CH 21

After moving away from the city for a bit, I tried making contact with Testania-san using the communication tool she lent to me. When magic power is inserted, the tool emits a light glow. A few seconds later, the communication connected.

『Hello there~, Have you been well out there? 』

「Yeah, how bout there, was there any changes?」

『Were fine over here, But well, lately, everyone was in a craze with the new playing tools you have left behind ne~ Moreover, the surprising part is because everyone’s INT have been growing exponentially… Even I myself got about 300 more INT』

I see, it really is like that… Everyone’s basics are increasing the same way as Arena.

『That is also fun on it’s on, but can we get to the main topic now?』

I then told Testania-san about my journey, about the beastmen, about the demon lord and how it was destroyed, and about people that turned into my acquaintances.

『I see, so the cause of the tree’s weakening is unknown huh~』

「Sorry?」

『Well, it has only been a week since you started out there. Making connections with humans isn’t done in just a short time. Or more like, you should enjoy your journey more you know? It is not something that you can easily solve that fast in a single move anyway.』

「I guess so… But well, I did register as an adventurer in order to get Identifications, and for me to travel around easily.」

『I see. Then here’s a piece of info from me. Look for a dragon who knows how to communicate with words and knows about us fairies.』

「Dragons that can communicate with words?」

It seems fairies of the older times are in good terms with ancient dragons, and there were also times when they were living together. Although it is hard to look for the ancient ones, if I can somehow find a descendant that may be living in the mountains, then I might just get their cooperation.

Ah but well, it seems that the descendants of those elder dragons seem to be more troublesome than the old ones themselves…

『And also, since long ago, those dragons really love the World Tree’s Nectar, they will be submissive if you offer that to them as a reward for their support.』

「Is that really fine to do something like that…」

『If you understood then good! Anyway, you will be staying in Haval for about a month and receive requests right? After that, what would you be doing? 』

「For the moment, I plan to move to the capital next. I am still looking for a way to directly meet with royalty that is if they are good enough to deserve it though.」

『As for me, I don’t really want to meet with a country that kept beastmen as slaves… I will leave to your judgement okay? If you deem them to be good then you can pass them that letter.』

「I’ll be strict with the regulations…」

『Then let’s talk again sometime soon. How about Arena, have you been well? 』

「Am Fine~~!!」

「Is what she says」

『Well then. Good luck and alongwith Arena enjoy your trip. Go for it!! 』

And that ends the communication. When checking my status, the MP consumed was around 50,000. The durations was around 20 minutes. The consumption is really, really high… seriously?

「Aidol…」

「What is it Arena, is something wrong?」

Arena comes out of my hood and went in front of me. Why are you looking at me with those big googly eyes. I might get a nosebleed if you come any more closer than that.

「Back to original?」

「You want me to return being a fairy?」

She quietly nod. Since there’s no reason to refuse, I decided to climb on a nearby tree and then return to my original form.

Now that I think about it, this was the first time in a while since I started the journey that I have returned to my fairy form. When I crawled out of the robe, the now silent Arena was waiting for me.

「Here I am, I have ret~(Ugu)!?」

For some reason I was hugged! Eh!?

「… … …」

「Errrr…. Ummm… Arena?」

「… finally, Aidle, returned…」

「…ah!?」

I hugged her in silence in return. I combed her hair and rubbed her back. And then my chest was getting damp, she is also not letting go of me…

「… … Hicku… Uhuh… For saying something selfish… Sorry…」

「No Arena, it’s not your fault… I’m sorry… I see… You were lonely right? 」

「Uuuuu… Unn~~!!」

The fairy Arena has only been with the human me in the past week and don’t really know anything about humans or the city. It’s only been a short time, but she lived with me surrounded by humans in a world without a single fairy in sight.  How insensitive of me? There is in no way that a 3-year old child being thrown in a place where everyone is larger than her would be fine on her own. Even if there is me with her, she would still be unsettled in a place where she feels alone.

I wonder if I really should have listened more to Testania-san that time and it also reminded me of myself as Sayuri. Even I also at that time…

「I’m really sorry about that, Arena…」

But well, Arena was able to hold herself back a lot. Playing like she usually is. I probably didn’t think too much about it because she has Higher INT now as effect of the board games. So I thought, this child is probably much wiser, and I didn’t worry about it. Also because only a few days have passed since we arrived here.

「yu… you don’t hate… you don’t hate Arena?」

「I will never hate Arena you know?」

I wiped her face that was getting messy with tears and snot with my robe. Our two eyes are in line with each other because we are now in the same size.

「Since the moment I was born in this world, I was really saved that I have met you, I always have fun every day and in these past three years we have spent together, I have been cherishing it with every moment I have because all I can think about is Arena you know and I really like you a lot. 」

If had not met this child that time, I would have probably died. It might be just a coincidence that I’ve met her that time, but if that didn’t happen, then my second life would have ended earlier that I would have expected. If they call that a miracle then I would have probably believed it.

「Arena, I have agreed to go with you together, I don’t really want to expose you to danger, that thought didn’t really change even when you acquired hiding skills.」

「… …」

「But, the moment you told me that you want to go with me, I was really happy of that you know?」

「…really?」

「Yes, though I have promised that I will really come back as fast as I can, I will still be so lonely missing Arena at that time. Arena is now half of my life. I want to see your smile and happy face all day that I was hesitating to leave at that time. That’s why I set those conditions, hoping, really hoping that Arena would overcome them and learn.」

This is what I truly feel at that time. I can lie or hide things to others, but not to this one here. It’s only with this important person that I want to share everything.

「Honestly, I was really delighted when you were able to complete all those challenges. Being able to travel with Arena made me really thrilled and excited. That I forgot to think about how you feel, I didn’t even notice anything…」

I hold Arena again. Strong enough and didn’t let go.

「And because of that, in the future, if there is something you want to say or is holding back on something. As a companion of this journey, please do not hold back okay. If there’s anything you are holding back you can say it okay?」

「… …okay~?」

「I will listen to it, so let us discuss it and see if there’s any that the two of us can help with. And not do it alone okay? 」

「… … … Oooohh!!」

And so we went on in this form. She says that she wants us to be like this till later. Be it eating together, travelling or playing right? I will always give time starting now I will definitely show my affection. And so we decided our priorities when travelling.

「And then, and then let’s play Shogi~!!」

(Ahhhhh… sigh… how many times am I going to lose)

Night finally blanketed the sky, and we have finally arrived at Haval, but since the gate was already closed a while ago, we decided to camp out. We looked for a place that no one would notice and placed our tent, we also spent the night in fairy form, eating dinner and so on.

「Haaaaaah~! Pancake with Splendid Sauce made from World Tree Honey!!」

「The Best~~~!!!」

Eating Honey after a really long time of absence was so delicious. After that we spent the night playing shogi under the moonlight… And I didn’t win a single time.

I turn around and smiled.

「Arena~」

「Hmmm~~」

「Let’s find a lot of friends along with Arena okay~」

「…Hai~~!!」