Chapter 8: To the Elf Village
After resting for about an hour, we made our way to the Village Chief’s mansion.
We were led into the reception room, where we faced the Village Chief and his wife seated on a sofa set.
“I apologize for the trouble, and I truly appreciate your assistance. Without the efforts of your party, our village would have suffered greatly,” the Village Chief said, bowing his head.
“I’m just glad to be of help,” I replied, mirroring his gesture. It was a habit ingrained in me from my time as a salaryman in Japan.
“First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude. However, due to the ongoing reconstruction, we are currently in need of funds. Instead, I would like to offer you some accessories for adventurers, which are a specialty of our village. Would that be acceptable?”
“Those must be quite valuable, are you sure about this?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes, of course. To be frank, the retail prices are inflated, so it would be more beneficial for us this way,” he admitted candidly.
It was a rather straightforward conversation, but it seemed to indicate a level of trust in us. Perhaps it was because of Sfenia’s affiliation with our party.
“Then please allow each of you to choose one,” the Village Chief said, as his wife placed a box on the table. When she opened it, a variety of accessories with special effects lined the inside, each accompanied by a description plate.
“Please, don’t hold back. Everyone, take what you think you need,” I encouraged.
The three of them examined the items closely before selecting their choices.
From the remaining accessories, I chose a ring that granted “Agility +1.” I had come to realize how crucial speed was for me during our recent adventures.
Freinir opted for “Magic Power +1,” Larni chose “Physical Ability +1,” and Sfenia picked “Concentration +1.”
“I will take this. Thank you very much,” I said.
“I hope these accessories will aid you all in your future endeavors,” the Village Chief replied, a warm smile gracing his face as he nodded.
“Now, Souji, I actually have a new request for your party,” he continued.
“What kind of request?” I inquired.
“I would like you to escort an adventurer from Oz, named Shizuna, to Viscount Barius in Euron.”
“Wait… is it appropriate to ask an adventurer party for such a task?” I questioned, feeling uneasy.
While it was true she had been targeted for assassination, that didn’t necessarily mean she was innocent. She would be considered an important witness, but it seemed problematic to have civilians escort her.
Noticing my troubled expression, the Village Chief continued, “Normally, a formal envoy would handle this, but I am considering having Sfenia act as our representative.”
“Are you saying Sfenia would be treated as the official envoy of the Elf Village?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes, Sfenia has the qualifications for that. I am aware she is currently a member of your party. Therefore, I would like to request this with that in mind.”
“I see… Sfenia, are you okay with this?” I turned to her.
“Yes, I have no issues with it. If Souji permits, I will take on the title of envoy for this village,” she confirmed.
It was a delicate situation, but it also showed the level of trust placed in Sfenia. If that was the case, having us escort her made sense.
Looking at Freinir and Larni, both of them seemed to indicate they were fine with me making the decision.
I turned back to the Village Chief. “We are also tasked with escorting Hofena to Euron. If it’s acceptable, we can take on both missions simultaneously.”
“Yes, I am aware of that. It would be perfectly fine to do both at once. Thank you very much,” he replied, relief evident in his voice.
Thus, we found ourselves accepting a rather heavy request.
However, it would certainly contribute to our party’s accomplishments and help us rank up more easily. Still, I couldn’t deny the possibility of inviting further complications, especially given my “Bad Luck” skill.
For the next three days, we trained and explored the D-Rank Dungeon in the village, leveling up our skills and gaining experience.
One day, while investigating the forest, I discovered what appeared to be a “Summoning Stone” for summoning animal zombies.
The stone was about the size of an A4 sheet of paper, but it seemed to have already ceased functioning, suggesting it might not have been capable of summoning in large quantities. Regardless, it would serve as evidence to be delivered to Viscount Barius.
The reward for defeating the Golem had been substantial, but the mystery of how that massive Golem had appeared remained unsolved. Logically, it would imply that those who had set up Shizuna were responsible for summoning it, but whether they possessed such skills was beyond our knowledge. In a game-like scenario, one might assume they used some item to summon it, but the existence of such convenient items remained a mystery.
Thanks to Freinir’s “Purification,” the patients recovered faster than expected from the plague. Although Hofena had prepared a surplus of medicine, she had taken the last half-day off to rest.
Thus, a week passed in the village, and on the evening before our return to Euron, we were summoned once more to the Village Chief’s mansion.
This time, it was to meet the adventurer from Oz, Shizuna, whom we would be escorting.
As we waited in the reception room, a girl in priestess attire was brought in by the guards. The ropes binding her arms were likely a precaution, as she had not yet been declared innocent, but it was still a rather painful sight.
“Thank you for waiting. This is the adventurer, Shizuna, whom we ask you to escort,” the Village Chief introduced.
As Shizuna looked at each of us in turn, she bowed her head.
Upon closer inspection, she appeared to be a girl in her late teens. Her neatly trimmed black hair partially concealed her dark eyes, and her priestess-like attire gave her a distinctly Japanese aura. There was an air of mystique about her, perhaps due to the horn on her forehead, but also because I knew she hailed from a “Cursed Nation.”
“I am Shizuna, a citizen of Oz. I have heard from the Village Chief that you saved my life. I wish to express my gratitude,” she said.
“My name is Souji. I’m relieved to hear you are unharmed. We will be escorting you from this village to the town of Euron. Please take care of us,” I replied.
“Hmm, you seem to be a seasoned adventurer. I have heard you defeated the Golem, which speaks to your considerable skill,” she remarked.
“Not quite; we are still an E-Rank party. However, we do have a C-Rank member, so you can rest assured,” I clarified.
“I am E-Rank, so I will not ask for luxuries. As long as I am provided with food, I vow not to cause any trouble. I do not wish for any unnecessary dishonor to fall upon Oz,” she stated firmly.
“I believe the journey will be quite comfortable. You need not worry,” I assured her.
It seemed Shizuna understood her position well, likely due to the Village Chief’s explanation.
However, her manner of speaking did suggest she was of a higher status. Her demeanor also appeared quite refined.
“By the way, I heard you mention a party. Are the other members here the girls with you?” she asked.
“Yes, that’s correct. This is Freinir, Larni, and Sfenia. They are all exceptional, so you need not worry,” I replied.
“Hmm… I sense a familiar strength from the blonde girl. Understood, I will be in your care starting tomorrow,” she said, nodding.
“Understood,” I confirmed.
With that, the meeting seemed to come to an end. Shizuna was led away by the guards.
As an awakened adventurer, she should behave herself during the journey. The real concern was whether the forces behind those assassins would give up on their attempt on her life. That was precisely why we had been hired, and we had to remain vigilant.