Part 19 — See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Say No Evil

It goes without saying, but the party didn’t expect that Tempera Village would welcome them with open arms. However, they were still driven by a need to settle things, and by a process that they needed to see through to the end. It’s at least better to show one’s face and be rejected rather than unilaterally throw aside one’s homeland.

Even in the worst case, they have a responsibility to state that they don’t plan to return to this village and that they won’t cause it any further trouble. Of course, it would be best if they’d accept back everyone other than Ran.

“To think there’s this sort of hidden vale inside the Arcana Kingdom...”

Happine is drenched with sweat as she hikes up the mountain pass. There’s a rough path of sorts, but it just barely functions as a road.

“You know, the reason Tempera Village isn’t governed by the Arcana Kingdom probably has to do with this...”

“You know, the reason Tempera Village isn’t governed by the Arcana Kingdom probably has to do with these awful roads... Even if there are people living here, it’d be too much hassle to bother collecting taxes!” Happine says, huffing out her complaints. She’s probably right, though.

Even if the village has existed since before the kingdom was founded, the Arcana Kingdom is the one with the power on its side. It would have been normal for it to have absorbed the village. But even putting aside the fact that the roads leading to Tempera Village were poorly maintained, the route was a harsh one. Frankly, it’s far too steep a grade. Walking the path to the village is essentially a form of mountain climbing.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t keep walking...”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Zuger, Ran’s safety switch, could no longer walk the mountain path, which is why Saiga is currently carrying her on his back as they trek onward. With the original boost to his physical abilities that he received upon coming to this world, backed with a bit of Spirit Summoning, Saiga has no trouble carrying Zuger’s light weight. Happine seethes as she watches them.

“We’re almost there, so just bear with it a little longer. The road should start flattening out soon.”

The five locals traverse the road easily. Of course, their hearts are a bit oppressed, but they still feel the need to move forward. In Ran’s case, she’ll have to apologize to the elders and admit that their preaching self-control was correct, while the other four need to apologize for mocking their homeland in following Ran and ignoring their own lack of training.

“There, it’s an easy path from here.”

With the mountain pass behind them, the hidden vale containing Tempera Village, populated by wielders of various martial arts styles, comes into view. A number of farm plots and wooden houses dot the landscape in a land tucked between tall mountain ranges. In one sense, it’s just a common rural vista. It’s hard to believe that there are so many Rare Arts users hiding here.

“There are the ten houses of the major styles. There’s also a building that serves as a sort of meeting house. Want to start there?”

They had just recently left the village, and they honestly hadn’t thought they’d ever be back. Seeing it again brings up a complicated mix of emotions. The five aren’t sure how to proceed.

“No, no, that would be problematic.”

As the party looks down at the village, an elderly man, who appears to have been waiting for them, pops up. It’s a familiar face for the five, while for the Batterabbe party, they can guess on who it is based on the fact that he was waiting for them.

“I am a bearer of the Celestial Blood, and a teacher of the Testudo Style... No doubt you are already aware of who I am, so I would like it if you could simply stop by my home. I don’t know what precisely has happened, but it seems that Ran has calmed down... But, even so, those of the village are still quaking at the thought of seeing her again.”

At the very least, he seems to have seen that the party would first stop at this location. Evidently aware that the party has no intention of opposing his invitation, the old man turns his back and begins walking. Given that they were half-expecting to be greeted by thrown stones, they should probably appreciate the peaceful welcome. It’s not as though they’re here to fight or demand the village come under the kingdom’s control. If they’re able to talk to someone with a fair amount of status within the village, then that’s a perfectly acceptable development.

The party follows without complaint. It’s obvious in hindsight, but the roads of Tempera Village itself are hardly well paved, either. At the same time, they’re still substantially better than the path they’d been walking earlier, and it was, at most, a stroll along a country road. They barely see any houses worthy of the name, nor any inhabitants of the village, before they come to a large, single-story home.

“I can only offer you some medicinal tea, but please take a moment to relax.”

It’s a house with a large room that looks like a cross between a training dojo and a temple. It’s clear this is one of the main houses, and that it was meant to be a gathering place, which makes the lack of people in it somewhat disturbing. Which means, after foreseeing that they’d come here, no one wanted to meet with the ten. It’s only natural, perhaps, but they’re clearly viewed with suspicion, even hatred.

Still, all of them seem to regard this as perfectly natural, and all of them quietly...sit down and take some rest.

“Zuger, Happine. Let me heal your feet first.”

“Thank you.”

“Oof... That was really exhausting.”

Those not used to walking mountain paths are exhausted. Or, rather, their feet were already swelling up. In fact, they have also turned red from the exertion. Some might have popped some blisters.

Feeling a bit of guilt over dragging them into this, Saiga uses his basic mystic abilities to heal their feet.

“I wouldn’t...call it an embarrassment, exactly. They did well to come this far.”

There’s no reason for Happine to have accompanied them to this village. However, if Saiga is going somewhere to learn something, then she needs to go with him. That was the decision she’d made. Sunae offers a few words of encouragement, showing her approval of Happine’s actions.

“So there really are martial artists who make use of their divination abilities... Why...?”

Sunae is flabbergasted. Sure, the Bursting Venom Style and the Four Vessels Style, like her Spirit Summoning, are styles that require fighting unarmed. It’s natural for those bearing that blood to become martial artists. But she didn’t understand why diviners would feel the need to fight unarmed.

“The reason is rather simple... Our founder stated that he was so mortified when he got into a fight and got hit, despite knowing the punch was coming, that he decided to start a martial art incorporating his precognition.”

The elder, carrying a tray with the medicinal teas, offers an explanation with a self-deprecating smile. It was something Saiga had first-hand experience with. Even if you divine your opponent’s movements and respond to them, if against a skilled opponent, they can still respond to the forewarned response.

It must have been like the first time he fought Sansui, when no matter how much he read into the future, he came to the conclusion that he simply couldn’t win. He couldn’t help but empathize with the founder’s desire to develop a way to ‘win’ in those circumstances.

“As you’ve heard, our style incorporates precognition. That is why I understood you would be visiting and am now welcoming you.”

It’s an odd story, but it also means things can proceed smoothly, as both sides are aware of precognition.

Still, the Batterabbe Party didn’t feel that there was anything extraordinary about the old man in front of them. Having met Sansui and Suiboku, this man who can read the future only appears to be a tired old geezer. Or, rather, they realize that he’s exactly as he appears.

“And, in reality, our style isn’t particularly weak. We’re never caught off guard, nor do the last-gasp blows from inferior opponents ever hit us. However, in the end, against opponents that we simply can’t beat... It means that we know that we can’t defeat them, no matter what steps we take.”

That’s perhaps the difference between Saiga, who can read the future, and the old man, who can only read the future. Saiga has numerous ways to respond in any given situation, but for the old man, those possibilities don’t exist.

Thinking about that, Saiga almost feels a sense of shame. The man in front of him, despite putting in all sorts of effort, from before he was even born, can only see futures where he loses to Saiga or Ran.

“...Then there are a few things I’d like to ask. Do you mind?”

“No, go ahead.”

Saiga doesn’t know what he’s going to ask. It’s possible he’ll ask things related to Suiboku, or even why they decided to come to this village in the first place. Or perhaps it’ll touch on the fact that he can use every Art.

Regardless, Saiga waits.

“That’s enough.”

And is let down.

The entire party, Eckesachs included, were tense, waiting to see what would be asked, only to have it end with no questions at all. This despite the fact that he specifically noted he was going to ask some questions.

“Ah, I see. I understand your reasoning... Then, at least for those four, we’ll take care of them within our house. We’ll also train them.”

He suddenly jumps ahead in the conversation. The discussion proceeds as though he’s already asked all the questions that he needs to.

“Now, Master Saiga. You wish to learn martial arts. If you wish to learn Testudo Style in particular... I will provide you with the Book of Secrets for our style, and for the styles for the four of their styles, for a total of five volumes. I’m afraid that I can’t provide you with the books from the remaining families.”

It’s not as though he’s taken the initiative in the conversation, nor is he trying to take advantage. The tired old man simply seems intent on bringing the conversation to a quick end.

“Please rest assured that the other Houses have already accepted this proposal.”

Which means, it’s clear what this old man has done. Having said that he was going to ask Saiga questions, he went ahead and read all of the potential questions and answers to find out all of the things that the Batterabbe party wanted.

“...So this is the potential of a Time Power family, of a specialist in Divination.”

“It’s not much of an ability. It’s not as though we can read our opponent’s minds, and if you can’t see through an opponent’s lies, it’s completely useless. Besides, I doubt it’s something that’s pleasant to be on the receiving end of.”

The old man states that, knowing that doesn’t provide any special insights into the world itself. In fact, if Saiga had no intention of answering his questions, he wouldn’t have learned anything.

“Frankly, if you do this to people close to you, they’ll stare at you as though you’re odd, then won’t answer anything after the first time.”

It’s an understandable exchange if you randomly met an old man who can read the future on your travels. However, if there’s an old man living in your neighborhood who regularly does that, no matter what, he’s going to end up hated.

“Well, please consider it a mere conversational quirk... Just knowing the future doesn’t mean one can manipulate it in a way that benefits them.”

Ran and the others from Tempera Village hadn’t suspected that the Testudo Style had this sort of power. A martial art that’s really boring and not that strong... That was about the most they thought about it, but that was just one part of it.

“Even if we’ve inherited the facts about our founder and our blood from our ancestors, we have no need to be tied down by their teachings. There’s no point if you die by acting in accordance with those teachings.”

“Just as you survived two thousand years ago?”

“Exactly.”

At Eckesachs’s question, the tired old man answers quietly.

“Two thousand years ago, Tempera Village had been waging regional wars and gathering laurels. Indeed, their reputation was such that hiring Temperan soldiers was said to guarantee victory. By reading the past, I was able to confirm this. The village at the time was very prosperous.”

The old man describes the glories of the past, but he doesn’t seem to think that it’s a past worth celebrating. If anything, he seems to believe that the prosperity of the past was a mistake, and that the current way of things is the right way.

“However, that is what ended up drawing you. Those that were truly the most powerful in the world... Eckesachs and her wielder, Suiboku.”

At the time, Suiboku was in the midst of a quest to test his mettle. To frame it in a positive light, it was when he was most lively; to frame it negatively, he was going around murdering everyone with a reputation for strength.

With his strong relationship with Eckesachs, it was perhaps natural that he made his way to this village.

“Having declared without reservation that they were peerless in the world, the villagers at the time fought against him, and had all of their skilled practitioners cut down. In a rage, they all combined their efforts to go after him... Everyone but our ancestors, that is.”

It was a form of self-imposed extinction. Just like Eckesachs had noted with surprise, the greatest practitioners of the era had all fought Suiboku and were cut down. Now, it’s probably not right to make it sound like they rather attacked Suiboku entirely one-sidedly, but regardless, the nine houses of the time were essentially destroyed.

“Our ancestors had foreseen everything. That challenging him would mean all of them would die, but that there was no way to talk them down from their challenge... That is why we ran and hid.”

It’s not as though Suiboku, even then, was a fan of mass murder. He wouldn’t hold back against anyone who chose to fight him, but he wouldn’t pursue those who didn’t want to fight him. Once the storm called Suiboku had left, the Celestial-Blooded practitioners of the Testudo Style worked to rebuild their village.

“Of course, we didn’t know the secret techniques of each House, and even if we did know of them, it would have been meaningless. So techniques taught by word of mouth were lost, and many techniques were lost generally. What allowed us to restore them was our ability to look into the past. We took the babies and children who hadn’t participated in the battle and managed to raise them, slowly bringing back the lost styles.”

At a minimum, the ones who taught all of the Houses were the practitioners of the Testudo Style. That is why the Books of Secrets for each House existed, and why they still possessed them.

“We have no intention of making a fuss over what happened two thousand years ago... But our ancestors learned, just as we learned with Ran, that no matter how powerful you might consider yourself to be, there was no way to beat monsters who are far beyond the ordinary.”

Hearing that, Ran and the other four could only nod in agreement. They certainly didn’t feel like they could defeat Suiboku’s apprentice. If he had received orders to kill them, there would have been nothing they could have done.

They also haven’t forgotten that they themselves had, in the past, mocked that attitude as the attitude of a loser, and that they themselves had looked upon that attitude with contempt.

“The reason this village has continued since is because we put a cut-off on our definition of what we considered to be the strongest warrior. If we had continued to serve as mercenaries, it’s likely someone else would have destroyed us by now...”

The reason the village still exists is not because it’s strong, but because it isolated itself. Because they’d decided survival is more important than winning. Even if the martial arts had become mired in forms rather than being useful killing techniques, even if martial arts had turned from weapons to culture and sports, the village had managed to secure two thousand years of peace.

That is, in itself, worthy of praise.

“Now, it’s understandable that you might view that as boring... But I beg you not to push that view upon us.”

Our village is great, our martial arts are strong, we’ve been undefeated for a thousand years. Did anyone suffer as a result of those boasts? What’s wrong with pulling back into your village, refining the fighting styles created by your ancestors, and enjoying competition between villagers?

“Those of this village abandoned the pursuit of being the strongest in the world a long time ago.”

It was an enormous burden... To have an actual beast that could very well have been the strongest in the world upend the fun little world they’d constructed for themselves. Despite the fact that they were busy training in their free time, between various jobs, to have her seriously contend that they needed to train harder to kill her... They couldn’t very well keep up with that, and they’d prefer that she just go away.

“Ran... There is no place for you in this village. We have no intention of forgiving you or killing you. Everyone simply wishes to forget you were ever here.”

They’d been enjoying themselves, they had put in a fair amount of effort and training, and they had their share of confidence. But they’d had all of that trampled upon by a child who’d put in no effort herself. They want nothing more than to pretend that it had never happened.

“...I see.”

Ran answers shortly, sadness crossing her features. She had done plenty to deserve that sort of response, but that was hard for those who’d traveled with her to bear. In the past, Saiga might very well have punched the old man for saying it.

But the truth is that Ran isn’t being rejected by the village simply because she’s strong. It’s because she’s caused so many problems for the village, because she’d gone on a rampage, that they’re treating her so coolly. It was, as Sansui had stated, that she’d gone and done things from which there was no coming back.

“And for the other four, we also don’t really want you to stay very long. We will instruct you and teach you the basics. We’ll point out your shortcomings. But once that’s done, we expect you to leave.”

The old man himself seems aware that what he’s saying is harsh, that his instructions are cold. But the reason for that harshness lies with all five of them. Even if the Tainted Blood had been the cause, and that it appears to have been settled for now, they aren’t so forgiving as to accept that reason.

“...I appreciate how you are handling the four of them. Thank you. Please help them,” says Ran, bowing her head to the Testudo Style elder.

With her calm thoughts, she knows she needs to head out of the village as soon as possible. She knows there’s nothing to be gained for anyone the longer she stays.

“...Thank you for the Books of Secrets. I’ll...make sure to treasure them.”

Saiga, too, stands. The others, having finished their brief rest, also prepare to leave.

As Ran can’t stay here, they themselves can’t stay, either. After all, the villagers don’t want to know about the world beyond the mountains.

“Thank you... I’m sorry.”

The sun is already high up in the sky. If they’re to leave the village now, they’d have to walk down dark mountain roads to get down. But even then, they decide to leave after saying their goodbyes to the four staying behind.

The old man watches them, those that will participate in the battle to protect the world, leave with heartfelt relief, having found their presence thoroughly tiresome.

“...None of it matters to us. What the true strongest warriors say in the world outside of our village. They can do as they please.”

Watching them leave, the old man thinks back to his divined questions and answers. Recently, he’d seen a particular vision of the future. When asking about the contents of that vision to Eckesachs, she’d been in quite a panic.

Whether described as Divination or Testudo Style, Time Power or Celestial Blood, the underlying mechanics are the same. While it happens unintentionally, the most effective form of divination comes while sleeping.

And the old man, despite his limited time left in this world, has seen what will happen in the not too distant future in his dreams. Having read how Eckesachs would react to the contents of that dream, he chose not to tell her. He’s seen nothing, he’s heard nothing, and he’ll say nothing. He intends to maintain his chosen ignorance. The seer knows that’s the wisest and least exhausting way of living in this world.

“Truly?! The dragons have found this world?!”

“The lizards who drove humanity to this world ten thousand years ago are here? Now?!”

“The battle for survival between humanity and the dragons is about to resume.”

“Fine, this time we’ll win! We, the Eight Sacred Treasures, were created for that reason, after all!”

The legendary berserkers, the ultimate legendary sword, dragons, none of that mattered. He’s never had the will, the strength, or the desire to deal with anything that ridiculous.

“So tiresome.”

The old man, who never wanted to know anything, is already trying to forget what he saw.