(Chapter unfolds:24)
Jinso sat there in shock after hearing Samara's words. He was stunned that she had correctly identified who they were.
"Who are you people?"
Haru asked as he walked into the room.
"This isn't an ordinary village. It doesn't feel like just a village to me at all."
After finishing the bandage on Jinso's hand, Samara stood up.
The silvery light of the medicine spread through the cloth. The stinging sensation in his hand vanished, replaced by a soothing coolness.
"We are the Keepers of Silence," Samara said, tucking back the strands of hair that had fallen in the wind.
"We have been waiting for generations in the shadow of that monastery for that 'one' person. But we never imagined they would be so young."
She looked at Jinso again; for a moment, her gaze lingered. Then, she turned and went inside.
"What is she talking about... Keepers? Nobaya never mentioned that people like this would be here," Jinso remarked.
"He doesn't have to tell us everything right now, does he?" Haru replied.
Haru followed her inside. The interior of the house was filled with various objects strange tools, instruments, and paintings. He began looking at them one by one. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a specific picture on the wall.
He stared at it intently. There were two individuals in that portrait. One was the old man he had seen in front of the training hall , and the other was the legendary Satoshi the warrior from his dreams.
He couldn't believe his eyes. The old man who had told him about Satoshi was someone who had actually stood beside Satoshi himself. Haru stood there, frozen, staring at the image.
Meanwhile, outside, Jinso approached Samara again. She was picking some plants to prepare medicine.
"How did you recognize us?"
Samara slowly turned to look at him. "So, what I said was true then."
"Well... it's... I mean..."
"Don't struggle... I know," she said with a smile.
"Your hand will heal. But Morikara is a hungry sword. If you awaken it again before your body is ready, that burn won't be confined to your skin... it will consume your very heart."
Jinso looked at his hand, then at his sword leaning against the wall.
"How do you know all this? Even the name of my sword?!"
But Samara said nothing in response. She picked up the medicinal herbs and walked toward the door.
"Rest. Mother is preparing food. In this village, we don't let those who protect us leave on an empty stomach... even if they are liars."
As she disappeared inside, Jinso felt a strange sense of emptiness. "She... she is not like others," he whispered to himself.
"This village itself is not like others, Jinso," Haru said from behind him.
"It seems we set out to hunt a Zek, but we've stumbled into something much bigger than that."