81. The Little Rascal Escapes the Palace

The nameless young man stared at him with his usual emotionless gaze. "That strange outbreak was caused by a poison he carried," he stated flatly.

"He had already laced the village's water source with it beforehand. And the antidote you mentioned? It was merely a neutralizer. Once the villagers drank the neutralized water, they naturally recovered. He tricked you."

The village elder looked ready to protest. "Impossible—"

Arkana cut in calmly, "He's right. If you think about it, it's odd, isn't it? Someone suddenly showing up amid an outbreak like a last-minute hero, conveniently claiming to have the antidote."

The elder gasped, clearly shocked and outraged at having been deceived.

Meanwhile, Casildo, who had been utterly indifferent to the serious discussion, casually wrapped an arm around the elder's shoulders. Still munching on his snack, he said, "Eh, don't get so worked up... You're too old for this. Watch your heart."