Chapitre 50: Chapter 50
"Yeah! I got a Hercules!"
Arisa's enthusiastic shout reverberated through the lush, dew-soaked forest. We had arrived early for our scheduled hunt with the elves before they arrived. Sara, Arisa and Lulu, who were usually not keen on such activities, came to witness the breathtaking scenery surrounding the hunting grounds.
Satou and I had several Practical Magic spells up our sleeves, like Magic Hand and Enchant: Physical Protection; this would ensure we could protect ourselves if any unexpected events occurred. Enchant: Physical Protection was particularly useful in this situation, enabling us to move through the forest with light clothing and prevent our skin from being irritated from the sap or scratched by thorns.
I was taken aback when Satou voiced his thoughts last night, suggesting that the mythical chain-mail bikini could soon be a reality because of that spells. It was almost unbelievable that Arisa had agreed to be its model, leaving me in fear that Satou might bring his idea to fruition. If he does, I swear to myself that I will not hesitate to hit him.
Today, we were all dressed in matching safari expedition garb. Satou was the exception, still wearing his magical robes. Our boots had enchantments to ease the hiking, while our shorts and T-shirts were as resilient as leather armour, despite their unremarkable outward appearance. Lastly, we had the essential hats, tying together the entire outfit.
Arisa was thrilled as she used the Space Magic spell Short-Range Teleportation to ascend and descend the trees until she finally captured something to show Satou. Eventually, she laid her eyes on a colossal beetle of about one foot in size. Despite her distaste for spiders, she found herself captivated by the presence of this giant beetle. Upon further inspection, I recognised the beetle as a Hercules Beetle, also known as a Bolenan Spearhorn Beetle. One of the elves at Mia's welcome home party showed off his collection of local bugs, so I could recognise it.
Sara, Lulu, and Nana, who had been harvesting honeywort alongside Satou and myself, glanced up at Arisa, but when they realised what she was holding was just an insect, they quickly lost interest and returned to their foraging.
"What do you think? Pretty amazing, right?"
Before Satou could comment, Arisa swiftly moved to show off her catch to Pochi and Tama.
"Huge!"
"It's amazing, sir! Pochi wants to find one, too, sir!"
Tama was no stranger to tree climbing, as I had seen them nap in the branches many times before. However, the apparent excitement was enough to inspire Pochi to try their hand at it as well; in an instant, both of them had started up the trees.
"Gotcha?"
Tama showed off a stag beetle of a similar size to Arisa's by performing a spin in the air before touching down on the ground.
"A cat doing a twirl in mid-air... Maybe I should start calling you Nyanko-sensei?" Arisa murmured.
"Grrr, Tama's so fast, sir!"
Pochi scanned the branches overhead with unease, looking for something. Soon her gaze locked onto a target, and she sprung onto the next limb of the tree, eagerly attempting to peer into a hole. The wag of her tail indicated she must have sensed a potential meal.
"I have you now, sir!" Pochi emerged from the hole and was quickly sent airborne, shooting away from the branch. "Waaah! Sir?"
At Pochi's terrified cry, Satou used his Magic Hand spell to snatch her out of the air, carefully gathering her into his embrace.
"Be careful, all right?"
"Sorry, sir," Pochi slouched, her ears lying flat against her head.
"What did you catch, Pochi?" Arisa's inquiry invigorated her pooch, making its ears rise in anticipation.
"This, sir!"
"Geh! Th... that sure is something..." Arisa backed away slowly.
Just then, the main party arrived. Liza and Pearl arrived in front, then the elves, with Mia trailing behind them all.
"Delicacy,"
"Gift,"
"It's quite unusual to catch these at this time of year. I'm told humans don't often eat them, but they're delicious if you steam them before cooking. Scooping out the sticky insides with a spoon is the best part,"
Upon seeing the prey Pochi had caught, there were clear signs of approval from the elves. It was definitely a surprise to hear such praise for a pup-size caterpillar. Nonetheless, the hunt was ready to begin now that the elves were here.
<0>
"Meow, meeeooooow!"
"Awooooooo, sir!"
The shouts of Tama and Pochi could be heard reverberating through the trees as they swung Tarzan-style from one branch to another, aided by the low-hanging ivy.
"Hero Kura, it is my turn next, I report,"
Nana clutched a piece of ivy and gazed at me without emotion. Although possibly unnoticeable to others, I could see the same level of excitement on her face as Tama and Pochi.
"U... um, I think I'd like you to carry me instead, ma..."
Arisa was against swinging on the ivy, but Nana quickly strapped her to the back of herself using the Foundation technique Body Strengthening. Without allowing her a chance to object, Nana quickly took off before she had time to finish protesting.
"Ah!!!"
Arisa's shriek reverberated through the air, causing the nearby trees to be devoid of dew.
"M... master..."
Lulu went pale and started to shake when she saw her sister shrieking in terror while riding on Nana's back.
"Don't worry. I can just lift you with magic and carry you across,"
Using his magic, Satou levitated Lulu slightly before scooping her up in his arms. With a skill called 'Skyrunning,' they began to soar through the sky.
"Waaah! Th... this is so sudden..."
Lulu's face quickly shifted from its usual paleness to a flush of bright red. Although she grew more comfortable with him, unexpected circumstances like this still caught her off-guard. She was a lot like her older sister Arisa in that sense.
"Like this,"
Pearl had just explained to Sara how to swing on the vine properly and took off after the others to demonstrate. But Sara still looks nervous.
"Is this safe?"
Sara looks at me nervously as she gets ready to swing.
"It will be fine," I assure her. "I'll be right behind you if anything goes wrong."
"Kura, hurry,"
With Mia on my back, I give Sara a second head start before I follow after her. The initial jump gave me the sensation of a roller coaster's sudden drop, changing speeds and a burst of wind pressure that sent my hair and clothes flapping back. It was an exhilarating experience for me, and Mia appeared to be having a good time. Unfortunately, all I can hear is Sara's screams coming from the front. Perhaps it would have been better if I had carried Sara instead of Mia.
"Ah, praise be to solid ground!"
Arisa was practically kissing the grass by the time we arrived. On the other hand, Tama, Pochi, and Nana were smiling brightly, clearly thrilled from the ride. I knew I'd have to be extra careful to ensure they didn't become too overjoyed and make a mistake.
"Are you all right, Lulu?"
Though they had safely reached the ground, Lulu clung to Satou, pressed close to him in fear. Such a scary experience must have taken a toll on her.
"Y... yes. My heart is still pounding a little, but I'm f... fine. L... let's just stay like this a bit longer, please..."
"Oh-ho-hooo? What's this, now?" Arisa's gaze fixed on Lulu from the ground, and a slow smirk slowly appeared. She then began to playfully hit Lulu's back. I barely heard her whisper, even with my 'Keen Hearing' skill. "Oh, dear sister? Are you sure it's because of fear that your heart's pounding? Hmm?"
"A... Arisa, stop!"
Lulu blushed bright red and ran away from Satou as if she were being repelled by a magnet. She then embraced Arisa and blocked her mouth with her small hand. I was delighted to witness the affection between the two sisters remain so intense. It was also endearing to watch Lulu become so flustered.
"Geeeh!"
Arisa appeared to be having some difficulty breathing, yet she had the option of using a chant-free Short-Range Teleportation if required, so I decided to let her be for the time being.
"Kura,"
Mia jumped from my back, took hold of my hand and started leading me towards where the group was gathering. We arrived at a plateau next to a tranquil lake, where beautiful flowers lined the shore, and countless kinds of butterflies fluttered through the air with wings that matched the flowers' beauty. Herds of buffalo grazed on the plateau, creating a serene atmosphere.
"Pretty butterflies?"
Tama gracefully arched her back like an actual feline, giving her behind a wiggling few shakes before pouncing on the little insects. She ferociously swiped at the butterflies with her hands, being mindful not to actually contact them and harm their fragile wings so no one was there to reprimand her. Typically, Pochi would accompany Tama closely, but today she was staying back, appearing hesitant.
"You're not going to join her, Pochi?"
"I can't, sir. If I get too close to the flowers, I won't be able to smell prey anymore, sir,"
That made sense since we were planning on hunting today.
"Safe,"
"Break,"
Some of the elves spoke only a few words at a time. Trying to comprehend what these generally quiet elves meant was a feat in itself.
"Guya, Gia, you must speak properly today and say what you mean. These kind people haven't lived with you long enough to understand you, remember?"
"Explain,"
"Trust,"
Hishirotoya, nicknamed Hiya, was one of the more articulate elf boys. He attempted to reprimand the pair, but they didn't seem keen on explaining, so they allowed him to speak.
"Oh, all right, then..." Hiya gave a resigned shrug. "This is a safe area. There are no poisonous creatures here and nothing dangerous in the lake, either."
I surveyed the area, and as Hiya suggested, I couldn't spot any hostile or violent creatures nearby. But something caught my attention, and I was immediately drawn to something. Evidently, Satou had noticed it too, as he indicated to a tree in the middle of the lake, now denuded of its foliage.
"What about that Elder Treant?"
"Oh, that's nothing to worry about. I'm impressed that you recognised it, though. Most people would assume that was just a tree... But they don't tend to move much, so you've nothing to fear,"
Upon further inspection of the Elder Treant, I noticed knots and hollows forming an old man's face from the perfect angle! Initially, I believed this tree might have been magical in some way, yet I was surprised to realise it was actually a living creature.
"Wow!"
"Look at that!"
Upon seeing the Treant, all of our comrades exclaimed in surprise, as none of them had noticed it before.
"Won't we anger it if we light a fire on the shore here?"
"No, that's fine. If you were to, say, pour oil into the lake and set fire to it, of course, it'd get angry, but noticing a little campfire on the shore would be too much effort for it,"
Hiya warned me that Treants lived mostly like ordinary trees but talked much slower than giants, so I didn't want to ever have to communicate with one. With that line of question out of the way, I picked up my bow and quiver from the ground and got ready to join the elves.
"Let's go, then..." Satou started to say, but he couldn't get to finish his sentence.
"Wait,"
"Water Stone,"
"...Call Water Sui Yobi,"
Gia and Guya, two single-word elves, stopped in front of us. Gia uttered a sharp incantation resembling Spirit Magic, and the ripples she had created stirred the lake. A blue, glowing lump known as a 'Water Stone' arose from the lake's depths. Guya then pointed out what it was. Through a spiritual gaze, I observed water spirits cradling the Water Stone as they ferried it toward the shore.
"Need,"
"Dismantling,"
Gia obtained the Water Stone when it came, imbued us with magic, and demonstrated how it created water. She seemed to indicate that they employed it for butchering their prey.
"All right, we'll be back,"
"Make sure you bring home a big one, 'kay?' Whoever nets the biggest catch wins a flower crown and a kiss from the adorable Arisa!"
Arisa attempted a peculiar stance by the small encampment they had made close to the flower garden, though her body type didn't make the pose successful. If she had some more curves, I'm sure she would have caused a number of heads to turn.
"Good luck out there,"
"It's a little chilly around here, so I'll prepare some nice warm soup, too,"
"Hero Kura, I shall make garlands for your exclusive use, I vow,"
Sara and Lulu gave us a warm smile and wave as they saw us off, but Nana… I kept quiet about Nana's reward since she seemed to be enjoying herself. I don't know what I would ever use the garlands for, but she looked happy as she started to work on them. Mia, Satou, myself, and the beastfolk girls trailed the elves away from the camp as we waved back at the group staying behind.
<0>
"Master, that is a fine herd of horned buffalo,"
"Lots of beef?"
"I couldn't eat all that, sir,"
The Great Bolenan Buffalo, similar to American bison, were grazing on the plateau about three hundred feet away. The beastfolk girls watched them with glittering eyes, gazing at a range just out of reach from a short bow. An elf used Wind Magic to create a sound barrier so the herd couldn't hear our strategy discussion.
"Thin out,"
"Ten,"
I didn't comprehend what the curt elves were implying. Thus I asked one of the more verbose elves for an explanation.
"This area is particularly scarce on carnivorous predators, even for the Bolenan Forest. Without any natural enemies, the buffalo population can grow too large and consume all the vegetation if left to their own devices. Thus, our hunting goal today is to thin out the population to a certain amount. We will startle the herd into fleeing and cull ten of the slower buffalo,"
"Mia!"
As we were getting ready to begin the hunt after ascertaining the amount of our quarry, a familiar-looking elf boy sprinted towards us. It was none other than Mia's childhood friend and my recent stalker, Goya.
"Goya?"
Mia was presented with the boy's bow and, with a nod from him, he then fixed me with a glare and announced, 'Contest!' If only he had taken the time to learn from the sentence-composing elves some more.
"Are you saying you want to have a hunting competition with me?"
"Yeah,"
I wish he wouldn't look at me as if I'm an idiot. Nobody can understand the entirety of what you want to say when you only use one word, you know.
"How will we decide who wins?"
"Size,"
The largest animal within the herd would naturally be the leader. However, this would take away from our mission today. Hence, my best tactic would be to target the biggest of the ten stragglers that are the farthest behind.
"All right. You got it,"
"Let's go, then. Guya, you use Guiding Wind on everyone's bows; Gia, you use noise to scare the
herd,"
"Mm,"
"Uh-huh,"
"No Guiding,"
"Does that mean you don't want hit correction magic on your and Miss Kura's bows, Goya?"
"Mm. Right,"
The longer-spoken elf seemed unsure as she gazed at me, so I gave a nod of assurance. If Goya was unsuccessful in his pursuit, Mia and I, both sentence-uttering elves, would be ready to seize the target.
Mia, who was only 130 years old, was an extraordinary marksman, so I had a certainty that the elven veteran with more than a thousand years of practice could shoot down a buffalo without any difficulty.
We advised the girls accompanying us not to be taken aback by the loud noise the magic would generate and enlightened them concerning the strategy. Liza, Pochi, and Tama will tail the herd and subdue any buffalo that cannot continue, while Pearl will collaborate with us in the shooting. Because Liza, Pochi, and Tama were planning to assault the buffalo head-on, they changed from their safari clothes into whale leather armour.
"Start..."
Guya started to chant, which was shortly followed by Gia. Mia, Pearl, Satou, and I all loaded arrows onto our shorter bows, whereas Goya and the other elves had longbows. Every elf's bow was designed gracefully with striking etchings and strings. Mia uses a short bow today instead of the magical bow she received from the giants. I was using a short hunting bow I'd made myself. It didn't have any special effects, but that was hardly necessary for a distance of around three hundred feet.
"...Guiding Wind Michibiki no Kaze,"
Once Guyas's enchantment was finished, a gust of wind swelled around Mia and the elven speaker, blowing towards the herd.
"...Now!"
"...Noise Souon,"
At the request of the loquacious elf, Gia used her powers to cause a loud booming noise throughout the grassland. This caused an uproar among the startled buffalo, causing them to gallop away with their chief in the lead.
"Let's go, you two,"
"Tallyhooo!"
"Pochi is on the move, sir!"
Pochi raced to the front of the group of beastfolk girls who suddenly emerged from the bushes, their speed rivalling that of a rabbit. Though their task was not to pursue the buffalo, they were there to eliminate any buffalo that survived the shot of our arrows. Despite tripping over her own feet and resulting in a somersault, Pochi remained undeterred and continued her run with amazing athletic skill. Her recovery abilities were nothing short of astonishing.
"Fast,"
"Agile,"
As the elves cast their spells, I kept a watchful eye on the beastfolk girls. They drew arrows from their quivers, and the other elves loosed their first shots. Though I had faith in their accuracy, I grew worried when Goya drew his bowstring back with too much power. Undoubtedly, he would be accurate, yet I feared his shot might do more than just injure the target.
I anticipated the trajectory of one buffalo that none of the elves had singled out, and I shot my arrow ahead of it. I had to consider the direction of the air current at that range, but it was an easy feat. After the first arrow, I fired off four more, then glanced around to see if there were any that had not hit their marks.
"Mrrr,"
"Skilled,"
The two elves, gifted in the art of spell-casting, had both readied their bows with arrows, but when the moment arrived to shoot, they both lowered their bows. They had the ability to see where my arrows would have gone, and that was enough to give them pause.
I noticed some of the buffalo had survived. However, the agile beastfolk girls swiftly dealt with them by cutting their throats with knives or short swords. This may seem brutally cruel, but it was a far more humane approach than leaving them to linger on in pain and sorrow until their ultimate death; additionally, it kept the meat from being ruined.
"Pochi!"
"Waaah, sir!"
Mia's buffalo, which had been seemingly vanquished before, suddenly rose and charged Pochi with its horns. The small Pochi was lifted off the ground like a feather and thrown into the sky. Using my 'Warp' skill, I act quickly without thinking. I catch Pochi in one arm just as the buffalo starts to charge towards us. I grab its horn with my other hand and hurl it into the air, placing Pochi down safely. Taking aim, I shoot an arrow that punctures the buffalo's heart, even though I could have used magic instead. But I wanted to win the contest, and this large buffalo seemed like the perfect way to get there.
"Rest in peace, sir?"
"R.I.P,"
Pochi and Tama said a little prayer for the buffalo after it slammed into the ground beside us.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, sir,"
Liza quickly arrived, followed by Satou, Pearl and the rest of the elves.
"Very impressive, Mr Satou, Miss Kura. It's rare to see anyone with such skills, even among us elves,"
"No magic," Mia latched onto my arm and made a victory sign.
"Indeed. I've never seen anyone shoot so quickly and accurately without any magical assistance,"
Mia nuzzled my arm triumphantly, pleased with the sentence-using elf's praise.
<Title Acquired: Bow Master.>
"Next time..." Upon hearing a quiet rumble, I swivelled my head to observe Goya, his eyes glistening with tears. His visage reminded me of a young adolescent, and I felt a sense of remorse for having distressed him so intensely. "Won't lose next time!"
He shouted and immediately took off without pausing to see the match's outcome.
"Aw,"
"Youth,"
The short-spoken elves watched him go rather fondly.
Satou killed six buffalo, followed by the long-spoken elf at three, then Pearl with one, and I ended with four. Mia emerged as the huntsman who killed the largest buffalo, even though she had taken down only one. Goya, however, did not manage to take down any buffalo, which might explain why he did not need to wait to find out who had won. Maybe Goya ran off crying because he was defeated by Mia, not me, which could have been an embarrassing situation for him since most boys want to come off as cool to the person they have feelings for.
"Let's drain the blood, shall we? Lift the buffalo, please,"
"Right,"
"Okay,"
An elf, known for being taciturn, utilised the Earth Magic spell 'Lift' to help drain the buffalo's blood by placing some of the carcasses on an incline. Another elf utilised Plant Manipulation to pick up the buffalo with weeds and grass. Employing magic to accomplish this mission was undoubtedly an act befitting an elf.
The beastfolk girls quickly butchered the buffalo after they had bled out. The elves initially planned to bury everything except for select pieces of high-quality meat and the entrails. However, the girls urged them not to, insisting it would be a waste. All the edible portions were brought back and transported using an elf-made Magic Bag.
<0>
"Cute,"
"They're very, very cute, sir,"
Upon returning to the rest of the group, we were met with an ensemble of flower fairies. Sara, Arisa, Lulu, and Nana had adorned their heads with flower crowns and had even intricately woven blossoms into their hair.
"Hee-hee! Pretty good, right?"
"Yes, you look very cute. I thought you were flower fairies,"
"Let me see yours, too, Lulu,"
"A-all right..."
"Those flowers look very nice with your lovely black hair,"
When Lulu ducked her head bashfully, Satou gently tilted her chin so everyone could admire her adorableness. It would have been a shame to have such a scene go unseen.
"Hero Kura, I would like your evaluation and praise, I entreat,"
"You, very lovely,"
I nodded, mesmerised by seeing Nana's blonde hair adorned with a beautiful flowery crown. Her two braids, hanging over her shoulders, also sported the same flowers, making her look even more gorgeous. I was sure Satou couldn't help but stare at her chest instead of the lovely decorations woven into her tresses. At least Arisa was there to pinch his cheek once we realised what he was staring at.
"Me too,"
When Sara raised her hand, I complimented her appearance. She wore a stunning flowery crown, and had countless flowers in her hair, making her look like a fairy queen. She giggled when I mentioned it.
"I believe this is the second time you have been taken by my beauty,"
"Yeah, I suppose it is,"
That night in Gururian City, the moonlight illuminated her silver hair, creating a stunning and mesmerising scene. I was speechless, as it was one of the few times a sight of such beauty had transpired.
"Mrr. Compliment,"
"You're cue too, Mia,"
Mia's frown quickly turned into a smile, and she lightly blushed at my comment. Lulu had just put a few flowers in her hair.
"Tama's a flower fairy, too?"
"Pochi too, sir,"
The two young beastfolk girls looked thrilled with the flowers Arisa gave them.
"Look at this?"
Tama joyfully gestured towards her own ears. Due to her short hair being unable to support braids, Arisa had instead placed a large flower next to each ear.
"Arisa, I do not think that flowers suit me very well..."
Liza's assertions were inaccurate, as she appeared to be a charming flower fairy. Arisa and Lulu seemed to be having a great time weaving flowers into Satou's hair, and soon after, Nana and Mia did the same with mine. To complete the look, Sara put a crown on my head, similar to hers.
"Looks good?"
"Beautiful ever after, sir,"
Tama and Pochi energetically bounded around Satou with enthusiasm. Despite hearing Pochi use a peculiar expression, I kept it to myself. I simply stayed seated and acted as their model doll for a good part of the hour.
"Bizarre,"
"Mystery,"
"I imagine this was made with a spell like Magic Mold, yes? This normal cauldron is one thing, but the sealed one is very intriguing,"
"Wow, you can adjust the temperature of this heat source freely, too?"
After I finished my modelling job and was getting ready for lunch with Satou and Lulu, the short-spoken elves came by to admire Satou's homemade cauldron. The long-spoken elf stared at the cauldron where Satou was boiling the sinewy meat. The transparent cauldron floating in the air was made with Magic Mould, so it could be sealed so perfectly that it essentially functioned as a pressure cooker. We also had a second cauldron out, which we were using to cook rice.
"But normally, using it like this would cause it to collapse,"
"Special,"
Mia watched proudly as the sentence-using elf was left stunned by her boast. If this were a manga, there'd undoubtedly have been puffs of air coming out of her nose!
"M… master, the tree!" Cried out Lulu anxiously as she washed the vegetables in the lake.
"My, it's unusual to see a treant move,"
As Lulu was abruptly startled, it was due to the incoming approach of the Treant, as previously stated by the long-spoken elf.
"Hello!"
One of the Treant's arms, which was withered and branch-like, stretched out. In its palm stood a Dryad, a green-skinned little girl.
"Mia, Formation D!"
"Mm. Careful,"
Arisa and Mia flew into action, standing in front of Satou and me with their arms outstretched as if trying to protect us from the dryad's friendly wave.
"Oh, dear. The little ones don't like me, eh?" The dryad seemed sadly affected by their response.
"What brings you here, dryad?" The long-spoken elf asked.
"The treants said they had business with the human, so I came to interpret. Unlike elves, humans' lives aren't long enough to have a conversation with a Treant,"
She then elucidated that the Treants had responded to the surge of additional magic which had been unleashed when Satou employed spells.
"So what business do they have with me?"
"Well, it's their budding season, so they want you to siphon some magic power into the lake,"
"Mrrr,"
"Labor,"
The two short-spoken elves frowned warily.
"Dryad, you know Lady Aaze is quite busy right now, do you not? And even the most magical of us elves have no power to spare from helping her. Can't you ask the treants if they can wait at least a year?"
I was perplexed by the concept of 'budding season,' yet astounded that it could have such a lengthy grace period of one year.
"Not the Holytree. They're asking the human, silly!"
"Sure. What do I do? If possible, give me a method that doesn't involve kissing, please,"
Arisa gave a pleased nod in response to Satou's words. However, this caused the elves to become noticeably paler.
"Reckless,"
"Suicidal?"
"M… Mr Satou, dryads don't know how to hold back. If you transfer magic to them without someone like Lady Aaze or the shrine maidens around, she might well suck you dry,"
"Oh, please. This human can handle it,"
The dryad didn't dismiss the elf's words; remembering my past encounters with her, it seemed plausible that she may have taken more magic than a regular human could manage.
"Well, putting it directly into the lake isn't very efficient. One second, please,"
The dryad quietly conversed with the Treant, likely through some form of botanical communication. Finally, the Treant dropped two twigs into the lake, which caused a loud splash upon impact. Realising these weren't twigs but instead big enough to support a house, my shock was palpable.
"Use those branches to channel your magic into the lake,"
"Got it,"
Mia had one less task to do with Water Magic, as it was unclear whether the dryad or the Treant had shifted the branches. I saw the branches drifting toward the shore, so I collected them and gave them to Satou.
"All right… here goes,"
"Do it! Yes! Yeees!"
"Quiet, you!"
"I was just trying to cheer him on!"
Infuriated by the dryad's careless remarks, Arisa endeavoured to throw a berry at her. Unfortunately, given her lack of practice with sports, the berry missed the mark drastically. After all, it was understandable that if one wasn't accustomed to throwing things, their aim would not be perfect. Still, at least it had the effect of stopping the dryad's shouting.
"Okay, all good now,"
"...Remarkable. Even Lady Aaze took around ten days to fill the lake with magic..."
"Look?"
"The lake trees are in spring now, sir!"
The lake was full of vibrant life, with new sprouts budding from the previously lifeless treants. In the blink of an eye, the buds blossomed into beautiful flowers, yielding golden fruits. This was the 'budding season' they spoke of.
"Here, human. A thank-you from the treants,"
The dryad handed Satou a string of wooden beads with pine cone-like designs.
"Treespirit Pearls,"
"Useful,"
"This is a valuable item that can be used as a catalyst for Forest Magic. Even without a grasp of Forest Magic, you can simply put magic into the beads and visualise what you want, and it will help plants grow, bend or stretch wood, and so on,"
"Thank you, Elder Treant!"
The dryad immediately erupted into unrestrained laughter, her smile stretching almost wider than her face.
"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Saying thank you for a thank you? You're one funny human,"
After she had enjoyed laughing at Satou, the dryad vanished into the Treant's hand. The Treant then returned to the middle of the lake, its foliage and branches rustling in the process.
"What should I do with these branches?"
"Keep them. They'd be perfect for making wands or staffs, and there are probably magic paths in there now since you sent enough magic through them to fill the lake,"
The long-spoken elf promised to introduce us to an experienced staff smith. Furthermore, we had Lulu's prized golden thorn, which she had acquired from the black dragon, so this would be a good chance for us to use it.
Once the task finished, the cauldrons appeared to have finished cooking the meat. I then grabbed a big pot to place below the see-through cauldron to catch the meat as I reversed the charm cast upon it. I additionally tossed some onions into the combination and boiled the lot in water, tasting as I went and adjusting the seasonings. Satou was meant to be helping me, but he enthusiastically examined the tree branches. So it was just me, with the help of Liza and Lulu, handling the cooking.
"Kura, I've finished the preparations,"
"My prep work is done as well,"
Lulu and Liza arrived with the veggies and innards they had prepared, so I employed them to craft some accompaniments. It took a long time to get Liza to stop calling my miss, mistress and master, but she seemed comfortable enough now to drop the formalities. Satou wasn't so lucky as Liza repeatedly pointed out that she was his slave and should respectfully address him.
I thought of making omelet rice for Mia after Tama and Pochi managed to get some eggs from the forest. I added plenty of mushrooms and green peas to make it even tastier.
"Mia, allow me to draw a heart shape, I entreat,"
"Bunny,"
"Request accepted,"
It's still cute how Pearl reacts to her last name. She turns her head hearing Mia's request, then turns away, embarrassed. It happens a lot more times than she likes to admit. Meanwhile, Nana was prepared to decorate Mia's finished omelet rice with a drawing made out of ketchup.
"Mm, smells good. Is that what I think it is?"
"You'll have to wait and find out,"
Arisa cautiously approached, her nose filled with the aroma of fragrant soy sauce. The beastfolk girls stood close by as I placed the finished rice bowls on the table, prepared by the elves' magic. With Arisa at the helm, everyone expressed gratitude before digging into the meal.
"Ahhh, delicious! It's been too long since I had a beef bowl!"
Arisa shovelled the meat and rice into her mouth with tears in her eyes; normally, Lulu would be chiding her for her improper table manners, but not today. Instead, her face was as solemn as Liza's, yet she managed to take small, polite bites of the food at an impressive speed. She seemed to be mulling it over in her mind, even taking a few notes; Lulu had an uncanny passion for cooking.
"Yummy, very yummy,"
"It's full of deliciousness, sir!"
After taking the first bite of their grand beef bowl servings, Tama and Pochi joyfully waved their fists in the air, Pochi's tail wagging wildly in excitement.
"It's quite delicious," Liza's voice was hushed, yet her expression showed her feelings.
"Hero Kura, it is on par with the deliciousness of hamburg steak, I report,"
"Mine too,"
"Your cooking is very good,"
Mia argued that her omelet rice was just as delicious as Nana's beef bowl, while Sara elegantly ate her meal with a soft smile on her lips.
"Oh my, what is that? It smells amazing! Whatever are you eating?"
"Beef bowls,"
Aialize had suddenly appeared, and she spoke to one of the short-spoken elves. Behind her was the shrine maiden Lua.
"Care to join us? There's plenty more,"
"Thank you, Satou!"
No one objected when Satou offered Aialize and Lua a bowl, even though no one was sure what they had come for. Nonetheless, everyone was pleased as it made mealtime more enjoyable with more people present. I had made plenty, so having a few extra people to feed was not a problem.
"Ahhh, this is sooooo good!"
"Oh, Lady Aaze..." Lua shook her head. "By the way, Hiya. The dryad told me that the Treants' bud- ding season had begun, so I came running, but..."
Hiya, the normally loquacious elf, simply gestured towards the treants and their golden fruit instead of an answer. Even the ordinarily talkative elves prioritised indulging, it appeared.
"...What? The golden fruit has bloomed already? But that means the budding is over!"
"Satou." One of the short-spoken elves gestured at Satou.
"Did you do something, Mr Satou?"
"The dryad asked me to supply them with magic power, that's all. The methods you and Lady Aialize taught me on the stone stage to suppress spirit light and magic leakage proved very helpful,"
"That's all,'… he says..." Lua mumbled to herself in disbelief between bites of her meal.
"Leave it to you, Satou,"
Aialize got scolded by Mia when he spoke with a mouth full of food. One of the short-spoken elves beside her wiped the rice from her face with a handkerchief. As Lua was about to dig into her beef bowl, she suddenly stopped, appearing to have recalled something significant.
"...Ah, this is no time to be eating, Lady Aaze! If the Treants' problem is resolved, we must hurry back!"
"Wait, I'm still…"
But Lua grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the fairy ring, where both of them disappeared. She should really stop to eat if she is hungry. I gazed momentarily at the fairy ring where they'd vanished, then shrugged and readjusted my attitude. I'd better eat, too, after all.
After taking my first bite of the meat, I was impressed. Cooking time had been surprisingly brief, yet the meat was incredibly tender, barely needing to be chewed. The fantastic flavour from the sweet sauce, which blended perfectly with a hint of umami, had me wanting more. My next bite contained the golden-brown onions, a delightfully crunchy and sweet contrast to the meat. The combination was mouth-watering, even better than before. Finally, I sampled the dish with a spoonful of fluffy white rice. It was a sensation, deliciously perfect. The meat, onions, rice, and the vital component, the sauce, all came together to form a symphony of flavours on my tongue. The delicious harmony of the beef bowl was simply divine.
"The red pickled ginger isn't red!"
Arisa's sharp cry snapped me back into the present moment just as I was beginning to drift off into another world. Whew. It had been so long since I had last had a beef bowl that I felt overwhelmed.
"If I can get some red shiso or food colouring, I'll make it red next time,"
"Exists,"
"Nea,"
"Are you saying Miss Nea has red perilla or red food colouring?"
"Mm,"
I was getting pretty good at figuring out what the less talkative elves were saying. Satou had to meet with Nea, the cook, to go over the spices he needed for curry, so I will take the opportunity to ask her about it.
After expressing gratitude to the elves for their help, I cut the pickled ginger into small pieces for Arisa. I cut the ginger into slices, just like the ones I'd previously seen at beef bowl restaurants. After popping a slice in my mouth, I enjoyed my beef bowl. Pickled ginger adds to the experience of a meal like that!
<0>
"What in the hell?!"
When we returned to the elven village after our hunt, we went to the public bathhouse located in the underground city to clear away our sweat. However, upon reaching the entrance, Arisa erupted in an exaggerated Kansai dialect when she spotted the MEN and WOMEN signs.
"But I wanted to have a mixed bath with my sho… Oh, I know! Let's reserve a family bath!"
"Family bath?"
"None,"
Arisa spun around, seemingly in a lightheaded kind of euphoria, as though she had devised a grand plan. But her less chatty cohorts simply moved their heads from side to side in denial. It seemed that it had been a long while since the last time we had all taken a dip together in the river, thanks to Satou's construction of the open-air bath. In the Muno Barony and the old capital, there was just a single bathtub that was suitable for one person. We would take turns bathing in it.
"Well, shall we head into the men's bath?"
Satou beckoned to Hiya and Guya, the two male elves, and, together, they slipped through the curtain below the sign marked 'MEN'. Despite Arisa's sorrowful wailing, Satou commanded the others in the group to enter the female bathhouse. Pochi and Tama both expressed their desire to accompany Satou. However, he denied them and departed without them. I ended up having to drag Arisa with me after she tried to sneak into the men's bath.
The elves didn't seem to wear robes for bathing, but apart from Arisa, Mia, Pochi and Tama, the rest of us still wore ours. We appeared to be the first ones in the women's bathhouse, as we could only observe one other individual there.
"Do we use this bowl-shaped fruit as soap?"
I thought I saw something that resembled a boob, but I'm sure it was just my imagination.
"Yes, it's a soap fruit that Daisaku created through selective breeding. I believe he called it 'oppai soap'?"
It appears that Daisaku the Hero had a rather indecent thought process, for the term he used, 'oppai,' is the Japanese word for boobs.
Fending off the urge to roll my eyes, I circulate around, washing people's backs. Mia, Nana and Sara all begged me to cleanse their backs. Then, after a short dispute, the trio joined forces to do mine. Afterwards, Nana seemed blissful as she lovingly washed Pochi and Tama. I opted not to use the boob soap and instead selected a different kind. This one had a pleasing, milky scent. After I had washed myself, I took a soak in the bathtub and covered my hair with a towel. Nothing can beat the feeling of having a luxurious, long bath.
"Daisaku brought us many great cultural boons, but the public bathhouse is the best of all, don't you agree,"
"Good life,"
The elves seemed to agree with me.
"Bath time!"
"Arisa, you mustn't run in the bathhouse,"
When Arisa jumped into the bathtub with a huge splash, Liza desperately attempted to stop her, but she was unsuccessful. Not wanting the same fate to befall Pochi and Tama, Liza quickly restrained them from doing the same. Fortunately, the other girls who followed got into the bath more calmly.
Sitting beside Arisa, Lulu scolded her sister as Nana amused herself with Pochi and Tama. To my left was Mia, and Sara was on my right, while Liza and Pearl conversed with the elves about combat techniques. Just beyond our bath, Satou and the male elves were talking. The only thing that divided us was the wooden fence that Arisa seemed to be quietly mulling over how to climb.
"My… human bodies are quite different from elves',"
It could be my imagination, but it sounded like a woman was in the male bath. It was probably just a male elf, and I misheard their voice.
"Excuse me… isn't this the men's bath?"
"…Men's bath? There's no such distinction in the elf village, ya know,"
"Then why are there signs that say MEN and WOMEN in kanji at the entrance?"
"I dunno; that was part of Daisaku's design. He said it was a 'stylistic choice' or whatever,"
"I heard mixed baths were normal in Nihon. No?"
"Perhaps in another time, but where I come from, it's more common to separate them,"
"Huh, that's weird. Baths are more fun when everyone enjoys 'em together, don'cha think?"
No, I wasn't imagining things. There is definitely a woman in the male's bath, but it is starting to sound like the concept of gender-separated bathing doesn't exist in the elf village. As if to confirm this, Mia's mother and father entered our bath with a group of male and female elves. Nana looked like she was in heaven when a group of fairies entered the bath too.
"Mia,"
Goya also showed up and glared at me when he saw Mia clinging to my arm. Mia's father sent a similar look my way when Mia refused to leave my side to sit next to him.
"Heard,"
But it wasn't either Mia's father or Goya that made the next move against me. Gia appeared in front of me, looking furious for some reason.
"I'm sorry, but what did you hear?"
Gia stood imposingly in front of me.
"Labyrinth. True?" Gia demanded shortly.
"Yes," I nodded. "We're planning to go to Labyrinth City once we leave. We will train and investigate the labyrinth for indications that a demon lord will appear there."
Gia and the other elves all were taken aback by my response. It seemed as if they believed that labyrinths were perilous places.
"I'm sorry. Did hearing that upset you?"
"Reckless."
"No. Dangerous," Gia shook her head.
"Calm down,"
"I know that slow and steady wins the race, but you must be sure that your words are understood if you wish to get anywhere,"
More elves are arriving by the second, and those from the male bath drag Satou over here with them.
"If only some wind would blow away that towel…"
Lulu quickly stopped Arisa from saying more, but even she was glancing at Satou, who entered the bath wearing only a towel around his waist.
"Perhaps I should explain…"
Hiya instructed everyone to get into the water so they wouldn't get sick, then told us about his memories from several centuries ago when he and several other elves trained in the labyrinth located in Celivera.
"It was a terrible place. There are lights that illuminate your path, but it's actually a trap," Hiya said.
"Light makes shadows, ya know,"
A female elf named Poa added after Arisa looked confused, and other elves gave their input.
"Goblin Assassins appeared from the shadows, and when we tried to retreat to a safe place, we stumbled onto a Hatch Hole. The battle only got worse from there,"
"It was truly a place like unto hell,"
"Weak spirits,"
Mentioning Hatch Holes, Hiya alluded to a spawn point similar to something from a video game, wherein a hole would abruptly appear in the wall, and an influx of monsters would pour out.
"We'll find them,"
"That's right, sir! Tama and Pochi will find all the monsters, sir!"
Hiya gave the beastfolk pair a sad smile and patted their heads.
"That's right. Beastfolk have such sharp senses. They were very helpful in places without a lot of spirits, at first. But even beastfolk can't go on forever with their nerves constantly on edge. People can't live without sleep. And if you want to get to the depths of the labyrinth, you'll need to be in there for days. And monsters aren't the only enemies there,"
"Are there bandits as well?" Liza asked.
"Plunderers," The short-spoken elf Gia responded.
Thieves must be to labyrinths just as buccaneers were to the open ocean.
"Yes, those too. But I'm actually talking about fellow explorers. They normally won't attack you, but if you let your guard down after a monster battle, there are those who might try to entrap you. You mustn't trust anyone in the labyrinth,"
The younger children appeared to be close to tears.
"But those people are the minority, of course," Hiya added, reassuring them, seeing me embracing the frightened Tama and Pochi.
"Thank you for worrying about us. Would you mind telling us more about your experiences in the labyrinth?"
Hiya gazed at me with an expression that indicated he was developing a headache.
"D… didn't you hear everything I just told you?"
"Yes, it was good information…"
They gave me a lot to think about. I expected monsters, but now I knew to watch for bandits and explorers too. That information could save us a lot of trouble entering the labyrinth.
"You are truly determined to go to the labyrinth, no matter what?"
"Duh,"
"O… of course, sir,"
Tama's answer was immediate, though Pochi's came with a delay. Everyone else nodded, and all answered yes. For some reason, this included Mia, who was supposed to stay in the Bolenan Forest.
"Then, whilst you are here in Bolenan, we shall train you ourselves. None of us wishes to send you on your way only to hear of a tragedy later, like in Traya's time,"
We were pleasantly surprised by the offer, and we accepted without hesitation. I wasn't too worried about myself, but I felt it would be great for us all to be taught the skills the elves had perfected through years of practice.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone