Chapter 15: Encounter 14
The Aadorf Inner Village was a lively town, bustling with activity as seen from the mountain pass. However, nearly everyone on the streets was an elf, and perhaps due to their overall demeanor, the atmosphere felt quite serene.
On either side of the ten-meter-wide cobblestone street stood wooden buildings, four to five stories tall, with the ground floors serving as shops or workshops. The upper floors appeared to be residences, with laundry hanging out to dry, giving off a sense of everyday life.
Various intriguing ingredients and items were displayed outside the shops, but securing accommodations was our priority.
“Sfenia, I’d like to find an inn first. Do you have any recommendations?” I asked.
“You don’t need to book an inn. I intended for you to stay at my home,” she replied.
“Is it really okay for us to just show up with this many people?”
“Yes, of course. Let me guide you to my house.”
As a high elf, Sfenia belonged to the noble class, so her family home was likely quite impressive. However, I couldn’t shake the worry of imposing on them, especially since our leader was an older man. Despite my concerns, Sfenia walked confidently down the street.
It seemed her home was near the three grand trees at the center of the town. We made our way deeper into the innermost streets.
“Wow, Sōshi, those trees are enormous!” Sfenia exclaimed.
“Indeed. I’ve never seen trees this large before.”
Up close, the great trees towered nearly 100 meters high, their trunks as thick as a building in Japan. With my fantasy knowledge, I imagined them to be akin to the “World Tree.” Speaking of which, Sfenia had referred to the government office in Aadorf as the “Holy Tree Hollow.”
“Sfenia, could it be that these three trees are the ‘Holy Trees’?”
“Hmm? Ah, while these trees are indeed magnificent, they are not the ‘Holy Trees.’ The ‘Holy Trees’ are mentioned in elven legends, and it’s unclear whether they truly exist.”
“So, these trees are just really big trees?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Elves are often thought of as forest dwellers, so to enhance that image, this tree was made a symbol of the town,” she said with a playful smile. It seemed elves were quite adept at image strategy.
“Now, this is my home. Please, feel free to enter,” Sfenia said, pointing to a grand house that could easily be described as a noble mansion. In front of it lay a beautifully landscaped garden surrounded by a fence, bursting with colorful flowers. The garden appeared to be open to the public, as several elves sat on benches, chatting merrily.
We passed through the gate and walked through the garden until we reached the entrance of the four-story mansion. As we approached, the front door swung open, and several elves came out to greet us.
Among them were two exceptionally handsome individuals. Dressed in luxurious blue robes adorned with intricate embroidery, they were undoubtedly the owners of the mansion. Their features bore a striking resemblance to Sfenia, confirming they were her parents.
“Ah, Sfenia, you’re back! We were worried since you hadn’t been in Marulo for a while,” said a silver-haired young high elf with round glasses.
“Welcome back, Sfenia. It’s good to see you looking well. You seem to have grown a bit stronger,” added the silver-haired beauty beside him, smiling warmly.
“I apologize for worrying you, Father, Mother. I’m continuing my adventures without any issues. I’ve reached B-Rank and should be able to attain A-Rank soon,” Sfenia replied.
“That’s impressive! You mentioned your goal was to catch up to Anatoria, and it seems you’re close to achieving it,” her father remarked.
“Yes, but I couldn’t have done it alone. I was fortunate to meet a reliable party,” Sfenia said, glancing back at us.
“Have you made good acquaintances in the outside world? Perhaps those behind you are members of your party?” her mother inquired.
“Yes, indeed. Our party is called ‘Soul’s Guidance,’ and this is our leader, Sōshi,” Sfenia introduced me.
I bowed my head respectfully. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Sōshi, the leader of ‘Soul’s Guidance.’ I am deeply grateful for Sfenia’s hospitality. I apologize for our sudden visit.”
“Oh, please don’t be so formal! I’m Sarandol, Sfenia’s father. I must thank you for taking care of her,” he said, waving his hand dismissively.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Aranda, Sfenia’s mother. Thank you for coming all this way. Please, make yourselves at home,” she added, her smile warm and inviting.
Their friendly demeanor eased my worries. I hadn’t given it much thought before, but I realized I was responsible for several of their precious daughter’s well-being. It was a bit embarrassing to come to this realization in a place like the Aadorf Inner Village.
“I see, I’ve heard rumors about the appearance of a ‘Demon.’ And then there’s the ‘Wandering Dungeon’ and the ‘Candlestick of the Netherworld,’ and oh, the ‘Kin of Twilight’ as well. It seems the world has changed quite a bit while I’ve been holed up in the Hollow,” Sarandol said, nodding thoughtfully as I recounted our reasons for visiting Aadorf and the experiences we had encountered.
We were currently in the mansion’s reception room, which was quite spacious. The sofa surrounding the table could comfortably seat over ten people.
Seated on the sofa were the seven members of ‘Soul’s Guidance’ and Sfenia’s parents, making nine of us in total. A maid, an elven girl, was present as well, serving tea.
“I would like to speak with the historians in Aadorf. Could you introduce me to them?” I asked.
“Of course, that won’t be a problem. I’m the most knowledgeable about history in Aadorf. Sfenia likely brought you here with that in mind,” Sarandol replied with a cheerful smile. Seeing Sfenia’s mischievous grin, I understood her intentions.
“I greatly appreciate that. By the way, do you have any information regarding the ‘Demon’?” I inquired.
“Actually, I’ve been curious since I heard the rumors and have started my own investigation. The ‘Holy Tree Hollow’—which refers to the government office here—has a resource room where I’ve already gathered some relevant texts. However, it may take some time to find useful information. I should be able to review everything in about a week, so if you can wait that long, we can discuss it then,” he explained.
“Understood. However, will we be able to stay here for an extended period?” I asked.
“The permit allows for long-term stays, so there’s no issue. From what I gather, ‘Soul’s Guidance’ is quite a skilled adventurer party, and it seems Goslit has taken your circumstances into account when granting you long-term permission,” Sarandol said, adjusting his round glasses. For a brief moment, a sharp glint appeared in his kind eyes.
It was difficult to gauge from his appearance and mannerisms, but he was undoubtedly one of the influential figures in Aadorf. This meant he was likely involved in the “troubles Aadorf is facing,” as mentioned by Goslit.
“I believe there will be a need for compensation in exchange for the information. If we are to wait a week, we can’t just sit idle. If there’s anything you need help with, we’d be willing to assist as compensation,” I proposed.
Sarandol nodded thoughtfully. “That would indeed be helpful for the ‘Holy Tree Hollow.’ Of course, any requests will go through the guild. That way, it will also contribute to the achievements of ‘Soul’s Guidance’ and, by extension, Sfenia.”
“Thank you for your consideration. We will accept any requests as soon as they arise. We also plan to explore the dungeons around Aadorf; will that be a problem?” I asked.
“Of course not. However, the highest level dungeons here are only C-Class, so it might not be challenging enough for a B-Rank party. If possible, it would be helpful if you could supply the guild with ingredients, especially meat. Aadorf has a chronic meat shortage,” he explained.
“Wait, you can’t get any meat?” Larni and Karma, the beastkin duo, reacted in surprise. It was true that they loved meat.
“Don’t worry; we can provide you with a decent amount for our guests. But if you want to eat a lot, it would help if you could bring back what you gather from the dungeons,” Sarandol reassured them.
“Hey, Sōshi, don’t we have a lot of meat in the Item Box? Shouldn’t we have that cooked instead?” Larni suggested.
“You’re quite the worrywart, Larni. Sarandol, I’ll bring out the ingredients I have, so please take care of our meat dishes,” I said.
“That would be very helpful, but won’t you need it during your dungeon explorations?” he asked.
“Father, Sōshi’s Item Box contains an unbelievable amount of ingredients, so we’ll be fine,” Sfenia boasted.
Sarandol responded with a curious “Oh,” while Aranda smiled knowingly, as if she had realized something.
Afterward, I was guided to the kitchen, where I pulled out a large quantity of dungeon-sourced meat from the Item Box. Since Larni and the others loved meat, I hadn’t been supplying the guild with it.
I even brought out the high-quality meat from the Titanoboa obtained in the Foundation of the Royal Family dungeon, and it was amusing to see the chefs’ eyes light up with excitement.
“Please, enjoy this meat as well,” I said, and Sarandol and everyone else present expressed their immense gratitude with remarkable enthusiasm. It seemed the elves were truly starving for meat. It was a bit different from the image I had of elves in my previous life, but it certainly made them feel more relatable.