Read Novel Full Vol 14 Chapter 22
Vol 14 Chapter 22
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(4/8)
Chapter 22 – The Royal Road of RPGs
A graceful journey on the Chateau after leaving the Aquamarine Kingdom. Ines’ family and Flora-san, who just joined us, are somehow adjusting to the rapidly changing environment, both excited and tired. It’s good that everyone seems to be enjoying themselves somehow. Thank goodness I haven’t developed any new sexual preferences…
I managed to survive Bella-san’s fascinating swimsuit.
If I hadn’t seen Carlo-san’s suspicious behavior and his ulterior motives towards Alessia-san and the others, I honestly think I would have been in danger, but on the surface, I could have kept quiet.
However, I think I was very close because the first thing that came to my mind when I heard the words “oyakodon” was no longer food.
After that pool event, we continued to have a good time bowling and shopping.
“So what do you think, Felicia?”
In the midst of these fun days, an option emerged.
The route from the Aquamarine Kingdom to the Castle is closer than the route through the wartime route, the Empire, than the route through the Southern City.
And tomorrow, we will pass near the dark elf settlement that the Goddess of the Forest-sama told me about.
“…I know they are going through a hard time, so the sooner we can make contact with them, the better.”
Felicia’s thoughts are obvious. Besides, I can also fulfill my promise to the Goddess of the Forest-sama, so a detour is no problem.
“I understand. Then let’s go to the dark elves’ settlement tomorrow, shall we? Ines. Can you tell Bella-san and the others and Flora-san that we’ll be making a little detour?”
“I don’t mind telling them, but will that be okay? I mean, neither my mother nor the others nor Flora have loose lips, but what if they accidentally let the secret slip out? Wouldn’t it be better to at least tie them up in a contract with the God of Commerce-sama?”
Ines says something like she doesn’t trust her family and her best friend.
…But she’s worried about her family and her best friend, so she wants to protect them by tying them up in a contract first.
I think it’s very cute that Ines can’t honestly express her concern for her family and friends.
“Hey, Master, why are you looking at me with that grin on your face?”
I want to say it’s because Ines is cute, but I’m afraid she might sulk, so I stop.
“It’s nothing. And since Ines seems worried, I’ll ask them to sign the contract later, just in case.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about anything!” Ines talks like a Tsundere. Well, that’s one thing.
But lately, I don’t see much point in signing a contract except for the safety of Ines’ family and that of Flora-san.
Not so long ago, it would have been dangerous for people to know that I was protecting the dark elves.
I would have had to be a bit careful that something would alert me to the existence of a dark elf island and that reckless slave traders would come across the open sea to the island.
But all those problems were solved when I got the Sea God’s Divine Treasure.
If it weren’t for irregulars like me who were given cheats, even if this entire continent were mobilized to attack the dark elf island, it would be a piece of cake to repel them.
I’d have to put them on a luxury liner if I protected them, but if I stayed on the dark elf island, there would be plenty of opportunities to get on board, and it’s too late for that now.
Oh, and there’s also the possibility that word will spread that I’m protecting the dark elves, and the dark elves hiding on this continent will be targeted.
It seems that there are usually people who think of securing the dark elves first and then try to negotiate with me in some way.
It’s not that I don’t trust Bella-san and Flora-san, but for their safety and that of the dark elves, I will make a contract with them.
＊＊＊
The next morning, after deciding to seek the protection of the dark elves, I explained the situation to Bella-san and the others, and we set off on the Lutto.
And we arrived at the nearest land to the dark elves’ settlement, which is… a mountain.
I had heard about it from Felicia, who had done her preliminary investigation on the location of the Goddess of the Forest-sama’s marker, but since Felicia’s settlement, the Demon Forest settlement, and the Dragon Forest settlement were all forests, I felt a little uncomfortable that it wasn’t a forest.
Well, since there are trees here, too, I feel that the only difference between a mountain and a forest is the slope, but the slight difference is very annoying.
It seems unlikely that the Ranger will be able to proceed, and it will be difficult even for the small Add.
I had a feeling that if everyone was present and the ship was summoned, there would be enough time to spare, but this might be another difficult mission.
“Hmm, the lands around here are human supremacists due to the influence of the Empire, so if they were able to stay safely hidden in these mountains, it would be difficult to discover them, wouldn’t it?”
Well, Alessia-san is right.
Surviving in a difficult place means that they are either that confident in their defenses or that they are very well hidden.
Considering the value of the dark elves, if they were discovered, they would be attacked at all costs, and it seems likely that they live in perfect hiding.
…But the Goddess of the Forest-sama has marked it on the map, and in my case, does that mean it would be a piece of cake?
“The trees are so dense that there don’t seem to be many big monsters like the earth dragons. It might be a place where small monsters are troublesome, like the Demon Forest.”
…Really? If Dorothea-san’s prediction is correct and it takes as long as it did in the Demon Forest, we should consider the possibility of starting over.
It is painful that even with Felicia’s preliminary investigation, we were unable to gather detailed information due to the influence of this area’s proximity to the Empire.
“Marina. Please do some scouting. Take it easy and be safe.”
“Roger that.”
Alessia-san asked Marina-san to do the scouting. I guess it’s true that we need to do some scouting…
“Let’s see, all the places where dark elves have been hiding were quite dangerous. Instead of asking Marina-san to scout, wouldn’t it be better to allow emergency evacuation to the ship so that we can all continue?”
It would be unfashionable if Marina-san and Fuu-chan didn’t come back.
“…Well, I’d like to get some information about the monsters, but if Wataru is around, it might be safer that way.”
Perhaps remembering the forest where the dark elves had been so far, Alessia-san immediately retracted her previous opinion.
Honestly, I think it’s great that she can quickly revise her thoughts without being stubborn about her opinion.
We all decided to enter the mountain together, and first Alessia-san and the others jumped from the Lutto onto the land, followed by me, Ines, and Felicia.
“Then we go. Wataru, there doesn’t seem to be much space in this forest, so if anything happens, summon a rubber boat.”
“I understand.”
We climb the mountain in formation with me in the middle.
…..I feel like I’m on a real adventure.
We avoided the trees, dodged the bushes, climbed steep inclines, and avoided cliffs. And the monsters that appear.
I have a strong feeling that I am living in a fantasy world.
However, there is no sense of suspense because Girasole kills all the monsters instantly.
They were A-rank adventurers when we met, and now that they have been strengthened by the sea, they are no match for half-baked monsters.
At this rate, it would be easy to get to the dark elves! I thought so, but it didn’t seem to work out that way.
“The direction is wrong. It’s the exact opposite.”
We were supposed to be going towards our destination, but we were going in a completely different direction.
Also, it is difficult to notice that the direction has changed, and we end up going quite a distance.
The map function of the Ship Summoning will take us in a straight line to our destination. If we were always looking at the map, we would know immediately if the direction was off, but it is unreasonable not to notice when we are walking in the exact opposite direction.
I don’t understand why it doesn’t feel strange to go down or when you have to go up.
But this strange phenomenon is probably why the dark elves were able to hide and live in this mountain, where the monsters are not so strong.
I never thought that I would experience the lost forest, the royal road of RPGs, in a place like this. Well, this is not a forest, but a mountain…
I’m a little excited about this Royal Road RPG event, but I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to reach our destination if we keep going like this.
“Ilma. Can you do something about this phenomenon?”
I call Ilma-san, who is walking nearby with a troubled expression on her face.
Although we are physically fine, it is mentally difficult because we are lost in nature.
“It is difficult. Most of the illusionary magic shouldn’t affect me, but I don’t even know when my senses were thrown off, so there’s nothing I can do about it. Maybe there’s a fairy at the other end.”
Fairies? I remember seeing documents about fairies in the Adventurers’ Guild reference room in Western City.
I remember reading that they were a small race that rarely interacted with humans.
“Can’t you fight fairies?”
“Yes. Fairies are a race that specializes in illusionary magic. I am also aware that I am among the top class of illusionary magic users in this world, but fairies are of a different caliber.”
Is that so? They’re of a different caliber?
Well then, there’s no way to get there, is there?
“…I’m sorry, Felicia, but should we just give up and retreat?”
If it’s a mountain with not-so-strong monsters and even fairies on their side, there’s no need for force protection, right?
“No, I definitely want to make contact with the fairies. If I can acquire the abilities of fairies, I can grow even more as an illusionary magician.”
Ilma-san, who never stops smiling even in the most difficult situations, is on fire like the protagonist of a sports manga. She looks like she has flames in her eyes.
“But you can’t resist the fairy’s illusions, can you?”
What are you going to do when you can’t even comprehend their existence, let alone make contact with them?
“Don’t worry. It’s true that we can’t fight them with illusions, but we can do something about it with methods other than magic.”
Other than magic?
“Wataru. Summon a rubber boat filled with sweets. We also need music from Wataru’s world.”
“Huh?”
Why?
“Ara, don’t you know? Fairies love candy and dancing. Even fairies will be delighted with the sweets and music Wataru prepares.”
Ilma-san is beautiful when she speaks so eloquently, but does that mean she’s trying to bribe the fairies?
I wonder how that would work?