"Fuck," Ragnar murmured under his breath.
He knew instantly that it was the same monsterborn they had seen the other night, especially when the rebellious kid mentioned a bird.
"Why did that fucktard abandon his target and fly into the hamlet?" Ragnar muttered quietly.
Looking at the rebellious kid, Ragnar couldn’t help but feel pity—surely, witnessing such a terrifying being would become a nightmare the boy would carry until he found the strength to overcome it.
The boy even began to cry, especially after noticing a few people doubting the truth of his words.
"I’m telling the truth, sniff, sniff," he wept in a trembling tone. "It was scary and big—very big."
"I believe you," Ragnar finally stepped forward, revealing himself as he strolled towards the boy.
"Really?" The boy looked up at him with wide, teary eyes.
Ragnar nodded and gently patted his head. "I know you’re a smart kid. You wouldn’t lie about something ."
Hearing Ragnar’s words, the boy cried louder and hugged his legs tightly.
Ragnar then turned to the anxious crowd whose eyes were now all fixed on him.
"Whatever this kid saw is real and might be linked to the strange events happening around us. In fact, I had a weirdly vivid dream last night. In it, I saw a human-like bird monster wreaking havoc on our land," Ragnar lied, maintaining a serious face.
Over the past few days he had spent in this world, his ability to communicate had improved significantly.
"Oh no! We’re doomed!"
"This can’t be happening!"
"This is it! I’m leaving! I told you people this place is cursed!"
Ragnar’s eyes shot toward a skinny middle-aged man with messy hair and an unkempt beard, the same man who had mentioned the hamlet being cursed.
With a firm gaze, he declared in a bold voice, "Our land is not cursed!"
The middle-aged man shivered slightly, feeling Ragnar’s unwavering stare bore into him.
Several people around turned their attention to the man, their faces displaying a mix of disappointment, concern, and disgust.
Ragnar continued, "Since the divines revealed this vision to me and also to this brave little kid—I’ll do everything I can to stop that future from becoming reality. Noah, my reliable friend, and I have already begun our journey as apprentice swordsmen. Very soon, we will become strong, and such an evil creature won’t stand a chance against us."
Everyone listened to Ragnar’s words with rapt attention. A spark of hope ignited in their hearts.
Even the little boy, still clinging to his legs, felt appreciated and far less afraid.
"All I ask from you is patience and support. Our lives will change for the better very soon," Ragnar concluded, raising his right hand high.
Just then, the twins arrived and joined the crowd, smiling sincerely at the sight of their friend.
Ragnar let his words sink in for a moment before speaking again. "Also, in my dream last night, the ancestors made another revelation."
"Is it something good?" someone from the crowd asked.
"’Good’ is too small a word to describe the magnitude of the blessing the gods have handed to us. And I’m going to share it with you all right now."
Hearing this, the crowd became even more focused. The boy had stopped crying, and the haunted look on his face was gone. His big, round eyes now shimmered with curiosity.
Merlina and Noah also leaned forward, prepared to hear the news.
Meanwhile, Ragnar arranged the list of blasphemous lies he was about to spin to deceive the people.
Clearing his throat, he said, "The ancestors have instructed us to make regular sacrifices."
"But we’ve always given sacrifices every two weeks," one of the elderly in the crowd pointed out.
Ragnar smiled at the elderly woman. "The ancestors are aware of that. In fact, that’s why I was given a second chance to lead you all.
"But this time, they request regular sacrifices. Daily, if possible.
"And listen, these sacrifices will bring immediate blessings. In fact, I have something to show you."
With everyone’s eyes glued to him, Ragnar opened his inventory and revealed three finely forged steel swords that shimmered beautifully in the morning sun, along with several cans of preserved fish.
"Those just appeared!"
"This isn’t real! I must be dreaming!"
"Where did those things come from?!"
"Is this truly happening?"
People reacted in shock. Some even stepped back in disbelief.
Noah and Merlina were equally stunned.
Noah, especially, was thrilled at the sight of real swords.
Though everyone’s reactions were different, one thought was shared among them — what in the world was actually going on?
"These are swords given to me by the ancestors last night," Ragnar explained. "And these cans hold high-quality food that will nourish your bodies."
He watched the stunned crowd and continued, "I know you’re all wondering how I got these, how they just appeared, and so on. But it’s simple—I made a sacrifice!"
The people were even more astonished.
What kind of scene was this playing out before their eyes?
They weren’t nonbelievers. They knew divine beings existed and watched over the world.
But never in their lives nor in stories passed down had they heard of the gods intervening this directly in human affairs.
Even the oldest among them had no such memory or tale.
Noah and Merlina were still speechless, as were most others present. Those who had recently joined the crowd were just as stunned.
Old Man James, who had been on his way to the farm, had joined the gathering. He, too, was amazed. Those swords look sturdy, he thought.
"They accept all sorts of offerings; harvests, valuable items. Anything worthy of sacrifice can bring great rewards," Ragnar continued.
For another five minutes, he explained the mechanics of sacrifice.
Though most of what he said was a well-crafted lie, he successfully won their hearts.
"We want to try it too!"
"I have some beautiful jewelry!"
"I’ve got a lot of ripe fruit at home!"
"We’re ready to sacrifice!"
The crowd voiced their eagerness in unison.
|| Host has indeed gotten better at managing his people. ||
Ragnar smiled, watching the people chatter excitedly among themselves.
’This time, my rewards will be greater than the first time,’ he thought to himself.
"Everyone, bring whatever items you want to offer to our meeting spot."
Everyone nodded and dispersed quickly, the twins included.