The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die-Chapter 168

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 168

‘So I've learned another secret of the village. Considering the village chief didn't mention it, it must be a place she wanted to keep hidden from me.’

Thanks to Osang's unexpected actions, the secret had been revealed, but it was Aro who had led me here.

I hoped this wouldn't cause any trouble. I prayed that the village chief wouldn't be upset about this.

As I approached the stone pillars, I felt a strange energy. It seemed like the power emanating from the pillars was stronger than that of the main hall.

I didn't know what they were for, but the entire height of the tall pillars was covered in intricate carvings. It was clear they were used for some kind of ritual.

"These must be really old. They look like they've been here for at least a hundred years."

The bottom part of the pillars, where they met the ground, was covered in moss and mushrooms, probably due to the dampness of the fog.

"Put me down," Aro said.

"Alright, here you go."

After putting Aro down, I examined the pillars more closely. I tapped on them and scratched the surface with my nails.

The material wasn't easy to carve. It must have taken a great deal of effort to create these pillars.

"I wonder who made these..."

I wanted to ask who had created them, but Aro, the only one who could answer, had already run off towards the main hall.

With no other choice, I followed Aro into the hall.

She was trying to open a door, but no matter how hard she pushed, it would only open a small crack before closing again.

I pushed the door open and looked inside.

The interior of the hall was empty. As expected, it was dark and quiet.

But strangely, it seemed like someone had been there recently. There was a strange sense of life in this seemingly abandoned place.

"Someone must come here sometimes?" I asked.

"Yes, sometimes Grandma comes."

"So it's not completely abandoned."

I stepped into the hall. A thin layer of dust covered the floor.

There were faint traces of footprints in the dust, but they were old and covered in more dust, making them difficult to follow.

I expected to see cobwebs, but surprisingly there were none. Except for the dust, the hall looked as if it had been built just a few days ago.

It was all very suspicious, and I felt a sense of unease. I moved quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible. But Aro suddenly shouted.

"Uncle Osang!"

Apparently, she didn't need to be quiet.

"Where are you?!"

Her voice echoed through the tall hall. I looked up at the ceiling and then down again. And then I realized with a start that Aro had disappeared.

I looked around frantically, and then I heard her voice. She was just a few steps away.

Aro looked at me with a look of pity and said, "What are you doing, Uncle?"

"...You were right there. I thought you were gone."

I sighed in relief. How could she have moved so quietly?

Then I remembered how all sound seemed to disappear as soon as I stepped into the fog outside the hall.

A shiver ran down my spine.

I tried to read Aro's expression, but she looked completely innocent.

I thought about the village chief, but I knew he wouldn't answer any of my questions.

"Come on, let's open this door."

"...Alright."

Aro was struggling to open another door leading to another room. I pushed it open, revealing a long corridor.

Even from the outside, the hall had seemed as large as a palace. It would take a long time to explore it all.

"But is Osang really here?"

Aro walked along the corridor of the hall, as if it were familiar to her.

"I don't know," she replied.

"You don't know? Then... what if he's not here?"

"Why are you asking me? You're the adult, not me."

She had a point, and I couldn't argue. Aro pointed to a door leading off the corridor.

"Open this."

When I opened the door, I found an altar.

"... A fire?"

On a large, dark wooden altar was a bowl-shaped ceramic object. Two candles were lit beside it, casting a soft glow.

The altar looked new, but it was covered in a thick layer of dust. The ceramic object was too big to be a bowl. It was more like a boat, big enough for a person to lie down in.

"Did Osang light these?" I reached out towards the candles.

It didn't make sense to light candles in an empty hall. Unless he planned to burn the whole place down.

I tried to blow out the candles, but Aro grabbed my sleeve.

"Don't touch it."

"Why?"

"It wasn't Osang. If you touch it, Grandma will be angry."

So the village chief had lit the candles? I glanced at the candles again and then withdrew my hand.

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"Can we leave them like this?"

"Just leave them."

Was there a reason for that?

"Why?"

Aro ignored me and walked out of the room, followed closely by me.

"It's strange. If he's not here, he's not here..."

I picked Aro up and carried her. "If he's not here, let's go back. Maybe he's already returned to the village."

"But what if a monster caught him?"

I tried to recall if I had sensed any other beings or monsters while coming here, but I hadn't. Osang was probably fine.

... Or maybe he had already been captured by a dangerous monster and dragged far away.

But I thought the first scenario was more likely. I didn't need to worry too much. I could return to the village first and then ask the villagers to help me find him.

"I would have sensed it if that happened."

"How would you know?"

"I just do."

Aro looked at me skeptically. I carried her and took another look at the stone pillars in the courtyard.

I tried to decipher the meaning of the carvings, but I couldn't understand them.

Aro kicked her feet in the air, urging me to move on. I couldn't examine the pillars any longer and had to turn back towards the village.

As soon as we stepped out of the dense fog surrounding the shrine, I could feel the world around me come alive again. I could sense the movement of tiny insects and the rustling of leaves hundreds of feet away.

Clearly, there was some kind of energy barrier around the shrine that blocked my senses.

We returned to the village and found a commotion. Osang, the village chief, and the village guards were gathered in the center of the village. Almost everyone was there.

Someone spotted me carrying Aro and pointed.

"Look, there they are!"

Everyone turned to look at me. I approached them and put Aro down. The village chief came towards me.

“You’re safe.”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

I turned to look at Osang and saw that his face was still flushed, though he seemed relieved.

I gave him a smirk and turned to the village chief.

“I apologize for taking the child out of the village without telling you, even though it was nothing serious.”

“Indeed. Do you know how worried I was? But I know why she followed you. Or rather, I know Aro egged you on.”

The village chief sighed deeply. Her expression was grim.

“I can only imagine.”

“It won’t happen again.”

“Since you’re back safe, that’s what matters. It’s just that…”

The village chief covered her mouth and coughed a few times. Her cough had gotten worse over the past few days.

When the coughing fit subsided, the village chief frowned. Just then, Aro came up to us, her hands clasped together nervously.

“Where did Mom and Dad go?”

Her innocent eyes were filled with fear. I immediately realized that they had gone out to search for her.

Without thinking, I looked up at the sky.

The sky was darker now, filled with ashy clouds. The clouds slowly parted, revealing a bright, round moon.

“…The moon.”

It was the first time I had seen the moon since I had fallen into a hole and fought a monster alone.

Images of the fierce battles with the monsters flashed through my mind. I saw my comrades injured and dying.

“Gr-Grandma…?”

“Honey…”

Aro’s voice trembled as she tried to hold back her tears.

She looked up at me and grabbed my sleeve.

“Uncle , my mom and dad are gone. Please help me.”

Her pleading expression was heartbreaking. I gently removed her hand from my sleeve.

Just then, someone placed a hand on my shoulder. It was Jawoon, with a serious expression.

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]