I wake up feeling someone's body temperature.
It's a room that looks familiar. Ah, the burning iron floor room. This is a place of memories spent alone with Marl. When I turned my eyes to the side, there was Marle sleeping peacefully. Tears come out of nowhere. Why is she so dear and heartbreaking?
I bring my face to Marle, who is sleeping without knowing it, and gently touch it. Then Marl woke up, and after she turned her gaze to me for a while, she suddenly hugged me.
I hugged Marle, who was quietly shedding tears in my chest, and while I was gently stroking her back, Marle raised her face and stared at me. He kisses her without saying a word, and Marle brings tears to her eyes. Before I knew it, my eyes were filled with tears. Oh, why are you so sweet and sad?
"Yes yes, that's the end of flirting. It's poisonous to your eyes! I mean, mix me too Oran! ? 』
Someone is covering us as we embrace each other with a sweet voice.
"Don't get in the way, you damn god! Don't get in the way, die!"
"Such cruel words to me, the merciful person who set up the reunion in my dreams! ? Can you be a little nicer to me? 』
"Taishi-san, Taishi-san, Taishi-san..."
The goddess who was shaken off by me and fell on the floor raises a voice of protest, and Marle who is still clinging to my chest calls my name and strangles me with tremendous force. Wait a minute, Mr. Marle, let's take out the contents.
"Okay, calm down Marle, I'm here…Hey bad god, is this Marle the real Marle?
"It's genuine. I connect consciousness via the library. Chi'
The bad god sitting on the floor said so while looking away with an uninteresting look on his face. There's a word I don't quite understand, but I don't think I can speak for that long, so let's keep it short.
"Mar, listen. I can't go home right away because I can't use my magic well because I've lost my strength."
Put your hands on Marle's cheeks, look up and listen to my words. Tears and a runny nose ruin a pretty face. But I love Marl like that. She holds Marle to her chest again and strokes her head as she spins her words.
"I can't go back until I regain my strength and talk to God. I'm sure Clover will be under surveillance, so if I go back now, I'll be attacked again. This time I probably won't win, and if I don't win, I'll probably be killed. That's why now. I can't go home, but I'll definitely return even if it takes time, so please wait for me."
Marle nodded while pressing her face against my chest.
"Perhaps you guys are also being watched. That's why you shouldn't come pick me up. See if there is any."
"I'm serious..."
After rubbing her face against my chest, Marle raised her face and said so. You just wiped your nose on my chest, didn't you? It's okay though.
"Yes, how are you?"
As we were staring at each other, a bad god cut in between us and pulled us apart. Goupang again, when he clenched his fist, heat ran through his left wrist.
"Hot!?"
"Kyaa!?"
"As a proof that this is not just a dream, I, who is merciful, put a mark on my left wrist. You flirting.』
"The real intention is leaking"
"Um, Mr. Taishi. Who is this person?"
"I am God. The god who brought Taishi-kun to this world. May you thank me.』
"Yes! Thank you God!"
"You're honest! ? Wait a minute, is this child too obedient? 』
"It's natural, it's Marle."
What are you talking about?
"Ah... that's right. For some reason, I'm now one with you, Taishi-kun, and I'm flirting with you every day, but don't get jealous, okay? 』
"Is that so? But Taishi-san, you're coming home, aren't you?"
"Of course. You guys are the only place I can return to."
"Is that okay?"
"... Huh? 』
The bad god is perplexed. Maybe Marle has some kind of special attack effect on the bad gods.
"Oh, that. For the time being, if you connect too much, you might find out, so let's cut it soon, okay? 』
"Yes! Thank you for letting me meet Taishi-san!"
"Oh yeah. Well then, see ya"
Noise runs through the space, returning to the pure white space.
"... I'm not good at that kid"
As expected of Mr. Marl. I calmly do what I can't do.
☆★☆
I wake up feeling something soft and warm around my eyes.
"Are you okay? It looks like you were crying."
Harpie was looking at me with a worried face. He sat up and looked at his left wrist, which had a cross-shaped red mark on it. Apparently it wasn't just a dream after all.
"That's right."
that's true. Thanks.
"I feel like I'm going crazy when you say thank you honestly."
After saying that, the god fell silent. I wonder if it's effective to say thank you with an honest heart. Well, I guess I'll listen to his words a little more obediently from now on. I was able to do it.
"A bruise? Does it hurt?"
Harpie-san noticed my bruise and gently stroked the bruise on my wrist with a soft feather. Gently touch the tip of its wings and then hug Harpie-san.
"I'm fine. Thank you for comforting me."
"No, it's fine. I'm sorry, I wasn't very comforted."
"That's not true. I was able to cry because you comforted me. There aren't many people I've shown tears to. Shut up, okay?"
"Yeah"
Harpie-san smiled and warmly wrapped me in her soft feathers again.
"You have a very clean face."
As soon as I got out of bed and went to the water, I was greeted with such words. Rifana-san, the master of the words, turns to me with a gaze that seems to freeze the spring water.
Umu, it's already morning. I wonder if it's happening because I woke up at a sloppy time.
"Thanks to all of you. Harpie-san's kindness, warmth, and tolerance have healed me so much."
"Oh! That's right. That's good."
For the time being, when I returned that with a calm feeling, Rifana left the waterhole as if she was frightened by something. Hate? I thought she was going to tingle a little bit by now, but what's the matter?
While I was washing my face while tilting my head, Breeda appeared. With a water bag in her hand, she must have come to refill water for her journey.
"Yo, good morning"
"Oh, good morning. Hum?"
Breeder stares at my face.
"Is it really that bad?"
"Huh? Oh, well, yeah. Harpie-san was kind to me. If I didn't have a wife, I might have buried my bones here."
"Really"
Breeder nodded and started using the water hole. She can't help but stare blankly, so she heads for the plaza of the Harpie village to join Elmina-san. Then there was Elmina-san and the gorgeous Harpy, the head of the Harpies. The two wave to me when they see me.
"good morning"
"Good morning. Yeah, you look good."
"Yes"
"is that so?"
I don't think anything will change from yesterday, but I stroked my cheek while thinking. Well, I was able to meet Marle even in my dreams, and I was able to convey her words, so it was good that her worries decreased. I feel like I have a lot of room in my heart.
"Elmina-san, can we stop by here on the way home?"
"Yeah, I'm planning to stop by, but..."
Elmina-san smiled wryly. Something is wrong with this.
"No. No, it was very healing, but that's not the subject."
After that preamble, I tell the two of them about Piruru, which I told Harpie-san.
"So you want to hear the results."
"That's the reason.
"I will speak to everyone as well."
"Please. If I can go back, I want to go back to my hometown."
Even if that doesn't come true, I want to let him see me even if it's just a glance, and at least I want to tell him that he's safe. As long as it's within my reach, and as long as I can do it on my own, my unreasonable desire to help people won't change. Even if I lose power, I want to maintain this stance.
☆★☆
Run through the woods again.
My body feels strangely light. The wind magic that assists movement is in good condition. There is a sense that it is sharp, or that it can be operated delicately. Breeda and Rifana, who are both running alongside me, seem to have noticed my state, and have turned their gazes to me several times.
The image is changed a little and the magic is developed. Harpie-san's enveloping feathers are my current image. Until yesterday, the image was like a jet plane.
Once you get it right, the rest is easy. It is like a bicycle. If you want to move really fast, the image from yesterday is better, but if you want to run at this speed, the current method is much smarter.
After several hours of running, the forest opened up and a structure made of white material came into view.
"We've arrived. We're camping here today."
The place where Elmina-san stopped was a mortar-shaped grassland that popped open in a group of structures made of white material. It seems that this place has become a pool of magic power, and the magic power in the air turns into pale phosphorescence and dances like a firefly.
"This place is a ruin, isn't it?"
"That's what humans call it. We call it forbidden land."
"Forbidden land, huh?"
"Yes, it's a land that should never be set foot in. The only area where entry is allowed here is up to this hollow. From here onwards, it is not allowed to enter beyond that white gate."
Elmina-san pointed at what looked like a security gate, and beyond that was a large dome-shaped white structure. The structure on top of the white dome occasionally emits irregular light, and even now it is obvious that the facility is 'alive'.
"Are you interested? Stop it, no matter how many lives you have, it's not enough, you know? There are powerful monsters inside that can't be attacked."
"Does the attack work?"
"It's a monster made of the same white material as that building. It shoots magic bullets at random when it finds an outsider. Arrows, blades, and magic can't penetrate it."
Elmina-san let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulders.
"You say it as if you've been there before."
"There is, you know? Because it's bothering me. I ended up running away with my crawling body."
"I see"
It's true that Elmina-san seems to ignore forbidden grounds and enter if she's interested.
"Here it is, pseudo-goddess. I can feel the waves
Is it a sudden hit? Good luck.
"Well, not really. Security seems a little too tight here. I can't say I'll be right back. I think it would be better to look for something a little easier, or see the timing.』
Either way, I can't act on my own right now. I also have items entrusted to me not only by the elf villages, but also by other villages.
"I've put a marker on it, so I can guide you here anytime. You should come again next time.』
"Hey, don't say you want to go there, okay? Taishi-kun, you're in charge of a lot of supplies right now, right?"
"Yes, I know. I won't do it for today."
"Today, yes."
I also shrugged my shoulders to Elmina-san, who smiled wryly, and took out the necessary tools for the camp from the treasure box. Incense burners and tents to repel insects, bedsheets, fuel and food for bonfires, and barrels filled with water.
"How about getting rid of monsters?"
"I don't need it. Monsters don't come near here."
HM? I wonder if this pool of magic has something to do with it.
"Because it's the crater of the Shinrikigun, it's here. I don't think monsters will come close.』
I'm not sure if that's okay with us.
"It's fine for one night. Well, you can think of it as a pool of magical energy with a wavelength that demons hate.』
That one is superimposed. I'm worried about the words if it's just for one night, but that's okay.
It seems that the three elves are going to finish their dinner with dried meat and fruits. Isn't that a little too bland? I think so, but none of the three seem to think so.
"Let's make some soup..."
"Isn't it fine to eat a simple meal for one night?"
"If you want to drink soup so much, why don't you make it yourself?"
Elmina-san and Rifana-san are sitting down and silently enjoying the dried fruit when it comes to Breeda.
"OK, then I will make it.
"It's fine. Don't overuse it, okay? While we're at it, please take care of us."
"Hey hey"
I used earth magic to quickly make a simple stove, and put a pot on top of it to make some soup. There will be no waste if we make it together for tomorrow morning.
Pour the water created with water magic into a reasonably sized pot and heat it with fire magic. Take out a block of salted behemoth meat while it's boiling, cut the fatty part thinly and put it in the hot water that starts to bubble. Simmer as it is, scoop out the scum that comes out, and add the dried vegetables and dried mushrooms while crushing them with your hands. Let it simmer for a while and adjust the taste with salt.
After that, simmer until the soup stock of mushrooms and vegetables comes out firmly. When adding mushrooms, I think the key to deliciousness is not to let it boil too much. The three elves holding the soup cups and making faces like, "Isn't there yet?"
Taste the finished soup and fine-tune the taste again, and it's complete.
Pour the soup into Elmina-san's cup that sticks out first, then Rifana, and finally Breeder's cup. Finally mine.
"Yeah, it tastes good."
"Not bad"
"delicious"
"What about that guy?"
I don't want insects flying into the soup, so I put a stone lid made with earth magic on it and put it on top of the pot.
As expected, sleeping with everyone was careless, so we split into two groups and slept. First, Breeda and Elmina-san sleep, then me and Rifana sleep. To be honest, this kind of lookout is hard to come by, but I decided to take your word for it.
As soon as they ate, they slept in the tent, so the two of them, Rifana, kept watch while watching the fire. Monsters don't seem to come, and to be honest, I have a lot of free time. I can't wake up the two who went to bed first after practicing magic and swordsmanship. I can't speak loudly, so it inevitably happens like this.
"Why are you sitting next to me?"
"No, I can't speak loudly, so it can't be helped."
"I have nothing to say"
"Don't say that. You're free."
I yawn without worrying about Rifana glaring at me. If you don't talk to me, I'm definitely going to sleep. I was in bed until noon today, but I don't have that much time to sleep. I don't feel like I slept much because I met Marle in my dream.
"I'm amazed. Why are you sleepy even though you've devoured that much indolence?"
"You haven't slept."
"dirty"
"It's clean because it was thoroughly purified."
"That's not what I'm talking about."
"I know"
"Will you hit me?"
For some reason, this exchange reminds me of Melkina before she fell down. Will this girl become super sweet like Melkina if she gets bored?
Rifana is also a very beautiful woman like the elves. However, unlike Melkina and Elmina-san, who are fair-skinned, her skin is tanned and brown. She's a so-called dark elf-like beauty, but her breasts are humble. The brown elf is an image of her with big breasts. She has beautiful silver hair, just like I imagined.
As I was observing, I was suddenly stared at, so I shook an appropriate topic.
"Are you acquainted with Melkina?"
"... childhood friend."
"I see. Well, you seem to be close in age... I don't know how old an elf looks."
"Humans are just too short-lived."
"It's all about longevity. It seems like the fertility is higher because of that. I don't know much about elves, but they can't have children until they're in heat, right?"
"Don't you have something better to talk about? Would you talk to an unmarried maiden like that?"
Shrug your shoulders to Rifana, who shows her teeth and shows her anger.
"Isn't it a bit of a dirty joke? Well, then tell me about the forbidden land."
"Didn't you hear it from Elmina-san?"
"Isn't there another one? Tell me where it's located and what it's like. I'm interested."
"Hey... do you know what a forbidden place means? It's a place where you're not allowed to set foot in. That's not just because if you enter, your life will be in danger."
"In other words?"
"There are things you shouldn't touch there.
Rifana said so and turned to the side. Hmm, no islands to attach. Well, if the rifana is useless, then I should ask Elmina-san, Breeda-san, or Marth-kun. Delphida is fine too.
"Hey, how is Melkina doing?"
"Yeah? You're doing well. It seems like you've been wandering around here and there for a while after leaving the forest and enjoying eating. Well, when I first met you, you had the same attitude as Rifana, but now you're stuck. I'm spoiled too much and it's a bit of a problem."
"Yeah... From what I've heard, it certainly sounds like Melkina."
Rifana faintly smiles while being illuminated by the bonfire.
"Because life in the village seemed boring to Melkina. I was even hit."
"Humans seem to be hated a lot."
"It seems that my parents and grandparents generation were oppressed by humans. I have never been directly hurt by humans, but I grew up listening to stories from such adults."
Rifana's eyes stare at the swaying flames.
"Do you know what the humans did to the elves? They summoned them to dinner and gave them medicine, summoned all the adults to attack villages that had become only children, and did whatever they wanted. There were more than a hundred clans. were all but destroyed, and now there are only five clans left in the Great Forest."
"Melkina also said that she was in danger more than once or twice."
I remember the details of Melkina's close call that I heard in the sleeping story.
"That's why I don't like humans, not even you."
"Hmm, well, even if I'm an elf, I don't think I'll be able to easily forgive her.
I continue my words to Rifana who is glaring at me with a dubious expression.
"I came to this world after being picked up by an evil god with a little murmur, can't you believe it?"
"You can't believe such nonsense, can you?"
"That's right. Well, you don't have to believe it, and it's not a story with evidence. But well, I think it's a bit wasteful to hate him just because he's human. Then the reason is that he's an elf. You're not that different from those guys who just did terrible things."
"That's right!"
"Shhh, be quiet"
I managed to calm down Rifana who was about to shout out.
"My words were a bit bad, but what I want to say is that it's not good to think and make judgments based only on human races. There are bad people who can't be saved, and there are good people who sacrifice themselves to help others."
"Are you saying you're a good person?"
"I think I'm rather a bad person. It's true that I help people, but that's just the result, and I'm only working for myself."
This is a line that I cannot compromise on. I don't want to go to great lengths to work for someone else. I only wield power for my sake, and I don't work. I definitely don't want to work for other people.
Rifana looked away after staring at me like that.
"Hey, is it a fad for elves to stare into someone's eyes?"
"It's not like that."
"Then what is it?"
"I'm sorry, it's nothing."
I felt like I had a rude attitude. Should this be seen as an improvement in relations? Well, if you think that you have become a good partner without worrying about it, it should be fine.
After that, I killed time by talking ramblings, and woke up Elmina-san and Breeder at just the right time to change the lookout.
"If you do something strange, I swear to my bow that I will definitely punish you."
"Don't"
"If you come this way from this arrow, I'll kill you."
"I understand.
In the end, Rifana was making some noise next to me until I went to sleep. I'm already sleepy so let me sleep.