CH 23

“Oh, you want us to meet your friend …… Is your friend a Wood Elf like you?”

Souya asked Merylou.

“No, he is not. He’s not a Wood Elf. I mean, I’m probably the only Wood Elf who lives in a forest like this. The coordinates of this place are outside of the Gears of Yggdrasil, the constraints of the Tree of Life.”

“…… That’s for sure. So, you’re not working with your friend, are you?”

In response to Souya’s question, Merylou nodded quietly.

“My friend, he can’t move. So he can’t come here …… So, I was wondering if Mia might be able to help …… No, I don’t think so.”

Merylou looked down and stared at the flickering flames of the fire.

“Hmm. Either way, we’ll have to go see him ourselves …… Mia-kun, it seems that your help might be needed.”

Souya put his finger on his chin and deliberately asked Mia for her opinion while making a thoughtful gesture.

“Um, if it’s something I can do, I’d like to help you, Merylou-san …… You have taken care of the food and the fire for this evening, and you have helped us with the night grass collection. “

Souya closed his eyes and pondered. Merylou didn’t seem to be lying, but she didn’t seem to want to talk about the identity of her friend. He must have some reason ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ including the fact that he can’t move from the spot.

(Well …… I’ll guess I’ll look forward to what that reason is.)

“…… Well then, Merylou-kun, let’s go meet your friend. Where your friend is, there’s a colony of night grass. Am I right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. The only thing is that it might be a bit difficult to get there if you’re not used to walking in the forest …… Just prepare yourself.”

That night, after the wolf attack, nothing happened, and the three of them were able to get a good night’s sleep.

“Good morning. Well, I slept well …… Oh, I’ve got a bed hair.”

Souya used a wet cloth to adjust his bed hair while checking in a hand mirror, but the hair seemed to have formed so strongly that even if he suppressed it, it immediately bounced back to normal. 

“Ahhh, Souya-san, it’s so cute”

“No, it’s not cute.”

When Mia smiled, Souya continued to hold his bed hair back in frustration. 

“Souya-san’s bed hair somehow looks like a horn now. You’ve been so naughty that you’ve really turned into an ogre, haven’t you? Anyway, I’ll take the lead and guide you. Souya and Mia, follow me from behind.”

She tied her green hair into symmetrical pigtails, as she had done yesterday, and put on a large cloak and carried a large backpack, about half her height. Yesterday, she had looked a little down, but now he seemed to have regained much of her energy.

“That’s a lot of luggage. It seems that Merylou is much stronger than she looks.”

“…… Well, I’ve been living in the Thrail Forest for most of the last half-year. Everything is in here, including the tools for living …… More importantly, Souya is empty-handed? I think that’s amazing in its own way for a forest walk.”

Merylou looked at Souya, who was lightly dressed in a suit and a cloak, and said that she was astonished.

“Merylou-san. Souya-san is a magician. So he keeps his stuff hidden in plain sight.”

“Oh, I see. Instead of a magician, I think he’s an illusionist.”

“You’re saying another confusing thing. Now that we’re ready, Merylou-kun, we’ll leave guiding us to you.”

The three of them left the campsite and followed the forest road for a while, until at a certain point, Merylou stopped and led them into the forest off the road.

“We’ll go straight here. It’s a little dark and muddy, so be careful not to slip.”

Merylou slipped through the trees, moving nimbly along. Perhaps it was the wood elf’s aptitude for the forest, but she seemed to be quite accustomed to walking in the woods.

“I didn’t know there was such a path. …… Mia-kun, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m used to outdoor activities, even though I look like this …… but I don’t remember ever going on a beastly road like this.”

In the midst of the smell of the forest, Souya and Mia followed Merylou as she made her way through the vegetation. After about an hour of walking along the path, Merylou finally stopped.

“If we climb up here, we’ll be there. We’re almost there.”

Merylou pointed to a high but gentle cliff that rose up before them.

“Oh, we’re going up here? It’s quite high, isn’t it?”

“It might be hard if you’re not used to it. I’ll go up first and support you from the top.”

Merylou took out a hooked rope from her backpack, hooked it to a tree on the cliff, and slowly climbed up the slope, using it as support.

“Wow, you’re amazing, Merylou-san.”

Mia muttered to herself as she watched Merylou climb.

“So, Mia-kun, what do you think of this cliff?”

“Well, I’m sorry. I said I was used to outdoor activities, but …… I’ve never climbed before.”

Mia kept a straight face and froze. The cliff was about ten meters high, and if she failed to climb it, she could be seriously injured.

“If you haven’t done it before, you shouldn’t do it. If you were to fall and get seriously injured, it would be terrible. There’s nothing anyone can do to heal you. “

“…… But, we have to climb up here to see Merylou-san’s friend.”

Mia looked up at the cliff with a puzzled expression, but Merylou, who had climbed it first, was already almost to the top.

“Don’t worry. I can solve it with magic. There are two ways. One, I’ll go up first and use the Material Transfer Aport to transfer you using space transportation. That’s what I used to rescue you from the thieves before …… But it’s a big drain on my magic power. To be honest, it’s hard for me to climb the cliffs. So, I’d like to go another way.”

“Well, what is the other way?”

Souya came close to Mia’s ear and whispered.

“…… U-Uhm, isn’t that a lot of trouble for Souya-san, too?”

“It’s a lot easier than using a Material Transfer Aport.”

“I see …… Well, then, please. I’ll tell you in advance. I’m sorry.”

Souya got down on his knees and carried Mia with both hands and gave her a princess carry.

“…… Aren’t I heavy, since you’re going to hold me all the way up the cliff?”

“No comment.”

“Um, Souya-san, I’m sure it’s just luggage. I shouldn’t be that heavy …… I’m small, after all ……”

She was holding her face with both hands as she mumbled a few words.

“–Demon, be a wing that runs through the sky. [Levitation]”

As soon as Souya finished his chanting, he took Mia in his arms, lifted her into the air, and leaped to the top of the cliff where Merylou was waiting for him.

“Oh, you climbed with Souya’s magic, huh. Looks like I didn’t need to get a rope.”

With Merylou muttering sideways, Souya landed on the cliff and slowly lowered Mia’s body.

“…… Um, I’m sorry, Souya-san. I must’ve been heavy.”

“I never said anything about you being heavy. Because you can barely feel the gravity while levitation is active, after all.”

Souya smiled thinly as he touched his terrible bed hair with his finger.

“What’s with the two of you flirting …… Here we are. Look, you two.”

At the top of the cliff, Merylou pointed to a beautiful lakeside setting.