For the next two days, Gin didn't rush back to town. Instead, he stayed outside the village, dismantling the useful parts of the poisonous dragon's corpse and waiting for the inevitable show.
By the third day, with his sharp senses, Gin heard the commotion in the village and saw many villagers gathering in the square. He knew what he had predicted had come true.
At that moment, Yosuke was in a dire situation. He was tied to a stake, weakened, with firewood piled beneath him. Villagers surrounded him, cursing and pointing fingers.
The village chief held a torch, ready to set Yosuke ablaze. But before the torch could ignite the wood, a swift blade of wind sliced through the air, cutting the torch in half.
Gin slowly appeared in the villagers' view.
"Hey, Yosuke, it's been two days. Your treatment as a hero doesn't seem too great. Aren't you touched? This must be the second time I've saved you," Gin said with a smirk.
Seeing Gin appear, Yosuke's expression turned complicated. He hadn't expected Gin's predictions to come true again.
The day Gin left, Yosuke had offered to solve the village's water problem. The village chief was thrilled and provided Yosuke with the remaining food and water.
However, due to Yosuke's appearance, the village girls were reluctant to approach him, claiming he looked too much like a half-beast.
Despite the villagers' prejudiced views, Yosuke cheerfully helped solve the water issue. He created a magical device that automatically produced water.
Unfortunately, the village had deep-rooted religious beliefs, viewing water from underground or rivers as the only pure sources. Yosuke's water, seemingly coming from nowhere, was deemed "demon water."
His appearance resembling a half-beast and the creation of "demon water" led the villagers to see him as taboo.
Though he had the strength to defeat the villagers, the village chief pretended to thank Yosuke and offered him a meal, which was drugged.
When Yosuke woke up, he found himself tied up, just as Gin had seen.
"You're the adventurer who killed the poisonous dragon. You're still here? We know this half-beast is your acquaintance, but he violated our taboos. Please don't stop us from giving him a purification ceremony," the village chief said, holding a pitchfork nervously.
Gin laughed. "You call this a purification ceremony? How about I throw you into the fire first? My friend helped you out of goodwill and might have unknowingly violated your religious beliefs, but your reaction is over the top."
The village chief, clutching his pitchfork, replied sternly, "We need to solve the water problem, but we can't drink rootless demon water. It will corrupt our souls!"
Seeing the chief's righteous indignation, Gin scoffed, walked to Yosuke's magical water container, and drank a ladle of water. "Stop confusing ignorance with faith. Rainwater, well water, river water—these are not divine gifts but results of the atmosphere and water vapor. Never mind, you wouldn't understand.
My friend uses spirit magic, communicating with water spirits to produce this water. Demon water? What nonsense. If your gods were so powerful, why didn't they help you when the poisonous dragon attacked? You're ready to burn someone who helped you for a faith that doesn't save you. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Gin's words left the villagers stunned. The village chief, unable to find a rebuttal, stayed silent.
Physically confronting Gin was out of the question; he could slay a poisonous dragon, and they were mere farmers.
Ultimately, Gin rescued Yosuke, and the villagers didn't dare to say anything. Only after Gin and Yosuke had left did a villager, desperate with thirst, muster the courage to drink from Yosuke's water container.
"Chief, this water is sweet and no different from what we usually drink."
Hearing this, other villagers, unable to contain themselves, rushed to the water source, fighting over it.
"Once again, you saved my life, Gin. Thank you. But how did you know I'd be in danger?"
The poison in Yosuke's body was quickly neutralized with the help of the spirits. As he looked at Gin, he expressed his gratitude and asked his question.
"Maybe I should have waited a bit longer, at least until the fire reached your butt before saving you. I wanted you to learn a lesson, but it seems you didn't learn enough.
I told you before, this isn't a game. It's a real world with real consequences. Not everyone deserves your help. If you keep being a saint, one day you won't even know how you died.
Next time, you might not be so lucky. Don't expect me to always be around to save you."
With a sigh, Gin quickened his pace, leaving Yosuke to ponder his words.
(End of Chapter)