The elder gave a tired sigh, put a hand to his wrinkled forehead and closed his eyes as if reminiscing something. Van waited in silence for whatever the elder was contemplating telling him.

Finally he spoke.

“I'll have you know I once had a brother who thought like you did. He sought the monsters out, even befriended a member of a harpy colony that Lived in the mountains near my home village. I warned him it was a mistake, that he would regret freely associating with the things, but he refused to listen to me. And how did the harpy repay his trust? One day she and her wretched kin simply came and snatched him up along with a number of other young men in the village who had fraternized with their kind. The harpies carried them to the mountains, and by the time a rescue party arrived at their colony the whole flock had Left the region. I never saw my fool of a brother again. But as far as I'm concerned he deserved what he got, to be made a slave or eaten once he was of no more use to them, for being so stupid as to think he could befriend them. All they saw him as was sperm and meat."

He leaned forward in his chair and looked Van straight in the eye. "If you want to waste your life and future on some kind of futile mamono-support crusade then go ahead and do it, but don't involve this town. We have enough problems to deal with as it is. Now go, and put careful thought into how you might avoid meetings Like this in the future. Next time there will be more than just a warning."

Van got up to leave, only to stop and speak with his back to the old man.

“One last thing lord elder. You may not believe me, and even if you do it may not make you feel any differently, but from what I have heard harpies do not forcibly keep their men past the breeding season.

If your brother and the other men were never released it was because they wanted to stay." He didn't bother to observe what, if any, reaction the elder gave, only continuing to the door of the town hall and striding out.

He also tried not to think of another possibility, one based on rumors he had heard during his journey to the town. Namely, that the leadership of the main country in this region had a standing order to secretly execute anyone known to have been caught by a mamono and returned. Why would they do this if not for fear of such people changing others’ views on the monsters and to encourage the belief that those taken by monsters were killed by the monsters?

It was certainly an issue that part of Van wanted to look into and expose but, despite his earlier bravado, he was now deeply worried about his future in the town and the country in general. The elder was right, if people kept complaining about him to the elders then things were bound to get worse, the more unruly townspeople might even take the matter into their own hands. And as for the elder's sarcastic recommendation, he had in fact considered it for a short time. But he was no orator, nor did he have any confidence in being able to change the world, not to mention he lacked the power that would be needed.

No, as far as he was concerned if he enlightened even a few people then it was enough for him, Leave changing the word on a massive scale to others, people called to the task. He would gladly help such people certainly, but he knew himself well enough to know he could never lead any such movement. He just wanted to live out his life in relative peace and comfort doing what he was good at, with maybe an occasional adventure or two thrown in for fun. Yet it seemed this village may not have been the place for that after all.

His small home was also the shop where he made, cleaned and repaired shoes, and he quickly checked to make sure everything was put away in its proper place before retiring for the night, his workshop serving as his bedroom too due to it being the most spacious room. He got into bed

(a simple plank of wood on the stone floor that often left him sore in the morning, real beds were a Luxury he couldn't afford) with a tired sigh, hoping with sleep he might find some peace of mind. On that note he hoped he would be visited again by the mysterious woman who had been such a soothing presence for him these past few weeks. Even if his only contact with her had been during his dreams.

He pondered how he would Likely be in a much worse state without the consoling ear and... pleasant distractions she gave him. Van had longed for female companionship ever since he had left his home country, where his parents' untimely deaths and the struggle to find work had left little time for courting, not to mention Little in the way of assets to offer a potential bride. He had expected to have no shortage of opportunities though once he came to the village.

For unwed men were quite valuable in any settlement Located near places where wild mamono lived in fair numbers as the women of town sometimes faced competition with the various monster girls for prime bachelors.

Young, handsome men were especially prized, and certainly he felt he fit that description. Sure he didn't sport a manly mustache or beard, and he wasn't really buff or anything but he had a kind, handsome, some would even say pretty, nicely-groomed face, fairly long light blond hair and a well-toned athletic body (though he was only somewhat adventurous he liked to stay in shape). Height was the only area he was lacking in, and not by much, though it and his youthful face caused some to think him younger than his 18 years.

And at first he had noticed a number of the town's women giving him appraising looks and pleased smiles. He had even received several letters requesting his company for the day or evening, a proposition that commonly lead to marriage if the couple hit it off. His only problem had been trying to figure out which invitation to accept.

However, all that changed once word got around that he had been known to speak up for mamono in conversation, even if he was only trying to dispel myths about them. The same women now ignored him, looked at him in disgust, or even pity. He had subsequently received retractions on every invitation he had gotten before. He had to admit it angered him, but more than that it made him feel all the more Lonely. He was unsure if he could even call anyone in the whole village a friend, be they male or female they seemed to interact with him only if they needed to.

The isolation in some ways felt worse than being openly mistreated.

Sometimes he Longed for his homeland, sure there had not been any good jobs available for him but at Least people were more inclined to accept folks who didn't despise or needlessly fear mamono. That being said, returning to his native country was not an option, he simply didn't have the funds for the trip, especially with how poorly his shoe shop had been doing.

It was in the midst of this deep depression that she had begun appearing to him during the night as he slept. He supposed it was quite ironic that in a town so fearful of mamono he was likely being visited by one. Either that or he was having trouble recognizing when he was dreaming and had to seriously question his mental health. However, he had decided to go with the flow as much as he could, at least until he could get his visitor to agree to tell him what she was. Attempts to ask her were always diverted, ignored, or refused and he didn't want to question her too much for fear of scaring her away, but he had to admit he was getting more and more desperate to know just what was going on.