Vol 4: Chapter 61
The next action we took was to process the goat meat as emergency food for the underground people. The dark elf tribe was full of muscular warriors, so they were able to carry huge chunks of meat on both shoulders.
「I’m sorry… I know you guys aren’t in a position to help us after what happened.」the Hundredman chief said, and tried to bow.
「We’re all going through the same crisis.」Knock-san said, stopping the Hundredman chief from bowing.「Don’t lose your pride. Your companions will get uneasy.」
「…Ah, right.」
Then the underground people left.
Just before leaving, the Hundredman chief looked at Nicky-san as if wanting to say something, but she didn’t seem to notice him as she was lecturing the men on how to cook.
It was decided that about 10 dark elves, including Knock-san, will carry the meat.
This amount of meat would surely be inadequate, but even so, when the underground people realise there is meat, surely they will offer to transport it. After that they can make as many round trips as they like.
「Even the body of a giant isn’t enough to sustain for too long if people start eating it.」the chieftain muttered with deep emotion.
On a side note, the early summer bird’s meat is tastier than the Forest Eater’s, so it was stored as preserved food.
「Erhm, what should I do, nu?」Kimidori Gorn-san asked.
「We will head to the early summer bird “egg storage”.」
I also wanted to help when I witnessed the tragedy that befell the dark elf village. However, the dark elves had already declared that they will “follow the High Elf”, and were prepared to abandon the village.
Therefore, all I have to do is find a way to return to the “Front World” as soon as possible.
For that, I definitely have to ascertain the【World Alliance】skill orb.
「I will follow you this time too.」Asha said.
「A-Alright…」I said.
Asha was also eager to go to the “egg storage”.
Since waking up, she persistently stayed within a 1 meter radius of me. That was kind of troubling when I had to use the toilet. And for some reason, she repeatedly glanced at my neck and confirmed the thickness of my neck with her hands. …I wonder what all that is about. It’s sort of scary.
「R-Reiji-san, can you take me too!?」
Punta-san called out. He didn’t sustain too many injuries, but the effects of his physical exhaustion were quite significant. To be honest, the journey to the “egg storage” in this condition would be tough for him.
「…Do you really want to come?」I asked.
Punta-san nodded deeply in response.
I heard about what had happened while I was away. He headed to the “egg storage” without permission and encountered the underground troop led by the Hundredman chief.
He went to the place where he was told not to go. It’s something you should never do in this world where death is always lurking around every corner.
He tried to remember where he hid the skill orb, and failed again. He was most likely trying to do the same thing even now.
The chieftain was actually twitching around as if wanting to give him a scolding. The only reason he hasn’t said anything was because Asha was letting me decide.
I am sure the chieftain will surely stop Punta-san, but–
「Okay, let’s go.」
「Eh? Really!?」
「Yes.」
It would probably be better if I don’t bring Punta-san along. Besides, I don’t need his help anymore. However… I remembered the first time I met Punta-san.
He was sitting in one corner of his room.
In a village full of machos, he was the only one with a round, squishy body.
「Hmm? What is it, nu? Why are you looking at me, Reiji?」
He was the same as Kimidori Gorn-san.
Although Kimidori Gorn-san’s research seemed completely useless, he decided to contribute by learning sorcery and creating a bathhouse for the city.
Moreover, even his “Dead or Alive” research seems to be useful in this situation.
I am sure Punta-san had an inferiority complex about his body. But for the first time, he thought he could be of help, and raised his hand to contribute. I can’t ignore those feelings.
「Alright! Let’s go!」
We then left the dark elf village.
**
There was an unsettling atmosphere as we approached the “egg storage”.
「There they are… in the sky. It is rare that there is no flock, though.」Punta-san said.
Several early summer birds were flying around. Early summer birds, which are supposed to always form a flock, flying alone can be said to be an abnormal situation.
「According to the story of the underground people, the Human Mimic ate the flock, right?…I wonder if it is the natural predator of the early summer birds?」I asked.
「I don’t know. The giants rarely come here. Even if they come, they are usually only seen in the distance, so everyone stays quiet in the village on those days. They usually disappear the next day. I wonder why both the Human Mimic and the Forest Eater come to this place at the same time?」Punta-san said.
「According to that logic, I wonder if the Human Mimic is gone?」
「If it decides that there is nothing else to eat, it might have gone away. The Forest Eater eats vegetation, but the Human Mimic seems to eat only meat.」
「Hmm……?」
It’s strange, after all.
Even if we assumed that the early summer birds are the Human Mimic’s favourite food, and it appeared because the underground people led the flock to the area around the Underground city, it couldn’t have seen the flock unless the Human Mimic was already quite near the area in the first place.
The same goes for the Forest Eater too. Perhaps the early summer birds were the landmarks, but it is really strange that two giants from “Canion” moved so far south at the same time.
(I feel like this is intentional. But I can’t piece it together just yet…)
Am I overlooking something?
I feel like all the cards are already on the table, but I just can’t understand what it means.
Ah, man… If I was as smart as Earl Sillys, I might have said, “All the mysteries have been solved.”
It’s not good asking for the impossible, though. I just have to be content with being able to memorize everything with【World Ruler】.
「We’re nearing the “egg storage”.」Punta-san said.
He was out of breath, but managed to keep up with us.
Due to my short height, I couldn’t see the whole storage without obstruction, but I could see the milky white eggs lined up at the front.
However,
「They’re here.」
「Yes…swarming in the sky.」
I could see early summer birds flocking over the “egg storage” through the trees.
What’s worse is that my sense of smell, which has become sharp due to a skill, sensed the odor of wild beasts. They were probably aiming for the eggs.
If we scatter the birds with Asha’s magic, the wild beasts will attack.
However, if we nonchalantly approach the eggs, the early summer birds will attack us.
Whatever shall we do…
