Chapter 8: To the Elf Village
The next day, I decided to take a break after training. Sfenia had been called by the Village Chief early in the morning and had gone to the mansion. She was likely discussing future measures, but I couldn’t help but wonder how she was being treated as an elf. It would be good to ask, but there was an oddly uncomfortable atmosphere surrounding the topic. If she were to say something like, “I am of noble birth, like Freinir,” it would leave me at a loss for words.
By the way, last night when I returned to the inn, Freinir had hugged me tightly and refused to let go. I had explained things beforehand, but it seemed I had worried her quite a bit.
So, today I spent the day walking around the village with Freinir, and it felt like our bond had grown even stronger.
In the afternoon, as we passed by the Village Chief’s mansion, Freinir suddenly looked up at me and said, “By the way, I wonder how Hofena is doing?”
“Oh, now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her since then.”
The apothecary, Lady Hofena, was supposed to be attending to patients at the quarantine facility, but it seemed she had been there non-stop. I hesitated to visit, as I would only be a nuisance.
“Shall we go check on her? My ‘Purification’ might be of help,” Freinir suggested.
“Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that.”
Indeed, if her ‘Purification’ could remove even the paralysis poison from the air, it might serve as a makeshift air purifier.
It was rare for Freinir to be so proactive, so we decided to head to the quarantine facility.
The facility was a large building with high ceilings, resembling an old warehouse. The sign on the door read, “No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel,” but since we were technically involved, we entered without hesitation.
Inside, the spacious area was filled with beds and mats, where numerous patients lay. People dressed like nurses were attending to them. Glancing to the side of the entrance, I noticed another room, from which a faint medicinal smell wafted, likely indicating that they were preparing medicines there.
Upon entering the room, we found a small office space, and as expected, Lady Hofena was busy mixing medicines with a mortar and pestle.
“Oh, it’s Soushi and Frei! Did you come to see me?” she turned to us, her eyes showing signs of fatigue with dark circles beneath.
“I’m sorry to disturb you while you’re busy. Frei suggested that her ‘Purification’ magic might be useful, so we came to check,” I explained.
“‘Purification,’ you say? Yes, I’ve heard it has some effect. However, this quarantine facility is quite large, so I doubt it will have much impact,” she replied.
“Actually, with my ‘Charge’ skill and this staff, I think I can reach throughout this building,” Freinir said.
“Then please, go ahead,” Hofena said, and we returned to the main area where the patients were.
Looking around again, it was clear that this place, originally a warehouse, had almost no windows, making it a terrible environment. It seemed obvious to me that ventilation was crucial.
Hofena followed us, and we moved to the center of the room. She informed several nurses that we would be using ‘Purification.’
“I’m ready,” Freinir announced, raising her staff and beginning her Mental Concentration. After about twenty seconds, the tip of her staff began to glow.
The entire room was enveloped in a soft light, and I felt a distinct change in the surrounding air, as if it had physically transformed. The air I inhaled tasted surprisingly fresh.
“This is… such a clear change! Or was the previous state just that terrible?” Hofena remarked, her tired eyes regaining a hint of brightness. Perhaps it even had a fatigue-reducing effect.
Several patients murmured in awe, “Oh…” so it seemed there might indeed be a real effect.
Freinir, who already had a strong aura of a Saint, truly seemed like one with her ‘Divine Attribute’ magic.
“That was amazing, Frei! I think it had quite an effect,” I praised.
“I hope so… I’m sorry, Hofena, for suddenly doing this,” Freinir said, a bit embarrassed.
“No, Frei, this was undoubtedly a very meaningful spell. I feel rejuvenated myself, and if it’s not too much trouble, could you come again tomorrow?” Hofena asked.
“Is that alright with you, Soushi?” Freinir turned to me.
“Sure, I’ll come first thing in the morning,” I replied.
“Yes!” Freinir beamed, clearly delighted that her magic had been helpful. Her radiant smile was almost blinding to me.
When we returned to the inn just before evening, Larni was grinning mischievously and asked Freinir, “How was your date?” Freinir’s face turned bright red as she stammered, “It wasn’t a date… not at all!”
“Hey, Soushi, you have to take me on a date next!” Larni insisted.
“It wasn’t a date, but… well, if the opportunity arises,” I replied.
“Yay, it’s a promise!” she cheered.
As I brushed off Larni’s teasing, Sfenia entered the room.
“Welcome back. Have you made any progress on the situation?” she asked.
“Yes, we’ve decided on the adventurers from Oz,” Sfenia said, casting a meaningful glance at me as she sat on her bed.
“Also, the Village Chief has requested that you come to see him later today,” she added.
“The Village Chief wants to see us?” I asked.
“He wishes to formally express his gratitude to the heroes who saved the village,” she explained.
“I see… Alright, let’s go after you take a break. Is that okay with you two?” I asked the girls.
“Yes, Soushi!” they replied enthusiastically.
“Sounds good. I wonder what we’ll receive as thanks,” Sfenia mused.
“By the way, I heard you visited the quarantine facility. Hofena kept praising Frei’s ‘Purification’ magic,” Sfenia said, and Freinir blushed slightly, looking pleased.
“I’m glad I could be of help,” Freinir said.
“From what I hear, most of the patients reported feeling better. As I mentioned before, Frei, your magic hardly seems like it belongs to an E-Rank adventurer. Is there some secret behind it?” Sfenia inquired.
“There’s no secret. I just gained a few skills thanks to Soushi… and this staff,” Freinir replied.
“Yes, that must be part of it. The Staff of the Dead is something many mages would desire,” Sfenia noted.
“Wait, Frei’s staff is that impressive? I thought it looked a bit plain and didn’t really suit her,” Larni chimed in, her bluntness unchanged.
While the Staff of the Dead did have a rather unassuming appearance, it was indeed a powerful artifact.
“I obtained it when we defeated the Lich. It’s my treasure,” Freinir said proudly.
“Hmm, that’s nice. Soushi, you’ll give me a good weapon too, right?” Larni asked.
“Of course, if I find a strong sword, I’ll let you use it. But that’s up to luck,” I replied.
“If it’s up to luck, it should come soon. You care about me, after all,” she teased.
“Please stop putting that kind of pressure on me…” I grimaced, and Larni laughed joyfully.
“Ahaha! So, Sfenia, what do you want? A bow, perhaps?” Larni asked.
“Yes, I would like a powerful bow. And I also need a staff… but it has to be a short one,” Sfenia replied.
“Alright, Soushi. Let’s do our best,” Larni encouraged.
“What exactly are we trying to do our best at?” I asked.
If anything, it would be the ‘Bad Luck’ skill that would come into play.
While weapons and armor are typically crafted by blacksmiths, items like the Staff of the Dead can also drop from monsters. Due to their high acquisition difficulty, they often come with special effects, making them a requirement for higher-ranked adventurers.
Thanks to the ‘Bad Luck’ skill, our party has a higher chance of encountering rare monsters, which should give us an advantage in that regard. Whether my feelings align with that, however, is something only the gods know.