the horizon.

Gazing at the wheat fields stretching all the way to the horizon with an enraptured expression.

“Isn’t it a beautiful wheat field? When presented with this beautiful scenery, one would think a person’s life and death is a trivial, insignificant occurrence, wouldn’t you say...?”

........................

Uncle Hark smiled with a broad grin.

He was serious.

This uncle was seriously uttering those lines.

Seriously dismissing his loved one’s death as ‘trivial’ and indulging in the beauty of the wheat fields.Thê source of this conte/nt n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

There’s something wrong here.

Isn’t there something wrong?

There is something wrong.

An abnormality peeking through that can’t simply be dismissed as “this village’s unique perspective on life and death.”

That’s right, it’s abnormal.

This uncle who instantly forgot the grief over his loved one’s passing.

And my own thoughts that might accept what the uncle says without any doubts if I let my guard down.

Something inside my head is desperately screaming.

Telling me to flee.

Telling me not to listen any further.

That’s how it feels.

“........”

“Oh, wait Emi! Where are you going?!”

Ignoring Uncle’s voice calling out to stop me, I started running again.

* * *

That’s when it happened.

<Zzzzooooooooooozzzoozzooooooozzzzzzoooooooooooo!>

Another distinct sound began mixing with the noise.

The desperate scream of a woman!

The scream of a woman yelling with all her might!

<Oooooooooozzzzzzzz......UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!>

The noise gradually subsides while the woman’s voice grows louder.

An awfully nostalgic voice.

That’s right.

I’m familiar with this voice.

......Familiar?

What am I saying?!

This isn’t at that level of just being ‘familiar’!

Why did I forget?!

This voice belongs to someone precious!

Someone who has been with me since I was born, my dearest, dearest partner!!

This person is......this person is......!!

<OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I finally connected aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!>

It’s Extra-samaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

<Aaaa! Emi! ......sniff! Emiiiiii!! I can finally reach you with my voice at last! Uwaaaaaaan!!!>

Wait a minute!

Wait, Extra-sama!

Don’t cry, please tell me!

What happened to me, to Extra-sama...?!

Ugh?!

The moment I heard Extra-sama’s voice, an abnormality occurred in my body.

I inadvertently crouched down, clutching my stomach.

“H-Hey?! What’s wrong?! You’ve been acting strange for a while now?! Are you okay, Miss?!”

Ronte said something, but I couldn’t hear him.

Because right now, my body is...!!

......Being overwhelmed by an indescribable hunger, an excruciating starvation!!!

Gugyuuuuuuurururururururu!!!

A stomach growl resounding like the roar of a ferocious large monster echoed across the quiet wheat fields!!

“Are...are you hungry?!”

Ronte approached me with a concerned look.

Don’t.

Don’t come any closer.

Don’t approach me right now.

No.

No no.

Right now, to me, you......

....only look like meat!!!

<Don’t do it!!>

Extra-sama’s scream stopped my hand.

I was about to instinctively grab Ronte’s throat and devour his bloody flesh.

Ah, that was dangerous.

<Emi, let’s flee! To the forest......flee to the forest!!>

I released my hand from Ronte’s throat.

It was a close call, but a red mark remained on his throat.

I think it will heal soon, so please forgive that much.

“Ah......ah......?!”

Leaving the shaken, trembling Ronte and the two rushing towards him behind, I ran off toward the forest.