The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World (Light Novel), Volume 6 Chapter 3

Previous chapter Index Next chapter

Volume Six, Chapter Three

[…this is… speaking… all residents… please be on… alert…]

A rough, static-filled voice is saying something. The moment I realize that, my eyelids lift smoothly. The first thing my sleepy eyes catch is the all-too-familiar rear end of my cat.

“Miso… where did your wild instincts go?”

Even when I ruffle its back, Gomamiso remains fast asleep. I have no intention of letting it go, but if by any chance we got separated in a dungeon, would it be able to survive…?

While I’m worrying about my familiar’s future out of the kindness of my heart, whatever woke me up continues speaking.

[…This is… El… village broadcast. Currently… there is a massive outbreak of…]

Hm? Hmm? I feel like I’ve heard something like this before! The disaster prevention radio at grandma’s place in the countryside! So the elven village has something similar too!

…Though it’s echoing all over the place, making it hard to hear, is it possibly saying that something is occurring in large numbers?

“Miso, wake up! Something serious seems to be happening!”

‘Mmm-n, already… sooo full…’

“You’re having such a happy dream! But right now, come back to reality for a bit! Wake up!”

I tuck the cat, who’s blissfully indulging in sleep, under my arm and half-slide down the ladder to the floor below.

Unlike me, who’s all flustered, everyone doesn’t seem to be making a fuss at all. So I thought maybe it wasn’t such a big deal, but…

“Mr. Ville! That broadcast just now, did you… hear it…?”

I can feel my own voice trailing off at the end.

Because! Because! There are white things stuck to the windshield and side windows… and these things… they’re alive… they’re wiggling around!

Could this possibly be the cause of that broadcast!?

“Wh… wh… what are these!?”

“Ah. Good morning, Rin. You’re up.”

“Morning, Rin. You sure are lively right after waking up.”

“Morning, Rin.”

Mr. Ville raises his hand lightly while drinking barley tea, and Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria wave at me with smiling faces. In contrast to me, who’s almost crying and screaming, the party members, who apparently woke up long ago, are all perfectly calm.

…Um… since everyone is relaxing, does that mean we’re not facing any serious threat? Though it looks like a disaster from what I can see…

Gomamiso, perhaps excited by the white fluff writhing outside the window, makes crackling sounds. Listening to the sound, I also sit on the sofa to join the conversation.

“Rin, you heard that broadcast too?”

“Yes. I heard something about a mass outbreak… could it be…?”

“Yeah. Nine times out of ten, it’s about those.”

Where our gazes are directed, quite a number of white things are writhing and flying around…

[Cotton Bird (Non-toxic)

A tiny bird monster. Though non-toxic, it’s too small to be suitable for eating.

Its true nature is said to be a mass of magical power, and after a while, it will dissolve into the atmosphere and disappear.

While not aggressive, being a mass of magical power, it tends to increase the surrounding magical power and energy, sometimes attracting other monsters and magical creatures.

Also, because they’re extremely small, they can be inhaled with each breath, potentially causing breathing difficulties…]

“Cotton… birds… huh?”

Now that I know what they are… well, they might be kind of cute when I look at them calmly. Pure white fluff balls with small black eyes and tiny beaks… like a cross between a tiny fluff yokai kesaran pasaran and a long-tailed tit.

And Survival is saying they’re “Non-toxic”! The same Survival that insisted even giant poison frogs and death worms were “Edible”!?

Could these be the "can’t be eaten no matter how you cook them" type!? …No, but… if size is the only problem, couldn’t I make them into tempura fritters or something? But then the batter would get in the way and the cotton part would have a bad texture… Knowing they’re not poisonous, I’m thinking about whether I can somehow turn these mass-occurring creatures into food ingredients… but I suddenly feel something’s off.

“Speaking of which, where’s Mr. Xenon…?”

I thought if everyone’s here, Mr. Xenon would be too… but I don’t see his face anywhere, making me tilt my head.

“Ah. Xenon headed to his family home. He said he was worried about his mother.”

“I see… in an emergency like this, of course, you’d worry about your family.”

“The broadcast said not to leave your house, but apparently movement within the village is okay… Aria made a net to cover his head, so he wore that just in case.”

“I made it!”

Feeling relieved to know where Mr. Xenon is, I watch as Ms. Aria puffs out her chest proudly. A net to cover the head means… I can’t help but imagine Mr. Xenon looking like a beekeeper heading to Ms. Lusha’s place. Indeed, wearing a bug mask when going outside in this situation seems like a good idea! Cotton birds would probably get into your mouth and nose with every breath.

“Still, everything was fine until yesterday, right? Why did the cotton birds mass-produce overnight like this?”

If they’re going to mass-produce this much, there should have been some kind of sign… but when I walked through the village yesterday, I don’t think I saw any cotton birds. They’re pretty small creatures, but being this white, they should stand out somewhat.

Could creatures that were completely absent until yesterday really explode to these numbers in just one night?

Well, I have seen news about mayflies mass-producing overnight and covering roads, so maybe they have a similar ecology? If so, where exactly did they emerge or breed…?

As I’m lost in thought, I hear knocking sounds on the door.

“I’m back. May I come in?”

“Oh, you’re back, Xenon. I’ll open it now.”

“Eh, ah… w-wait, Mr. Ville! The cotton birds might get inside!”

I hear Mr. Xenon’s voice along with light knocking sounds. I hurriedly rush over to Mr. Ville, who’s calmly about to put his hand on the lever, and firmly grab his wrist.

Well… since Survival isn’t reacting, I don’t think it’s a trap with someone impersonating Mr. Xenon or anything. But I’m thinking that if we open the door without any countermeasures, those cotton birds might get into the vehicle!

I mean, outside, the cotton birds are dancing around like snow!? Huh? But Mr. Xenon went outside once, right? What did he do then?

There doesn’t seem to be any cotton birds that got into the vehicle… maybe when he left, they hadn’t mass-produced this much yet? Or maybe everyone exterminated the ones that got in…? But then I should have woken up from the extermination commotion…

“Ah—about that, I don’t think you need to worry, Rin.”

“…Earlier too, they didn’t… come in!”

Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria smile at me reassuringly as I just fret about.

“This Camping Car only lets people that you approve of board, right? So it seems like those cotton birds can’t get in either!”

“Right! Look… watch this.”

“Ehh…”

Following Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria, who are looking toward the door with smiling faces, Gomamiso’s and my gazes also turn that way. Just as Mr. Ville opens the door, Mr. Xenon comes in.

…Indeed… just as they say, even though the door is wide open, there’s no sign of cotton birds getting in. Rather, even the cotton birds that were stuck all over Mr. Xenon’s hair and clothes that he couldn’t brush off completely get bounced right back outside the moment they pass through the door!

Eh, eh, eh, eeeeh!

“Isn’t the Camping Car seriously too excellent?”

“Even though it’s your own skill, that’s your impression…”

I hear Mr. Ville’s suppressed laughter that he apparently couldn’t hold back completely, and I can’t help but glare at him… but I’m not wrong, am I?

“Really… we’re saved by your skill. Even with the windows closed at home, many got inside… it was quite troublesome.”

“Ahh… with this many, yup… did you help with extermination?”

“Yes. I was worked to the bone.”

Mr. Xenon sits down, looking utterly exhausted. From his condition, Ms. Lusha must have roped him into all sorts of tasks.

“I’m sorry for sleeping without noticing such a situation.”

‘Me too! If this me had been awake, this me would have gone swish swish!’

Ugh! If I had noticed the sounds and woken up, I could have helped everyone…! Gomamiso is doing practice swings with its front paws while being held by me—so I guess it has the spirit, at least. Well, it is probably half play, though.

Yet I was just snoring away with Miso… isn’t this too sinful?

…I mean, Miso has sharper ears and nose than I, so wake up properly. Where did your wild instincts go?

“No… in hindsight, with us caught up in such an incomprehensible situation, your skill is our lifeline, Rin. For us, you should rest properly whenever you can.”

“Ville’s right. I talked with my mother, but cotton birds got into the house, and it was quite a disaster. Compared to that, inside this vehicle is very comfortable…”

“In other words, we need you to maintain this environment. We can’t have you collapsing.”

I see, that makes sense! Indeed, in this situation, a place where everyone can safely hole up is precious.

Thinking about it, my skill is perfectly suited for sieges. I don’t know how long this incomprehensible situation will continue, but thanks to the infinite seasonings and infinite white rice, we can handle even long-term battles—all thanks to this trusty vehicle.

“That’s… a heavy responsibility! I’ll eat properly and sleep properly!”

“Yes, that would help us out.”

Mr. Ville’s eyes, looking at me as I clench my fist, are incredibly gentle.

At times like this, I really feel like I’m being spoiled, yup.

“Well then, to get proper rest… let’s all have breakfast first!”

“Eh, food!? What’s today?”

“Let’s see… I prepared French toast with bread that got hard, so I think I’ll fry some bacon or ham to go with it.”

I discovered a baguette we had forgotten to eat yesterday. I soaked it in an egg mixture before bed.

There’s apparently a method of using the microwave to let it soak through, but… that method is a bit insufficient against rock-hard otherworld bread. In that regard, the ones soaked over time let you eat even rock-hard otherworld bread deliciously, including the crust… or rather, the crust that retains its texture even after absorbing the egg mixture is what’s delicious…

“I’m curious about the news, but let’s eat first!”

“Yes. Let’s start with filling our stomachs.”

As I take out the bread soaked in egg mixture from the fridge and look at Mr. Xenon, the handsome elf’s eyebrows droop. I can clearly tell he looks like he has trouble speaking.

To make Mr. Xenon’s tongue slip more easily, I’ll cook it with plenty of butter…!

Thinking such mischievous thoughts, I pick up my favorite frying pan.

Once I start cooking, there are a few steps until completion. At most, I just take a little extra time to fry it thoroughly and golden.

“French toast… It’s incredibly delicious!”

“If it’s this delicious, I could eat it forever! Rin, you’ve gotta make it again!”

“I don’t mind making more, but the problem depends on whether we have enough baguette left to make French toast with.”

Eh… right now… I’m having my hands taken by the beaming Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria and being swung around vigorously. What tremendous energy!

…It’s like… I ended up sounding like a typhoon field reporter, but with these two giving me their full attention, it’s hard not to feel that way! Both of them seem quite taken with the French toast.

I understand the feeling. The French toast cooked with plenty of butter turned out crispy on the outside and super creamy inside… it was the best I’ve ever made! Sprinkling sugar at the end before cooking and making the surface caramelize-like seems to have worked well, too!

The accompaniment to such supreme French toast is the information Mr. Xenon gathered.

“My mother contacted acquaintances, but she couldn’t find any residents who knew when this situation started. It seems when morning came, it was already like this…”

According to Mr. Xenon, there’s a magical communication circuit that only works within the village, and Ms. Lusha uses it to keep in touch with people. I see. A wired telephone… or more precisely, like a complex string telephone system?

I wonder what the principle is? It’s kind of interesting!

“…Indeed… we kept watch all through the night, but only noticed it around dawn.”

“Cotton birds themselves are weak monsters, but there are just too many of them… people can barely leave their homes.”

Next to Mr. Xenon’s solemn face as he brings a large piece of bacon to his mouth, Mr. Ville chews his French toast with a troubled expression.

…Heh heh heh…! I clearly saw both their faces relax for a moment! Even in the middle of such a serious conversation, the taste is enough to make them smile, which is great.

“So Ms. Lusha and the other village residents are also holed up in their homes, right? Are they okay for food?”

“Yes. Given the village’s location, natural disasters are practically neighbors. Each household should have enough stockpiles to last about a month.”

“I’m a bit relieved to hear that.”

Survival also said the cotton birds will disappear on their own if left alone… With that much stockpile, there shouldn’t be any worry about starvation for now… Though of course, unlike my Camping Car, their supplies aren’t endless, so there’s a time limit.

Thinking about that, the sooner we can resolve this, the better.

“Still, what could be the cause? This kind of mass outbreak is unusual, right?”

“Yes. Sometimes they fall from nowhere, but even my mother says this is her first time seeing such a massive outbreak.”

“…Even though your mom seems to have lived a long time… this is still her first time…?”

“Yes. Despite her appearance, she should be quite old, yet she has no memory of anything like this… though if we asked the village elders, the story might be different.”

Hmm. Even Ms. Lusha, who’s probably quite elderly among the elves—the epitome of long-lived races—doesn’t know about this situation… This has the feeling it’s going to be troublesome!

“Fortunately, or rather… since the village has barriers against monsters, most of the cotton birds are repelled by them.”

At Mr. Xenon’s words, I instinctively look outside the window. Through the glass, I can see pure white cotton birds floating and settling on the ground like heavy snow falling steadily.

“Eh… wait. They’re being repelled, but this many cotton birds got inside!?”

“Pretty much… And believe it or not, this is still better than outside the village. At least here, if you take proper precautions, you can walk around.”

“…Ah… does that mean outside the village, where there are no barriers, it’s unimaginable?”

To my cautious question, Mr. Xenon looks down gloomily and nods quietly.

“On top of that, it seems some volunteers tried to exterminate the cotton birds, but no matter how many they killed, more just kept piling up… Eradication looks impossible.”

“This… more serious than I thought. You said there are stockpiles for a month, but whether it’ll settle down in that time…”

“Indeed… right now, we don’t know anything.”

I nod in agreement with Mr. Ville’s words as he swallows the last piece of bacon with a serious expression.

According to Mr. Xenon, cotton birds aren’t strong monsters, so extermination itself is easy. They’re monsters that disappear on their own if left alone anyway. However, in this case, there are simply too many of them, and neither extermination efforts nor natural disappearance can keep up.

“…Makes you realize how small human power is before the laws of nature…”

“It’s something far too great to oppose.”

Since the French toast alone doesn’t seem enough, I decide to heat up the leftover frozen rice and serve it. To compensate for it not being freshly cooked, I chop up salted Mura-plums—which taste like well-salted pickled plums—and mix them in. Here in this world, salted Mura-plums seem to play the role of pickles; it’s something that really surprised everyone when I first cooked it. Now, the moderate sourness apparently stimulates appetite, and it’s become quite popular within the party. Especially when made into rice balls, they disappear so quickly that they’re a huge hit!

That said, a rice bowl topped with grilled meat over plum-mixed rice is just as popular.

…Eh? Plum rice after French toast is weird? Details don’t matter! As long as we get calories!

“…Hang on… is this really a ‘natural phenomenon’?”

“What do you mean, Ed?”

“Hmm… Can this much really be mass-produced overnight?”

Mr. Ed, who’d quickly grabbed a pale-pink plum rice ball, tilted his head as he took a bite.

…True… That’s something that’s been nagging at the back of my mind, too.

Even though there were cases of mayfly mass outbreaks in my world, those were annual events, or somewhat cyclical… I don’t think they were things that would be mass-produced for no reason. There were sudden cases too, but even those had reasons, like "the water became clean so mayflies could thrive there"…

“If this were a natural phenomenon, it should have happened several times in the past, but even Ms. Lusha, who’s lived here long, has never experienced this situation…”

“Right? Thinking that way, doesn’t it make more sense to consider it artificial, some kind of outside interference at play?”

“…Your point does make sense, Ed, but I don’t understand what benefit would come from generating cotton birds…”

“Ah yeah. There’s no motive or merit for causing such a commotion…”

Everyone discusses various theories with rice balls in hand. Natural disaster or man-made disaster… right now, either cause seems plausible. However, what we know is that we need to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.

Even with stockpiles, being stuck with the outside like this must be unbelievably stressful. After all, there’s no way to deal with such a massive outbreak of cotton birds overnight. The longer the situation drags on, the more the fear that stockpiles will dwindle, anxiety about uncertain future prospects, and frustration from being unable to go outside will all attack together… and who knows when that might explode?

“By the way, is there any information about where the cotton birds are emerging from?”

“Yes. According to the scouts, they’re surging from the Ancestral Tree… the original, true Ancestral Tree.”

“…I see. Did any residents try to investigate that area?”

“Well… the cotton birds are scattered so thickly that everyone got throat and eye irritation and had to give up. They did try to cover their mouths and noses and protect their eyes too, but still…”

“Well, even inside the barrier, with this many emerging…”

Ugh… just thinking about it makes my throat and eyes itchy!

But I think retreating midway was the right choice. If this cotton got into their lungs, they might get sick!

…That said, we can’t just leave this situation alone either…

“…Shall we go check it out?”

“Rin…?”

“If we know where the spawn point is, I think going to investigate on-site would be the quickest approach.”

Yup. Just sitting here won’t change a thing. It might be an event, or it might not be… but still, I think there’s great value in going to see for ourselves.

“Besides, these cotton birds… scatter magical power when they disappear… if we leave this alone, that magical power might attract other monsters!”

My words seem to send shock waves through everyone.

“That’s true… sitting and waiting for things to settle down doesn’t really suit our nature.”

“I thought this would be a nice long vacation, but… given how things turned out, it can’t be helped!”

“Mm! Shall we save the world…!”

Isn’t everyone getting a bit too excited? But I love that side of them!

Now that it’s decided, action is all that’s left!

“Anyway, since that’s settled, we should head out as soon as possible, right? Once everyone’s ready, I’ll get the Camping Car going!”

“Yeah, understood. I think we can get ready without taking too much time, but… Xenon, is it okay not to contact your mother?”

“Come to think of it, you’re right… Before returning here, I had a personal magical circuit made, so I’ll contact her before we depart.”

It’s hard to believe these are the same people who were squealing over French toast just moments ago—now everyone’s got a serious face as they start getting ready. As for me, all I can really do is put the magically cleaned plates back on the shelf and move to the driver’s seat.

Being a non-combatant at times like this makes me feel a bit guilty. But I believe everyone thinks, "You don’t need to worry about that." So I’ll do my best at what I can do!

“…I had always thought this was just a detestable land where food culture hadn’t even emerged, but now that it’s come to this, I realize I had grown quite attached to it… Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help my homeland, Rin. Thank you.”

“Wah! Wah! Please don’t be so formal! It’s not just me! Everyone wants to do something about this situation!”

Mr. Xenon gently takes my hand with an indescribable expression mixing compassion, anguish, and determination. He then presses the back of my hand to his forehead respectfully, making my heart skip a beat.

The illustration’s description: Xenon takes Rin by the hand and bows before her.

When handsome people do things like that, it’s bad for my heart, so please spare me!

“Now now, Rin. If you’ve got any prep to do, better get on it quickly, right?”

“Together, we’re going to save the world… right?”

“Yes! We shall save the world!”

Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria teasingly attach themselves to my left and right, taking my arms and raising both my hands high.

Hey, you guys! Be serious!

…Just as my inner middle schooler shows her face, my eyes met Mr. Ville’s, who is smiling wryly.

Ngh! I’m being watched over warmly!!!

…Anyway, whining around here won’t get us anywhere! Time to take action, fast!

Energy charging at one hundred and twenty percent! Wipers, full power mode, on! Camping Car, departing!

…I set off with that kind of enthusiasm… which was all well and good, but… The moment the car left the village, visibility suddenly became terrible.

“Uuuuuhhhhh…! They’re crackling and popping everywhere…!”

Thanks to the Camping Car’s wipers doing their job, the windshield stays clean, but I can still hear and feel something bursting as masses of cotton birds slam into it. I can feel the tires crushing something with little popping sounds too!

Just how many cotton birds are we sacrificing…! Namo Amida Butsu, Namo Amida Butsu…!

[Stalled traffic detected three hundred meters ahead]

The navigation system’s electronic voice suddenly reaches my ears as I grip the steering wheel with chills running down my spine.

Stalled… in the middle of this chaos?!

“Stalled?! Could it be the advance team members you mentioned, Mr. Xenon?”

“Hmm… all the personnel who went ahead should have returned safely…”

When I ask Mr. Xenon in the passenger seat, thinking of people who might be outside in this situation, I get a completely unexpected answer.

“Really? Then maybe they’re residents who got left behind? That’s seriously dangerous!”

No waaay! Ordinary villagers!? They’d be way less protected than the advance team, who would have gone prepared!

Just driving through in the Camping Car where cotton birds can’t get in, I can vividly feel how dangerous this situation is, but to think someone might be walking through this with their bare skin exposed…!

They might be in mortal danger…!

I get goosebumps all over imagining the sensation of cotton fluff sticking to skin and getting into the nose and throat. What seems even worse is the thought that cotton fluff might get into their respiratory system and cause breathing difficulties! They could suffocate!

“Mr. Ville! When we reach the people who need rescue, would it be okay to let them inside?”

“Given this situation, I can’t object, but it will reveal your skill, you realize?”

“Hmm… well, you know. Like when we had Rayer and the kids ride with us before—we can just have them sleep before bringing them in.”

“I see. That’s an option!”

Keeping secrets is important, sure—but when lives are on the line, worrying about my skill being exposed feels meaningless. It would hurt my heart more to let people die when I could save them!

Besides, we’ve gotten through something like this before!

Like that time when we carried the Lucky Clover party back to town after they were attacked by the Fire Bear. Back then, we had them sleep so we could transport them to the city in the meantime.

“Uohhh…! The further we go, the denser the bird-shadows get—it’s like fish swarming, but with birds!”

“If I recall, this road leads toward the Ancestral Tree in the plaza… but with this many cotton birds here…”

“Yes… It’s hard even to check what’s happening around us.”

The further we follow the navigation instructions, the more the view becomes completely filled with white. If I threw a casting net, I’d probably catch a whole bunch of cotton birds…!

If it’s this bad right now, how much suffering must the people stranded outside be enduring?

“We need to hurry and get to them!”

“You have a point, Rin, but let’s make sure we move safely first.”

“…Yes… If we crash, it won’t help anyone…”

Beyond the windshield spreads an unmistakable hellscape. Swarms of cotton birds are rustling everywhere, slamming into the windshield! Fortunately, none of them shattered the windshield like a bird strike yet… but in a situation where that could happen at any moment, my heart keeps pounding.

Next to me, Mr. Xenon looks ahead without changing his expression at all—I think again how amazing he is. Just as I frown at the worsening visibility, he suddenly points ahead.

“Rin! That’s probably it!”

“Hm? Ah! You mean that cluster-like thing?!”

Where Mr. Xenon points… in the milky white world, I can see a spot of blue. But even that is being covered by countless cotton birds, about to be swallowed up by white.

We need to rescue them quickly… or so I think… but wait, hmm…? Something about that group… I feel like I’ve seen them before…!

“Could that be… Mr. Arthur and his party?”

“…Yes… It does seem so…”

I park the Camping Car a short distance away and observe the group that’s stuck and can’t move forward or back.

…Yup. No matter how I look at it, those are definitely the Azure Droplets!

“Rin, can you bring the car close to those guys?”

“Yes, of course!”

If they stay like that, cotton birds will get in, and their respiratory systems will be in serious trouble!

Before the blood can even drain from my face, I immediately jump on the leader’s instruction without a second thought.

Careful not to fumble the wheel, but not so slow that it’s too late—I push the Camping Car to its limit and stop right beside the Azure Droplets.

“Alright, let’s go!”

At Mr. Ville’s words as he grabs the door lever, everyone nods in unison and then rushes outside all at once. Of course, I also jump down from the driver’s seat.

“Ugh… the flapping is deafening!”

“Even if we can force them out by getting in the car, having this many is a real pain.”

The moment we step outside, I hear everyone’s screams from all around. Everyone brushes away cotton birds while rushing toward Mr. Arthur and his party. Thanks to covering my mouth with a folded handkerchief, breathing is somewhat difficult, but fortunately, it doesn’t feel like feathers are getting into my mouth.

“It’s a simple one, but I’ll put up a protective barrier.”

Just as I hear Mr. Xenon’s voice, the pressure from the cotton birds around us suddenly decreases. Even so, the sensation of cotton birds sticking to exposed skin feels disgusting.

“Mr. Arthur, are you okay?!”

“Could that be… Ms. Rin…?”

“Wow…! You look more exhausted than I thought!”

When we all rush over, I can see that everyone in the Azure Droplets is more worn out than expected. Oh no, oh no! They seems to have some protection against the cotton birds, but it’s nowhere near enough. They’re all swarmed by birds, gasping for breath…! Thanks to Mr. Xenon quickly expanding the barrier’s range, no more cotton birds should swarm them!

“…Arthur… why are you in a place like this…?”

“Well… we couldn’t really overlook this situation… so we decided to go check on the Ancestral Tree…”

“So, you noticed the same thing we did…”

While chasing away cotton birds clinging to the Azure Droplets, Mr. Ville tilted his head. In response to that question, a handsome elf of a different type from Mr. Xenon shrugged with an expression that’s hard to describe—somewhere between frustration and resignation.

Being leaders and all, there must be something they understand about each other. Mr. Ville quietly nods at Mr. Arthur’s response.

“…Honestly, we’re grateful you called out to us. We were about to collapse right here…!”

“The cook of Gourmands has a soft heart. She wants to save any life that can be saved.”

“H-haha… Well… It seems we’ve been given a second chance at life.”

Though somewhat out of breath, Mr. Arthur still gives us a cheerful smile.

If we’d been just a little later, they might have reached a dangerous threshold…! Perhaps because I imagine the worst-case scenario, a chill runs down my spine. I’m really glad we made it in time!

Though his complexion is somewhat poor, Mr. Arthur brushes off cotton birds clinging to his body with a face that’s regained much of its vitality. The ground next to him moves with a soft rustle.

And from there, a familiar face pokes out…

“Ugh, uhhh… that voice… Rin, is that you?”

“I… survive…!”

“Ah, Mr. Rolf! And Ms. Ginsei, I’m so relieved you’re safe too!”

Mr. Rolf shakes his head like a wet dog while Ms. Ginsei strikes a victory pose despite her expressionless face. For a moment, I think it’s good they’re energetic… but looking closely, they’re generally lacking in vitality, and their complexions aren’t very good either.

They’re putting on a brave front, but clearly exhausted… Maybe it’s the adventurer’s pride—not wanting to show weakness.

Sure enough, both Mr. Rolf and Ms. Ginsei, who had seemed alright at first, quickly collapsed to the ground.

While helping those two, I look around the area.

“Hm? Wait? I don’t see Ms. Sasa anywhere…”

Since Azure Droplet members are here, she should be nearby somewhere… but I can’t find the dwarf priest-warrior anywhere. Ms. Sasa was wearing fairly heavy armor, so I thought I’d spot her right away.

And even Survival isn’t responding—what does that mean!?

While Mr. Ville and I search the surroundings, Mr. Arthur furrows his brow in a troubled way:

“…Um, actually… Sasa went out drinking last night and hasn’t returned yet…”

“We figured she probably got drunk in the plaza yesterday and got caught up in that thunder commotion.”

“Eh, ehhhhhh?!”

At the words of Mr. Arthur and Mr. Rolf, who speak with deeply furrowed brows and sighs, a cry of shock bursts from my mouth.

Ms. Sasa did say she liked alcohol… The storm was wild, and she was out drinking in that weather?! How much does she drink?!

Actually, I’m surprised there were shops open during that storm.

Well, I guess that’s the festival frenzy for you… maybe?

“It’s nothing new for Sasa to not come after going out drinking… and with that storm yesterday, we figured she was just waiting it out somewhere.”

“Most of the stalls in the plaza were makeshift, right? There must’ve been other customers who were also slow to escape—we thought maybe she was taking shelter together with them.”

“And trying to fetch her in that thunder and rain would’ve been reckless.”

I wonder if my confusion showed on my face. After glancing at me, Mr. Arthur smiles in a troubled way, Mr. Rolf looks like he’s chewing bitter bugs, and Ms. Ginsei, though silent, conveys "worry" with her entire face.

Hmm…from the way the Azure Droplets speak, it seems Ms. Sasa’s bar-hopping is an everyday occurrence, and I can predict that if not for the storm, she would have returned safely. And honestly, their choice to stay put during the storm was the right call—preventing a secondary disaster.

“We thought she’d come back in the morning, but we never imagined this kind of situation would develop…!”

While brushing away clinging cotton birds, Mr. Arthur gnashes his teeth in frustration.

… So basically, the timing was just bad in every way…

“So our purpose wasn’t so much investigating the cause, but more like heading to the Ancestral Tree while searching for Sasa in the plaza.”

“I see…! Then we need to find her quickly!”

“If that’s the case, we’ll help too. The more hands, the better.”

“Ville… and Ms. Rin too…! Thank you so much…!”

When Mr. Arthur bows his head, Mr. Rolf and Ms. Ginsei also bow politely.

…I always think this, but aren’t there too many kind-hearted people in this world? Excluding the bastards who summoned me, that is! Excluding those bastards!! This is important, so I’ll assert it as many times as needed! Repeat after me!

Excluding those bastards!!!

Just as I’m spitting curses with enough intensity to haunt them for seven generations… no, until the end of time, I think I hear something like a cry from overhead.

“…ust now, something… flew overhead, right…?”

“Something… flew?”

“There were too many cotton birds, so I couldn’t see it clearly.”

Everyone there looks up at the sky at once. A large shadow seems to leisurely cross the sky… I think… but the layer of cotton birds is too thick to make out what’s what. I tried to investigate with Survival too, but it was too brief to appraise. Maybe I saw a hallucination from fatigue…?

…In any case, something… doesn’t feel quite right. I feel like we shouldn’t let our guard down.

“—In any case, we don’t have much time to spare right now…!”

Even while we stand talking, the relentless cotton birds are a pain. Just opening my mouth a bit and—poof—feathers flying straight in.

Besides, I feel bad about leaving the weakened members of the Azure Droplets standing outside. I definitely think it would be better for them to rest inside the car for a bit to recover their strength.

For one thing, overexerting them now will only backfire later. And with that strange presence earlier, we’ll need as much fighting strength as we can get.

“Um…Mr. Ville. I’d like to have the Azure Droplets rest inside the car. So, like when we transported the Lucky Clover members, I’d like to have them sleep for a while…”

“Ah, right. The thing we discussed earlier.”

“Well, it also depends on whether they agree to it, though…”

No matter how much I want it, they might say, "We can’t just sleep when our comrade is facing a crisis!" However, if they accept this condition, I can guide them to their destination more quickly than going on foot. In the end, it’s up to Mr. Arthur’s group which option they’ll choose.

“Um… as part of helping search for Ms. Sasa, I’d like to use my skill to take you all to the plaza.”

When I timidly bring this up after finishing my private discussion with Mr. Ville, Mr. Arthur’s group snaps their heads up as if struck. Then my hands are grasped firmly.

“Ms. Rin…! You’re not even in our party, so why would you go this far…?”

“There’s a saying, even brushing sleeves is fate… besides, when we’re in trouble, we help each other, right?”

Above my head, sky-blue eyes distort as if about to cry. While looking up at those blue eyes that keep accumulating transparent droplets, I steel myself and speak.

“Um… there’s one thing, and I’m really sorry to ask, but… my skill’s a little unusual, and I’d rather not let people see it. So… I’d like you to sleep until we reach the destination…”

“As for me, I understand that you guys are a trustworthy party… but Rin’s skill is also a trump card for us.”

“Along with that, I’d also appreciate it if you could keep secret that I have a skill… could I ask that of you?”

Next to me, as I clasped my hands together and made my request, Mr. Ville also helped with the persuasion. While we prioritize human life first, as someone from another world, having it spread around that I have the Camping Car skill would be problematic…

Azure Droplets are good people, and I don’t think of them as enemies… but I’m sorry to say, unlike with Gourmands, we just don’t have that solid trust yet.

“Of course! Someone’s skill—especially from someone offering to save our comrade—isn’t something we’d go blabbing about!”

“Yeah! Don’t think poorly of us! We haven’t fallen that low!”

“I, absolute silence, understood!”

I guess Mr. Ville’s words helped too. Starting with Mr. Arthur, who pressed his clenched fist to his chest and swore, Mr. Rolf and Mr. Ginsei also promised to keep the secret. You could call it a verbal promise, but my heart indeed feels a bit lighter.

…Well, in the worst case, I can always consult with Mr. Tori, the guildmaster! Top-down authority exists for times like these; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say! …Okay, maybe that’s overstating it.

“Thank you, hearing you say that puts me at ease…! Then… um, I’ll go ask Mr. Xenon!”

I bow politely to the Azure Droplets and call out to Mr. Xenon.

“Um… Mr. Xenon. Could you cast sleep magic on Mr. Arthur, Mr. Rolf, and Ms. Ginsei? Like when we transported everyone from the Lucky Clover before, I thought I would move them while they were asleep.”

“Oh, so you’ve decided to go by the Camping Car after all.”

“Yes. Since this is an emergency situation, I thought it would be better to avoid exhaustion as much as possible.”

“Hehe…I find that aspect of you very admirable, Rin.”

Mr. Xenon, laughing cheerfully, waves his staff toward Mr. Arthur’s group. Just like when he put Rayer to sleep, particles of light envelop them… and the members of the Azure Droplets, minus one, collapse flat onto the ground. Their quietly rising and falling chests tell me they’re alive.

“…Alright! Let’s have them board now!”

While Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed carry up the men, and Ms. Aria lifts Mr. Ginsei, I quickly summon the Camping Car again and set the boarding settings for Mr. Arthur and the rest.

With no more obstacles in the way, they were steadily carried into the vehicle. The door has been left open for quite a while, but thankfully, there is no sign of the cotton birds entering.

“Hmm… the number of people in the car has increased quite a bit, but I don’t really feel cramped…”

How should I put it…? I can’t express it well, but it feels like the car interior has gotten subjectively wider as the number of people increases. I don’t feel like the car body has actually gotten bigger, so I think this is also a benefit of spatial magic or something like that.

“Anyway, since everyone is on board, let’s depart!”

“Yes. Please, Rin. From here to the plaza on the village outskirts is a straight road, so I don’t think we’ll get lost.”

“Right! There’s also a possibility that Ms. Sasa is trying to return to the village… so please keep an eye out, everyone.”

As fast as possible… but slow enough that we can watch the road… keeping speed in mind, I slowly press the accelerator.

Even in these bad conditions, the Camping Car starts moving smoothly without rattling. While running over cotton birds, the car advances through the pure white world.

“…The Ancestral Tree in the plaza is, if I remember, a branch of the original Ancestral Tree, right?”

“Yes. The true Ancestral Tree is further beyond the village… the one towering on the top of that hill.”

Mr. Xenon points to the distance in the white, hazy sky.

Yesterday I could definitely see the silhouette of a large tree jutting through the ridgeline… but now I can’t even see its shadow. It really does seem like the original ancestral tree is the very source of these cotton birds.

“If there’s a cause, it looks like we’ll need to go all the way there…”

“Most likely. But for now, let’s prioritize searching for Miss Sasa.”

As if to soothe my anxiety, Mr. Xenon’s voice becomes gently kind.

That’s right! I’m anxious about not being able to see ahead, but first, we need to solve the problems right in front of us!

While being careful of dangers on our route, when I have spare time, I also run my eyes along the roadside where cotton birds have accumulated… but I couldn’t find Ms. Sasa.

Since no voices came from the members who should be watching from the living space, maybe she’s still at the plaza?

“With all this white, it becomes impossible to judge distances…”

“But it should be soon… look!”

“Yes! We’ve made it to our destination!”

“Before we get out, let me cast protective barriers on each person. But honestly, with this amount of cotton birds, I think it will only provide peace of mind…”

I slide the Camping Car into the plaza where cotton birds have accumulated thickly. Mr. Xenon, stationed in the passenger seat, quickly casts a barrier just like before. Particles of magical power become a soft film of light that envelops us.

With this, we’ve made the minimum preparations for activity outside. Mr. Ville, stationed by the door, opens the living quarters door, and he and Mr. Ed work together to carry Mr. Arthur, Mr. Rolf, and Ms. Ginsei outside.

Hmm. Excellent teamwork.

Meanwhile, I decided to cancel the boarding settings for the Azure Droplets. That way, even if I leave the car body out, they shouldn’t be able to see it.

While I’m at it, I pick up Gomamiso and look around from the driver’s seat. Yesterday, there were definitely various stalls lined up… but the current plaza is in a state where I can’t tell what’s where due to the falling cotton birds.

It was quite spacious, so finding Ms. Sasa from here might be quite a challenge. If visibility were a bit better, I would have searched while staying in the Camping Car… but with the bird shadows this thick, it’s a bit… Even with the high-performance navigation, I don’t have confidence in driving without hitting the tables and stalls scattered around the plaza.

“Al, wake up. We’ve reached the plaza.”

At Mr. Ville’s voice waking Mr. Arthur, Mr. Arthur and the other Azure Droplets members stir with faint groans.

“Mm… ah, my apologies…”

“Good morning, Mr. Arthur. Did you get some rest?”

“Ms. Rin… yes. I feel like my head has cleared up quite a bit.”

Mr. Arthur, woken by Mr. Ville’s call, blinks for just a moment but immediately looks around and tightens his expression. Mr. Rolf and Mr. Ginsei, who wake up next, also look around with sleepy eyes.

“…Hey, seriously? Not that much time passed, right? Why are we already at the plaza?”

“How possible?! I, super shocked!”

Hmm. These two also have good reactions! But they understand that time is precious right now. Their panic quickly subsides, and both immediately adopt sharp expressions.

“First, let’s take a quick look around the plaza.”

“Yes… Normally, it would be best to split up and search…”

“But with this number of cotton birds…”

The entire area is pure white as if milk has been poured everywhere. This is with Mr. Xenon’s barrier up. I understand the importance of split searching, but I really don’t want to go outside…

“! I smell Sasa over there!”

“Oh… that might be it!”

Mr. Rolf, who had been raising his face to sense the surrounding presence, suddenly points to the back of the plaza. He is tracking scent, not presence? As expected of a beastkin! Where Mr. Arthur pointed after straining his eyes… indeed… somehow, it seemed like just that one corner in the back had less white!

The decision came in an instant. We all nod to each other and head toward where the white is thinner.

“Uhhh… I can’t drink anymore…”

At the base of the hedges surrounding the plaza… Ms. Sasa is there. With her back against a tree trunk, cradling an alcohol bottle in her arms, completely enclosed within a hemispherical transparent dome. This dome has been repelling the cotton birds, so that’s why the color is thinner here.

“…Amazing… she’s sleeping in this situation…”

“In Sasa’s case, she has her armor’s effects and her own sacred barrier. Maybe this level didn’t bother her?”

“I, worry… waste.”

The transparent membrane surrounding Ms. Sasa must be a holy barrier. Mr. Rolf and Mr. Ginsei shrug their shoulders in exasperation at Ms. Sasa, who looks perfectly fine no matter how you look at her. Next to them, Mr. Arthur wears a troubled smile, but… one way or another, I can tell at a glance that all three of them are radiating an atmosphere of relief from the bottom of their hearts.

As I’m breathing a sigh of relief at the state of Azure Droplets, Mr. Rolf charges into Ms. Sasa’s barrier, grabs her by both shoulders, and starts shaking her back and forth… From the side, it looks like he’s shaking her pretty violently, but I wonder if that’s really okay?

“Rolf! Enough, enough! You’re making Sasa dizzy!”

…Oh. Looks like it wasn’t okay after all. Mr. Arthur had to step in with a leader’s call to stop.

Mr. Rolf reluctantly lets go with a dissatisfied look, but Ms. Sasa is still sleeping even after all that—isn’t that amazing in its own way?

“Mmm… Delicious…! One more cup…”

“Sasa! Come on, wake up!”

“Uhhh? Aruuu?”

This time, Mr. Arthur gently taped her shoulder while calling out to her… and after a while, Ms. Sasa’s eyes slowly opened. Seeing this, Mr. Arthur exhaled in relief.

She must still be sleepy. She looks pretty dazed, but… Ms. Sasa’s complexion doesn’t look bad, and there doesn’t seem to be any effect from being shaken around.

“Ehh? Did something happen… Wait! Whoa! Everything’s all white!”

“…Sasa… you finally noticed…”

With Mr. Arthur pressing her with furrowed brows in anger, Ms. Sasa finally seems to grasp the situation. Her big eyes go wide and round.

The illustration’s description: Sasa sleeps inside a round transparent dome.

It takes a while to get a grasp of the situation right after waking up, doesn’t it?

“…Anyway, Sasa. It seems like you were drinking pretty late last night… could you tell us what the situation was like then?”

I see. From last night until now, Ms. Sasa was the only one who was outside. Even though she was sleeping, it would be nice if we could get some kind of hint…

“What do you mean…? I was drinking and making noise in the plaza, and then there was this huge storm… I helped pack up the stalls and got a bottle of wine, so I was doing some thunder-viewing drinking instead of snow-viewing drinking inside my barrier… something like that? But what is this stuff? Cotton fluff?”

“They’re monsters called cotton birds. As you can see, they seem to have bred massively in just one night, so I thought maybe you saw something.”

“Eeeehhh… I mean, sure, I was drinking until late, but I never saw anything like this!”

Ms. Sasa looks around with the kind of eyes you’d use to look at something creepy. Even Ms. Sasa, who seemed like she’d been up the latest, doesn’t know…!

“Oh, but… I think I saw lightning strike around the Ancestral Tree on the hill just before I fell asleep.”

“The Ancestral Tree!?”

At Ms. Sasa’s casual words, we all involuntarily look at each other.

If what she says is true… then the cotton birds hadn’t appeared until she fell asleep. In other words, we can assume that lightning struck the Ancestral Tree—the original one—and the cotton birds started falling after Ms. Sasa fell asleep.

Ugh… all the worst signs are lining up here! Something has to have happened at the Ancestral Tree! The source of this ill omen is the very symbol itself!

Wait, this isn’t the time to be making cheerful rhymes!

“Combining what you two have said, something must have happened at the Ancestral Tree.”

“At this point, it’s practically telling us to go there ourselves.”

“It’s like we’re being guided by some invisible force.”

“Eh, ah… ahahaha…! Yes, that’s true!”

Mr. Ville crossed his arms with a serious expression and muttered quietly. It seems he was thinking the same thing as I. And he’s sharp! If this is an event, then we’re truly dancing in the palm of the "invisible hand of God." As expected of a party leader.

…Even so, Mr. Noah’s cheat sheet only said it was a "CG collection event." I don’t remember there being any mention of battles or major disturbances involving the entire village.

But when push comes to shove, an event like the mass outbreak of cotton birds happens…!

“…Could there be a bug happening?”

“What’s the matter, Rin? Something up?”

“Eh, ah…! It’s nothing!”

The murmur that escaped me unconsciously can’t be taken back, no matter how much I think, "I messed up!" Mr. Ville, right next to me, definitely caught it! I wave my hand while trying to maintain composure under Mr. Ville’s puzzled gaze as he looks down at me.

I’ll say it as many times as I need to, but no one knows about the existence of "events" except Mr. Noah… or rather, they have no idea that this world is based on an otome game. If they found out, it would be terrible in various ways…

“So, Ville. Regarding this current situation… fortunately, there are two adventurer parties here. I think that’s enough manpower… what do you think?”

“There’s no guild request, but we can’t just leave it alone either.”

While Mr. Ville, leader of Gourmands, and Mr. Arthur, leader of Azure Droplets, are working things out, maybe I should take on the task of petting Gomamiso to calm it down since its crackling won’t stop.

‘Mufu! I! This great me will go shush shush and deal with it!’

“Yes, yes. Let’s calm down a bit, Miso.”

When I pet its fluffy back, the fur that was standing up settles down. Since it’s still not completely calm, I lift up Gomamiso, who’s gotten quite big, and hug it tight.

Hmm. It used to be basketball-sized. Compared to then, it’s gotten solid and chubby. The fluffiness remains, but the weight is different. How moving.

‘This me got bigger and more handsome, right?’

“You did get bigger, but as for handsome… I wonder about that?”

‘Huh? My majesty increased! This me become more magnificent, right?!’

Majesty…? Magnificence…? I wonder if this cat understands the meaning of the nonsense it’s spouting. No, wait, since it’s nonsense, it doesn’t need to understand the meaning. No matter how hard it tries, Gomamiso is just a walking comic relief…

Still, this fluffiness is truly wonderful. I think Gomamiso’s weirdness is forgiven because of this.

“Rin! We’ve reached an agreement. The Gourmands and the Azure Droplets… both teams will work together to resolve this situation.”

“It seems like things have gotten more serious than expected. We decided that swift action is necessary.”

“Ah, I knew it. I figured it would come to that!”

Just as I was bouncing the fluffball in my arms, Mr. Ville and Mr. Arthur, who seemed to have finished their leader-to-leader discussion, called out to me.

The decision they made is entirely reasonable. If the damage spreads any further, life in the village won’t be possible. Furthermore, there’s even a time bomb in the form of not knowing when monsters seeking magical power might appear in the surrounding forests…

“…But still, shouldn’t we inform the guild or the elven village?”

“Hmm… I sent familiars to both the nearest town’s guild and Ellarge’s guild, so I think word will get through.”

Familiars! What a fantastical word!

Come to think of it, I remember hearing talk that the Ellarge guild has something like messenger familiars! Maybe the one Mr. Arthur sent is used similarly.

“Regarding the village—well, my mother, to be exact—I’ll reach out using my magic circuit. The cotton birds’ magical power is dense, so it feels like the circuit’s magical power is being interfered with… but it should be fine.”

“So it’s like you’re being jammed? Good luck!”

And on that note, I’m also relieved to find out that the magic circuits seem to operate within a certain magical range. In my mind, it feels kind of like cellphone signal reception… Like worrying if it’s got full bars, or holding the phone up high to get a signal… that sort of thing. Wait—hold on, is “full bars” outdated slang now?

While I’m inadvertently shuddering, Mr. Xenon, who moved to the edge of the barrier, seems to already be attempting to contact Ms. Lusha. Apparently, the cotton birds’ magical power is having an effect, with exchanges like "Can you hear me?" and "I couldn’t make that out, what did you say?"… The call quality seems pretty bad.

Still, as he continues the poor-quality call with Ms. Lusha, it seems like our intentions are getting through somehow. After a few more exchanges, Mr. Xenon wraps it up with a “Well then” and ends the call.

“…For now, we’re fine on this end. Mother says she’ll contact the villagers.”

“Good. So that means all the necessary contacts have been made…”

“Now we can head to the site without any worries.”

“Yes. If we didn’t report these things, it could lead to major problems later…”

In emergencies like this, even the smallest things might turn into problems, right? That’s why the spirit of reporting, consulting, and discussing everything is important!

With contact to all parties completed, both teams are switching into full exploration mode. Their motivation is more than sufficient… or rather, they’re brimming with fighting spirit…

“Hmm… if we’re going to explore together, it seems like I should change my policy regarding skills.”

“Are you going to reveal the Camping Car to Arthur and his group?”

“Honestly, it’s a skill I’d like to keep secret, but time is of the essence. Besides, they promised not to talk about my skills, so I think I’ll trust them.”

I clench my fist to show my determination to Mr. Ville, who’s looking at me with a worried expression.

Honestly, I thought we’d part ways once we found Ms. Sasa, so I had Mr. Arthur’s group sleep earlier… but the leader meeting just before switched us to joint exploration, right?

Now that it’s joint exploration, I think not disclosing my skills to some extent could become a problem in critical moments.

For example… if I summon the Camping Car when fleeing from a strong enemy, they might be too wary to get in, or they might be so surprised by the Camping Car that it creates an opening for the enemy to attack… I don’t want to cause confusion by suddenly revealing my skill in situations where every second counts.

To prevent such unfortunate accidents, I think I should disclose the information.

“Um! Since we’re doing a joint exploration, before we start the investigation in earnest, I’d like to explain my skills again… could I have some of your time?”

“Eh… well, we don’t mind, but… are you okay with this, Ms. Rin? From how you were talking earlier, it seemed like you didn’t want people to know?”

The Azure Droplets members, except for Ms. Sasa, who didn’t know about the earlier exchange, looked at each other at my proposal. After a moment of hesitation, Mr. Arthur, with an expression half confused and half considerate toward me, spoke as their representative.

“I do feel that way, but I think keeping it secret would be more problematic in this case.”

“I see. If that’s your decision, Ms. Rin, then we can’t say anything.”

“Thank you. Well then, let me explain.”

Grateful for that consideration, I put my feelings into words, and Mr. Arthur respects them. With the tense atmosphere of an important discussion about to begin, I put Gomamiso, whom I’d been holding, down on the ground.

I mean, seriously… the only ones allowed to make secret confessions while holding a cat are evil organization bosses sitting imposingly on giant sofas or demon lords waiting on their thrones for heroes.

“Um, well… my skill is specialized in transporting things. I can easily carry quite a lot of luggage, whether big or small…”

“Seriously!? That’s perfect for hauling gear! Man, if I could, I’d carry pots, kettles, and all kinds of stuff.”

“I get that. Having your own tools really makes a difference in cooking quality.”

MR. Rolf must have realized how useful it is. He looked at me with envy in his eyes.

I get it. I totally get that feeling! When you get into cooking, your tools increase without limit! The ingredients become quite a quantity too! If you could transport all that anywhere at once… in a way, it’s a dream skill for people who do outdoor cooking.

“Ah, so when you made us sleep before… are you saying your skill can also include people?”

“Yes. So I had you all sleep earlier.”

“Reason understood. Your actions, natural.”

Though it was a simple explanation, Mr. Arthur and Mr. Ginsei, who seem to understand, nod along. Only Ms. Sasa, who just joined us, tilts her head in puzzlement.

“Ehhhh!? Rin, you have that kind of skill?”

“Yes. And, just like I asked Mr. Arthur, Mr. Rolf, and Ms. Ginsei earlier, could I ask you not to tell anyone, even if you see my skill?”

“Of course, the answer is ‘YES’! I swear it on the dwarves’ progenitor god!”

With Ms. Sasa grinning with zero malice and gripping both my hands tightly, I can’t help but feel my heart skip a beat! Aren’t I being a bit too soft myself!?

But now I can bring out the Camping Car without worries! Everyone from the Azure Droplets, come aboard!

“Well then, let me reveal it again!”

It seems even a cancelled boarding setting can be reapplied. The moment I set everyone up to board together…

“Wh, whoa! Wh-what’s this iron box!?”

“Eh, eh!? What’s this all of a sudden!? What’s going on!?”

“Surprise! Astonishment! Utterly mysterious!!!”

Starting with Mr. Rolf, everyone from the Azure Droplets, seeing the Camping Car parked in a corner of the barrier, opens their eyes wide and cries out. From their perspective, it must look like the vehicle suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was actually out the whole time, but people who aren’t set for boarding can’t see it. Even though it’s just how the system works, I think I surprised them too much… I feel bad about that.

“Um, Ms. Rin… this is… This is your skill?”

“Yes. It’s a skill called Camping Car.”

With a somewhat dazed expression and voice, Mr. Arthur turns toward me. It’s a complex expression mixing fear and awe. It’s not that scary a skill, but I guess that’s how first-time viewers react.

Now… how should I persuade them to board…? While I’m pondering this, Mr. Ville makes a move.

“You don’t need to be so wary. Rin’s skill is safe.”

Under the gaze of the Azure Droplets, he opens the living area door wide and slips his body into the vehicle.

“That’s right! It’s a really good skill!”

“Yes! The best!”

“It’s like a skill that embodies all of our adventurer dreams.”

As if following Mr. Ville’s lead, Mr. Ed, Ms. Aria, and Mr. Xenon board one after another with smiles. I see! Not exactly “seeing is believing,” but having them board themselves is the perfect way to show it’s safe.

And Mr. Arthur’s face as he watches all this…! What a waste of such a handsome classic beauty! Mr. Rolf, meanwhile, is gaping so wide his jaw looks like it might fall off. As for the girls’ team—Ms. Sasa and Ms. Ginsei—they are watching us with quiet, cute curiosity. Such high girl power!

Mr. Arthur’s eyes dart back and forth between Mr. Ville’s group, relaxing inside, and me, beckoning them in. After wavering like that for a while… he shut his eyes tight, then snapped them open with a look of resolve.

“Alright… I’ll come in.”

“Yes, go right ahead!”

Looking at Mr. Ville one more time for confirmation, then at me… Mr. Arthur nods and steps through the door somewhat nervously. Mr. Rolf, with a tense expression, and Ms. Sasa and Mr. Ginsei looking determined, follow after him.

“What is… this…!?”

“Th-this is amazing…! It even has a kitchen!”

“Wow… incredible! So this is what it’s like inside!”

Mr. Arthur’s group can’t hide their amazement at the interior. Well, I’m still surprised by how the size from the outside doesn’t match the spaciousness inside. Mr. Rolf, standing next to Mr. Arthur, seems drawn to the Camping Car’s kitchen as expected. Ms. Sasa and Mr. Ginsei seem captivated by the interior design.

The Azure Droplets members, who seem so stunned and amazed they’ve forgotten even to make noise, are being watched warmly by everyone from the Gourmands. Yes, yes. Of course. You all reacted the same way when you first boarded. You understand the feeling very well.

“I see… I finally understand why you guys became capable of expedition missions.”

“Mm…! We can enjoy expeditions thanks to Rin!”

“That’s right! It’s all because Rin is with us!”

Seeing Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed completely relaxed, Mr. Arthur’s expression softens. His face looks incredibly gentle… it makes me feel warm inside too. And hearing Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed’s words, I can really feel that I’m being helpful to everyone… I’m so happy!

“Having a pack carrier who’s so compatible with the party members join midway… in a way, it’s fate!”

“Yeah, no doubt about it. Meeting Rin was fate.”

“It was a wonderful connection for me too! I’m glad you picked me up, Mr. Ville!”

Encouraged by Mr. Arthur’s words as well, I clench my fist toward Mr. Ville, who blinks as if caught off guard.

Actually, if I hadn’t met Mr. Ville back then, who knows what would have happened to me by now. Putting those feelings into it, I puff out my chest and smile, and Mr. Ville exhales as if he’d finally shaken something off.

“Yeah. I’m also glad you picked me up back then, Rin.”

“Eh… you picked each other up? When we have time, I’d definitely like to hear the full story.”

Watching us laugh and bump fists with each other, Mr. Arthur bursts into laughter. Good. It seems the tension has dissolved.

“…Now… since we’ve settled down a bit, let’s depart right away!”

If Azure Droplets will keep the secret, there should be no problem using it to my heart’s content to resolve the situation!

Everyone’s gazes pierce into my back as I move to the driver’s seat…! But even more amazing things are going to happen from now on!

“The destination: the Ancestral Tree on the hill… alright…!”

“It will be a somewhat winding road, but please take care of us, Rin.”

“Likewise! I hope the road is wide, if possible.”

“Now then… just how wide was the road again…? It’s been ages, I can hardly recall…”

As I fiddle with the navigation, Mr. Xenon gets into the passenger seat. Nothing is more reassuring than a local’s guidance! Looking at the suggested route, it’s a single road with no forks… but as Mr. Xenon says, it’s quite winding. This is going to take longer than I thought.

From the living area, I can hear Mr. Ville explaining boarding precautions to Mr. Arthur’s group. Since I have my own preparations here, I’m grateful for that.

“…Alright. Time to demonstrate the true essence of this skill!”

Steeling myself and gripping the steering wheel, I called out to the fully prepared living area. The powerful voices that immediately respond are nothing but encouraging!

Alright… let’s depart to solve this!

Pumping myself up like that, I slowly press the accelerator. I’ll ignore the screams rising from the living area for now.

Our destination is the original Ancestral Tree on the hill. No matter what mysteries await us, with such reliable members gathered together, we can definitely solve them!

“This is amazing! Can we really move this fast?!”

“Rolf! How many times do I have to say it—sit still and behave yourself!”

“Quiet. Sit!”

What’s white as milk outside and filled with excited shouting inside? The answer is… the Camping Car I’m driving right now!

I was prepared for some commotion, but I never expected Mr. Rolf to get this excited. The visibility is so poor that we’re not even going thirty kilometers per hour… actually, that’s about the only speed I can manage, but he seems thrilled by the fact that this iron chunk is moving on its own. Well, I hear cars are a man’s romance, so… can’t be helped.

At least Ms. Sasa and Ms. Ginsei are playing the role of keeping him in check, so, fortunately, we don’t need to make an emergency stop.

By the way, what is Mr. Arthur doing, you ask…

“…So then… splitting into two groups… might work.”

“C’mon, Sasa, Ginsei, look! The scenery’s flying past at crazy speed!”

“Yeah. But if we do that… there’s the issue of…”

“Honestly! Everyone from Gourmands told you it’s dangerous if you don’t sit still and stay calm!”

From the conversation I catch between the excited big child’s racket, it seems like he’s having a strategy meeting with Mr. Ville.

For the record, this would definitely violate a ton of Japanese traffic laws… but hey, this is another world! Please turn a blind eye to it…!

“Eeek! The roadkill factor is brutal!”

“A-Are you alright, Rin?”

“I’m fine physically, but mentally I’m pretty messed up!”

And more than anything, I don’t really have the luxury to worry about my surroundings right now!

The cotton birds keep smashing into the windshield with loud thuds and splattering, and I’m crushing them under the tires too… I wonder if there’ll ever come a time when I get used to this sensation! On top of that, I have to drive through a winding mountain road with almost no visibility! I hope you can understand my mental strain!

Mr. Xenon is kind enough to try to ease my nerves from the passenger seat, but I’m so focused on driving that I can’t even respond properly! I feel terribly sorry, but I’m driving safely to avoid accidents, so please forgive me for that.

“Mr. Xenon, how many kilometers does it show until we arrive?”

“Let’s see… it appears to be about six kilometers remaining.”

“Hmm… at this pace… conservatively estimating, about twenty minutes?”

With Mr. Xenon’s help, I estimate the remaining journey while desperately straining my eyes at the pure white world. Excluding the roadkill and bird strikes, it feels like driving through dense fog.

…There was some ghost story situation like this, right? When you’re driving through poor visibility following GPS voice guidance, a passenger suddenly shouts, "Stop!" You panic and stop the car, only to discover that a few more meters would have sent you plummeting off a cliff… and just when the driver breathes a sigh of relief thinking "Thank goodness we didn’t crash," a voice filled with resentment comes from the GPS saying "You should have died"… that kind of story.

I don’t want to repeat such a ghost story, so I grip the steering wheel with renewed focus, but…

“Rin, look ahead!”

Following where Mr. Xenon points, I can definitely see something. I slow down so I can stop immediately, and despite the poor visibility, a more accurate shape comes into view.

“Eh, ah… what… is this?!”

“That texture… I’ve honestly never seen one this large, but I think it’s a tree root.”

“It’s enormous! Could it be from the main tree…?”

“…I don’t want to think about it, but probably…”

Tree roots sprawl across the ground, blocking the unpaved mountain road. No matter what, there’s no way the Camping Car can get over something like that!

After stopping the car and looking carefully, I can see the roots have spread further down the road too…!

“Did something happen, Rin?”

My sudden stop must have alerted him; Mr. Ville called out. He puts his hands on the partition counter and leans forward, trying to get a better look ahead.

“Mr. Ville. It looks like the main tree’s roots are blocking the path ahead.”

“Ah, I see. Indeed, even if we got over those roots, we’d likely find the road blocked again before we could go much further.”

“Exactly. At this rate, it’s impossible to continue with the Camping Car…”

To get past, we’d all have to get out, put the Camping Car away, climb over the root, summon the Camping Car again, ride until the next root, then repeat… over and over.

We can’t be doing this every single time!

On the other hand, proceeding while burning or cutting down the tree roots… that’s not realistic either. Besides, it would be outrageous to damage the Ancestral Tree that the elves treasure so much.

“…By the way, Xenon. Is this road always like this?"

“Hmm… I’m not really sure. They do maintain the Ancestral Tree regularly, but I’ve never been there during the work, so I don’t know about the road’s condition…”

“I see. So we can’t determine whether this is a constant state or something that suddenly occurred.”

“Yes. I believe that’s the case. If this did happen suddenly, it might be related to this massive outbreak of cotton birds…”

Listening to Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon’s conversation, I suddenly think… if this root invasion happened suddenly, couldn’t the main tree’s dungeonification also be possible? And then, that large shadow I saw when we met up with Mr. Arthur’s group could be a bird monster that grew giant due to that influence…

I’ve imagined something that seems all too plausible!

“In any case, we can’t do anything unless we proceed… wait, hmm?”

While looking at the navigation, wondering if there’s a detour, it seems there’s a fork a little ahead. Moreover, this marking is a bit different from other roads… could it be like a tunnel? I don’t really know what’s inside the tunnel, but wouldn’t it potentially be better than going through the cotton bird-filled area?

“Mr. Ville! There might be a way through to the Ancestral Tree!”

“What?! Really, Rin?!”

“Yes! We’d have to walk a little from here, and the road is a bit narrower than now, but there’s a fork!”

I operate the navigation so Mr. Ville, who’s leaning forward even more, can see it better, zooming in on the fork area. Fortunately, it’s a straight road to this fork. We might suffer from the cotton bird density, but we shouldn’t get lost. If there are fewer cotton birds inside the tunnel, even if I can’t drive the Camping Car, it should be somewhat easier…! Besides, if the tunnel is also full of cotton birds with no escape, we can just go back to the original route and walk.

“…Alright!”

Just as I’m settling on the route and the plan, the navigation suddenly fills with static. Before I can even wonder what is happening…

[Bzzt… ※@danger◆ahead×proceed※caution—zzz…]

“…Huh?”

What I hear is a hoarse, eerie voice that doesn’t sound electronic at all. Something that sounds like an old person’s voice, but also a child’s voice, also a man’s voice, also a woman’s voice delivers some message, then cuts off abruptly.

In the silence that returns to the car interior, my stupid voice echoes…

“…What was… that just now…?”

Everyone’s gaze focuses on the navigation. Since coming to this world, there have been plenty of mysterious things… but I don’t want any paranormal happenings! I unconsciously hug Gomamiso tight, and even though it protests with "This is suffocating!", please bear with it for my mental health right now!

N-no, wait—Mr. Xenon said the cotton birds’ magical power was causing interference… surely the navigation is also affected by that jamming! Definitely! It has to be! It absolutely has to be!

While no one can question what that mysterious audio was… the first to speak is Mr. Ville.

“Even so… ‘not going’ isn’t an option for us.”

He’s right. That’s it! It’s incredibly scary, but leaving the current anomaly alone would be even scarier! Because I can predict that leaving the cotton birds alone would lead to something terrible! As Mr. Ville says, there’s no reason not to go!

When I glance at everyone in the living area, they all have the same look of determination as I do.

“…Alright… l-let’s go!”

In the end, the fear of what would happen if we did nothing outweighed the fear of the unknown, and so we chose to push on through the cotton bird-infested road.

◆◇◆

Our path is blocked by numerous tree roots, just as expected. It would be easy if Mr. Xenon and Ms. Sasa could put up barriers like before, but we decided to conserve magical power. Currently, we’re proceeding on foot. Everyone is wearing insect nets that Ms. Aria made for us and covering their noses and mouths with cloth or something, but the cotton birds mercilessly get through anyway.

In the midst of this, we find the fork sooner than expected. A black cave opening gapes in the hillside.

“…From what I can see, it doesn’t look like cotton birds are packed inside.”

“Mm. Agreed… it’s quiet here…”

Mr. Rolf and Ms. Aria, who peer inside, beckon us over. We gratefully dive into the tunnel to find air uncontaminated by cotton fluff. It’s pitch black inside, but thanks to Mr. Ed creating light with magic, we secure enough brightness to see our surroundings.

Everyone gathers at the entrance, knocking off the cotton birds that clung to us to avoid bringing them into the cave. I also brush off cotton birds from Gomamiso, who’s preening on my shoulder. While I’m at it, I squeeze its cheeks, and it purrs contentedly, seeming pleased.

Yup. It’s cute in moments like this.

“Still… what is this cave…?”

I can’t see the depths because it’s dark, but the path seems to wind gently upward toward the summit. The width feels like it’s just barely enough for the Camping Car. I couldn’t drive through, but it might work as a resting base!

Tree roots spread across the rough walls, ceiling, and floor, making the road surface quite bumpy.

“Looks old… could this be an abandoned mine shaft?”

“No. I don’t think that’s possible. I’ve never heard of mine shafts being dug in the hills around the Ancestral Tree.”

“Oh, right… wasn’t this said to be where ancestors’ souls rest? So it’s basically sacred ground…”

When I heard about the main tree, I thought it felt kind of like a cemetery or memorial monument, though that’s probably not strictly accurate. Not quite a "forbidden area," but a place where entry isn’t really permitted except for maintenance or offering prayers… something like that. Like a monument for those left behind, maybe?

So I don’t think they’d create mine shafts in such a place. It wouldn’t seem very restful, would it? And more than anything, the words "elf" and "mine shaft" don’t connect at all in my mind. If anything, it seems more compatible with dwarves, which is Ms. Sasa’s race.

“Exactly! These walls don’t look like they’ve been worked by human hands.”

“Eh, but there are marks that look like they’ve been carved.”

“Hmm… they look quite old, and I think they were formed by weathering. I believe time created them.”

Putting together what Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf say, it seems no one carved this cave. It doesn’t look like erosion by groundwater either—the walls and floor look too dry.

Maybe it’s the remains of rotted tree roots? …No, that’s probably not it.

But my biggest concern is…

“This won’t collapse on us partway through, will it?”

“From what I can see, despite its age, it looks quite sturdy, so I think it’ll be fine.”

“Yes. There’s also a sense that some kind of magical protection has been applied.”

A stamp of approval from Ms. Sasa the dwarf, and Mr. Xenon the local! This is quite reassuring!

Still, you never know what might actually happen. Reality is stranger than fiction, after all. So as long as we reinforce the way regularly and keep escape routes in mind, we should be fine…

“Oh, I know! Mr. Ed, could you strengthen the earthen walls with magic as we proceed?”

“Collapse prevention? If that’s possible, it would be safer… what do you think, Ed?”

“Hmm. I think I can do that much! Leave it to me!”

Mr. Ville picks up on my mutter and brings it up with Mr. Ed, who’s flirting with Ms. Aria. Mr. Ed himself gives a thumbs up with a great smile while hugging Ms. Aria’s waist!

It’s a scene I’ve gotten used to, and while it’s heartwarming to see them so happy… but still, I have to say it…

Damn lovebirds, just explode already!

“Well, now that the mood’s lightened, shall we move forward?”

While we’re chatting like this, Mr. Arthur calls out. Fair enough—we came here to break through the current situation, not to waste time here.

Still, I’m wondering how exactly we’ll proceed… but Mr. Ville answers before I can voice that question.

“First, we Gourmands will take the lead. But we’ll swap the lead at each rest stop as we go.”

“Eh? You’re planning to rotate while moving forward?”

“Yeah. The advance party will be on alert for scouting and everything else for long periods, right? It’s not good for the burden to be too heavily skewed toward either side.”

When he puts it that way, it makes sense.

Staying tense nonstop would wear us out and ruin our focus. Taking turns will let us move forward more safely! Fortunately, both parties have scouts, and their abilities are about the same… This might be quite a good formation.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Adventurers have this virtue of moving quickly once a policy is decided, right?

True to form, Ms. Aria first looks toward the depths of the cave and crouches down. She puts both hands on the ground and tilts her head slightly. She’s probably exploring the surroundings with her threads as usual.

After doing this for a while… she quietly stands up and proceeds ahead while silently beckoning. Mr. Ville follows her, with me and Gomamiso in the middle. Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon come after us.

I’m not sure about the Azure Droplets’ formation, but role-wise, I think Mr. Rolf and Ms. Sasa are the vanguard, with Mr. Arthur and Ms. Ginsei in the rear…

“This is a lot easier to walk than I expected. Honestly, I thought the air would be foul and damp.”

“Yeah. The walls are more solid than expected, and I don’t sense any signs of collapse either.”

“I just hope there aren’t any traps or anything.”

The path becomes wider and more solid as we proceed. Occasionally, vine-like tree branches hang down from the ceiling, but they don’t seem to be traps and don’t interfere with walking.

While exchanging words with Mr. Ville in low voices, I don’t forget to stay alert to our surroundings with Survival as well. So far, no red alerts indicating danger have appeared, so it seems like no enemies or traps… but that doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way ahead.

“Mm, stop…!”

Suddenly, Ms. Aria stops. She puts her finger to her lips in a "shh" gesture while turning back to us. As expected of adventurers. Both the Gourmands and the Azure Droplets stop dead in their tracks at the same time as Ms. Aria’s halt. In the cold air that falls completely silent, we can hear faint sounds from a little ahead. A scratching sound… like digging in soil.

Mr. Ed quickly dims the light orb. It’s probably to avoid being noticed by enemies, but light in darkness stands out a lot—I wonder if it’s too late?

“…Lizards…?”

“…There are quite a lot of them?”

“Each individual doesn’t seem particularly threatening, but there is such a thing as strength in numbers.”

Just as Ms. Aria mutters, what lies ahead in the cave are countless creatures resembling lizards. Their size is… a bit bigger than a two-liter plastic bottle, maybe? They look squishy and strangely whitish. If I may speak frankly, they’re like… tsuchinoko with arms and legs…?

They keep crawling out of the ground one after another, clinging to root-like things spreading across the walls and floor. So the digging sound we heard earlier was these lizards coming out!

“…No reaction to light… can’t see…?”

“If the targets live underground, it’s not impossible. They may have lost their vision through evolution.”

“In that case, it’s possible their other abilities have developed. Don’t let your guard down.”

The lizards that seem ready to fill up a corner of the floor show no reaction to us at all, apparently absorbed in gnawing on roots.

According to Survival, they’re called Reptonewts. Apparently, they lurk underground, sucking up tree sap, preying on insects and small animals… and most importantly, they also absorb the land’s magical power, so they’re also called "forest witherers.”

To think magic-absorbing monsters would appear at this point! For them, the elf forest filled with magical power due to the cotton birds must be like a feast itself! Could it be that the elf forest is actually in quite a big crisis?

Moreover, these lizards… have a complex ecology… When the main body fully matures and has excess magical power, that surplus magical power splits off and materializes as new Reptonewts.

“This is bad, Mr. Ville. There might be a fully grown adult nearby!”

“What do you mean, Rin?”

I thought I was speaking in as small a voice as possible, but apparently it was still enough for them. One of the Reptonewts that should have been single-mindedly gnawing on tree roots suddenly lifts its face and turns toward us. It’s a smooth face where you can barely make out a nose and mouth. Within that face covered by squishy white skin, I felt like it looked at us with invisible eyes.

“Ah, crap! We’ve been noticed, Ville!”

“As expected, since they have no vision, they seem to react easily to sound.”

Even while Mr. Ed sounds annoyed and Mr. Ville remains utterly calm, Reptonewts keep crawling out of the ground. In no time, they increase their numbers enough to fill that corner, then charge toward us. Inside their gaping mouths, sharp fangs are densely packed, and their thick front legs have claw-like weapons. They’re not that big, but there are many of them instead!

If we get surrounded and they all swing those fangs and claws at once… we could sustain some pretty serious injuries.

…Well, that’s "if" we get surrounded.

“…Too naive…!”

Ms. Aria’s sleeve flutters softly. At the same time, the Reptonewts charging toward us are all scooped up together in a net. Literally caught in one fell swoop.

When Mr. Ed magically roasts the Reptonewts that struggle helplessly with their feet off the ground… the annihilation battle ends in an instant. The Reptonewts that spilled through the net holes became prey and snacks for Gomamiso’s claws. Gomamiso eagerly gnaws on the Reptonewt it finished off with a cat punch.

Well, they say the more grotesque the creature, the rarer the delicacy, so maybe they’re edible… but honestly, they don’t look appetizing.

“So… it should be safe to speak normally now, right?”

“Most likely.”

After confirming that all the Reptonewts in the area have been wiped out, I called out to Mr. Ville again. Even speaking normally, new ones don’t seem to be sprouting from the ground.

It should be safe to continue our earlier conversation now.

“Um… those lizard-like things we just defeated appear to be relatives of earth dragons.”

“Those things?! For that, they’re quite… no, if you think of them as relatives of worm dragons…”

“Well, their appearance is quite unique. But that’s not the problem! What seems really dangerous is their ecology!”

“…Wait, Rin. That matter should probably be shared with everyone, including The Azure Droplets.”

He probably sensed from my demeanor that this could become serious. Mr. Ville beckons not just the Gourmands, but the Azure Droplets as well.

Noticing this, Mr. Arthur and the rest quickly gather… and I’m suddenly surrounded by everyone! Ugh… I never expected to suddenly have to speak in front of such a large crowd! Still, I can’t just stay silent about this.

Because these monsters called Reptonewts have such a troublesome ecology that even just reading Survival is enough to understand how bad it is!

Now then… how exactly should I begin to explain this…?

“Honestly, I can’t think of where to start, so I’ll just say the conclusion… the main body that produces the Reptonewts we just defeated is somewhere in this area!”

“…Wh-what?!”

“Main body… what do you mean by that?”

“There’s a boss of those lizard-like things…?!”

Yup! As expected, with the Gourmands and the Azure Droplets together, the whole place has suddenly turned noisy. Of course, in a bad way.

Gomamiso jumps into my chest as I involuntarily get a distant look. Having played around with Reptonewts to its heart’s content and apparently satisfied, it purrs while being held by me. When I hold such a bundle of free-spirited energy, does that carefree attitude spread to me too? I feel somewhat lighter, I think.

It’s hastily acquired knowledge from Survival, but I’ll try my best to make it as understandable as possible!

I let the winged lynx, who has started grooming itself without a care, move onto my shoulder, and clear my throat lightly.

“Well, um… for the sake of explanation, let’s temporarily call the main body the ‘Boss Newt’… when that Boss Newt’s excess magical power materializes, it apparently becomes Reptonewts.”

First, I define it with a temporary name to make it easier to imagine. Then, I continue explaining while indicating the term "Boss Newt" with one hand and "Reptonewt" with the other.

“And then, those materialized Leptoneuts grow into Boss Neuts, which produce new Leptoneuts… apparently following this growth cycle.”

“That means… if left alone, there’s a high possibility they’ll multiply explosively, right? The entire forest around the village could be completely destroyed!”

“Or rather… isn’t it possible they’ve already spread beyond recovery? Just now, they were swarming enough to cover this whole area!”

As I explained—sometimes with my hands spinning in little potter’s-wheel motions—it was clear the locals grasped the danger quickly. Mr. Xenon and Mr. Arthur’s faces drained of color.

I thought we only had to deal with the cotton birds, but turns out we also have to handle the Boss Neut, including the Leptoneuts too—

That’s way too much of a plot twist!

“…And besides… the Ancestor Tree that those Forest-Drainers were gnawing on is the spiritual pillar of us elves, and in a way, a symbol of our faith.”

“Honestly, I thought I didn’t have much attachment to my homeland. But now that it’s actually been attacked… it makes me considerably angry.”

Waaah! The beautiful elf guys’ smiles are scary! Their faces are smiling, but their eyes aren’t! Rather, they’ve gone past freezing point to absolute zero!

I can’t joke around, saying "You really do care about your hometown after all!" in this atmosphere!

“To protect the forest and village, there are two things we need to do urgently now.”

“Ah! You mean dealing with the cotton birds and dealing with the Boss Neut?”

“Yes. That’s what it comes down to.”

When I answer Mr. Xenon, who raises two fingers with a serious face, he returns with such a cheerful smile. Mr. Arthur, who nods along after my words, is pretty much the same.

The cotton birds and the Boss Neut picked a fight with the wrong people. They say the more gentle someone usually is, the scarier they are when angry. This feels like one of those situations that won’t end until the enemy is beaten down completely.

“But how should we search for both the cotton birds and the Boss Neut?”

“In that case, how about we try detecting if there’s a large cluster of magical power nearby? If Leptoneuts are spawning in large numbers, there should be a mass of magical power producing them… meaning the Boss Neut should be around, right?”

Mr. Ed cheerfully pats the shoulder of Mr. Xenon, who tilts his head with fixed eyes. Whoa, nice assist in various ways!

Maybe that cooled things off a little?

Mr. Ed is right—if Leptoneuts are mass-spawning here, the main body might be nearby.

“Ah! In that case, couldn’t we search using the Camping Car’s navigation?”

“Your skill can do something like that, Ms. Rin?”

“Uh, well… it’s kind of like an optional feature.”

The words slip out smoothly, but once spoken, I can’t take them back. Moreover, saying it in front of Mr. Arthur, who’s currently on high alert—of course, he’d catch that.

Mr. Arthur’s gaze is calm yet brimming with unyielding pressure, so I look away and summon the Camping Car a little away from everyone.

Even though they understand my skill, they’re still surprised when the vehicle suddenly appears. The members of the Azure Droplets jump with a start. Still, they approach cautiously but curiously, which shows just how inquisitive they are.

“Maybe if I expand the area, it’ll pop up—like with that crab last time?”

Feeling the gazes of the Azure Droplets watching with confused yet excited faces, I get into the driver’s seat and start up the navigation… and…

Without even needing to expand the map area, a red dot appears on the screen overlapping our current location.

“Wait, it’s right nearby!?”

“What!?”

I don’t know which came first—my shout making Mr. Ville react, or the ground collapsing beneath where the Gourmands are gathered…

Unable to do anything, I watch as Mr. Ville and the rest get swallowed by the cracked earth.

“Mr. Ville! Everyone!”

“Wait! No, Ms. Rin!”

Mr. Arthur grabs my arm to stop me as I reflexively start running toward them. Anger at being restrained flashes up instantly… and at the same time, my head cools as if doused with cold water.

…Indeed, what Mr. Arthur says makes complete sense. If I rush over now and cause secondary damage, it would defeat the purpose. In times like this, I need to stay calm…

…I need to stay calm… is what I think, but…

“If I don’t move now, when am I supposed to move!?”

It has to be "now"!

Following my surging impulse, I shake off Mr. Arthur’s grip on my arm. Despite the difference in our strength, I succeed—maybe that’s what they call adrenaline strength? I rush to the crevice and kneel at the edge of the hole, peering down. Small stones crumble and disappear into the pitch-black darkness that gapes like an open mouth.

As if cold water was poured over me, my spine shivers.

“M-Mr. Ville…! Mr. Ed! Mr. Xenon!”

“Rin!? Are you safe!?”

“Are you hurt? Is anyone injured?”

“Thanks to Ed and Xenon’s magic, we’re all fine here!”

The voices I desperately wanted to hear returned from the bottom of the abyss!

Learning that everyone is safe makes me want to cry. My whole body is wrapped in relief, and the tension I’d been holding loosens just a little.

Gomamiso’s warmth as it rubs against my body feels reassuring right now.

“Who’s down there with you right now?”

“Me, Xenon, Ed, and… Rolf from the Azure Droplets.”

“What!? Rolf is down there!?”

Mr. Arthur quickly reacts to the voice from the hole and rushes over.

…Now that he mentions it, that’s right. Rolf isn’t here!

I thought only the Gourmands members got caught in the collapse!

‘Heeey, hey. Should I jump down and carry everyone up?’

“Um… Gomamiso is asking if it should go down and carry everyone up… what do you think?”

“We appreciate Gomamiso’s thoughtfulness, but we’ve discovered a passage leading further down.”

“Yeah, yeah! We’ll explore this way. The main body you mentioned might be down here, Rin.”

I thought "agile Gomamiso might be able to do that," but what came back was a very adventurous response.

However, hearing Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed reply, something occurs to me. The marker that showed the main body at our location—what if it was actually at a different depth? Like being in room 201 and room 101 of the same building—does that make sense?

So while I’m very grateful that they are exploring below…

When I look up, Ms. Aria, who apparently barely avoided falling, is peering into the hole with a pale face.

…Hmm… Indeed, as the underground group says, if we just think of it as the scout role switching from Ms. Aria to Mr. Rolf, member-wise, it’s not like they can’t explore. For combat, too, there’s a physical fighter, Mr. Ville; a magic user, Mr. Ed; a support, Mr. Xenon; and… a physical fighter/scout, Mr. Rolf, joining them.

“Um, but wouldn’t it be better if Ms. Aria and I go down there, and have Gomamiso carry Mr. Rolf back up?”

I shout down into the hole.

I mean, come on. There’s optimized combat coordination within each party, exploration roles, and all sorts of things… continuing exploration with switched members seems really tough! I think there’s a pretty big difference between "exploration & combat isn’t impossible" and "exploration & combat can proceed safely and efficiently," right?

In our case, while Ms. Aria scouts, Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed keep watch to ensure no danger comes to her, and Mr. Xenon has his staff ready to move immediately if something happens.

Since the Gourmands are like that, the Azure Droplets must have optimized their system with familiar members too, right?

Thinking about that, we can’t just proceed as is. Plus, well… isn’t separating Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria practically begging for a major incident?

But yup… life hardly ever goes that smoothly.

“I’d love to do that, but it seems the other side has prepared a warm welcome for us. We don’t have time to switch members.”

“Damn it! What terrible timing…!”

“We’ll continue exploring on our end, you all go ahead.”

Mr. Ville’s cinematic-sounding line was laced with the faint crunch of earth being dug up.

They’re certainly being warmly welcomed indeed!

But really, to think we’d be separated from Mr. Ville, Mr. Xenon, and Mr. Ed in a place like this! Looking back, we’ve been separated within our group before, but completely splitting from Mr. Ville… hasn’t happened since Lady Meel kidnapped me?

The moment I think that, my body moves before my mind can process it.

“Mr. Ville! Five minutes! No, wait three minutes!”

I shout toward the hole and rush to the Camping Car without waiting for a response. Too impatient to properly open the door, I leap inside and stuff a large bag with all the travel rations and snacks from the fridge.

Cookies, madeleines loaded with butter, cake salé with ham and cheese, and the rice ball sandwiches I’d planned for today’s meal. These are stockpiles I made whenever I had free time, but I really did make quite a lot.

After that, I roughly jot down the route showing on the navigation screen and… riding the momentum of bursting outside, I throw the bag with the memo into the hole.

“Mr. Ville, this! Please eat if you get hungry on the way!”

“Sorry, Rin! Thank you!”

“Also, it’s really rough, but I wrote down the visible paths! I don’t know if it’ll help!”

“Waaah! Rin, thank you! Please take care of Aria for me!”

“Got it! And Mr. Ed, please be careful too!”

Rather than "rolling down riceball" like in the folktale, this is "rolling down travel food." Unlike the fairy tale, no songs come from inside the hole, but instead, I hear cheerfully bouncing voices and tear-mixed crying.

Good. It seems they received it safely. Normally, I’d be able to cook for them, but when we’re completely split up, that’s not possible. Considering how much fuel everyone burns, I couldn’t let them go hungry. This seemed like the quickest solution.

“We’re moving ahead on our end! Arthur! I’m counting on you for Rin and Aria!”

“Understood. I’ll handle things here. Ville, please take care of Rolf too.”

“Xenon seems to know a way to communicate, so we’ll reach out if anything happens.”

“Ah, the magical circuit method? That makes sense since it’s within the elf village territory.”

The leaders exchange words across the hole, and the future plan seems settled. After hearing what sounds like something being cut down in the hole, footsteps fade into the distance.

Well, I think I’ve done what I can. Now I just have to leave it to Mr. Ville and the rest. I’m sure they’ll be fine, but maybe because we can’t be together, I can’t stop worrying.

“…Alright. It looks like they have started moving, so we need to advance too.”

A little while after the footsteps disappear into the darkness, Mr. Arthur slowly stands up.

…Hearing that voice, I gradually feel the reality that we need to start moving too.

“Mm. Please take care of us until the exploration ends.”

“It’s like a temporary addition, but please take care of us!”

“…Situation grasped… Welcome descent!”

“Don’t call it temporary—you can stay forever! Having more girls is very welcome!”

When I bow to Sasa and Ginsei, who will be adventuring with us temporarily, I receive a much warmer welcome than expected! Ginsei raises both hands despite being expressionless, and Sasa flies around us laughing cheerfully.

Hmm. It’s been a while since I’ve been surrounded by girls like this.

…Hm? Wait? If Rolf leaves the Azure Droplets and Aria and I join temporarily… could it be that Mr. Arthur is the only male member!? It’s like a typical light novel harem party!

‘Hey, hey. You’re not forgetting about me, are you?’

“Ah, that’s right. Gomamiso is here too!”

Yup. Including Gomamiso, it’s barely not a harem, maybe? Well, I’m not sure if we should count Gomamiso as "male," though.

But anyway, I should probably tell Mr. Ed, "It was fine!”

“Well then. While Ville’s group explores below, we need to head up.”

Whether he’s aware that he’s unexpectedly in a harem situation or not… Mr. Arthur looks around with a cool expression. Hmm. He’s really calm. If I were surrounded by beautiful girls of different types, I might get excited. Actually, I’m a bit giddy right now. Thinking about that, Mr. Arthur shows no signs of being flustered—maybe he’s seriously focused on being a leader and won’t be distracted by such things?

“…So, I’d like to get right into exploring. In the Gourmands, the scout role falls to you, Ms. Aria, correct?”

“Mm. Yes… I do the investigating…”

“I see. Well, since our scout Rolf is absent, could you handle the scout role here too? Also, don’t worry about formal speech—I’d be happy if you talk normally.”

Wow. He’s really efficiently delegating work. He’s even subtly supporting Ms. Aria, who’s more awkward than usual due to nerves… Mr. Arthur is quite capable.

Actually, Mr. Ville also looks out for others despite appearances, so you probably can’t be a leader without being the type who can see the big picture.

“And when fighting, what formation do you use?”

“I’m… front guard…”

“As for me, I stay in the back with Gomamiso on standby.”

“Hmm… Ms. Aria and Rolf have more in common than I thought, which helps. Looks like we can stick to our usual formation in battle.”

After hearing mine and Ms. Aria’s answers, Mr. Arthur scratches his head briefly before hitting his fist in understanding. Seems like he already has the positions and tactics for both exploration and combat worked out in his head.

Mr. Rolf does seem like a front-guard type, so there shouldn’t be major repositioning concerns. But even though different members naturally have different habits, to come up with answers in such a short time! His mind works fast.

“By the way, can Gomamiso fight? Can you put it in combat?”

In the Azure Droplets, Ms. Ginsei apparently takes charge of vigilance during scouting, so Ms. Sasa seems a bit idle. While looking at Gomamiso, who sits in my arms with a prim expression, Ms. Sasa whispered to me.

Well, that question makes sense. Since I know Gomamiso can transform into an adult beast, I don’t doubt its combat ability… but to the Azure Droplets, it probably just looks like a young winged lynx with low combat power. From my perspective, knowing its size when we first met, I think it’s grown quite a bit. When it sits on my shoulder or I hold it, I really feel its presence. It’s not heavy, but it’s like a Maine Coon who still thinks it’s kitten-sized.

“Well… Miso’s quite a fighting force, but my combat ability is zero, so… it mainly serves as my bodyguard.”

“I see… that makes sense! It’s a familiar’s job to protect their master, and it’d be awful if you got hurt, Rin!”

“I’ll unleash it when push comes to shove, so please count it as fighting power then.”

At worst, I can escape into the Camping Car. When we’re short on hands, I’ll have the cat lend a paw.

While I’m thinking this, a cool hand gently rests on my shoulder. That familiar temperature… It’s Ms. Aria’s hand. While I have been chatting with Ms. Sasa, Ms. Aria has apparently fulfilled her duty.

“Rin. It’s about time… to go…”

“Roger! I’ll also be careful to watch our surroundings as we walk.”

“Mm! Let’s be careful… and go!”

I give a thumbs up to Ms. Aria, who clenches her fist in determination.

The Azure Droplets formation apparently has Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf in the front guard, archer Mr. Arthur in the middle, and magic-user Ms. Ginsei in the rear guard as standard. Since the Gourmands don’t have a middle guard, it feels kind of fresh.

This time, Ms. Aria joins the front guard to fill Mr. Rolf’s spot, while I’m placed in the middle. Right next to Mr. Arthur.

“The path is… this way…”

Following Ms. Aria’s lead, we proceed up a gentle slope. The further we go, the wider the path becomes and the higher the ceiling rises. By the time it feels like two Camping Cars could easily drive side by side… I can see the path ahead becoming particularly bright.

“It’s outside!”

“I see. So it continued from the base of the slope to near the Ancestral Tree… we might have come through a hole left by decayed roots.”

What awaits us as we emerge outside, drawn by the light, is a massive tree that "towering" doesn’t even begin to describe. I can’t even guess how many tens of meters around the trunk must be.

Mr. Arthur’s words, which sound both dazed and enchanted, make perfect sense. If the main body is this huge, of course, the roots would be thick too!

“Even so, how are we supposed to climb up from here?”

“Mm… willpower?”

“Guts?”

“Oh, come on! If that were enough to climb it, we wouldn’t be struggling here!”

With her armor clanking—clearly unsuited for climbing trees—Ms. Sasa shot the question, only to have Ms. Aria and Ms. Ginsei, standing to either side, reply with perfectly calm faces. Honestly, those two might be a pretty solid comedy duo; their back-and-forth was that in sync.

And the fact that Ms. Sasa can instantly fire back at the two without missing a beat shows she’s got some impressive quick reflexes herself.

“…Joking aside, how do we actually climb this… or rather, fundamentally speaking, is it okay to climb the Ancestral Tree?”

While watching the girls playfully banter, I look up at the giant tree before us again.

Sure, I used to be the type of girl who climbed trees and cliffs back in the day. I climbed fences while pulling up friends from below, and even did energy drink commercial parodies. In spring, I sought butterbur sprouts and bracken; in summer, I looked for wild berries and mulberries; in autumn, I gathered mushrooms and acorns; and in winter, I enjoyed snowball fights.

But honestly, I’m at an age where those old skills aren’t much use anymore. I don’t feel like I could climb such a huge tree!

While I’m thinking this, the treetop becomes noisy. Mr. Arthur and everyone, who have been cheerful until now, instantly shift to a combat stance. I also promptly retreat with Gomamiso. What’s a bit strange is that Survival isn’t giving me any alerts about hostile entities.

As we remain wary and puzzled, a light brown object crashes down in front of us with a loud rustling of branches and leaves. It’s about the same size as the Camping Car… no, maybe even bigger. It’s a creature that looks like a cross between a squirrel and a hamster.

“Ready yourselves!”

Mr. Arthur’s sharp voice echoes around us. If the light brown thing in front of us makes any strange moves, they’ll immediately attack. That tense atmosphere dominates the area… but…

‘Nkyuuuu!’

Oblivious to our tension, the light brown creature lets out a completely deflating cry and rolls onto the ground, showing its belly. Its pure white, fluffy belly fur ripples from the impact of rolling over.

“Eh, ehhhhh…?”

I’m not even sure whose bewildered voice that was… The unexpectedly absurd scene cracks the hair-trigger atmosphere.

But this can’t be helped, right? When faced with giant fluff showing its belly right in front of you… It’s only human to let your guard down. Besides, Survival is showing a blue reaction, indicating no hostility.

[Rodineal: A giant rodent-type monster (Edible)

Prefers to dwell in massive ancient trees such as the Ancestral Tree. Though a monster, its nature is extremely gentle. Said to possess a degree of intelligence, with some individuals living in symbiosis with other creatures of the same tree. There are also legends of it traveling the world as a divine messenger carrying the words of the gods.]

“Um, this probably isn’t an enemy. It seems to be a creature called Rodineal or something.”

“Really, Rin!? That’s the same name as the divine beast in our elven village legends…! It supposedly conveyed the voice of the divine bird dwelling in the Ancestral Tree to the villagers.”

Mr. Arthur is the first to respond when I speak up to somehow defuse this atmosphere. As expected from an elf—he knows his legends well.

Wait, this was such an important creature!? I totally thought it was just a fat furball. It doesn’t feel particularly noble like a divine messenger, though.

…But wait? Come to think of it, wasn’t the messenger of the Sea Goddess Lyusia that damn annoying orca? Aren’t there any better divine messengers in this world?

Whether it caught on that I was thinking such blasphemous thoughts or not…

The Rodineal that had been rolling on the ground suddenly sits up. Behind the soft-looking layered flesh and fur, big round black eyes stare intently at us.

Twitching its pink nose, it opens its mouth wide…

[Hear me, all of you!]

What comes from the bright red mouth showing sharp front teeth is a deep, gruff voice—a complete lie compared to the dopey voice from before.

[I am Viv, the Guardian of the Ancestral Tree!]

Though the gaping furball’s mouth doesn’t seem to move, the deep male voice flows without pause or hesitation. The voice’s owner claims to be the Ancestral Tree’s guardian, but is that true?

Actually, if the voice’s owner really is the guardian, and the furball is speaking like this… could "conveying the voice of the divine" that Mr. Arthur mentioned mean something like this!? I thought it meant something like a missionary or evangelist, but it’s actually being used as a speaker!?

[Normally, you would reach me after passing through numerous trials, but this is an urgent situation. I shall permit you to ride that Rodineal to come before me!]

Hmm. How arrogant!

But even if we’re told to ride this thing… exactly how are we supposed to ride it? Like in that one classic animated movie, should we cling to its belly? Or could it be like that famous cat bus where we can board inside…?

‘Chii!’

While I’m thinking this, the furball in front of me suddenly sits up. When it’s upright like this, its head is at about the same level as the Camping Car’s roof. I didn’t notice when it was curled up, but it was quite large.

Unable to keep up with the rapid developments, we can only stand there dazed when the furball beckons to us. Should we accept this invitation or ignore it…? For just a moment, we exchange glances while still unable to completely shed our wariness…

“No, let’s go. A legendary divine beast appeared before us and conveyed the guardian’s words. We can’t ignore that.”

With Mr. Arthur leading—his voice still carrying tension and stiffness—we approach the furball. I was worried Gomamiso might hiss, but for now it’s staying quiet in my arms.

‘Chii! Chichi, chuu!’

Perhaps displeased that we didn’t come obediently, the furball cries a bit more forcefully. Is it my imagination that its cheek pouches seem puffed up? This furball seems quite human-like.

Before our eyes, still somewhat cautious, the furball reaches for its own belly and pulls at the soft-looking flesh. As we watch to see what it wants to do, suddenly a slit appears in the belly fur.

“Ehh!? A pocket on its belly!? It was a marsupial!?”

‘Chichichi!’

Looking somewhat proud, the furball spreads the pouch opening even wider with one hand as if to say, "get in.”

At the same time, its chubby arms reach toward us…

“Uhyah!”

It’s skill at capturing active adventurers and stuffing them into its pocket in no time… this guy is pretty capable!

After that, everything happened quickly. The furball that stuffed us into its fur pocket leaps onto the tree trunk and begins climbing with tremendous speed. I expected the impact inside the pocket to be considerable… but…

“Somehow… It’s not shaking as much as I thought? I totally expected it to be bumping around violently.”

“Since the guardian gave direct orders, there might be some kind of blessing.”

Despite the furball’s quite violent movements, we barely feel any vibration inside the pocket. Even the high-performance Camping Car can’t completely eliminate impacts from road bumps…! This furball is quite something!?

Sometimes I hear sounds like branches being pushed aside or leaves rustling, but I can’t see outside at all… I have no idea what part we’re climbing up. In that regard, the Camping Car might be better since you can see outside not just from the driver’s seat, but from the living quarters too.

Even so, all things must come to an end eventually…

After an especially loud sound of branches being pushed aside and an impact like breaking through something… a brief silence follows.

‘Jijiii!!’

“Eh, ah… whoa!”

Along with that cry, we’re ejected from the fluffy furball’s pouch as it spreads its arms. I’m the only one who loses balance and stumbles from the suddenness of it all, while Ms. Aria and all the Azure Droplets members land gracefully.

This is where differences in balance and reflexes really show… grrr.

But wait, I’m holding Miso, okay? With both hands occupied, it’s only natural that I’d lose balance more easily, you know?

‘…Heeey? You’re not thinking anything bad about me, are you?’

“Eh, no, not at all!? I’m totally not thinking anything!”

Being stared at intently by Miso in my arms, I honestly raise the white flag. Its intuition is sharp at times like these, this little guy! While petting the sulking Miso’s back, I look around at the surroundings—a world of blue, green, and white.

It’s like… there’s a vast transparent floor laid out above the treetop, and we’re standing on it… does that make sense? I can clearly see the blue sky around us and the green branches and leaves below our feet.

“Whoa… amazing…!”

Ms. Sasa, who’s looking around the same way, also lets out an exclamation of wonder.

As far as the eye can see—the vast sky, the green of branches and leaves, and the white of clouds. I’ve never seen such a sight in my life…! Hearing gasps of wonder and sighs all around feels only natural.

The illustration’s description: the Rodineal leaping on the tree and Rin with Gomamiso in her hands.

…The single problem is that cotton birds that could be mistaken for clouds are fluttering around in massive numbers… Come to think of it, this is the epicenter of the cotton bird outbreak.

[Well done coming here, adventurers! I am Viv, guardian of this Ancestral Tree!]

A booming voice that seems to blow away the cotton birds floating fluffy around us, echoes from a single point. A little deeper into the area where we are… in the midst of an especially large colony of cotton birds, there it is.

A pure white bird wearing a golden crown, exceptionally large. Only its eyes and beak gleam like polished lacquer, shining brilliantly against the white… sounds majestic when I put it that way, right? But surprise! Its overall form is round. Too round! As perfectly round as a long-tailed tit in winter!

Imagine a huge ball used in those giant ball-rolling games, except with large wings attached. Since its wings are folded now, it looks even rounder.

The fact that this round thing was talking like that made the gap incredible. Or rather, precisely because it looks like this, even when it speaks so pompously, I can’t get angry… how should I put it…?

What? You think I’m acting awfully casual toward the guardian of the Ancestral Tree? Can’t help it! I’ve met the sea goddess herself directly. I don’t think there’s much that could surpass that shock, yup.

That said, I have no intention of looking down on Mr. Viv. As soon as we see Mr. Viv’s form, following Mr. Arthur’s example as he kneels respectfully, we also kneel on the spot.

[You need not be so formal. Raise your faces.]

“We consider it truly an honor to be summoned directly by the guardian. But why did you call for us?”

[Your question is only natural. First, allow me to explain why things have come to this.]

When we raise our heads with the permission of the great long-tailed tit, the guardian bird hops toward us in little jumps.

Well, yup. I’ve certainly heard that flying takes tremendous energy… but when a bird of that size approaches while hopping, I don’t know whether to laugh or be scared. Additionally, in this bird’s case, it might even be faster to roll than to hop.

[The trouble began last night, when a bolt of lightning struck me directly and blew away the magic core that holds my power together.]

“Magic core… you say?”

[Yes. It is essential to contain my magical power within this body. Normally, it shines brilliantly in the center of this crown.]

The crown that the white bird indicated with its wing tip indeed had traces where something had apparently been embedded.

…Wait, did this bird just say it “containing my magical power within this body”?

I don’t like where this is going. The magic stone for suppressing magical power is gone? The cotton birds suddenly started falling from yesterday, and their source is here? That means…

Ignoring the suddenly quiet atmosphere, the arrogant white bird puffs out its chest and opens its beak:

[What you call "cotton birds" are born from the magical power that has spilled from me. Just earlier, I tried flying around to see if I could somehow return the scattered magical power to myself, but it didn’t work well. As I thought, I cannot control it without the magic core.]

I knew it! So you’re the source! That’s not something you brag about with that smug face!

I think this was probably the moment when everyone’s hearts became one. I feel some kind of indescribable atmosphere—invisible bloodlust or fighting spirit—welling up.

Could it be that if we defeat this thing, the cotton bird commotion would settle down too?

But this thing calls itself the "guardian of the Ancestral Tree." If that happens to be true, it would likely become very troublesome, right? Moreover, since Survival’s alert is blue, it’s certainly not an enemy… I wonder if there’s a method other than defeating it?

[To make matters worse, a Reptonewt swallowed the fallen core and instantly grew into its adult form… a Dinaronewt. To think that as a guardian, I myself have brought peril upon the village… what a disgrace!]

“Ahhh… a full-on traffic jam of trouble…”

“I’ve heard that when one bad thing happens, others follow in succession, but I never imagined it would be to this extent…”

Putting the story together, the beginning of everything was the guardian’s magic core falling due to lightning. This caused magical power to run wild, generating massive numbers of cotton birds. Trying to fly around to retrieve the scattered magical power had no effect and instead only resulted in generating even more cotton birds.

Furthermore, the Reptonewt that ate the fallen magic core rapidly evolved into an adult Dinaronewt due to the magic core’s power. With the magic core’s overflowing power, large numbers of Reptonewts are also being born…

“Um… why did you end up being struck directly by lightning in the first place?”

[Well… this year’s offering of alcohol was exceptionally delicious! Combined with the joy I felt seeing how the village children had grown, I drained several barrels in one go and was feeling good when the lightning struck… Normally, I could have defended against it, but I couldn’t get my defenses up in time. I do feel sorry about that.]

“Well, I did hear that this year’s grapes were a particularly good vintage…”

At Mr. Arthur’s somewhat exasperated voice, the bird seems a bit dejected, probably thinking it’s somewhat at fault.

Wait a second… so you were the culprit behind the missing wine barrel incident that Mr. Xenon told us about! Throughout history, many heroes have ruined themselves with alcohol, but I never thought birds would fall into that category too…!

Seeing Mr. Arthur cover his face with one hand and look down, the bird’s dejection keeps increasing. Where did all that arrogance from before go?

…Even so, this disaster domino effect is just too much!

“Mm… the chain reaction is… bad…”

“…Pandemonium, great hell…”

“It feels like bad luck day piled on bad luck day!”

I grimace while the women around me mutter one after another, but they’re absolutely right.

[I myself never thought it would develop into such a situation. I cannot leave things as they are, but if I move myself, it would repeat what happened earlier… I was wondering what to do when I spotted you all.]

Ah. I’ve experienced this pattern many times before! It’s the setup for sending the party on an expedition.

Now that this has come up, there’s no avoiding it. Best to go with the eternal current known as “plot convenience” instead of resisting. Refuse all you want, but the story will shove us into the quest anyway—better to save our strength than get stuck in the [“Will you go on an adventure?" → No → "Don’t say that… will you go on an adventure?"] loop forever.

“Understood! If we’re good enough, we’ll be glad to help!”

Yup, that’s exactly what Mr. Arthur would say!

He seemed a bit dejected just a moment ago, but maybe he’s happy to be directly asked by the guardian who appears in the village’s legends—now his eyes are sparkling with joy.

…If this were Mr. Ville, his mood would probably stay down. In fact, he’d probably say something like, "Since this mess is caused by your own blunder, shouldn’t you show a little remorse?" And then Mr. Xenon would probably deliver the finishing blow with some sharp, cutting remark…

I really think it’s good that the party that came here is the straightforward and cheerful Azure Droplets folks.

…Not that the Gourmands are twisted or gloomy, but compared to Mr. Arthur’s lot, they’re not exactly straightforward.

Either way, I have no objection to Mr. Arthur’s decision. The fundamental part about somehow resolving this situation doesn’t change. Rather, now that we know the cause and solution, the strategy has become easier, right?

[Since not much time has passed since it swallowed the magic core, I don’t think it has fully adapted to the body yet. But even so, it has probably gained enough power to deflect attacks.]

Hmm, hmm. So there is a way to deal with it. That’s a relief at least.

…Even so, how exactly do you make something spit out what it swallowed… is what I was thinking, but…

[When you encounter the Dinaronewt, make it drink these tree leaves. Since they contain magical power that conflicts with its power, it should spit out my magic core.]

As Mr. Viv chirps this and points to the sky with its beak, something like leaves suddenly appears in the empty air and flutters down into Mr. Arthur’s hastily extended palm. The size is about half of Mr. Arthur’s palm. Deep green and glossy, thick for leaves… they look like large camellia leaves. Several of them are stacked on Mr. Arthur’s palm.

“You’re entrusting us with such precious things? Thank you…! We’ll do our best to live up to that trust!”

Mr. Arthur bows his head while holding the leaves in his palm, unable to hide his excitement. We also bow our heads along with him, but… I was thinking about something else in my head.

…I mean, making that Dinaronewt swallow those leaves seems unexpectedly difficult.

The methods I can think of are either restraining or pinning down the Dinaronewt to stop its movement and forcing the leaves into its forcibly opened mouth, or using magic to manipulate them and toss them into its mouth. However, even manipulating the leaves with magic, they seem too light and vulnerable to air resistance, and the method of approaching to make it swallow them could result in serious injury if something goes wrong…

“…Hmm… um, would it be safe if we cut or grind these leaves before feeding them? Also, would there be any effect on the human body if they get on our hands during processing?”

[Hm? Processing? By grinding them, the magical power would overflow more easily, making the power to stimulate it stronger. And these leaves cause no harm whatsoever to human children. Even if they accidentally get in your mouth, there would be no problem.]

The giant winter-furred long-tailed tit answers my question that slipped out before I knew it, swaying its body back and forth with a knowing expression.

Alright! It seems there’s no harm, and processing appears to be fine too. Which means… it’s time to unleash the If it’s not there, we’ll make it! Leaf Dumpling Operation!

Now that the idea’s set, since Mr. Arthur is currently the one who received the leaves, I need to get his permission first.

“Mr. Arthur, Mr. Arthur. About those leaves—would it be okay if I process them a bit to make them easier to handle?”

“Certainly, when it comes to getting something ingested, this is where the cook’s true skills can shine. Please, go ahead.”

Mr. Arthur seems to have quickly grasped my intent from my sudden proposal. However, I feel like he understood it in a slightly different direction than I was thinking.

But consent is consent. I gratefully receive the leaves that were immediately offered and wrap them in a handkerchief to store in my body bag.

“Right! Rin is responsible for the Gourmands’ food. You must be used to handling things that go in people’s mouths!”

“Mm! Rin’s food is super delicious!”

“Delicious food, good…!”

Hmm. The girls’ team’s understanding seems to be similar.

But well, certainly, considering the role of being a cook, I am used to handling ingredients, kind of… Though I don’t know if I should treat these leaves as "ingredients.”

But I don’t feel like saying that in front of the girls who are chattering excitedly. I can’t pour cold water on that enthusiasm. It’s nice that the girls’ gathering seems fun.

[Now then. Conversation after so long is enjoyable, but time is of the essence. Even as we speak, my magic core is probably becoming more and more fused with the Dinaronewt’s body.]

“…That’s true…! It’s precisely because it hasn’t fused yet that these leaves can force the magic core back out.”

“That means we need to get to the Dinaronewt as quickly as possible.”

As the giant long-tailed tit flutters its wings with a stern expression, our atmosphere also becomes tense.

If the beginning was yesterday’s lightning, then more than half a day has passed since the Dinaronewt swallowed Mr. Viv’s magic core. I don’t know the proportional relationship between elapsed time and degree of fusion, but I think it’s probably starting to fuse to some extent… and worst-case, once the fusing begins, it might accelerate faster and faster…

To put it in meta terms, this is probably what’s commonly called a "time-limited event." The kind where the longer you take, the better your preparations become, but the difficulty of the battle increases.

[It would be impossible for you all to jump down from this height. Just as when you came to me, you should ride on the Rodineal’s back to descend.]

‘Jijii!?’

At the direction the giant long-tailed tit’s wing points, the furball that had been peacefully grooming itself suddenly stiffened in surprise at being named. Yup. It thought its job was done after carrying us here and let its guard down.

But this one also didn’t earn its place in legend for nothing. It quickly put on a determined expression and turned its back to us as if to say [Get on].

When we came, we were stored in the Rodineal’s belly pouch, but this time we’re riding on its back? Well, I’m curious about the texture of the smooth back fur, which has a different quality from the belly fur!

That said, as Mr. Viv says, we can’t bungee jump from this height without ropes, and climbing down along the branches would take time too. After all, riding this furball is probably the best choice.

Exchanging silent glances with Mr. Arthur and the rest, we quietly clung to the Rodineal’s back. Compared to the fluffy belly fur, the back fur is a bit harder with a smooth texture.

[Well then, I pray for your success! I’m counting on you for this forest!]

Confirming that all of us were clinging to its back, Mr. Viv loudly clicked its beak. Despite looking like a giant long-tailed tit, that voice is full of dignity… I felt the presence of a legendary being.

‘Jiiiii!!’

And as soon as it heard Mr. Viv’s encouragement, the Rodineal cried out once and suddenly broke into a run. My body jerked backward, unable to keep up with the sudden acceleration. I desperately grabbed the fur with enough force to pluck it, trying not to be thrown off. My back hurts subtly because Gomamiso is clinging on with its claws extended.

Despite carrying five full-grown adults, the Rodineal runs with an unbelievable stride toward…

“Eh, ah… whoa, wait, wait! I’m still not mentally prepared…!”

The intertwined branches abruptly end, and a world of pure blue spreads out.

Eh, no way!? So it’s a rope-less bungee jump after all!? Free fall with the furball!?

Before I can steel myself, the furball leaps into midair… and I’m enveloped in a floating sensation.

…But that’s only for an instant.

“Wa, waah! Uwaaah!”

“Aaaaaaahhh!!! We’re, we’re… we’re falliiiiing!!!”

‘Myaaah! This is fun!’

With enough force to blow away tears, I fall along with the furball. I can hear Mr. Arthur’s voice, half confused and half excited, and Gomamiso on my back chattering excitedly, but I don’t have the luxury to pay attention to that.

At this rate, won’t we die…!?

The moment I instinctively squeeze my eyes shut, there’s a scraping sound like something rubbing against something else, and simultaneously, I’m hit with the impact of my body being slammed against the Rodineal’s soft back.

“Eh, ah… a branch…!? We’re, we’re saved…!”

When I fearfully open my eyes, it seems we’ve landed on a tree branch jutting out directly below where we jumped from. I can feel sweat bursting out all over my body from the relief of not dying and the fear that’s hitting me now.

Even when I glance up, I can no longer see where the giant long-tailed tit was. It seems we free-fell from a height greater than I thought.

Just as I’m basking in the happiness of being alive, the furball moves again before I even have time to catch my breath.

“Huh? Wait a minute… we’re still flying!? Another bungee jump!?”

‘Jujuuu!’

The words that slip from my trembling mouth are more feeble than I imagined… yup, I’m completely scared now. Moreover, when the Rodineal glances at me, its eyes seem to say, "Keep up with me, got it? (Serious look!)" Is this my paranoia!?

Just as I think that, the furball takes to the air again.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!”

Free fall, then landing. Flying again, then landing. With limbs spread and skin membrane catching the wind, flying and falling, flying and falling… as the weightlessness and free fall repeat, my consciousness gradually becomes hazy.

In my fading consciousness, I vaguely recall some myth that described a giant tree called the World Tree with a bird living on top, rodents on the trunk… and a dragon at the roots of the tree.

There was definitely someone with niche interests among the staff who made this game!

Or wait—could this actually be… that “life flashing before your eyes” thing…?

Fortunately, the ground became visible before my consciousness completely disappeared.

With the very last big jump, my body bounces dramatically… and the furball finally lands on the ground. The Rodineal crouching down is probably a thoughtful gesture to make it easier for us to get off its back.

Being grateful for that, I scold my knees that are shaking with laughter and set my feet on earth.

“Ahhh… having my feet on solid ground is wonderful…!”

The sense of stability and security is incredible!

While I’m calming my heart trembling with emotion, everyone also gets down from the furball’s back one by one. Perhaps relieved of its burden literally after dropping us off, the furball seems to intend to rest here.

Eh, seriously!? It can sleep in a situation like this, buried in cotton birds!? Maybe it’s gotten completely used to it from being near the giant long-tailed tit… Mr. Viv?

Gathering various gazes of awe, bewilderment, and being taken aback, the Rodineal begins to snore softly, using the Ancestral Tree’s trunk as a pillow.

Very close to that furball… the large hole that gaped open at the base of the tree still exists there unchanged from before.

“For now, I’ll use the elven village’s magic circuit to contact Xenon. In the meantime, could you process the tree leaves, Ms. Rin?”

“Got it! I’ll get them ready quickly!”

Mr. Arthur, who was peering into the hole from its edge, glanced back at me and called out. I wondered "why contact them?" but if we don’t stop the guys who are heading toward what seems to be the Dinaronewt before they start the battle, they might engage in combat before we arrive. Of course, there might be a method of cutting open the defeated Dinaronewt’s belly to extract Mr. Viv’s magic core, but making it eat the leaves and spit it out would be much easier, right?

Besides, if it’s powered up because of Mr. Viv’s magic core, there’s a high possibility it would weaken once that’s gone. That way, it would be easier to defeat.

When you factor in the time on top of everything else, we, the ground team, need to join up with the underground team as quickly as possible!

“Alright! First, let me summon the Camping Car…”

While Mr. Arthur, who seems to have connected with the underground team, explains what happened here, I’ll deal with the leaves!

…Though I don’t intend to do anything too complicated. I’ll chop and crush them, mix them into kneaded flour to make dumplings, and shoot them into the Dinaronewt’s mouth. We’re not eating them ourselves, and adding heat might alter them, so I think I won’t cook them this time. It would be basically raw grass dumplings.

“Hmm… softer than they look?”

When I actually put the knife to them, they’re softer than expected. They feel thick to the touch, but the cutting sensation is closer to perilla mint leaves? They cut easily, and just tapping them lightly crushes them. The smell is more refreshing than I thought too—it feels like I’m chopping herbs.

While I’m processing the leaves I was given into paste, Ms. Aria returns to the vehicle with Gomamiso, apparently drawn by curiosity.

‘Ewww! It smells weird! My cute little nose is suffering!’

“Eh, really? It does smell like herbs, but is it that bothersome? Do you notice it, Ms. Aria?”

“…Mm, mmm? I can tell it’s, herb-like.”

The moment they stepped into the living space, Gomamiso wrinkled its nose and swatted my leg with a cat punch. Since I’m chopping leaves, there’s a somewhat grassy smell, but is it really that offensive?

Thinking that, I stop and smell it, but there’s nothing particularly strange. Ms. Aria seems to be the same as me—she doesn’t seem particularly uncomfortable.

Mr. Viv said it "works on Dinaronewts," but could it also affect other species?

“Right? Hey, Miso. If it’s such an unpleasant smell, want to wait outside?”

‘Nooo! Why are you trying to kick me out!? Finish quickly before my nose dies!’

I kindly offered because Gomamiso was complaining so much… but what came back was a massive cat punch! Isn’t this biting the hand that feeds you? Well, it seems like it’s just bothered by the smell, so let’s finish the work quickly, as Miso says!

“Appropriate amount of flour and♪, chopped leaves go in ♪ From the cutting board♪, scraping off the essence♪ while adding water♪”

Humming, I dump an appropriate amount of flour into a bowl and dive the chopped leaves in there too. Of course, I don’t forget to rinse the cutting board I used over the bowl, making full use of the leaf essence stuck to the surface without waste. This is definitely not an action driven by my frugal nature, thinking "don’t waste the essence!" Not at all!

“W-Wow…! It turns such a vivid green…”

“Super green… paint…?”

“The original leaves were also bright green, but even after mixing and kneading, they maintain their vividness… I’m surprised too.”

…Usually, Mr. Ed or Mr. Xenon would peer over my work, but today’s a bit different. Ms. Sasa and Ms. Ginsei are peering into the bowl with eyes sparkling with curiosity.

What’s being done is the same, but having different people makes it feel fresh.

The inside of the bowl I’m kneading is as bright green as "straight from a paint tube!" just as Ms. Ginsei said. Even without using food coloring, this color development is amazing.

“If I were being greedy, I’d want to taste it for future reference. Since I don’t know how much the Dinaronewt needs to swallow for it to be effective, it’s unfortunate that I can’t sample it.”

“Mm… that is unfortunate…”

“Well, since there’s no seasoning at all, I don’t think it would be tasty even if we ate it.”

“Really?”

“Yup. There’s no salt or sugar, so it’s just the raw flavor of the ingredients.”

As I knead the dough, the incompletely crushed leaf fibers mix into it. If you ignore the vividness, you could say it looks just like grass mochi.

The smell isn’t bad either, and curiosity mixed with appetite wells up, but for the purpose of defeating the Dinaro, I can’t eat it.

“The problem is how to carry this around… If I shape it into balls and stash them in a container, maybe that’ll do?”

While rolling the green dough, which I’ve made considerably harder than an earlobe, in my hands, my eyes search around the kitchen for a suitable container. For a moment, I thought about putting them in a bag like the millet dumplings from old tales, but even with dusting powder, I could only see a future where they’d be crushed by external pressure and return to one lump. I have to give up on that idea.

“Ms. Aria, could you get a storage container from that shelf over there?”

“Mm! You mean this one?”

“That’s exactly it! Thank you so much!”

I asked Ms. Aria to lend me a hand since mine are too busy to leave the task of mass-producing not typical grass mochi, but medicinal herb mochi. The way she immediately finds what I’m looking for as soon as I ask is truly the keen eye of a scout. Just thinking that this shows how accustomed Ms. Aria has become to helping out in the Camping Car’s kitchen fills me with such emotion…

While feeling that warm sensation gently spreading through my heart, I pack the finished herb dumplings into the container Ms. Aria brought me. Since I haven’t added any fermentation agents, they won’t puff up and become fluffy while we’re carrying them around… I think it’s fine to pack them tightly so the dumplings don’t roll around inside the container.

“I think if we pack them like this… with no gaps, so they don’t move around inside, it should help prevent them from losing their shape.”

“…I see, I see.”

“That said, I’m already accounting for them sticking together somewhat, so as long as they settle down while maintaining a reasonable shape, I think that’ll be fine.”

While exchanging words with Ms. Aria, I arrange the herb dumplings in the container, stacking them up layer by layer. As long as they keep some semblance of their shape, it’ll be easier to re-roll them on-site than starting from scratch. As long as they don’t get completely flattened, that’s good enough.

“Alright! I managed to pack them all in!”

“So tightly packed… so green…”

Once packed in the container, they really do look more like grass mochi. I think it’s also because I dusted them with flour to prevent them from sticking together during transport, which toned down the vibrant color of the dough. That said, regardless of appearance, since the ingredients are different, they smell completely different from grass mochi.

I somehow manage to stuff in the last one and snap the lid shut. After hurriedly stowing it away in my body bag, my preparations are complete. Since there’s no liquid, it’s a relief that even if the container ends up vertical, there won’t be any leaks.

At that moment, Mr. Arthur, who apparently has finished his call, pokes his head out from the entrance to the living quarters.

“I was able to get through to Xenon. He said they’ll wait for us while taking a break.”

“I’m glad you got through. I’ve finished preparing the herb dumplings on this end too, so we can depart anytime!”

“Maybe it’s thanks to the Ancestral Tree’s magical power, but it sounded even clearer than from inside the village. Thank you for preparing everything in such a short time, Ms. Rin. Well then, shall we set off right away?”

“Roger!”

Just like Mr. Ville, Mr. Arthur frequently expresses his gratitude too. I think this kind of thoughtful consideration is the secret to keeping the party on good terms. Saying words of thanks is important.

At Mr. Arthur’s thoughtful command, we descend once more into the underground of the Ancestral Tree. Since we’ve been through here once before, I have a general idea of the route, and I have some sense of how strong the monsters that appear are… so I felt far less fear than on the way in.

“Since we know the route back and what to expect, it feels way safer than walking a path for the first time.”

“No letting guard down! Caution necessary!”

“Ginsei is right, Sasa. There’s a possibility that this entire area has become semi-dungeon-ized due to the appearance of the Dinaronewt. There’s no such thing as being too cautious here.”

“Geez! I know that! But I was just trying to say it’s reassuring not to worry about getting lost!”

Ms. Sasa’s voice bounced just a little, and immediately, Ms. Ginsei and Mr. Arthur’s scolding flew her way.

…Dungeon-ization, huh. Come to think of it, Mr. Ville taught me before that ordinary-looking landscapes can suddenly become dungeons. The underwater temple we went to recently was also a case where it became dungeon-ized when a boss appeared, so it wouldn’t be strange at all if the same thing happened this time.

“…Mm… It’s okay. I’ll stay alert…!”

“Please do, Ms. Aria!”

‘This me is here too, you know!’

“Yes, yes, Omiso. You’re here too.”

When I looked at Ms. Aria with a touch of anxiety, she puffed out her chest with a "leave it to me" expression. Mm. As expected of the Gourmands’ scout! So incredibly reliable!

Of course, I’ll also make full use of Survival to watch out for enemies and traps!

Along with that, I can feel Gomamiso on my shoulder flapping its wings with a "huff huff" motion. The Azure Droplets’ unity seems strong too, but our Gourmands’ defense is ironclad as well!

…

…And so, despite psyching myself up like that, no enemies appeared. More precisely, "no enemies that would halt our progress appeared.”

Big mole-like monsters and oversized earthworms did appear, but they were no match for everyone. Every enemy that showed up met one of several fates: sliced up by Ms. Aria’s threads, brought down by a single blow from Ms. Sasa, turned into a pincushion by Mr. Arthur’s bow, or reduced to charcoal by Ms. Ginsei’s magic.

Maybe because we had already defeated a fair number when we came through with Mr. Ville and the rest, the frequency of appearances and the number of encounters weren’t that high. Since they’re the type that relies on numbers, when there aren’t many of them, they get taken care of this easily.

Even the occasional straggler that came my way got knocked out in one hit by Gomamiso’s cat punch and cat scratch. Thanks to that, I was able to spend my time safely in the safe zone!

“…And so, we’ve made it back to that floor collapse spot… but how exactly are we going to get down?”

While mercilessly scattering enemies, we arrived back at the place we were just at… the edge of the large hole that swallowed half of us. Despite encounters with monsters, I think we managed to return in the minimum necessary time.

The hole in question remains wide open, waiting for us without naturally closing up. Even when I lean out from the edge of the hole and peer into the abyss, all that spreads below is pitch blackness that swallows everything.

Since Mr. Ville, Mr. Xenon, Mr. Ed, and Mr. Rolf, who suddenly fell, managed to get down safely somehow, we who have time to prepare should also be able to descend safely… but the question is how.

“Hehehe…! Leave it to me!”

“Ms. Aria! Do you have a good idea?”

“Yes! I’ll go down first and set up a web… then everyone can just fall into it!”

“Wait, that actually sounds kind of fun!”

My heart leaps at the strategy Ms. Aria explains with a smug expression and gestures! If we jump down, aiming for the web that Ms. Aria sets up after going underground first… it’ll catch us like a trampoline. It’s exactly the kind of plan only a spider person skilled at handling threads could come up with!

“…So, basically, the idea is to use Ms. Aria’s web as a safety web for us to jump into. What do you think?”

“I see. That’s very intriguing! Ms. Aria, if you’ll be safe going first, may we ask you to do it?”

“Mm. Leave it to me…!”

I thought adventurers who live balancing thrills and romance would like this kind of method… and I was right on the mark. Right after the proposal, Mr. Arthur and the rest of the Azure Droplets team’s eyes began to sparkle. The height-difference girls’ duo are even holding hands and chattering excitedly. I find it rather cute how Ms. Ginsei is doing a low-touch while Ms. Sasa is in full high-touch mode.

Watching them, Ms. Aria and I silently exchange a high-five too! After making a satisfying "smack" sound, Ms. Aria turns toward the edge of the hole.

“Well then, I’m going!”

Ms. Aria gives a thumbs-up, drives her own thread into the wall as an anchor point, and leaps into the gaping hole. It looks a lot like a climber’s rappel. Her white body slips down with a shhh as the darkness swallows her.

In terms of time, it’s probably just a few minutes. But maybe because I was preoccupied with worries about whether she might fall by mistake, or whether there might be a surprise attack from enemies where she landed… it felt much longer than I expected.

“I landed safely! I’ve set up the web too, so you can come down!”

So when Ms. Aria’s voice came back from the bottom of what seemed like an abyss, I felt truly relieved. I can’t see the web from here, but since Ms. Aria says she "set it up," the strength and everything else should be fine.

“Alright, Ginsei, you go first. After that, Sasa, then Ms. Rin. I’ll go last.”

“Understood. I will use gravity reduction magic and web reinforcement magic after arrival.”

“Yeah. That would be helpful. Of course, don’t forget to cast magic on yourself too, Ginsei.”

Mr. Arthur looks at each of our faces in turn and decides the jumping order.

By having Ms. Ginsei go down to the underground where Ms. Aria is waiting, we’ll have both physical and magical attack methods ready. Then, by having Ms. Ginsei cast helpful magic for jumping, we’ll further ensure the safety of those who follow (Ms. Ginsei will also cast magic on herself before jumping). Once Ms. Sasa, our healer and tank, descends to bolster the underground forces, they’ll send down me, the non-combat member, while Mr. Arthur keeps watch of the surroundings.

Mr. Arthur is really sharp, befitting someone who serves as the group leader!

“Going!”

While I’m mentally applauding Mr. Arthur, Ms. Ginsei, who cast some kind of magic on us and herself, jumps into the hole without the slightest hesitation. As her body, faintly wrapped in magical particles, gets swallowed by the darkness, there’s a bouncing voice saying, "So fun!”

Hmm… I guess it must feel like a free-fall ride attraction? As expected of an adventurer with excellent physical abilities.

“Next person… safe to jump!”

“Alright, then next is Sasa.”

“Yay! Okay, here I gooo!”

With a clank of armor, Ms. Sasa jumps in with a smile. Her incredibly joyful voice of "Kyahoo!" trails off as she falls.

…Uwah. I’m next. Whether it’s nervousness or fear… I can tell that my unconsciously clenched palms are slippery with cold sweat.

A voice calls, "You can come down now," from the bottom of the hole, and I stand right at the edge with Gomamiso.

Is this how a cornered criminal at the edge of a cliff feels? Maybe because of this situation, even the feeling of the cat’s paw pads on my shoulder feels strangely reassuring.

‘Y’know, if push comes to shove, this me’ll let you ride on my back!’

“Right. Gomamiso is here!”

‘Yes! This royal me is here, so leave it to me!’

“Indeed. If it looks like I might miss the web, I’m counting on you for backup, Miso!”

A gust of wind blowing up from below gently sways my bangs. Dense darkness awaits below, but my companions are waiting down there. Is there anything more reassuring than that?

“Takanashi Rin, going!”

“Mm! Waiting!”

Declaring loudly as if to shake off the clinging fear, I leap into the darkness together with Gomamiso. Looking back, I’ve been falling quite a lot today, haven’t I?

The moment that thought crosses my mind, my entire body is caught by Ms. Aria’s resilient web. Just as I think that, my body bounces up and down on the web from the rebound of leftover falling energy.

Unlike trained adventurers, even though I have skills, my physical abilities are basically the same as those of an ordinary person. There’s even the possibility that I’m below average due to a lack of exercise. So when it comes to whether someone like me can move well on a web trampoline… there’s no way I can!

“Wah, uaah! It’s bouncing so much! I really regret my lack of balance and core muscle strength!”

“Are you okay, Rin? You were bouncing around like crazy—are you dizzy?”

“Thank you. I’m fine… wait…”

In contrast to Gomamiso, who spun once in the air like a cat and landed perfectly, I just keep bouncing around and can’t get my bearings at all! But when one god abandons you, another picks you up. When one god ignores you, there’s another god who helps you.

A hand reaches out to me as I flop around like a fish out of water. I thought it might be Ms. Aria’s, but it’s too bulky for that.

And this voice I hear at the same time…

“Huh!? Eh, Mr. Ed!? Why are you here!?”

“Heh heh heh! Aria’s web is amazing, isn’t it?”

There he is—the Gourmands’ hardcore husband who won’t tolerate competition when it comes to his wife, showing off with a smug face. The embodiment of a Monster Husband.

Why is someone who shouldn’t be here actually here!?

“Well! Xenon said Aria was coming this way. There’s no way I wouldn’t come to meet her!”

“You’re way too hardcore about Ms. Aria!”

“It was a little far, but I messed with gravity and other stuff using magic—piece of cake to run here!”

From Mr. Ed’s words, I gather that he reduced gravity to make running easier and came back this way. His love is heavy! Too heavy! That’s exactly why I call you a Monster Husband, Mr. Ed!

“Man, it was incredible… he brushed off our objections and dashed off in a straight line.”

“Even if you’re worried about Aria, isn’t that going a bit too far?”

“Mr. Ville, Mr. Xenon! You both came back here too.”

“No matter how many markers you left behind… who in their right mind would actually go back to the starting point? Normally, you’d stay put, conserve energy, and wait to regroup.”

“Mr. Rolf too… well… he’s an Ms. Aria supremacist, so…”

Mr. Ville and Mr. Rolf appear from the depths of the passage. Seeing how they’re out of breath, they must have desperately chased after Mr. Ed. Both of them have exasperation mixed into their tone… but well, yup. I understand what they’re trying to say. They’d want to say, "Don’t waste precious resources like ‘magical power’ and ‘stamina’ on something like that!”

Besides, even with markers, and even if you’re just retracing your steps, there’s no guarantee enemies won’t appear again. Even if Mr. Ed is a skilled mage, the risk is too high.

“I told him that since Rin has the Camping Car, we could rendezvous without getting lost even if we moved… but he said things like ‘I can’t just leave Aria in the middle of a harem!’ and whatnot.”

“Ah… sure, stamina and magical power and all kinds of concerns were there, but for Mr. Ed, I guess he just couldn’t sit still.”

From a Monster Husband’s point of view, he probably couldn’t stand Mr. Arthur being the lone man among us. He was so desperate to rush over and get her back that this is what happened.

Good grief… this is exactly why Monster Husbands are like this! But I can’t really blame Mr. Ed for being so heavy-handed in his love.

“Heh. In the end, for whatever reason, everyone ended up together again. Since we have the chance, let’s catch our breath and plan our next moves.”

We nod without hesitation at Mr. Arthur’s suggestion as he descends from the upper floor last of all.

Even though we were finally freed from the shuffled party lineup, our formation heading toward our target Dinaronewt is still in a mixed party state. The underground path slopes gently downward. Slightly more humid air than the upper floor clings to our skin.

“In any case, I’m glad everyone is safe!”

“Fortunately, the monsters that appeared were all those Reptonewts. Thanks to understanding how to deal with them, we could handle them without problems. Rather, from what I hear, wasn’t it harder on your side, Rin?”

“Well… it feels like I used up a lifetime’s worth of flying today.”

It’s quite a large team, but the passage is wide enough to accommodate everyone without problems. If the ground were solid, we’d race through with the Camping Car, but… when Mr. Ville’s group broke through earlier, masses of Reptonewts erupted from the ground, leaving the road surface bumpy and battered. I can’t help but worry about when the tires might get stuck in a hole.

According to Mr. Ville, while the Reptonewts that appeared were numerous, their coordination was lower than usual, and they were manageable, which was fortunate.

“I see… so the Guardian Bird lost its magic core and its magical power went on a rampage… and that was the cause of the cotton bird incident.

“Yes. So we absolutely need to recover the magic core from the Dinaronewt and return it to the Guardian Bird.”

“And so you were granted a helpful item from the Divine Bird to recover the magic core from the Dinaronewt, and Rin processed it into something easier to handle… is that the flow?”

With scouts Ms. Aria and Mr. Rolf and vanguard Ms. Sasa at the front, and me, Mr. Ville, and Mr. Arthur in the center complete our status reports while I show the herb dumplings. Normally, I’d want to take a break along with the reports, but this is a time attack event.

Incidentally, before setting out, I checked the Camping Car’s navigation. It looked like the Dinaronewt—our supposed destination—hadn’t moved from the spot where we saw it last time. That said, the navigation can’t tell us the depth, only the location; it might have gone deeper than before… Until we get there, we won’t know for sure, and that’s the tricky part.

“…Somehow, that dough looks like it would be delicious if baked.”

“Ah, ahaha! Everyone in the treetop group said the same thing! But unfortunately, it’s not seasoned, so it wouldn’t taste good even if you ate it.”

As expected from food lovers. Everyone thinks the same thing.

“We don’t know exactly how much we need to feed it, but in the worst case, if we throw everything in, it should work.”

“I see… then it would probably be more efficient to split into a team that distracts the Dinaronewt and a team that feeds it the herb dumplings.”

“Hmm… so what we need to decide is ‘which team does which,’ right?”

At Mr. Arthur’s words, the atmosphere among the leaders grows tense.

That’s understandable. After all, we have two renowned adventurer parties with real skill here. While I think behind-the-scenes support is important too, it’s natural to want to play a more prominent role.

Considering the roles in this mission with that in mind, the team that directly fights the enemy does seem more like the main stage… Just when it seemed like things might explode, the capable leaders proved their excellence even in situations like this.

“In that case, since we have Rin who processed the herb dumplings, and Aria can use her threads for throwing, it would be more efficient for Gourmands to handle the feeding side.”

“Right. Azure Droplets have Sasa and Rolf, who are good at close combat, so we should be able to make it open its mouth wide and concentrate attacks to make it spit out the magic core.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you. Make it scream and open its mouth wide.”

“Of course. You make sure to feed that Dinaronewt until it’s stuffed.”

The leaders’ meeting, with faces somewhere between grins and smirks, came to a simple conclusion without any unnecessary back-and-forth. As expected, capable leaders make quick decisions.

The Azure Droplets will attack the Dinaronewt to make it open its mouth, and the Gourmands will feed it the herb dumplings. After that, the Azure Droplets will concentrate attacks on its abdomen and back to induce vomiting, and the Gourmands will quickly recover the magic core that gets spit out… that’s how we settled it.

This way, each team can focus on their respective roles—attacking, feeding & recovery. With things roughly sorted out, we all head deeper underground to face our target Dinaronewt.

“The problem is we still have no clue what Dinaronewt actually looks like.”

“The Reptonewts are its juveniles, right? So wouldn’t it be like those but bigger?”

“If that’s the case, it’s a crawling-type monster… I wonder how we’ll land our attacks…”

The leaders’ focus shifted to the strategy for defeating the enemy.

Though there are holes everywhere, the ground itself is quite solid. The sound of footsteps treading on it mixes with occasional whooshing sounds of something cutting through the air and thudding sounds of something hitting the ground. Since Survival’s warning alerts flash briefly then disappear immediately, I assume things are being sliced apart by Ms. Aria’s threads or Ms. Sasa’s weapon as soon as they appear.

But after we advance a certain distance, the frequency of enemies appearing and the number of individuals attacking us increase exponentially.

Could this be…!

“We might be getting close to our target.”

“This is about where we turned back before. Guess a lot of the ones we didn’t finish off are still lurking.”

Feels like we’re finally reaching the climax?

That said, no matter how much the frequency of attacks increases or how many come, before this joint party of skilled adventurers, they’re more fleeting than dust before wind. The cycle of slashing and tossing aside repeats until it all feels almost mechanical.

As we head deeper underground, the path becomes wider and the ceiling higher. As this passage continues ahead with gentle curves, the scouts at the front suddenly stop dead in their tracks.

“…I hear something…”

“Hey, Al. There seems to be something big up ahead.”

At the words of Ms. Aria and Mr. Rolf as they turn back toward us, Mr. Arthur nods lightly and uses hand signals to indicate "crouch down." In the world that falls completely silent as we hold our breath, we can hear gnawing sounds like something chewing. Aaaaah! There’s something there! Definitely!

“Got it. Well then, let’s have our final briefing before the assault here.”

“Most likely, even as an adult, it shares the same habits as the Reptonewts, so we should avoid making noise from here on.”

Everyone quietly nods at Mr. Ville’s lowered voice. Of course, I also nod while holding Gomamiso’s mouth shut.

This is my subjective view, but I think we made it here in pretty good time. So I think it’s okay to have a brief strategy meeting now.

“Basically, we just need to attack as usual, right?”

“And aside from that, we just need to avoid getting in the way when the other team comes to collect that magic core thing, correct?”

That said, it seems they caught fragments of the leaders’ conversation and understood most of it without taking much time. Everyone really pays attention to various things, not just combat and scouting.

While glancing sideways at the grim chatter of the attacking team, the Azure Droplets, I turn toward the feeding team, the Gourmands.

“On our side, the ones feeding the Dinaronewt dumplings will be Aria, Ed, and me. Xenon, I’ll need your support.”

“Right. Before we rush in, I think you should touch the herb dumplings yourselves to get a feel for the right amount of force. I’ll hand them out now.”

Under the gaze of various colored eyes, I take out the herb dumplings, the key to this operation. When I open the lid, a refreshing bluish scent mixes into the air.

I re-roll the ones that got slightly misshapen during the big jumps and movement, and hand them out to Mr. Ville, Mr. Ed, and Ms. Aria one by one. Since this is probably the first time they are handling these items, I want them to check the texture and elasticity. I think that way, they’ll have a better image when it comes time to actually use them.

“I’ve made them hard enough that they won’t be sticky, but I think they’re quite soft as throwing items go, so when throwing by hand, please be careful about how hard you grip them.”

“Hmm… indeed, if I misjudge my grip, they’d easily crush in my hand.”

“I’ll use threads to throw, so… I’m fine!”

“If I use wind magic or something, I think I can pass them around and throw them into its mouth without losing much shape, so I should be okay.”

The members who honestly accept them tell me their impressions one by one.

Compared to Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed, who seem quite confident about handling them, Mr. Ville looks somewhat anxious. The herb dumplings are about the size of regular daifuku, but they look even smaller in Mr. Ville’s hands. Given his raw strength and how different these are from his usual weapons, they seem tricky for him to handle.

“In that case, I’ll focus on enhancing accuracy and speed. The herb dumplings aren’t infinite, after all—we want as many as possible to reach the Dinaronewt’s mouth.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you. And Aria, I’m also counting on you to recover any dumplings that miss the mouth. They’re precious items. I don’t want to waste a single one.”

“Mm! Leave it to me…!”

Since the number of items is limited, Mr. Xenon’s support magic is crucial. It’s not like basketball rebounds, but we need to actively reuse dumplings that miss the Dinaronewt’s mouth and fall to the ground.

My role is to be the manufacturer in the rear, reforming herb dumplings and passing them to Mr. Ed, so I need quick work efficiency. I’ll do my best…!

“Hey, I was just thinking—wouldn’t it be better to hand out a bunch of them beforehand? That way you wouldn’t have to take as much trouble or risk, Rin.”

“I considered that too, but I was worried the dumplings might get crushed by the movement during battle. I felt it would be more efficient to make them in real-time and use the hand-off method, even with some risk.”

“Ahh, fair point. Ville might accidentally crush one in his hand mid-fight.”

“…I think I can manage to be careful about that… but there’s always the chance of an accident.”

Mr. Ed chuckles while Mr. Ville furrows his brow with a sulking expression.

The tense atmosphere before the climax seems to ease up just a little bit, yup.

“We’ve pretty much gotten ourselves organized. How about you, Ville?”

“We’ve also finished our general confirmations. We can go anytime.”

“Alright… then let’s get moving.”

At the leaders’ signal, after looking around at everyone’s faces, we quietly get to our feet. From here on, there’s probably no turning back until we defeat the Dinaronewt.

With that thought, the backs of everyone slowly advancing in two groups look incredibly reassuring to me.

Finally, we press ourselves tightly against the wall… and when I crane my neck to peer inside, a sharp gasp slips from my throat.

“…!”

What spreads out before my eyes is a dome-shaped space so spacious it’s hard to believe we’re underground. Rather than having collapsed… it has an artificial atmosphere as if human hands have worked on it. Mr. Arthur mentioned "there’s also the possibility it’s become dungeon-ized," so maybe that’s the effect at work.

From various spots in this spacious dome, thick and magnificent tree roots are jutting out… and something is gnawing on them single-mindedly. It’s like a bloated hagfish, pure white and barrel-shaped, standing upright on two legs… yup, that’s about what it looked like. Probably because its habitat is underground, its eyes seem to have degenerated like the Reptonewts. What’s really creepy is that there’s a cross-shaped slit cut into the middle of its smooth head, and it opens up like a gaping mouth!

[Dinaronewt: A type of earth dragon (Extremely delicious)

Adult form of the Reptonewt. It prefers to feed on land’s mana and magical energy, and chews on the roots of Ancient Trees to absorb their power. Highly aggressive, it tends to attack intruders in its territory.

Since it can create Reptonewts using the magical power it stores this way, it tends to multiply rapidly in lands rich with magical power. Note that this individual has undergone rapid evolution due to a magic core.

Since it spends its entire life underground, its eyes have almost completely degenerated, but to compensate, its hearing and organs for detecting vibrations have developed. It possesses tough yet flexible skin, absorbing and dispersing the impact of strikes through its skin to reduce damage transmitted to the inside of its body.

The meat protected by such skin is tender and doesn’t become tough even when heated. It often has a perfect layer of fat throughout its body, making it suitable for any cooking method.]

So that grinding sound we’ve been hearing was this thing gnawing on the roots of the Ancestral Tree! Every time it gnaws on the tree roots with crunching and chomping sounds, its squishy-textured skin jiggles and trembles.

“Look, Rin. Reptonewts are being born one after another from that thing’s tail.”

“Whoa…! I wondered how they were multiplying, but so that’s how they do it.”

I froze in shock, while beside me, Mr. Ville jerked his chin toward the Dinaronewt.

I have been curious about how exactly it spawns, and now I see it: the end of its tail keeps breaking off in chunks, each piece dropping, transforming instantly into a Reptonewt, and digging into the soil!

I understood that Reptonewts are born from the Dinaronewt’s excess magical power, but witnessing it firsthand feels like watching some bizarre parthenogenesis in action!

“…!”

“…!”

While we’re surprised, Mr. Arthur and his group exchange glances and rush into the hall.

Battle begins!

“Look this way, you big lump!”

The first to leap out in front of the Dinaronewt is Ms. Sasa. Weapon in one hand, she lets out a booming voice that reverberates to the very bottom of her belly.

This is…! That thing I often see in various games! Isn’t this a skill to fix the target on yourself!?

Sure enough, the Dinaronewt that had been absorbed in gnawing tree roots until now seems to turn its unseeing eyes with a grinding motion to focus on Ms. Sasa.

[GYAAOOOoooOOOooo!!!!!]

“I’m not scared of some fake lizard at all!”

“Oi! Don’t forget I’m here too!”

At the Dinaronewt that shakes its thick, short neck and lets out a roar, Ms. Sasa charges courageously. Lining up beside her is Mr. Rolf, clanking his fists together.

In the blink of an eye, the two close the distance, striking the Dinaronewt—Ms. Sasa with her weapon, Mr. Rolf with his fists.

A dull, heavy impact rings out—something between a wet splat and a thudding crash.

I was sure the blow had landed! Yet, the expressions of Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf, who don’t let up their attacks, are grim.

“—Damn, this thing is troublesome! It feels like I’m punching a really sturdy water bag!”

“It doesn’t feel like my attacks are reaching into the meat! The force gets dispersed!”

Half-screaming voices burst from both their mouths.

Even with the two of them pummeling it nonstop, the Dinaronewt doesn’t seem to be staggering or even flinching!

It might be because it’s enhanced by the magic core, but it seems way too sturdy! Survival did have a note about "tough yet flexible skin that something something…" but for attacks that look so powerful to have no effect, is that really possible!?

…Ah, but wait? Ms. Sasa’s weapon uses weight to perform something close to "pressure cutting," and Mr. Rolf fights with his fists. Considering what Survival says, could it be that the compatibility between the Dinaronewt and the two of them is pretty bad…!?

“…I see. So it resists blunt attacks? You two switch to skill-based strikes. Ginsei and I will provide support.”

“Target, aim, lock, fire! Target, aim, lock, fire!”

Even in this chaos, Mr. Arthur remains perfectly calm. While analyzing the situation, shooting arrows so as not to hit the two, and giving appropriate instructions as needed… isn’t that too much multitasking?

[GUGYA… GYAAAAAAAAA!!!!]

When Mr. Arthur’s arrows pierce it, murky screams burst from the Dinaronewt’s mouth. Yup, this one seems to be working.

“Rin. I understand you’re concerned about the battle situation, but we should start preparing soon too.”

“Got it!”

What brings my consciousness back from watching the arrows raining down on the Dinaronewt like a spring shower, and the pitch-black tentacle-like shadows that Mr. Ginsei summons with magic suddenly appearing from underfoot to entwine around the Dinaronewt, is Mr. Ville’s sharp voice.

That’s right! I’m curious about Mr. Arthur’s group too, but we need to start preparing as well…!

“Come on now! Don’t look elsewhere, look this way, you fake lizard!”

While Ms. Sasa draws the Dinaronewt’s attention from time to time, I decide to start rolling herb dumplings along the dome’s wall to be as inconspicuous as possible. Since they held their shape well enough with just a bit of stickiness, it doesn’t take much effort. I roll and stack them, roll and stack them… Occasionally, Gomamiso aims a cat punch at a ball that I failed to grab and that rolls away, but I pick it up just before that and re-roll it, repeating this process.

“Starving Wolf Fang Fist!”

“Holy Slash!”

“Huh?”

At the sudden voices of Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf, an absent-minded sound escapes me.

I see Mr. Rolf’s fists glowing faintly red, and Ms. Sasa’s weapon cloaked in a pearly light as they crash into the target.

[GYUAAAAaaaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAA!!!]

Immediately, as if the previous ineffectiveness was a lie, the Dinaronewt writhes with screams. This definitely feels like it’s working!

Could they be using some kind of special attack? You know, the type where you wrap magical power around your weapon to attack!

“Looks like they’re starting to get the hang of attacking… it should be about time.”

“Yes! It really seems to be working!”

Without stopping my hands from rolling balls, I watch the battlefield that’s becoming more intense by the moment. Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf’s special attacks, and the rain of Mr. Arthur’s arrows make it flinch, then Mr. Ginsei’s magic entwines like vines to try to force its mouth open.

The Dinaronewt’s mouth, visibly growing weaker, gradually begins to open wider. The frequency of sounds that are neither screams nor roars leaking out is also increasing.

“Well then, I’ll cast accuracy enhancement and agility improvement magic on you now.”

Sensing that our turn is approaching, Mr. Xenon waves his staff with a chiming sound, and a soft membrane of light envelops us. Right beside him, Mr. Ed uses magic to deftly snatch up the piled medicinal herb dumplings and distribute them to everyone.

In sync with that, Ms. Aria and Mr. Ville, carrying herb dumplings, gradually close the distance to a position that won’t interfere with the attack team. It’s an exquisite positioning where the Dinaronewt’s attacks are hard to reach, but projectiles can just barely make it there.

“Meteor Shoot!”

“Illusion Magic: Shadow-Binding Black Ropes!”

[GUGA, GYUIIIiiiiIIIIiIIiiII!!]

Along with Mr. Arthur’s voice, a rain of arrows falls, trailing tails of light. At that power, the Dinaronewt involuntarily reels back and retreats, and black rope-like things entwine around its body, constricting while prying open its mouth.

Does it need sharpness to gnaw tree roots? Inside the gradually opening bright red mouth, despite being herbivorous, white, sharp fangs like those of a carnivore are lined up in rows.

[GYA, GUGYA… GAAAAAaaaaaaAAAaaaAaa!]

“Good, Ville! Now!”

“I know! I’ll feed it till it’s stuffed!”

Simultaneously with Mr. Arthur’s spirited shout, Mr. Ville and Ms. Aria throw the herb dumplings in their hands into the Dinaronewt’s mouth. Mr. Ville, throwing bare-handed, manages to toss them into its mouth with pretty good accuracy, but Ms. Aria’s success rate is incredible—she can guide them right to the mouth’s edge with thread and thrust them right in. Incidentally, her skill at quickly recovering the balls Mr. Ville misses using a basketball rebound technique and stuffing them into the Dinaronewt’s mouth again is nothing short of magnificent.

The fewer herb dumplings remain, the weaker the Dinaronewt grows. Even so, it still hasn’t reached a decisive blow! It’s both frustrating and frightening…!

“Oh! Just dumplings might get stuck in its throat. It’s about time it wanted some water, right?”

It looks like the herbal dumplings I prepared are almost gone.

Just as I think I hear Mr. Ed’s voice, the next moment, a mass of water appears above the Dinaronewt’s head. When I look up at Mr. Ed as if drawn by that voice, he’s laughing with such a delighted expression!

…Ah, could this be…!

“I’ll wash it all the way down to its stomach at once!”

With an explosive voice, Mr. Ed’s hand comes down. In an instant, the water mass flows with a splash into the Dinaronewt’s mouth… and its white throat undulates with a large gulp.

Immediately, the pure white giant body stiffens with a crack and begins writhing in agony.

[UGYA, GYAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!]

“We did it! It swallowed! And it’s working!”

“Leave the finishing blow to me!”

“C’mon! Spit it out already!”

My voice as I involuntarily make a victory pose overlaps with the voices of Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf, who raise their respective weapons and fists. Mr. Ginsei’s magic entwines around the Dinaronewt’s body, which looks ready to collapse to the ground any moment, pinning it so its irregularly twitching belly is exposed.

Into that spot, Ms. Sasa’s weapon and Mr. Rolf’s fists are driven in as if being sucked in. A solid, centered sound incomparable to the first attack echoes around us.

[GYA, GYA… GUGYUuuuUUuuuu…]

As the Dinaronewt stands rigid and frozen, its belly writhes and bulges, then a fist-sized bright red stone is vigorously spat out from its mouth.

“Aria!”

“Mm! Leave it to me!”

Under Mr. Ville’s swift command, the magic core entangled by Ms. Aria’s thread settles into her slender white hands. To shelter Ms. Aria as she returns this way, I immediately summon the Camping Car. Since it has perception interference, I think it’s just right for hiding Ms. Aria, who’s carrying an important item, from the Dinaronewt’s sight.

Which is faster—Ms. Aria diving into the wide-open living room door, or the change coming over the Dinaronewt…?

[GYAU… GYA, GA…]

From the moment after spitting out the magic core, the Dinaronewt’s body visibly deflates and grows thin, like air escaping from a balloon.

“Since it’s an individual that grew rapidly by swallowing a magic core, it can’t maintain that body when the magic core that was its cornerstone disappears. Sasa, Rolf! Now’s your chance! Hit it with everything you’ve got!”

“You bet! Leave it to me!”

“Let’s finish it off quickly!”

“Ginsei, give it one more push! Let’s work hard together!”

“Roger! Me fine! Super energetic!”

The heated attacks of the Azure Droplets accelerated the collapse of the deflating Dinaronewt. Ms. Sasa’s weapon. Mr. Rolf’s strike. Mr. Arthur’s bow. Mr. Ginsei’s magic. With each hit that lands, the completely deflated and faded earth dragon’s body crumbles away, dissolving into the ground and disappearing without ever turning back into a Reptonewt.

“…So it really was just a regular Reptonewt, boosted by a magic core.”

“It kind of feels like it was a ‘papier-mâché’ without the power to match, doesn’t it?”

Ms. Aria’s words, as she pokes her head out from the living room door left wide open, sink deeply into my chest.

Dragged into another world out of nowhere, given ridiculously useful skills like Survival and the Camping Car… if I had just relied on that power, far beyond what I actually deserved, and gotten cocky, would I have ended up like that Dinaronewt—reduced to a heap of trash…?

…Well, at least I do try to make efforts to contribute to everyone in the party! Developing new dishes and such—I’m making as much effort as I can!

I don’t think I’ll end up like that… at least, I want to believe so!

‘Heeey! It’s fine, but if you squeeze me so tight, it’s not like it doesn’t hurt!’

“Ah. Sorry, Miso! I guess I unconsciously put too much strength into it.”

It seems like while getting absorbed in sentimental feelings, I ended up clinging to Gomamiso, hugging it tight. The slightly displeased cat protests with a soft wing flap. Well, my apologies.

But while I’m having such introspection and resolve, Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf’s full-power strikes pummel the barely remaining Dinaronewt.

“This is the end!”

Mr. Rolf, grinning with his fangs bared, pierces through the last remaining flesh… and the next moment, the tattered earth dragon becomes black haze-like particles and dissolves into the surrounding air, disappearing.

“…Did we do it?”

“Looks like… we really did it…!”

I tense up for a moment at Ms. Aria’s flag-like words as she comes down from the Camping Car… but there’s no sign of the Dinaronewt reviving at all. The flag seems to have crashed safely too. Thank goodness!

The Azure Droplets are checking around where the Dinaronewt was, but were there any drop items? If there were, I hope they’re things that are easy to split between two teams.

“Anyway, let’s go join the others. I’m sure everyone’s curious about the magic core.”

“Mm. That’s right. Let’s go together?”

‘Me too! This me is coming toooo!’

Is it because of the relief and sense of accomplishment from finishing a job? Our steps heading toward the group continuing their inspection are lighter than I imagine.

By the time the two of us and one cat reach Mr. Arthur’s group, Mr. Ville’s team has gathered as well. Those who have been examining the area where Dinaronewt was look up and spot us.

“Ms. Aria, Ms. Rin, I’m relieved you’re both safe. That’s the magic core the Dinaronewt spat out, right? I’m glad you recovered it safely!”

“Mr. Arthur and everyone, great work! The combat was amazing!”

Words of thanks and encouragement after the fight. Sharing impressions from those who fought and those who only watched. Apart from the huge hunk of meat, no noteworthy drop items are found, which leads to the theory that it’s just a normal Reptonewt that grew irregularly… and so on.

When the post-battle review session wraps up, filled with the excitement and relief of our large group, the topic naturally shifts to the magic core, which can be called our only acquisition item this time.

“I only saw it for a split second during the fight, but it’s gorgeous! The brilliance is completely different from a jewel’s!”

“I don’t know much about gems and stuff, but like Sasa says, somehow, it feels like it has this extraordinary vibe.”

When Ms. Sasa, who seems to have opinions about underground resources, looks at the magic core and gives her impression, Mr. Rolf nods while stroking his chin.

Honestly, Mr. Viv’s magic core is really beautiful. It’s so clear you can see through Ms. Aria’s fingers holding it, yet the coloring remains vivid. I don’t really understand the extraordinary radiance and atmosphere that Ms. Sasa and Mr. Rolf mention… but when I glance at Survival, it’s praised to no end there too.

Yup, I can definitely see how swallowing this would make any small fry stronger.

“…Even so, now that we’ve safely obtained the magic core… that means we have to go back to the surface and climb the Ancestral Tree again, huh?”

The adventure isn’t over until we make the delivery, but thinking about the process required for that gives me a real headache. It’s not my place to say this since I only provided rear support, but I think everyone’s pretty exhausted after the battle.

[There is no need for that!]

A sharp command that blows away my gloomy mood reverberates throughout the dome. It’s so loud it’s surprising there’s no howling feedback.

“This voice… Mr. Viv!?”

[Indeed, exactly so! Thanks to your efforts, I have regained enough control to circulate my power throughout every corner of the Ancestral Tree! I am grateful!]

Descending from the ceiling is unmistakably the voice of the giant long-tailed tit… Mr. Viv, that we met atop the Ancestral Tree. Judging from the way it speaks, the rampage has probably calmed down a bit thanks to the magic core being released from inside the Dinaronewt’s body.

Sure enough, as if to confirm this, a pillar of light suddenly appears right beside us. It’s pure white, the same color as Mr. Viv’s feathers, extending straight up as if piercing through the dome’s ceiling.

“W-Wait, could this possibly be…”

[Indeed. If you leap into this light, you will reach me in the blink of an eye. Assemble with all haste!]

What answers Mr. Arthur’s trembling question is the voice of the giant long-tailed tit, as arrogant as ever. Yet what it declares is something truly grand.

Basically, it created something like a direct elevator to where Mr. Viv is, right? Even though it hasn’t completely recovered the magic core, to be able to construct something like this in an instant! Mr. Viv is quite the expert despite its appearance…!

The inside of the dome falls silent as if water had been poured on it. I can almost hear the sound of someone swallowing their saliva.

“This is… we have no choice but to go, right? It’s a direct command from the Divine Bird!?”

What breaks the silence is Mr. Arthur, who seems overcome with emotion. His cheeks are faintly flushed, his eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. I’ve thought this since we first encountered Mr. Viv, but I think Mr. Arthur quite likes the legends and traditions of the elven village.

“Certainly, if we can skip the trouble of returning to the surface and climbing the Ancestral Tree… there’s no reason not to use this.”

On the other hand, Mr. Xenon remains perfectly calm. Even when we talked about Mr. Viv before, he simply said, "I knew the legend of the Guardian Bird, but I never thought it was real," and left it at that. What exactly is this difference? It’s not like the tolerance range for village food is being reflected… right? I think Mr. Xenon cares about his village too, so it shouldn’t be that…

“In any case, the cotton bird commotion won’t settle down until we deliver that magic core, will it? If we can arrive as quickly as possible, let’s use it without hesitation.”

With Mr. Ville, the other half of our leaders, also agreeing, our course of action is decided.

Led by Mr. Arthur, who can’t hide his excitement, the Azure Droplets and the Gourmands surround the pillar of light.

“Well then, I’ll go first!”

Declaring this with a bouncing voice, Mr. Arthur leaps into the light. For an instant, a flash burns my eyes, but by the time it subsides, Mr. Arthur’s figure has disappeared from within the light.

If we believe Mr. Viv’s words, he should have reached that treetop by now…

“Well then, I’ll go next!”

“No, I’m next! We can’t leave Arthur alone, can we?”

“Next, me! Me!”

“Wait wait wait wait! I understand you’re eager, and he did disappear from the light in an instant, but if you leap in one after another, you might collide when you arrive! It’s better to wait a bit before jumping in.”

Whether Mr. Arthur’s excitement rubbed off on them or they’re worried about their leader, who went ahead, the Azure Droplets seem impatient. Mr. Ville frantically holds back the three people trying to leap into the pillar of light.

Wait about a minute after one person goes, then the next person enters. Taking such safety measures, they leap into the light one by one in turn, well-behaved. Before I knew it, only Mr. Ville, who declared he’d bring up the rear, I, and Gomamiso remained.

“Rin and Gomamiso… together should be fine. Hold it tightly so you don’t get separated.”

“Got it! I’ll hold it tight so we definitely don’t get separated under any circumstances!”

‘Nnnghh! When squeezed tight, this royal me is uncomfortable!’

“It’s just for a moment, so bear with it.”

When I readjust my hold on the considerably grown winged lynx following Mr. Ville’s instruction, the cat meows with a very displeased… yet somehow happy and spoiled voice. Despite everything it says, Miso is fundamentally a spoiled baby at heart.

Its swishing tail smacks against my thigh and arm as I leap into the pillar of light.

“—!”

For just an instant, a force like something pressing down on my body is applied. There’s a whooshing sound by my ear. I feel the sensation of the cat in my arms, jumping with a start.

When my eyes, which I instinctively closed, open again, Gomamiso and I have been transported to a familiar space. The members who went ahead are all looking our way.

I’m momentarily stunned by the instantaneous event, but Mr. Ville is also coming here, so I can’t stay in the light forever. I exit the pillar of light and hurry over to the advance members. While waiting beside Ms. Aria, who welcomes me with "Welcome back!", Mr. Ville also appears from the pillar of light shortly after… and the party that had been split between underground and treetop back then is now all gathered together before the Guardian Bird.

The plump, round, huge long-tailed tit shakes its round body with apparent delight.

[I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for your efforts. Thanks to your dedication, the magic core has thus returned to me once again.]

“…Ah…!”

As the bouncing long-tailed tit chirped, the crimson magic core rose lightly from Ms. Aria’s hands on its own.

It begins spinning around and around in front of Mr. Viv… and by the time it becomes a bright red sphere, it’s smoothly absorbed into the golden crown. Immediately, a light far stronger than any pillar of light bursts forth from the long-tailed tit’s body. No matter how tightly I close my eyes, the light is so intense it feels like my retinas might burn even through my eyelids!

Yet strangely, or perhaps fortunately, my eyes don’t hurt at all…

[My name is Viv! Guardian Bird of the Ancestral Tree and protector of the forest’s children!]

While being tossed about in the torrent of light, a voice deeper than before echoes around us. Still as pompous as ever, I think, and as I do, the light grows even brighter… then suddenly disappears with a puff. The world that was pure white, even with my eyes closed, is finally enveloped in darkness.

When I timidly open my eyes, the first thing that hits me is overwhelming whiteness.

“Whoa! It’s gotten even bigger…!”

Mr. Viv was already pretty big before, but now it’s grown so large it almost fills my entire field of vision. Moreover, even though it’s gotten bigger, its perfectly round silhouette hasn’t changed… it reminds me of those giant inflatable mascots kids can crawl into and play inside.

On top of that sphere, a crown set with a bright red gem glints and sparkles, reflecting the sunlight.

[I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I do not know if this matches that debt, but I promise to watch over the Ancestral Tree and the forest’s children for ages to come.]

“That is… what an honor…!”

“Having increased protection for the village is… um… a very… grateful thing…”

At the super giant long-tailed tit’s pledge as it looks at us with jet-black eyes and chirps happily, Mr. Arthur’s body trembles with a start. Mr. Xenon, too, despite what he says… his mouth is happily relaxed.

Right, of course. For these two, it’s like their hometown’s protection has been strengthened. No wonder they’re so happy.

[Now then. Since the magic core has returned, I cannot leave my scattered magical power as it is. It is time to call it back to myself.]

“Ah… thank you! Everyone in the village must be waiting eagerly!”

“Yes… with that many cotton birds, even daily life would be quite a struggle… I think the villagers will be extremely pleased.”

Receiving the expectations of the two elves—though one of them is a bit contrary—Mr. Viv flaps its wings and floats gently into the air. A vertical takeoff, of all things.

Compared to its round, massive body, those wings look quite small. I wonder how it can lift that huge body with those… but just like Gomamiso, if there’s magical power, it somehow works out, right?

[Well then, children of men. May you all live in good health!]

With a gentle, benevolent voice, a single beat of massive wings resounds, and that enormous body darts through the sky at a speed unfit for its size.

From above the treetop with nothing to obstruct the view, I can clearly see Ms. Viv flying around over the forest turned completely white, as the cotton birds become white light and get absorbed into the giant long-tailed tit.

The more Ms. Viv dances through the sky, the more the white on the ground gets swept up and absorbed, and the green increases in such an interesting way!

With this, the village crisis is all wrapped up, I suppose?

“This is… quite a spectacular sight indeed.”

“It’s an amazing scene… to think we’d meet a legendary being while we’re still alive, and have it save the village.”

Mr. Xenon and Mr. Arthur watch as the elven village in crisis gets visibly saved before their eyes. When I steal a glance at their faces, both look peaceful and bright.

A rain of light rises toward Ms. Viv, flying majestically through the great sky. It’s quite a fantastical sight, but…

“…Come to think of it… how are we supposed to get back down from here…?”

“…Ah…”

The thought of how we’re supposed to return to the ground suddenly crosses my mind… and before I know it, those words spill from my mouth.

Ms. Aria, next to me, seems to have realized it too, as we both stare at each other with our mouths hanging open in bewilderment.

At first, I thought we could just jump into that pillar of light, but Ms. Viv didn’t specifically mention anything about it… which means that thing’s destination is still the underground dome… there’s a high possibility that the places we can travel between haven’t changed.

Of course, there’s the option of returning underground through that pillar of light and walking back to the surface from there, so it’s not like we can’t get back.

…The method that seems shortest and fastest is something I’d rather not experience again for a while, if possible. Well, after delivering us to the surface, it was sleeping soundly at the base of the tree, so I don’t think it’s returned here yet…

‘Jijijiii!’

“Eek!”

From behind me comes the voice I least want to hear right now. Cold sweat pours down my back.

“Ah! The furball, back!”

“Could it be that you’ll give us a ride again?”

When I fearfully turn around, that familiar furball is twitching its nose up and down.

Ms. Ginsei and Ms. Sasa, who apparently aren’t traumatized by the free fall, cheer with delight and hug that furball. Meanwhile, the underground group who don’t know about the free fall return look at the suddenly appeared furball with puzzled expressions.

“You’ve come back too. Could it be that you’ll transport us again?”

‘Jii! Jijijiii!!!’

Mr. Arthur, whose attention turns from the surrounding scenery to here, sees the furball, and his face lights up brilliantly. It seems Mr. Arthur is also part of the group that wasn’t traumatized by the free fall.

…Wait, could it be… that I’m the only one who’s had enough of that thing…?

“Are you alright, Rin? Your complexion looks quite bad… does that furball have something to do with it?”

I must’ve looked terribly uneasy, because Mr. Ville lowered his voice, making sure the furball can’t hear, and asked with concern.

“Mr. Ville… it’s related, or rather, how should I put it… I just remembered the free-fall riding on that furball.”

Free fall…? You mean you rode that thing and jumped off?”

“Yes. There was no threat to life, but… well… I’d rather not experience it again for a while.”

I didn’t miss how Mr. Ville’s face twitched for a moment!

I was relieved… to have a companion, or so I thought…

“Give it up, Rin. From the look of that furball, it intends to return us to the surface using the same method again.”

“Uwaaah…”

Where Mr. Ville points with a pitying look, the furball with members on its back is smugly wiggling its snout.

The furball takes a step forward as if chasing after me as I unconsciously back away to keep distance, and stares at me intently with sparkling eyes.

Ahhhhh… in the end, I can’t escape the dynamic fall…!

“Enough… enough already! I’m full up on free faaaalls!!!”

“Brace yourself, Rin. It doesn’t look like you can escape from that thing.”

‘It’s fine, you know. This me is with you, so you’ll be okay.’

The warmth of Mr. Ville’s palm stroking my back as I lament, and the softness of the carefree cat’s paw pads gently seep into my frayed heart.

Previous chapter Index Next chapter