The two men who had been kicked out of the store seemed to be in trouble in front of the store.

　The distribution of magic stones is limited in this area, and it is not easy to get them out of the blue.



"What's the matter?　You were saying something about magic stones.

"What are you?　What are you dressed like ...... a traveling adventurer? You must be a cheaply paid bodyguard to come to the countryside like this.　I have no use for such a man. I'm not a freak show. Go home."



　The two men looked to be about the age of a father and son. The younger one was smaller and looked younger. The smaller man said bluntly. Apparently, he had no manners. I thought he was in trouble, so I approached him, but kindness is not always received as it is.



"Hey, Rista... don't waste your time fighting with him..."

"Ouch!"

　Another guy dropped a fist on the head of the guy called Rista.

　With a lot of force. That hurt like hell.



"Sorry about your lack of discipline, traveler. He's not from the village much and has no common sense. But it's not good to keep him in the village just because he has no common sense. Huh."



　Apparently he's a hard man who's been forced into trouble.　

　The men's skin was pure white, as white and translucent as snow.

　Their tone of voice was male, but they had a kind of neutral beauty.



"Is this the first time for you travelers to see snow people?　We are a race of subhumans who live in a village further into the mountains than here. We don't often see them out in the open, so it's not surprising that they don't know us.

Brother, a traveler is no use to a merchant's errand boy.



I'm sorry. I wasn't looking at you with curiosity. I was talking about the magic stone. So I thought I might be able to help you in some way.

"Do you ...... happen to have a magic stone?　Or maybe your employer has a magic stone?



　Rista, who had changed her attitude earlier, was suddenly getting down on her luck.

　I don't trust this kind of guy, but I don't mind a guy who is easy to understand.



"I have it, but what do I use it for?　I can't give it to you if it's going to be used for something strange, but I'm willing to give it to you if you know how to use it."

"We can't ...... tell you the details, but we needed the magic stone to maintain the village. We came to this village in a hurry to look for the magic stone.



　The magic stone is the source of magic. A magician like Domorte can use it like a magic tank. Well, it is special that a magic stone can be used for almost unlimited magic like Domorte, but it is also used in times of war, so you need to be careful when you give it to him.

　I don't think it will be used in such a problematic way since it is a rural village, but .......



"I'd say it's the upkeep of the village, but ...... I'm indeed not a merchant, so I can't give it to someone who won't give me detailed reasons."

"That's right. We can't tell you, but ...... you can come to the village.　The village head can explain it to you. I'm sorry, but there are a lot of reasons why I can't give you more details."



　Apparently there is a reason.

　I have a feeling that it's going to be troublesome if the lower people don't have the right to explain.

How much do you need?

"Ten magic stones ...... or even five."



　When Domorte uses great magic, he uses dozens of them, so it's not a big number for me. But .......

"I can't promise anything, but I'll give you anything you want if you help me."

"Anything?　Do you know what ...... snow stones are?"



"Of course. That's what we keep in this village. We process it and sell it.

"Can I go to your village to get snow stones?"



That's not possible ...... normally, but we can make arrangements in exchange for the magic stone.

"Are you sure, brother?　The village chief will be furious with you for making such an unreasonable promise.



I don't have a choice. No one will come all the way to that village if you ask them to come to the village without a reason. If we want them to sit down at the negotiating table, we have to offer them something.

　There is little chance of finding the snow stone in the village.



　It would be a pity for Griz to leave without getting it after he came all the way to this village for the girl he loves.

　We are supposed to support people in their love affairs.



　And if there is a possibility that it can be realized with a few magic stones, there is no need to hesitate.

　Of course, I'm not going to give you the magic stone if I don't know how to use it.



What's the name of your village?

Anesa.

"Shannon, can you tell Grizz that I'm going to Anesa to see the chief and get some snow crystals for him?　Shannon can come back via the box office. Tell Grizz he can go home or he can wait for me."



"Okay. I'll be back as soon as I'm done.

"Okay, can you take me to the village of Anesa now?"



　As I was heading for the men's village, the unwilling clerk at the general store beckoned me over.

"Just a moment, please."



　He seemed to have something he didn't want Yukito to hear and whispered in my ear.



"Are you guys following Yukito?"




"Yeah, I'm planning on it, but?"



"Lately ...... there are a lot of travelers who go from this village to that village before the snow falls and don't come back. I've never heard of the need for a magic stone at this time of the year before. The snow people are a closed tribe by nature, and while they do interact with us, ...... there's something dark about that village. No one will complain if we disappear, especially travelers like you."

　Apparently they are concerned.



Why are you telling me all this?

"Because it would have been bad for my sleep if you had talked that loud in front of me and disappeared. I warned you. The rest is yours to do with as you please, but coming to a closed village like that is very suspicious.



A closed village?

"Is it a closed village?" "Maybe all rural villages are like that. I've heard that village doesn't have any interaction with the rest of the world. Well, it's not every day someone decides to go to a subhuman village. You see that mountain range north of the store?

What's that?

　The mountain range was in the opposite direction from where we were coming from, and it was quite large. Even if you could see the tops of the mountains from below, you couldn't see all the way up to the top because they were hidden by clouds.



Beyond that mountain range is the magical land of Suiju.

　It is said that the magical land of Suiju is a country specializing in magic. It is a closed country protected by towering mountains, and is said to have no diplomatic relations with our own country, Berossa. ...... I'm not quite sure what the clerk is trying to say.



"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"There was a rumor going around that the magical land of Suiju sent a messenger to the snow people."



"Over those mountains?　All the way to a subhuman village in the countryside?

"Yeah, because of the ...... snow stone. And there's some big secret in that village that they don't tell anyone but the villagers. But they all reacted the same way you did. That mountain is covered with snow even in summer and it's impossible to go over. So it's just a rumor and no one believes it, but you should be careful because there are all kinds of strange rumors in that village. It's just a bunch of idle gossip from the countryside. You never know what might happen.



　The clerk looks at me with a smile.

　Maybe he was teasing me a little.

"I'm just trying to negotiate for the magic stone and the snow stone. I don't think I'll get into anything dangerous like that, but I'll be careful. Thanks for coming."

"No, it's just country gossip. But it's funny how rumors from that closed village get around here. Just in case."



　Such rumors were common in the countryside. There is no need to be so cautious.

　In a closed village, conspiracy theories, and in the countryside where there is not much to do, such stories spread in a funny way.



　I can't take it easy on them, though, because they may not mean to offend, or they may be genuinely concerned about you.

　I thanked them again and left the store.



　It's not every day you get caught in such a danger in a countryside village. I'd better go and get the snow stone as soon as possible.

　The two men led us to the village of Anesa.