Chapter 296: At the Tip of the Misty Cape
* * *
Arc 16 begins.
It's the arc before the final arc of Part 1... so I'm aiming to create a story that's easy to write and easy to read, with no stress for both the author and the readers.
It's summer, so it's an episode by the sea.
Extra-sama will probably talk a lot too!
...Though they won't appear in this story or the next one, please forgive me for that.
Well then, please stay with me for a while longer.
Fog is everywhere.
It's such a thick fog that if you were to go a few meters away, you probably wouldn't be able to see anything.
However, the scent of the tide and the sound of waves washing in and out, zaan, zazaan.
That makes it clear that this place is near the sea.
"Haa... Why did it have to come to this..."
"........."
Now, there were two people walking through such a deep fog.
The one leading the way was a muscular young man with a dark tan.
The one who just sighed was this man.
And the one following behind him was a stern-looking man with long, whitened hair tied back.
Judging from the depth of the wrinkles etched on his face, it was clear that this man was quite old, but his physique was so robust that it was no less than the man leading the way.
His steps were firm, and he didn't seem old at all.
"Complaining about it won't change anything, Pyunchapong."
The old man admonished the grumbling of the young man leading the way... Pyunchapong.
"But you know... it's a terrible story, Village Chief Toppipappugen... Recently, the tax collection has been strict enough as it is, and on top of that, this..."
Still, Pyunchapong's muttering doesn't stop.
The old man... Village Chief Toppipappugen also understands Pyunchapong's feelings well.
Rather, he feels the same way.
But even so.
"Don't lament... Lamenting won't change anything. It will only make you feel down. And... you never know when and where careless words might reach the ears of Lord Daychib. If that happens, it's over..."
"Hehe... Well, I don't think the officials would come all the way to this cape. Even in the village, they pinch their noses saying it 'smells fishy,' right?"
"That's why I said shut up, you fool!"
After that, while exchanging words here and there, the two men pushed through the grass that grew up to their knees and proceeded forward.
Despite the thick fog, their steps were not hesitant.
The two men lived in the nearby village of Panemo.
Even if the visibility was somewhat poor, they knew this area like the back of their hand.
Now, the sound of the waves was getting stronger.
It was hard to tell due to the constant fog, but they had finally reached the tip of the cape located a short distance from the village.
"Alright... we brought it!"
Pyunchapong and Village Chief Toppipappugen each dropped the large luggage wrapped in furoshiki-like cloth that they were carrying on their backs with a thud and shouted loudly.
Then, immediately after that.
Zuzu... Zazaza... Zazazaaaaan!
The sea below the cliff of the cape swirled, and with a loud wave sound... a huge... yes, an overly huge monster's shadow appeared slickly from the sea, as if raising its sickle-shaped head!
"Hiih...!"
"......!"
Its size was so immense that it could easily swallow a human in its large mouth, and it was no wonder that the muscular young man Pyunchapong lost his strength from fear and sat down on the spot.
Next to him, Village Chief Toppipappugen stood motionless with his arms crossed, but judging from the cold sweat on his forehead, it was easy to see that he was not calm at all.
"Pyurururu..."
The monster, whose figure was vaguely hidden by the fog, made a strange high-pitched cry, sniffed the luggage brought by the two from Panemo Village, and then...
"Pyurururuuu!"
Yes, it let out a particularly loud cry, stretched its long neck straight towards the sky, and...
"Pyuruuu!"
With momentum, it pounced on the luggage brought by the two!
"Pyuru! Pyuru! Pyuru!"
And the monster chewed the luggage over and over again, then skillfully spat out only the cloth and swallowed the contents.
Splat.
The cloth, covered in the monster's saliva, happened to fall on the head of Pyunchapong, who had lost his strength.
"Hyawawa!?"
Pyunchapong, who had been desperately fighting his fear while his teeth chattered until then, didn't have the mental capacity to endure this accidental mishap!
He let out a strange scream, shook off the cloth, then rolled his eyes and fainted on the spot.
"Pyurururuuu!"
Of course, the monster didn't care about such a pitiful young man.
Letting out a high-pitched cry, swaying and dancing, the monster once again sank its long body into the sea and disappeared.
Zaan, zazaan, zaan...
After that, the cape was quiet.
Only the sound of waves washing in and out from below the cliff echoed around.
"........."
Village Chief Toppipappugen was silent.
He crossed his arms, stiffened his body, and... stared intently at the sea, whose view was blocked by the fog.
While gritting his teeth so hard that it made a sound.