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I’m A Villager, So What? – Chapter 36 – part 9

「That’s right. The main duty of the Saegusa Shrine is to assist in negotiating the division of inheritance… or that’s what people say. Besides that, there are times when we’re called upon to help search for culprits in murder cases.」

It seems that the practical application of the skill of Channeling or the techniques of a spirit medium is being used.

Then, with a puzzled expression, Saegusa asked me:

「Why do you think I’m a monster from the same realm as Cordelia, the Hero of the North? Our clan is just a family of spirit mediums…」

「Your relatives may be spirit mediums, possessing only the skill of Channeling, but it’s not the same for you, right? The village centered around the Saegusa Shrine is located deep in the mountains and is designated as a special area with restricted contact with the outside world, to the extent of having checkpoints. Why is that?」

「…」

「You certainly entered here as a mere spirit medium.」

「…Yes, that’s correct.」

「But you have hidden your true skill… I wonder what it could be?」

「…」

「War Miko (Ikusa Miko). Through the transformation of the channeling technique, the spiritual world including the divine realm was accessed. And the Saegusa clan made a contract with a god in the distant past, allowing the god to descend upon the body of a Saegusa family member, granting them immense power to be wielded on the earthly plane under the will of the god…」

Saegusa’s eyes widened significantly.

「If it were only about the channeling, I could understand that you know, Lute-kun. But how…? How is it that someone who knows exactly what Saegusa is, a clan from the farthest reaches of the western lands, in a place like this, exists?」

In the Dragon King’s library, there is a book called the 「Catalog of Rare Bloodline Traits in the World.「
I came across it when I was searching for ways to become stronger, and the Saegusa clan was ranked highly among those with rare skills.

Well, it’s probably better not to tell her about that.
By the way, if translated into adventurer guild ranks, she would probably be equivalent to an A-rank adventurer when having a god descend upon herself.
This means that she needs to be managed at a national level, and it signifies being a tactical weapon capable of single-handedly overturning local battle situations during times of war.

In other words, it’s an understatement to say that she’s a monster.

「And then, the bloodline trait. As the representative of the entire bloodline, the eldest daughter of the direct line of the Saegusa clan can embody a god. Well, if everyone in the clan could embody a god, that would be a ridiculously overpowered ability capable of world domination. So having only one person capable of it is a well-designed system.」

Upon hearing that, Saegusa tilted her head, looking puzzled.

「…But how did you know that I’m the eldest daughter of the direct line?」

I chuckled and patted Saegusa’s shoulder.

「Everyone here… they’re all just rookie adventurers or lower. If there’s a giant monster mixed among them, you can’t help but notice.」

「…」

Saegusa went silent with a serious expression, her eyebrows furrowed in discontent.

「What’s wrong?」

「I’m not an idiot, you know? I understand that Lute-kun possesses an extraordinary power.」

「…」

「And I can’t even see the bottom of that power. I have no idea of its full extent. This is the first time something like this has happened… If I’m a giant monster, then what are you, Lute-kun?」

「…Just a villager.」

At that moment, Saegusa burst out laughing.

「What kind of village has villagers like you?」

Well, I did happen to be a villager in this world. Oh well, never mind.

「So, let’s get to the main point. Why are you here in a place like this?」

「Hmm…」

Saegusa placed her hand on her chin, raised her eyebrows sharply, and made a serious expression.

「To put it simply…」

「…?」

「Why am I in the lowest class of the Magic Academy? The answer is simple.」

「…Simple?」

「In reality, I am nothing more than a weakling at the moment. So, this is only fitting based on my abilities.」

「What do you mean?」

「Currently… as far as I know, there are only a few members of the Saegusa clan left on this world.」

Saegusa’s statement left me puzzled.

「Weren’t all the people in your village… or should I say, your clan? Well, whatever. Weren’t they all relatives or related individuals living in the remote mountains, centered around the Saegusa Shrine?」

Saegusa nodded in confirmation.

「…The village was destroyed.」

「Destroyed? What do you mean?」

「Well, to begin with, do you know why the Saegusa clan retreated into the mountains? Do you know about that?」

「Was it because of the eastern calamity entity… Yamata no Orochi?」

「…You really seem to know everything.」

Saegusa laughed.
Not in her usual cheerful or silly manner, but with a tint of melancholy, giving off an oddly seductive vibe.
Saegusa is also a woman, after all… I couldn’t help but hold my breath for a moment.

And then, after a preamble of ‘No, well…’ I continued.

「I don’t know everything.」

I was about to say, ‘I only know what I know,’ but I decided to refrain from that joke because I knew Saegusa wouldn’t understand.
Setting aside the joke, the story of the village’s destruction is far from peaceful.

「…And?」

「The monstrous dragon with eight heads that once swallowed numerous villages… it was sealed near the Saegusa village.」

「And, basically, your role is to be the protectors exclusively for the calamity… for Yamata no Orochi, right?」

「Yes. Our ancestors were entrusted with that mission by the gods, and we, from generation to generation, with the patronage of the Emperor(Mikado) from time to time, oversees the seal of Orochi.」

「And so, the seal of Yamata no Orochi was broken, you engaged in battle, and… the village was destroyed?」

Saegusa shook her head.

「The seal of Orochi was weakening, and its revival was imminent. But… in the end, Orochi did not revive.」

「…?」

「No… according to the latest regular observation, the expected time of revival was… postponed by several hundred years. It’s like… something unimaginable happened, a delay.」

「Then, what destroyed your village?」

「…A horde of demons attacked the village. Would it be better understood if I said ‘ogres’ around here?」

「Demons? A village entrusted with guarding against calamities is… destroyed by such beings?」

Ogres, indeed, were by no means weak. If they encountered fledgling adventurers, it was common sense to run away immediately, and experienced adventurers would usually hunt them in parties.
However, if it were a knight order of a country, an ogre horde would be considered a prime target for subjugation expeditions, and a typical regional military or police force would be more than capable of dealing with them.
In fact, if ogres were to appear in large numbers, it would be a good excuse for increasing taxes and the local lords would be delighted.
As if reading my thoughts, Saegusa nodded deeply.

「It’s the evolved form of demons… called ‘Oni Shō’.」

I think she means Ogre General. In terms of adventurer ranks, it would be at the C-rank level, where veteran adventurers would barely be able to defeat it by forming a party… or so it goes.
Perhaps, at best, it’s a monster that the instructors here can handle one-on-one.

「No, that’s why… even if it was Ogre Generals, you should have the abilities of an A-rank, right? The story doesn’t quite make sense to me.」

After a brief silence and taking a deep breath, Saegusa spoke.

「…The horde of demons that attacked us. I believe there were more than 50 of them… but there were no demons among them.」

I truly don’t understand.
Slightly frustrated, I asked Saegusa.

「You were attacked by a group of ogres, but there were no ogres? I don’t understand what you mean.」

Saegusa lightly held her head with her hand.
Blood draws away from her face.
Looks like she remembered something unpleasant.