[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 27: The Taboo of the Salt Mine (1)
Hamel led the way through the mine.
Daniel, puzzled by his confident strides, asked,
"Hamel, do you know where you're going in this maze?"
"Of course."
Hamel continued walking without hesitation at another fork in the path.
"The foundation of tracking is observation."
"Observation?"
"Yes. For example, do you see the footprints on the ground you're walking on?"
"I do. But there were plenty of footprints in other places too."
Daniel tilted his head, as there were indeed footprints on other paths as well.
Hamel nodded slightly and said,
"That's right. But the footprints here are fewer than elsewhere, and their direction is consistent."
"Ah..."
Daniel let out a small exclamation of admiration.
Now that he looked, there were many more footprints heading inwards.
This meant that the people who had taken this path hadn't returned yet.
It was a deduction he could make because people usually didn't frequent the forbidden area.
"...Do all exorcist priests learn this kind of thing?"
Daniel had once researched exorcist priests for his revenge.
But he was puzzled because he had never heard of this kind of thing.
The current Hamel was more like a skilled mercenary or hunter than a priest.
Hamel shrugged and replied,
"It depends. Some exorcist priests don't need to learn these skills."
Depending on their unique abilities, or guided by their strong divine power,
There were exorcist priests who had the ability to track people and demons.
Or there were priests who specialized in combat, leaving the tracking to their companions or mercenaries.
"But those who have neither companions nor talent have to learn these skills."
"...I see."
Daniel nodded with a grimace.
With no one to rely on,
Hamel had learned these skills to compensate for his shortcomings.
Daniel found that fact both bitter and impressive.
Perhaps because he knew that Hamel must have faced death countless times in the process.
Just then,
"Dane, are you crazy?!"
A faint human voice could be heard in the distance.
It sounded like a roar, but at the same time, there was a desperate tone to it.
Hamel immediately stopped and pressed his ear against the wall to pinpoint the direction of the sound.
"Found it."
Hamel removed his ear from the wall and immediately started running.
He sprinted through the rough and complex paths, quickly reaching the tunnel with the black salt crystals.
Daniel could only shake his head in amazement.
After running for a while,
They arrived at the source of the sound, deep inside the tunnel.
An unexpected sight unfolded before them.
"..."
"...What in the world is going on?"
Hamel and Daniel frowned in unison.
Fortunately, or perhaps contrary to their expectations, all the miners were safe.
However,
"Dane! Can't you see the child is struggling? Please move aside!"
"No, Tom. You move aside. I'm going to kill those two, and the child as well."
Two groups of people stood apart, weapons pointed at each other.
***
The miners were divided into two factions.
Those who wanted to escape the mine and those who blocked the entrance.
The two groups were in a tense standoff, weapons drawn.
"Why would you say such horrible things?"
"Because they're demons who eat people!"
Two people seemed to be the most vocal.
A man named Dane on the blocking side and a man named Tom on the side trying to leave.
Ironically, at first glance, Dane's side seemed to be at a disadvantage.
There were only three people behind Dane, and even though they seemed unsure of their actions, their heads hung low.
On the other hand, there were well over ten people on the side trying to leave, not including Tom.
And unlike the blocking side, their will was strong.
'Then there must be another factor more important than numbers.'
Hamel looked at the man named Dane.
He appeared to be in his early thirties and was the only one with a sword.
And the reason was simple.
If he revealed that he was an exorcist priest, the demon would surely be wary.
'Traces of demonic energy.'
He didn't know who it was or how well they were hiding it, but it was clear.
A fishy, disgusting scent lingered in the air.
There was a demon among them.
***
"Now, will you explain what's going on?"
At Hamel's request, Tom glared at Dane and said,
"Dane has gone mad!"
"Why?"
"Because he's trying to kill the survivors we finally found!"
"...There are survivors?"
Hamel looked behind Tom.
He saw a dozen miners and three people huddled together, shivering.
"Are those them?"
"Yes. It's the miner Aaron and his family, who disappeared three days ago."
The man named Aaron was protectively standing in front of his wife and child, looking at them with worry.
His voice trembled with fear, but he still spoke,
"I-I'm innocent. I don't know why I'm here either. I just came to my senses and found myself inside the mine..."
"Shut up!"
Suddenly, Dane roared and raised his sword.
The tension that had momentarily subsided intensified as both sides glared at each other.
Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Dane continued,
"How dare you imitate Aaron, you monster who devoured dozens of people?"
"...Dane, I'm really not. I'm Aaron."
The man named Aaron whimpered and stumbled back.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Then, the child behind Aaron muttered weakly,
"Mister, my dad isn't a monster. And neither am I."
Seeing the child, the miners tightened their grips on their weapons.
As if determined to send the child outside, at least.
Indeed, the child seemed to be losing strength and wouldn't last long.
"Mister, I'm sorry."
"..."
"I... won't pester you to teach me swordsmanship anymore. So..."
The child mumbled weakly and fell silent.
Aaron, who was holding the child tightly, spoke up,
"...Dane, please, spare this child, Den. He's the one you were fond of because his name is similar to yours."
Aaron knelt and begged with both hands.
But,
"Shut up, you vermin."
Dane gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword.
"I'll cut off your disgusting heads right now."
He even took a step forward in anger.
"Just try coming closer."
Tom and the miners also raised their pickaxes, determined not to be defeated again.
And at that moment,
"I see. Now I understand."
Hamel muttered.
"...?"
Both sides looked at Hamel.
Hamel looked at Dane and said,
"Even when Aaron and his son, Den, mention memories related to you, you don't even bat an eye. Normally, you would doubt yourself."
"What are you talking about...?"
"You know what that monster is."
"...!"
Dane shut his mouth.
He just stared at Hamel with wide eyes.
The others also stared at Hamel, wondering what was going on.
"But there's something strange."
Hamel tilted his head and asked,
"How do you know the demon's identity, which even I wasn't sure of, and why aren't you revealing it even though you know?"
"..."
Dane slowly lowered his sword.
His firm eyes were now shaking like a candle in the wind.
"It was you.”
Hamel slowly walked forward and stood before him.
"The first one to encounter the Doppelganger."
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Max]