I’m Coming Too

Once they broke through into the Kobold Plain, the wyverns stopped pursuing them.

But even then, unable to feel safe, Kikori and the others kept moving toward the “outside.”

When he let go of Orphe, she flew on in silence, but she did not go anywhere.

“Gii!”

“Fire Arrow.”

The kobolds that attacked them along the way were struck down in a single blow by the fairies’ magic.

After that happened several times, the kobolds started shooting arrows at them instead, but those too were easily dodged, and the kobolds were killed with magic.

After that, they stopped coming out of their holes altogether.

“…Hey, Dragonewt.”

“Kikori. That’s my name.”

“Then, Kikori.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s ahead of us?”

“There’s a forest, right?”

“Yeah, there’s a wide forest. Before, there were lots of goblins and Horned Rabbits there, but…”

They were still reduced in number from the goblin army’s raid.

And with the labyrinthization happening now, there was no knowing what would happen from here on.

“I see.”

“There’s a place called the Adventurers’ Route, so if you stay somewhere away from there, I don’t think humans will come around that much.”

“Yeah.”

“We want to live quietly for a while, at least.”

Seeing the fairies so dejected, Kikori did not know what he should say to them.

Orphe, too, had completely fallen silent.

“For now, once we get to the forest, let’s look for a good place. I’ll go with you at least that far.”

They walked and walked.

Even after night fell, Kikori kept walking.

Part of that was because the kobolds did not attack with the fairies around.

But more than anything, still carrying the terror of the Flame Wyverns, he did not want to stay in a place like this.

And then, after they passed through the spatial distortion… there was—

“Ah, right.”

“Where’s the fooorest?”

“Sorry, it’s past that tunnel…”

“You liar.”

“I’m really sorry. Let’s go.”

Once they passed through the tunnel, this time there really was a forest.

At the sight of it, both Kikori and the fairies let out a breath.

“…Still, we can’t just stand around spacing out. It’ll be troublesome if we run into someone. For now, over there.”

They left the Adventurers’ Route and proceeded into the forest.

And when they reached a suitable spot, the fairies started saying, “Maybe this place is fine.”

“It doesn’t smell like humans either. I guess they really never come around here.”

“Well, once they get this far, they’d probably go into the spatial distortion.”

Just to be safe, they had kept their distance from the spatial distortion.

But there was no absolute in anything. Just like with those Flame Wyverns…

“Thanks, Kikori.”

“You really helped us out.”

“If I meet another Dragonewt next time, I’ll be nice to them.”

“I’ll be even nicer to Kikori.”

“Right.”

Even while being surrounded in a cheerful bustle by the fairies, Kikori gave an ambiguous smile, thinking, “So humans really are no good after all.”

Amid that, Kikori felt an especially strong gaze. It was Orphe.

“Thanks for everything too, Orphe.”

“I’m coming too.”

“Huh? To where?”

“Wherever you’re going, Kikori.”

“…I’m going to a human city, though.”

“I’m going.”

Kikori looked at the other fairies as if asking for help, but… all he got back were irresponsible words like, “Why not take her with you?”