「In the human world, I will act with the utmost care so that I do not disgrace the honor of the elf race, and especially yours, Yggdrasil-san…」
「You really do not need to tense up that much…」
After making such a huge embarrassment of myself, I regained my humility and declared that again. However, it seems I do not need to try quite that hard.
「Anyway, I will visit the village from time to time and ask Nana about how you are doing. ――Ah, yes. When that happens, I will ask Nana to help me send a message to you as well」
「Oh? That would make me very happy」
While enduring a harsh journey, a message from Yggdrasil-san might become the energy that keeps me going.
It will probably be like this. When I feel like giving up somewhere along the journey, a Ygg-mail arrives, gives me courage, and I rise up again. That must be how it goes. I am sure of it.
「Ah, I am really looking forward to that. I am truly looking forward to it」
「Hmm….Well, if you look forward to it that much, it is actually a little troubling noja」
「Ah, that reminds me. When you come to my house, please feel free to use my room」
「Hmm? Is that so?」
「Yes. Though it might end up being turned into a storage room…」
After all, it will be two years. When a son leaves for that long, his room would normally be turned into a storage room. That feels like the usual outcome.
Come to think of it, the room two doors away that Nana-san is using now used to be a storage room as well. This time, my room might end up taking on that role.
「If it manages to avoid becoming a storage room, please use it. I will also be leaving my woodworking series behind」
「Hmm, you will be leaving all of your woodworking series?」
「Yes. I mean, bringing those along would be… Actually, would it be better if I did bring them?」
「Do not ask me」
I wonder about that. My woodworking series are basically all toys. But are toys really necessary? Probably not, right?
Maybe I could bring something like playing cards. But Yggdrasil-san or my family might use them here. Also, the playing cards can only be made by me. If that is the case, perhaps it would be better to leave them behind for everyone.
「Hmm. If I ever feel like using them during the journey, I can simply make them myself then. Among my woodworking series, I do not think I need to bring the ones meant for play」
「Hmm. I see」
「…Still, there are so many things to worry about. Even now I am sorting through my luggage, but I cannot quite decide what I need and what I do not」
「It certainly looks like it is taking quite a long time」
「Exactly. I keep hesitating…」
After all, it will be two years, and it will be in the human world.
A two year journey in a country where the culture, customs, races, and religions are all different. Of course, packing will be difficult.
「Come to think of it, something like this happened before」
「Before? …Ah, during my first hunt?」
Now that I think about it, I was also organizing my luggage right before departing for my first hunt, just like this, with Yggdrasil-san watching.
At the time I was extremely flustered and kept stuffing all sorts of unnecessary things into my magic bag.
「Back then I was really panicking. If I remember correctly… I think I even tried to bring my mother doll, the Sergent Drop game, and even the Yggdrasil statue」
「My statue would not be a problem even if you brought it…」
「…………」
Come to think of it, she tried to make me bring it back then too…
「Do I really need it?」
「It would not hurt to have it」
「Is that so…? But if things go badly, the humans there might misunderstand and think 『Do elves carry around dolls of the World Tree…?』」
「That would not be a problem…」
Would it really not be a problem…
Actually, there is a high chance they would not even realize it is a 『World Tree doll』 in the first place. If things go badly, they might misunderstand and think we are 『a race that carries around small little girl dolls』.
「Hmmm, yes, this one. Take it with you」
「Ah」
At some point Yggdrasil-san had moved in front of the figure rack. She picked up her own statue and shoved it straight into my magic bag.
「Well, I guess it is fine…」
「Even so, it would not be very appropriate to reveal my child form. Try to keep it hidden as much as possible」
「Eh…?」
It is not like I was planning to show it off to anyone anyway, but still, I have to bring it along and hide it the whole time…
「So then, what other luggage have you prepared?」
「Other things? Well, for now, weapons」
「Weapons, hmm. Weapons are important」
「The World Tree sword, the magic sword Balmung, the Alexis Hammer No.1, and a bow. I actually have two bows. I prepared an extra one as a spare. And then arrows… Ah, like this. These are 『World Tree arrows』」
「World Tree arrows?」
「I had a little bit of the branch you gave me last time left over, so I made arrowheads from it」
「Oh?」
I took out one of the World Tree arrows from my magic bag and showed it to Yggdrasil-san.
I could only make three arrowheads, so this is one of the three arrows.
When I tested it at the training grounds, it easily pierced straight through a rice bale shaped target. It is a terrifying arrow.
If I dismantled the World Tree Hammer, I could make many more of them… but Mikoto-san is against that.
If I ever receive another branch in the future, I will make a larger batch then.
「Hmmm, I see. What about things other than weapons?」
「After that, well… spare clothes, towels, blankets… a pillow, toothbrush, rope, scissors, a knife, detergent, a water magic tool, a water bottle, food, salt, a pot, tableware, an IH magic tool, a mini stove, a recovery medicine set, wire, woodworking tools, lumber, wood shavings, paper, pens, ink, my wallet, a scrubbing brush, a guitar, a fishing rod, lures, a bamboo basket, a swim ring…」
While rummaging through my magic bag, I listed the items currently inside for Yggdrasil-san.
「Some of those things sound unnecessary…」
「You think so too…?」
「What does Jisrare say? You should ask Jisrare for advice」
「Jisrare-san said… 『Just bring one bow. Leave the rest to me』」
「That advice is quite extreme as well noja…」
「I thought it might be a bad idea to follow that advice exactly…」
It is supposed to be a two year journey. If I actually showed up with nothing but a single bow, what would Jisrare-san even do…?
Or would she simply say 『Alright, let us go』 and try to depart just like that…?
「So that is why I keep worrying about it and end up stuffing this and that into the bag… but I think the real problem is the lumber. The lumber takes up a lot of space」
「Lumber?」
「Wood for woodworking」
If I have woodworking tools and wood, I can make quite a lot of things. It should also help pass the time.
That is why I packed plenty of lumber… but it really is bulky. Even though it is a magic bag, it cannot reduce weight to zero, and its capacity is still limited.
If that is the case, maybe I should have kept a World Tree branch instead.
Processing that would take an enormous amount of time, so in a way it would have been the perfect material to pass the time.
「Wood for woodworking… could you not just obtain it locally?」
「Locally? Ah, but even if I cut down a tree nearby, it seems I cannot use it right away…」
Apparently, it takes quite a bit of work before wood can actually be used as lumber.
That is why I prepared the lumber beforehand. I bought two years worth of wood from Fleur Construction.
It was such a large amount that Fleur-san even said 『Are you planning to build a house in the human world…?』
「That is not what I mean. You can simply buy it」
「Buy it?」
「Even in the human world they must sell lumber everywhere. You can buy it there」
「Eh? Ah, I see…」
I see. That is true…
Ah, right. Somehow, I did not realize it. It was a complete blind spot. Of course they sell wood.
「Ah, but will that really be alright?」
「What do you mean?」
「Is it really acceptable for me to buy wood somewhere other than Fleur Construction?」
「I do not understand what you mean」
「Would that not be a betrayal toward Fleur-san? I hope Fleur-san will not be shocked… Or maybe Fleur-san would become jealous….」
「She will not. Just buy it」
My concern was cut down in a single, decisive strike.
So she would not get jealous. It would have been nice if she did a little…
Well, if that is the case, I will just buy it in the human world. If I do that, I can reduce my luggage quite a lot.
「Actually, let me confirm something. The money we use in the elf world can also be used in the human world, right?」
「Hmm. There will be no problem」
I see, I see. That is how it is.
The fact that it can be used with no problem at all is a little curious… but I will not worry about complicated things.
「In that case, I can probably reduce many other things besides the lumber. …For some reason I completely forgot the option of 『just buying things locally』. I was convinced that I had to prepare two years worth of supplies」
「If you did that, your luggage would become enormous… Just buy what you can over there」
「Let us do that. I will reduce my luggage and bring a lot more money instead」
「Hmm」
「After all, I have money」
「Y-yes…」
In the past, most of the profits I earned from things like Reversi were entrusted to my parents. Recently, however, I have been managing a large portion of it myself.
In other words, I have money. A ridiculous amount of money. I possess it… money…!
「In that case――I think I will solve things with money」
「Solve things with money…」
「I will bring as much cash as possible. I may run into trouble over there, and there is even a chance I might have conflicts with humans. When that happens as well… I will solve it with money」
「Hmmm…」
In response to my declaration, Yggdrasil-san pressed her lips together and fell silent, as if she had something she wanted to say.
「That method of 『silencing people with money』 does not seem very good noja…」
「Well, but we cannot solve problems by force either, right…? Compared to solving things with strength, solving them with money….」
「Resolve it through discussion」
「Ah」
She has a point.
Yggdrasil-san’s retorts are especially sharp today. She is absolutely right. First, I should try to resolve things through discussion.
…That was close. I nearly became a nouveau riche elf invading human lands.
next chapter: Alexis’ Five Great Secrets
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