The village near their farm was lively and peaceful. No one would suspect that there were two villagers missing and ripped apart by demonic infants that were behaving strangely from what the humans had perceived them to behave.
Salem was already in his full gear with his two subordinates behind him. Kou had climbed on the roof of a fruit stall since humans weren't so welcoming of viels.
"Everything seems...normal," Jinx commented.
"Maybe the newborns haven't reached the village yet. They don't usually work in groups anyway," Karma said.
Salem wasn't convinced with the harmonious atmosphere that the village and the villagers were showing.
"Keep a close eye. A lord has reemerged and that's causing the vessels to take extreme risks."
Kou continued to sniff the air. The village was emitting a very grapey and alcoholic scent. There were trays of bottles lined up behind different stores. He vaguely remembered that the nobles were very fond of drinking that. He wasn't much of a fan of the scent because it hurt his nose and the taste was revolting. His king would drink a bit so as to socialize but he would complain right after. Kairon did trick Kou into taking a sip. His king had a great laugh with how the knight rejected the taste by throwing the golden chalice outside. He thought it was poison.
Salem nearly forgot that Satbury village was holding a winery festival. Different people from different parts of Canaan will be going here to purchase the village's special product—Gravidus. It was named as such to celebrate the joy of life.
"Good day to ye lads!" Mister Dagen, an old man with a cane, greeted them. He was always dressed formally. He was wearing a long black coat and would scroll around the village with a left leg limp, taking in the latest gossip. He outdone the village housewives when it came to rumors.
"Good day Mister Dagen. How do you do?" Salem queried.
"I'm doing well, Mister Salem. I see that you have yer two sons with ya." He tilted his old hip and placed his hands on top of each other on the cane.
Salem didn't deny the teasing. The villagers knew that Karma and Jinx were just his subordinates but with how he cared for them, he appeared to be their legitimate father.
"Care for a rumor, Sir Salem?"
"Let's hear what the bird has to say," Salem replied.
Old Dagen grinned from ear to ear. His face turned into a big wrinkle from how his lips spread.
"Rumor has it that everyone who will join the festival will be given a token of gratitude. Give no dime to a tasty wine. Will you stay and play or will you go away?"
There was something about Old Dagen that rubbed Jinx in the wrong way but today he was even creepier.
"So there's free wine?" Salem clarified.
"Yes, but there's another hooray~" Dagen teased.
"Pray tell."
The gaffer snickered— his voice shaky and sharply gritty. "That my friend is a secret to be enjoyed by the village residents."
Karma didn't want to smack the man but he would if only he was alone with him. They watched him amble with his cane lifted from the ground. Each step had a bounce and Salem's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He wasn't limping anymore.
Kou couldn't sniff anything out. These were normal humans living a normal and bustling life. No vessels nor viels in sight yet they seem to be oblivious to the two deaths.
Were there really just two victims?
The four stayed for the festival. The village knew them and gave them food. Though Salem was excommunicated, the village owed him a debt of gratitude for keeping them safe from vessels and viels. Gradually, Karma and Jinx were relishing the moment that they let their guard down while Salem and Kou continuously watched.
Everything was normal. Everyone was normal. It was a normal day apart from the tormented corpses they saw this morning.
Visitors all over Canaan came over and bought wine. The rumor had the guests stay in the village for a longer time to get the complimentary wine. More wines were shipped out and delivered to other places. Eventide came. They were nearing the most anticipated event of the festival.
Jinx was itching to taste vin de pays. All he had was beer and his taste buds didn't welcome it well. Maybe Satbury's sweet wine would do the trick.
He sneaked out from Salem's watchful eyes. Karma had to roll his eyes from his attempts to be secretive.
"Should I stop him?"
Salem swayed his head. "No, let's see if Jinx's bad luck can attract the bad babies."
At this point, Salem was relying on his subordinate's jinx to discover what was causing the bad feeling in his chest.
The blonde teenager picked up a wine bottle from one of the batches. Everyone had their wine glasses in hand. The residents gathered the visitors in preparation for the "Cheers to Life"— the event where everyone will drink wine together. Salem was offered a glass and a bottle of wine but he poured milk in his.
Jinx popped the bottle open, taking a whiff of the bittersweet aroma. He snickered, wrapping his lips around the cold and glassy rim.
Old Dagen sat beside Salem on the bench, whistling.
"Care for a rumor, Sir Salem?"
He glanced at the old man, nodding.
"Pray tell."
Old Dagen coughed loudly and used his hand to cover his mouth. Right afterwards, he apologized and continued.
"Rumor has it that the wine made today wasn't made from grapes."
Salem's curiosity spiked. "Then what was used?"
The elder grinned again. His body was trashed with a very bad cough. He didn't reply to Salem's query, instead, he let his cane fall; he pushed himself up from the bench, walking crossed-legged.
Jinx took a big gulp. Should wine be this slimy and bitter? Should it even have clumps of meat in it? He ended up choking on something that wriggled nimbly down his throat. The glass bottle crashed on the floor. He grasped his neck tightly, trying to stop the thing from slithering further. His airway was obstructed. He couldn't cough it out.
"Mahhh—maaahhh" His words were converted into a sharp intake of air. The blonde screamed, gurgling accompanied the high pitched cry as his insides were eaten.
Karma couldn't take the mysteries that the old man was giving them. He stood up, without consulting Salem and sauntered in front of the strange man.
"Get to the point you old fart!"
Dagen's neck abruptly twisted 360 degrees. The skin on his neck crumpled and thinned from the twist. The teen stepped back, watching the elderly cry blood as his eyeballs went up. The teenager jolted when he was harshly grabbed by the shoulders. Dagen maliciously chortled. His voice turned from an old person into a giggling baby.
"Rumor has it my boy...that the main ingredient feasts on you alive!"