We added the Elf girl, Cecilia, as our companion.
We left the Elf village behind and walked with Cecilia, our new companion, in front of us. She still didn’t spare us a glance and continued to walk ahead.
“How is everyone doing? Don’t your injuries hurt?”
Piyo answered my question with a smile, saying she was fine. Philiana and Sharin were, of course, also energetic. Pauline had nicely mended my torn cloak.
“You’re good at sewing, aren’t you?”
“Heh, I made these clothes myself. They were originally a single piece of cloth.”
When I praised her, Pauline’s eyes narrowed happily.
“Nina, you seem to be not good at sewing.”
Nina denied Philiana’s words, saying, “I can do it too.” She did indeed seem bad at it.
“You probably get frustrated because you can’t do it well.”
Everyone laughed at Piyo’s remark. Nina looked displeased but didn’t deny it, perhaps because she knew it was true. As we were talking and walking, a voice suddenly called from overhead.
“Stop right there!”
I looked up to see someone drawing a bow in a tree. And they weren’t alone. Others were hidden in the shadows of the trees and in the bushes. We had been surrounded without realizing it. The young man in the tree quickly and silently descended to the ground and approached us. In response, we drew our swords and became vigilant.
The young man, like the Satyr we had met before, had a human upper body, but with short fur and slender, deer-like legs. His body was thin, giving him an overall slender, model-like physique.
“What are you all doing here?”
As Cecilia stepped forward in front of us, the half-beast youth hastily put away his bow.
“I apologize. I never expected you to be companions of the Elves.”
The others who had surrounded us also gathered and bowed their heads.
“Hmph, are your eyes blind?”
Cecilia lifted her chin and walked forward. After she passed, a clicking of the tongue could be heard from behind.
“Excuse me, we’d like to pass through.”
“No, our apologies. We had no idea there was a Sphinx here as well. How rude of us.”
He bowed his head again.
“If you wish to pass through this forest, I would be happy to guide you.”
Saying so, the youth dismissed his companions and followed us.
