第１７１９堀：行商人と村の関り (Part2)
"Yes. However, after listening to everyone’s accounts, I’ve found myself a bit... well, curious. Or perhaps I should say I’ve reached a certain understanding."
"An understanding?"
"Indeed. I had been wondering how such a desolate village could sustain itself for so long without some kind of hidden hand at work."
"That is true. For a place described as a backwater, it certainly has quite a history," Enola-oneesama remarked.
As she said, the history of that impoverished hamlet spans nearly twenty years.
A "desolate village" typically implies a place where production is scarce—a poor, withered settlement where survival is a constant struggle. Such places don't usually start out that way; they become desolate after some manner of misfortune. While the very earliest stages of founding a village are difficult, those periods are usually filled with a certain vitality that sets them apart.
In short, while there are always reasons for a village to be labeled "desolate," it is exceedingly rare for one to endure for long once it reaches that state. For it to carve out twenty years of history is, to put it mildly, quite mysterious.
"So, you believe the village is being maintained through some form of outside support?"
"I do. I’ve been visiting for several years now, and while the population only ever dwindles, the village never seems to prosper. Yet, there’s no sign of the inhabitants abandoning the place, and they always have the means to purchase goods."
"...Meaning they have ready cash?"
"Yes. The village chief claimed they supplement their needs through farming and hunting in the woods, so I didn't give it much thought at the time."
I see. Does that mean there is some necessity to keep this desolate village afloat? This is something I’ll likely need to report to Yuki.
"Is there anything else that caught your attention?"
"Hmm, if I had to say... I’ve rarely encountered monsters or bandits in the area. Not never, mind you, but the frequency is low."
"In a village that poor, you'd expect subjugation requests to be low priority, though."
"Is it not strange for the encounter rate to be so low when it's located near a place called the 'Forest of Monsters'?"
It was difficult to judge based on that alone. Since it was an established village, they would naturally take measures to ensure their safety. Monsters would be driven off to some extent, and as for bandits, there was little profit to be found in such a place, giving them little reason to linger.
Then again, the very lack of a reason to be pursued might make it an ideal hideout for them...
"I couldn't say for certain. I simply thought it was safer than other areas."
"Safe, is it...? Well, we can investigate that later. By the way, are there any specific taboos or precautions we should know about regarding the village?"
Holly’s question reminded me that we knew nothing of the village’s local customs. We had been so flustered with preparations that the thought hadn't even crossed my mind.
"Let me see... there isn't anything unique to that village specifically. Just the usual etiquette: don't enter homes without permission, don't pry too deeply into personal matters, and so on."
"That is only natural."
Entering a house uninvited is essentially theft, and prying into personal affairs is the same as trying to uncover secrets. It was all common sense.
"Oh, and I'm sure you understand, but since you are acting as my assistants, please start by helping with the sales."
"We understand that, but—and I realize it's a bit late to ask—won't a group of only women seem suspicious?"
"I have two men serving as my subordinates, so I don't think it will look that strange. Besides, we're arriving under the guise of concern over the disappearances. You also have your positions as apprentice sisters dispatched from the Church, don't you?"
"True. Though I wonder how much trust Vilia and I will actually inspire," Enola-oneesama mused.
After all, both Enola-oneesama and I appeared as little more than young girls.
At any rate, in addition to acting as peddler assistants, we had secured a secondary cover by asking Lilishe-sama to officially dispatch us as apprentice sisters. It was a way to bolster our social standing. I only hoped it would be enough.
"Beyond that, I suppose we'll gain their trust if we can solve the kidnapping cases..."
"We won't know until we actually get there."
The real challenge would begin once we arrived at the village. As of now, we hadn't heard of any new developments from Nina-oneesama. We had to investigate with the full expectation that we might actually be abducted ourselves.