Chapter 7: The Punishment for all Crime is Death
As they drew closer to the smoke, Noah noticed something unusual. It wasn’t coming from underground, exactly. There was a rift in the grassland, a valley carved between two stretches of land, almost in a “U” shape.
The land near the edge of the plateau had been transformed into farmland, with rows of crops stretching across the fields. There didn’t seem to be anyone tending to them at the moment though. Was it because it was around dinner time?
Crossing the farmland, Noah and Sophie finally got their first glimpse of the main settlement. Spread out before them was a village nestled within the valley, with a large river running right down the middle. Houses made of stone and mortar lined the sides in tiers, with some even built into the valley walls. A countless number of narrow gravel paths wound through the humble residences.
The numerous lanterns hanging from posts kept the village well lit, offering a warm contrast to the darkening sky. There were no walls or gates, and the village gave off a welcoming feel, as if anyone could walk in without question. To Noah, it actually felt peaceful, a sort of sanctuary compared to the hostile world around them.
Please let this place be as safe as it looked.
Even though Noah couldn’t see anyone, he could at least hear them. The distant sound of voices and laughter at least hinted at activity.
“Should we go in?” Sophie whispered.
“I think so. Maybe we could knock on one of the doors and ask for help.”
The two of them cautiously made their way down. Out of nowhere, Noah got a notification on his Vitra.
“New Location: Kamaru Village… plus 1000XP?” Sophie murmured. It seemed that she too had gotten the same notification.
So discovering new places gives XP as well, huh? 1000 was a lot. If he had carried Sophie all the way here… Noah pushed aside the ridiculous thought. The additional 1000 XP had also been enough to level him up, from level 2 to 3.
As they continued down, the smell of cooked food made Noah’s mouth water. He was absolutely famished.
They stopped in front of a quaint-looking house, near the border of the village.
“If we need to make a break for it, it’ll be easier since we’re right by the edge,” Noah reasoned.
Mustering his courage, he gave three soft knocks on the door. He was worried that there might be a language barrier, but if he could converse with Anna, surely that meant the whole language thing had already been sorted out the moment he spawned in this world?
“Coming!” The sound of light footsteps padded towards the door. A tanned girl, dressed simply in coarse linen and seemingly around Noah’s age, swung it open. Her jaw dropped the moment she saw them.
“Dad?!” she called. “There’s uh… some outsiders here!”
A large, burly man showed up a few seconds later. He glanced down at the two of them, observing them curiously.
“Doesn’t seem like you’re from around here,” he remarked.
Noah found himself struggling to speak. He hadn’t exactly thought about what to say. Declaring that they came from another world would probably only confuse, or even annoy him. On the other hand, confessing might answer some of their questions.
“I—we uhh.. we’re from another world…”
The man looked a little wary. “Another world? Like the Vyndamas Kingdom?”
“No, I mean… like…”
“It’s a long story,” Sophie interjected, throwing Noah a look that signalled she had it handled. Well, she was a lot better at talking than he was. “We suddenly got teleported here, and we’ve been wandering around for a few hours. This is the first village we’ve come across,” she explained.
“Teleported? You mean portal magic? By who?”
“Some girl with a large hat. You’re familiar with portal magic?”
Noah noted that while Sophie had hinted at Anna’s identity, she had left out her name on purpose. It was probably a good idea. They weren’t sure how the villagers would react to her, and playing ignorant seemed like the smartest move. They would gauge their reactions and see if they could get a read on the situation before revealing anything further.
“Yes, it’s one of the rarer types of magic. Typically, only magicians ranked B or higher can use it.” Suddenly, the man seemed to recall something. “Girl with a large hat, you say? Was the hat by any chance purple in colour, with eyes to match?”Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Sophie tried to hide her surprise. “Y-yeah, I think so?”
The man exchanged a glance with his daughter. “By Eryndra! Could you two be Heroes of the Prophecy?”
“Prophecy? Sorry, we weren’t informed about this…” Sophie apologised. “We pretty much know nothing about this world.”
“You know what a Vitra is?”
“Yeah, it’s like our profile page.”
“I kindly ask that both of you show me your Vitra,” the man requested.
They couldn’t exactly decline, so they did as he asked.
He first inspected Sophie’s. The excitement seemed to fade from his face. “Eryndra save us, she’s an E-Rank.”
He moved on to Noah’s. The man had to take a double take, leaning in so close his face almost touched the display. “F-Rank…? Talent—Zero…”
“I’ve never seen this before. An F-Rank with a talent?” the girl murmured.
“I don’t know what’s going on either. But we can at least confirm that these two aren’t Heroes of the Prophecy. Their Ranks are too low,” the man’s shoulders slumped. “But then again, this doesn’t explain why you’re both here in the first place. We might have to consult Alatair about this.”
“Ooh! Can I come?” the girl exclaimed.
“No, you go back in and let your mother know that I’ll be heading out for a bit.”
“Aww…” the girl pouted before reluctantly heading back inside.
The man slipped on his sandals and turned to Noah and Sophie. “Follow me, we’ll be taking a short walk to the Elder’s House.”
The three of them set off. Twilight had arrived, with the sun slowly dipping below the horizon. A gentle breeze swept through the air, swaying the lanterns and the rustling the leaves. If the situation hadn't been so tense, Noah would've probably laid down and relaxed on the freshly kept grass.
A short while later, they stopped in front of a large opening in the cliff face. It looked to be the entrance of someone's house. Someone important, inferring from the two guards standing motionless by the entrance. With how still they were standing, Noah wasn’t surprised he hadn’t noticed them earlier.
Their escort exchanged a quick word with the guards. One of them hurried inside and reappeared moments later. “You’re in luck. The Elder has just finished his dinner and is now free to see you.”
The man stepped into the compound, with Noah and Sophie following close behind. The area was relatively humble, with rows of pottery and paintings lining the walls. An abundance of light sources provided ample light. Right there at the far end, was a man that appeared to be in his fifties or sixties. He was seated behind a large table, surrounded by a mountain of books.
“Ah, Mr Jabawi! What brings you here on this lovely evening?” His eyes twinkled as he spoke. “And I see you’ve brought two rather interesting guests with you today.”
The burly man bowed slightly. “Good evening, Sir. They knocked on my door, saying they came from another world. I thought they might be the Heroes of the Prophecy, but their Ranks don’t seem to match. They’re ranked ‘E’ and ‘F’ respectively.”
“‘F, hmm? Interesting.” The Elder leaned back in his chair. “Jabawi, tell me. What makes you so sure these two are not the Heroes we seek? Is it their Rank alone that determines their worth?”
“Sir, I believe these two were summoned by Anna Aurevella. They mentioned encountering someone with her distinctive features. It seems likely, given that the Summoning should have just happened.”
“Assuming that they were indeed summoned by Anna, does that not suggest there may be a deeper reason behind their presence here? Perhaps there’s more to them than what meets the eye.” The Elder gazed thoughtfully at them as if he were trying to peer into their souls.
“I… I am unsure, Sir. That is why I have decided to notify you.”
The Elder stood up. “Dear travellers, I am Alatair Fendros, though most call me 'Sir' or 'Elder', whichever they see fit. Now, might I be so bold as to inquire the names you carry with you upon your journey?'"
“Yes Sir. I’m Noah Kanero.”
“I’m Sophie Raenia. A pleasure to meet you Sir.”
“You appear to have stumbled upon our humble little village of Kamaru. Now, am I correct in assuming that you seek not only food and shelter, but also answers to questions that have brought you here?”
“Yes, Sir, that’s right,” Noah replied.
“How curious. Very well, if that is what you seek, then that is what I shall give. But before that, I would like to ask you a question to… gauge your character.”
Alatair walked around his table, heading straight for them. Noah instinctively lowered his gaze, feeling as though meeting the village leader’s eyes might somehow be disrespectful.
“Travellers, let us consider a scenario. Imagine a peasant who secretly takes crops from the nobles. The amount he steals is insignificant to them, but it makes all the difference to the starving families living in poverty. Every day, he rides long hours on horseback to deliver these stolen crops to feed the poor. Over time, he has nourished the bellies of a hundred families. But eventually, he is caught by the authorities and is put on trial. For crimes against the nobility, the punishment is death. Now, do you believe he deserves to die for his crimes?"
Huh, what was he getting at?
Noah was lost, but he had to at least attempt an answer. Stealing was obviously wrong, but the peasant did do it for the greater good of a large number of people. And as Alatair had specified, the nobles weren’t really affected by the crops they had lost. But the law was in place for a reason, right? There didn’t seem to be a straightforward answer to the question, but Alatair was clearly expecting a response. He glanced at Sophie, but she didn’t seem to have an answer ready either.
Alatair paced around the room, observing them thoughtfully. Noah figured they shouldn’t keep him waiting for too long. “I mean, he did break the law…” he started.
“But he has also saved well over a hundred people. Should he be judged solely for his crime, or should the lives he preserved factor into the balance?”
“Couldn’t we give him a lighter sentence?” Sophie suggested hesitantly.
“So, you would have the law bend for the sake of compassion? If such is your stance, where would we draw the line? When does mercy cease to be a virtue and become an excuse for lawlessness?”
Noah’s head was spinning. His throat was parched, and his stomach was growling. He was in no mood or shape to answer Alatair’s overly philosophical questions.
“I—uh…” Noah fumbled for words, but they wouldn’t come. Sophie too appeared to be just as vexed as he was.
Alatair seemed to sense their discomfort. “I apologise. I am often told that I get carried away. I suppose we shall save the weighty matters for another time. But for now, you have travelled far, so let us see to your comfort before we... resume our discussion."
Noah let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Thank you, Sir,” he bowed.
“Jabawi! Take them to the guest house by the river. I believe it is currently unoccupied. See to it that they are well catered for,” Alatair called.
“Right away Sir,” Jabawi acknowledged. “This way, please.” He gestured for Noah and Sophie to follow as he led them out of the compound.