--In conclusion.

　Helian and his group were not welcomed by the villagers.



　The houses in the village are made of stone and hollowed-out rooms made of rotting trees.

　The number of houses must have exceeded a hundred, but not more than two hundred. In between the houses, there were several temporary houses built in the shape of tents.



　These tents were not the magnificent ones like those of the nomads in Turkey.

　They were simple, makeshift structures. It looked more like a refugee camp than a village.



　There, people who had escaped from the attack by the Noblewood, a nation of elves, were huddled together in a small settlement.



　It is obvious that a human with an elf, a hostile race, would not be welcomed at such a place. We can only be thankful that they did not throw stones at us. If there had been no warning, it might have really happened.



　The worst of the atmosphere was dispelled by a half-elf girl, Leifa.



　She explained to the villagers that Helian and his group had saved their lives.

　When the villagers heard the whole story, they turned away from the stares they had been giving Helian and the others, saying, .



　All that remained was a suspicious look at the curious traveler, a dark-haired, dark-eyed man with two beautiful women in tow. I already knew that dark-haired and dark-eyed people are rare, but I felt like a panda in a freak show.



　And, of course, ...... Leifa was royalty from the land of the half-elves [RATESTWOOD].



　She is the first child of the queen and the first princess with the first right of succession to the throne. She is said to be the provisional queen of the people since the current queen is still alive and unaccounted for. She also has a younger sister, and they are the only two people in the royal family, apart from their parents, who are still alive.



　Why would such an important person be alone in the middle of the forest?



"- Rescue the current queen?"

"Yes. I do not know why, but the elves of Noblewood do not want to kill us who have escaped, but to take us alive. Then there is still a possibility that my parents, our current queen and queen consort, are still alive. However, the Noblewood is well defended. First of all, I tried to sneak in with an elite team to conduct a preliminary reconnaissance. ......"



　Sitting in a tent in the village, together with a heavyweight from [RATESTWOOD], Helian tilts his head when he hears the reason for this.



　Incidentally, Levee and Ertina are standing behind Helian.

　Leifa encouraged them to sit down - perhaps in consideration of Herian's escort - but they politely thanked her, preferring to stand and refrain.



"The elite squad?　Why are you in there?　And the others?"

I have the magic I just showed you to summon your friends. If we were lucky enough to sneak into the place where the present queens are being held, we would summon our companions and force our way out. We would need a certain amount of strength to escape.

　But in the end, the Noblewood soldiers found us before we could get over the outer wall of the city, and we ended up like that. The others were caught ...... as decoys to help me escape."

"...... I see."



　The more I hear, the more troubling the situation sounds.

　From the way the story goes, she is the only one who can manipulate the summoning magic, but the fact that the royal family - and the interim queen herself - has to go out to the battlefield must mean that they are in a very dire situation.



　Though I may not be in a position to say so, since the king himself is on an overseas expedition.



"If I may, my guest..."



　While we were sitting down to have a conversation, a sharp voice came to me.

　The interrupter was a strange half-elf woman who had been summoned for the purpose of warning us.



　According to Leifa's explanation, she was the deputy chief of warriors in charge of the settlement's defense. She is now the chief of warriors since they lost the chief of warriors who went out as an elite team. She looked at Helian and the others with a slightly stern gaze.



"Are you guests not a little too polite to Master Leifa?"

"...... Wenli."



　As if to rebuke her, Leifa mentioned the woman's name.

　Even so, she - Wenli - did not hold her tongue.



"Let me tell you something, Miss Leifa. ...... guest, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving Leifa. But if you've been silent for a while now, you've been asking her questions one after the other. It would be too impolite. Why are your guests travelers so ignorant of the situation in this area? Are they really travelers?

"Wenli, you are the one being rude!　The Herrians have graciously helped me out of the goodness of their hearts. It would be unbecoming of you to make such a mistake.



　Wenli is reprimanded, but the sternness in her eyes toward Hellian does not disappear.

　The half-elves who are present at the meeting are giving similar glances to Wenli.



　It must be suspicious. It was obvious that they would be suspicious. That's why Helian had thought of some countermeasures with his wits about him on the way to the village.



"I see. Wenli, you are right to be concerned. You mean that you suspect us to be the pawns of the elves ......[Noblewood]."

"......, I did not say that. I just felt it strange that our guests were travelers.

"I see. But it is true that we are travelers. But I'm not sure if we are ordinary travelers.

"What do you mean?"

We come from the Abyssal Forest.

"--?



　The place was buzzing.

　Abyssal forest" was a word that came up in the conversation between Leifa and the elf man, and from the flow of the conversation, it must have referred to "that forest" that had an illusory effect on them.



　The land of the half-elves [RATESTWOOD] is located near the border of the humans, and the territory of the humans is to the east.

　And according to what I have heard, the land of the elves [Noblewood] is in the northwest, and [Rattestwood] has been driven to the forest near the border between the Abyssal Forest and humans.



　Then the Abyssal Forest must be that mysterious forest to which Alkimaira was forcibly transferred.



"Are you saying that our guests are minions of the Demon Lord?



　Wenli reacts hypersensitively.

　He looks as if he is about to stand up and ready his bow and arrow, but Helian calmly - and pretending to be - denies it by shaking his head.



"Is there a demon king in the Abyssal Forest?　That's also new to me. We were suddenly transported to a strange forest while searching for an old castle. Thanks to that we were scattered with our companions and wandered around the forest for ...... five days. It's been a long time since I've even seen a human being. I've just learned the name of the Abyssal Forest. I hope you understand that my ignorance of the situation around here is understandable.

"You say you have been wandering in the forest for five days with ...... no luggage, but you say you have lived for five days in the forest with such light equipment?　That's a lot ...... more well-dressed than those of us who have a base of operations in a settlement, don't you think?"






　It's a question in the form of a question, but it's not a question to be mocked.

　But Helian knows the answer to that question.

　In fact, that was the response he was expecting.



"Yes, I am very careful about my appearance. I set up camp and bathe every day."

"......Hoa. Your guest seems to be quite fond of unfunny jokes. Bathing is a very elegant thing to do.



　Wenli glares at Hellian.

　It is quite a powerful thing to be stared at with a steely gaze by a woman of a certain age.

　Or rather, it's plain scary.

　Helian tries hard to keep a clear face while holding his knees that are about to shake with his hands.



"Now, I would like you to answer these guests. Where do you have the equipment to set up camp, much less take a leisurely bath?

"Wenli!　Enough ......!"

"Here, Mister Wenli. --Liewe, Ertina."



　I'll snap my fingers to signal.

　I would have been a fool if I had missed at this point, but I had told them secretly before entering the tent, so there was no need to worry about that.



　Lieve and Ertina each took a small bag from their pockets. They open the mouths of the bags and take out a tent and a post for setting up camp.



"What the heck is this!　Where the hell did you get all this bulky stuff?

"In that bag. I found it by accident when I was excavating the ruins. I don't know how it works, but it can hold more than its volume. It has come in handy."



　And then, and then, and then, and then, a quantity of things that clearly could not fit into the bag were placed on the ground one after another. In no time at all, the entire camp set was in place, leaving the half-elves stunned.



　This bag is a magic tool (magic item) called a .

　As you can see, it can hold more than its volume.



　In RPGs (role-playing games), there are often times when you want to ask yourself , and this is the solution to that contradiction. It is an item.



　Recently, many VR 《Virtual Reality》 RPG 《Role Playing Game》 with names such as Item Box or Item Storage have been using similar items. The same item appears in the market.



　High-quality, large-capacity "magic sachets" (item pouches) are themselves considered valuable, and even Alkimaira could not keep up with the production of the highest-quality ones, so there were not enough of them, but of course the two leaders of the Eight Grand Corps had them.

　And when it comes to preparations for an expedition, a simple temporary housing kit is always stored as basic equipment.



"As you can see. I thought you would not believe me if you did not see it with your own eyes. This is how we managed to survive in the forest even though we looked lightly equipped. And the food is in those bags."



　Wenli and the others looked at the campsites laid out in front of them in amazement. Even though they could see it with their own eyes, their understanding had not caught up with them.



　--This is it. This is the place.



"I'd rather talk about something constructive than such trivial matters. We want information. I know this may sound patronizing, but can I at least be allowed to ask you a few questions in return for saving Leifa's life?　Besides, we can provide you with a small amount of food."



　A hot sautéed chicken was newly taken out of the bag.

　The sautéed chicken was fragrant and appetizing, steam was rising from the sautéed chicken as if it had just been cooked.



　In a way, it was not wrong.

　This high quality "magic pouch" is endowed with a technique, which preserves the condition of the stored items for a long time.

　This sauté was stored immediately after it was made.



　The meat is from chickens raised with care by a livestock farmer under the king's warrant and prepared with the utmost care and skill by the castle's resident chef. The aroma of the chicken meat wafts through the small tent.



　Someone's throat hitched a gulp.

　As one might expect, the food was not very rich.



　Then Helian has Lieve and the others take out a bottle of cool water.

　He gave it to everyone present, and Helian took a sip to prove that it was not poisoned.



　At first glance it appears to be just water, but it is a real consumption item that has the effect of restoring stamina. In the game [Tactics Chronicle], this effect was meaningless to the player, but I felt that my legs were less tired.



　Fearfully the half-elves began to sip the cool water, but each time they said, "I can't believe it! It's cold," "It's not just water," "It heals me from the inside out," "What is this water?



　Some of them drank the water in one gulp because it tasted so good, and some of them even looked at the others sipping and sipping with resentment.



"Excuse me, but can half-elves eat meat?"

"Uh ......, yes, I can eat. They have almost the same tastes in food as humans do.

"I see. Well then, this is a good omen. Let us treat you to a little. Let's have a little dinner.



　After the announcement, Lieve and Ertina each take a sautéed chicken breast from their respective bags and pass them around. The half-elves either stare or are stunned as the items are removed one after another from the .



　The half-elves do not move while the two men serve the food.

　While they are stunned, the half-elves take the initiative, even if they have to do it by force.

　This was the strategy that Helian had devised with all his wits about him.



　This is also the reason why they folded the magic item called one after another before the impact of the magic item had worn off.



　<, they denied their suspicions by using a prop with a strong impact, the magic sachet (item pouch).

　There are other suspicious points in the traveler's setting of Helian and his friends, but the half-elves, still in a state of shock, do not think of them immediately.



　This is a con technique I learned in college.

　Or rather, it is one of the things that the professor in my seminar class, who loves to draw upon his vast knowledge, has been blabbering on about.

　It was not taught in a lecture, but Helian remembers the carefully explained technique, partly because the professor was a good talker and partly because it made a deep impression on him to say <.



　--The method was to induce the group to focus their suspicions on a single point, then deny the most suspicious point with physical evidence and evade pursuit by changing the subject before any other suspicious point could be considered.



　I forgot the name of the method, but this is what it looks like in writing.

　It is not a very effective method, but I was told that it is sometimes surprisingly effective if the shock of denial is made to be strong.



　I never dreamed that I would actually use this technique, but I believe that I have completed the extremely difficult mission of <>.






　Furthermore, the rescue of the interim queen was used as a shield to create an atmosphere in which it was difficult to refuse requests for information. If they refused the request, they would be asked if the queen's life was so valuable. Since there is no such a thing, the half-elves have no choice but to accept the request.



　As it stands, they have done more than they could have done in the past. I would like to believe that this was the best solution. Anyway,



"You can have dinner with us. I hope you don't mind if I talk to you for a while."



　The rest is just momentum. If they are allowed to cool down, it will be rehashed again.

　Before that happens, we should sell them a favor in the form of a small meal, even if it's a little pushy, gather information, and then return to our country for a time with a suitable reason.



　Since we have obtained some information so far, even if it is difficult to obtain further information, it is all right as long as we can part from them peacefully and return to our countries.



　I wondered if it would be a good idea to have a conversation over a meal, but diplomacy over a meal is common in the real world as well. So it will be all right. Probably.



　I don't wait for their reply and continue talking. Don't lose control of the conversation.



"First of all, about what you said earlier about them being minions of the Demon King... ......"

"Sister, I'm coming in!"



　Just as Helian was about to ask a question, a petite figure rushed in, brushing off the cloth at the entrance. The girl, her wavy hair half up, was already inside the tent when she said .



　She is a petite child with large droopy eyes.

　In appearance, she looks slightly younger than Leifa. If she were in Japan, she would have just entered junior high school.



　Unusually, his hair color was pure white. Her skin was as clear and white as Leifa's, and even the tunic she was wearing was white.

　She is a , I guess.



"-Reifa."



　It was Leifa who called out to him as if to rebuke him.

　If you look closely, you can see that her face is similar to that of the girl who entered the tent.



　As I was comparing them, Leifa noticed my gaze and lowered her gaze in a slightly embarrassed manner.



I am her younger sister, Lilifa. I'm sorry, I'll tell her later. --I'll tell her later. -Rilifa, my sisters have something important to tell you. Go outside."

"Hmmm... ....... Hey, brother. Your brother's a traveler?　The one who saved your sister from the elves?"



　Lillipha ignored her sister's words and spoke to her.

　She seems to be a quiet girl on the outside, but the fact that she entered the tent without any hesitation and her personality seems to be rather brazen.

　Leifa's well-shaped eyebrows shot up at this attitude.



"I don't care. "It doesn't matter, Leifa, sir.



　I almost call out to him to make up for it.

　He had given me permission to call him by his first name, but now that I know who he is, I can't call him by his first name as I have done in the past.



"It's you, isn't it, Mr. Rilifa? It was two of my companions ......, Liewe and Ertina, who saved your sister. I am too weak to fight."

"Hmmm ......."



　Lillipha glances at the two men standing behind Helian.

　Eltina bows quietly and Levee responds with a bow.



　Lillipha looks at her and tilts her head curiously.

　Then, "Hmm?" Then, he moved closer to Helian and crouched down.



　......What is it?



　Unintelligible behavior.

　Lillipha sat down beside me and looked up at me with emerald green eyes. It was a gesture of a pure and innocent child.



　Helian, feeling somewhat awkward, hands Lillipha the cool water he has just received from Levee in order to create a pause.



　Lillipha accepts the bottle of soft water with her small hands and looks down at the bottle in her hand. Then she nodded her head "yes" and leaned closer to Helian.

　Helian frowns at this increasingly unintelligible behavior.



　Then, as if determined, Lillipha turned her gaze on Helian's face.

　It is just as Helian, thirsty, takes a sip of water,



"Hey, hey, traveler."

"Hmm?"

"Do you like big tits?"



　It blew.



"Boo-hoo!　Gobble, gobble, gobble......!"



　And it went down my trachea.

　It was a disaster.

　Rieve rubbed Helian's back in panic.



"Li-Li-Li-fa!　What are you talking about all of a sudden?

"Because you are a human being, aren't you, traveler?　So I thought maybe it would be better to be a big guy."

I don't understand!



　Leifa yelled at her sister, and Helian completely agreed.

　She had no idea what the question was about or what it meant.



"Hey, wait!



　Rayfa reaches out to grab Lilifa, but Lilifa takes advantage of her petite body and quickly hides behind Hellian. She is almost snuggled up to Helian's back.



　Helian is not a pedophile. Definitely not a pedophile. I swear to God I am not a pedophile, but I am aware of the soft touch on my back, probably because of what Lillipha said just now. I am.