Chapter 8

The next day, Maki and Chiharu were in the office.

"Are you ready to hear the next story?"

"Yes, please."

"Hmm. Well,"

The king paused.

"the important matters were concluded yesterday. Maki and Chiharu, you can spend the rest of your lives as you please. As I said yesterday, your food, clothing, and shelter will be fully provided. If you want anything, just let us know. We will try to fulfill all your wishes."

For the rest of their lives. As expected. But they had to hear it properly. Maki gathered her courage and asked,

"Can't we go back?"

"…I'm sorry. No saintess has ever returned."

That was what she expected. Despite their trembling lips, the king continued, knowing they could handle it. They could.

"Anyway,"

"Yes?"

"Today's talk is about Airis, Zainus, are you listening?"

"Then I'll start."

Airis began.

"Of course, the saintesses purify the miasma just by being in the Day World. However, this human territory is far from the Dark World. In our territory, which borders the Dark World, the miasma is much thicker. Just as the palace was purified in one day, the areas around the saintesses are purified quickly."

Airis paused, looking at Maki and Chiharu as if to confirm something.

"If possible, we would like you to come directly to the Elven territory."

"And to the Beastman territory too."

"Of course, to the Dwarf territory as well. Maki and Chiharu."

Gurdo said with a mischievous look.

"The specialty of the Dwarf territory is apple cider."

Maki's eyes sparkled. Apple cider!

"Hey, Gurdo, that's unfair! You let me do all the boring explanations and then take the good parts for yourself!"

Airis said anxiously.

"Maki, Chiharu, in the Elven territory, there is grape wine. Not only that, but also honey wine. It's made from honey collected by forest bees."

Honey wine! Chiharu's eyes sparkled too. They looked at Zainus with hopeful eyes. Zainus scratched his head, looking a bit troubled.

"Beastmen don't particularly like alcohol. However, there is a popular dish among travelers: meat skewers with a special sauce, grilled over a low fire."

Thinking of something like kebabs, the two girls' eyes sparkled. Airis felt their excitement growing. Should he push the local specialties a bit more? But it wouldn't be fair not to mention this.

"However,"

Maki and Chiharu held their breath.

"To get there without taking a detour, you will have to cross the sea. You will need to board an airship."

"We'll go!!"

"Really, what did you say?"

"We'll go,"

It might have been a mishearing.

"Right now,"

"We'll go."

Maki answered immediately, and Gurdo was laughing.

"Even after 300 years, elves' ears get old, I see."

"You're almost the same age, so don't be rude."

Airis muttered. Then he asked them worriedly,

"An airship flies in the sky. Are you okay with heights?"

Maki replied,

"I'm not good with heights, but if it's really high, it doesn't bother me as much."

"Does that mean you've ridden an airship before?"

"Not an airship, but an airplane."

"An airplane?"

"It's a metal vehicle that flies very fast in the sky."

"I don't think the previous saintesses mentioned such a thing."

"It became common after they left."

From what they heard, the two worlds seemed to progress at the same rate. The saintess who came 60 years ago was probably from a generation that experienced war as a child. Before that, it would have been from the Taisho or Meiji era. They should ask later.

"I would love to hear about that vehicle."

Gurdo asked with great interest.

"It's too complicated to explain properly, but if you're interested, I can try."

"Sure, sure. That's how it is unless you're a specialist."

"Gurdo, can we get back to the topic?"

"Sorry."

Airis resumed,

"So, we would like you to come as soon as possible."

"That's..."

Maki hesitated. Maki, she thought. If anyone would object, it would be Chiharu. Airis waited for her to continue.

"Chiharu and I talked about this yesterday. We still know too little about this world. We can communicate, but we don't even know if we can read the language. Geography, history, people's lifestyles, and prices. We want to study these things first."

"Also, if we're going to do the purification work, we need to consider how long to stay and in what order to visit the places."

Maki and Chiharu continued,

"Also,"

Chiharu said with a sparkle in her eye.

"Where will the budget come from?"

"..."

The room fell silent.

"Ah, do you understand? I mean, the fare for the airship, accommodation, and food expenses."

"We understand, Chiharu. It's just that we didn't think about it much."

Airis replied.

"Didn't think about it?"

Chiharu frowned slightly.

"We didn't expect you to go. Most of the previous saintesses were quiet, you know. Of course, Maki and Chiharu are also gentle."

Airis said hurriedly. Gentle? The two girls rolled their eyes.

"Then we'll prepare a special airship for the saintesses."

"And a special train for the Dwarf territory. We'll reserve three cars entirely for the saintesses."

"And a special elephant for the Beastman territory."

Wait, something was odd. Special airship, special train, special elephant?

"A large, gentle elephant that allows for a leisurely journey. We can prepare a special basket for you."

Zainus said with a smile.

I know! Maki said with sparkling eyes.

"The seats are like shallow baskets made of woven wood, right?"

"Hmm? For tourists, it's a large mesh basket."

Mesh basket?

"Is it like a birdcage?"

"Ah, yes. Like a cage for injured birds."

"That sounds like a cage."

Hearing Maki's words, Airis turned to Zainus, looking startled.

"Zainus, you mentioned preparing a special cage, didn't you?"

"That's just a play on words."

Zainus said hurriedly.

"It's to protect Maki and Chiharu. If we don't cover the top, they might be attacked by a swarm."

Maki and Chiharu exchanged glances. Swarm? They simultaneously remembered Hitchcock. Ha ha, surely not.

At that moment, the air in the office trembled. The king exclaimed in surprise,

"It's not the day for the regular service! Zainus! Did you send an express message?"

"Of course not! I thought it would be better to wait until the saintesses settled in. Oh!"

A gust of wind blew through the office, scattering papers. Two figures landed on the wide balcony that led to the window.

Maki and Chiharu, who had bowed their heads in shock, slowly raised their faces as the wind subsided.

"There they are."

The people with large wings spread behind them said.