The town was in an uproar due to a special decree issued by the nobles.
Sharin, Philiana, and I quickly finished our shopping and headed towards the forest, where Elves were said to live. Although we could have taken a detour, we agreed that it would be unwise to waste effort.
The forest was filled with soft light, and the air was clear and calm. The leaves provided just the right amount of shade, making it cool and comfortable.
“Hey, where are we right now?”
In response to my question, Philiana spread out a map.
“Hmm, we started in Gi-Kubaiá, and now we’re in the Morning Dew Forest of Kubaiá.”
Apparently, this large continent was called Kubaiá. I had no familiarity with the land, but it was probably good to know. We continued to press onward.
We were just about to suggest taking a break when an unfamiliar male voice echoed through the quiet forest.
“What are you doing here? Leave immediately.”
When I looked in the direction of the voice, a Knight on horseback was looking down at us. He wore unblemished armor and a cloak, with a long sword sheathed at his waist.
Upon closer inspection, his ears were pointed, so he was likely one of the Elves.
“We are traveling. Could you let us pass? We want to go to the country ahead.”
“No, turn back. You cannot pass here.”
However, we couldn’t back down here.
“We are chasing Dark Elves. They are plotting something, and if we don’t hurry, more damage might occur.”
I desperately explained everything that had happened so far.
But the Elf man’s expression didn’t change at all.
“Dark Elves? They have always been around. There’s no particular problem. Leave immediately, or else.”
The man drew his sword from its sheath. Its gleaming blade, made of a material unlike iron, reflected the light and shone brightly.
“Arisugawa, this might be bad. Look around.”
As Sharin said, I glanced around and saw several Elves aiming at us with their weapons ready.
I shifted my gaze back to the man in front of me. He dismounted his horse and offered a faint smile.
“Well, well. Troublesome pests. Let’s just get rid of you for the time being.”
