c121: Madness of the Forest of Ash

 

When I try counting we’re surrounded by a group of 8 people.
Thinking that these are all elves, it’s a bit of a deep feeling isn’t it.
As all of them have hoods hiding their faces, the eyes looking out from within, shine with green light.
This phenomena of the eye reflecting light……in short it’s a cat’s isn’t it.
There’s a reflector called a tape tum or something connected behind the retina in a cat’s eye so, it seems they can secure a field of vision even with a slight amount of light within pitch darkness.
Looking at my kin, I was able to comprehend the mystery of my own body.

「……You, what’s your intention all of the sudden! Such a thing as bringing a large number of unrelated humans here like this!」

The leader ranked person is being vehement.
It isn’t unreasonable is it, I did hear that the elves of this forest are particularly exclusive before this.
Maa, my guardian is here this time so I’ve ended up feeling strangely secure though.
Similar to how Rin-chan feels a sense of security with me, it’s the case that I have this sensation with Till.

「You also, went out of your way to come greet us with a large group haven’t you? Is that not considerate Stacia.」
「Impudent speech……don’t push your luck Tillbell.
Even now, we do not recognize someone like you.」
「That I want to be recognized is not something I have thought so, it does not become a concern.」

Somehow they’re something like old acquaintances.
There’s not a bit of an atmosphere like they’re celebrating their reunion though.
Oh, she met with my eyes.
It’s an unpleasant gaze, as if she’s evaluating me though.

「……Estoria?」
「That is not so.」
「No, that is……she’s too young.」

……I’ve thought this every time but, I wonder how these people reach a guess on age without seeing a status?
If this was my fist time seeing Till I’d sense that she was from 8 to 10 years though.

「More importantly, it’d be best if you left here quickly.
I’ll overlook this if it’s now.」
「For the head to be included in bluster is well.
It’s pathetic.」
「Fun, that goes for you as well.
I saw it before but……To fall from eating a single strike from such a small girl.
Don’t show bluster.」
「Yare yare, is it not idiocy to say you know naught of the world……that I have grown weak? Is that what you saw? Truly, you’ve changed nothing.」
「Is that a bad thing? Don’t disrupt our lifestyle with human standards.」
「Kufu, certainly I suppose.」

What are you doing being convinced……
We’ll be turned away.
Stacia, the elf leader-san called as such, met my eyes again.
Or rather, confirming the Eclair who’d come up to my side with seeming suspicion, when she was looking at Shion-san next――her body quivered almost as if the anger amassed within would trigger an explosion.

「F……Filthy! You’re truly a fallen being aren’t you, Tillbell.」
「Maa, I won’t say I hope for you to understand.
I have a liking for these people you see.」
「……」
「Kufu, more importantly, look.
This daughter whom you have been showing interest in.
Whose daughter do you believe her to be?」

……?
Eh, me?
Everyone’s focus gathered.
Just who? As I made that sort of gaze as I pleased, just what is it? That sort of gaze turned to Till.
Till smiled sinisterly.
No she smiled normally.

「Wha, it can’t be!?」

Perhaps the elf people convinced themselves but they’re surprised.

「No? It’s exactly as you’re imagining it.」

In short?

「She’s the daughter of me and Est.」
「Ehーーーーーーーーmmmuga!!?」

My mouth was held from behind by Eclair.

「Please be quiet, or rather, please take a hint!」

Her breath is touching my ears, it’s touching……
Our surprise while being like that and our strange exchange, somehow didn’t draw their interest.
Since they were shaken in their own way.

「Wha, no, certainly……that silver hair……」

On that note it seems that silver hair is rare.
Excluding me there isn’t a time I’ve seen it except with Leymia.
……That child is a little bit of a mysterious child though.

「Bratty and rash, beyond that I suppose she’s an idiot.
She also has her cute aspects.」

Isn’t that faults 3 to 1?

「That person’s……and furthermore her daughter with you is she.」

「Umu.
My mood turned so I came to introduce her.
As such, let us through to the village.」

Aah, that sort of thing?
Eclair it’s okay already.
After having her hands released, I give a bow to the elves.

「I am called Alice.
Etto……mother-san? has, always been looking after me.」

Till is mother-san is she.
……Intuitively and emotionally there’s no sense of wrongness but there is a sense of wrongness isn’t there.

「No but, to say that therefore……and beyond that even unrelated people.」

「――Maa maa, mother-sama.
They’re our rare guests, and furthermore old acquaintances.
I want to be deeply compassionate toward kin.」

One more person came forth from within the group, that girl has her hood off.
Long blond hair, green eyes as expected.
That girl is also an elf.
Or rather they’re all elves.

「Carmel! That carelessness will invite danger into the village!」

The girl called Carmel, ignored those words and approached me.

「You’re……Tillbell-sama’s child?」

I felt it would be in my best interest, to not make a poor reply.

「Hai……good to meet you.」
「I am Carmel, I’m the same age as you you know.
There isn’t anyone of the same generation or such in the village so, my interest is really boiling up.」

Their absolute number is very low so, there’s also that sort of thing is there.
Beyond that using don’t go out of the village as an example, it’s because they’re living in such a cramped world.

「Nee, Tillbell-sama.
Surely it’s not like you’ve particularly come to bring harm to the village?」
「Of course, I have no such intention.」
「See? It’s basically fine isn’t it, mother-sama.」
「People like you are……」
「After all, this is something boring.
Because of this boredom, such that I’d end up dying if I had to choose one.」

Either way I also want to go to the village and change jobs.
The elves besides that girl have a dangerous atmosphere though.

「Carmel……san? Ano, I’d like to have various conversations if it’s okay.
This is the first time seeing brethren of the same generation for me as well.」

And I do in fact have an interest in elves.
……There’s even my own matters after all.

「That so? We, seem like we could become friends don’t we.」

?
Somehow, the girl stretched her hand out toward my face with a smile that had an out of place sensation.
――Eclair, inhibited that hand.

「……Is there something?」
「That’s overly familiar for a first meeting you know.」

Eclair is thorny for her first meeting isn’t she.

「Aha, well it’s fine.
Including those you brought along, I’ll guide you to the village.」

Ooh!

「Thank you, Carmel-san!」
「No……No?」

The girl put her hood back on once again.
Was it my imagination, that I felt like a warped smile was expressed on those lips……?

「Ano……?」
「Alice.
I’ll give an invitation, to our village okay.」

It seems that girl’s right to speak is, quite the thing.
Their bodies could be called reluctant but, the other elves put their axes away with that.

「Saa, welcome……Ahaa.」
「Wawaa.」

She suddenly linked arms with me and pulled.
The girl walking next to me is acting like she’s having fun but……
Vaguely, truly vaguely……

――I sensed something faintly cold.

◇■◇■◇

Following Carmel-san’s guidance, we arrived in the village of the Forest of Ash.

「Uwaa……」

I was impressed.
That which is called a normal town is, the artifice aggregated from the effort put into it.
As expected that is far from nature.
Compared to that, the elf village is built naturally within the forest.
The paths are like animal trails but, there’s no problem in walking on them.
There are houses carved out from large trees and, houses of pure wood that were built in the spaces between trees.
Without anything harming the forest, but without compromise in their own lifestyle either.
I managed to observe such a symbiotic relationship.

「It’s a beautiful town isn’t it.
Somehow, I come to feel that forcing our way in with a large group is no good when looking at this.」
「I don’t get a bad feeling when my hometown is spoken well of……but it’s an uninteresting village you know.」

Uninteresting……is it.
Just as stated, Carmel-san’s face is cold.
I really do feel some sort of unease.
That’s, I suppose there are also people who don’t like their hometown but, that’s not it……

「More importantly, where’s the ruins for Alice’s job change?」

On that note there is that isn’t there Eclair.
She’s been thorny since before though……

「Can that not be on another day? I would think you’re already tired out for today though?」
「……Maa, certainly.」

After that, having put our tent away we entered the forest in the evening.
I was thinking about whether it was alright at this hour but, somehow as the ruins are in the vicinity of the forest’s entrance, that teleportation system is connected as far as here.
It seems the teleportation system activates only for elves due to a special ritual so, there’s no fear that it’ll be used for evil.
As such I actually don’t know where this village is in the forest though……
Elves really are called a rare species aren’t they.

「As a replacement for an inn, I’ll lend you my house.
It’s excessive so, it’s alright even it’s put to use for once.」

Looking in the direction she’s pointing toward, there’s a splendid wood house built there.

「I’ll offer to guide you.」
「Hai.」

The elf walking beside me nodded.
As a speculation I suppose this child is of the elf head family class household.

「Then――」
「Alice, you’re together with me.
Shall we converse? That’s fine isn’t it, Tillbell-sama.」
「I don’t remember raising her overprotectively.
She can judge as she pleases……Kua.」

You just want to sleep already right?

「But I suppose so, you’ve come to take care of us in a variety of ways so, I’ll be intruding.」
「Eclair also――」
「Maa maa Eclair, we have to let Carmel-san look good here don’t we.」

Oneechan is always collected.
Setting Carmel-san aside, I think it’s truly quite the thing to bath in this much of the elves’s animosity……
Well, there’s a person who’s bathed in more animosity though.

「……」

Looking at Solt-san’s face, his expression is unchanged as he’s still sullenly silent.
I knew this but, as expected humans……and furthermore men are the most hated.
You said you’d come with me yourself so I want you to endure though.
But if you’re secretly crying I’ll comfort you.
As a kindred male, being disliked by girls is harsh isn’t it?

「It is alright everyone, please go ahead and rest.」

Waving my hand to Eclair’s group with uneasy seeming faces, we separate.
If it isn’t revealed that I’m a half elf, I suppose the event of something suddenly being done to me won’t happen either.
And Till’s also here, if they do something poorly the village will be annihilated you know.

◇■◇■◇

「Alice, has there been a time when you’ve listened to Estoria-sama’s conversation?」

Being invited to Carmel-san’s house, having a meal on the living room’s solid wood table, I heard such a thing.
The meal has salad and soup as its main so it seemed healthy.
It suited me well as I’ve thoroughly become a light eater.
Or rather since the other side is also an elf I guess she has the same senses.

「Conversation is it……」

Wait a bit, if Till is the mother-san, what would it be appropriate to call Est-san by?
Is it mother-san as expected?
……Huh?
In that case, I ended up noticing something stranger.

「Ano, by the time I was born, Estoria was no longer……mother-san wasn’t there.」

I won’t say something careless but, I want to ask.

「Then, you really don’t know do you?」
「That’s so but……to begin with I’m, currently 15 years of age.
Whether I’m truly Estoria-san’s daughter……」

Right, there aren’t any people finding this to be mysterious but is it common sense?

「Ahaa, you’re doubting Tillbell-sama? Alice.」
「No, that’s not……」
「But it isn’t anything mysterious.
With an elf of Estoria-sama’s level, the act of containing magic power for as much as 300 years is easy.
Even if hypothetically the person in question has passed away you see.」
「Magic power……」
「Right, if the stomach is filled with that a child will be born right?」
「Tha, that’s right isn’t it.」

Is that so?
Does this mean something like an elf’s genetic information is, included in their magic power?
Incredible isn’t it, whether it’s an evolution or an atavism.

「But in that case I feel that isn’t the elven probability of conception low though……」

Carmel-san’s eyes went round at my murmured words and――she smiled.

「Ahaa, certainly the methods for elves to fertilize with are more numerous than other races, but while regrettable the probability between pure bred is low though you see.」

Turning that around that would mean a level where there’s no problem with another race then.
To the contrary, it’s rather flexible or rather……
The reasons that elves are chased after really do seem various and plentiful.
And they also simply have lots of beautiful people.

「Then……is there something about mother-san?」
「Right right, Estoria-sama has, a possibility of having been a high elf.」
「High elf?」

Etto……what was that.
Are high elves and elves different?
To be sure……something like high elves are an existence closer to the spirits, is such an explanation okay?

「A normal elf has blond hair and, the colors of the eye differ but, they resemble eachother well.
Given that Estoria-sama is silver――right, Alice.
The same as you.」
「Wait.」

There’s no deep meaning in my silver hair, seriously.

「It’s not unreasonable to be surprised but, there’s a possibility that Alice inherited the blood of a high elf.」

No, nil.
……Can it be?
I tried combing my hair without intending to.
U～n, the sensation is the best even for me isn’t it.

「……Hu, h?」

Somehow……there’s a sensation like it’s spinning before my eyes.
It’s like I’m drunk isn’t it……

「……」

Carmel-san has――――――――smiled.

「Imposs, ible……!」
「Aha, ahahahahahahahahahahaa! Fufuu, ku, hahahahahahahahahaa!!!」

This person……n!
Was it the meal? Was it the drinks?
You’ve gone and done it haven’t you!

「Beautiful, you’re beautiful Alice.
There hasn’t been a time I’ve seen an elf like you……I want it, really want it.」

……This is my first time meeting someone this insane!
You really wouldn’t expect her to suddenly go and do this sort of thing right!

「Doing this stupid thing……! Everyone is……!?」

「We’re giving an appropriate welcome to each of them.」
「Till……you’re not afraid of mother-san then?」
「Saa?」

……Saa?
What is that it’s fine either way attitude?
If we’re going to lose in the end, losing is fine, such madness is visible.
This person is seriously dangerous.

「Ku……」

As I tried to stand, my chair flipped over. 
And so I fell.
No good my feet aren’t steady!!

「Araa, are you alright Alice? Don’t hurt yourself too much okay? Because I’ll give you ple～nty of love after this.」
「Don’t come!」

I raise my hand and threaten her.
No, it’s not a threat but a warning.
If she intends to do something, I’ll fire magic seriously.

「Aahahahahahaa! It’s pointless you know Alice? This is you see, this village is you see? It’s covered by a ritual implement that seals magic.
Magic is――unusable you know! That’s also since a few days ago you see!」
「Aguu!」

My hand was pinned down underfoot.
The same as the magic sealing forest is it……!
I’ve already deposited the Caster Glove in our lodgings……this is bad.

「Oww.」

My body was forcibly raised by grabbing my hair.

「Truly beautiful silver hair……Aah, nice smell.」
「Don’t, mess with……Aah――」

I fell to the floor again after having my cheek slapped.
It hurts……
Magic is unusable, even for my reliable agility I was served something and can’t move my body……after that my status is miserable.
Shit……
My self with sealed magic is truly weak……my body shook.

「You see I’m～Alice? I have no talent for magic.
I have nothing to stand on～, in this closed world, do you know――just how wretched the state of having no talent in magic is?」
「Uu――」

Being kicked away, I rolled up like a caterpillar.

「But fortunately, authority is mine? And since doing lobbying work is also my strong point to a degree?」
「Ua――」

Time and time again, I’m kicked away as she speaks.
It’s a girl’s power but, beyond that the me who can’t use magic’s endurance, and defense are bad――

「Therefore this village’s people generally, came to obey me?」
「Gu――」

I’m cut within my mouth.

「……Haa haa……I have no interest in your background though.」

Smiling sunnily, I managed to stand with my thumb facing downward.

「Trash aren’t you――Auu!」

My stomach was kicked.
I can’t breath.
There’s a person who’d kick a girl’s stomach then!
I can endure because it’s me but, absolutely don’t do this to another child!

「Don’t anger me okay, Alice? Since I’ll give you lots of love if you do that.
Furthermore――I’ll let you give birth to my child.」

……While waiting for the pain that had me curled up to withdraw, I checked the window.

「I’ll refrain……」
「But Alice……you’ve grown wet right?」
「……」
「Since it’s that sort of medicine, ah, it’s something that isn’t bad for your body so, it’s fine if you don’t worry about that? It’s that which is, the body that will bear my child in the future.」
「Who would――hauu.」
「You’re persistent aren’t you～, Alice.
Don’t trouble my hands anymore than this? Aah, is it my feet?」

I become splayed out while fallen on the floor.
Looking up to the ceiling, I ended up confirming the strange aspect of how there are traces from stains there.

「Saa――Let’s enjoy this Alice? I’ll bestow enough pleasure in you, for you to go insane.
Ahahahahaa!」
「……」

While listening to her mad laughing voice, I turned my eyes to the window once again――