I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

His thin body twisted and fell down erratically like a puppet without its strings, rolling twice.

"!"

What surprised Lu Ban was not this unexpected event.

Instead, just a few seconds later, the child, whose bones between his head and body were broken, actually sat up. He slowly raised his head, stood up, patted the mud and dust off his body, and chased after the ball that had gone far away, as if he had only taken a light fall.

"...Did you see that?"

Lu Ban asked tentatively.

"What do you see?"

Tachibana Masamune seemed to be admiring the beautiful scenery of the seaside town, unaware of the eerie and terrifying scene that was unfolding.

Yinping also shook his head.

"No, it's nothing."

Lu Ban couldn't help but look back at the child again, only to find that the child holding the ball was staring straight at him, as if he had also noticed Lu Ban.

Suddenly, a figure rushed out from the dark alley on the side of the street and blocked the carriage.

"I saw her! I saw her! It's real! It's real!!!"

As he screamed, the man was hit by the driver who couldn't dodge in time, and flew forward, rolling several times on the ground. Lu Ban clearly saw that his neck should have been broken, and his legs were bent in an unnatural direction.

However, a moment later, the person stood up unharmed.

"She's real, you know that? She's real, the Witch of Calamity is real!"

Chapter 099 The Ruthless Apology Machine

"You saw it this time, didn't you?"

Lu Ban glanced at his companion.

This is a bizarre event happening right in front of me, so I can't just stand by and do nothing.

However, Tachibana Masamune and Ginpei were somewhat bewildered.

"What did you see?"

Tachibana Masamune glanced at the somewhat crazed passerby, then, as if understanding something, began to explain.

"Brother Lu Ban, are you talking about this kind of madman? In some areas of He Island, there are indeed such people. They don't know what they saw that made them go crazy, and they say things that others can't understand."

"Yes, what is this 'cursed priestess'? The priestess is pure and innocent, how could she possibly bring disaster? This person dares to blaspheme the priestess, the island magistrates should arrest him!"

Ginpei was quite indignant; he seemed to greatly admire the priestess, the divine child.

Hongye remained silent, seemingly observing Lu Ban rather than the madman.

"No, didn't you see he broke his bones when he was hit? How come he just stood up like that? Isn't he alright?"

As soon as Lu Ban finished speaking, he suddenly felt that there seemed to be a big problem in a world where even he had to be the one to make sarcastic remarks.

"Really? He just fell down, it's a minor injury, a minor injury."

Tachibana Masamune was so serious. If he were to tell Lu Ban later that this was a prank game, Lu Ban would probably have to award him an Oscar.

"Young Master Lu Ban, there's no need to make a fuss. We should trust the shrine maiden at the shrine on this island!"

Eunpyeong, another Oscar winner, also offered this advice.

After Tachibana Masamune found the island magistrate, who was in charge of maintaining order on the island, and took away the madman who was still muttering about the evil priestess, the group set off again and arrived at Anshin-in.

This grand house used to be a private school and an examination hall. Apart from the bedding being a bit damp from the long-term exposure to the sea breeze, the living conditions were fine.

After assigning rooms, the group planned to meet up again in the evening to have dinner at a tavern on the island, while Lu Ban decided to take a stroll in the courtyard.

"They haven't mentioned the disappearances yet. Does that mean it hasn't happened yet? Will Ginpei, Tachibana Masamune, or Momiji disappear later?"

Lu Ban let his thoughts wander and walked to a villa guarded by island magistrates dressed in blue hunting robes.

"This is a restricted area. Please turn back."

Najima Magistrate said.

"I heard before that someone went missing during the poetry festival?"

Lu Ban got straight to the point.

He observed carefully as he spoke, noticing that the island magistrate's expression changed and then quickly became serious.

"Where did you hear that no one is missing and all guests are free to come and go? Perhaps some people left early."

So you're saying someone has gone missing?

Lu Ban caught the underlying meaning in the other person's words.

"Well... I didn't say that."

The island magistrate looked somewhat embarrassed.

"But the poetry festival hasn't even started yet, why did they leave?"

Lu Ban relentlessly pursued him.

"I'm...I'm sorry!"

The island magistrate looked embarrassed by Riku's pressure, but unexpectedly he suddenly bent down and bowed to apologize.

"?"

Lu Ban thought to himself that apologizing to him was useless, so he might as well tell him the truth directly, and continued to speak.

“Just look up and tell me about the missing person. I know him, and I’m very worried about him.”

Using the rhetoric he learned from Drizzt, Lu Ban lied through his teeth, defying his conscience.

It really takes courage to lie without batting an eye, and it's hard for someone like Lu Ban to do that. His biggest flaw in life is that he's too honest.

"……sorry!"

The island magistrate couldn't utter a word for a long time, then bowed deeply again.

"I don't need your apology, can't you just answer my question?"

Lu Ban helped the island magistrate up and asked another question.

"……sorry!"

The island magistrate bowed and apologized once again, seemingly turning into a heartless repeating machine.

"Am I a broken record or are you a broken record...?"

Lu Ban muttered something, then suddenly felt like someone was behind him.

He turned his head and saw only a splash of crimson in the corner of the yard, accompanied by a foot walking quickly by. He could only vaguely make out a red dress, white socks, and wooden clogs.

Lu Ban walked out of the courtyard and saw Hongye looking at him from the side.

"It's no use asking him. The power of words has already taken effect, and he won't answer your questions."

The woman wore a red and white kimono with arrow feather patterns, a navy blue hem, and long boots. Her hair was adorned with a bow. Her attire alone made her look lively and cheerful, but her face lacked a charming expression and appeared somewhat gloomy.

"Word magic?"

Lu Ban heard new words again.

"On the island, language is both power and constraint. The island's rules require everyone to swear an oath of allegiance to their lord. Any words or actions that are harmful to the lord are fundamentally forbidden."

Hongye gently tucked her long, loose hair behind her ear and offered an explanation.

"I heard from Yinping that you are taciturn, but you don't seem like it."

Lu Ban looked Hongye up and down. From his perspective, she was indeed a beauty, but compared to those delicate and charming flowers, she had more of a heroic spirit.

Moreover, there were calluses on Hongye's fingers and the area between her thumb and forefinger, which clearly indicated that she was a woman who knew some martial arts.

"There's nothing to talk about with those who only know about flowers, birds, and romance."

Hongye glanced at Lu Ban, then turned away.

"You want to know about the missing people, right? Come with me."

Lu Ban obediently followed along; having a local guide was certainly a pleasant experience.

"You're here for the missing person too?"

They walked through a courtyard that should have been filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, but the plants and trees here were somewhat withered, and the flowers were still in bud, unwilling to show themselves, giving the courtyard a sense of decay.

"Not entirely. The missing people are just a phenomenon; I came for the essence."

Hongye strode forward, seemingly knowing Anxin Courtyard inside and out.

“A month ago, Uta Island was shrouded in an unpredictable fog. The local Wajima Shrine immediately began purification work. Because the poetry festival was approaching, many people were worried about whether the festival could be held as scheduled. Some artists even announced that they would not participate in this poetry festival. However, a week ago, Wajima Shrine on Uta Island announced that the pollution had been completely brought under control.”

She said this as she walked.

"Two days ago, a painter named Wanye disappeared on Sakae Island, leaving only a note in his room. The note was in disarray, but it basically said that he had gone to find the witch of misfortune."

"A witch of misfortune? What exactly does that term mean?"

Lu Ban saw Hongye enter a secluded little house. After hesitating for a moment, he used the ultrasonic wave of [Last Words] to check and found that there was no one else inside.

"You know Lady Shrine Maiden, right? She is the chief priestess of the Kazushima Shrine, the priestess who leads all the priestesses, and the representative of the Kazushima deity who walks on earth."

That's right.

Lu Ban followed him inside. On the table in the room were several pieces of clothing, a picture frame covered with a black cloth, and a note.

"But the divine child was not chosen from the beginning. Instead, she was selected after many candidate priestesses went through numerous tests, screenings, and eliminations."

Hongye picked up the note and handed it to Lu Ban.

"And it is said that the eliminated priestesses, those priestesses who were once favored by the gods but ultimately missed their chance, may become wicked priestesses."

"In some parts of the island, the witch of misfortune has become a kind of faith."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ban looked at the note. The handwriting was messy, but some illegible characters could still be made out.

“…I saw it, I saw it… My light of life, my fire of desire, my soul, my sins, please forgive me…”