SECRET N ° 257 The Strange Merchant chapter 7

in FreeCompliments2 days ago

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Chapter 7

The Hunt for the Coins

Lucien knew he had no time to waste. Every moment of hesitation allowed the influence of the coins to take deeper root in Trésorville. If the villagers continued to keep them, their village faced a far greater danger than just the disappearance of a few inhabitants.

But he had no illusions: retrieving those coins would not be an easy task.

The Villagers’ Resistance
Early the next morning, Lucien began his quest. He went back to see Hubert, who, after the disappearance of his wife, had become one of the few who understood the threat. When he knocked on the door of his modest farm, Hubert opened it immediately, his face hollowed by exhaustion.

— "I want to help you." His voice was rough, marked by pain. "If those cursed coins have anything to do with what happened to my wife, then we must retrieve them."

They started by visiting the families known to have received coins from Gaspard. But from their very first attempt, they met fierce opposition.

At the blacksmith’s house, a sturdy man named Matthieu, things quickly escalated.

— "Give back my coin?" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with a strange light. "Never! Since I got it, my work has been easier, my tools last longer. Why should I give it up?"

Lucien tried to explain the dangers, but Matthieu let out a bitter laugh.

— "You believe in witches' tales, kid? These coins are a blessing. You’re the ones afraid of change."

When Lucien insisted, Matthieu slammed his hand onto the table, making it tremble under his powerful fist.

— "Don’t ever come back here with your nonsense."

The same scene repeated itself with several other villagers. Some refused to believe in the threat, blinded by the luck and prosperity the coin brought them. Others seemed… different. As if the coin clung to them, changing them little by little.

Chapitre 7

La Chasse aux Pièces

Lucien savait qu’il n’avait pas de temps à perdre. Chaque instant passé à hésiter permettait à l’influence des pièces de s’enraciner davantage dans Trésorville. Si les villageois continuaient à les garder, leur village courait un danger bien plus grand que la simple disparition de quelques habitants.

Mais il ne se faisait pas d’illusions : récupérer ces pièces ne serait pas une tâche aisée.

La Résistance des Villageois
Dès le lendemain matin, Lucien commença sa quête. Il retourna voir Hubert, qui, après la disparition de sa femme, était devenu l’un des rares à comprendre la menace. Lorsqu’il frappa à la porte de sa modeste ferme, Hubert lui ouvrit immédiatement, le visage creusé par la fatigue.

— « Je veux t’aider. » Sa voix était rauque, marquée par la douleur. « Si ces maudites pièces ont un lien avec ce qui est arrivé à ma femme, alors nous devons les récupérer. »

Ils commencèrent par rendre visite aux familles connues pour avoir reçu des pièces de Gaspard. Mais dès leur première tentative, ils se heurtèrent à une vive opposition.

Chez le forgeron, un homme robuste du nom de Matthieu, les choses dégénérèrent rapidement.

— « Rendre ma pièce ? » s’exclama-t-il, les yeux brillants d’une étrange lueur. « Jamais ! Depuis que je l’ai, mon travail est plus facile, mes outils tiennent plus longtemps. Pourquoi devrais-je l’abandonner ? »

Lucien tenta de lui expliquer les dangers, mais Matthieu éclata d’un rire amer.

— « Tu crois aux contes de sorcières, gamin ? Ces pièces sont une bénédiction. C’est vous qui avez peur du changement. »

Lorsque Lucien insista, Matthieu posa brutalement sa main sur la table, la faisant trembler sous son poing puissant.

— « Ne reviens plus jamais ici avec tes sornettes. »

Le même scénario se répéta chez plusieurs autres villageois. Certains refusaient de croire en la menace, aveuglés par la chance et la prospérité que leur offrait la pièce. D’autres semblaient… différents. Comme si la pièce s’agrippait à eux, les changeant peu à peu.

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