117 - - a late-night secret meeting

Her body, which emerged in the darkness of the night, was modest yet clearly feminine.

The gentle curves of her body gave off a seductive feminine scent that tickled Thor's nostrils.

Saralisa quietly opened her mouth, the scales on her neck shining a pale blue in the moonlight.

"Have you had a good night already, ......?"

"No, I'm fine. Can I help you?"

"I'd like to talk to you for a minute. ......"

Thor got up and sat cross-legged, and the Soukei woman bent down and entered the tent.

They sat facing each other with their knees folded, so close that even one man could feel her breath.

Saralisa looked straight into Thor's eyes for a while, and then suddenly fell down.

The woman, who was in a posture as if she was rubbing her forehead against the ground, let out a muffled voice.

"I'm sorry. ......"

Thor scratched the bottom of his chin and frowned at the sudden apology.

He then asked Saralisa, who kept her head down, a question.

"Is it about the rope?"

"No way, did you notice ....... But why ......?"

The reason is quite simple: when I touched the cut rope, no history came to mind.

If it had been the work of the monster, the evil spirit of the windstorm, we would have been able to confirm at least the state of the rope just before it was cut.

Moreover, Thor had seen the strange shaped knife hanging from Saralisa's waist during the performance earlier.

The blade, which seemed to wave from side to side, was commonly used in the eastern lands, the home of the Sourin people.

He had intended to ask about it before his departure tomorrow, but if he had come here, he should ask about it here.

What is your purpose?

"I wanted to be sure. ......"

My power?

"Yes. ....... Please forgive me.

You think I'm gonna let you get away with that?　You put them in danger."

As if struck by her words, Saralisa looks up.

Her face is bloodless, but her eyes have the same mad glint in them that I have seen before.

"And yet, I beg your forgiveness. I really need your ...... help. ......"

The way Saralisa's voice trembled but she did not look away reminded Thor of her brother-in-law, Garudo.

The stubborn will of both of them is something he knows all too well.

Thor scratches the bottom of his chin again and exhales deeply.

"Just tell me everything. Tell me everything for now, and then we'll decide."

"Oh, thank you."

"So don't thank me. I haven't accepted anything yet.

Despite her stuttering in places, Saralisa's story was as follows.

It all started three years ago, when Garudo and his party were taking the east route across the center of the mountain.

As they passed through the center and approached a line of low rocky peaks, the party was suddenly hit by a series of strong gusts of wind.

In the midst of a violent sandstorm, they were tied together with ropes, and within moments the evil spirit of the wind appeared.

And there were more than one.

The party decides to retreat, but is almost surrounded by the monsters, and the party is split in two.

At this time, as today, the party was divided into three, including Garudo, his wife Celse, and Saralisa.

"I think my sister cut the rope and let us go," he said.

"Is that so?"

"If all five of us are connected, we can't escape. ......"

The sisters apparently took the bait and disappeared into the dusty depths.

Half a day later, only Garudo returned, badly wounded.

Saralisa and her friends rushed back to the same place to look for her lost sister, only to find the wind still raging wildly.

The sandstorms, which usually disappear within a few minutes, seem to have grown into a tremendous force due to an unlucky series of breaking winds.

Two days later, the sandstorms finally subsided, but what remained instead was the biggest raging wind monster you have ever seen.

It was too dangerous, and the search was abandoned on the spot.

Several times after that, we tried to enlist the help of acquaintances and other reputable adventurers, but we were forced to retreat at every turn.

Rumors spread, and with the tendency to avoid danger, fewer and fewer colleagues were willing to lend a hand.

Time passed, and after a year had passed since Cerce went missing, everyone shook their heads in resignation.

The eastern route was soon regarded as a dead end, and Garudo and his colleagues settled down to serve as guides.

But they had not given up.

They continued to search for a skilled person.

I see what you mean.

"If so, please contact us at ......."

"No, I just said I understand. I didn't say I forgive you."

"Um, ...... about the rope. ......"

In fact, it is said that if you are caught in a sandstorm, the correct thing to do is to stay low and let the sandstorm pass by.

Or, you can move away from the center of the sandstorm without going against the wind.

To keep moving forward is the most likely way to encounter the evil spirit of the storm wind, and it seems that it was a choice that should never be made.

"So, what if?"

"Yes, I thought it was dangerous to go on like that. ....... But it was an unnecessary worry. I still can't believe ...... that I killed an evil spirit."

Saralisa said that when she saw Thor knocking down the pebbles in the sandstorm, she wanted to see how well she could survive the attack of the evil spirits of the windstorm.

But she was stunned beyond amazement when she saw how easily he had been defeated.

"Please, I beg you. Please help me avenge my sister. ......"

Saralisa nodded her head as if she had made up her mind, while Thor remained silent.

Then she suddenly took off one of her skins.

"......I'd be happy to let you ...... do with this body as you please."

Wait, wait, don't panic. I didn't say I'd take you on, but I didn't say I wouldn't."

Then!

"Put your shoulder away first. We don't want you to catch a cold that will interfere with the tour. I mean, tomorrow is the big day, so why waste your energy?

"Yes, that's right. ....... I'm sorry. ......"

"Besides, I don't have the taste to have a woman for the sake of calculation."

Saralisa's face turns dejected when the offer is summarily turned down.

Thor, who had a serious face, asked her about it.

"Why did you suddenly decide to apologize?　If you'd just kept your mouth shut and asked, it might have worked."

The Soukei woman's eyes fluttered slowly at the question.

Then she answered with a small shake of her head.

"I had a very ...... enjoyable dinner tonight.

"Is that why?"

"Wow, our parties used to be funny like that. My brother-in-law was there and my sister was sitting beside me, and I played the lyre and they all laughed ...... with happiness. ......"

The sound of drops dripping onto the mattress.

"I envy you so, so much ......, that I can't forgive myself ......."

Without saying a word, Thor lends his chest and Saralisa, who has buried her face in his, begins to quietly wail.

The rain in the wilderness continued to fall for a while.