203 - - Art. 203. To the Land of Secrets

"I'm sorry I underestimated you guys."

Sharaza bowed to us after we defeated the demons that attacked the town.

"I admit it. You are definitely a good warrior for defeating him. And you who stood up to protect the people of this town without fear.

"No, don't worry about it. It's all right as long as you understand.

"Yeah, yeah, you're really great!　After all, it was the fastest ever to be ranked S!"

No, I don't think that's relevant, Mr. Gyro.

"Ah, not even we elven warriors have the strength to defeat him single-handedly, and I've seen firsthand what an S-rank adventurer can do."

Huh?　That's a bit much, don't you think?　That demon wasn't that strong, you know?

"That's right, that's right!　Heh heh heh, you're pretty talkative, aren't you!"

But Mr. Gyro and Ms. Sharaza, who had hit it off with me, were having a great time, leaving me bewildered.

And when they looked at me again, they straightened their posture and bowed their heads again.

"Mister Lex. I would like to ask you once again. I ask you once again to save our hometown and the things we protect."

"I will not speak in public places. We'll discuss the details at Gordov's."

It seems to be a very important matter.

I'm sure it's very important.

We came back to Mr. Gordov's store and Mr. Sharaza started talking to us.

"The request I have for you is ...... to protect our mother tree."

"Protection of the sacred tree, sir?"

Yes, we worship a certain sacred tree in our township. The demons are after the fruit of this tree.

I'll be d*mned."

Wow, a sacred tree worshipped by elves. I wonder what kind of tree it is.

Elves are a race that values harmony with nature, so a sacred tree must be very special if it is specially cherished by the elves.

However, there is one thing that concerns me.

"I understand that. But I hear that the elves are excellent warriors. Especially when they borrow the power of spirits, their magic is said to be comparable to that of skilled wizards.

"Hey brother, are elves really that strong?"

Gyro-kun, who has never had the chance to meet elves, asks me how powerful Sharaza-san and the other elves are.　

"Yes, people misunderstand the elves because they look slender and beautiful, but the warriors are very brave. Especially the spirit magic that borrows the power of nature spirits is said to be very powerful, though it is limited in where it can be used.

"Wow. You guys are surprisingly good at this.

Yes, the elves in my previous life were powerful warriors.

They were called beautiful barbarians because of their beautiful faces and happy to fight against demons, and their spirit magic, which is comparable to military ritual magic and borrowed from great spirits, was also called "extermination fireworks".

The spirit magic used by the elves I knew was really flashy too.

No, not so much.

But Ms. Sharaza is stoically humble in the face of Mr. Gyro's praise.

"To return to the subject, it is true that we Elven warriors take pride in our prowess. But there are more demons than we can handle.

So many demons that even the most powerful and peerless spirit-magic users, the elven warriors, could not handle them.

This may be a bigger deal than ...... expected.

"If possible, we would like you to help us defend the tree until the fruit of the tree ripens, but since this is the first time the tree has borne fruit in our generation, we are not sure when the fruit will ripen. Therefore, I would like to fulfill the request when we have defeated the demons to some extent and their invasion has weakened.

"But then, they are nuts, aren't they?　If that's the case, won't it take that long?"

Everyone nodded in agreement with Mina's question, but only Sharaza shook her head in denial.

"Two hundred years have already passed since the fruit of the sacred tree grew."

""""""200 years!?""""""

The unexpected number of years makes me shout.

What kind of fruit has not ripened after 200 years?　I've never heard of such a thing!

"Well, even a few years of captivity is a long time in the life span of a human being, isn't it?"

"Two hundred years, or I'll be bones beyond my grandma's years."

"That's right. It's hard to be held for that long, isn't it?

Everyone is puzzled by the idea of being held for years.

"That's the thing. It would be lucky if we could find the nest of the monsters, but we can't take that risk with an outsider. Even if the invasion doesn't weaken, you can fight with us for at least a month. If it becomes necessary for you to stay longer than that, we will make a contract each time. We will also provide you with a place to live and food during that time, in addition to your fee. ...... is correct?"

Mr. Sharaza looked at Mr. Gordov and Mr. Gordov nodded.

It seems that Mr. Sharaza had discussed the details of the request with Mr. Gordov, who understands the human sense of time.

But a month? If it's a case of killing them all, it's the end, but if there are too many of them to kill, it's going to be a tough job.

Well, it would be nice if they would cover all the expenses for our stay during that time.

"And what about the reward?"

After confirming the details of the request and its duration, Mr. Megli is waiting for me to confirm the reward. Well, you are shining.

"Well, as for the reward, since we have little contact with the outside world, we have very little in the way of human currency. Therefore, please understand that you will be paid in kind."

"Is it in-kind?"

Do you mean vegetables, meat, or other in-kind goods?

"Goldov."

"Mm."

When Ms. Sharaza called out to Mr. Gordov, he brought a large cloth bag that was placed in the corner of the workshop.

He unwraps the mouth of the bag, and a huge lump of metal shining in a light purple color comes out from inside.

Huh?　Is this ......?

"Could this be it?

"This is the sparkle!　I'm sure of it!"

Mina and Megli are startled at the sight of the glow.

"Well, this is our reward, mithril lumps."

""""Mithrilooooo!?""""

Everyone is astonished to see the huge mithril.

Yes, it was mithril, a precious metal.

It was not mithril in the rough, but refined mithril.

"Oh, it's mithril after all!

Treasure!　Treasure!

Oh, Mr. Megli is so excited he can't say anything but treasure.

"That's right. This is our hometown's treasure. Mithril lumps.

"I've never seen mithril ...... before."

It's a legendary metal.

"Oh!　I know mithril!　You know, the ones that top adventurers often have!"

Gyro and the others roll their eyes when they hear the word "mithril.

"That's just an adventurer in a story. Not many A-rank adventurers actually have mithril weapons.

"What?　Seriously?"

"It is a precious and difficult metal to work with. Not many blacksmiths know how to work it. It is said that it is more likely that you will find mithril armors in the ruins.

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?

Mithril is more precious than iron, but it is not so different from dragon material in terms of preciousness.

Oh, but it is a mineral that decreases when mined, so it may be more valuable than dragons, which are living materials that increase in number.

"Even so, the quality of mithril is very good..."

Looking at the mithril lumps, I am amazed at their purity.

The value of the mithril itself is not in question, but the refining technology is quite good.

Do you understand, Master? This is the treasured possession of our Dwarf chief.

"The dwarves?

Mr. Gordov's words make sense to me.

No wonder they are of such high quality. Dwarves are also known as ore maniacs.

It is not surprising that a Dwarf chief would have good quality mithril. Especially if it's a refined mithril nugget this large.

"I'll give you this if you accept my offer. Ask Gordov to make you a weapon or a suit of armor. If you extend the request, I will not be able to provide you with the same item as this, but I will offer you as much value as possible as an additional reward."

"However, I am sure the master does not need my help, so you are free to use my workshop.

"How is a refined mithril lump ...... as an advance payment for the commission a reward, Liliela?"

As I have never received such a request before, I ask Liliela's opinion as to what would be appropriate.

Lilieira-san replies with a bitter look on her face.

"I've never heard of paying ...... mithril in advance. Normally I would lecture the client. Seriously."

Oh, Liliela's eyes are in hometown trauma mode!

This might not be good. ......!

I remember that people in Liliela's hometown were cheated out of their rewards by fake adventurers.

That's why they can't allow themselves to be cheated out of their rewards like this.

"The advance payment includes a thank-you for defeating the monster that chased me. Thanks to you, I have saved innocent people from being involved. And I already know what you are capable of: you know in advance the power of an S-rank adventurer, and you are a man recognized by Gordov. Then I am not worried about paying you in advance. This man is as eccentric as he looks, but he has an eye for warriors."

"Bigotry is superfluous!　You're not the only one who can be stubborn!"

Mr. Gordov protests against the evaluation, which may or may not be a compliment or a criticism, but his expression seems to indicate that he is not entirely satisfied.

What do you think?　Will you accept?"

After explaining the details of the request and the reward, Ms. Sharaza looks at us with serious eyes.

"Ugh!"

When it became clear that she was making a choice based on her recognition of us, Liliela was at a loss for an answer with an indescribable look on her face.

Well, what should we do?

The request is a typical request for the defense of a human settlement. The target is not a town or a village, but a sacred tree.

And the maximum duration is one month.

This period may be reasonable considering that the request is successful even if the tree is not completely defeated.

I also like the fact that the time frame is based on the human lifespan, not the elf lifespan.

The fact that they are paying in advance also shows their respect for us.

Above all, this is a personal reason, but with the long life span of the elves, we might be able to get detailed information about the destruction of the ancient magical civilization.

It seems that there are multiple reasons why the ancient civilization died out.

So I don't think it's a bad idea to be friends with elves who have actually experienced the precious past.

"...... Okay. I'll take you up on your offer."

"Yes!"

Liliela asks me if it's okay.

"I think so. She has seen our power and she believes in us after receiving Mr. Gordov's endorsement. Then, if we believe in him too, neither of us will be unhappy, right?

"...... that is."

"Then I would like to offer one condition to Ms. Sharaza in accepting your request."

"Conditions?"

"Yes, please submit a nomination request to the Adventurers' Guild again...S rank adventurer Lex and his friends with a nomination request!　This would be a request through the Adventurers' Guild, so it would make sense to you, right, Liliela?"

"Hm, if that's your condition, I have no problem with it."

"That's what he said."

"...... huh, I give up. If you're willing to go that far, there's no reason for me to object."

"Hmmm, human society is a tricky thing, isn't it?"

Seeing Liliela's acceptance, Sharaza tilts her head at the mechanism of human society.

Well, I lived in a village in the countryside in this life, so I can understand how she feels.

"...... I really wonder how you made it to this town without being deceived, this person.

"The people in the village don't know what's out there. I guess it worked out that they ignored the adventurers' guilds in nearby towns and came straight to me, hoping to hear from someone who knows what's out there."

When Mina was puzzled, Gordov explained to her how Sharaza had come to this town.

I see...so you mean that her naivete turned out to be a good thing, huh?

"But in that case, we'd better hurry up and go to Ms. Sharaza's hometown."

"Yes, but our village is far away. It would take several months to get there from this town, even with a horse-drawn cart.

"""""" months!?""""""

Wow, that's a long way.

"Our hometown's in a rough part of the country. We can only go about halfway by wagon. So it's a long way on foot from there."

"I see. Then it would be better to fly.

"The sky?

Sharaza shouts in surprise when he hears that we are going by air.

What?　I thought elves could fly with spirit magic.

"Yes, we can get you an airship. Let's go with that."

"Airship?

Yes, we can use the former pirate ship we converted in the East and fly to the elves' home.

Gordov, are you sure?

Sharaza, looking puzzled for some reason, calls out to Mr. Goldof.

"Ah ...... I've never seen one before, but I wouldn't be surprised if you have one, Master."

"What?

I just came back from the East, so I haven't shown it to Mr. Goldof yet.

I'll ask him to take a look at it later. As a former pirate ship, it is badly built and in bad shape, so I would like to ask him if there are any improvements we can make as dwarves.

"Then let's take the airship to our destination, shall we?"

"Three seas!"

I suggested that we take the airship to reassure Ms. Sharaza quickly, but she stopped me.

"Wait a minute!　We do not want outsiders to know the location of our township where the sacred tree is located. So please don't travel in a very conspicuous way!"

"No conspicuous means ......?"

I see, the elves keep it a secret. It might be natural that they don't want other races to know about their traditions.

"Then let's have a golem disguised as a horse pull the carriage. Then it will run day and night, so it won't be too noticeable."

"Go, a golem and a carriage ......?　Uh, uh, ......, yeah. If it's inconspicuous, I don't see the problem, do you?"

Then I will prepare a carriage for you and we will leave tomorrow.

Well then, let's stay at the inn in town tonight and make the wagon and golem we'll ride tomorrow!

◆

The next morning, we meet up with Sharaza outside of town.

"Good morning, Ms. Sharaza!

Good morning. So where's the carriage?　I can't seem to find it anywhere?"

Ms. Sharaza returns my greeting and looks around to see where the carriage is.

"The carriage is on its way.

"Let you out?"

I take the golem and the carriage out of the magic bag and place them in front of Sharaza.

"This is the golem carriage.

I took out a golem horse that looked just like a real horse and a common carriage that was also of ordinary construction.

"This is a golem horse-drawn carriage?　It looks like an ordinary carriage. ......?"

"It's a golem. See?"

In front of a bewildered Ms. Sharaza, he shows her how to remove the head of a golem horse.

"Oh?

Sharaza, who is surprised, peeks inside the golem horse's neck in amazement.

"I'm surprised. It really is a golem. Surely no one will be suspicious of this ......?"

Then please get on board."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Sharaza. Can you point me in the direction of our destination?"

Before Ms. Sharaza gets on the carriage, I check the direction of our destination.

"Yes, the destination is in the direction of those mountains over there.

Sharaza pointed in the direction of the white snow-capped mountain range in the north.

"I understand."

"Mogmogkyu!"

As Ms. Sharaza gets into the carriage, Mohammed jumps on the coach, taking a bite of some kind of meat.

I had been wondering if he had been hunting for meat nearby.

Well, isn't he lonely out there all by himself?

But, well, Fluffy is an animal, and it would be better for her to get some fresh air than to be in a small carriage.

I get into the carriage, open the window installed in the driver's seat, and give instructions to the golem horses.

"Ride towards that mountain!

>

The golem horses cheerfully shout when they hear my command.

And a while after the golem horse squealed, Ms. Sharaza called out to me in a puzzled tone.

"...... when are you going to move?"

"It's already moving."

What?

Sharaza shouts in surprise when he hears that the carriage is already moving.

She then looks out the window and confirms that the scenery is moving.

What?　It's really moving!　Why isn't it shaking?

"We have a shock-absorbing system in the carriage. It takes a long time for a normal carriage to move.

"Technique?　Not only the golem horse, but also this carriage is a magic item?

Yes, that's right.

However, it's not very good because I didn't have enough time to make it from scratch in one night.

"I see, so this is another item you have acquired through your adventures. An S-rank adventurer is unfathomable to own such a thing. ......"

Hmm?　Well, it's not like I got it from an adventure. ...... Well, it's made from Elder Plant materials and stuff, so I guess in a way it's an item I got from an adventure.

"But it's fast, too. I mean, don't you have to control the golem?　Don't you need a guru?"

"Oh, that's all right. I gave the golem horses the direction of our destination before we left. After that, they will run toward the destination avoiding obstacles without us having to give them any orders. So all you have to do is fine-tune the direction along the way.

"Not only does it not sway, it runs on its own?　You used such a precious magic item!

"Yes, Sharaza, I know you are worried about the people back home, so I wanted to help you get there as quickly as possible."

What?

I would have gone by airship, but I didn't want the wrong people to know the location of my hometown, so this was the next best thing.

"...... thank you again."

With a deep bow, Sharaza expressed her gratitude to us.

And so we set out for the elven village where Sharaza lives.

A group of adventurers...

We are traveling adventurers.

Now we are on our way to the town after completing our mission.

It's a long way to town, though, and our feet are heavy with all the stuff we've picked up.

If only a horse-drawn carriage would pass by to give us a ride to the town instead of an escort.

Just as I was thinking that, a horse-drawn carriage came up behind me.

Lucky for us, we can tell them about the situation and ask for a ride.

We thought so, but there was something wrong with the carriage.

"Hey, isn't that carriage going too fast?

"Oh, it's too fast. What's wrong?

Maybe they are being chased by demons or bandits.

If so, this is our chance to ingratiate ourselves!　

"Hey!"

We waved our hands and tried to call out to the governor ......, but...

"Hey, look!　The Gyojin's not here!"

When I heard the urgent voices of my friends, I looked at the Gosha-dai and sure enough, there was no Gosha there, as there should have been.

"Are you serious?

So they've already attacked us?

"Whoa!

The carriage overtook us in no time and drove straight ahead.

"Oh no!　The horse is going off the road!

No, we're going to end up in the river!

Oh no!　If the wagon goes into the river at this rate, the people in it will drown!

Moreover, the river around here is too deep and the current is too fast, so it's dangerous to go into the river to save them!

"d*mn!　Please be there in time!"

We'll chase after the wagons, but there's no way human legs can keep up with the horses.

"But that doesn't mean we can abandon them!"

But reality is cruel, and at last the carriage reached right in front of the river.

And the carriage plunged into the river. ......

>

He didn't fall in, but stayed on the river.

What about """......?"""

I don't know what I am saying, but there is no doubt in my mind that the carriage was running on the river.

And we were running along without knowing why, until we reached the riverbank where there was no one to save.

That's strange, the river around here is supposed to be deep and fast flowing. ......

Or did you happen to land in the shallow end?

With this in mind, we looked at the river, and the green color of the water told us that it was definitely deep enough for the wagons to sink.

......?　What?""""

The neighing of horses was the only sound in our bewildered ears.

Later, in many towns and villages, we would hear joking ghost stories about horse-drawn carriages running on rivers and over the trees in the forests.

......What did we see?