The map depicted the whole mountain, along with the square location the hidden village was in, and even the fake village, too. It also showcased the perimeter of trees surrounding it.
Lines and symbols marked routes Ludwig hadn't seen, and the more he stared, the more he realized how deliberate the settlement's layout was. The "fake village" wasn't an accident. It was bait. The hidden village was a heart behind ribs. And the tree perimeter wasn't just trees; it was infrastructure, a living wall designed to guide or misguide.
There were some symbols that Ludwig didn't understand next to the tree perimeter. So he asked, "What are those?"
"Defense mechanism, they're disorienting and confusion wards, to chase away unwanted people. And invite those who come without hostility, been serving us for a while."
