The Successor of the Saint Does Not Fight - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Curse of the Rain-Summoning Serpent Part 7

“Indeed. When you phrase it like that, it does appear rather mysterious. It’s possible they faked their deaths out of fear of the church, but if that’s the case, why would they then start summoning rain again?”

In response to my question, the White Wolf growled with evident interest.

On the other hand, Yuno didn’t find it as puzzling.

“Do demons like that snake possess that level of intelligence? Perhaps it pretended to die temporarily out of fear, then started summoning rain after forgetting about it?”

“Don’t underestimate it, kid. Demons with great power also wield considerable wisdom. Considering the magnitude of this demon, we should consider it to have intelligence comparable to humans.”

“The snake you had in your mouth earlier didn’t seem particularly smart, like a human.”

“That was just a small part of the Rain-Summoning Serpent. More like a nail or a strand of hair in human terms. Nails and hairs don’t have thoughts of their own, do they?”

Listening to the argument between the White Wolf and Yuno, I rubbed my forehead with my fingers.

Even if the serpent at the waterfall basin died, the main body of the Rain-Summoning Serpent hadn’t suffered any damage. If that’s the case, then there was no need to temporarily stop the rain. Besides—

“Could the mass suicides of the villagers truly be a curse?”

Until now, I had interpreted the successive suicides of the villagers as the weakened Rain-Summoning Serpent regaining strength, cursing the residents to seek sacrifices. However, if we assume that the Rain-Summoning Serpent wasn’t weakened, there would be no need to curse and sacrifice the villagers in the first place. It could have simply continued causing the rain, naturally leading to the collapse of the village.

Then, Yuno directed his words towards me.

“With all due respect, when I met them, I didn’t observe any mental state that would lead to suicide. Could it be that there was indeed an influence of a curse?”

“Huh?”

I was taken aback by his unexpected words.

“Have you met any of the victims? When was this?”

“When I initially visited the village for my first mission, it was the elderly who attempted to prevent me from entering the mountains. Upon confirming the portraits of the suicide victims, they all matched the faces I encountered back then.”

“Were those individuals not displaying signs of wanting to commit suicide at that time?”

“Yes. They were worried about me, but I didn’t detect any desperation, and they didn’t seem as ‘worn out as if possessed,’ as mentioned in the reports.”

“That’s strange.”

Whether there’s a curse or not is a different matter.

“At that time, they chose to remain in the village with the intention of committing suicide due to the demise of their homeland in the rain, correct? They should have been overwhelmed by a sense of desperation, shouldn’t they?”

Highlighting this, Yuno reflected for a moment and then agreed.

“Yes, now that you mention it, I agree.”

He truly is a slow learner. Before delving into the techniques of exorcizing demons, he should grasp the fundamental aspects of being human.

Standing in the square where the rain poured relentlessly, I pondered.

Did the elderly truly take their lives due to a curse?

Does it have any relation to the Rain-Summoning Serpent temporarily stopping the rain?

No, such concerns are trivial. The most important thing is just one. How can I avoid fighting!?

The incessant drumming of rain against the umbrella persisted.

The truth holds little relevance. The most crucial thing is finding a reason to avoid fighting. If everything in this world perishes but I survive, that’s good enough.

Perhaps concerned about me standing still, one of the young villagers approached.

“Um, Lady Merrill. We’ve set up tea in the assembly hall, would you like to take a short break?”

Ignoring that, I posed the question that had been lingering in my mind.

“This village is renowned as a granary, correct? With a dry climate, particularly suitable for barley cultivation?”

“Huh? Uh, yes…”

“Have there ever been instances of continuous heavy rain or crop failure like this before?”

“No, this is the first time something like this has occurred…”

Clap, I clapped my hands.

“Alright, I get it. That’s enough.”

Brushing off the young man, I shifted my gaze down to the white wolf at my feet.

“Hey, Wolf, can you revert to your original form?”

“What did you say?”

It was the white wolf who was unsettled by those words.

“I don’t mind… but if I reveal my true form here, the villagers will panic, and things might get out of hand.”

“No. I’m sure it won’t happen.”

“Huh?”

Despite White Wolf tilting his head, he soon lifted the corner of his mouth with an amused expression.

“You’ve figured something out, haven’t you, girl?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m asking, can you do it?”

Before receiving an answer, White Wolf shuddered.

His body, previously resembling a dog, expanded rapidly, morphing into a massive wolf in the blink of an eye.

“Behold! Witness my true form!”

With a ground-shaking thud, White Wolf firmly planted both legs on the ground.

There was a loud murmur from the villagers, but that was the extent of it—nothing more.

“…Huh? What’s wrong with you all? Why aren’t you running away?”

While expressions of amazement and curiosity adorned the faces of the villagers, there was no pure sense of fear comparable to what residents of the holy city might experience toward a demon.

“As I suspected.”

I smiled faintly, as if proclaiming victory.

“The people of this village have been coexisting with the Rain-Summoning Serpent for a long time.”