When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 376: Chapter 284 Swampfolk Chapter 376: Chapter 284 Swampfolk “Jacob?”

The one-eyed old man leaned on his cane with both hands, murmuring in a low voice, “It’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time…”

The man chatting with Mr.

Aiwass on the sofa was an old man who appeared both short and thin.

His cheeks were hollow, and his pursed lips gave off a mean impression.

His long, horse-like face had wilted, and in his left eye was mounted a grey glass bead-like artificial eye…

identical to the model used by Inspector William.

His hunched body seemed on the verge of collapse, his gait so staggered that he stumbled with every step.

His emaciated arms were even thinner than the cane he leaned on, looking almost like a skeleton cloaked in a layer of human skin.

This squire of Eagle Cape Village was not only the wealthiest man here but likely one of the most cultured as well.

Although Mr.

Aiwass had no idea where his wealth came from, nor why he lived in such a remote place as Eagle Cape Village, where newspapers couldn’t even be delivered on time…

Based on the carpets spread out in his room, the paintings on the walls, and the limited antiques and artworks in the room, his wealth was at least comparable to that of a small-town businessman on Glass Island.

Mr.

Aiwass’s classmate John Eden came from a family that dealt in antiques.

The squire’s wealth was roughly at that level.

What surprised Lily the most was…

that this squire’s home didn’t have a single servant.

Even excluding professional personal maids or valets, there were no butlers or maids hired to clean or cooks.

You have to understand, the old gentleman appeared to be over eighty years old and even required a cane to walk!

Let alone managing the house, he likely couldn’t take care of himself anymore.

However, upon closer inspection with her professional eye, Lily found that the empty house surprisingly did not have much dust at all.

It wasn’t completely free of it, which would be impossible, but there wasn’t much.

It was as if someone had carefully cleaned it the day before.

—Had they just missed them when they arrived?

Lily wondered.

After pondering for a good while, the squire slowly began to speak, “You’re Jacob’s grandson…

right.

Although you’re not an Alexander, you do…

indeed look very much like him…”

“Yes.”

Mr.

Aiwass nodded slightly, turning his body to get a bit closer to the old man, “I’m also here to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps, to seek the memories of the past.

“My grandfather left me with too many secrets…

I must make the trip myself.

Otherwise, I just can’t rest assured.”

At this point, Mr.

Aiwass changed the subject, “I’ve heard…

my grandfather, he came here maybe ten, or twenty years ago?”

“Who told you that?”

But the squire asked in return, “Was it William?

Or Hayna?”

“Isn’t that the case?”

“Of course not.”

The squire replied, “Old Jacob was the first outsider to come here.”

“…The first?”

“Correct.

The first time he came here…

I forget exactly when it was.

But it must have been sixty years ago…

Anyway, it was a few days earlier than when William arrived here.”

After thinking it over, the squire confirmed, “Yes, I’m not mistaken.

He was the first, and not long after he left, that’s when William came.”

Mr.

Aiwass inquired, “Did my grandfather also come through that swamp?”

“No, the forest path.”

The squire answered bluntly, “Both times he entered, it was from the forest path.”

“…But I’ve heard that outsiders all come via the swamp route.”

“And what about you?”

The old squire countered, “Didn’t you also enter through the main gate?”

“We did because…”

Mr.

Aiwass began, but a realization suddenly dawned on him mid-sentence.

Why were they able to enter through the main gate?

That was because they had Hayna leading the way, and because the warm-hearted townsfolk of Flute Town showed them the direction.

So, Jacob had entered in the same way back then?

But why did he emphasize that he did not come through the swamp?

Mr.

Aiwass suddenly came to an understanding, “Could it be that after my grandfather came, the swamp started to admit people?”

The old man looked deeply at Mr.

Aiwass with his sunken eyes.

“There’s no need to probe me.

I’ll naturally tell you what I can, lad.”

The old man paused his cane and bowed his head, lost in deep reminiscence.

After a moment of silence, he finally said, “To be more precise…

it’s not that outsiders can’t enter through the main gate.

It’s the ones who come in through the swamp that can’t leave.”

“…Why?”

Mr.

Aiwass faintly sensed the truth.

“Because they’ve all died once already.”

The old gentry spoke bluntly, “They are Undead resurrected from the swamp.”

On the other hand, Sherlock and Hayna’s inquiries also encountered a problem.

They had visited another blacksmith’s shop in the village.

Unlike Hayna’s father’s blacksmith shop that had ceased operations…

this one’s furnace was in normal operation, and there were some customers coming and going.

When Hayna entered, a customer was in the midst of talking with the blacksmith.

“I’d like to replace the head on my sickle.”

“Your blade is still good…

I’ll have someone sharpen it for you again, don’t change it.”

“Sure thing, I’ll buy you a drink tomorrow.”

The blacksmith rested his elbow on the counter, chatting happily with the customer.

He was wearing thin clothing but was still sweating profusely.

The air was filled with heat and the sound of apprentices swinging hammers and clanging metal.

This middle-aged blacksmith, who looked to be in his forties or fifties, was donning an old feminine apron, which made him look somewhat comical.

Seeing Hayna push the door open, the blacksmith and the customer both turned their heads.

“Hey, little Hayna!”

The blacksmith uncle greeted her warmly, “I heard you’re back—why did it take you so long to come see me?”

The customer also cheerfully greeted Hayna, “Graduated?

Are you leaving again?

Got married yet?

Got a boyfriend?

You’re already twenty-two, a full-grown lady, you can’t put it off any longer.”

“What are you saying, I just came back yesterday!

Here I am taking a breather and I’ve come straight here.”

Hayna couldn’t quite handle the direct and sudden matchmaking and could only cover her forehead with a somewhat throbbing pain, “Leaving…

of course, I’ll leave, it’s just a visit to see…

Old man, what’s with you!

I’m at the peak of my career, I don’t have the leisure to date—speaking of which, have you seen my Gryphon?

She’s super cute!

How about I bring her out for you to see?”

“Ah yeah, saw it, saw it, such a big one, how could anyone miss it?

You’re like William who’s caught a big fish, parading it around the village…”

Laughter and cheerful voices immediately filled the blacksmith shop.

But as the old man who picked up his sharpened sickle left, passing by Hayna and the others, his expression suddenly changed.

“…Did you folks, go to the swamp?”

The old man lowered his voice and glanced at Sherlock with a sudden serious expression, “Did you bring something back from the swamp?”

“We did visit…

reminiscing about childhood, you know.

But it got foggy inside, felt a bit dangerous, so we came right back.”

Hayna explained while offhandedly telling a lie.

—If it had been before, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to lie so smoothly.

It’s all Mr.

Aiwass’s fault for leading me astray…

Hayna muttered in her heart.

Mr.

Aiwass was particularly skilled in telling lies without batting an eyelid.@@novelbin@@

Maybe it’s because he’s handsome…

Hayna thought that made it cool!

So she found herself subconsciously thinking and practicing how to respond in the same way when she was alone.

As a result, over time, she could now lie without a change of expression.

…This was probably also a form of growth one obtains in the big city.

Upon hearing Hayna’s words, the old man immediately breathed a sigh of relief, “Oh, you went together?

Then it’s fine…

You didn’t encounter any other Undead, did you?”

—Hmm?

Sherlock raised his eyebrows, sensing something.

What does that mean?

Does it mean that only the locals can encounter the “Swampfolk” when they visit?

And what exactly are the Swampfolk?

But he did not make a scene and simply listened quietly from the side.

“We did encounter them, but killed them off.”

“Oh my, little Hayna has grown up…

to think you could take down such a formidable Undead all by yourself…”

The old man resumed his hearty chat with Hayna.