Volume 2 - CH 35

Orphe has my gratitude.

As we left the slime village, I looked over to Orphe. “Thanks, you managed to lessen the hostility they feel towards our werewolves a little.”

His appearance them was likely the exact reason the alliance with the slime queen was a success. A bitter smile formed on Orphe’s face.

“I was just trying to put my feelings into words.”

“That’s exactly why it resonated with everyone.” Orphe looked embarrassed as I told him this.

When we got back to the village, Livia came out to greet us. “There weren’t any problems here.”

“…I see. That’s good. For now we should have everyone hunt monsters in the southern area. Both for the sake of gathering food and strengthening their stats.”

“Yes, I’ll tell everyone now.” …The southern area should be fine. I took my sword and went to the training grounds, where I practiced with the goblins and werewolves.

〇

Once the evening arrived, we stopped our practice to prepare for dinner. The remaining goblins and werewolves all were able to evolve. None of them acquired any new skills, but since some of them received skills useful for daily life such and cooking technique, the burden on me will probably be lower from now on.

Dinner was at approximately the same time every day. At that time, a werewolf who got back from hunting came over to me.

“Do you have a moment Crest?”

“What’s up?”

“…Um, pretty far south from here we spotted a human figure.”

“A human…? Is that for sure?”

“Y, yes.” The werewolf nodded. …A human, huh. Who could it be? The first thing to cross my mind would be someone from the Hauburst house.

Albert became a missing person. It’s very likely that they would send someone out to search for him, while also keeping an eye out for me.

“…Do you do anything to them?”

“N, no… They’re humans like yourself Crest, so I thought I should ask you about it first.”

“Okay. Thanks… I’ll go check it out later.”

“I understand.” …Really though, a human huh. As I pondered that, Livia came over while examining my expression.

“What will you do, lord Crest?”

“Well…” The south… that probably means they came down through the gate to the lower world. …Perhaps it’s one of the lower world managers?

Otherwise… a human from the Hauburst house. Thinking back on things with Albert before, there’s the possibility they sent a different person to search for me.

…As soon as they found out my skill was usable, the stared searching madly for me with bloodshot eyes. I don’t intend on going back up. It’s not like I can’t live my life without being up there.

I don’t have anyone important to me there either.

But… I can also think of another possibility. It’s not unthinkable that it’s a human sent down through a transfer magic circle.

“…For now I think I’ll go check it out.”

“That makes sense. It’s good to find new friends.” …That’s rather unlikely though.

“…I think the chance of them joining us is pretty much nonexistent.”

“Eh? Why not?”

“…To being with, there are three types of humans who come down to the lower world.”

“…Three kinds you say? If I remember right, one would be humans who come through the gate between the upper and lower world. My mother told me this. That those humans will hunt us if we go too far south.”

“Yeah, that’s right. The roll of the lower world managers is to protect the gate to the upper world. That’s why they hunt monsters that get close to the gate. …That’s the first type, and the next type are sent here through transfer magic.”

“…Transfer magic. Humans seem to have a pretty advanced magic culture.”

Seeing Livia’s surprise mixed with a little bit of fear, I shook my head. “No, the current humans don’t have any understanding of that sort of magic. The transfer magic circles in the upper world were created long ago. We can use them by filling them with magic power, but there are no humans who understand them. The only thing they’re used for is transferring criminals to the lower world.”

“…Criminals, you say? …So that would be, those who stir up some sort of trouble in the upper world like yourself lord Crest?”

“…I’m, different.”

“Then why?”

“My skill was too weak… well, I made my father angry. I was banished to the lower world as if I was a criminal.”

“…I, is that right? Even though it’s such an amazing skill?”

“…I didn’t know how to use my skill back then. That’s why they thought it was unusable.” I said this with a smile to avoid making things gloomy. …I was pretty down when I was being exiled, but I don’t mind it anymore. Now I have more important things than I ever had in the upper world.

“…I suppose so. Your skill is wonderful, lord Crest. Don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah, thanks. In any case, that human might be a criminal who did something wrong in the upper world.”

“…I see. There’s certainly the possibility that they’re a dangerous person. In that case, what is the third type of person?”

“That would be the people who come from the upper world to search for me. I met a family member who came through the gate awhile ago.”

“…So people from your family?”

“Yeah. It seems they figured out how good my skill is, so they came to bring me back.”

“Are you not planning on going back?”

“Yeah, no way. They’ll just use me in the upper world. I can live here freely.” Livia smiled as I shrugged my shoulders and said this.

“…If that’s the case, then you can live with us forever.”

“…I guess so. Of course there is also a possibility for the human the werewolf saw to be a good person, so I’ll go check them out just in case.”

“I understand. Then shall I go with you?”

“No. Stay back here in case something happens to the village. Goblia and Rufina will be enough as guards for me. …If there’s an emergency, then give the command over to Orphe.” I looked to Orphe as he enjoyed his dinner with some werewolves and goblins a distance away. …Looks like both races are getting along pretty well.

“I understand.”

“He’s pretty hot-blooded and a bit blind to his surroundings, but he has the power to draw people in. I want you to fill in for the areas he’s lacking in, Livia.”

“Yes, I also think he’s a good person. I’m not really great at standing in the limelight after all.”

“I guess so.” Once dinner was over, I called out to Goblia and Rufina. “Come with me for a bit, I’m going to look for the human who was spotted to the south. If something happens, then Orphe is in charge! I’ll leave it to you, Orphe!”

“Yeah, alright.”

“Work with Livia to protect the village.” I said, to which Orphe and Livia strongly nodded their heads. …Alright, who will it be? I left the goblin village as I tried to figure out who the human found to the south was.