“Huh?” I blinked.

“Oh, you… always flirting.” The woman in the old man’s arms blushed. “How is my little brother and son?”

“Just call me son, mom!”

“Now, now… I’m not just your mother, but also your sister! That makes us even closer! How is your sister and cousin?”

“Don’t forget future wife!” The man chuckled.

“She’s just my sister, dad! I’m not going to sleep with her!”

“Haha! That’s what I said too! Why, when your grandfather-uncle told me I’d be with my sister the rest of my life, I was resistant too, but there is no fighting that sex appeal. Sisters are just the best!”

“You! We have visitors! Will you stop with your disgusting talk of sisters!” A man shouted from the crowd.

I gave a breath of relief. At least there was some reason within this village. I was starting to fear I had entered some strange otherworld. I knew that Aberis was a small country, and this was out in the boonies even for Aberis, but Chalm was too and other than a few superstitions we had to quell they were an alright people.

“You… dissing sister-wives again!”

“That’s because daughter-wives are the best, and you know it!”

“Huh?”

“Tell em, sweetie!”

“Daddy-husband always treats me right!” a meager girl said half the age of her husband.

“W-wait! But who’s the mother?” I cried out.

“That bitch left me for a younger model!” The man responded darkly.

“Hmph! How could I not fall for our son! He’s just so adorable!” A woman cried out from the other side, her boobs resting on the head of a boy who looked to be about ten.

“You both are an affront to the gods!” A third man stepped in, pointing at the rest of them and causing the crowd to turn quiet. “Besides, everyone knows cousins are far more attractive than sisters!”

“You’re just saying that because you didn’t have a sister!”

“If you didn’t grow up beside them, how do you know you truly love them? Why, cousins are practically strangers!”

“You bastards, don’t make me stick my six toes up your ass!”

The other two men started fighting with the third, arguing between children, siblings, and cousins. It was just about ready to come to blows, and they had seemingly completely forgotten that I was present. In all, I realized that this was not just a small party, but the entire village. It was only three families, each consisting of about a dozen people. It was becoming abundantly clear why the bandits had steered somewhat clear of this town and hadn’t suppressed it as much as the rest.

“I’m sorry, I should have warned you.” The kid who had brought me lowered his head. “I was afraid if I said what my town was like, that you wouldn’t come to protect it.”

“I see…” I responded, scratching my chin.

“Should we even bother to help them?” Ruby of all people asked.

Apparently, even her sense of duty couldn’t get past the shamelessness of these people.

“Every village isn’t like this!” He cried out, “This is why we’re at the edge and farthest away. These families were kicked from the other towns! Please… even if you abandon them, can you help the others?”

I reached down and put my hand on the kid’s shoulder. “Do you truly have no interest in your sister?”

“I do not!”

“Then, I will help.”

As long as there was hope for the future, I would fight on, or something like that.