I decided to ask a Satyr woman nearby about the commotion in town.
Nina went to the person lying on the box, with their legs sprawled out, and shouted in a loud voice.
“Hey, wake up already! You there, Satyr!”
The person called Satyr was indeed not human; their lower body was split like a goat’s, covered in hooves and long hair. She looked like a woman, but her hair was disheveled, her limbs were carelessly thrown about, and near her lay an empty wine bottle.
“Hey, I said hey.”
Nina grabbed her shoulder and roughly shook her. Upon closer inspection, two small horns peeked out from her messy hair.
Then, the Satyr let out a groan and slowly began to wake up.
“Ugh, ah, my back hurts. Huh? Where am I?”
“You’re finally awake. What’s with all this commotion?”
She brushed the hair from her face and looked at us dazedly.
“Here, have some water.”
When Philiana offered her water, the Satyr drank it down in gulps.
“Ahhh, thank you. By the way, who are you people? Are you the owners of this land? Did I do something again?”
I explained that we were travelers and had just arrived in town.
“I see, so that’s why it’s so lively. It’s, uh, what was it called… A ridiculously large bounty was offered, something about a spoiled prince from that big neighboring country, right?”
Her explanation was fragmented and a bit unclear, but I gathered it meant adventurers were gathering to aim for the high bounty posted by the neighboring country’s prince.
“Isn’t that country the place we’re heading towards?”
I pointed to the map.
“Yeah, yeah, this place, uh, what was his name, some prince or other.”
“Well, at least we know the cause of the commotion. Thanks. We’ll be heading towards the forest ahead now.”
As I stood to leave after bidding farewell to the Satyr, she called out to us.
“Wait, are you guys heading through the forest ahead? No, no, absolutely not. This forest is ruled by the elves.”
According to her, adventurers rarely approached it. But elves… if my image of them was correct, they might cooperate if I explained the reason for our journey.
