After a brief self-introduction, we were swiftly guided to our accommodations.
It seemed we had to deal with the chaos of residents who had just fled and handle the aftermath of the fire, so the atmosphere was quite disordered.
Therefore, they appeared to be asking for a moment of our understanding to stabilize the situation.
“Wow! I was a bit worried since it was a house inside a tree. But the inside is quite neat, huh?”
The lodging we were guided to could hardly be rated as anything less than top-notch.
From the outside, it looked like a house carved into thick wood, but once inside, it had a floor laid down and wallpaper, far removed from the Elven traditional lifestyle.
When I had previously visited Elvenguard, I had to endure sleeping in an uncomfortable hammock in a house covered in uneven vines.
So they had a special lodging for outsiders, yet they insisted on putting me in such a place?
Suddenly, the anger began to rise within me.
“Hah! After leaning against that hard carriage to sleep, lying on a bed feels like heaven!”
Thud.
Perhaps even as a noble lady, maintaining decorum had drained her, for Alicia immediately flopped onto the bed and buried her nose into it.
She carelessly tossed aside her luggage and just lay there, breathing quietly.
She must have been quite tired.
I thought she was going to sleep just like that.
However, as if recalling something, Alicia sprang up.
She promptly pulled out a pen and paper from her bag and began scribbling something down.
“Oh! Right. I forgot to report to my sister.”
“Are you going to tell Yerina that you came to Elvenguard?”
“If I don’t return soon after finishing the investigation in Basel, she’s going to get suspicious.”
“In that case, it might be better to write that you went to another region instead of Elvenguard.”
“Why should I?”
“Because of your report, I might get tracked down by Yerina. You can’t possibly want to see me caught by her and end up marrying her to become the king of Palana, right…?”
“Oh, got it! I won’t say I went to Elvenguard!”
In a panic, Alicia rapidly tore the paper she had written on.
It seemed she was genuinely terrified at the thought of me marrying Yerina.
I was equally scared, maybe even more than she was.
“But… where should I say I went?”
“Just make up something suitable.”
“I can’t do that! My sister is sure to poke around for details.”
“True. You’ve got quite a hassle too.”
I thought she was the only one who received such interrogative treatment, but it seemed Alicia had the same situation.
Suddenly, I started to feel a sense of camaraderie with Alicia.
“I’ve only been studying magic since I was a child… so the only places I know well are the local magic society branch, the Magic Tower, and some areas in the northern region…”
“Then do you want me to help a bit?”
“How?”
“I’ve traveled through many cities. No matter what question Yerina throws at you, I can explain it without leaving any gaps. Is there anywhere you’d like to visit?”
“I… I want to see Clockwork City.”
“It’s a Dwarf city, right? Don’t you hate Dwarves?”
“Putting personal feelings aside, I think their craftsmanship is amazing. I heard Clockwork City is full of fascinating magical tools made from gears and steam engines.”
“Absolutely tons.”
“You’ve been to Clockwork City too?!”
“Of course.”
There’s so much unique magical equipment you can only find there.
Regardless of which way the story progresses, it’s one of those cities that you have to visit at least once.
“How is it there? Do Clockwork Dolls really walk around the streets?”
“There used to be a lot, but I’ve heard there are fewer now. Their fuel efficiency is terrible, so they fell out of favor. When you first enter Clockwork City, it’s pretty foggy and really hard to see because of the smoke, making you wonder how anyone could live in such a place. But in the bustling area around the giant clock tower, there are all sorts of magical tool shops lined up…”
Seeming intrigued, Alicia sparkled with bright eyes as she sat next to me, attentively listening.
I used to think she was a studious nerd only interested in magic, but it turns out she had interests that seemed more akin to a weirdo.
She asked a question for every explanation I gave.
The conversation about Clockwork City just kept expanding.
I had already told her everything she might inquire about, but it showed no signs of ending.
Alicia seemed reluctant to conclude the discussion.
“…Yoo Jin.”
“Yeah? What?”
“…Need, to see… something.”
“I’ll be right back. This should be enough to deceive Yerina, right?”
“Ah….”
The lengthy explanation was cut short when Mi Jeong bumped her forehead against my back.
Finally, liberation.
I dragged Mi Jeong along, who seemed a bit disappointed with leaving a slightly wistful Alicia behind.
Judging by the fact that she was pulling me to the next room, it seemed like it was something I couldn’t discuss in front of Alicia.
“What’s the matter?”
“….”
Mi Jeong remained silent.
All she did was tug at my sleeve and ask me to lower my posture.
After sighing, I knelt down, and Mi Jeong opened her mouth.
There appeared to be a lot of saliva pooling in her mouth, stretching like a thread.
“…Hah… Mew.”
“Are you hungry?”
“…No. Just… want to bite.”
Mi Jeong clung to my shoulder and bit my neck tightly.
It felt like today she was biting harder than usual.
It seemed I would be left with a decent-sized mark.
Mi Jeong didn’t stop there and bit the other side of my neck, evenly munching on both.
It seemed she was rather bored of her mouth.
Maybe I should get her some chew toys.
“Did you have a good chew and savor?”
“…That’s right. Yoo Jin. The reason I called you.”
Only now did Mi Jeong seem to recall something she’d forgotten, dashing off to the back.
I guess she really did have some business to attend to.
I initially thought she only called me over to have a nibble.
“…This.”
Returned Mi Jeong held a Black Mana Stone in her hand.
The mana stone that sealed Ifrit.
“…It’s broken.”
“What?”
What do you mean?
I grabbed the mana stone, but nothing happened at all.
It seemed to be entirely non-functional.
“This….”
Now, I noticed that the red inside the mana stone seemed to have increased slightly.
Could it be that Ifrit was trying to break free from this mana stone?
Perhaps Ifrit would escape and run amok again.
We don’t have much time left.
As the sun set, the buds that had remained closed around Elvenguard blossomed, radiating a soft and warm light.
Upon entering an area dense with trees, it felt more bright than nighttime.
The scenery of Elvenguard, blending in with nature, was stunning in broad daylight, but it had a different kind of beautiful glow at night.
“This way, please.”
By this late hour, we were invited to a dinner gathering and headed toward the dining hall.
Inside, the elders were waiting.
It looked like it had taken quite some time to manage the situation.
“We have a dish prepared using lamb….”
“Meat?!”
Alicia’s face, which initially looked grim, illuminated suddenly.
It appeared she thought she would only be served dishes like bay leaf konjac or pine needle stew.
They wouldn’t serve something worse than that to the hero who saved Elvenguard.
Having eaten nothing but bland food at the relay station, Alicia showed an ecstatic expression while eating the lamb.
To me, it seemed below average….
Well, anything would taste good when you’re hungry.
“I had this image that all the elders of Elvenguard would be stiff and formal.”
“Hahaha. While Elvenguard may seem closed off compared to other nations, we do engage in diplomacy, you know. It would be a disgrace for us elders to treat our esteemed guests stiffly.”
The banquet unfolded in a warm atmosphere.
There were no particularly important topics at first.
They simply seemed to be making friendly exchanges.
Alicia seemed accustomed to such gatherings, chatting away constantly, while I felt awkward and uncomfortable, caught up in my silence.
“Is it good?”
“…Not really.”
Fortunately, there was food that Mi Jeong could eat.
Lamb’s blood.
Though it seems she wasn’t enjoying it much, making faces as she picked at it.
But it was still better than not eating anything at all.
“What would you like to drink?”
“I’ll have Trium, please.”
“Certainly, please wait a moment.”
I guess being in an elf city triggered memories of the drink Yulia had taught me.
The ordered drink arrived, and as the atmosphere warmed, the elders gradually began to broach important topics.
“We would like to speak about the rewards for your assistance in saving Elvenguard. Is there anything in particular you wish for?”
They immediately began the bargaining, asking what I had learned.
So, they too were engaging in some mercenary haggling.
“….”
Alicia fixed a stare on me.
The decision rested entirely on my shoulders.
Alicia had sung a tune about receiving money starting from our lodging.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t very greedy when it came to money.
I wasn’t about to embark on any grand ventures.
And once I returned to reality, all that money would simply vanish.
As long as I had enough to travel through this world, and enough to buy mana stones and equipment without worries, that was sufficient.
Just Cornelia’s support alone would cover it all.
“Lord Michael Jackson. Have you given any thought to your reward…”
Cough! Cough! Ack!
“Are you okay?!”
I was not okay.
Suddenly, I choked, struggling with a fit of coughs for quite some time.
‘I should really think of a more standard pseudonym in the future.’
When the elders asked for my name, my mind automatically blurted out that peculiar name without any filtering.
If I ever burst out laughing upon hearing that name again, it would be a disaster.
It was best if I refrained from having such eccentric pseudonyms going forward.
“Regarding how you would like to receive your reward…”
I found myself pondering for a moment.
It seemed I had a bit of greed after all; now that I had the chance to gain a fortune, my resolve wavered slightly.
I felt tempted to remain here, establish my own kingdom, and live lavishly.
‘That’s just a wishful thinking.’
Of course, it was all fantasy.
The main heroines, who had regained their memories, would quickly find and stomp me down.
As long as those girls exist, I can say goodbye to any cheerful isekai life.
That contemplation drew to a close.
“I’ve heard that the Priestess of the World Tree executes prophecies with exceptional precision. I’d like to hear one.”
“Ah… Prophecies don’t just come when you want them. It may take a long time, and even if you do hear one, the content may be quite ambiguous, so it might not be as useful as you think.”
“But that’s all right. If time is the problem, I can wait until the prophecy comes.”
Alicia gasped wide-eyed, staring at me.
Was she surprised by my willingness to forego a fortune in exchange for a prophecy?
Of course, I couldn’t just settle for one prophecy in exchange for what we did for Elvenguard.
“And additionally, I want information.”
“What kind of information? We would be glad to share anything we know.”
“I’m curious about the reason why the Great Spirit of Fire, Ifrit, went berserk and planned to burn Elvenguard and the World Tree.”
“Ah…!”
Alicia sighed heavily, clearly disappointed.
There was no way I would back down.
“I want to know why the Great Spirit of Fire has gone berserk…”
“Huh….”
All the elders suddenly fell silent, glancing at each other uncomfortably.
Surely, Ifrit didn’t go on a rampage for no reason.
There had to be some underlying cause, and the elders couldn’t possibly be ignorant of it.
Leaving without knowing why Ifrit went berserk while simply accepting some compensation wouldn’t sit well with me.
Without that knowledge, I would be tossing and turning in anxiety for a year.
I can’t stand the gnawing curiosity.
Moreover, there’s that problem with the mana stone sealing Ifrit.
If the red light inside keeps growing, it wouldn’t be long before Ifrit breaks free.
What do you think would happen if I released Ifrit here?
The calamity of Elvenguard would begin all over again.
To prevent that from happening, I needed to uncover the source of Ifrit’s rage and eliminate it.
“That’s… classified information, so… If you could ask for something else….”
“That won’t do. If it isn’t that information, I won’t accept any alternatives.”
“….”
Sighing, the elders exchanged glances filled with concern.
Just how significant could this piece of classified information be?
Whatever the case was, it would surely be worth far less than suffering through the flames that would scorch Elvenguard.
As I pondered how they could take so long, boredom began to creep in.
Thud…!
“The Priestess?!”
“Please sit. It’s all right.”
With the door opening, a girl with a white veil covering her face appeared.
The elders, startled, rose to their feet. Mia gestured for them to calm down.
The Priestess approached the round table, and through her veil, I could faintly see her gaze meeting mine.
I hadn’t expected the Priestess to personally make an appearance.
“I can tell you the reason why the Great Spirit of Fire, Ifrit, went on a rampage. However, it is a critical piece of classified information regarding Elvenguard, so can you promise not to disclose this outside?”
“Of course. I will keep it absolutely confidential.”
“The tale is quite long.”
Mia paused to catch her breath before opening her eyes again.
It seemed she was about to tell a lengthy story.
I settled into a comfortable position, signaling my readiness.
“About three months ago, a dungeon appeared among the roots of the World Tree.”
“…?”
Wait.
There’s a dungeon at the roots of the World Tree?
Why is this the first I’m hearing of such a matter?
