Unlike the Demon Fog Forest, the forest was surrounded by clean air.

The warm sunshine shining through the gaps in the trees and the sound of the leaves swaying and rubbing in the wind is like music to welcome visitors.

'It's been a long time since I've been back, but this place is still the same.

In the midst of all this, Meldina, who had returned to her hometown for the first time in perhaps more than a decade, was smiling softly, as if she was nostalgic.

Miselio, who usually doesn't leave Meldina's side very often, was also flitting and frolicking around as if he couldn't contain his excitement.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a great deal more to say. It's a nice place.

Even though the location was different, Virum, who was raised in the forest like Meldina, would be able to understand her emotions.

The same kind of emotions could be seen from Virum, who was smiling as if he was caught by Meldina.

''Hmph, thanks. But still, as expected of Fu-sama's magic. I thought it would take a month (or so) to get to the High Sierra because I couldn't ride it, but it only took a few days to get there.

After the raid, Virum and the others decided that it would be dangerous to travel on the High Sierra, so they decided to have Fumil cast an auxiliary magic to increase the speed of their movement and run.

If you don't take into account the strain on Meldina and the others' bodies, it would be faster than High Sierra, but the fact that the journey that would normally take a month was shortened to a few days was a sufficient result.

'I know you miss it, but you're going to stop by sister Mel's village, right? Is everything okay over there?

Oma, whose brow wrinkled, interrupted the conversation between Vilm and Meldina.

On their way to the High Elf's base, Virum and the others had decided to go through the Elf's village.

Hence, Oma, who has heard about Meldina's past before, asks her to find out her true intentions, perhaps out of concern for her.

''Honestly, I don't really want to leave too much. But I'm sure that if I don't, there's a chance that the High Elves will use me for their own ends, and in the meantime, they're my parents who raised me.

I wish my sister could say that. You don't want to do it, okay?

Mel... I'm fine! If anything happens, we'll be there for you!

Yeah. I'm counting on you.

For a moment, Meldina seemed to be in the dark, but she seemed to regain her normal condition after Oma and Cunaria's words of encouragement to her.





* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *





For a while, Vilm and the others advanced through the forest with Meldina's guidance.

Meldina, who was walking at the front of the group, stopped, and Virum and the others stopped walking along with her.

'We're here. Here it is!

Meldina said that as she turned around, but she looked around and didn't see anything that looked like a residence or entrance.

Coonaria and Oma have a question mark on their heads, while Virum's nodded as if he was convinced and then opened his mouth.

'A ward, I suppose. A bit like the one Mom made.'

''You're not much better than Satya-sama's wards. At best, it's only effective in distracting humans and demons from their perceptions. Come on.

While saying that, Meldina's figure, which took a step in the direction she herself pointed, disappeared as if swallowed by the empty space.

Coonaria and Oma seemed to be a little surprised, but with Virum and Fumil following Meldina without any warning, they stepped in after it, albeit cautiously.

When the view seemed to waver slightly, the landscape changed dramatically.

Log houses built with wood as the main material stand in a row, and all the residents you see, both male and female, are good-looking.

The elves are surprised by the suddenness of the visitors, but a male elf right beside Virum and his friends approaches them with an unbelieving look in his eyes.

''Well, no way... Meldina-chan, is that you?''

'Yeah. I wasn't really planning on coming home, but I just had to come by and let you guys know that I had some news to share. I was wondering if your father and mother were around?

'Oh, oh! I'll get him! You ready? I'll come get you real soon, so don't move from there, okay? Okay?

The male elf reminded Meldina repeatedly not to return, and then ran off without a sideways glance.

From his appearance, I could not sense any malice towards Meldina, and the eyes of the residents of the village, who are paying attention to us in the current exchange, do not seem to have any negative feelings in them.

'Something is different from what I thought. Since we were talking about escaping the village on your own, I thought you would be more likely to hit out at Mel sister with bad words and sarcasm...

It must have been much different from the situation he himself had imagined.

When Oma, who looked a little amused, let out a muttered voice, Kunalia, who seemed to have imagined the same situation as him, shook her head coyly.

'Well, yes. In a manner of speaking, I'm sure you were thinking of me and my marriage to a high elf, but...'



In the gaze of Coonaria and Oma, what could be heard interrupting Meldina's words, who was holding her head and letting out a sigh, was the sound of explosions and a voice that must have been running across the earth at full speed, almost like a yell.

When I turned my head in that direction, a different male elf from the one before was rushing at Meldina here ──while spreading his arms.

Vilm and the others stepped forward to protect Meldina from the strange man, but she herself took a form to block it.

''...Huh. Hon, you haven't changed.

With a grim expression on his face, Meldina let out a deeper sigh than before, and with a familiar look on his face, he shaved his body off the track of the lunge and set up a foot sweep to knock him over.

The momentum was so great that the elf took the form of diving from his face and slid down the ground in a reverse shrimp position.

The elf didn't even twitch as he fell, but after a few seconds or so, he randomly got up and brushed the dust from his clothes before turning to Meldina and opening his mouth.

'Oh dear, isn't it awful that it's been so long? Meldina.

He may think he is putting on a serious face, but due to the large amount of dust and scrapes on his face, you can only think he is trying to make you laugh.

You still haven't recovered from your habit of hugging your father even in public. Can't you get rid of your children?

"What's wrong with loving a pretty girl!

I can't feel even a shred of hesitation from him as he says it so matter-of-factly.

Perhaps it is an exchange that has been repeated many times.

Meldina turned half-eyed in a dumbfounded manner, but he didn't seem to be upset at all.

'Mm, by the way, my daughter. I know Misselio-sama, but are those people your friends?

Oh, so we can finally move on.

Relieved that her father's excitement had finally subsided, Meldina regained her composure and began to introduce Vilm and the others.

I'll introduce you. First of all, this is Wilm. He was the one who helped me when I was captured by the slavers. After that, he taught me things I didn't know, and he's been very helpful to me.

Uh....

For a moment, I felt his expression, which was smiling in a good mood, froze, but I wonder if it was my imagination.

Incidentally, the reason why Meldina introduced Virum before the spirit beast, Fumil, was because of their relationship as brother and sister.

''The one next to Virum is Fumil-sama. Believe it or not, it's the spirit beast that controls the wind. Don't be rude.''

What... what...

(Ah... Well, I'd be surprised if I found out it was Spirit Beast-sama, right? I hope I don't start saying weird things...)

No wonder he was astonished as he resurrected from his petrified state.

After all, the pinnacle of spirits, the object of their faith, was now right in front of them...

'You came back to introduce me to your boyfriend?

'No, where does that leave me?

No, apparently the appearance of someone who looked like his daughter's boyfriend was a more serious incident for him.