Foothills of Dragon Peak, we live.
The Girl in the West
The next morning.
I stretched out, tidied myself up, and left my sleeping quarters.
I was very satisfied with how much I was able to talk with the witch, whom I had thought would be difficult to converse with, more than I had expected.
Leaving the grounds of the building, I headed to the bonfire spot where everyone gathered and found the witch and Ares-chan there.
Ares-chan, of all people, was sitting on the witch’s lap. When did they become such close friends!
Ares-chan is a spirit, so she doesn’t need sleep. But she should have gone to bed with me.
I was betrayed, though in a different sense than yesterday.
And what was truly astonishing was…
Ares-chan, already with a purple sweet potato in her hand, was happily munching on it… no, that’s not it.
Beside the witch and Ares-chan, a black-haired woman was sitting.
Perhaps feeling a bit chilly, she had the reddish-black fur she had worn even while sleeping draped over her lap. And she was watching Ares-chan’s delicious-looking sweet potato with a gentle smile.
Her long, black eyelashes were the same color as her hair. Her eyes were slit-shaped. Her skin was white.
While the witch was of supreme beauty, this black-haired woman was also a peerless beauty.
“Good morning.”
Perhaps noticing me, the black-haired woman stood up and greeted me politely.
I hurriedly returned the greeting.
It felt somewhat like being in front of Ruiseine. Even though I wasn’t being forced, I felt compelled to respond politely.
At my formal greeting, the black-haired woman narrowed her eyes and smiled gently.
I don’t know why, but just that smile healed me.
It was a smile full of compassion, perhaps. It reminded me of the smile of Yashura, the Head Miko of the Armēdo Kingdom.
“Um. My name is Elnea Eris.”
“I am…”
When I introduced myself, the black-haired woman glanced at the witch for a moment. Then, she introduced herself with a hint of apology in her voice.
“…Ada.”
A false name, perhaps?
Just as I am in the Forbidden Territory, I believe these people have their various circumstances. That might be why she can’t reveal her real name. I have no intention of prying into such matters out of curiosity.
Even if Ada’s name is a pseudonym, her apologetic demeanor makes it forgivable. Ada seems like a kind person, perhaps not good at lying.
“Nice to meet you.”
When I casually extended my hand, she generously shook it.
Her fingers were slender. Looking at her, her wrists and neck visible from her clothes, and her thin waist that was apparent even through her clothes, gave a delicate impression. But that was a complete mistake.
After all, she was taller than me!
Perhaps she was as tall as Mistral?
And the hand that gripped mine, though slender, was powerful.
“Now, there’s breakfast today. Elnea, could you wake up the Master for me?”
“Because they stayed up late…”
Last night, Micheila-chan was awake until around the same time as me.
I wondered if she could wake up, but today, she was easily lured by breakfast.
We all had a lively breakfast together.
Once we were full, Nazaria-san began processing meat from yesterday and preparing wild grasses and fruits for preservation. Today, Ayura-san seemed to be helping, and they started working busily.
“So, Elnea, what are you going to do?”
Seijim-san asked me with a wicked grin, as if plotting something.
“I have to hunt a bit more of what Nazaria-san asked for… and…”
I also wanted to gather the materials the witch mentioned last night.
“Ada.”
The witch called out to Ada, perhaps to help Nazaria-san.
“You go hunt with Elnea.”
“…I’d like to go home as soon as possible, though?”
“It’s for a change of pace. You should learn to relax once in a while.”
Apparently, going hunting with me is supposed to be a change of pace for her.
“Well then, shall we go together?”
When I smiled and invited her, Ada glared at the witch for a moment and let out a sigh.
Since Ada is here today, spatial jump is probably prohibited. But if that’s the case, how am I supposed to find the Thread of a Thousand-handed Spider and the Tear of the Evil Dragon…
First of all, where can I even get those two things!
They’re supposed to be a reward, but they’re difficult collection items, and I don’t even have a clue.
Is this really a reward?
Despite my doubts, I don’t neglect my preparations. However, since I don’t use bows and arrows or traps, I only received lunch for three people from Nazaria-san.
Then, holding the hand of the full young girl Ares-chan, I walked out of the ruined village alongside Ada.
Seijim-san and Azeilan-san saw us off with smiles.
Those two are definitely planning to steal our spoils again today.
They are bad people.
“Ada-san, be careful. Those two will steal our prey.”
“Understood. I will be careful.”
Nodding, Ada-san was empty-handed, just like me.
No, she’s more nimble than I am!
I have my White Sword and Spirit Tree Wooden Sword. Ares-chan is also with me. However, Ada-san doesn’t even have a weapon for self-defense.
She has the reddish-black fur tied around her waist. Apparently, the black animal’s hide had red fur growing on it, which made it look reddish-black. It seems to be an outerwear made from the hide of a beast.
When Ada-san was unconscious, she wore this fur as a blanket, so I couldn’t tell what she was wearing, but…
The attire of Ada-san walking beside me is very high-quality. The hem and collar are made of blue fabric. It was embroidered with gold and silver thread and intricate patterns. At first glance, it’s clear she’s not an ordinary person.
But even with the use of gold and silver thread, it doesn’t look vulgar at all.
Rather, it’s solemn…
Doesn’t this resemble what Ruiseine and Madrine wear?
No, it might even be more exquisite than what Head Miko Madrine wears.
“Something wrong?”
“Ah, sorry!”
I was staring too intently.
I apologized to Ada-san, who was looking at me with a questioning expression.
Ada-san didn’t seem to mind and offered me that compassionate smile again.
But how will Ada-san hunt prey without bows, arrows, or weapons?
Ah, I see.
I’ll hunt the animals, and Ada-san can gather wild grasses and fruits.
I think the witch sent her along with that intention.
Indeed, picking mushrooms and nuts would be a good distraction.
“Then, let’s hunt for animals while looking for fruits and such.”
Sensing their presence, I detected the presence of small animals ahead in the grassland.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t sense Seijim-san and Azeilan-san, but for now, let’s try to aim for the prey.
So, I hid my presence and proceeded cautiously.
Naturally, as expected.
Ada-san also hid her presence.
As expected of someone the witch would accompany.
I crouched and moved through the grass.
With spatial jump, I could close the distance instantly, but I thought I should go a little further. At that moment.
As expected, Azeilan-san appeared by spatial jump near the prey’s presence.
“Uooh!”
But it was Azeilan-san who screamed!
Before I knew it, Ada-san had closed the distance and thrown him.
Flowing movements.
Speed unnoticed by the eye.
It was very similar to Jiludo-san’s movements.
Azeilan-san, thrown into the air, spun nimbly in mid-air despite his surprised scream and landed gracefully.
“Mumumu. You’re quite good, young lady.”
“Likewise. To leap that distance in one go, impressive.”
Ada-san was smiling, but Azeilan-san’s face was contorted.
“…Could it be?”
Left behind by the situation, I tentatively asked Ada-san.
“Could it be that Ada-san can sense the presence of Azeilan-san and Seijim-san?”
“The other one is in the forest below, watching us.”
Oh, Goddess.
What a thing.
I have absolutely no idea, yet Ada-san grasps the situation precisely.
In other words.
Ada-san is more amazing than I am.
“You’re quite capable. Well then, I suppose I’ll have to get a bit more serious too.”
With that, Azeilan-san disappeared from our front.
…No, no, no! This isn’t a match or a test of skill!
What do you mean, “get serious”…
The exchange between Ada-san and Azeilan-san caused the prey’s presence, which I had felt nearby, to escape.
We looked at each other, disappointed, and started descending the sacred mountain in search of our next prey.
“Hey, hey, Ada-san.”
“Yes?”
“How do you sense the presence of Azeilan-san and the others?”
I’m very curious!
Ada-san doesn’t seem particularly agitated, nor does she seem to be listening to the voices of all things. Yet, the technique for accurately grasping the presence of those extremely wicked Mimicho Race people is mysterious to me.
“How, you say…”
As we walked through the grassland, Ada-san placed a slender, beautiful finger on her chin and pondered for a moment.
“Among my family, there’s someone who can perfectly conceal their presence. No matter how hard I try, I can’t sense them at all. Even now, I can’t sense the presence of Seijim-san or Azeilan-san at all.”
“They are Mimicho Race, so I don’t think it’s something to be ashamed of if you can’t sense their presence?”
“Perhaps. But I want to be able to sense it. Otherwise, I’ll be in trouble from now on. So if there’s a way, I want to know it.”
This technique probably can’t be mastered easily. But just hearing it won’t help me learn it, so I think it’s a mistake not to seek the answer.
Well, I feel a bit guilty about seeking knowledge that depends on others.
Still, I need any superior technique or knowledge I can get right now.
Ada-san met my earnest gaze and then opened her mouth, saying, “If that’s the case…”
“When I was little, I was taught by a Mimicho Race member.”
“Ada-san, you’ve also interacted with the Mimicho Race?”
“Yes, for a short period. And… until I met her, there was someone near me whose presence I couldn’t sense no matter how hard I tried, just like Elnea.”
It seems I am currently in the same situation as Ada-san was in her childhood.
Just who is this person?
“Elnea said you ‘sense presence,’ right?”
“Yes. Though I can’t sense Seijim-san and the others.”
“I used to do that too. But that’s apparently wrong.”
“Wrong?”
“Yes. The act of ‘sensing presence’ itself is mistaken.”
“Hmmmm, I don’t understand.”
Tilting my head, I tried to decipher the meaning of Ada-san’s words. Ares-chan was imitating me. Seeing that, Ada-san offered a gentle smile.
“As Elnea said. Some people can completely conceal their presence. Even if they are right next to you, you can’t sense their presence.”
“Yes. That’s right. When I first met Lyra, there were times when I couldn’t sense her presence even though she was right beside me…”
“The presence of those who possess the technique to completely erase their presence cannot be sensed, no matter what. Because it cannot be sensed, some say they have no presence at all.”
“Ughh. But Ada-san, you sensed the presence of Azeilan-san and the others, right? Doesn’t that mean you have a higher ability to sense presence than those who have completely erased theirs?”
When I voiced my doubt, she casually denied it.
“As I said again, there are those who completely erase their presence. The presence of such individuals can never be detected.”
“Then how do you sense the presence of Seijim-san and Azeilan-san?”
We descended the gentle slope of the sacred mountain and entered the forest.
I held Ares-chan in my arms and pushed through the branches and leaves on the pathless forest, so that Ada-san, following behind me, could walk more easily.
“What I was taught was… not to try and sense those without presence, but to ‘feel the world.’”
At Ada-san’s words, I involuntarily stopped and looked back.
“Feel the world… Does that mean sensing the dragon veins, feeling the wind, or feeling the warmth of the earth?”
“Dragon veins? …Ah, Elnea is from this region. I was taught ‘spirit veins.’”
Old Man Sleigsta mentioned that first.
Dragonfolk and dragons call it “dragon veins,” but some people call it “spirit veins.”
“Just as Elnea says. The world is full of diverse presences.”
If I take a deep breath, I can feel the presence of the forest. When I ride on Revalia or Nimia’s back, I can feel the presence of the sky and the wind.
Ada-san was telling me to feel these breaths of the world.
“You cannot sense those without presence. However, around those without presence, there are diverse presences filling the air. Then, what happens? The wind blows. The wind tries to flow naturally, but when it hits someone who has suppressed their presence, it creates an unnatural flow.”
“It’s like the wind eddies in a place where there should be nothing, right?”
“Yes. Then, what happens if someone without presence is on a tree branch?”
“Hmmm. The branch might bend under a weight that shouldn’t be there… I see. If they put their feet on the ground, insects might avoid them, or the grass might be crushed. If they were in the water, it might interfere with the flow of water or the swimming of fish.”
A shock, as if struck by lightning, ran through my entire body.
How long has it been?
Perhaps since I first felt the dragon veins?
Things that are close and natural. Not just dragon veins. The flow of wind, the warmth of the earth, the breath of the trees, the activities of birds and insects. They are close, yet distant. The presence of nature has always provided us with a lot of information. But we’ve taken it for granted that it’s abundant in nature, so we don’t consciously notice it.
My family and I have the ability to hear the voices of all things. But beyond that, it’s important to be able to sense the presences that fill the world, not just their voices.
“I see. Instead of searching for those without presence, we must find the anomalies among the presences that fill the world.”
This is what it means to have scales fall from my eyes!
It’s not that my previous technique of sensing presence was wrong. But if I want to reach a higher level, this is a technique and a mindset I must acquire.
“Thank you!”
I took Ada-san’s hands and thanked her deeply.
Ada-san was surprised by my sudden grip, but she smiled and said, “You’re welcome.”
“Was this advice alone enough?”
“Yes. It’s more than enough. The rest is up to my own effort.”
“I see. Do your best.”
“By the way, Ada-san, how long did it take you to master that teaching?”
“In my case, the environment and timing were special… About half a day?”
“Impossible, impossible, that’s impossible!”
Fearsome, Ada-san.
I’ve also grasped a solid clue, but I don’t think I can master this in even half a day!
However, even if half a day is impossible, I’ll do my best to master it while I’m staying in the Forbidden Territory.
I looked up at the distant sky and made a firm resolution.
“Do your best, do your best.”
Ares-chan cheered me on from my chest.
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