To The Village Of The Elf

“So… do the Elf dislike the Swart Elf? What do they ultimately want to do about them?”

Ordinarily, one would expect the Elf to resent the Swart Elf for betraying them and siding with the Demon King.

Yet Colette, when speaking of the Swart Elf, seemed more troubled than angry—almost as though she were searching for a way to help them instead.

That was why Jonah chose to ask such a question.

“…Jonah, you’re quite perceptive.”

“Of course he is. He’s Jonah.”

Colette gazed at Jonah with soft eyes, while Titancia, for some reason, puffed out her chest proudly.

But it seemed Jonah’s intuition had been correct.

“We Elf cannot abandon the Swart Elf, who were once our kin. That’s why I accept these tasks from my sister—no, from the Elf village.”

“So the little wooden box you brought is also something needed to reconcile with the Swart Elf?”

“Exactly.”

Titancia nodded firmly.

If that was the case, Jonah could now understand why Titancia accepted the Guild’s requests despite calling them troublesome.

However—

“But… why do the Swart Elf interfere with the Elf—no, with your work, Titancia, when you’re trying so hard for them?”

“……”

At Jonah’s question, both Titancia and Colette fell silent.

It seemed they could not answer this part.

“Well, well… in any case, that’s how it is. Cia, take this to the village.”

“What!? I wasn’t told about that. This should be delivered by the Mutual Aid Association.”

Colette added four more wooden boxes to the one Titancia brought and pushed them forward.

At that moment, Titancia openly grimaced—an unusual, unmistakable sign of refusal.

“My my… do you not care what becomes of the Swart Elf? And just when the Chief finally became willing to cooperate~”

“…You’re being unfair, Sister.”

Prodded by Colette’s taunt, Titancia grimaced and reluctantly accepted the boxes, storing them in her pouch.

It seemed Titancia had some complicated feelings toward the Elf Chief.

“Jonah, let’s go.”

“Eh?”

Titancia pulled his hand, leaving Jonah blinking in surprise.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-no, it just seems like an important mission… is it okay for an outsider like me to come along?”

“It’s no problem. Besides, you came here in the first place to meet the Chief. Two birds with one stone.”

That was true. Jonah’s goal was to meet the Elf Chief and learn the location of the Fairy Forest.

So there was no reason not to accompany her.

“Thank you. Please allow me to come with you.”

“Of course.”

“Both of you, be careful now.”

Titancia took Jonah’s hand, and the two left the Association as Colette saw them off.

“So… how will we get there?”

Jonah peered up at Titancia as he asked.

He was essentially asking whether they would walk, ride, or teleport.

“The village is protected by the Chief’s barrier. Even your ancient magic likely can’t bypass it. We’ll walk.”

“Okay.”

The two returned to the inn, prepared their belongings, and departed the capital Minga.

“Whoa… this forest is amazing…”

Two days after leaving the capital, Jonah and Titancia arrived at the entrance to the forest where the Elf village lay.

The trees were thick and overgrown, giving the impression that the forest rejected outsiders.

“Jonah, from here on, do not let go of my hand. If you do, you will get lost.”

“Yes!”

Jonah took Titancia’s hand and stepped into the forest.

Inside, the forest was dim and damp, filled with the strong scent of soil and grass.

“Look.”

Jonah squinted in the direction Titancia pointed.

“Huh…? Those trees over there look blurry…”

He rubbed his eyes and looked again, but they still appeared blurred.

“That is the Chief’s barrier. If you accidentally enter it, you might never escape.”

“W-whoa… then I really can’t let go of your hand.”

“Exactly. You must hold my hand the entire time we’re in the Forest.”

Hearing his slightly frightened response, Titancia nodded repeatedly with oddly eager enthusiasm.

Perhaps her goal all along was to scare Jonah into keeping his hand in hers.

“Come to think of it, the Swart Elf haven’t attacked us at all on the way here.”

“They can’t enter the Forest because of the barrier. And they’d never imagine we reached the capital so quickly. I bet they’re still desperately searching between Mittenberg and the capital.”

“I see.”

Because they arrived by teleportation, what should’ve taken three days took only one. The Swart Elf would never guess Jonah and Titancia were already at the Elf village’s doorstep.

Jonah nodded, satisfied with the explanation.

“We’re here.”

“Wow…!”

Beyond the forest lay a beautiful clearing filled with gentle beams of sunlight.