The first morning of the promised two days greeted Andora Village with an odd silence. The sky was clear, yet the air felt tense. The villagers moved in whispers, and all eyes were now focused on one thing: the truth.
Hyunwoo stood in front of the village hall, accompanied by Wonho and Taeyang. Yerin stayed inside, asked to rest after a night full of tension.
"Two days feel too short," Taeyang said in a low voice. "Can we really find the culprit in that time?"
"We won't find them," Hyunwoo replied calmly. "We'll make them reveal themselves."
Wonho glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "You have a plan?"
Hyunwoo gave a faint smile.
A village meeting was held. Claude, Belinda, the Village Chief, and several villagers gathered in the hall. Hyunwoo stood in the center, holding a stack of papers with notes and sketches of the fields made by Wonho.
"I'll get straight to the point," he said, opening the meeting. "Last night, our fields were set on fire. Today, I won't accuse anyone. I just want to invite you all… to remember."
"Our field layout was based on the water system designed by Wonho. There are only three vulnerable points where fire could spread quickly: the eastern corner, the southern edge, and the gap behind the straw storage. But only one point caught fire."
Hyunwoo pinned a large sketch to the wall, showing where the fire started. "Whoever set the fire knew exactly where we were weakest."
The villagers began glancing at one another.
"Only we knew this map, and… anyone who saw Wonho mark the weak spots—during practice two days ago."
Unease spread through the room.
"We don't need speculation. We need logic," Hyunwoo continued. "I spoke to several villagers. One of them said they saw someone from a distance that night—walking away from the straw storage."
Silence fell.
Hyunwoo scanned the room, his gaze landing on one person: Jareth.
"You were in charge of guarding the equipment that night, weren't you?"
Jareth, a tall young man with a stiff face, nodded slowly.
"Yes… I watched over it until eight."
"And after that?"
"I… went home. I didn't see anyone."
"Unfortunately," Hyunwoo cut in lightly but sharply, "some villagers saw you walking toward the fields at nine. Alone. Without reason."
Jareth's face tensed. "They must've seen wrong."
Hyunwoo walked slowly, stepping closer.
"No problem. I get it. It was dark that night. Mistakes happen. But… why did I find footprints the same size as yours in the wet soil, right along the hidden path from the storage to the fields?"
The whispers grew louder. Tension mounted.
Jareth clenched his fists. "That's not—"
"You're right," Hyunwoo interrupted swiftly. "It's not solid proof. But it's enough to make you look… suspicious."
He stopped, locking eyes with Jareth.
"But I believe… you're not evil, Jareth. Maybe you were used. Maybe someone from Thalveran forced you to do this, right?"
Sweat formed on Jareth's brow.
"You feel alone. You can't talk. But I can help. If you speak now, I can protect you. But if not… and these two days pass without answers… those who are angry won't care about our words."
Silence.
Everyone waited.
Hyunwoo stepped closer, voice lowering to a near whisper: "They'll burn your house. They'll say you're the curse of this village."
"STOP!!"
Jareth shouted. His body trembled. Eyes wild.
"I… I didn't mean… to burn everything! I just… just wanted to scare them! They trust you all too much! I… I just wanted them to remember who used to work these fields!"
The crowd fell silent.
Hyunwoo held his breath, keeping any emotion off his face.
"These fields… my father used to tend them. But ever since you arrived, all the attention shifted. Even the Village Chief trusts you more than the old villagers! I just… wanted to ruin the fields a little… so they'd realize… but the fire spread too fast…!"
Belinda slowly stood, covering her mouth. Claude stared at her in disbelief. A woman in the crowd began to weep quietly.
Meanwhile, in Hyunwoo's mind...
'Strange. Even I got goosebumps. But that's how the world works. Logic… pressure… and guilt. The sharpest weapons.'
The Village Chief finally stood. "Take him. Let us decide his punishment."
Some villagers bound Jareth's hands. He didn't resist. He bowed his head, crying.
Before leaving, Jareth looked at Hyunwoo. "You… knew from the start, didn't you?"
Hyunwoo simply stared at him. No answer.
As night fell and the village quieted, Taeyang approached Hyunwoo, who stood near the waterwheel.
"I didn't know you could be so… cold."
Hyunwoo watched the water flow slowly, then said softly, "Sometimes, truth doesn't come from the word 'sorry'. But from enough pressure."
That night, above Andora's rooftops, a mysterious figure observed the events from afar. A shadow with gleaming eyes.
"One has fallen… but the real plan is only just beginning."