Saving Touma

Chapter 2.K - Tengu

As he was treading the dirt path to the chief's house, he was greeted by the villagers who were out early to sweep their yard. He wondered if they, too, had felt that strange force the night before.

The villagers would stop and stare at him as he passed by, examining him from head to toe. The others would smile and bow down. Since it was still early, the children remained indoors, casting a hushed atmosphere over the village.

As Ryo neared the courtyard, he saw the silhouette of a man standing there. It was Hozumi. 

He woke up early, too, probably to check up on things, especially after last night's commotion. He greeted the chief from a distance to announce his presence. The chief acknowledged.

"Hozumi-san, I want to ask you something," Ryo said, not beating around the bush.

"I figure you would," Hozumi replied, surprising Ryo.

The only explanation for the chief's demeanor that he could think of was that he, too, found last night's event rather strange.

"What happened last night?" Ryo continued.

"You mean that weird unseen force that crept through the village?"

"Yes, that."

"I don't know. It had never happened before."

"Really?"

"Yes. The whole village is confused. I'm also looking for answers."

"But it seems like it came from the south."

"Heh?"

"Why?"

"Did it come from the west?"

"What do you mean?"

"It came straight through my front wall."

The two paused, trying to make sense of the inconsistency. Then, they both turned to the west. They immediately figured that whatever caused that blast must have been from the west. There were several houses there.

Hozumi had his suspicion, and he wanted to confirm it right away. But just as he was about to leave, Ryo tried to stop him.

"Hozumi-san, I have another question," he said.

At the town hall, three women from the village visited the hut where the guests were staying to offer boiled eggs and sweet potatoes. 

The guests weren't expecting this kind of hospitality since they had been met with prejudice during their arrival. But it seemed the chief had asked the villagers to treat them as guests.

The door to the hut was wide open as the women arrived. But what was supposed to be a cordial encounter turned into a terrifying revelation. 

The first lady to have seen what the boys were doing dropped the basket she was holding and immediately stepped back in fear. The other two followed as they realized what was happening. They ran away as quickly as they could as if to escape danger. 

One of them dashed straight toward the courtyard, hoping to relay their discovery to the clueless chief. The others went back to their homes, unsure whether to share it with their families or prepare to flee while keeping them oblivious.

Meanwhile, the boys in the hut were equally flustered. They weren't expecting any visitors, especially that early in the morning. Now that their secret had been revealed, they had to be ready to be cast away. Of fight if things go south and the villagers become hostile.