We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
Escape from the Great Cleaning
“Well then, I’m off!”
“Have a good trip.”
As we were seen off by Mistral and the others, my group and I, carrying minimal baggage, set off towards the forest protected by the Light Spirits.
“You know, Older Brother got lost a lot. And then, I played a lot with Teruru-chan.”
The Light Spirit was cherishingly holding Priscilla-chan, her master.
And Priscilla-chan was holding an even younger forest spirit baby.
“Grandma, don’t spoil Pricilla too much. It’s better to let her walk on her own.”
“I understand what Lidyana is saying. However, babies cannot walk. Someone has to hold them.”
Priscilla-chan, having secured an easy means of transportation, was happily telling stories to the forest spirit.
Her mother watched her with a complex expression.
As Priscilla-chan’s mother, she surely wants her daughter to walk on her own to avoid spoiling her. But, as Grandma Yuuri said, there is the role of taking care of the forest spirit baby.
For some reason, the forest spirit baby seems to be very attached to me. I suspect that Ares-chan, the Spirit Tree Spirit, has a large influence. So, I initially offered to take care of the baby, but my offer was immediately rejected.
Of course, the one who rejected it was Ares-chan, who wanted to monopolize me.
Then, I thought about asking Grandma Yuuri or Jab if they could help with baby care, as they are used to it.
However, since they are elderly and walk with canes, I cannot ask them to travel a long distance while holding a baby.
So, what about Carly or Kate?
They are everyone’s bodyguards. They also need to be available in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Then, the remaining options were Priscilla-chan and her parents. It was Priscilla-chan who was designated by the forest spirit baby.
Although Priscilla-chan is still a small child herself, she recently started playing with Mei and seems to have developed an older sister’s disposition. So, she happily accepted the role of caretaker.
“Priscilla, don’t be rude to the forest spirit, okay? Yun-san, Rin-san, please assist her.”
“Leave it to us.”
“It’s as easy as pie.”
To Priscilla-chan’s mother’s request, Yunyun and Rinrin responded with reliable nods.
With Yunyun and Rinrin watching over us, we proceeded north from the mansion.
The role of guiding us to the forest was undertaken by the Light Spirit.
The other members heading to the forest are Grandma Yuuri of the Ear Tribe, Priscilla-chan and her parents. Also, Carly and Kate are accompanying us. And Jab and I are also invited.
Of course, though unseen, Ares-chan, Yunyun, and Rinrin, as well as the spirits who migrated from the Dragon Forest, are also with us.
It seems that everyone from the Ear Tribe decided to see the forest protected by the Light Spirit at my suggestion.
If the forest is deemed suitable for relocation, they will move in and take care of the spirits.
“But I didn’t expect Jab to come along.”
Jab, a beastman, walks alongside Grandma Yuuri. As expected of a beastman with excellent physical abilities, he walks with a steady gait despite his age and cane.
Jab turns to me and smiles.
“Since I’ve come all this way, I want to enjoy nature, rather than just relaxing at Elnea’s house.”
“When it comes to general knowledge of nature, the beast race is more knowledgeable than the Ear Tribe.”
Hou hou. While the Ear Tribe is in charge of forest and spirit care, Jab is more knowledgeable about nature as a whole.
Living in the forest requires knowledge of securing food, medicinal herbs for injuries, and various other tricks and wisdom for daily life. However, whether everything needed for life can be sustained by the forest is something you can only know by living there. In such cases, the knowledge and experience of the beast race are necessary.
Well, I think Grandma Yuuri and Jab are very close, so there’s also a part of them that just wants to be together.
So, under the pleasant weather, we walk steadily.
Why is that?
At the suggestion of the Ear Tribe, we refused the cooperation of Nimia and Revalia, who offered to carry us, and even tried to avoid using spatial jumps as much as possible.
Around the mansion, a narrow path, compacted by us and Sefina, is starting to form. But a little further away, it is untouched wild nature.
We bypass large, ancient trees and proceed while looking for places that seem easy to walk on. Nevertheless, we only use spatial jumps to cross swamps and bushes that block our path.
Jab, the only one in this group unable to use spatial jumps, held hands with Grandma Yuuri and benefited from the spatial jumps.
It seems he has experienced spatial jumps before. He doesn’t seem to feel sick.
However, it’s already this difficult, even though we haven’t been traveling for long.
“Don’t you think it would have been better to ask Nimia or Revalia to carry us until just before the forest?”
Carly shakes her head at my question.
“No, I want to feel the nature of the journey. It is important to understand how the surrounding nature exists, not just the forest we are aiming for.”
“Carly is right. Even if the forest is rich, it’s a problem if the surroundings are full of dangers or are barren land.”
Kate agrees with Carly.
“I see. So, not only the destination forest but also the surrounding environment is important. But still, traveling is difficult. If we decide to live in the forest, I’d like to create a path between the mansion and the forest. Is that okay?”
If I can use spatial jumps, there is no problem. If we ask Nimia or Revalia to help, traveling by air would not be difficult. However, for example, it would be easier and prevent getting lost if there was a path for Ruiseine and Laira to visit the forest on their own.
Priscilla-chan’s mother smiles at my suggestion.
Um, I have a bad feeling about this.
“Elnea, that role is yours.”
“Right… I knew it.”
Since it’s for my wives, I, as the head of the household, have to work hard.
That’s right. That’s right. I knew it.
“Um, Priscilla, will you help too?”
“Will you really help?”
“You know, I’m going to play with the spirits and make a path.”
“…Isn’t that going to result in a path that will absolutely not reach our destination!?”
Or rather, your true feelings of “playing” are leaking out!
Before I could interject, Priscilla-chan’s mother laid down the law.
“Priscilla, there’s no time for playing, okay? Here, you need to help your mothers. If you don’t want to, you can go back to the Dragon Forest and study.”
“Muuu…”
While being held by the Light Spirit, Priscilla-chan pouts in dissatisfaction.
The forest spirit baby imitates her and also puffs out its cheeks.
Too bad, Priscilla-chan.
Under your strict mother’s supervision, you can’t act as freely as you want.
The reason Nimia isn’t accompanying us this time is because her mother said she would definitely play if she was with us, so she couldn’t come.
So, Nimia is staying at the mansion to look after the house.
Mistral and the others said they would begin the great cleaning and tidying up in earnest today, so those who stayed behind are probably having a hard time right now.
We made our way across the ground slowly, taking breaks by the lake and having lunch on the grassland.
The Forbidden Territory had passed its peak spring bloom and was painted with colorful scenery.
The trees of the vast nature stretching as far as the eye could see were a vibrant green. Beautiful pink and yellow adorned the mountains, and the lake brilliantly reflected the blue sky and the sun’s radiance.
It might be fun to just wander in nature without any plans.
I headed towards the forest, thinking I wanted to take everyone for a stroll on a nice day next time.
And then, in the evening.
Without being attacked by dangerous creatures like monsters and magic beasts, we arrived at the forest protected by the Light Spirit.
“Is this the forest you were talking about?”
“The Bewildering Technique is not currently in effect, but this is definitely it.”
“You know, Priscilla’s charm was emitting the Bewildering Technique.”
“Priscilla-chan, please don’t activate the spell even after we enter the forest?”
“I can’t help it.”
Priscilla-chan, acting like a mother indulging her wilful child.
Who is she imitating?
Priscilla-chan’s mother wryly smiles at her daughter’s precocious gesture.
“What should we do? Shall we enter the forest now, or stay here for the night? Let’s decide.”
Kate suggests, checking if the spirits who migrated have strayed.
The sun was setting beyond the Sacred Mountain in the west.
Night would fall soon.
“That’s right. The destination is just ahead, but let’s camp here for tonight.”
Grandma Yuuri seems to hold the key decision-making power for the migrating group. So, we immediately began preparations for camping.
We piled up soil to create an enclosure. Inside the enclosure, we arranged firewood and lit a fire. We decided on the locations for our sleeping spots, softened the soil, and spread fallen leaves. It was to keep the tilled earth warm in case it got cold at night.
“Wow, Spirit Arts are convenient.”
If done by hand, even piling up soil is troublesome. But if all the work is entrusted to the spirits, it’s done in the blink of an eye.
Kate placed a pot on the embankment and started making dinner. It’s like a makeshift kiln, with only a space for air intake not covered by soil.
“Grandma, you must be tired?”
Priscilla-chan’s mother removed Grandma Yuuri’s shoes and massaged her feet, which were tired from walking all day.
After Grandma Yuuri, she also attended to Jab.
The two grandmothers seemed to be enjoying the relief from their fatigue.
“I’m going to check the surroundings.”
“Then, I will accompany you. Elnea, leave the guarding of the campsite to me.”
“Yes, I’ll handle it!”
Priscilla-chan’s father and Carly are going to patrol until dinner is ready.
They left together, side by side.
Priscilla-chan seems tired from continuously summoning the Light Spirit, and she has spread a mat on the softened ground and fallen asleep.
Of course, the forest spirit baby is also sleeping beside her.
Spirits are not supposed to need sleep, are they? Is she just imitating Priscilla-chan?
The two of them, buried in the fluffy bedding, look very comfortable.
Um, I’m very curious about that earthen bed.
I wrestle with the desire to sleep there too. But to fulfill the promise I made with Carly, I enter meditation while keeping watch on my surroundings.
Instead of visual vigilance, sensing the world through meditation allows me to detect unseen threats more sensitively.
However, there was no need for vigilance; the surroundings were safe.
Yunyun and Rinrin, who were not manifested today, were securely guarding us.
While dealing with the lively spirits as usual, they had cast a barrier around the campsite to keep any ominous presences away.
“Thank you.”
“Rather, it’s all we can do. Forgive us.”
“It’s not for Elnea, you know!”
“Yes, I know. It’s for the spirits, right?”
“Hmph.”
“Rin, your face is red?”
“Shut up, Older Sister!”
Perhaps it’s because I’m meditating. The image of Rinrin blushing and acting shy came to mind.
The spirits were teasing her.
Rinrin was running away, shouting “Kyaa!”
“Oh, you’re such a pervert.”
“Hey, Elnea. What are you fantasizing about?”
I felt the impact of her hitting my back, “bash bash,” but it was only a sensation. Since Rinrin is not manifested, there is no physical effect.
Unlike Ares-chan, you need to manifest.
As for Ares-chan, she is on my lap as usual, holding the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword and replenishing her nutrition.
I send power drawn from the Dragon Vein to Ares-chan and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword.
Ares-chan and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword receive power from me until they are full.
The spirits began to gather around me. I can sense their envy, but they don’t try to approach me.
Are they being considerate because they know Ares-chan and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword are special existences?
“I can’t help it. Just a little bit.”
Then, Grandma Yuuri, who was relaxing with tea, beckoned them.
The spirits rejoiced and gathered around Grandma Yuuri, Kate, and Priscilla-chan’s mother.
“Hey, why are you coming here? Stay put!”
Priscilla-chan’s mother shows no mercy even to the spirits.
Startled, the spirits scatter. But, undeterred, they re-gather around Priscilla-chan’s mother.
With a sigh, Priscilla-chan’s mother lets out a breath.
“Elnea, this is your fault, you know?”
“Eeeh, it’s your imagination.”
It’s good that I was meditating. I’m sure Priscilla-chan’s mother is glaring at me right now.
“Elnea, this is a favor, okay?”
“Even you, Kate-san…”
However, the damage didn’t stop there.
“This is Elnea-kun’s doing, isn’t it?”
“Elnea…”
Priscilla-chan’s father and Carly, who returned from their patrol, also became victims.
Why?
I just did my daily routine…
In the end, dinner that day was delayed.
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