We were able to reach the house of the dwarf tribe with the child’s guidance.
As we set up camp, small deer sat on their picnic sheets before us. Their mother brought food from their home in a basket. It seemed a small picnic was starting here.
“Here you go.”
“Ah, thank you.”
The father took a sandwich, and the child sat close by his mother. They began to eat without a word.
“You should eat too. I’m curious about what you’ll have.”
“W-well then, if you’ll excuse us.”
Sharing a meal is a good way to build rapport. We decided to eat the large ham given to us by the village chief’s wife. Why? Because it was so heavy and bulky! We were happy to receive it, but it was quite a struggle to carry it all this way.
“Hmm, that certainly is a ham made by giants. They eat this all by themselves, you know. Hahaha.”
“Would you like some if you’re interested?”
I gave them a portion I had cut. The child then bit into the ham, which his mother had cut for him, and devoured it immediately. Despite having a herbivore’s face, he sure loves meat. No, that’s just a prejudice.
After that, the child ate most of the ham I had given him.
“You’ll get a stomachache if you eat too much.”
Whether he was listening to his mother’s warning or not, he started eating a sandwich again. Is he still eating?
“So, what are you going to do when you go to the spring?”
“We’re going to meet the King of Spirits.”
“I’m telling you, it’s dangerous. You should stop. No one can get close to that place now. We’ve tried to purify it several times, but it’s immediately covered in darkness again.”
It seems it won’t be easy. Besides, we still haven’t seen any spirits.
“That’s right, there are a few things I wanted to ask. I heard that Hummingbird Harpies live in this forest. Do they have the power to communicate with animal spirits?”
“Yes, they are the very heart of this forest. Have you ever seen a ghost?”
“You mean something with a curse or unfinished business?”
He nodded at my words. Listening to his explanation, it seems Hummingbird Harpies are born with the power to heal the souls of evil spirits. Souls that remain in this world wander without bodies. And that state is very unstable. All the more so because they remain due to lingering regrets or strong desires.
“That’s not to say they do it intentionally. Souls that resonate with the naturally emitted aura come to them. Just as a bird stops at a tree it likes, or a puzzle piece fits, it happens suddenly one day.”
I don’t quite understand, but I suppose souls with similar wavelengths come and provide comfort when they are near.
“This forest attracts many such spiritual beings. Spirits are one of them.”
“And they are the key to the path to heaven, aren’t they?”
“I don’t know about the path to heaven, but Dark Elves are after their power. However, they can’t reach the heart directly. So they attack from the limbs.”
The father may not know, but the Dark Elves are definitely targeting the Hummingbird Harpies. They are the key to opening the door to the path to heaven. Perhaps the reason they haven’t been able to get their hands on them is because they are so powerful.
“I understand. Thank you. We will cooperate with them and fight the Dark Elves. So, please lend us your strength.”
The father doesn’t seem to fully trust us yet, but that’s fine. I wouldn’t expect him to trust a strange group that suddenly appeared.
“By the way, what race are you?”
“We are called the Puzu Tribe. We live around here. Normally, I go hunting, and my wife protects our home. We use illusion magic to keep outsiders out. It would be troublesome if bears or wolves came.”
Amazing. She can use magic? A small Puzu tribe, I’ll remember that.
“The sun is starting to set. It’s dangerous around here now. Even with illusion magic, animals have started coming in. It’s best to stay near our home.”
A wolf’s howl could be heard in the distance. We decided to do just that. We spent the night in our camp in front of their house. Even so, despite their small bodies, the dwarf tribe possesses incredible power. Even the child, I thought I couldn’t defeat him. His speed in this forest was unmatched.
If they had decided to kill me, I’m sure I would have lost easily. Now I understand why the giants and the harpies of Yukimachi Village hold them in such high regard.
