Chapter 11

-- To cut to the chase.

Heryan and his party were not welcomed by the people of the village.

The village had houses made of stone and others carved out of decaying giant trees. There were probably over a hundred houses, but not quite two hundred. Between the houses, several makeshift dwellings, resembling tents, were set up.

These tents, however, were not as grand as those of the nomadic people of Turkey. They were simple, makeshift structures. The village had more the appearance of a refugee camp.

In this place, people who had escaped from the Elven country of [Noblewood] huddled together in the small village to survive.

Given that a human had appeared with an elf, an enemy race, it was self-evident that they would not be welcomed. It was only a relief that they were not pelted with stones. Without a herald, it might have come to that.

The one who dispelled this worst-case atmosphere was the half-elf girl, Reifa.

She explained to the villagers that Heryan and his party were her saviors. After hearing the whole story, the villagers, who had been looking at Heryan and his party with hostile eyes, said, "If they are the saviors of Lady Reifa herself," and their hostile gazes disappeared.

What remained was the suspicious gaze of the strange traveler, a black-haired, black-eyed human accompanied by two beautiful women. He already knew that black hair and black eyes were rare, but he felt like he was in a circus with a panda.

And, as expected, Reifa was a member of the royal family of the half-elf country [Lateswood].

Moreover, she was the first princess, the first in line to the throne, and the eldest daughter of the queen. As the current queen's status was unknown, she was serving as the provisional queen, leading the people. She had a younger sister, and apart from their parents, whose status was also unknown, they were the only members of the royal family.

Given that such an important person was alone in the middle of the forest, the question was—

"---The rescue of the current queen?"

"Yes. I don't know why, but the elves of [Noblewood] are trying to capture us alive instead of killing us. If that's the case, there's still a possibility that my parents, the current queen and king of our country, are still alive. However, [Noblewood] is well-defended. I was trying to infiltrate first with a special task force for reconnaissance, but—"

In a certain tent in the village, Heryan, sitting in a circle with the elders of [Lateswood], tilted his head in confusion upon hearing the reason.

Incidentally, Reive and Eltina were standing behind Heryan. Reifa had offered them seats, but perhaps considering Heryan's guards, the two politely declined.

"Special task force? Why are you part of it? And what about the others?"

"I have the magic to summon companions, as I showed you earlier. If we were lucky enough to sneak into the place where the current queen is being held, the plan was to summon my companions and make a daring escape. A certain level of combat power is needed for the escape.

However, we were discovered by [Noblewood]'s soldiers before we could get over the city walls, and that's how it ended. The others... were captured as decoys to let me escape."

"---I see."

The more he heard, the more complicated the situation seemed. From the flow of the conversation, it seemed that Reifa was the only one who could perform that summoning magic. The fact that a member of the royal family, and especially the provisional queen, had to go on a mission herself suggested that the situation was dire.

He, who had gone on a foreign mission himself, was in no position to criticize.

"---Guests."

While they were having a conversation, a sharp voice cut through the air.

The one who spoke was the half-elf woman who had been summoned as a herald.

According to Reifa's explanation, she was the deputy commander in charge of the village's defense. After the commander of the special task force was lost, she had taken over as the commander. She was looking at Heryan and his party with a somewhat hostile gaze.

"Are the guests not showing enough respect to Lady Reifa?"

"...Wenli."

Reifa said the woman's name as if to reprimand her.

Still, Wenli did not hold her tongue.

"Please let me speak, Lady Reifa. ...Guests, I sincerely thank you for saving Lady Reifa. But from the moment I saw you, you've been bombarding Lady Reifa with questions one after another. Isn't that a bit rude? Besides, why are you, travelers, so ignorant of the situation around here? Are you really travelers?"

"Wenli, you're the one being rude! Lord Heryan and his party kindly saved me. Such suspicions are a lack of manners."

Wenli, who was being scolded, did not lose her hostile gaze on Heryan.

The half-elves serving as guards also looked at him with similar gazes.

Indeed, they must have found it suspicious. Heryan had anticipated this and had been thinking of a strategy during the journey to the village.

"I see. Your concern is quite reasonable, Lord Wenli. You suspect that we might be agents of the elves... of [Noblewood], is that it?"

"...No, I didn't say that much. I just felt that it was strange for you to be travelers."

"I see. But we are travelers. However, if you ask if we are ordinary travelers, that's a bit of a stretch."

"What do you mean?"

"We came from the Abyssal Forest."

"---What!?"

The room buzzed with excitement.

The Abyssal Forest was a term that had come up in the conversation between Reifa and the elf. From the context, it seemed to be the "forest" with an enchanting effect.

The half-elf country [Lateswood] was located near the border with humans, and the human territory was to the east. According to what he had heard, the elven country [Noblewood] was to the northwest, and [Lateswood] had been pushed back to the forest near the border with the Abyssal Forest.

If that was the case, the Abyssal Forest must be the mysterious forest where Alkymaira had been forcibly transported.

"Are you saying that you are agents of the Demon King!?"

Wenli reacted sensitively. She looked as if she was about to stand up and draw her bow, but Heryan, while appearing calm, shook his head in denial.

"Is there a Demon King in the Abyssal Forest? I've never heard of that. The truth is, we were exploring an ancient castle when we were suddenly transported to an unknown forest. As a result, we were separated from our companions and wandered in the forest for about five days. It's been a while since we've seen anyone. I only just learned the name Abyssal Forest. I hope you can understand that it's inevitable for us to be unfamiliar with the situation around here."

"Five days in the forest... and you don't seem to be carrying any supplies. Are you saying that you survived in the forest for five days with such light equipment? And you seem to be in better condition than we are, who have a settlement as a base?"

Though phrased as a question, it was as if she was saying, "Stop making fun of us."

However, Heryan had anticipated this and, in a way, had been hoping for this reaction.

"Yes, I take care of my appearance. We set up camp every day and take baths."

"...Hm. You seem to have a good sense of humor, guest. Taking a bath is quite a luxurious thing to do."

Wenli glared at Heryan.

The intense gaze of a young woman was quite intimidating.

In fact, it was scary.

Heryan, trying to maintain a calm expression, pressed his hands against his trembling knees.

"Then, I would like to ask you, guest. Where do you keep the supplies for setting up camp, let alone the equipment for taking a bath?"

"Wenli! That's enough...!"

"Here, Lord Wenli. ---Reive, Eltina."

He snapped his fingers as a signal.

If he failed here, it would be embarrassing, but he had already told the two of them in secret before entering the tent, so there was no need to worry.

Reive and Eltina each took out a small bag from their pockets. Opening the bag, they took out a tent and poles for setting up camp.

"What is this! Where did you keep such bulky items!?"

"In the bag. We found it by chance while excavating a ruin. I don't know how it works, but it's a bag that can store more than its volume. It has been very useful."

One after another, items that clearly wouldn't fit in the bag were placed on the ground. Ignoring the stunned half-elves, the camp set quickly came together.

This bag was a magic item called a "Bag of Holding."

As the name suggests, it could store more than its volume.

In RPGs, there are often scenes where you want to point out, "How are you carrying such bulky items?" This item was created to resolve such contradictions.

In recent years, similar items have appeared in many VR RPGs under names like "Item Box" or "Item Storage," but this was the same thing.

A high-quality, large-capacity "Bag of Holding" was a valuable item in itself. Even Alkymaira, who could produce the highest quality items, couldn't keep up with the demand, but the two of them, as the Eight Great Legion Commanders, of course, had them.

For an expedition, a basic kit for a temporary shelter was always stored in the bag.

"As you can see. I thought you wouldn't believe us unless you saw it with your own eyes. This is how we managed to survive in the forest, even though we looked like we were lightly equipped. The food is also in that bag."

Wenli and the others stared blankly at the camp set laid out before them. They seemed to be having trouble processing what they were seeing even with their own eyes.

---This is it. I can't let this opportunity slip away.

"Rather than such trivial matters, I would like to discuss something more constructive. We are seeking information. It may seem presumptuous, but I would like to ask for information as a reward for saving Lord Reifa. Also, we can provide a small amount of food."

The next item taken out of the bag was a hot chicken sauté.

The aroma wafted through the air, stimulating the appetite, and steam rose from it as if it had just been made.

In a sense, that was not a lie.

This high-quality "Bag of Holding" had a "preservation" enchantment that could maintain the condition of stored items for a long time. The sauté had been stored immediately after it was made.

The meat was from a chicken raised by a livestock farmer who supplied the royal family, and it was prepared by a chef who served in the castle, using the best techniques. The fragrant aroma filled the small tent.

Someone's throat made a gulping sound.

As expected, their diet was not very rich.

Next, Heryan had Reive and Eltina take out cold water.

He distributed it to everyone in the room and took a sip himself to prove that it was not poisoned.

It looked like ordinary water, but it was actually a consumable item with a stamina recovery effect. In the game [Tactics Chronicle], it had no effect on the player, but he felt a slight lightness in his legs.

The half-elves cautiously took sips of the cold water, muttering, "Unbelievable," "It's really water. And it's cold," "It's not just water," "It's healing me from the inside," "What is this water?"

Some of them drank it all at once, enjoying the taste, and looked enviously at those who were savoring it slowly.

"Excuse me, but can half-elves eat meat?"

"Eh... Yes, we can. Our dietary preferences are almost the same as humans."

"I see. Then this is a matter of fate. Let us treat you to a small feast. Reive, Eltina, serve everyone."

As he said this, Reive and Eltina took out the same chicken sauté from their bags and began to distribute it. The half-elves stared in amazement as items were taken out one after another from the "Bag of Holding."

The two of them were calmly serving the food, but the half-elves were not moving.

Heryan's strategy was to take control of the situation, even if it meant being a bit forceful, while they were still in a daze.

He took advantage of the shock of the "Bag of Holding" to quickly present his case.

By focusing their suspicion on the single point of "wandering in the forest without any supplies," and then using the powerful impact of the "Bag of Holding" to negate their doubts, he aimed to deflect their suspicions.

While there were other suspicious points about Heryan and his party's traveler story, the half-elves, still in shock, would not have time to think about them.

This was a technique he had learned in college.

Or rather, it was one of the things the professor, who was a fan of trivia, had talked about.

It wasn't something he had learned in a lecture, but the professor was a good storyteller, and the fact that he was teaching the students something so trivial had left a strong impression on him, so he remembered the method in detail.

---By guiding the group's suspicion to a single point and then negating that point with evidence, and then changing the subject before they could think about other suspicious points, you can avoid being pursued.

He had forgotten the name of the technique, but the content was as simple as that.

It wasn't a particularly sophisticated method, but it was said to be surprisingly effective if the shock of the negation was strong enough.

He had never imagined he would actually use this technique, but he hoped it would help him complete the extremely difficult mission of maintaining his dignity while pushing through the traveler story.

Furthermore, by using the rescue of the provisional queen as a shield, he had created an atmosphere where it would be difficult to refuse his request for information. If they refused, it would be as if they were saying the queen's life was not worth much. Since that was not the case, the half-elves had no choice but to comply with the request.

He had achieved the best possible outcome. He hoped this was the best solution. In any case,

"Feel free to eat while we talk. Is it all right if we continue our conversation?"

The rest was a matter of momentum. If they were allowed to calm down, the issue might be brought up again.

Before that happened, he would use the small meal as a way to do them a favor, gather information, and then return to the country with a plausible excuse.

He had already gathered some information, so even if it was difficult to get more, it would be fine as long as he could part ways amicably and return to the country.

He wondered if it was appropriate to have a conversation over a meal, but diplomatic talks over meals were common in the real world, so it should be fine. Probably.

He continued talking without waiting for their response. He couldn't afford to lose control of the conversation.

"First, about the comment you made earlier, that we might be agents of the Demon King..."

"Sis, I'm coming in."

Just as Heryan was about to ask a question, a small figure came running in, brushing aside the fabric at the entrance. The girl, with her wavy hair half-up, was already inside the tent when she said, "I'm coming in."

She was a small child with large, droopy eyes.

She looked a bit younger than Reifa, perhaps the age of a junior high school student in Japan.

Unusually, her hair was pure white. Her skin was as fair as Reifa's, and even the tunic she wore was white.

She might be called the "white girl."

"---Lilifa."

Reifa called out to her in a reprimanding tone.

On closer inspection, the girl who had entered the tent looked similar to Reifa.

Heryan compared them, and Reifa, noticing his gaze, looked down a bit embarrassed.

"This is my younger sister, Lilifa. I'm sorry, I'll talk to her later. ---Lilifa, we're having an important conversation. Please go outside."

"Hmm... Hey, mister. Are you the traveler? The one who saved my sister from the elves?"

Lilifa ignored her sister's words and spoke to him.

She looked like a quiet child, but her bold entry into the tent suggested she had a rather thick-skinned personality.

Reifa raised an elegant eyebrow at her attitude.

"It's fine. Lord Reifa."

He almost called her by her name and quickly corrected himself.

She had given him permission to call her by her name, but now that he knew her true identity, he couldn't call her by her name as he had before.

"Lilifa, is it? Your sister was saved by my companions... Reive and Eltina. I'm weak and can't fight."

"Hmm..."

Lilifa glanced at the two standing behind Heryan.

Eltina bowed quietly, and Reive nodded in response.

Lilifa tilted her head in curiosity.

Then, after saying "Hmm?" and thinking for a moment, she approached Heryan and squatted down beside him.

...What is she doing?

An incomprehensible action.

Lilifa sat next to him and looked up at him with emerald green eyes. It was a gesture that seemed innocent and pure.

Feeling a bit awkward, Heryan handed her a bottle of cold water he had just received from Reive to break the silence.

Lilifa took the bottle with her small hands and looked