Chapter 16 -
After asking the kids for help, they began to bring us the creatures they caught while playing outside which we then passed to Baretta in the morning for her to look after.
The creatures that were lacking in numbers were made to reproduce until their number reached the standard volume in our house, after which we set them free in the woods where we planted trees and springs.
In just around a month, the number of small animals increased to some extent after we transferred them to the «Empty Wilderness».
We basically had everything set up and all we could do now was pray that those creatures we moved into the «Empty Wilderness» managed to settle down.
“Now it would be perfect if the creatures formed their own ecosystem naturally.”
To make it easier for the creatures to travel from one place to another, we also devised a plan to form a forest path from the central region of the «Empty Wilderness» to the boundary of the barrier that was close to the Iska Kingdom and Gard Beastkin Nation. Baretta and the other service dolls were now planting trees on the said routes.
We also didn't neglect the mines and went around smashing the colony of those insect monsters during the day. The number of insect monster corpses we acquired already surpassed 50,000.
Two months had passed since we came to this town, and in this time we were able to exterminate around 90% of the monsters inhabiting the mines. The only monsters left were the ones in the deepest region.
As we prepared to dive into the last stratum, I also sealed that region with my barrier to prevent new monsters from popping out in the already cleared areas.
We used several days to get ready for our next advance.
Today, we left the mine early for a break since we were getting ready to storm the final region however we didn't find the usual dwarven vigilante corps stationed around the mine's entrance but we instead saw black smoke rising from all over the town.
"Majou-sama, is that a fire!?"
"Ths smoke rising from all over town is strange! This, it's a fire that’s been intentionally set up by someone! Let's hurry!"
I took out my magic broom from the magic bag and rode it back to the town with Teto.
The broom's speed was much faster than the flying carpet, and when we reached the town, we saw buildings all over in fire and dwarven vigilante corps confronting the bandits.
"Teto, I'm leaving the bandits to you! I'm going to put out the fire and treat the injured!"
"Leave it to me!"
After saying that, Teto jumped off the broom and made the bandits faint with just one punch.
"Time for me to do my work. «Heavy Rain»! «Air Control»! «Area Heal»!"
I made heavy rainfall in a limited range by creating a huge water sphere above the burning building while controlling the air around the surroundings to get rid of oxygen to extinguish the fire. And I simultaneously activated healing magic towards the dwarven vigilante corps.
"Chise-chan! Teto-chan!?"
"Are you alright, everyone!? Tell me the situation!"
I lowered the altitude of the magic broom while the dwarven vigilante corps was looking at our arrival in surprise and asked them about the situation.
"Those bandits suddenly came and attack the town! We tried to stop them but their numbers were a bit more than ours and some of them started the fire!"
"I understand. Then please cooperate with Teto to deal with the bandits! I'm going to treat the injured so please confirm the safety of the shopkeeper and proprietress!"
After saying that, they went around neutralizing the bandits.
The residents had taken refuge in the town's assembly hall and the injured were also taken there.
"Let's treat the injured... Oh, there aren’t many injured, and no one’s gravely injured either. A potion would be enough for an injury of that degree."
I took out potions from the magic bag and just as I was healing the injured and dividing the work between the other uninjured residents, a member of the dwarven vigilante corps who had followed me reported about the safety of the residents.
"Chise-chan! I found the children!"
"You found them, great! Well......"
Along with the report, the member of the vigilante corp also brought the kids I was familiar with. They were the siblings of the kids who regularly brought captured creatures for the «Empty Wilderness» to me.
Seeing me, those kids raise their voices while crying.
"*Soooob*! Bro... Brother had gone to the fo-forest! He said… he said he was going to capture animals that, that will surprise big sister and get him lots of swee, *hick* sweet thingsss, *sob*!"
"They… they went with sis Arim but, *hick* they haven't come back *sob*!"
I assumed they didn't take these kids to the forests since they were even younger than Arim-chan. Either way, if they had gone to the forest then I had to hurry up.
"Thank you for telling me. I’m going to bring them back."
I flashed a smile to reassure the children, but I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt realizing that those kids had been exposed to danger because of me.
(Maybe the kids wouldn't have gone to the forest in a large group had I not requested them to catch some animals and insects......)
But that forest was a safe area where children would often visit to look for edible plants.
They could still go there for another reason even if I didn’t give them my request...... Nevertheless, I still felt it was my responsibility so I left the town's assembly hall and headed to the forest under the guidance of a vigilante corps member.
"一一«Earth Sonar»! The kids are over there!"
I looked for signs of the kids on the ground surface using earth magic and found their whereabouts.
The kids were running as if escaping from something and then they clung to me with desperate expressions as soon as they saw me.
"Uncle, Chise-chan! Help! Attacked! Arim-chan and others are being attacked!"
I immediately sensed the situation worsening at their remarks and looked up at the sky.
(T/N - Well, you guys might feel that starting some para is kinda obscure or whacky. I also didn't get the meaning of some lines what author actually meant by that analogy, so I'm for now leaving as in author's words.)
