Chapter 8: To the Elf Village – 06
After camping at the foot of the mountain, the next day we would cross the pass.
We began our ascent from the forest at the base, following what appeared to be a hiking trail. For someone like me, who had experience trekking in my previous life, this route posed no challenge at all.
However, for the petite Freinir, the uneven terrain seemed a bit tough. While her stamina was not an issue, the difference in our limb lengths was something we couldn’t easily overcome. Larni and I offered her our assistance along the way.
The one who struggled the most was the indoor-oriented Hofena, who ended up being carried on a backpack from the midway point.
“I’m so sorry, Soushi. I feel like I’m always relying on you…”
“Please, just think of it as part of the job since you’re our client,” I reassured her, though I couldn’t shake the feeling that carrying her as part of a bodyguard duty was a bit excessive. Perhaps it was just a service for a valued customer.
We encountered a monster along the way, but it was swiftly dealt with by Sfenia and Larni alone.
What concerned me, however, was that the monster resembled the zombie dogs we had seen during the large extermination mission. Coupled with the news of an outbreak in the Elf Village, it painted a rather suspicious picture.
With a sense of foreboding, we continued our climb for about four hours until we finally reached the pass.
Below us lay a settlement surrounded by mountains—a village of considerable size.
The forest in the valley had been cleared, revealing wooden houses of two to three stories, neatly arranged. There were likely around 300 houses. In the center stood a large building, presumably the lord’s residence… or perhaps the village chief’s home. It had the feel of a gathering hall as well.
Surrounding the village was a wall made of wood and stone, and from what appeared to be the main gate, a road extended along the valley. That was likely the official route to access this village.
In any case, the image I had of a forest-dwelling community was quite different from what lay before us; it felt more like a “normal human town.”
“It’s bigger than I expected. It seems to be about three times the size of the settlement I was in,” Larni remarked, and Sfenia nodded in agreement.
“The village of Marulo is indeed larger than the average Elf village. It has developed economically due to its interactions with the outside world.”
“That also means that diseases can spread more easily,” Hofena added, her words carrying a weight of truth. Every advantage comes with its disadvantages.
“I feel like there are fewer people around than usual. The outbreak might be spreading more than we thought. Let’s eat quickly and head over,” Sfenia urged.
We hastily consumed our rations and began our descent toward the village.
Upon reaching the main gate, we were approached by armed Elven youths who appeared to be the guards.
Initially, they regarded us with suspicion, but upon seeing Sfenia, they immediately straightened up and respectfully guided us into the village. It seemed that Sfenia was quite a notable figure among the Elves.
The Elf Village of Marulo, as seen from the pass, was a typical settlement with wooden buildings lined up in an orderly fashion, lacking any distinctive features.
However, the central street felt eerily quiet, with hardly anyone around, enveloped in a strange stillness. If Sfenia’s words about disease control were true, the situation was likely not good.
Regardless, we followed Sfenia’s lead and made our way to the village chief’s residence.
Welcoming us at the mansion was an Elf man dressed in slightly more luxurious robes than the other villagers. He appeared to be the village chief, though he looked no older than his mid-twenties—an indication of the Elven trait of longevity.
“Ah, Lady Sfenia! We’ve been expecting you. And you are… Oh, Hofena! Thank you for coming; this will surely save our village,” he said, his expression one of deep relief, likely indicating the gravity of the situation.
He then turned to us and asked, “And who might these individuals be?”
“They are exceptional adventurers who have accompanied me to protect Hofena. Without them, we might not be here today,” Sfenia replied.
“I see… Did you encounter any troubles on your journey?”
“We were ambushed by slave hunters, likely agents of Mecalinan. There were several adventurer wannabes among them,” I explained.
“What!? At such a time, how troublesome…” he exclaimed.
“Rest assured, we dealt with them thoroughly. Not a single one remains, so they should be quiet for a while,” I reassured him.
“That’s a relief. Then we must express our gratitude to them as well,” he said.
Prompted by Sfenia, the village chief turned to us and bowed.
“I am Goslit, the chief of the village of Marulo. I thank you for your assistance.”
“I am Soushi, an adventurer. This is Freinir and Larni. We merely did what Hofena requested, so please don’t feel obligated,” I replied, exchanging the minimum of pleasantries. After all, we were outsiders here.
Once the introductions were complete, Hofena began to look around anxiously.
“I would like to see the patients and start preparing the medicine. Where should I go?”
“That would be a great help. We have set up a quarantine area, and I will explain the situation as we head there. What are your plans afterward, Soushi-dono?” he inquired.
“We plan to explore the dungeons surrounding the village while we wait for Hofena to finish her work,” I explained.
Originally, our task was just to escort her to the village, but after the encounter with the slave hunters and the comfortable journey on the backpack, we decided to extend our contract. I had thought that the disease control would take time, but Hofena mentioned, “As long as we can manage the severe cases, we can prepare the medicine in advance,” indicating it would likely be resolved in about a week.
“I see. In that case, I will recommend a good inn near the guild. Please wait while I have my wife show you the way,” he said.
We decided to accept the village chief’s hospitality, parting ways with Hofena and Sfenia for the time being.