Chapter 186: Let’s Make Good Use of Telepathic Communication
“Well then, allow me to guide you.”
With a bright smile, the dark maid turned on her heel and began walking down the corridor. Nil wagged his tail excitedly as he followed her, and Phonia did the same, her tail swaying joyfully.
“Ivan-nii, hurry up!”
As we started to follow, Phonia turned back and waved at us.
“Ugh… fine, I get it.”
Realizing that I was the only one feeling tense, I let out a deep sigh and resigned myself to following the others. Along the way, we passed several reasonably sized inns, but none compared to the grandeur of this one. To be honest, I found the Camping House to be more comfortable.
This place seems promising.
Yeah, most of the high-end inns we’ve stayed at couldn’t compete with the ones back in Japan.
I conversed with Rio through telepathic communication, ensuring the dark maid couldn’t hear us. Since I could communicate with Phonia telepathically, I thought it might be possible to extend that connection to others by simulating a bond like that of a tamed monster. By linking our magic power with a thread-like connection, we could communicate. The recipient could then convey their thoughts by infusing their magic power with intent, although Ivan was still unable to do so. While Rio and I could forcibly interpret each other’s thoughts, it wasn’t entirely impossible for Ivan to communicate with us telepathically.
“Is it down there?”
Rio tilted her head, looking at the descending staircase at the end of the hallway.
“Indeed. It’s a relatively flat valley floor, but just one step down, a river flows through. The best part about our inn is that you can see the river up close.”
As we descended the stairs, the gentle sound of the flowing river reached our ears. Although we wouldn’t be going all the way down to the riverbank, it seemed like the windows of the rooms situated at a higher elevation would offer a good view of the river.
“This is the Pine Hermitage. If the river is calm, you can go down close to it. If you need anything, just let us know. Please enjoy your stay.”
After guiding us to the innermost room, the dark maid smiled and left.
“Wow, this room is amazing!”
The accommodations included two bedrooms with twin beds, a living room, and an additional small room. They mentioned there was an open-air bath, and I wondered if we could enjoy a soak while taking in the view of the river. The kitchen was well-equipped, making it suitable for some self-catering.
“You can go outside from the balcony!”
Phonia exclaimed, rushing out without a second thought.
“Hey, wait!”
Ivan hurried after her, and we followed suit. Ivan had been complaining about how restless Phonia had been lately, but I suspected it was just a reaction to being freed from slavery. I thought it was nice for her to be so childlike, and honestly, I felt Ivan was being overly protective. With her new tail, Phonia was now stronger than Ivan.
Moreover—
Don’t wander too far!
Okay! I’m fine!
Even if I took my eyes off her, we could always communicate. Except for Ivan, of course.
“The outside is incredible!”
Phonia shouted as she descended the stairs from the balcony and stepped onto the rocky riverbank. The cool air brushed against my cheeks, likely due to the river’s proximity. Looking across the river, I could see buildings with smoke billowing from their chimneys scattered along the cliffs. The riverbank was dotted with massive, rugged rocks, making it seem difficult to cross to the other side. The upstream area was similarly complicated, with large boulders piled together, posing a challenge for ordinary folks to navigate.
“Isn’t that where most of the blacksmiths are?”
“That’s what they said. Apparently, the slope on that side connects directly to the ore veins. We should check it out later.”
“Yeah, but first, we need to gather information at the Guild.”
“I wonder what they have over there?”
Phonia chirped excitedly as she leaped onto a large rock upstream. There didn’t seem to be any signs of life on the other side of the rock, so I figured it was safe. While there were some presences across the river, they were far enough upstream that I didn’t think it would be a problem.
“Phonia! Come back, it’s dangerous!”
Ivan scrambled up the rock to chase after her. Before I knew it, Phonia had vanished behind the rock, out of sight.
“He’s so diligent.”
“Hehe, it’s nice that he’s so caring.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Phonia-chan, we’re going to stop by the Adventurer’s Guild after this, so hurry back!
…Okay!
When Rio called out, Phonia took a moment before responding obediently. By the time Ivan reached the top of the large rock, Phonia peeked her head out from the same spot.
“…Did you see something?”
“Nope! I didn’t see anything!”
Phonia wore a somewhat mischievous grin, and Ivan’s voice was laced with suspicion, clearly sensing she had seen something.
“You definitely saw something, didn’t you?”
“Ugh!?”
Her wide eyes suggested she wanted to ask how he knew, but it was adorable how she thought she could hide it.
“Come on, I won’t get mad, just tell me.”
Ivan gently urged her, and Phonia seemed to resign herself to confessing.
“…I saw a man and a woman, and they were, like, hugging each other—”
“Ah! I get it! Okay, I understand, you don’t need to say any more, Phonia!”
I hurriedly interrupted, sensing the conversation was about to take a turn for the awkward. How could she say something like that after I had encouraged her to speak?
“I thought it would be nice if Ivan-nii had a girlfriend too.”
“Shut up!”
Ivan’s sharp retort followed Phonia’s innocent remark, filling the air with a mix of embarrassment and laughter.