Chapter 20

Chapter 20

20. Baelonian Lunagrif (2)

─Stare···.

At the persistent gaze piercing the skin Benrik opened his mouth along with a sigh.

“I said it was really just something I tried so.”

─···It would be so. There is no way such an absurd ability exists. “If you understood how about stopping glaring so burdensomely.” ─I did not glare. I just looked.

No, you were glaring. You were glaring really big.

─It is because my eyes are originally big. Anyway what I am questioning is not such a thing.

Saying so she opens her eyes squintingly like a languid cat grooming its fur and rubs the area around the chin.

─What is curious is the intention of suddenly bringing up a story about such an ability to me.

Whether the intuition is good or there is a tendency to immerse in useless things.

“Because you looked like you were expecting something I just joked.” ─Hmm. “···Think as you like.” ─Hmmmm···!

She made a nasal sound as if to be heard, then soon shakes her head.

─Hmph I will believe. Young guy.

Baan turned a big circle in the air. Looking quietly the wings and the movement somehow don’t sync.

It was when he was carefully watching the movement.

─In my lifetime I have neither heard nor seen a story that such magic exists. If this body does not know it does not exist.

Magic··· does not seem to be but even with Benrik’s common sense the word to call such a mystery otherwise does not come to mind other than magic.

“You are correct. Where in the world is there such magic.”

Saying so he cleared the table.

He just shook the remaining pomegranate and put even the seeds whole into his mouth and chewed crunch crunch.

“But until when are you thinking of staying in that appearance? Shouldn’t you return soon?”

Baan’s main body was not this side. It seems uncomfortable. Honestly he was also curious what appearance it is.

‘If 170 centimeters, hmm···. Would it be about a 15 centimeter difference with me?’

One has to have measured the height.

─···Until going home.

Baan who was hesitating answered.

“Why? What if I put you in the bottle again. Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

Because the body is small she couldn’t even eat a few pomegranate seeds. It won’t even reach the liver.

─T-this body is not yet of age so movement is not free.

The cheeks of the fairy saying so were bright red.

‘She is shy about all sorts of things. Certainly a kid is a kid.’ ─You, do you not resent me?

What is this out of the blue.

─Didn’t many people suffer hardship because of me. The villain seen earlier is also like that, I mean. “Not particularly.” ─Then, it is fortunate but···. Know this, I absolutely had no thought of making you troubled.

Thinking about it earlier too when the war story came out she immediately broke the stubbornness of not going home.

‘The bird that saw words has completely yellow sprouts, but the kid seems kind.’

Yerik came to mind. It is a not so old memory.

─Ai, what do these eat rice and only shit, shit shit shit! I’m dying of boredom! These shit lumps! ─If you are going to clean shut your mouth and clean. And you shat more than the fifth. ─Funny. You remember that just because you were born only one year earlier? ─Funny? Shall I make you sad?

The guy also compared to the soft heart the mouth was not so he often got beaten by Benrik’s hands. Whether innate personality, even if beaten like that it didn’t get fixed.

But···.

“You said you are a precious body, you should have expected that much.”

One has to firmly point out what needs to be pointed out.

“What do you think is the reason your tribe people protect you and cherish you preciously?” ─Of course because I am a precious body that is so. “No, because there is something expected of you. Come down here and sit Baan.” ─Huh?

Baan who was making a bewildered expression sat down on the table hesitating at Benrik’s force.

“Even though I am younger than you I am still a senior who experienced the world first in my own way.”

So about a fortnight.

“There is no free in the world. That is no exception even for family. All the treatment you received there, the food you ate, each and every decoration tool is not given for free.”

This was also the teaching Benrik was injected by Gerik.

“It means you have an obligation to return something as much as you were treated. So next time rather than abandoning the obligation give a hint that you are postponing it for a while and come out.”

Actually middle school 2nd year is not a disaster that is stopped if someone blocks.

“Because you said you came out wanting to experience the world I am telling you.”

But an unexpected answer came back.

─I, I clearly left letters too! “Huh? Really?”

This was not expected.

─That is so! One in front of the shrine serving the Mother Tree! One at the great elder’s house!

Knowing that it is not kidnapping but simple runaway, they tried to start a war?

Why?

‘Was a justification needed?’

A justification to start a war? Or a justification to demand cooperation?

“···Hmm.” ─More than that the young guy is quite something. The great elder also said similar words in the past. It was a story that relationships are established on mutuality.

It was then that noisiness was felt from downstairs.

─Clack···.

It was the sound of weapons colliding.

***

────!

‘Ha, let’s sleep a bit, damn humans···.’

Matthew who was coming down the stairs while crumpling his expression irritably soon stepped back at the unfamiliar scene he faced.

“······.”

He killed his presence as much as possible and turned back as if nothing happened and went up the stairs.

And he grabbed any noticeable room and closed it.

Thump thump, he grabs the bean-like throbbing heart estimation while leaning against the door.

‘W-what.’

If he did not see wrong it was clearly soldiers. Not one or two. A number easily exceeding a dozen.

‘Did the leader cause an accident? Or did Bram finally kill a noble? If not that? If not that what business is there for so many soldiers to find the office?’

Whatever it is it was certain that an unusual matter occurred while he was sleeping.

Not simple arrest but a greatly serious matter to the extent of occupying even the mercenary group office.

“Matthew? What is the matter?”

At the young voice he suddenly turned his head. The small child was looking at Matthew leaning against the door with an absurd expression.

‘Was it Benrik’s room?’

No now that is not what’s important.

“Benrik! Below, below there are soldiers. It seems our mercenary group got involved in a crime··· huh?”

He who was speaking falteringly suddenly examined the child’s attire.

A tunic good for activity and a leather backpack slung over the shoulder, and even the sword at the waist.

“What are you saying, are you not fully awake?” “You, you where are you going?” “The Great Forest.”

The Great Forest? What kind of out of the blue···.

Matthew who saw something moth-like roaming while scattering shining powder poll poll poll- blinked his eyes.

‘What is that again?’

“Ah this one─” ─Carve it firmly in your ears. Baelonian Lunagrif is this body’s name. “What?”

Matthew who roughly heard the story from Benrik only then let out a sigh of relief and sat down.

“Ha···.” “So I decided to leave together with the soldiers below.”

Seeing the face that turned white it seems he sincerely thought that someone of our mercenary group committed a crime.

“Isn’t the worry too excessive?”

Of course the mercenary group people are crazy about alcohol and gambling, women but there didn’t seem to be a person who would cross the line.

Even the Matthew in front right now was like that.

“Yes I must not be fully awake.”

There was still tiredness thickly stuck in the eyes.

“Anyway so don’t worry too much and sleep again, then I will go.” “Uh uh, yes go well.”

The young room owner leaves the room, and

“······No wait a minute.”

So that enormously big moth earlier spoke. And the kidnapped high fairy, that···

In the hazy head over a dozen question marks floated.

‘Hmm.’

Matthew who was thinking soon gave up thinking. As the child said it seems correct that he is not fully awake.

***

“But isn’t it a bit excessive?”

Benrik who was looking at the soldiers who even matched rows and columns for movement asked with a slightly fed-up expression.

They are elite soldiers the lord of Bromwood attached after hearing the story of the noble’s private soldiers chasing Baan.

Because the number was almost excessively many.

He said the noble’s private soldiers met in the southern forest were clearly five.

‘At this level isn’t it a level that can even fight a small-scale territory war?’

On the other hand the members of Jenkinson’s mercenary group were only Benrik and Hodge, two people so the appearance was half surrounded by the soldiers.

Hodge shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s better than being done to right? You said it seemed they know how to use mana.”

“That is true.”

For reference Jenkinson did not come. He said another urgent matter to handle occurred. It seemed because of Baron Drenor whom they decided to join a few days later.

“How long does it take to the Great Forest?” “In about five days we will arrive at the border area.”

When arriving at the border area they decided to meet the fairy-kin who will take Baan after joining with Sir Drenor.

“They said the Great Forest has an area of a small-scale country level, is it real?”

When asking what he was curious about, the fairy who was sitting on Benrik’s right shoulder interrupted.

─That I can tell! Hohoho···. But the reason the Great Forest is called the Great Forest is not simply because it is wide.

It seemed she was greatly excited that a field she knows well came out.

“Then?” ─Because the trees are very, very big! It will be a size young you have never seen since birth! “Oho is that so?”

Baan chattered while flapping her wings without rest.

─The trees of the Great Forest are all big. So we hollow out the inside and build houses. Right, later if there is an opportunity I will invite you to my house. Consider it an honor.

Hodge also listened interestingly.

Because about their closed culture there are only abundant rumors, not much is known.

─Among them the Mother Tree is extremely big! Big enough that even if twenty adult men, no a hundred surround it there is room left! Height? What need is there to say, it fully reaches the sky! “You, you are exaggerating saying I don’t know well.” ─Eek, it is not exaggeration! This body does not know things like exaggeration!

That the fairy’s fuss was fact could be known around the fourth day after departing from Bromwood.

It was real.

At the end of that horizon the lush green forest is visible, clearly visible.

Even though they clearly moved without rest somehow there is not much difference from the beginning. As Baan said each and every tree was so big that it was visible even from afar.

“Tomorrow we will arrive at the border area outpost.”

Around evening the person in charge of the escort came and said. It was the place Sir Drenor, Jenkinson’s father, decided to join.

Hearing that Baan gloomily folded her wings.

─···We will part soon. “Hmm, that is so.”

Benrik was also the same in regretting. Even though a short time it seems affection formed.

There was a sense of empathy formed from the position of being thrown into the world the same.

Of course one person is involuntary, and one fairy is voluntary.

─Will we not see again? “That is not it. When you become an adult you can come out freely right?”

Of course even then I don’t know if I will be in Bromwood, but if fate connects we will meet.

Thinking he stood up from his place.

─Uh, where are you going? “Yes? I am going to do my business.” ─Me too, me too let’s go!

No that is a bit···.

“······I said I am going to do my business?”

─Just, just I will only be nearby! I will close my eyes and block my ears too!

This is not even separation anxiety. Benrik inwardly sighed and said.

“···Stay in the bottle then.” ─T-that! There was that method!

He guessed seeing that she stuck together throughout the movement for the past few days.

Perhaps because of the memory of being chased in the southern forest, the soldiers whose attire was similar to the noble’s private soldiers seemed uncomfortable.

‘Is it something like trauma.’

It was when Benrik who finished his business in a vacant lot a bit away was about to return to the campsite again.

─Rustle

“Hmm? You are···.”

Five armed soldiers revealed their appearances while parting the bushes.

“Ah- yes, I remember, you aimed the crossbow. At me.”

The man with slanted eyes, Giles muttered as if remembering and took in the child’s empty hands.

“I said I hope there is no chance of seeing again.”

At that moment the air changed. Malice he had felt countless times from magical beasts mixed in.

“······Where are the colleagues?”

The four soldiers who received Giles’s gaze silently spread while drawing a semicircle.

The more so Benrik’s bewilderment grew.

As expected because the Crisis Sense that should have activated long ago was quiet.

“The colleagues, hmm- the colleagues···.”

Benrik scratched his cheek while recalling the elite soldiers one minute away.

“······Will you follow?”

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