After leaving the Catfolk village, we headed deep into the forest, guided to an area where medicinal herbs grew abundantly.
“Ahhh, this is amazing…! I can finally make advanced potions!”
The area seemed untouched by human hands, with plenty of high-quality medicinal herbs thriving.
As we gathered herbs and pressed on, we entered a part of the forest where tall trees towered over us. Occasionally, we saw small creatures darting through the foliage, rustling the leaves as they went.
The winding path was lined with massive trees, their trunks entwined with strange blue vines.
“Stop! What business do you have beyond this point!?”
A sudden voice echoed from nowhere.
“Huh? Beyond this point…?”
What could possibly be ahead? More importantly, where was this voice coming from? It seemed to be from somewhere above, but the echo made it hard to pinpoint.
The voice belonged to a man, sounding relatively young.
“Don’t feign ignorance! You cannot pass!”
A glint of light caught my eye, and then something came flying toward us. As I tried to step back, my heel caught on the twisted roots of a tree along the path.
What flew at us was an arrow. It wasn’t aimed directly but shot as a warning, landing just shy of my feet. Before it could touch the ground, it was engulfed in flames and burned to ashes.
“An elf, no doubt.”
“An elf…”
I repeated Belial’s words. I had hoped to meet an elf, but I didn’t expect them to be so combative. In Egdualum, where non-human races were banned, I had eagerly looked forward to encountering other species.
“What… what is this!? A woman with such a terrifying being in her service—what is your intent in coming to our village!?”
Finally, I realized the reason for the hostility. Elves, being even more sensitive to magic than the Catfolk, must have sensed something ominous from Belial, heightening their caution. So, their village lay beyond this path.
“My deepest apologies. I am a magical item craftsman from the town of Renant in the Kingdom of Chenkaslar . I’ve come seeking medicinal herbs. I only heard of this forest from others and had no knowledge of your village. We will take another path, so please be at ease.”
I bowed respectfully, unsure if they could see me, and turned to leave. Suddenly, the leaves rustled, and a male elf, armed with a bow, gracefully leapt down from the high branches.
Golden hair and eyes, long ears as rumored. His skin was pale, and he wore green clothing with a chest guard. As he landed, the feathers of the arrows in his quiver lightly bounced.
“…My apologies for jumping to conclusions. It seems you are not bandits. Recently, children have been disappearing from our village. Yesterday alone, three people—a child, another child, and an adult—failed to return from the forest. As such, we are on high alert.”
The young man bowed his head apologetically. Come to think of it, I had been warned about bandit activity before coming here and told to hire a guard. If it’s come to kidnapping… this is a grave situation indeed.
“That must be heartbreaking. If I see anything, I will let you know.”
“Thank you. I am Justus of Montian. If you encounter any issues with the elves, mention my name.”
He seemed to feel genuinely sorry for shooting the arrow and offered his name as a gesture of apology.
“I am Iriya , and this is the demon I am contracted with, Lord Belial. Should you have any issues with demons, feel free to use his name.”
“Iriya ! Do not so lightly use my name!”
“I thought my name alone would not suffice…”
“While that is true, your flippancy is excessive!!”
I thought it might be polite to return the favor in kind, but apparently, I went too far. Still, I felt Justus was trustworthy—people who can readily admit their mistakes are likable.
Justus chuckled awkwardly as he watched our exchange.
“By the way, what is Montian?”
“Ah, that’s the name of this forest. Among humans, it’s apparently called the Elf Forest.”
I see—I had only ever heard it referred to as the Elf Forest.
“Wait here for a moment.”
Justus clapped his hands as if recalling something and quickly leapt back up into the trees. With the ease of someone accustomed to this terrain, he moved across thin branches and returned shortly.
“This is my apology. Please take it. We had a good harvest this year and have extras.”
He handed over medicinal herbs, which were also ingredients for high potions, and even mandrakes.
This is incredible…!
I had heard rumors that elves had successfully cultivated mandrakes, a magical plant that could only grow in mana-rich lands, but to receive such a treasure so easily…!
“My goodness… Such rare and valuable items… I accept them gratefully. Thank you so much.”
I searched my item box for something to give in return. Since elves were likely skilled in crafting medicine, something different would be better. Most of my items, though, were for personal use.
My fingers brushed against a bracelet with a red stone. A keepsake from Belial, it was imbued with protective magic. Considering the dangers posed by bandits, this seemed perfect.
“This bracelet was imbued with magic by Lord Belial himself. Please accept it.”
“…Isn’t that something I gave you long ago? Why haven’t you used it?”
“Didn’t you tell me to sell it or do whatever I wanted with it?”
“That’s far too valuable for me to accept!”
Justus hesitated, but I insisted, not wanting to leave without reciprocating. He eventually accepted the bracelet, albeit reluctantly.
After asking about locations for collecting materials and directions to the town, we parted ways.
Belial, however, seemed dissatisfied, muttering to himself.
“To think the protective magic I personally cast was left unused… No wonder it never activated.”
“I’m sorry. But I couldn’t think of anything else suitable to offer as thanks…”
“…Your potions are already more than adequate.”
Though he sounded exasperated, he seemed slightly pleased.
Further along, we arrived at a crystal-clear lake surrounded by blooming flowers in the wetlands. Sunbeams filtered through the trees, illuminating the lake in a mystical glow.
While enjoying the scenery, gathering materials, and fending off monsters, we somehow lost our way. Likely, I had missed a turn while absorbed in searching for herbs. Navigating forest paths is tricky without clear landmarks.
“I assumed you knew the way, given how confidently you were walking…”
Belial’s pointed gaze stung.
As dusk approached, we decided to rest while Belial scouted ahead.
“Sigh… When it comes to herbs and magic, I lose track of everything else…”
I reflected on my actions, but just as I relaxed, my guard slipped.
A sudden impact struck the back of my neck, and before I could cry out, darkness swallowed my consciousness.
