Episode 1: The Village Dominated by Despair
Scene: A remote canyon path.
After parting ways with Yuuki and the others, Luka came to the entrance of the village, where she was surprised to find utter silence, rather than panic.
Luka
(I'm sure this is the village that I was told about earlier. But...)
Old Man
......
Old Woman
......
Luka
(They're all looking at me, an outsider to their village, with curious faces, but nobody's saying a word. What's happened here?)
Luka
(All of the stores are closed. And...)
Luka
(I can't see any younger men here... Have they all left?)
Villain
Hey, we can tell if you're pretending to be away! Hand over all your food!
Woman
Y-Yes. This is all we have, here...
Villain
Liar! You're hiding more, aren't you? Look, you've still got more bread there!
Woman
P-Please, just leave us this bread... Our kids won't have anything to eat.
Villain
Who cares about that? Didn't you hear me when I said, hand over ALL of your food?
Luka
Let's leave it there.
Villain
Huh!? Who are you? Don't butt in!
The person attacks Luka, who dodges.
Luka
Whew.
Villain
What!? Tch! Take this!
Luka
What's the matter? You weren't even close.
Villain
Damn you!
Luka
You could use some training. Let me fix you up!
Villain
Guaah!?
Villain
W-What are you doing!? Don't you know what it means to raise a hand to me!?
Luka
I know well enough. All you'll be taking from here are these rocks on the ground. Hurry, take them and go.
Villain
You...! You'd better remember this!!
Luka
I've already forgotten. Now then, are you okay?
Woman
Y-You, what have you done!? Ahh, what do we do now...!?
Luka
... I didn't expect that reaction. Would you be happier going hungry?
Woman
You wouldn't say that if you understood what was happening...! Ohh...
Old Man
Miss. Could you forgive this mother's rudeness? She's in a difficult situation.
Old Man
Everyone living in this village has had their family members taken hostage.
Luka
Hostage?
Woman
That person was with a group of merchants who manage a mining operation in the canyon cave. So many young men from our village have gone to them looking for work...
Woman
But of everyone who's gone, not a single person has come back...
Luka
The canyon cave? That's...
Old Man
Nobody who has gone to check on them has returned either. And we've petitioned the capital for help, but we haven't heard anything back from them.
Old Man
With all of our young men stolen away, only elderly people and young girls remain in this village. Our food has been stolen away as well, and we have no choice but to endure...
Luka
......
Luka
It seems like I've come across a bigger group of villains than I'd imagined. That person must only have been an underling of an underling...
Luka
I'm worried about Anna and Yuuki, too, so I'd better make for the canyon quickly.
Old Man
Miss, you should distance yourself from this village at once. There's no doubt that those villains will come for revenge.
Luka
I'll be doing just that, but not out of a sense of danger. Some of my friends are headed for that cave as well, you see.
Luka
I might be able to help the people of your village while I'm at it. For now, I'll go take a...
???
Eeeee!! Help meeee!!
Luka
What!? What's this...?