Chapter 11: The Strange Forest of Fog

"The fog in the Forest of Fog has grown significantly thicker, and there's all sorts of strange laughter at night. They allegedly sound somewhat like hagbirds, but not exactly..."

Avia reported what she had learned to Wang Yu, who sighed.

"That's essentially what I learned from these villagers, too. We're lucky there's a church in the village. At least the forest isn't supposed to be very different during the day. The hagbirds do seem a lot more active than before, and the hunters have caught fewer prey lately..."

Wang Yu stood by the entrance to the village as he shared his information with Avia. He scratched his head. It really was annoying to have such an issue pop up just as they were about to reach their destination.

They had made it to this nameless village close to the Forest of Fog early that morning. There were plenty of such villages around.

Those who were unwilling or unable to live on land granted to the nobility tended to form settlements of like-minded people in uncharted territory, who were largely unbound to the kingdom.

Though they were citizens of the kingdom on paper, they neither paid taxes nor were awarded protection.

Wang Yu was surprised to learn of this; the world was too large, and his understanding and experiences captured far too small a portion of it.

He had expected that commoners and serfs would be treated harshly in this world, but there was surprising leniency afforded to them.

After some thought, he supposed this was the wisest decision. Forcing honest men and women into banditry just to pay their taxes would hardly make sense.

To prevent another encounter like that with Beran's bandits, Wang Yu had Torrent and Avia wait by the entrance to the village while he headed inside in search of news.

Along the way, he found a middle-aged hunter who was surprisingly friendly to a foreign visitor.

It was through interacting with the hunter that Wang Yu learned of the oddities that had befallen the Forest of Fog.

The villagers weren't adventurers, and had no intention of entering the forest in order to secure magical artifacts or herbs.

Rather, they simply wanted to hunt down ordinary prey for food. The outskirts of the Forest of Fog, which had few reported sightings of magical animals, was therefore a good choice for them.

They simply had to avoid entering at dusk, when the fog started to rise.

The hagbirds, birds with human faces who were the most threatening foes in the Forest of Fog, could be avoided with just a little luck.

If any of the villagers ended up poisoned, the holy water from the small church in the village would suffice to handle it. At any rate, the villagers were able to eke out a decent, if not fully comfortable, living.

Somehow, recently, the eponymous fog of the forest had begun to last longer. Though it used to be present only during evening, it now lasted until nighttime, persisting for quite some time before dissipating.

That duration had been gradually increasing ever since. By now, the fog would last until seven or eight at night.

Some hunters who were accustomed to hunting at night were very frustrated by this unexpected change in events, which had cut into the amount of time they could dedicate to hunting.

A hunter or two decided to ignore the fog, setting into the forest late in the evening just as they had used to—and were never heard from again. Since then, no hunter had dared to brave the fog.

The Forest of Fog was actually rather safe as long as one avoided the fog.

The fog made it particularly easy to get lost, and getting lost in the Forest of Fog largely resulted in disappearance. Generally, not even the bodies of the victims could be found.

There was a special exception: the pastor of the church, a foreigner who was a firm follower of the faith.

The foreigner had been found one day by the outskirts of the Forest of Fog. He was unconscious and had been dressed in tattered robes.

After being rescued, the foreigner erected a small church in the village, providing holy water to the villagers, sermons, and healing.

Wang Yu didn't bother trying to learn too much about the church, because he would have to go there himself to procure holy water regardless. After getting to know the village to some extent, Wang Yu decided to ask the pastor about just what he had experienced in the Forest of Fog.

"I didn't expect we'd run into such a thorny issue right as we were about to head into the forest and search for your aunt. I'm starting to doubt whether it's a good idea to enter if we don't know what's going on in the forest."

Wang Yu folded his arms and sighed in exasperation.

Aviai sighed as well. "I really do hope everything goes well."

Wang Yu patted Avia on the shoulder and motioned for her to relax. "Let's ask the pastor about what's going on. We need the holy water, and we can learn more about the situation."

Avia nodded firmly.

Wang Yu couldn't help but wonder why Avia's aunt would construct a magician academy in the middle of this secluded, unfriendly forest as he walked toward the church with Avia.

The village was small, and the church stood out. The villagers' houses tended to be short and squat, and made of wood and hewn stone.

There were more villagers present than Wang Yu had expected. As they made their way down the small village paths, they saw children running about with tanned skin, tossing curious glances at the squire and magician headed to the church before going along on their way. It looked as if the villagers were used to travelers and visitors.

The adults of the village would smile at them upon meeting their gaze, then turn back to their own unfinished work.

Compared to adventurers, these villagers led a simpler, stabler, and busier life.

The church was the tallest building in the village, though only because of its steeple.

To the front of the steeple was a small statue of the god of light, perhaps a few dozen centimeters tall.

It was relatively small in comparison to the church as a whole, but considering what the villagers had to offer, the fact that there was a statue at all was testament to the pastor's piety.

As Wang Yu and Avia walked up to the church, a smiling matron walked out.

There were tear tracks on her face, and her eyes were still red. Her wrinkles bunched together as she smiled.

Though she had just cried, it appeared that she had also relieved herself of a great burden.

She walked out of the church, then turned and waved at the old man who saw her out.

She bade him goodbye, then thanked him repeatedly before walking off as she wiped her tears again.

Wang Yu glanced at the elderly man who had accompanied the matron out, likely none other than the village pastor and a devout believer of the god of light.

The old man seemed lively and animated, with shining eyes. A wide surplice was draped over his body.

Though much of the elderly man's body was covered, it was apparent that he had had physical training.

Upon noticing the two travelers, the pastor smiled in a friendly fashion, his left hand to his back and his right hand tracing a circle in front of him, the classic greeting of the church of light.

Wang Yu and Avia politely bowed in response.

"Do you need help, travelers?" Foreigner though the old pastor was, he had remained in the village for decades. He knew everyone who lived in the vicinity, and Wang Yu and Avia were obviously unfamiliar faces.

"Pastor, we're preparing to enter the Forest of Fog, and we'd like to get some holy water to deal with poison and curses. If possible, we'd also like to learn more about the Forest of Fog from you. What we've heard recently has been unsettling."

"Is that so? Well, the thing is..." The pastor seemed a little hesitant, making Wang Yu feel as if there really were trouble ahead.

"Hm? Hm... If you really do need it, I can provide some holy water, but it's in short supply. The villagers need it as part of their daily life, so I can't spare very much, but I'd be happy to discuss what I know of the Forest of Fog. Please, let's talk inside..."

The pastor's stance abruptly changed. His tone remained as warm and kindly as ever, but his reluctance to provide holy water had vanished.

Wang Yu was taken by surprise, but was more than happy to accept help where it was offered.

"Thank you, Pastor. The holy water and the information will be invaluable."

"Of course. Please, follow me inside."

As they headed in, Wang Yu felt Avia suddenly approach him from behind and tap his gauntlets with her fingers.

"My gauntlets? Could Avia have discovered something? She's very perceptive. My gauntlets—the Nightblades?"

Wang Yu thought back to his conversation with the pastor. The abrupt change in his tone had been rather unnerving, and Avia's taps made Wang Yu pay closer attention.

The pastor had looked like a benevolent old man from the beginning, and his attitude had been kind and gregarious.

Upon seeing Wang Yu's gauntlets, however, he had grown particularly animated as he beckoned Wang Yu and Avia into the church.

"Malicious intent? But there's no sign of it in his tone or face... Pastors have a ceremonial link with the god of light. Surely he can't intend to harm us?"

Wang Yu continued to think about the possibilities as the pastor led them deeper into the church.

He knew a little about the religion of this world, and he had to admit that the situation was better here than in most of the fantasy novels he used to read.

The gods likely did exist here, and the churches of the god of light were known for their benevolence.

For one, they distributed rations to the poor and needy—just enough for subsistence, but it was a cost they paid out of their own pockets.

They would freely heal ailments for the poor and impoverished, and provide a cheap, ready supply of holy water for ordinary people.

The paladins of the church were likewise known for their good deeds.

They helped rebuild houses for those struck by disaster and rid villages of bandits.

When the kingdom was besieged, they would ride out in its defense as fearsome warriors on the battlefield, their maces and flails imbued with holy light smashing any invaders into censored clumps.

The church of light was benevolent in deed and action, and piety to the god of light really did confer strength.

Sincere devotion to the god of light and His principles afforded His followers divine blessings, though talent and affinity played a role there, too.

The empirical evidence suggested to Wang Yu that the god of light really did exist, as did other gods and deities.

Although he wasn't religious himself, he didn't mind the practice. To him, the situation was akin to joining a gang, which also provided strength and wealth.

Joining a church could very well grant better terms.

Considering what he had witnessed, he could never be an atheist in this world.

At his limited level of strength, however, he didn't see much of a need to think too deeply about fundamental principles. Once he grew stronger, he could easily verify whatever claims he was interested in for himself.

At any rate, considering the nature of the god of light's followers, it was unlikely that the pastor was leading them into a trap.

Actions spoke louder than words, and Wang Yu, who had seen what the church of light had done over his year or so as a wandering knight's squire, was more than willing to give the pastor the benefit of the doubt.

He followed the pastor resolutely into the church.

The church wasn't ornate or lavish, but plain and unadorned.

There were just a few rows of clean, sturdy pews. The village wasn't particularly large, and few attended sermons, so these few rows were more than sufficient.

Wang Yu looked around the church. The most valuable decoration was likely the stained-glass window at the very back, illuminating the statue of the god of light from behind.

Though otherwise austere, the church lived up to its name. It was clearly well-maintained and seemed to radiate a holy aura.

The old pastor brought the two travelers past the nave of the church and into the pastor's own quarters, which was equally plain.

There was a small statue on top of a cupboard, a worn bed, a table, and a few scattered chairs. It was clear that the pastor lived an ascetic life with few material possessions.

He beckoned the two travelers to the table, then opened the cupboard and took out a bottle of holy water about as large as a kettle.

Then, he paused and retrieved an even larger bottle, about twice as large as the former, and placed that one before Wang Yu.

With a slightly apologetic tone, the pastor said, "There really hasn't been much holy water to go around lately. This is all I can spare. I hope it'll suffice."

Avia blinked at the huge bottle of holy water. Wang Yu's eyes twitched.

When he and Reynard wandered about the countryside, they would only receive about 50 mL of holy water at any one time—and even that would last them quite a long while.

The bottle that the old pastor had handed them had to contain at least a liter of holy water. Just how dangerous was the Forest of Fog—and how important were the Nightblades to deserve such preferential treatment?

Wang Yu didn't know what to say. In the end, he bowed and accepted the holy water. He did have a question for the pastor.

He knew that holy water wasn't particularly difficult to make:

In principle, all it required was infusing divine light into pure water, imbuing it with natural cleansing properties.

It was an antidote to poison and infection, and even possessed weak healing properties.

Though only limited quantities could be made daily, holy water could be stored for a few years without losing its potency.

He didn't know how skilled or talented the old pastor was, but considering the small size of the village, it was unlikely that they would need holy water in large supply. Over the years, the stockpile of holy water should only have grown larger, so how could it be that the small village was running out now?

"That's related to the information I have for you. You wanted to know about what's going on with the Forest of Fog, didn't you? To my shock, the concentrated fog in the forest can sever my connection to the god of light..."

The old pastor seemed as kindly as ever, but his tone had grown serious and somber.