"Jacob......"

The one-eyed old man was on crutches in both hands and muttered in a low voice, "It's been a long time since I've heard a name......

The man who sat on the couch and chatted with Ivus was a short, thin old man.

His cheeks are sunken and his pursed lips give it a mean look. The long horse-like face had withered, and the left eye was inlaid with a prosthetic eye that looked like a gray glass bead...... It is the same style used by William Lao Inspector.

His slumped body looked so shaky that he couldn't even walk. The wizened arm was even thinner than the cane he was carrying, like a skeleton covered in human skin.

The squire of Eagle Cape Village was the richest man here, and probably one of the most cultured.

Although he didn't know where his money came from, or why he lived in a remote area like Eagle Cape Village, where even newspapers couldn't be delivered in the first place, Ivas didn't know......

But judging from the carpet in his room, the paintings on the walls, and the few antiques and crafts in the room, his money was at least equivalent to that of a wealthy merchant on the glass island.

John Aiden, a classmate of Ivers, sells antiques at home. This squire is roughly at this level.

And what surprised Lily the most was ...... There was not a single servant in the squire's house.

Even if you don't count the professional personal valets, you don't even have housekeepers or maids and cooks hired to clean up.

You know, this old man looks like he's in his early eighties, and he even walks on crutches! Not to mention taking care of the house, I'm afraid he can't take care of himself anymore.

But Lily scanned the circle with her professional gaze, only to find that the empty house was unexpectedly not much dust.

Not at all, not at all, but not at all, but not much either. It's like someone cleaned it up yesterday.

- Did they miss it when they came? Lily thought to herself.

The squire thought for a while before he slowly spoke, "You are Jacob's grandson...... Right. You're not Alexander, but you're ...... It does look like ......."

"Yes."

Ivas nodded slightly, leaning sideways to get closer to the old man: "This time, I also want to follow in my grandfather's footsteps and seek memories of the past.

"My grandfather left me too many secrets...... I'll have to make a trip myself. Otherwise, I really can't rest assured. ”

Speaking of this, Ivas changed his words: "I heard, grandfather, did he come here more than ten years ago, or twenty years ago?" ”

"Who did you listen to?"

But the squire asked, "Is it William?" Or Hayna? ”

"Isn't it?"

"Of course not."

The squire replied, "Old Jacob was the first stranger to come here. ”

“…… The first one? ”

"That's right. He was here for the first time...... I can't remember exactly when. But it was supposed to be sixty years ago...... In short, a few days before William came here. ”

After thinking about it, the squire confirmed, "Yes, I am not mistaken. He was the first to come, and not long after he was gone, William came. ”

Ivus asked, "Did grandfather come through that swamp too?" ”

"No, it's a trail in the woods."

The squire replied dryly, "He entered twice, both from the trail." ”

“…… But I've heard that the strangers come in through the swamp road. ”

"What about you?"

The old squire asked rhetorically, "Didn't you also come in through the main entrance?" ”

"We are because of ......"

Halfway through his words, Ivus realized in his heart.

Why did they come in through the main entrance? That's because of Hayna's guidance, and because of the zealous townsfolk of Bagpipe Town to show the way.

So, that's how Jacob came in back then?

But why did he emphasize that it did not come from the swamp?

Ivus suddenly reacted: "Is it that after my grandfather came, the swamp began to enter the swamp?" ”

The old man took a deep look at Ivas with his sunken eyes.

"You don't have to test me, I'll tell you what I can say, boy."

The old man paused for his crutches and bowed his head into deep memory.

He was silent for a moment before he spoke, "To be more precise...... Non-outsiders cannot enter through the main entrance. It's that those who come in from the swamp can't leave. ”

“…… Why? ”

Ivus had a vague premonition of the truth.

"Because they've all died once."

The old squire put it bluntly: "They are all undead who have risen from the swamp." ”

On the other hand, Sherlock and Hayna's inquiries also ran into difficulties.

They went to another blacksmith shop in the village.

Unlike Hayna's father's blacksmith shop, which was closed...... The furnace here is functioning normally, and there are some guests coming and going.

When Haina entered, there were guests talking to the blacksmith inside.

"I want to give the scythe a new head."

"You're okay...... I'll have someone help you grind it again, don't change it. ”

"Okay, I'll invite you to drink tomorrow."

The blacksmith's elbow rested on the table, chatting happily with the guests.

He was wearing thin clothes, but he was still sweating. The air was filled with heat, and the sound of an apprentice clanging with a hammer.

The middle-aged blacksmith, who was about forty or fifty years old, wore a coat like an old women's apron, which made him look a little funny.

Seeing Haina push the door open, the blacksmith turned back with the guest.

"Yo, little Hayna!"

Uncle Blacksmith greeted him warmly: "I heard that you are back—why did you come to see me?" ”

The guest also happily greeted Haina: "Graduated? Will you come back this time and leave? Married? Looking for a boyfriend? It's twenty-two, she's already a big girl, and she can't delay it any longer. ”

"You said that, I just came back one day! Didn't you just take a breath? ”

Haina couldn't bear this straightforward and sudden urging to marry, so she could only cover her forehead with a headache: "If you go...... Of course you still have to go, just come back and see...... What's the matter with you, old man! I'm on the rise in my career, how can I have that kind of idle time to fall in love - by the way, did you see my griffin? She's so cute! Why don't I bring it out and show you? ”

"Oh, I saw it, I saw it, so big, how could I not see it. You're like William catching a big fish right now, and you're walking around the village with the fish......"

Laughter erupted from inside the blacksmith's shop.

But when the old man who had left with the sharpened scythe head passed by Hayna and them, his face changed suddenly.

“…… Are you guys going to the swamp? ”

The old man lowered his voice, glanced at Sherlock, and his expression became serious: "You brought it back from the swamp?" ”

"It's a trip...... Remembering your childhood. But it was foggy inside, and it felt a little dangerous and came back. ”

Deepa explained, and lied.

- If it had been before, she would never have lied so fluently.

It's all to blame for Mr. Ivas who broke me......

Khaina's heart was broken.

Ivas is particularly good at this kind of lie that does not change color and does not beat heart.

I don't know if it's because he's handsome...... Haina thought it was handsome!

So she will also subconsciously think about imitation in a place where no one is, and how to answer if she encounters the same situation. As a result, over time, she can now lie without changing her face.

…… This is probably a kind of growth in a big city.

When the old man heard Haina's words, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "Oh, you guys are going together?" Then it's fine...... Didn't meet any other undead? ”

- Huh?

Sherlock raised an eyebrow, realizing something.

What do you mean?

Meaning, can you only meet "swamp people" when locals go?

And what is the Swamp Man?

But he didn't say anything, but listened quietly.

"I met it, but I killed it."

"Oops, little Haina has grown up...... Such a powerful undead can be killed by himself......"

The old man chatted happily with Hayna again.

(End of chapter)