Even with the fatigue from gathering vegetables and medicinal herbs, plus the healing from the tea, I thought I would sleep soundly tonight……
「…………What is it.」
When I complained about something touching my face, there were the spirits. It seems they had been jumping on my face.
I am already awake, so please stop putting your bottoms on my eyes, okay? It is not “poyon poyon”.
Once they noticed I was awake, they all started pulling on my hair, hands, and fingers, trying to take me somewhere.
Nnn……? Do you want me to get up? Yes, yes…… okay, okay…… fwa, fuafuu.
I am still sleepy though…… Ah, yeah. I understand.
I understand, so let me change clothes first, okay? Yeah. I won’t fall back asleep. I wo……n’t………… Oh. Yes, yes. I am coming～.
My eyelids are still half-closed, but the spirits are pulling me along, so I obediently follow.
And…… this direction is toward the spirit tree?
I wondered if it was all right to go near it at night, but it did not seem like the spirits would let go unless I went, so if I get scolded later I will explain then.
I will blame it on the spirits……
Rubbing my sleepy eyes and letting out yet another yawn, I slowly walked forward. But the moment I reached the spirit tree, my eyelids snapped wide open.
「Ooooh……!」
An incredible number of spirits had gathered.
Not dozens, but hundreds, perhaps even more. It looked like every spirit living in the elf forest had assembled, all flying around the spirit tree.
The pale lights shining against the darkness of night, together with the spirit tree bathed in moonlight, created a truly fantastical scene that completely woke me up.
「You wanted to show me this?」
If so, then being woken up was not so bad. I can understand why it has to be at night…… Eh, everyone is shaking their heads? So that is not it?
You did not gather just to show me this sight?
Ah, so that is not it. Just keep going, huh.
You cannot speak, but you are really good at communicating.
It is cute how you all try to tell me things with gestures and body language.
But I still have no idea what the actual goal is.
「Hmmn……?」
Huh? There is someone there.
They seem to be sitting with their back against the tree, but at this hour, is it Cyan-san?
No, the silhouette is much smaller――.
「……Emily?」
「Eh?」
I thought she was sleeping with her eyes closed, but when I called out, she quickly opened her eyes wide and let out a surprised voice. It really was Emily.
There was a sake bottle beside her. Was she drinking alone?
「What are you doing at this hour?」
「……Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You looked tired today, so I thought you would be sound asleep.」
「Ah…… These guys woke me up.」
When I gently poked their cheeks, the spirits darted away with little “hyun hyun” sounds.
If I accidentally poked their bottoms, they would hold their rears, puff out their cheeks, and lightly slap my cheeks in return.
Sorry. I said I was sorry.
「……You really get along with them quickly. Anyway, why don’t you sit down?」
「O-Okay……」
Prompted by Emily, I sat down beside her.
Oh…… Sitting gives a wider view, and the glow of the spirits looks even more beautiful.
「Emily…… are you having a drink by yourself?」
「Just sipping.」
I see……
Well, she does not look drunk, so she really is just sipping.
「……It is beautiful, isn’t it? This is a sight only those who can see spirits can witness.」
「Yeah…… I was moved when I saw it in the morning too, but at night there are far more of them and they look even more beautiful.」
「Today is the 『Day of the Moon Spirit』, so there are even more.」
「Day of the Moon Spirit?」
「Yes. Today is the night when the moonlight is brightest. On such nights, the spirits gather at the 『Spirit Tree Rooted in the World (Superior Yggdrasil)』 to restore and strengthen their power. I came here for the spirits I have contracted with as well.」
「I see.」
So she was drinking while using this view as her snack.
Ah, if you are going to use this scenery as a side dish for alcohol, sipping is indeed the correct way.
I took out my own clear sake and was about to pour it myself when Emily poured it for me.
Puhah…… What a fine side dish.
Come to think of it, during the royal capital tournament she mentioned she had contracted with spirits.
When Emily reached out her hand, five pale lights, red, yellow-green, earth-colored, blue, and white, floated gently around her. These were probably the spirits she had contracted with.
Huh? But they seem bigger than when I saw them before, and larger compared to the other spirits……?
They feel like they have grown from baseball size to soccer ball size?
「These children are mid-rank spirits. They grew while traveling with Hayato and the others.」
It must have showed on my face, because Emily answered with a composed expression.
As expected of Emily…… a cool face really suits her.
I am not criticizing her. Emily is naturally cool, so this is a genuine compliment.
「So spirits grow and become mid-rank…… I thought mid-rank spirits were born as mid-rank. And when they reach mid-rank, they become bigger.」
「Yes. When they become mid-rank, not only do they grow larger, but the magic they can use also becomes much more powerful. When they reach high-rank, they grow even bigger. By the way…… even high-rank spirits are basically naked. Does that put your mind at ease?」
「Why would that put my mind at ease?」
「……Who knows.」
Who knows, my foot.
Well…… I did show you something improper this morning!
You might have heard various things from Wendy and the others!
「Someday I want to become a spirit mage who contracts with high-rank spirits and be even more useful to Hayato…… but there is no point rushing, and I cannot force these children.」
As she said that, Emily gently played with her contracted spirits in the palm of her hand.
I could clearly see how close they were, and it was obvious that their relationship was not just one of using each other for magic.
……However, the spirits she has contracted with do not seem to warm up to me at all. I cannot see them.
No, it is not that I am particularly curious about what mid-rank spirits look like. I was just a little interested, that is all.
「……By the way, you said something interesting the other day.」
「Hm? Something interesting……?」
What was it? Did I say something with high gag sense that managed to catch Emily’s interest?
“The other day” means recently. Something that the usually intellectual Emily found amusing…… Was it when I pronounced “Togubuhabujakeru”……?
「……It was about my elder sister.」
「Ah, Atros-sama!」
「Yes. You said you received teachings about spirit script and magic circles from my sister, right?」
Ah, she really helped me a lot back then.
Thanks to 『All-Seeing Ancestral Divine Eye (Seethrough Eye)』 I was able to break through the barrier, and I also noticed Emily’s secret plan.
「What exactly did that mean? My sister has become the War God…… Did you receive her blessing or something?」
「Ahー……」
How should I even explain this?
That I spoke with a god? That I met her in a dream?
Nnn……? It felt way too real to call it just a dream……
Should I say I visited the world of the gods? But I am not even sure if that is possible, and I do not know if it is okay to say……
「……You do not really understand it yourself?」
「Yeah. But how should I put it…… I spoke with her directly…… Is that fine?」
「Directly……? You mean you went to the realm of the gods……?」
「I do not know…… But yeah, something like that.」
「I see. So you met my sister and she taught you about the double magic circle.」
「Well, that is what happened…… Do you believe me?」
「I believe you. It was not a magic circle that someone who does not even know spirit script could understand. Still…… my sister really is amazing…… I thought I had grown a little myself, but……」
「Ah…… But even Atros-sama said she did not know what the main technique was.」
「……Thank you for trying to comfort me. My sister is basically smart, but she is an idiot who refuses to study even though she could remember anything if she tried.」
「…………」
No comment.
But she really was a wonderful idiot, you know?
I like that kind of wonderful idiot who would observe Reidianna-sama’s butt and erotic underwear together with me.
「Hey, can you believe it? She suddenly said 『I’m leaving the forest with these guys, so you’re the next chief. Also, I’m counting on you. See ya』, left the forest with Reidianna-sama and the others, and the next thing I knew she had become a god?」
「Wow…… That does sound like her.」
I have only spoken with her a little, but that does seem like something she would do.
She would completely ignore any natural questions I might throw at her and just leave without explanation.
「It does sound like her! But becoming chief out of nowhere is obviously impossible. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through……? I am the next after my sister, who was called the greatest prodigy in the elf race. A mere novice like me suddenly becoming chief? That is clearly impossible, so I told them that if anyone else wanted to be chief instead, I would gladly step aside. But no one wanted to be the one after my sister. So I thought I would just act as acting chief until my sister came back…… and then she became a god! Everyone is so selfish. That is why I left the forest too. I was also worried about the decrease in spirits.」
Wow, whether it is the alcohol or the complaints about Atros-sama, she is unusually talkative today.
……She must have a lot pent up.
She took a big gulp of her drink, but wasn’t she only supposed to be sipping……?
Also, since Emily, who was acting as chief, has left the forest, that means Ielo-san is the one stuck with all the work right now……
……I do not know why, but I suddenly feel like being nice to her.
「So, after you left the forest you met Hayato.」
「Yes. I happened to run into him while investigating a dungeon.」
「And then you fell for him.」
「Yes……. Do not think I will get flustered like Letty.」
「If it were Letty, she would turn bright red, deny it for a second, and then quietly admit it in a small voice.」
「That is right. That part of her is cute, isn’t it? Lately she has been getting more honest, but she is still very fun to tease.」
Wow, she understands her so well.
That is exactly why the tsundere genre has spread so widely and remains so popular.
I want her to stay that way forever, yet I also wish she would become more honest. What a dilemma……
「……Lately Chris has been quite aggressive. It is a good thing, but when she approaches Hayato together with me, she does things I do not know about…… It is annoying to be outdone in knowledge. I still want to keep Mii rolling around in the palm of my hand a little longer……」
I-I see.
Um, has the alcohol started to hit her?
Hearing about a friend’s recent nighttime activities from their lover is way beyond just awkward, isn’t it?
And even if she asks me to teach her new techniques that Chris does not know, I would be in trouble!
It is great that she has strong curiosity for knowledge, but there is no way I can explain that stuff!
Hm? If I drink I will be able to talk? Wait, wait, you were only supposed to be sipping, right? Hey, do not pour more. If you pour it I will have to drink it——
「Hmm…… I will head back now. You can drink the rest. Take your time. It was fun talking about so many things.」
「……Yeah. I will gratefully finish the rest.」
Heroes…… love women.
Hayato, you have really grown up, haven’t you……
The old you from before we went to the royal capital feels so nostalgic.
I hope Emily forgets everything she talked about today.
And that when she sobers up later, things do not become awkward!
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