Hiroaki overheard a completely unexpected treatment method.
The next morning, we decided to pack our luggage and depart. Donner, who was being treated at the clinic, would likely return to the forest quickly once his injuries healed. Let’s hope they both find lasting happiness.
Honestly, I wanted to recover a bit more stamina, but I couldn’t fall behind Auroa. We were already delayed. And that delay had now become a significant burden.
“Eh, you’re leaving me behind?! No way!”
He clung to Sharin, refusing to let go. There was no way I could bring this guy along.
“But you can’t betray Lady Auroa, can you?”
“Urk, well, that’s true. But, but I can’t go back home either. Lady Auroa calmed the sea so we could pass, but there are no ships to take me back now.”
He sniffled, and I wasn’t sure if he was crying real tears or not. It’s true, we landed on this island, but we can’t leave. Speaking of which, how are we going to escape? Well, that’s for later; we’ll figure something out.
“Stay in this village for a while. You might learn some manners.”
“Hmph, what do you mean by that? I know a lot about table manners!”
Even as he said that, what lay ahead was far more challenging than mere table manners. Besides, if Sharin kept bothering her, her morale would drop. He shouted and wailed, but we left him behind.
The forest felt much more comfortable than when we first arrived. The ominous silence was gone, and I no longer felt the killing intent of being targeted.
I took out the compass given to me by the Mermaid Princess and checked the direction of the needle. The needle pointed in a single direction. The White Rose, is this Auroa’s goal? Blitz said it was a giant Magic Stone. Since it’s protected on this island, it must be quite enormous.
As we walked in a line through the forest, something golden glinted amidst the green. Sharin spotted it and pricked up her ears.
“Hmm, what is it?”
“Heh heh, hi. It’s me.”
A child of a Servitaurus, who had saved me before, jumped out from the bushes.
“Thank you for the other time. You saved me. You’re incredibly fast.”
“Yeah, because I’m a descendant of Kelyneia.”
As expected, he wasn’t an ordinary Servitaurus. He must be an Ancient Species. He darted around us as we walked.
“They say it’s a very fast deer that the Goddess kept. When a messenger of God descended to the ground, I received some of that deer’s power. That’s me.”
“Wow, amazing, a divine deer.”
“Hey, where are you heading?”
I showed him the compass. The boy looked at it with wonder.
“There’s a White Rose at the tip of this needle. Apparently, it’s in the Land of Sweets.”
I felt embarrassed saying it myself. What is the Land of Sweets? But the boy didn’t laugh; he looked completely normal.
“You can’t go there by going straight ahead.”
“Huh? Why? This compass says it’s straight ahead.”
“If you go straight, you’ll reach a large waterfall, and you won’t be able to climb it.”
According to the boy, the Land of Sweets we were aiming for was on elevated land. The mages probably placed it high up to keep it out of human hands.
“Then, from where?”
“We’ll take a detour.”
The gate we go through is the back path. So that’s what this poem means. We won’t be able to enter by going head-on. And the beasts of paradise, Treasure Beastmen. The youth I met before was one of them. He had beautiful golden fur on his back. I wonder if there are many people like him.
The boy expertly leaped over bushes, guiding us.
“Can we reach it by taking that back path?”
“Yeah, I’ve been there before. But I don’t know if everyone can enter. Because, you see, it’s obvious I’m a resident of this island, right?”
Ah, I see. Even if we reach it, they might not open the gate. Anyway, this poem is for Treasure Beastmen heading to their homeland.
“How long will it take from here?”
“Hmm, you guys are slow, so maybe a day? Or two?”
“In that case, you shouldn’t follow us. Your father will worry.”
I actually wanted him to guide us, but this child is still young. It would be troublesome if he were mistaken for being kidnapped.
“Hmm, then should I call my father over?”
“No, I’ll guide you.”
Blitz appeared from the trees. Is he okay even this early in the morning? The boy from Kelyneia leaped up and hid behind me.
“I won’t attack you anymore. Besides, I haven’t laid a hand on you. Well, whatever, go back to your family.”
“Bye-bye, see you later!”
The boy ran off into the forest at incredible speed. The thought of him riding that made me shudder. It’s amazing he didn’t crash into a tree.
“Is everything okay at home?”
“Yeah, I left the Jagged Rock behind. We managed to get some prey, though it was scarce. I want to repay you somehow.”
Is it okay to trust him so easily? Well, if he’s going to guide us, I’ll gratefully accept his favor.
