Summoned and Unwanted

680 A ruined tearful reunion

“What was in that friendship potion or whatever the love of my life gave me?” Vincent questioned while acting sick.

On their way to the Dullahan village, Awa had told Vincent about a mixture of poison her people knew to make. Additionally, all Dullahans carry a small leaf packed with this poisonous power, but Awa’s leaf with poison was lost or left with her clothes.

The hostage poison was colorless, slightly spicy, and odorless when added to water. The finely crushed ingredients would dissolve in water making the water difficult to distinguish between ordinary water and poisoned one.

The Dullahan’s victims would know the poison’s name as the friendship potion, while the real name was the hostage poison.

The victim would suffer from the condition of losing a small percentage of their strength while also having an additional hidden effect.

When the person afflicted with the poison smells one of the ingredients being burned, their thoughts start to become clouded. Every person in their view becomes intimidating to them. The thoughts of surrendering to anyone showing aggression drastically increased as well.

This is why the Dullahans called it the hostage poison. The victim would technically become the hostage of the Dullahans as only they knew which burnt herbs triggered the hidden reaction.

*Thud* Vincent dropped to his knees and coughed a mouthful of blood. The snow under him became reddish, and the warmth of his blood began to melt the snow.

“Vincent Vincent!” *Pho!* Plow worriedly exclaimed.

.....

“Master!” Zero exclaimed while the vines in its body prepared to fight.

[Vincent. What is wrong with your body?] Kazumi worriedly questioned. This wasn’t part of the plan.

Awa frowned while looking at Vincent, acting as if he was about to die. She definitely didn’t give Vincent the hostage poison, yet Vincent was suddenly showing signs of being poisoned.

The Dullahans gathered outside of the village gazed at Vincent. All of them felt different emotions than the Dullahan beside them.

Some Dullahans wondered what else Awa had given to Vincent. Some Dullahans felt relieved the human who approached their hidden village was about to die. Some Dullahans feared Vincent had contracted some kind of deadly disease.

Plow’s nose twitched upon catching a familiar scent. Her eyes moved to Vincent’s blood, staining the snow.

The smell was appetizing. Plow wanted to eat the snow for some reason.

Plow moved her gaze onto Vincent. *Pho?* Plow saw Vincent secretly wink at her while secretly revealing a faint smile. Plow understood the blood was, in fact, reddish sauce diluted with water to reduce the scent of food.

Kazumi noticed Plow swiftly lick her lips once. [Vincent... are you perhaps using Soul Dimensional Storage to summon sauce with water in your mouth?]

-If I managed to fool you, then I managed to fool everyone.-

[You...] Kazumi angrily said before deciding to stop.

*Cough* Vincent punched the snow. He gritted his teeth and grunted while slowly rising from the ground as if he had no strength left.

*Huff, huff* Vincent faked breathing heavily as if he was exhausted. He moved his head to look at all his Dullahan audience and check if his performance had succeeded.

‘My acting worked. Their thoughts are too obvious.’ He thought while looking at all the Dullahans in front of him. The Dullahans appeared to express less hostility and cautiousness on their face.

“What say you, clan leader of the proud Dullahan race? Are you afraid to accept the challenge of a weakened and strangely sick human?” Vincent incited by attacking the ego of the clan leader.

“WHAT. ” Labh shouted. “How can a slave trader be accepted to participate and attempt to become our clan leader?”

“Our clan leader is the strongest! The slave trader will lose either way.”

“Yeah. We Dullahans are superior to slave traders because of our bloodline. The blood of our ancestors coursing in our veins is unrivaled.”

“Silence!” Ordered the clan leader Labh, causing all the Dullahans behind him to shut their mouths.

Labh turned his body to face Awa. *Smack* He smacked Awa and said in a demeaning tone, “You begged to become mine, but I didn’t think you were a loose woman.”

Labh spat on the ground and continued, “To think that I considered birthing my children to a woman who goes with a slave trader. You brought shame to our proud race.”

*Step, step, thud* A Dullahan walking weakly on the snow fell on the ground.

Two Dullahans noticed him. They quickly offered assistance, yet they frowned. The weak Dullahan was helped to approach the center of the commotion.

“Why did you slap Awa? What gives you the right to hurt your own people? Don’t tell me everyone is cautious of me while no one is cautious of an abusive clan leader like you.” Vincent questioned.

“Silence, slave trader. You shall not attempt to manipulate my great people.” Labh said. He was going to continue, but he stopped after noticing two Dullahans helping another approaching them.

The moment this male Dullahan appeared behind Awa and her mother. The moment they noticed he was behind them, they looked at him with a gaze of shame.

[One arm is missing, and he looks weak. This Dullahan must be Awa’s father.] Kazumi guessed.

.

[Name] Lamin

[Race] Dullahan

[Age] 38

[Condition] Heavily Injured, Medium Blood Loss, Missing Limb (1 Arm), Minor Infected Wound

[Traits] Blood Tempered Body Stage One, Mana Tempered Body Stage One

[Class] None

[Stats] Strength 31 || Agility 14 || Perception 12 || Mana 1923

.

[Warrior Class]

*Strong Body +23

*Nimble Body +3

*Perceptive Body +2

*Wild Blow

.

Vincent and Kazumi saw how Awa’s father wasn’t in great condition. The wound wasn’t treated well, and it got infected. Furthermore, Awa’s father didn’t eat enough to use the nutrients of the food for blood creation.

“Father... I can explain.” Awa said with a wavering voice and her cheek stinging from pain.

“Daughter... you have returned.” Awa’s father said warmly, and tears of joy welled in his eyes. He soon noticed the red cheek on Awa’s face and asked, “Who hurt you?”

Awa’s father noticed Awa’s eyes glance at Labh. Awa’s father understood he could not do anything as his daughter was going to become Labh’s wife soon. ‘There must be a reason.’ He thought.

“Good to meet you, Amie and Lamin. I am Vincent, the man who found, saved, and escorted your daughter to her home and to her parents.” Vincent greeted. He moved his gaze onto Labh and continued, “I am waiting for this scaredy-cat to accept my challenge with Awa’s hand in marriage and the clan leader’s spot as the prize.”

“Don’t speak nonsense, slave trader...”

“I am a human and not a slave trader, you incompetent leader.” Vincent interrupted Labh’s mother. He glared at her while continuing, “You old fossil is the reason Awa was fated to die and the reason why our fates intertwined. You are the reason I am here.”

Labh didn’t like the way he and his mother were being mocked. He held the spear in his hand with a firm grip and thrust the spear at Vincent.

Plow barked angrily while Zero moved its arms to block the spear from impaling Vincent. On the other hand, the soon-to-be impaled human didn’t move a muscle.

Awa saw the spear move toward Vincent. The closer the spear rapidly approached Vincent’s neck, the more her heart raced.

Two small tendrils extended from the ground. One pushed Vincent to the side while the other wrapped around the spear.

“Is that all you got? Even a small plant could stop your very powerful and destructive surprise attack.” *Cough* Vincent mocked in an arrogant tone before producing a couple of fake coughs to let everyone know he was still in bad condition.

Labh’s authority was being threatened. He became infuriated at the mocking he received and enraged that all the gathering Dullahans were witnessing Vincent mocking him.

“Dullahans. This slave trader has shown how dangerous he can be. Kill him.” Labh ordered.

“No!” Awa examined. She placed all her strength in her legs and hurried to Vincent. But her legs were still weak, and this tense situation was emotionally tiring.

Awa was about to fall, but Vincent caught her. He held her by his side and said, “Are you feeling tired?”

Awa gently shook her head. “Not enough to go home.”

All the Dullahans present could see their relationship. Awa spoke to Vincent as if she had accepted him while Vincent spoke words of care.

Labh noticed the Dullahans stopped their advance. “What are you waiting for? Kill him and save our fellow Dullahan.”

Amie was helping Lamin stand and moved a few steps forward. The Dullahans, about to attack Vincent, stopped once again.

Amie told her daughter, “Please come to your mother. Even if he does not want to hurt you, it doesn’t mean he will not harm all of us.”

Lamin told his daughter, “Your mother is right. Your life is more important than ours. We will ask everyone to forgive you in exchange for our lives.”

*Sigh* “Seriously.” *Cough, cough* “Has no one taken a good look at your clan leader and clan chieftain? They are healthy while all of you are suffering from hunger.”

Vincent looked at Lamin and continued, “The man who risked his life to save the clan leader didn’t receive help with his recovery. Instead, his daughter had to beg to marry the clan leader for food.”

Vincent looked at all the Dullahans and continued, “Isn’t saving someone at the cost of a terrible injury and later giving them your daughter to receive treatment immoral? If you all think I am wrong, then every horrible thing in this world is good in your eyes.”