All these propaganda PR stunts the hero put starts annoying me, man. Maybe I'm looking too much into it, but comparing the lake and this village made me think the author is talking about news and media coverage overall.
Sure, it is an absolute cartoony depiction, but it's what a caricature is. Repeat a lie so many times and it'll become a truth. This old fossil kinda reminded me of those old people in real life who firmly believe a propaganda no matter how strong the evidence actually is. This is due to them being fed it so many times that it's bound to their bone and blood. Thus, causing them to deny the truth that shakes their fed propaganda. And even worse, the propaganda guided them on how should they feel about it, too. I know I may be shouldn't talk about real life news here, but it is what's happening recently at this date with a frozen water group.
So yeah, I predict that the old fossil who belongs to the grave will absolutely deny the truth and throwing tantrum next chapter.
For the MC, I think he's been beaten down mentally that his self-esteem kinda low. You know, like "Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareta Shiromadoushi, S-Rank Boukensha ni Hirowareru: Kono Shiromadoushi ga Kikakugai Sugiru". Especially since he's the side of the supposed "hero". A support-role like him would automatically think themselves as lower than the guy hailed as number 1. And it's the current trope of so many banished support stories.
The "Jack of All Trade Master of None" anime that's currently airing had the right story UNTIL episode 5. I immediately dropped it at episode 6 lmao. The amount of asspulls that anime did instantly turned me off. Both these animes showed the story of nurturing MC who had lost their self-esteem and I bet this series will try that too.
And in this manga case, the factor that's lowering our MC self-esteem is the amount of the propaganda the hero put. Unless we finally reach the Spiritfolk Kingdom, I think our MC won't take a firm stance.