Episode 196:
The elves who came to visit me.
Their eyes looking at me were full of worry.
He looked at my body and occasionally glared at the elves I had captured.
“Are you okay?”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
He checks my well-being with a somewhat anxious look on his face.
As they glanced at me, I felt like I had some idea of what they were worried about.
‘Are you worried that I might not come to heal the World Tree?’
It’s not that I couldn’t understand why people were worried about that.
The World Tree is their lifeline, so they have no choice but to worry.
“Nothing happened.”
He said while looking around at them.
There wasn’t much going on against these guys.
However, I did meet some barbarians and had some work with the World Tree.
I didn’t have anything to do with those guys.
Because they are not my opponents in the first place.
“But may I ask why you came out together?”
The elder approaches and asks.
He was the person I spoke to with respect ever since my treatment of the World Tree showed results.
Seeing as he didn’t ask me why he was tied up, I think he roughly understood the situation.
“As you can see, he attacked me. So, it was inevitable that I would do this, but shall I let you go?”
“Oh no. “Your benefactor must have had a reason for everything.”
The elder waved his hand, saying there was no need to do that.
“It’s just our family’s fault, so can we be held accountable?”
“Aren’t you asking what I did wrong?”
“Just entering the sanctuary without permission is a sin that must be dealt with severely. However, he even attacked his benefactor, so you can tell his crime without even looking at it.”
“Hmm....”
“And even if we don’t have a hard time catching the benefactor, we have spirits. “The spirit will tell them every detail of their sins.”
“Oh, I see.”
If you say that much, there is no need for me to say more.
As I was about to move on, I suddenly remembered the elf who had been taken over by barbarians.
Asking a spirit means telling it what happened to the elf.
If that happens, my name will inevitably come up.
Although there wasn’t much to worry about, there was still something to be done.
The very fact that I went there with an elf could have been a problem.
I added words to the elder who was taking the traitors away.
“Oh, and there will be no one there. “It’s because of me.”
“yes?”
Oh, when I say it this way, does it mean something strange?
When I think about what I said, I find it a little strange.
So I corrected my words.
“He died because of me.”
No, this is also strange.
The faces of the elders and elves looking at me darken.
The elder frowned and asked what that meant.
“Let’s go to the barbarians together....”
When I try to shorten it, the words become strange.
I scratched my head and told him about my encounter with traitors.
I saw the elves working on the World Tree and went to investigate the matter with one of them, but then I encountered the barbarians and I was the only one who was able to escape.
Only after saying that did they clear up the misunderstanding.
“Oh, it’s okay. “You did it for us.”
The elder went over it more coolly than expected.
It must have been a bad thing for them to be taken away by barbarians, but they didn’t seem to care at all.
“Rather, I should be grateful. “Thanks to my benefactor’s move, I learned that there were barbarians behind it.”
It didn’t look okay... it didn’t look good.
I could see him just trying to stay calm and be okay.
Seeing how he was trying to think positively, I stopped talking further.
There was nothing more to say.
“Then I guess I’ll have to go back soon. “There are people waiting.”
“Ah... Still. “It’s late. Why don’t you go to sleep?”
“Too late...”
As the rangers approached Raymond, Lennon stretched out his arm to block their path.
“....”
The rangers were puzzled by his actions, but didn’t say anything.
Having lived with Lennon for a long time, I know that he is not someone who moves hastily over nothing.
Lennon pushed them back and spoke to Raymond.
“Sir Raymond.”
“yes.”
“Are you not coming back?”
“...!”
The rangers look back at Lennon with shocked faces.
He ignored their gazes and kept his eyes on Raymond.
I don’t think the rangers found it yet, but he could see it.
Raymond, who didn’t move a single step even though they were discovered.
Rather, he was scratching his cheek with an embarrassed expression on his face.
Originally, it would have been normal for people to come to themselves first before doing anything.
“It’s a bit unfair to say I’m not going back. But yes. “I’m not going back.”
“....”
The rangers’ bodies stiffened at Raymond’s words.
Lennon looks at Raymond with a slightly stiff expression.
“How should I interpret those words?”
“Oh, that was a bit strange. “I’m not going back today.”
“If you don’t go back today... does something happen?”
“yes. “I guess I’ll have to take care of you here today.”
“The commander may not give permission. “Everyone is currently worried about finding Sir Raymond.”
“I’m sorry about that. “I was careless.”
The rangers rolled their eyes and watched the situation unfold, as if they had not been able to follow the conversation between Raymond and Lennon.
“And if it’s allowed, it’s probably okay. “I found a way.”
“Is that so?”
“yes. That’s right.”
“....”
“....”
Raymond and Lennon made eye contact without speaking for a while.
For a moment, Lennon sighed softly and nodded.
“All right. “I will return and report accordingly.”
“Leader?”
“I know what you guys want to say, but don’t say it now. “Don’t forget that our mission was to ensure safety in the first place.”
“...All right.”
The rangers nod and step back.
Raymond watched them with a strange smile.
“Then we will go back. “I don’t think we should take any more time.”
“yes. “You took the trouble to come to me.”
“...no. “It’s our job.”
Lennon turned his back without hesitation.
And then he moved along with the rangers who were glancing at Raymond.
Looking at them, the elder spoke to Raymond.
“They are solid people.”
“yes. “They are great people to have your back on.”
“I think so.”
“By the way, I’d like to hear an answer.”
“ah. “It should have arrived by now, so you just have to wait a bit.”
“All right.”
“Then go back. “I’m sure they have prepared a feast.”
The elder pushes Raymond’s back.
Raymond obediently followed the touch without resisting it.
When they returned to the village and had a small party, Easton became noisy in a different way.
[Guide to the commander here!]
The wind spirit has appeared in the middle of the castle.
The wind spirit, who took the form of a man with a sturdy physique, was looking straight ahead with his arms crossed.
“What is this?”
The Marquis of Easton, who had left the building with Count Warrug, held his forehead.