“That kid, he didn’t come to visit the grave, did he?”
Judith muttered as she watched him disappear into the cemetery.
“I think he came to meet the gravedigger?”
Erne, who had been watching the direction the man had gone, gestured for Judith to follow him carefully.
Erne followed the bastard's footsteps but turned around halfway and went behind the gravedigger's hut.
“First, wait here.”
Erne hid with Judith behind a shabby shed next to the cabin. They held their breath.
As darkness began to fall, the gravedigger and his voice echoed through the cemetery where no one came.
“...so it’s refreshing.”
The gravedigger said.
I thought that guy was buying some meat earlier. Is that what you're talking about?
Judith tilted her head back and listened.
“It’s still hot because it just died?”
“That crazy guy.”
They could hear him cracking a lame joke and giggling, the rustling of envelopes, and then the opening of a bottle of alcohol.
“Please listen to me.”
“You hold his arm, I’ll hold his leg.”
When you eat together, one person holds your arm and the other person holds your leg?
Arms and legs in a cemetery. Only one thing came to Judith's mind.
'Is that guy moving a corpse?'
Are all those words about it being fresh and hot from the dead really just what you were saying about the corpse?
Aren't those guys absolutely crazy?
Judith muttered as she watched him disappear into the cemetery.
“I think he came to meet the gravedigger?”
Erne, who had been watching the direction the man had gone, gestured for Judith to follow him carefully.
Erne followed the bastard's footsteps but turned around halfway and went behind the gravedigger's hut.
“First, wait here.”
Erne hid with Judith behind a shabby shed next to the cabin. They held their breath.
As darkness began to fall, the gravedigger and his voice echoed through the cemetery where no one came.
“...so it’s refreshing.”
The gravedigger said.
I thought that guy was buying some meat earlier. Is that what you're talking about?
Judith tilted her head back and listened.
“It’s still hot because it just died?”
“That crazy guy.”
They could hear him cracking a lame joke and giggling, the rustling of envelopes, and then the opening of a bottle of alcohol.
“Please listen to me.”
“You hold his arm, I’ll hold his leg.”
When you eat together, one person holds your arm and the other person holds your leg?
Arms and legs in a cemetery. Only one thing came to Judith's mind.
'Is that guy moving a corpse?'
Are all those words about it being fresh and hot from the dead really just what you were saying about the corpse?
Aren't those guys absolutely crazy?
Judith covered her mouth to keep herself from swearing.
“I'm going.”
“Get out of here now.”
“Contact me again when you get something good.”
By the looks of it, it seemed like the guy was buying a corpse from a gravedigger.
Soon, a clanking sound of wheels rolling on the uneven ground could be heard. Erne, who had not moved for a long time even as the man passed, gently grabbed Judith's shoulder when the sound of the cart grew distant. It was a sign that she should follow the man.
Even though it was only one person, Judith's heart raced at the thought of being followed by someone.
As Judith, who had been squatting, stood up, patting her thigh, Erne held out his hand.
Why the hand all of a sudden? Judith looked at him with a puzzled look, and Erne grabbed her hand.
“Hold on, don’t fall.”
“Don’t fall.”
“Am I a child?” Judith pouted but did not let go of Erne’s hand.
The tension that had been so tight it felt like it would burst loosened a little at the rough yet firm touch.
“Don’t let your guard down, it might be more dangerous than you think.”
“Don’t worry. I will never do anything dangerous.”
Erne slightly regretted bringing Judith with him. She thought too complacently that those who make and sell cosmetics couldn't be dangerous.
“No, but how many knives do he get from the blacksmith shop and buy corpses? Why do cosmetics makers buy corpses?”
If he had known they were corpse buyers, he would never have brought Judith here. Fortunately, Judith was strangely excited rather than frightened.
'She has a surprisingly bold side.'
Judith was a safety-first-conscious person when it came to spending, but she sometimes acted like a rhinoceros when it came to other things, including making money. She would just go ahead and do whatever she could.
'But this time, I won't do anything reckless. I'll just go quietly and check out what cosmetics ingredients are.'
Rattle rattle-
The cart carrying the corpse traveled along the forest path next to the cemetery for a while before stopping in front of a hastily built tent.
A large man sitting in front of a campfire at the entrance to the tent stood up and greeted the cart.
“I’m here, brother.”
As the cart driver shouted, two men came out of the tent. The man selling cosmetics said there were three, but there was one more that wasn't in the montage.
Judging from his attire, which included an apron and gloves on his hands, he seemed to be working in the back making cosmetics rather than standing in front.
“How is the condition?”
“Top class. He died this afternoon.”
“It hasn’t even been a few hours.”
“The knife?”
“Of course I came.”
The man in the apron lifted the mat covering the body and tapped the side of the cart.
“Move inside.”
Then a large man and a man pulling a cart picked up the body and carried it into the tent.
“...What on earth are you doing with that?”
Erne, who was watching, muttered softly. He came to catch the fraudsters who made and sold bad cosmetics and arthritis medicine, but they were handling corpses. Judith also couldn't help but be puzzled.
“Be careful. If you get too close, you’ll get caught.”
Because it was a tent, they could hear what was going on inside, but conversely, shadows outside were also visible inside the tent. So it was actually harder to approach secretly than a normal house.
Fortunately, however, the other three, except for the man wearing the apron, came out of the road tent.
The tall man set down the heavy bag with a thud. The jingling sound of coins tickled Judith's ears.
'I guess we should split the money.'
As Judith had predicted, the three men sat in a circle around the campfire and began counting the money.
“Straight up, straight up. If you get caught stealing, your wrists will be cut off, okay?”
The tall, thin guy seemed to be the tallest.
“Well, I have so many eyes watching me that I would embezzle money here. Don’t worry, brother.”
The cart driver answered cheerfully and brought out a bottle of alcohol.
“Let’s do it while drinking.”
The tall guy and the big guy each took turns handing out a bottle. After a while, the sound of money being counted and divided could be heard, and then the big guy opened his mouth.
“Brother, let’s give ‘that guy’ only a third.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No, we’re the ones who suffer, so how can that kid get half? How would he know even if we gave him only a third?”
“But aren’t we making money thanks to the method he taught us?”
“What do you call it if you take it in moderation? It’s like throwing a piece of manufacturing paper and taking half of it.”
The big man gulped down his drink.
“And that guy has a certain cheap look to him.”
“Isn’t it stranger if the guy who tells you this kind of thing looks good?”
The cart driver tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but it didn't work.
The large man raised his voice as if his dissatisfaction was no small matter.
“I didn’t like it when they started using weird words like royalty.”
“Anyway, it’s true that I made this much money thanks to that guy.”
The tall man appeased the campfire man and divided the rest of the money between them.
“Okay, everyone take your share, and leave this bag at the rendezvous point. Don’t suffer like last time, and take a good shovel with you, okay?”
“Yes, yes, don’t worry, bro.”
The cart-puller helped the large man carry the sack onto his shoulder.
“How about having a drink after you get to the contact point?”
“You just drank.”
“Hey, I told you that the alcohol you drink in this smelly place doesn’t taste like alcohol. Brother, can I have a drink?”
“Yes, let’s have a drink.”
Then the tall man took a coin from his share and threw it to him.
The cart driver, carrying a shovel, started to walk back the way he had come with the large man.
Erne watched the direction they were going and then took Judith to a place a little further away.
“I guess there was someone who taught those guys how to make cosmetics.”
“I guess he just taught them the method and received royalties.”
“But what is royalty?”
It was a word Erne had never heard before.
“Yeah, Erne, don’t you know about royalties? It’s like teaching someone a recipe and receiving a certain amount of money based on sales in return.”
“Is this a word used among merchants?”
Erne was a business novice, so he just assumed there were words he didn't know.
“Anyway, it seems like he’s going to meet the person who taught him the recipe, so I’d better follow him. You wait here.”
“Here?”
“The guy who told them the recipe might have some Followers.”
Even the point of contact where money is exchanged may be the base of the organized crime group.
If Judith, who was not used to being followed, had been taken to such a place and something had gone wrong, it would have been a big problem.
“Just stay quiet. Then you won’t get caught. I’ll just check the contact point and come right back.”
“Don’t worry. I can hide well.”
Judith understood why Erne didn't take her with him, even though he didn't explain it at length. It wasn't a problem to hide.
There aren't a lot of scammers left, only two people are left, the tall one and the one wearing an apron.
Besides, the two of them didn't even know they were being watched, so there was no danger.
“Are you really okay being alone?”
Erne hesitated to move forward, perhaps worried about leaving Judith alone.
Although the risk of being caught is relatively low, it was in the woods at night. It could have been psychologically scary.
“Erne, have you forgotten? I am someone who lived alone and well even in the cursed mansion.”
Indeed, in the Rhineland Mansion, where no one was present, where it wouldn't have been strange if a ghost had appeared, the person who didn't even blink an eye was Judith.
“When I get back, I’ll send a signal. Repeat it briefly two or three times. It’ll sound like a whistle, so you’ll understand. Until then, don’t come out even if you hear any noise, do you understand?”
“I'm going.”
“Get out of here now.”
“Contact me again when you get something good.”
By the looks of it, it seemed like the guy was buying a corpse from a gravedigger.
Soon, a clanking sound of wheels rolling on the uneven ground could be heard. Erne, who had not moved for a long time even as the man passed, gently grabbed Judith's shoulder when the sound of the cart grew distant. It was a sign that she should follow the man.
Even though it was only one person, Judith's heart raced at the thought of being followed by someone.
As Judith, who had been squatting, stood up, patting her thigh, Erne held out his hand.
Why the hand all of a sudden? Judith looked at him with a puzzled look, and Erne grabbed her hand.
“Hold on, don’t fall.”
“Don’t fall.”
“Am I a child?” Judith pouted but did not let go of Erne’s hand.
The tension that had been so tight it felt like it would burst loosened a little at the rough yet firm touch.
“Don’t let your guard down, it might be more dangerous than you think.”
“Don’t worry. I will never do anything dangerous.”
Erne slightly regretted bringing Judith with him. She thought too complacently that those who make and sell cosmetics couldn't be dangerous.
“No, but how many knives do he get from the blacksmith shop and buy corpses? Why do cosmetics makers buy corpses?”
If he had known they were corpse buyers, he would never have brought Judith here. Fortunately, Judith was strangely excited rather than frightened.
'She has a surprisingly bold side.'
Judith was a safety-first-conscious person when it came to spending, but she sometimes acted like a rhinoceros when it came to other things, including making money. She would just go ahead and do whatever she could.
'But this time, I won't do anything reckless. I'll just go quietly and check out what cosmetics ingredients are.'
***
Rattle rattle-
The cart carrying the corpse traveled along the forest path next to the cemetery for a while before stopping in front of a hastily built tent.
A large man sitting in front of a campfire at the entrance to the tent stood up and greeted the cart.
“I’m here, brother.”
As the cart driver shouted, two men came out of the tent. The man selling cosmetics said there were three, but there was one more that wasn't in the montage.
Judging from his attire, which included an apron and gloves on his hands, he seemed to be working in the back making cosmetics rather than standing in front.
“How is the condition?”
“Top class. He died this afternoon.”
“It hasn’t even been a few hours.”
“The knife?”
“Of course I came.”
The man in the apron lifted the mat covering the body and tapped the side of the cart.
“Move inside.”
Then a large man and a man pulling a cart picked up the body and carried it into the tent.
“...What on earth are you doing with that?”
Erne, who was watching, muttered softly. He came to catch the fraudsters who made and sold bad cosmetics and arthritis medicine, but they were handling corpses. Judith also couldn't help but be puzzled.
“Be careful. If you get too close, you’ll get caught.”
Because it was a tent, they could hear what was going on inside, but conversely, shadows outside were also visible inside the tent. So it was actually harder to approach secretly than a normal house.
Fortunately, however, the other three, except for the man wearing the apron, came out of the road tent.
The tall man set down the heavy bag with a thud. The jingling sound of coins tickled Judith's ears.
'I guess we should split the money.'
As Judith had predicted, the three men sat in a circle around the campfire and began counting the money.
“Straight up, straight up. If you get caught stealing, your wrists will be cut off, okay?”
The tall, thin guy seemed to be the tallest.
“Well, I have so many eyes watching me that I would embezzle money here. Don’t worry, brother.”
The cart driver answered cheerfully and brought out a bottle of alcohol.
“Let’s do it while drinking.”
The tall guy and the big guy each took turns handing out a bottle. After a while, the sound of money being counted and divided could be heard, and then the big guy opened his mouth.
“Brother, let’s give ‘that guy’ only a third.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No, we’re the ones who suffer, so how can that kid get half? How would he know even if we gave him only a third?”
“But aren’t we making money thanks to the method he taught us?”
“What do you call it if you take it in moderation? It’s like throwing a piece of manufacturing paper and taking half of it.”
The big man gulped down his drink.
“And that guy has a certain cheap look to him.”
“Isn’t it stranger if the guy who tells you this kind of thing looks good?”
The cart driver tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but it didn't work.
The large man raised his voice as if his dissatisfaction was no small matter.
“I didn’t like it when they started using weird words like royalty.”
“Anyway, it’s true that I made this much money thanks to that guy.”
The tall man appeased the campfire man and divided the rest of the money between them.
“Okay, everyone take your share, and leave this bag at the rendezvous point. Don’t suffer like last time, and take a good shovel with you, okay?”
“Yes, yes, don’t worry, bro.”
The cart-puller helped the large man carry the sack onto his shoulder.
“How about having a drink after you get to the contact point?”
“You just drank.”
“Hey, I told you that the alcohol you drink in this smelly place doesn’t taste like alcohol. Brother, can I have a drink?”
“Yes, let’s have a drink.”
Then the tall man took a coin from his share and threw it to him.
The cart driver, carrying a shovel, started to walk back the way he had come with the large man.
Erne watched the direction they were going and then took Judith to a place a little further away.
“I guess there was someone who taught those guys how to make cosmetics.”
“I guess he just taught them the method and received royalties.”
“But what is royalty?”
It was a word Erne had never heard before.
“Yeah, Erne, don’t you know about royalties? It’s like teaching someone a recipe and receiving a certain amount of money based on sales in return.”
“Is this a word used among merchants?”
Erne was a business novice, so he just assumed there were words he didn't know.
“Anyway, it seems like he’s going to meet the person who taught him the recipe, so I’d better follow him. You wait here.”
“Here?”
“The guy who told them the recipe might have some Followers.”
Even the point of contact where money is exchanged may be the base of the organized crime group.
If Judith, who was not used to being followed, had been taken to such a place and something had gone wrong, it would have been a big problem.
“Just stay quiet. Then you won’t get caught. I’ll just check the contact point and come right back.”
“Don’t worry. I can hide well.”
Judith understood why Erne didn't take her with him, even though he didn't explain it at length. It wasn't a problem to hide.
There aren't a lot of scammers left, only two people are left, the tall one and the one wearing an apron.
Besides, the two of them didn't even know they were being watched, so there was no danger.
“Are you really okay being alone?”
Erne hesitated to move forward, perhaps worried about leaving Judith alone.
Although the risk of being caught is relatively low, it was in the woods at night. It could have been psychologically scary.
“Erne, have you forgotten? I am someone who lived alone and well even in the cursed mansion.”
Indeed, in the Rhineland Mansion, where no one was present, where it wouldn't have been strange if a ghost had appeared, the person who didn't even blink an eye was Judith.
“When I get back, I’ll send a signal. Repeat it briefly two or three times. It’ll sound like a whistle, so you’ll understand. Until then, don’t come out even if you hear any noise, do you understand?”
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