(Part 2)
Aah, I’m so tired.
As I breathed out as I sat down on my bed, Feirona, who was sitting on the other bed, looked towards me. In the morning we travel as much as we can and at nights we have decided to rest at the various villages between the capital and the Commercial city. As expected, n.o.bles don’t like to camp outside. Well, since they won’t get to bath in that case, so it’s only normal.
“You seem awfully tired today.”(elf)
“I enjoy travelling but not talking this much.”(renji)
The whole day, I had to talk about my past. Though not as much physically, but I’m really tired mentally. Because I knew this would happen, I had refused to ride the carriage with her but in the end, it didn’t matter much.
Well…….I didn’t expect even Aya to be so interested in my story as well though. I guess, she really was worried for me after I had disappeared alone. Thinking that, I felt a bit uneasy inside. I should stop, this isn’t like me. Thinking that, I cracked my neck.
“Considering that, I think you talk quite a lot even normally though?”(elf)
“That’s just when with I’m with people I know well. I may not look it, but I’m pretty anxious around strangers you know?”(renji)
“fuh, Well, I wonder how serious you are about that.”
While enjoying talking with Feirona, I moved around my body as it felt lighter after removing my equipment. Maybe because I didn’t exercise much recently while at the capital, I felt like my body had grown a bit dull.
It looks like it was the same for the blonde elf as well as he was also moving around his body as he took of his equipment, trying to release the stiffness from travelling so long.
By the way, I had handed over Ermenhilde to Aya after coming to this village. I don’t intend to use her in front of people and I do have a proper normal sword………..well, Ermenhilde really hates that though. But, I want to her to go and chat with other girls as well sometimes. Even though I’m being considerate for her, she still dislikes it.
Right now, they should be taking a bath together or something…….Wait, is it okay to put a medal inside hot water?
“So?”
“hm?”
“You said that we’ll travel to the Elfreim continent but what’s our final objective?”(elf)
Oh right, I had still not told them our final destination.
“That means, you’re accepting on the point that you’ll travel with me to the other continent?”(renji)
“Yeah. Our chief did say that I should go and be of help to you as much as I can, after all.”(elf)
By chief, he meant the chief of the elves living in the forest of magical energy, I guess. Hm, did I ever do anything to gain his favour?……..I thought but couldn’t think of anything.
Maybe I may have helped him indirectly sometime, somewhere?
“And, I’m personally interested in this journey of yours as well.”(elf)
“Oh?”
“Even when I was with you back at the Magic City, being with you turns out to be quite interesting and stimulating after all.”
“fuh……..that’s not a very different from a conservative Elf’s way of thinking, isn’t it?”
“I know.”
Elves normally don’t leave the forests that is their territory, so Feirona who often worked in the Magic City was already a bit special. And now, he’s even willing to cross over to another continent. It’s quite dynamic for an elf who normally hate any kind of change.
“Yeah, so we were talking about our objective right?”(renji)
“Well, don’t you want to negotiate the reward before that?”(elf)
“I don’t think I’d be able to win against you in that anyway.”
“That’s coming from you with the smooth tongue?”
Smiling at his joke, I looked outside the window. The sun had set and it was already dark. And the only thing lighting up this world of darkness were the faintly shining magic lamps.
The villagers walking about in that dim light seemed to be really excited. It’s probably because a big n.o.ble group had come to their inn. This village even had a big item shop, bar and a brothel as well. I can’t see it right now but I saw many adventurers go in and out of those places. They must be happy to have people in the village who would spend so much money at the same time.
Melentia-san and Ms Francesca had their household knights with them, and in the worst case, Aya was also there. They wouldn’t be in any danger, even if something sudden happened.
“For the time being, my request is for you guys to only accompany me till Merdiore. There’s a chance someone could hear us here after all.”(renji)
“I see.”
The fact that he didn’t ask anything more shows that he understood that the topic is not normal enough for others to hear. Really, this Elf is so dependable. His thinking and deduction abilities are great.
“So, what are you going to do now?”
“Let’ see. Maybe take a bath and then cool down at the bar?”(renji)
Basically, the same as usual. Feirona who knew how much I loved drinking didn’t say anything on it. If it was Ermenhilde, this where her sighing and scolding would start.
Slightly missing that as well, I really can’t be helped. I ended up bitterly smiling at myself.
“Then, tonight I’ll accompany you as well.”(elf)
“Oh, sure. It’s more fun to drink together with someone rather than alone. It’s too lonely otherwise.”
“I’m coming to keep an eye on you. If left alone, you’ll probably be lying somewhere drunk.”
Huh? Wait, why am I being thought of as a bad drunk now??
I haven’t drunk till I dropped in……..quite a long time now though.
“……..While in the middle of a job, even I won’t drink that much, you know?”(renji)
“I wonder about that. Weren’t you drinking last night as well?”
Saying that, Feirona left the room with a wry smile. He was holding a change of clothes under his arm. Bringing out a set of new clothes from my bag as well, I followed after him.
Other than the shared room me and Feirona were using, the second floor also had private rooms which were slightly more costly. They were the few rooms at the end of the corridor. At the door, a knight was standing. Then that must be Melentia-san’s room. Originally Ms Francesca was also supposed to have her own room, but then Mururu would be left out so they shared a room as well. And Aya and Solnea were sharing another room. At their doors as well, knights were standing.
Am I the only one who finds that to be weird instead. At least, Aya was making a troubled face as well. It would be fine if it was well built room like in the castle but wouldn’t sound pa.s.s through since the walls and doors are wooden?
“What’s wrong?”(elf)
“nah, it’s nothing.”
Did he find me looking at the knights to be weird as Feirona stopped and spoke up to me, but I shook my head. Well, I doubt they would converse about anything that should not be heard. And if she was really troubled by it, she’d come ask either me or Ms Francesca. And , all said and done, Aya is used to such a lifestyle as well. She wouldn’t care since it’s only for a few days.
“Also I overslept this morning because last night, I drank and made someone drink something weird along with the alcohol that’s all.”(renji)
“What do you mean?”(elf)
“Well, lots of things happened. Really, a lot……..”
When I said that, he realized that it wasn’t something that he should ask deeper about so he left it there.
Just like that, we headed towards the bathhouse on the first floor. Since there were many customers other than us as well, it was pretty crowded. Since not every house in a village would have a bath, there are even villagers who use this inn’s bathhouse…….It reminded me of the public-baths of our world. No, since there was no roof, I guess I should call it an open air bath. Since the female section was on the other side of a big wooden wall, it made it even more similar.
Without minding it much, as I took of my clothes, a slight commotion arose inside. The reason was my own body. My whole body was covered with numerous scars. Since I could feel the gazes, I could tell.
“This isn’t the first time, but really, that is incredible.”(elf)
“Not really.”
Any adventurer who has gone through a lot of hard battles would have such a body filled with scars in my opinion. Thinking that, I looked down at my own body. Most of the scars here were left by the Demon G.o.d Nayfell. The rest are from times when I wasn’t with Yayoi-chan, but most of them are from Nayfell.
Since I didn’t have my own magical energy, even with Yayoi-chan’s abilities, my wounds were hard to heal so the wounds given by Nayfell remained prominently. The power granted by the G.o.ddess and the Demon G.o.d’s power itself. Comparing a granted power to a G.o.d’s own power, it’s clear which would be stronger. And since I was even more difficult to heal, the scars remained.
Well, to a man, scars were a medal of honour. I thought of it optimistically like that. Though sometimes, in fact many a times, it ruins the mood though.
“Now, if I had a few on the face as well, I’d look really cool.”(renji)
“Fuh, you don’t change no matter where you are, don’t you?”
“I’ve just gotten used to it that’s all. It’s important to get used to others seeing you with curiosity after all.”
That said, Feirona’s body was completely clear. On his pure white skin, typical to elves, there was not a single scar. Elves have high self-healing abilities and taking the help of the spirits, they could even further enhance that ability so this was obvious. Here, rather than feeling envious, I felt like I’d won at something more; I must really have gone crazy.
After taking off my clothes, and washing down my body, I dipped myself into the big bath that could let almost 10 people in at the same time. It must be a magician taking care of bath as even with so many people inside, the water was still crystal clear. It’s temperature was perfect as well.
“Fuu……..”
Why do humans leak out a voice whenever they enter a bath I wonder. Submerging myself till the shoulders, I thought of that.
Aah, I can feel my tiredness get washed away. As expected, taking a bath after a long journey is a blissful experience. And drinking after washing away your fatigue is even better. I’m so excited that I can’t wait.
Ermenhilde isn’t here with me either so I can enjoy without restraint. While I was relaxing myself like that, Feirona also entered the bath a little s.p.a.ce away from me. So as to not let his long hair get wet, he had tied them above his head with his towel. Looking at just his face, mixed with the beauty of elves, he really looked like a woman.
“At first I didn’t really understand why you liked resting your body in hot water so much but, certainly, this is really comfortable.”(elf)
“I know right? Whoever thought of baths the first time was a genius.”
“Yeah, true.”
A few kids, probably from the village were running about inside. And it looked like the adults who were probably meant to look over them weren’t here either so it was pretty lively inside.
Well, this is also one of the charms of a public bath indeed. When, my gaze went towards the wooden wall separating our bath with the women’s.
“What? Curious about that side?”(elf)
“………in your head, just what kind of problematic guy am I?”
And, what does he mean by ‘curious’? I am interested in women but I don’t have a hobby of peeking at women whose names I don’t even know. And such a joke wouldn’t sit well with Melentia-san or Ms Francesca. And Aya wouldn’t hesitate to throw me in a pitfall as usual or blow me away with less powerful spell. In either case, I’ll end up with injuries. In Mururu and Solnea’s case……..I don’t know. I feel like those would give no reaction even if they were seen. At least, Solnea wouldn’t.
“Sorry, but I’ll get out first.”(elf)
While I was thinking about their reactions, Feirona stood up beside me and left the water. He’s still not used to these so can’t stay inside very long.
Then, thinking maybe I should as well, I stood up. After all, it’s pretty lonely to be here all alone. Even though back then it was normal for me. In the past, Souichi and others were really embarra.s.sed to enter the bath together. Well they were in that kind of age so it’s normal but I wonder since when was it that they got used to coming with me?
While thinking of that, I finished changing clothes. Putting my dragon bone knife on my belt for emergency purposes, my clothes other than that were a normal set of light tunic and trousers. It was the same for Feirona.
“Well then, let’s go drinking shall we?”(renji)
“Yeah. Seriously, only at such times do you sound so lively.”(elf)
“It’s one of the greatest pleasures of travelling, drinking and eating a village’s tasty dishes, that is.”
“I guess that’s very like you, seriously.”
While hearing Feirona’s amazed voice, we walked out into the night village while laughing. Sometimes, being alone with a guy isn’t that bad either. Since Ms Francesca and Mururu were always with us till now, looks like tonight should be fun.