I walk through the same path as always, and pave it with magic energy while I’m at it.
The path to the divine beast people’s village is pretty much perfect, but this one is still a work in progress.
That said, there’s no need to rush. I’m not doing this because I need to or out of some sense of obligation, I just do it when I think of it.
“There are fewer monsters outside the barrier than I expected.”
“Ah, that’s probably because they can sense my magic energy.”
We follow Snow, as she walks in front of us in a good mood, and Brynhildr looks around like she’s very curious.
Apparently she hasn’t been outside the barrier much.
Come to think of it, I never saw a high elf until I went to the southern forest. Someone once told me they are reclusive, so they probably don’t know much about the world outside the island.
“Hum, this is called white clover.”
Snow looks around at various bugs and plants, but then she brings a white flower.
This is a clover, but it gets its name from the white flower it has, so I tell her that.
People on this island only name things if they’re interested in them, so they tend to just call things plants, leaves, or grass.
Wil probably knows their real names, but if they existed in my world, I tell Snow what they were called there, and that’s what she learns.
“Have it!”
“T-thank you.”
She’s not one of the three the high elves have been worshiping so far, but Snow is a great spirit.
Even if she approaches us with a childlike innocence, it’s still like someone hugely important is being nice to Brynhildr, from her point of view.
It makes sense that she’s so taken aback.
Brynhildr picks the white clover with the tips of her fingers, and spins it with a serious expression on her face.
“What should I do? I received a gift from a goddess…”
She whispers.
“Don’t overthink it so much.”
She might be right, but this kid doesn’t think that way. I doubt she’s even grown that much.
We keep heading north, and eventually reach the alfar village.
Brynhildr is amazed when she’s faced with the sight of the houses carved into the red cliff.
“They can live in a land with such low vitality?”
“Well, if they live here, they adapt, right?”
“…I can’t believe it.”
She whispers, dumbfounded.
These two races were originally the same, but their ways of life diverged a lot.
Elves live in a land protected by Yggdrasil, but alfar keep being targeted by dragons above, and have little in the way of vegetation around here.
But living beings adapt to their surroundings and evolve, so the same goes for the alfar over all these years.
“You didn’t know what kind of race the alfar are?”
“I have heard about them, but seeing it is different.”
“I see. Then it was already worth it to come here.”
“Eh?”
She looks puzzled, but I’m sure she understands them better now that she’s actually seeing this for herself.
Even if they don’t end up getting along, it’s better to know the alfar instead of not getting close to them because of things they heard.
“I see… But are alfar here?”
“Ah…”
I sense presences and feel eyes on me, but they’re indoors.
Last time, they all surrounded Snow, but… You now… Much like the first time I came here, they’re not coming out because they’re wary.
But there’s no enmity here. Of course, the fact that Snow and I are here with Brynhildr helps, but I feel like the alfar also don’t know how to approach elves.
“Let’s go to the elder first…”
I say, but then something falls from the cliff.
It’s a someone, and she lands on her feet. It’s almost like she laid roots on the ground.
“Miss Snow! You came to visit!”
“Katima!”
“Ugoh!? It is very good that you are also so full of energy…”
Snow runs happily and almost blows Katima away, but she hangs on.
A normal alfar wouldn’t be able to handle that, so I think it’s good that Katima is the one dealing with her.
“You haven’t been here in a while either, Arata.”
“Yes. I have some business with the great spirits.”
“Business…”
Katima looks at Brynhildr. It doesn’t look like she sees her as an enemy, but not a friend either.
It’s like she’s curious, but doesn’t really want to make contact.
She received the same reaction when she went to the high elves’ village, but I wish she’d be a bit friendlier.
“Everyone’s a little perplexed because a high elf has never come here. What do we do?”
“Hm… How about you try talking to her, Katima?”
Then the alfar would get used to it too, and maybe feel like it’s nice to talk to the high elves. That’s how I feel when I ask her that.
That said, based on their back and forth in the high elves’ village, Katima should be pretty nervous about talking to Brynhildr too, so…
“Sure.”
“Eh?”
She readily agrees.
“What’s with that face? Wouldn’t it help you if Katima did that?”
“Yes but…”
“Alfar pay their debts. You’ve given a lot, so Katima will help when possible.”
“Katima…”
Hearing that makes me feel like what I’ve been doing was right.
I would’ve never heard something like this when I worked for that black company, so my chest feels a little warm…
“Then can I ask you to do that?”
“Yes.”
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
Brynhildr picks the white clover with the tips of her things -> Brynhildr picks the white clover with the tips of her fingers
Thanks.