‘…Are those people truly gone now?’
In the darkness, only a sliver of light filtered through the cracks in the wooden planks.
Only after the sound of footsteps outside had completely faded away did the girl tentatively try to push up on the wooden board above her head.
However, the board seemed to be pinned down by something heavy.
No matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t budge it.
‘Damn it… I can’t lift it. What am I supposed to do to escape from here?’
The girl looked behind her.
By the faint light coming through the cracks, she could see that a wooden bucket in the darkness still held some water and food.
She had survived these past few days on the provisions hidden in this cellar.
But now, those supplies were almost gone.
Even if she had enough food and water, staying here meant they would eventually spoil.
If she couldn’t escape this place, death was the only outcome.
She pressed her two thin, pale arms against the board and pushed again with all her might.
The wood groaned and creaked, but it remained completely still.
Tap, tap…
Just as the girl was still struggling to lift the board, she heard a soft rustling of footsteps.
‘They’re back already!?’
The girl immediately froze, not daring to make a sound.
She had no choice but to stay put in the cellar.
However, this time, from the conversation of the people above, she realized they weren’t just bandits.
There were also several young women among them.
From the sound of it, the women had no idea these men were bandits.
If things continued like this, they would surely walk right into a trap.
‘No, I have to find a way to warn them! But… if I’m too obvious, they’ll be killed!’
“Ladies, you must be exhausted from climbing the mountain. Let me get you some water to drink.”
After inviting Liyakade and her two companions inside, the Big Brother asked them to sit and rest.
He even offered them water.
Logically, with their caravan suffering a water shortage, and having climbed all this way to find a water source, they must not have had a drink in a while.
After such a long climb, they were definitely tired and thirsty.
All he had to do was serve them a few cups laced with something, and they’d be easy to take down.
Then, who knows, maybe these women would come crawling to them on their own.
“Little Brother, go pour some water for the three young ladies.”
Before Liyakade and the others, who had just sat down, could even answer, the Big Brother had already turned and told the Zhuanghan to fetch water.
Not only that, but he shot the Zhuanghan a meaningful look, signaling him to secretly add something to the water while he was in the kitchen.
“Sure, I’m a bit thirsty from the journey. Thank you.”
Field gave a friendly smile and accepted the Big Brother’s offer of kindness.
The Little Brother soon emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray with three cups of water on it.
He placed one cup in front of each of the three women.
“Young ladies, please drink.”
“Mm, thank you.”
After the Zhuanghan set down the cups, the Big Brother spoke again, urging them to drink.
Field politely thanked him, but that was all.
She didn’t immediately pick up her cup and drink.
“By the way, I hope this isn’t rude to ask… but why does your home feel so bare?”
Field’s gaze swept across the walls of the room, then lingered on the tables and chairs.
“There’s no light source in the living room at all. Doesn’t it feel too dark at night?”
“I can understand having no magic lamps, but you don’t even have a candlestick?”
“Hiss…”
Feeling Field’s scrutinizing gaze, the Zhuanghan couldn’t help but feel nervous.
He instinctively looked at the Big Brother, hoping for a reasonable explanation.
‘You idiot! Why are you looking at me!?’
The Big Brother cursed the Zhuanghan in his mind.
Not answering the question was bad enough, but turning to look at him like that was practically admitting they had something to hide.
“We brothers usually live frugally…”
“Anyway, we don’t go out at night, so we don’t really notice the dark.”
“Is there a problem?”
“I see. You really are brave, just like men should be.”
Field nodded, but still didn’t touch the cup on the table.
“But still, why don’t you put a tablecloth on this wooden table?”
“Doesn’t it get dirty easily?”
“And when it does, it’s a pain to clean.”
‘Why is she so fussy?’
The Big Brother was starting to get annoyed by all the questions, but he forced himself to keep his patience and think of more excuses.
“We brothers don’t bother much with that sort of thing.”
“It’s fine if it gets dirty. No big deal.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I’d still recommend using a tablecloth.”
“It keeps things much cleaner.”
Field was still giving the two bandits household tips even after hearing that.
“Got it…”
“You should drink up now.”
“After you finish, we’ll take you to the well.”
“Alright.”
With that, Field finally picked up her water cup, seeming ready to drink.
But just as she brought it to her lips, a sudden thump-thump-thump came from beneath their feet, as if something was scurrying around under the floorboards.
“Ah!”
Alice was startled.
Her cup slipped from her hand and fell, spilling water all over the table.
“I-I’m sorry!”
“That noise scared me.”
“What… what was that?”
“You don’t have rats in here, do you?”
Liyakade’s hand, which had been holding her own cup, froze in mid-air.
She frowned, putting particular emphasis on the word “rats.”
“W-well, out here in the wilderness, it’s normal to have rats, isn’t it?”
Caught off guard again, the Big Brother’s frustration was building.
After explaining, he turned to Alice and picked up the overturned cup.
“It’s fine.”
“We’ll just pour you another.”
“Little Brother, go.”
“R-right away!”
With that, the Big Brother handed the cup to the Zhuanghan, who quickly went back to the kitchen to refill it.
This time, things seemed to go smoothly.
The Zhuanghan brought back a fresh cup of water, also laced with the drug, and handed it to Alice.
Meanwhile, Liyakade and Field had already drunk their water.
‘Damn it… It still didn’t work. They’re in danger.’
‘But… I can’t fight them either…’
‘They have magic power. I’m just an ordinary person…’
‘I’m sorry…’
“Ah… thank you for the drink.”
“But… your house looks pretty big.”
“Don’t the two of you find it a bit empty living here?”
Field drained her cup.
Alice also drank hers.
But the moment the three women had all taken a sip, the attitude and expressions of the two men immediately changed.
“Heh heh heh…”
“You finally drank.”
“Is this house big?”
“It sure is.”
“Because this place wasn’t even ours to begin with.”
“Hahaha!”