The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills ,Volume 2 - Chapter 40

Chapter : The Hidden Village

Almine suddenly came to a stop as we walked through the forest.

She pressed a translucent card to her right eye, lips parting slightly.

“That big tree… looks suspicious.”

The tree she pointed at looked no different from the others around it.

“Something weird about it?” I asked.

Instead of answering, Almine held the translucent card out in front of my face. Through the card, the tree glowed faintly blue, its entire trunk shimmering like moonlight.

We kept our guard up as we approached. When Almine touched the trunk, a hole large enough for a person to pass through silently opened.

“Hold on.”

She murmured a short spell and slipped her right hand into the opening.

“…Yeah. Looks fine.”

With that, Almine stepped inside. I followed after her, with Pirn and Kinako close behind.

When we emerged from the hollow trunk, a village spread out before us.

There were about a hundred houses, and in the center yawned a massive pit. Around it, robed figures milled about, their black garments stark against the pale ground.

“Finally found it.”
Almine patted Kinako on the shoulder.

“…Yeah. You have my thanks.”
Kinako’s pupils narrowed to thin slits as he stared at the village.

I stood beside him, quietly taking in the scene.

The cultists… there must be over four hundred. Most of them seem to be carrying short swords.

That’s when I spotted him near the pit—the bishop, Lugal. He was speaking with several dark elves.

Dark elves, huh…

Every one of them had silver hair and dusky skin, their faces sharp and beautiful, ears tapering to fine points like any elf.

“They’ve gotta be Zeldia’s subordinates,” Kinako growled, his fangs clicking together.

“Zeldia sometimes moves separately from his army. But even then, he always keeps ten dark elf bodyguards with him.”

“Are they strong?” I asked.

“Assume they’re all A-rank adventurer level.”

“Ten A-ranks…”
I bit my lip, glaring at the dark elves.

This could get ugly. Lugal’s shield magic is bad enough, and I’m sure there are powerful fighters among the Dolls cultists too.

“…Kinako. Let’s wait until nightfall. First, we need to confirm where Zeldia is.”

“Agreed.”
Kinako didn’t take his eyes off the village.

“It’ll be easier to slip in and gather information under cover of darkness.”

“In that case, I’ll scout the perimeter. We’ll need an escape route once we take Zeldia down.”

“Good idea. Be careful out there.”
Kinako tapped my hip with his paw.

I slipped back into the trees, moving silently as I studied the terrain.

The village is surrounded by dense, leafy trees. Plenty of thornbushes too—nasty ones with saw-edged leaves that can tear skin and shred clothes. Probably planted to keep the place hidden.

After moving several dozen meters, I emerged onto a cliff.

“A cliff, huh…”

This could work. If I manifest a paper bridge here, it’ll give us a head start when we need to escape.

Just then, voices drifted from the direction of the village.

I crouched low and crept to a tree for cover, peering out toward the clearing.

Cultists were gathering in the plaza, weapons in hand. A female dark elf stood before them, speaking sharply.

…What’s going on?

A few minutes later, more than two hundred cultists followed the dark elf woman as she led them into the forest.

Something’s definitely up. Better head back.

Keeping my body low, I slipped away without a sound.

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