30 What Will Come, Will Come (2/2)

It was not bad to have incessant giant spiders to provide meat for the children. Yet, Roland frowned.

He and Betta would leave the town someday, and it would still be under the threat of spiders. How could the villagers deal with them?

Next to the lake, Betta was still playing with the children. Some of the talented kids had grasped the basic movements, and Betta was practicing with them.

Of course, it was not a one-on-one practice. Betta was resisting five children simultaneously.

The blond, good-looking noble stood at the center and resisted the incoming sticks. The children's attacks were rather fierce. Regular adults wouldn't have been able to stand against their teamwork, but Betta blocked them very easily.

Even the attacks aimed at his back were dodged or deflected easily.

Was such practicing useful? Of course! Roland could tell that Betta waved the sword faster and more steadily now.

While Betta was making progress, Roland was stuck in his magic research.

Language Proficiency was much more complicated than he thought. It had 372 magic nodes.

The mathematical model was too enormous for him to write down on the memo.

Roland was rather depressed by his slow progress.

Sitting on the rail, he watched Betta practice with the children.

Pillars of smoke were rising against the setting sun. The croaks of frogs and rustling leaves could be heard.

Roland took a deep breath.

The life here was so peaceful and beautiful. His gloom was too inappropriate.

He was going to try again, when a bell was rung at the temple of the Life Goddess.

It echoed on everybody's heart three times.

All the villagers dropped their work and climbed the mountain in silence.

The children fell quiet, too. They looked at the temple in the distance at the same time, as if they were at a loss.

Betta was puzzled. He asked Roland, ”What's happening? An emergency meeting?”

Roland vaguely guessed what had happened. He lowered his eyes and shook his head.

At this moment, a child stared at his feet and said in frustration, ”Every time the bell rings twice, someone in the town will be buried at the back of the mountain.”

Betta asked in surprise, ”What if it rings three times?”

”I don't know,” replied the child softly.

The children did not know, but the villagers did.

Almost all the villagers were walking to the temple. Roland slightly opened his mouth and said hoarsely, ”I'll take a look.”