My name is Yusala Touya, an elf who was born in Bornean forest .
"Manager, the preparation is complete . "
The one who calls me is the sole employee of my shop, the small Nadi . Although she wasn't even as tall as my knee when I first met her, she's grown taller than me before I knew it . Human grows fast .
"Let's go . "
She answers me with an energetic, "Yes!", and carries the big rucksack below her feet on her shoulder . She presents another medium-sized rucksack below her to me while smiling . That's my share of luggage huh .
"Laborer . " "We can't . We don't have extra money for that . "
I tried to tell her that I wanted to hire a laborer to carry the luggage, but it was rejected . Since she's in charge of the shop's accounting, I can't push it too much .
It can't be helped, I put my favorite staff in the rucksack, and shoulder it .
"I've put manager's favorite dried fig in the bento, so let's do this energetically!"
Hou, it's quite rare for the economical Nadi to look out for others . My lips gets slightly loose . Since the sharp-sighted Nadi grins when she quickly sees it, I tighten it hard .
◇
"Let's enter the mountain from around this area . "
Nadi says so while showing the map to me . We tie the horses that we rode here on trees . Just in case, I sprinkle medicines to ward monsters around them .
We're in the middle of a job from a merchant boy called Satou to deliver an item for the ashgrey ratkin people who live on an undeveloped land deep in the mountain . Normally, I wouldn't take such annoying job, but since he's taking care a girl from my race, I couldn't decline it . Rather than saying I cannot decline, normally I should've taken this job free of charge . But a good-hearted person he is, he requested the job formally . Moreover, he gave three gold coins as the payment . I wanted to tell that I didn't need the money, but Nadi quickly blocked my mouth and I was stopped .
"Manager?" "Sorry . "
I lost in thought for a bit .
"Then, please . " "Umu . "
I use the secret art for walking in the forest .
"■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■■ Wood Walk"
Green aura wraps Nadi and me . It's been awhile since I use this magic .
While we're advancing through the forest in these states, branches and weeds as tall as grown man avert themselves from us .
"This magic is really amazing, no matter how many time I see it . " "Is that so . "
I feel slightly embarrassed from Nadi's straight praise . As a nihilistic grown man, I have to remain expressionless . I guide Nadi while we continue advancing the mountain path . Since obstacles are avoiding themselves from us, it's no different than walking in a highway .
"Ah, that's the firefly lily of the valley flower!" "We can't . "
Yes, while we're using this magic, we cannot hurt creatures of the forest . Once we do, the magic won't be usable for a season .
"So it's like that, aah, even though we could get five gold coins from the alchemy shop with that flower . "
I lead Nadi who keeps staring at the flower in regret by hand, and advance ahead . I wonder if there was a big monster that passed here, I catch sights of rocks and trees that are gouged unnaturally . Did some kind of high level monster have settled down in this forest?
I was going to use magic to check it, but then I noticed that my hand was still joined with Nadi's . I want to separate our hands, but she doesn't let it go .
"Nadi?"
"Err, there, it's separated . "
It's rare for the intelligent her . She's really interested with the flower before is she . I'm worried with her condition, but I have to confirm the safety first .
『Did some new monster spring up in the forest?』 『Yes, a lot . 』 『They're no more . 』 『No more . 』 『Hero . 』 『Was here . 』 『Night . 』 『Running . 』 『Flying . 』 『Exterminated the great wild boar . 』
The forest little echoes continue to echo . A hero in such remote forest? There should be some rumor if it was the Saga empire hero, but maybe a hero appeared among the ashgrey ratkin? I'm slightly interested with it, but since it doesn't seem to be a monster, there's probably no danger .
◇
We finally arrive at the ratkin settlements in the noon, but unfortunately, looks like we're not really welcomed .
The problem is I don't understand their words . Since I'm told that they saved Mia, I thought that they can speak elf language, but my expectation is off .
"How about it?" "Yes, it's similar to weaselkin language . There are also some that are similar with elf language . "
Nadi is speaking in guess while grabbing the cuff of my clothes . Although I've heard that she's good with language, to be able to interact using unfamiliar language like this, she's truly capable .
I'd like to use the nature magic [Translate] that my granduncle used but I don't have it, it's impossible with my level .
I watch over Nadi who's negotiating . In the worst case, we might have to push them the memento at least and go back .
The surrounding ratkin people become slightly noisier . Did Nadi make wrong expressions? Un? My feet is being shaken . When I look down, the ratkin little children are coiling around the luggage that Nadi and me have put on the ground . Since their noses are twitching, are they smelling something good?
I slowly squat down while being careful as to not stimulate the surrounding and open the big rucksack . Strong smell spread . This bundle have croquettes huh . Apparently, the children are interested with this smell . I don't know what's so good with this oily thing, but it's also popular in the city . Nadi probably has brought it for her lunch, but let's use these to build friendship with them . There are 10 croquettes in the bundle . There are 18 children huh . I break the croquettes in half, and share it with the children .
When that happen, several ratkins who look like the mothers appear from the gap between the soldiers, and each of them carries 3-4 children who keep on chewing the croquettes to behind the men . I give the last one to the ratkin who look here so wistfully . I saw a slightly appealing glance from Nadi . I'll divide you the dried fig later, so don't get mad .
I don't know if the croquettes succeed as the go-between, but since a ratkin that seem to be the patriarch who understand Shiga kingdom language comes, the goal is complete somehow .
◇
"I see, so my brother has died . " "According to the person who was present on his last moment, it was a heroic death . "
The patriarch says so as he holds the red helmet from among the memento I've handed . I can feel deep sorrow dwelling on his words . When I was about to say thanks for saving Mia, and farewell, Nadi cuts in .
"Patriarch-san, why is only the forest around here dying?" "I don't know the reason, but they've begun to wither since half a year ago . "
I see, I understand what Nadi is trying to say . It's not enough with just thank you words . I go out of the patriarch's straw-thatched roof tree house, and use a magic .
"■■ ■……■ ■ ■ ■■■■■ Summon Forest Maiden (Summon Dryad)"
In accordance to my spell, the spirit of this mountain forest responds .
It looks like a little girl with green hair .
"I have something to ask . " "Elf! It's been awhile . " "Mountain forest . " "Do you want to know why the mountain dies?" "That's right . " "The reason why the mountain die is~ because a human tried to forcibly operate the ruin . "
According to the Dryad's story, it looks like it's because granduncle Touya's ruin has absorbed the earth veins around here . How can that be .
"Measures . " "It's alright . The ruin has stopped anyway, and I've taken a lot of mana from a cute child . "
Due to the stimulation of that mana, it looks like she's succeeded in drawing power from far away earth veins . Even though she looks like that, she's lived for a lot longer than me .
"Thank you very much . " "It's fine~, see ya . "
The dryad went to the other side of the summoning circle while saying that . It's already been resolved .
Since I talked with the dryad in elf language, I tell the content of the conversation to the patriarch and Nadi . I wonder if my story is difficult, Nadi somehow interprets it for the patriarch .
"Oooh, the village is saved . " "I'm glad for you patriarch-san . " "Yes, we won't have to move to a different mountain now . "
The patriarch firmly grabs my hand, and says thanks many times over . Even though I did nothing .
"Isn't it because you use magic to identify the cause, and report that it's fine already right . " "Is that so . "
Now then, the job is over . I want to go back to the city, and take a nap on the usual sofa .
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