A bit of exploring around with a flock of plovers.

　We found them!

　Dungeon we found the phoenix village.
　Thank goodness.
　There was a possibility that they had been flown ridiculously far away, but that wasn't the case, they seemed to be surprisingly close.
　Probably about an hour's walk away.
　This would allow me to get back soon.

　Hmm?

　Just as he was about to release the assimilation, he saw the phoenix tribe.
　One, two, three.......one after another.

　They became a group of three and unfolded around them.
　Their appearance was as if they were hunting........

　Nope.
　I suppose he's actually hunting.
　And that target is probably me.



----------



Well, welcome back.

　When I returned after releasing the assimilation, I was greeted by Finia.
　The color of expectation in her eyes as she wondered if she had grabbed some information.

''Well I found the phoenix tribe's village. It's about an hour's walk south of here.
Oh, really?　Thank goodness........you weren't transferred to a strange place, were you?

　Finia seemed relieved and happy to have found her way home.
　But I can't be honestly happy.

　There was no way I would be welcomed back to the phoenix tribe's village like this.
　Maybe........from the other side, I'm the villain who used Lean to kidnap Finia.
　There's no way they'll listen to my request, and even before that, from what I saw earlier, they'll probably attack me immediately.

　Crap.
　A lot of things are messed up because of Leanne and Monica's unnecessary actions.
　I have to recover somehow, but I can't think of a way to do it.

'Oh, um...what's going on?'
Oh?

　Finia and Sakura looked at me with concern.
　Apparently, frustration was evident on their expressions.

''Uh........''

　There's no point in hiding it.
　I honestly told them about the scene I saw earlier.



　Finia's face turns pale.
　However, does the fact that she reacts like that mean she's a little worried about me?
　I'm glad of that, even at a time like this.

'Uh, uh ... gee, let me explain that it's a misunderstanding!　I'll do my best to explain it to you, too.
'Probably not. I don't think they'll listen to me properly.

　He thought back to the sight of the phoenix tribe hunting with a deadly look on their faces.
　Even if Finia stood in front of him, it was unlikely that he would listen to her.
　It would be a case of being forcibly protected.


Unfortunately, there's no way to prove it.

　The phoenix tribe would have you believe that I'm connected to Lean and the others in the background.
　I have no material to deny that.

　It's also a bad character Lean thing.
　If I bring her in front of the phoenix tribe, she might say or do something to show that she's one of them here to set me up.

　Although I caught him to prevent him from doing any more unnecessary things........
　It's a slightly weaker material to prove my innocence.
　If only I could at least bring the voice of my heart to the surface.

　If Sora and Luna had been there, or maybe they could have been.
　But the girls would have to let Iris continue her treatment.
　There's no point in asking for something that isn't there, so we have to come up with another breakthrough.

''.........''

　Suddenly, I noticed that Finia was looking terribly serious.
　She seemed to be thinking about something, mumbling softly.

'Finia?'
....
Well ... hey, Finia?
'What?　Oh, hi, hi!

　Finia jumps up with a whimper.
　'I'm sorry I seem to have startled you.

'What's wrong?'
Well, you see...

　Her gaze wavers as if she were lost.
　Maybe he has something to say.

　If that's the case, let's wait and see what he has to say.
　You can't rush a child like this.
　It's important to calm him down so that he can speak for himself.

That's it!

　A bit of waiting.
　Feenya seemed to have her mind firmly made up and looked straight at me.

"Wow, can you not leave it to me?
What do you mean by that?
I'll try to convince my mother to give it a try.

　I had an idea on how to do that.
　If I can persuade Elfin-san, the chief, I can stop this commotion.

　Just.........it's rude to say this, but is it possible for Finia to do that?
　Personality-wise, I think it's very difficult.

　As if reading my thoughts, Finia piles on the words in a desperate manner.

I'm sure you are very anxious about leaving it to me, but..........................I'll do my best!
Why do you care so much?
Because this isn't right.

　Finia looks forlorn.
　She looks down and grabs her clothes tightly.

'My mom and everyone in the village... well, they're usually very kind. But right now I'm afraid... or hunting... you can't... you can't do that. I can't.......I have to get this over with.
I see.

　I naturally loosen my cheeks and pat Finia's head with a pop.

''Hee!''
Finia's a sweet girl, isn't she?
'Huh...?　I'm...kind?