An elf gets down on his knees.
That was the first kneeling I had seen in another world.
Raphilia was immobile, with her hands, feet and forehead stuck to the ground.
It's the kind of down-to-earth attitude that you want to include in your picture book.
...... No, you don't have to go that far.
I don't know what they would have done to me if it weren't for the 'bath people'. Thank you so much for your help: ...... Thank you so much!
With her forehead pressed against the ground, Raphilia spoke up.
'Don't be 'the one in the bath'. My name is Souma-Nagi.
I said. I've already taken off my "sea dragon mask", but Rafilia is still on her knees, trembling a little, as if she's afraid to look at me.
...... Also, you don't need to get down on your knees. You can't even talk to me in that state.
"Yes. 'The one with the bath,' as it were, Sooma-Nagi-sama!
Raphilia finally looks up.
Rita looks at me curiously.
I'll have to explain later why it's 'the bath lady' - I'll have to explain later.
I'll introduce myself once again. I'm Souma-Nagi and this is Rita. We don't mean to sound suspicious, but we are acquaintances of Iris Hapheumea...
No, no, no. You can't doubt your rescuer! I trust Soma-Nagi and the others unconditionally!
You're okay, kid.
Raphilia's purple eyes widen and she looks at us.
"My name is Raphilia-Grace. As you can see, I'm ...... a would-be adventurer.
The bastard ......?
This experience has made it clear to me. I'm not cut out to be an adventurer.
Raphilia stood up and paid off her bare knees.
'I've had ...... a lot of bad things happen to me since I've been on the adventure ......
...... Really?
I left my hometown, longing for the fairy tale heroes I was told so much about in the old days, and I haven't had a good one so far .......
Rafilia flattened her elf ears and slumped.
'In the last battle, my friends were wiped out - all of them were incapacitated, and I was the only one who was able to recover. Still, everyone managed to recover with magic. Afterwards, as a reward for my work, Iris-sama invited me to go to the hot springs and asked me to go alone to ......, but during that time, they took all of my luggage, equipment and money away from me: ......
I was unhappy.
After that, I managed to get here with the three arsha I had left at hand, but I didn't have the money to go back to my hometown, and when I stopped by the Adventurer's Guild looking for a job, I got caught by the masked people.
Huh.
Raphilia held her chest and sighed.
'Listen, Rafilia-san, what part of your hometown is that?'
I couldn't help but ask.
I was afraid that if I was left alone, I would die around there or be enslaved.
"If it's in the direction of Metekal, I'm going to ask my friend to go with me because he's going to be leaving now...
It's a small village on a peninsula a month's boat ride away.
The other way or ......
Well, that's not where I was born. I can't remember being there more than five years ago.
...... Huh?
An elf girl (Rafilia) who folds her arms and nods her head saying, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?
I'm not sure if it's easy to say that.
It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you're going to be able to get the job done.
"It's hard for me to react to such heavy talk all of a sudden!
But Rafilia seems to have certified us as "people you can trust from the bottom of your heart".
I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
Rafilia was picked up five years ago by an old baker's couple when she drifted off to a different port town than this one.
They were close at first, but as the bakery's business gradually tipped over, there was no place for Rafilia.
Or rather, that she was about to be sold off as a slave.
So, that I got a shot of energy and went on a journey to become an adventurer.
But I was treated as weak and useless at the party. And he took away his reward...
Rita and I could only listen with a blank expression on our faces as she spoke with gestures of "Doriya", "Kihya" and "Kite-ha" in a totally non-serious manner.
And now that we've reached Ilgafa from the spa town of Rihjelda, we're broke, so the great adventure of Rafilia-Grace is over.
.................. a few years of great adventure.
I mean, you're doing a lot of crazy stuff with no memory of it, Rafilia.
You're running headlong into the opposite of crisis management and safety measures and all that.
Why did you decide to become an adventurer in the first place when you don't even have a memory?
Because all I can remember from the past is my name and all I remember is being told the Tales of Heroes when I was little and that I was "protecting" something.
Oh, I see .......
So, why don't you become an adventurer and protect someone ......?
Yes. I thought maybe I could remember who I am!
Rafilia's purple eyes sparkled and she raised her fist to the dusk sky.
''Because maybe my true identity is a legendary hero with his abilities sealed off, or a great wizard of the land of salvation! If we run into a crisis, I'll awaken with a bang, and I might be able to defeat the Demon King and save everyone!
Just go home!
Me and Rita plugged in at the same time.
You can't go home, can you? I don't care if it's near my home town. Just go home where it's safe.
There's nothing dangerous about it.
It's reckless to become an adventurer when you don't have any memories, and it's not right to travel alone without any knowledge of the land or information, and without any acquaintances.
Even I, who was summoned from another world, got information from Ashtarte at first, and I survived because Cecil and Rita were there.
It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on some of the best products on the market.
That's right, you're going to get caught in a pressured interview! I mean, it's a miracle I've survived until now!
If you can't go home, there's a town nearby that you know. Find a job there and you'll be safe.
I will. I may not be a legendary hero, but ...... I'm pretty happy with that.
Raphilia closed her eyes, held her large chest and murmured dreamily.
''I've seen the real legend, I've seen it for what it is. That's the only thing that will keep me alive for the rest of my life.
"Legend?
Yes, sir. I'm a righteous dark hero. That's why I inadvertently got involved with the 'Knights of Divine Life'. I thought that if they were the best party in Ilgafa, they might be that 'dark hero' - I was wrong, though.
'Maybe we should forget about the weird heroes.
"Yes ......, the truth is, I was also thinking of forgetting about that dark hero and not telling anyone about it. I felt that if I spoke about it, I would be entangled in the allure of the darkness ......
Raphilia nodded, her face a little red.
'What I saw of the 'dark hero who rules his slaves with fear and pleasure' will go down in elven lore.
I'd rather take him out.
Don't speak ill of her. I owe him a debt of gratitude!
By the way, where did you meet this dark hero?
Yes. In the spa town of Rihjelda, during the attack on Lady Iris.
The spa town of Rihjelda. The Iris attack.
Just as my party was about to be wiped out, he swooped in and wiped out my black armor (living mail).
Sweeping away the black armor.
I'll never forget the sun that appeared in the middle of the night and the wall of fire (Flame Wall) that looked like a castle wall. ......
A sun-like 'light' and a huge 'wall of fire' appeared in the middle of the night.
To ....... What a great guy!
Yeah, I know. I know. The hero.
I mean, that's something that doesn't like to be seen by the public because it hides its abilities...
He was a mad hero with a golden beast and a great dark magic girl.
''Where's the insanity attribute?''
''It was dark and I couldn't make out her face, but that person's fingers were touching the great magic girl's chest, and the girl had a face that said, 'Yucky ...... and more ...... happiness. It looked like the hero's mysterious control over the girl was bringing out her great magic. That's my subjective view!
"............ is a mistake.
Impossible! How can you go wrong with a dark hero with beautiful, mesmerizing eyes (subjective), a noble demeanor (subjective), and a powerful dark hero who rules over his slavegirls with grace and grandeur (subjective)?
............ all.
Sooma-Nagii-sama can say that because he hasn't seen it in person!
Raphilia shuddered as she hugged her body with both hands.
The golden beast that waved its black armor with a single blow and the mysterious slaughterhouse maid are all true. The fact that the enemy is supposedly defeated by regular soldiers is proof of that! Of course that dark hero had to control information to hide his identity!
I turned my back to Raphilia and the slime.
'............ What do you think about that elf, my Lord?'
The magic sword Leggy placed under his feet trembled.
I whispered to him so that Rafilia and the slime wouldn't hear.
''I see myself as a gem, but what do you think Lord?
I understand the danger.
I guess it's partly because I don't remember.
Maybe it's just a matter of chemistry, or maybe it's because she trusts us completely, and she's friendly to the Elderslime.
If I had left them alone, they would have been enslaved by the Knights of Divine Life for sure.
I'm so emotionally attached to the slime.
"And they seemed to be watching us fight.
'I wish dark hero poems weren't allowed to spread, though.
"What are you going to do with him? We can't let it go.'
I'm thinking of asking Iris to do it for me.
Raphilia has been spotted by the Order of Divine Life.
From what I heard on the way home, she's going to take a ship back to her home town. She said the reason she was going to take the quest was to earn the boat fare and the money to stay until the boat arrives. I can't pay that much either. Besides, with my place, I can't just not go out.
You've got to know Rafilia since she was employed by Iris at one time. Maybe they can find you a job that doesn't require you to go out, like helping out in the mansion or something.
Since we can't go to the Adventurer's Guild until we've cooled down, we'd like to meet with Iris and ask her for information on the 'Order of Divine Life' while we're at it.
'Well, that's a fair point. But my recommendation is...
We won't make you a slave.
"I'm that dark hero! And I'm sure he'll obey easily if I tell him.'
There's no reason to make me do it.
'I thought it would be useful for you to study the skills you desire, my Lord. Oh, I'm almost done. I've just finished taking off my underwear. What a surprise. It's wonderful to see how good they are for such a large size. Now, I'm going to take off my underwear...
Don't go live.
"────
different
I heard a sound.
I looked back.
I looked back and saw it.
Rafilia's body, with her underwear down to her knees, was slumped into a giant elder slime.
'............ did you scrape?'
Yes.
"Rafilia! Dude, you're a great ......?
slyly
Elder Slime's mucus tangled around Raphilia's limbs.
'Elder Slime! You.
"No, no, no. No, no, no!
Juicy, picky, and thick
The Elder Slime's tentacle-like body stretched out, and Raphilia's underwear was stripped off.
And by the way, a jacket.
And a skirt.
The Elderslime swallowed every single piece of the things that Rafilia was wearing──and spit out cleanly the metal and other things other than clothes──and
"I am indebted to you. 'Thank you for the food, my sweet elf, Raphilia-Grace. 'You are a wonderful people, Soma-Nagi, who has heard the voice of Wawa. You are a wonderful people. I regret to inform you that I have left you of the inferior race.
The Elder Slime's body shrank.
It went from sprawling all over the wall to the size of a poster. Furthermore, it became the size of a tablet. Finally, it became the size of a smartphone - Rafilia's body, which had lost its support, fell down with a thud.
''This girl is dangerous and therefore leaves a piece of straw behind.''
With that, the Elder Slime tore himself off and placed his marble-sized alter ego on Raphilia's back.
'Since you have no personality, you will obey this girl's orders. And I will tell you one more thing. The girl may have skills unknown to her, and I will tell you one more thing. The master who created me was one of them. I'm sensing the same in this girl.
"Skills he doesn't know about? Is there such a thing?
'I do not know if it is invisible or if it has not yet awakened. But I do know that it is a skill that interferes with fate. You will know if you awaken or make a 'master-slave contract' with them. I highly recommend it and there is ......
The smaller Elder Slime slowly makes his way out of the window.
Looks like that guy wasn't a bad guy after all.
But .......
I looked at Raphilia lying slumped on the floor.
It was all empty.
Completely unconscious.
"...... with an extra reward.
I draped my jacket over the fallen Raphilia.
'Farewell. Farewell, elven girl, human boy. Farewell, Elf girl, human boy, and may your future be blessed.
Muttering as if in prayer, the Elderslime walked out the window.
'Don't try to make it an unreasonably good story ......
The kitchen was clean.
That guy collected everything, including the part that was stuck to the wall and himself that was spilling like tears.
The only damage was - Raphilia-Grace's clothes and underwear.
In the end, what the Elderslime did is ............
Huh?
As a result, you're saving Raphilia from the Order of Divine Life?
If it hadn't been for that, they would have been completely abducted. Was that because of Rafilia's "skill to interfere with fate"? But then you wouldn't have been spotted by the Knights of Divine Life in the first place, would you? ......
Let's ask him when ...... himself wakes up.
"Don't you have a master-maiden contract? The Lord
If you push it, you're no better than the Knights of God.
It depends on who you're signing the contract with. I'm sure there's an affinity between them. And besides...
I looked at Raphilia's face.
'I've done ....... It's your first quest accomplished! ............
Raphilia, who was still unconscious, looked strangely happy.
'I told you so, didn't I? He's a gem.
Before he knew it, Reggie, who had turned into a human form, laughed at that.
After that, ask Aine to dress Raphilia in appropriate clothes.
Since the water was now available, I rinsed the bath and took my turn.
With the leftover foodstuffs, we celebrated the 'Commemoration of Irgapha's arrival & the ability to use water'. Rafilia - it's hard to get a place to stay now, so we decided to have her stay over.
Aine seemed to like Rafilia, who shed tears of "deliciousness" no matter what she ate, and recommended more food than could fit on her plate. Cecil was impressed with Cecil, "He's a real elf ......", and Rita and Leticia thanked her many times for getting rid of the Elder Slime thanks to her. Especially Letitia, because she might have been in default of her 'contract' if she wasn't good at it.
After dinner, we were treated to a reading of a poem by Raphilia that "celebrated the dark heroes".
Everyone had a blast. Everyone seemed to be totally at ease with each other. I covered my ears, though.
At the end I told Rafilia that I'll introduce her to Illysses tomorrow, and she agreed.
There was some trouble, but we were finally able to settle down.
And so the first night of Ilgafa ended peacefully.
...... I'm sorry to be late at night, but I need a favor. I need to ask you to do me a favor: ......
Midnight.
I opened the door to my room as I heard voices and a knock at the door.
In the hallway, Raphilia was on her knees in her nightgown.
'It's ...... so why are you down on your knees?'
'Someone taught me that. I learned that this is how you thank someone from the bottom of your heart and when you ask for something.
Beyond the pink back of his head, his long ears tremble.
Who spread the knees to the elves? Visitors or ......?
I consider you to be a trustworthy friend of Souma-Nagi, and I would like to ask you to do me a favor.
Raphilia finally looked up.
Her purple eyes appeared to glow in the darkness.
They were serious themselves.
I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.
"My dear, will you be the master and examine me in every detail?!
He announced this in a treacherous voice.