Chapter 7 – Behind the Ember
The first morning of the promised two days greeted the village of Andora with an eerie silence. The sky was clear, but the air felt tense. The villagers moved in whispers, and every eye was now fixed 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 pressure.
"Two days feel too short," Taeyang muttered. "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 with a raised brow. "You got a plan?"
Hyunwoo just gave a faint smile.
The village meeting began. Claude, Belinda, the Village Chief, and several residents gathered at the hall. Hyunwoo stood in the center, holding a stack of papers filled with notes and field sketches from Wonho.
"I'll get straight to the point," he opened. "Last night, our fields were burned. Today, I won't accuse anyone. I just want to ask all of you… to remember."
"The field layout was designed based on the water flow Wonho created. There are only three spots where fire could spread quickly: the east corner, the far south, and the gap behind the hay storage. But only one spot caught fire."
Hyunwoo pinned a large sketch to the wall, pointing to where the fire had started. "Whoever started it knew exactly where the weakest point was."
The villagers began exchanging looks.
"Only we knew this map. And… anyone who saw Wonho mark those vulnerable points—during training two days ago."
The crowd grew restless.
"We don't need guesses. We need logic," Hyunwoo continued. "I've talked to a few villagers. One of them said they saw someone that night—walking from the hay storage."
Silence fell over the hall.
Hyunwoo looked around, his eyes landing on one person: Jareth.
"You were on equipment duty that night, weren't you?"
Jareth, a tall young man with a stiff expression, nodded slowly.
"Yeah… I was on duty until eight."
"And after that?"
"I… went home. I didn't see anyone."
"Unfortunately," Hyunwoo cut in lightly, though his tone pierced like a blade, "some villagers saw you walking toward the fields at nine. Alone. For no reason."
Jareth's face tensed. "They must've seen wrong."
Hyunwoo stepped closer, slow and steady.
"That's fine. It was dark that night. Mistakes happen. But… why did I find footprints—your size—on the wet ground, along the hidden path from the storage to the field?"
The villagers started whispering. The tension rose.
Jareth clenched his fists. "That's not proof—"
"You're right," Hyunwoo interrupted quickly. "It's not solid proof. But enough to make you… suspicious."
He stopped, locking eyes with Jareth.
"But I believe… you're not a bad person, Jareth. Maybe you were used. Maybe someone from Thalveran forced you to do this, right?"
Sweat began to form on Jareth's brow.
"You feel alone. Can't talk. But I can help. If you speak now, I can protect you. But if not… and these two days pass with no answers… the angry ones won't care what we say."
Silence.
Everyone waited.
Hyunwoo stepped a little closer, his voice dropping to a whisper: "They'll burn your house down. They'll say you are the curse in this village."
"STOP!!"
Jareth yelled. His body trembled. His eyes wild.
"I... I didn't mean... to burn it all! I just... just wanted to scare them! They trusted you all too much! I... I just wanted them to remember who used to work these fields!"
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
Hyunwoo held his breath, making sure no emotion slipped onto his face.
"These fields… my father used to tend them. But after you guys came, everyone's attention shifted. Even the Village Chief trusted you more than us old villagers! I just... wanted to damage the field a little… so they'd wake up… 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 cry softly.
Meanwhile, in Hyunwoo's head…
Weird. Even I got goosebumps. But that's how the world works. Logic… pressure… and guilt. The sharpest weapons.
The Village Chief finally rose. "Take him. Let us decide his punishment."
Some villagers tied Jareth's hands. He didn't resist. He lowered his head and wept.
Before leaving, Jareth turned to Hyunwoo. "You… knew from the start, didn't you?"
Hyunwoo just stared at him blankly. No answer.
That night, as the village fell quiet, Taeyang approached Hyunwoo near the water mill.
"I didn't know you could be so… cold."
Hyunwoo simply stared at the slowly flowing water, then spoke softly, "Sometimes, the truth doesn't come from the word sorry. It comes from enough pressure."
That night, atop the roofs of Andora, a mysterious figure watched the scene unfold from afar. A black silhouette with glowing eyes.
"One down… but the real plan has only just begun."