When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 290 Large-Scale Ritual Array

When Hayna brought little Sherlock home, she hadn't even reached the inside door when her mother stopped her right at the blacksmith shop's entrance.

Her mother fanned the air in front of her nose, her brows furrowed and her expression changed, "Did you take our guest to the swamp?"

... Eh?

Hayna froze for a moment before realizing she had picked up the swamp's stench.

To the side, Sherlock appropriately sighed.

——Hey, what are you sighing for! You didn't notice it either!

There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Hayna's heart.

But she was no longer the naïve girl fresh out of graduation—during the months of maddening conversations with those whose logic seemed tangled, Hayna had acquired the professional skill of spinning lies along the lines of other people's words.

Of course, it might also be the subtle influence of Aiwass.

Having had more contact now, Hayna had finally come to realize that Aiwass really liked to lie!

When she first met Aiwass back then, she couldn't tell how much of what he said was true...

But it didn't matter anymore.

After all, he was now Minister Aiwass. Even if it was false, it could be true.

Hayna's thoughts raced, and then with an unchanged expression, she said, "Just reminiscing about childhood. I used to like playing over there as a kid."

"Don't you know that place is dangerous? It's a forbidden area in the village!"

Hayna's mother frowned deeply, "What if you had fallen in? Those are poisoned swamps!"

"Ah, we wouldn't fall in. I'm very familiar with the swamp..."

Hayna laughed it off, pretending as if it was nothing, "As a kid, I visited every few days and never saw any danger. I encountered no danger when I was a child, so... Arthur definitely wouldn't have any problems either. Kids are light, and I was there to watch over him."

She almost forgot Sherlock now went by Arthur Conan Doyle.

But as expected, her deliberately casual attitude drew her mother's attention.

Hayna's mother immediately disregarded the real reason they went to the swamp and assumed she just sought thrills on purpose.

Her eyes widened and her voice rose a notch, "Even if you wouldn't fall, what about being ambushed by the undead or stepping into a void? Going to dangerous places is bad enough, but bringing such a small guest along? You are old enough to know better, Hayna!"

Her ceaseless reprimand seemed to go on for ages.

In any case, Hayna just smiled goofily the whole time, with the attitude of one who lets things go in one ear and out the other, unbothered by scalding criticism.

At Sherlock's second yawn, the reprimand finally ended.

Sherlock countered coldly, then went on to explain: "This shows two things. First, your mother knows many secrets, and these secrets are deeper than the undead in the swamp, and are very likely related to the appearance of your father.

"Second, she has not received systematic training and also lacks enough vigilance and discernment. This means she is not a professional, but a true villager... These two points are enough.

"This indicates that Eagle Cape Village's anomalies are not natural. This 'tradition' is man-made, and the person's actions are beneficial to them, or this person himself is to their benefit. Based on the previous clues, I highly suspect that this person is Jacob, the grandfather of Aiwass."

Sherlock analyzed.

Soon after, Hayna's mother returned.

They took some fruit and went to chat with Magnet Hammer.

Magnet Hammer clearly had a good impression of Aiwass, expressing regret at hearing Aiwass had gone out for a walk and wondering why he hadn't been invited along.

"He should have let me take him out!"

Magnet Hammer slapped his thigh and casually cursed at Hayna's younger brother Jack, "You damn kid, why didn't you wake me up!"

"What?"

Jack, who was next to him, looked bewildered.

And Sherlock, in just the right tone with that childlike voice said, "Brother Aiwass didn't go out to play... he went to investigate his grandfather's affairs."

"I know about Jacob's matters too!"

Magnet Hammer shook his head, "Why didn't he ask me yesterday! We could only say we had too much fun drinking... Well, we'll chat over drinks when he gets back tonight—are you supposed to stay here for a few more days, right?"

Sherlock and Hayna caught each other's gaze, and after a few seconds of silence, Hayna finally caught on.

She hurriedly replied: "Ah, yes... they have to stay for a few more days. But it's hard to say exactly how long they can stay... Dad, why don't you just talk to us about it? I don't even know the story of Grandpa Jacob."

"You don't know? Oh, you wouldn't. You were too young..."

Magnet Hammer stated dismissively: "Your Grandpa Jacob was quite remarkable. I arrived later, but there's one thing I know... your Grandpa Jacob had been here since he was in his twenties.

"At that time, he helped to rebuild all the houses in this village, making them especially sturdy. The roads were also built by him—even this house was fixed with his help."

"...Was he an architect?" Sherlock was taken aback.

"No, he was a Ritualist."

The Dwarf Magnet Hammer said seriously: "But the Spells he mastered were very powerful—honestly, it was the first time I'd seen Spells that could build houses. I wanted to learn from him, thinking of building houses for my hometown when I returned. But after he excused himself a few times, I gave up, because even if he taught me, I probably wouldn't be able to learn.

"Staying here is pretty good, carefree... I don't want to go back. Besides, what would you two siblings do if I left?"

Magnet Hammer took a grape and tossed it into his mouth, going on to say: "That man, he was very serious about his work. I don't know if you've seen from above—Eagle Cape Village's houses are laid out particularly well, very orderly. They form a perfect circle, with a lot of geometric patterns filled inside.

"—It's just like a Ritual Array."