Chapter – 24
Early morning.
Inside a teahouse in Ellondia, the village at the edge of the Singing Forest.
Clatter.
Bustling noise and steam laced with tea fragrance filled the air.
Mikhail put the tea leaves he’d ordered in his pocket. He took a sip of the plum herb tea in front of him and looked around.
Despite the early hour, the teahouse was quite crowded. Probably because it was used as a waiting area for people who utilized the forest’s ecosystem.
Those trying to investigate the fantasy creatures living in the forest. Those wanting to view unusual vegetation or scenery. And….
“—Don’t worry. I’ll show you along the safest path! I’m a local here, two gold coins for the tourist route is practically free. Free.”
Even those volunteering as forest guides while haggling.
Mikhail withdrew his gaze from the guide’s face, heated up in full swing, and tapped the table.
Separately from Ethan who would serve as escort, he too would obtain a guide here.
Not for simple path guidance, but to forcibly wake the giant luna moth lurking beneath the cavern.
‘If it’s the right person, probably around now.’
It should be a kid having quite a hard time….
“—Hello.”
That’s when it happened. At the voice that suddenly spoke up, Mikhail whipped his head up. As if he’d arrived in the meantime, Ethan stood across from him offering a bow.
“Oh my, I was distracted. Welcome.”
Ethan sat across from him without hesitation. Mikhail moistened his lips with the teacup in front of him and spoke again.
“Let’s start with introductions. I’m Maxwell Black. Please call me Maxwell comfortably. And you?”
“I’m Ethan Welton. Please call me Ethan.”
“Good. Ethan.”
Mikhail answered readily and opened his bag. He took out an old book and placed it on the table.
“The information you want is written here.”
Mikhail pressed down on the book firmly and slid it over.
Then, as if magnets were attached, Ethan’s ash-gray eyes rolled along the worn cover.
“The contract period is from now until right after we confirm the records you want at the cavern. I’ll hand over the information as soon as the contract ends. Do you accept?”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
There wasn’t an ounce of deliberation or hesitation in the answer. Mikhail pulled back the book he’d set down and smiled brightly.
“It’s good that you’re easy to talk with. Then now.”
…It should be about time for the guide to arrive.
It was the moment Mikhail glanced sideways toward the entrance. Along with the sound of hinges engaging, the door gap widened.
Creak.
The one who entered the teahouse was a boy around ten years old.
His worn clothes were mottled with grass stains, and the cloth bag slung over him was full of medicinal herbs.
At the very familiar appearance and attire, Mikhail immediately realized.
The boy standing before him was the person who would wake the luna moth. Since he would be covered all over with mana from all over the Singing Forest.
Rustle.
In the meantime, the boy timidly approached the counter. He carefully set down his bag while watching the surroundings.
“Tsk, let’s see.”
The teahouse owner rummaged through the bag indifferently and picked out a few herb roots. He took out three copper coins and tossed them.
The boy received the copper coins and bowed. However, he soon hesitated and opened his mouth tentatively.
“Mister. C-could you give me a bit more? This time I went all the way to a distant place….”
“What? Kid, this is enough. What more do you want?”
“B-but this isn’t even enough to buy a few pieces of bread. P-please. Just a bit more….”
“No, this brat won’t even leave quickly.”
The teahouse owner snapped in an irritated tone, but after looking around at the shop full of customers, he shut his mouth tight.
After looking down at the completely shrunken boy once.
The teahouse owner opened a drawer with a displeased face and threw one more copper coin.
“A brat from who knows where already greedy for money. You should live knowing to be grateful we even let you stay in the village.”
It was quite sharp reproach for one copper coin.
However, the boy meekly extended his hand to receive the coin, then bowed his waist to the owner.
He gathered his bag and prepared to leave the teahouse.
“……”
Mikhail glanced sideways at Ethan with his chin propped.
Ethan’s face looking at the boy was faintly wavering, leaks of emotion surging out unable to be gathered.
‘Come to think of it.’
Ethan too had wandered the continent alone at that age and suffered all kinds of hardships.
He’d heard harsh words until his ears were nailed.
Orphan bastard, incompetent guy, freeloader, beggar, pretending to be human….
‘Monster.’
Mikhail withdrew his gaze from Ethan’s deeply sunken profile. He called out to stop the boy who was just about to go outside.
“Hey, kid.”
“…?”
The boy flinched and stopped, then turned his head toward Mikhail. He hesitated and pointed at himself.
He looked flustered at the unexpected call.
When Mikhail nodded and gestured for him to come closer, the boy approached hesitantly with tension evident on his face.
Ethan also looked with somewhat surprised eyes.
The boy watched Mikhail’s mood and opened his mouth with difficulty.
“Um… wh-what did you call me for?”
“I want to buy what you have.”
The boy looked down at his worn cloth bag and spoke haltingly.
“Wh-what I have now are all worthless things. Th-there’s nothing worth receiving money for….”
“The value of something can change endlessly depending on the other person.”
At Mikhail’s response, the boy gripped his bag strap as if at a loss for words and stepped back.
Ethan, who was watching, also only quietly observed the situation.
Mikhail reached his hand toward the boy’s cloth bag.
Various plants that must have grown in different places.
Mikhail picked up a wildflower root and faced the boy. A scene from the game came to mind.
〈Ellondia’s Teahouse Owner, Orwen〉
[Yeah, that administrator gentleman from that big city took him, you know? He was a brat from who knows where, but his fortune changed. …Tsk, this is why you can’t see even an inch ahead in life. If I’d known, should I have treated him more nicely?]
It was a mention that shortly after, the boy had rescued a dignitary from the scholarly city who’d gotten lost in the Singing Forest.
The setting was that the dignitary would willingly accept the boy as his adopted son to repay the favor.
Eventually, Mikhail put a small smile on his lips. He held out one gold coin to the boy and continued speaking.
“What I’m buying is everything. The plants you brought. And even the knowledge you used to find the plants.”
“……”
“There’s probably no one here who knows the forest’s geography as well as you. Be our guide for today.”
The guide boy introduced himself as Colin.
With that, the three formed a team. Mikhail, Ethan, and Colin were wandering the outskirts of the Singing Forest.
Roughly….
Slash!
‘Has it been five hours now?’
Mikhail looked at the magical beast severed before his eyes.
The core of deep green. Since it possessed hardness similar to Stage 6 training dummies, it should help train muscle strength.
Plus, since they were flying-type individuals, it would make him less flustered by the luna moth’s attacks he’d face later.
Crumble.
The severed magical beast’s corpse crumbled into pieces. It became particles and dissipated into the air. Ethan, who’d been watching the series of processes, sheathed his sword and turned around.
“Wow— you’re really amazing.”
The one who immediately sent soulless praise was Mikhail.
Mikhail, who’d been sitting on a tree stump clapping, soon went further and even whistled.
An appearance as if watching purely out of curiosity, without danger or fear in mind at all.
“……”
Ethan looked at Mikhail with twitching eyebrows.
A subtle displeasure lingered over the ash-gray eyes looking directly at his opponent.
“…Maxwell, I feel like we keep circling the same place. Am I mistaken?”
Mikhail tilted his head slightly while maintaining his gaze at Ethan.
“……”
…Well, for Ethan, he’d held back for a long time.
If it was his original personality, he would have pressed within an hour.
Mikhail slowly opened and closed his eyelids and answered calmly.
“Indeed. You must be mistaken.”
“That can’t be, clearly from earlier the same scenery…!”
Ethan seemed somewhat heated up.
He shouted in a rather agitated tone, then whipped his head toward a nearby tree.
That was the moment. Mikhail glanced at Colin standing beside him.
…Meaning to play along appropriately.
“!”
Colin’s shoulders flinched, then he quickly opened his mouth.
“—N-no! Th-this forest is originally like that! There are many similar plants and trees, so you’re confused!”
Flustered.
It was a suspicious answer to anyone who heard.
“……”
Ethan stopped moving and raised his gaze toward Mikhail.
Awkward silence lay between the three people.
However, Mikhail only calmly nodded to play along with Colin’s words.
No particular handling was needed. Because….
“I apologize. It must have been my mistake.”
…Because Ethan was quite gentle toward Colin.
Before long, Ethan looking at Colin even wore a smile. He looked like he’d believe it even if told beans could make soy paste.
Mikhail left Colin smiling awkwardly at Ethan behind and shifted his gaze toward beyond the mountain.
‘Hmm.’
The sun had been floating in the eastern sky until they entered the forest, but now it had tilted greatly to the west.
Mikhail fiddled with his chin and murmured quietly.
‘Around now, it should be fine to head to the cavern?’
What came to mind next was how Ethan looked when he’d first defeated a core of deep green.
Back then, he’d swung his sword twice to fell it, but just now he’d finished with one swing.
Proof that he’d achieved the necessary growth.
Mikhail withdrew his gaze that had been fixed on the distance and said.
“No, I don’t think it’s a mistake. It would be good to change direction this time.”
“What…!”
Ethan and Colin both let out single sounds and looked at Mikhail, but Mikhail shrugged with a calm face.
“It happens.”
“……”
Mikhail turned his head toward Colin and smiled brightly.
“Colin, could you guide us on a different path? This time I’d prefer a shortcut to the cavern if possible.”
“Ah, oh. Y-yes! Follow me!”
Colin answered in surprise, then took the lead and started walking hurriedly.
Mikhail also followed behind with a calm face.
In the process, Ethan’s face that passed in his line of sight seemed quite severely crumpled, but….
“……”
What could he do about it?
He just decided to keep pretending to be oblivious.
