The sound of a door closing came from the second floor. Equvar descended the stairs briskly, his steps light and quick.
“Iriya ! It’s here, it’s here, it’s here!!”
“What’s got you so excited?”
I poked my head out from the kitchen, where I had been boiling water, to find Equvar grinning in a way I wasn’t used to seeing.
“They did it! We just got word—they’ve finally captured the Archmage!”
“Really? Does this mean we can relax now?”
We’d been on high alert because of what the Archmage might do, hadn’t we? So, does this mean it’s all over? I’m glad there’s nothing to worry about anymore. As Equvar spread his arms wide, I instinctively took a step back.
“Well, the sentence hasn’t been finalized yet, so don’t let your guard down.”
For a brief moment, he wore an “oh, really?” expression, but he quickly retracted his hands and continued speaking.
“…Even if he’s a disgraced former Archmage, he’s still a duke. We can’t be too careful!”
“Got it.”
Just as I nodded, the front door was knocked on with force.
“Hello, is Iriya home!?”
“Yes, Lord Binal. Is something the matter?”
Standing at the entrance was Clément Binal, the owner of the shop I supplied potions to. He was dressed more casually than usual, in a shirt, simple lightweight jacket, and trousers.
After confirming it was indeed him, Equvar returned upstairs. It seemed he still had some communications to handle.
“That wine you gifted me the other day! It was amazing! Where did you get it? Could we arrange to trade for it!?”
I had given him one of the bottles of wine I’d received from the elf village as a token of appreciation for his kindness. He must have liked it a lot—he was enthusiastically extolling its virtues.
“Oh, that came from the elf village. As for whether they’d trade with humans…”
Elves generally try to avoid interacting with humans.
“Elves!? How did you, of all people, get your hands on elven wine?”
“Um, well…”
How much of this am I even allowed to share?
I had visited the underground empire of the Dragon Deity tribe and the Dragonians of Zumw. There was no way I could talk about that.
“Ah, no, never mind. You probably can’t go into detail, can you? Craftsmen have their secret sources and suppliers, too.”
“Yes, um, something like that!”
I was relieved he misunderstood the situation in a favorable way.
“So I guess trading isn’t possible, huh…”
“Probably not, considering it’s deep in the forest where even wagons can’t reach. Oh, but we did solve the livestock-killing incident. Maybe they’d be open to trading for goats or sheep.”
“That’s it!”
Binal jabbed a finger dramatically in my direction, so close to my nose that I instinctively stared at his nail with both eyes. Too close—it startled me!
And so, I found myself back in the eastern elf forest. This time, it was the one I’d visited with Kingu. Today, it was just Belial and me. Equvar was still in his room handling communications with the homeland.
I called out near the barrier, careful not to damage it again.
“Hello! Is anyone there? It’s Iriya —I visited recently.”
Soon, there was a rustling sound, branches swayed, and leaves fluttered down.
An elf woman leapt down with the leaves. Her long platinum hair danced along her back, shimmering in the dappled sunlight.
“Hello. Thank you for visiting. What brings you here today?”
“Well, there’s someone who’s interested in trading for your wine. If it’s alright with you, would you consider exchanging it for something you might need? For instance, livestock to replace the goats and sheep that were lost to the attacks.”
“Livestock! That would be very helpful. I’ll discuss it with everyone and let you know. By the way, where do you live?”
It seems livestock caught their interest. Elves apparently enjoy goat milk, so losing so many must have been troubling.
“I live in the town of Lenant.”
After explaining how to get there, I was about to take my leave when—
“Hey, you forgot about me! Negotiate for my share as well—I’ve already finished my bottle!”
“Lord Belial! If you wish, I’ll ensure a supply is delivered when they bring their response to the human town!”
Oh no, this was practically extortion! Even if they don’t know he’s the King of Hell, they surely understand he’s a noble-ranked demon and are afraid of him!
The elf woman let out a sigh of relief when Belial seemed satisfied with my response.
I informed Binal that the elves would be coming to town soon to discuss the trade, and he was thrilled. He headed straight to the gatekeeper to ask that they be allowed through when they arrived, as it was for a business deal.
Elves rarely appear in human settlements. When they do, it’s usually in sparsely populated mountain villages where they secretly engage in bartering.
For them to visit a large town like this is almost unheard of unless they are elves who have left their forest homes. Even then, it’s a rare sight.
A few days later, two elves arrived in town wearing hoods. Coincidentally, I was near the gate with Belial, so we met them immediately.
Their long ears caused their hoods to bulge unnaturally on the sides. One was a man, the first to appear when we visited before, and the other was the long platinum-haired woman I had spoken to previously.
Thanks to prior arrangements, they passed through the checkpoint easily. Sieghart, who had been informed of their arrival, came along as a guard just in case.
Today, Silphy was with us, too. Apparently, she wanted to meet the elves, which might explain why the captain of the guard came out personally.
“A timid little fairy befriending a human—he must be a kind-hearted person,” the elf man said, smiling at Silphy, who was perched on Sieghart’s shoulder.
“Yep! Sieg is really kind. It’s my first time seeing an elf—you’re so beautiful!”
“Thank you. There are fairies in the forest too, but they don’t speak as much as you do. I suppose it’s because you live among humans that you’re so talkative.”
Silphy giggled happily at the compliment.
Forest-dwelling fairies typically don’t speak much, it seems. House fairies, on the other hand, are more chatty. Perhaps their language skills develop based on their environment and how much communication they need. Fairies aren’t generally considered a highly intelligent species, after all.
The elves first handed over ten bottles of wine for Belial, who looked extremely pleased as he clutched the bag tightly, clearly unwilling to share.
Afterward, we all headed to visit Binal. Equvar had already left for the Adventurer’s Guild.
Even with their hoods, the elves stood out in town. Their unnatural appearance drew attention, and their striking features made people stop and stare.
With Sieghart, the captain of the guard, accompanying us, there were no unwelcome advances, and we smoothly reached our destination.
We entered a negotiation room in Binal’s main shop—a spacious area designed to accommodate the other party’s guards. It was different from the reception room I’d been shown to before.
Thick, impressive pillars lined the room, with paintings in frames hanging on the brown wooden walls. The business negotiation table was wide, surrounded by several wooden chairs that appeared intricately crafted and expensive. At the far end of the room stood a desk, along with bookshelves, vases, and understated decorations that added a refined atmosphere.
Several chairs were placed along the wall near the entrance, likely intended for the guards or accompanying staff.
“Welcome from afar. I am Clément Binal, the owner of this establishment. I would love for other humans to experience the excellence of your wine!”
“I’m glad it pleased you. Let’s proceed to a meaningful discussion.”
The two men shook hands, but the women did not—perhaps out of caution due to dealing with the opposite sex.
“…So, in exchange for the wine, I will provide sheep, goats, carpentry tools, and fabric… The fabric will be unprocessed, soft to the touch, and plain, correct?”
Binal confirmed while taking notes himself, despite having a secretary by his side. It seemed he preferred to write things down personally.
“And I’d also like the herbal tea we’re drinking now. It’s delicious.”
“Of course, we’ll include some varieties. In return, could you offer us embroidered handkerchiefs made by the elves?”
“What sort of designs would you like?”
The negotiation proceeded smoothly.
The agreement was that the goods would be exchanged at the forest entrance, under the condition that no one would follow afterward.
At the end, Belial declared,
“This is a deal brokered by my contractor. Deceit will not be tolerated.”
With that, there was no doubt the agreement would be honored.
After leaving Binal’s shop, I escorted the two elves to the gate. Sieghart continued providing protection until the end, and the elves were pleased with the successful negotiations.
On a sparsely traveled road, from the opposite side approached someone with dark blue hair—it was Ekvar.
“Lady Iriya , perfect timing. I’m about to head out to subdue a Simurgh. Could you lend me a wyvern?”
“‘Simurgh?!’”
The elves reacted instantly.
“Hm…? Ah, the elves from before? Did the negotiations go well?”
“Yes, quite successfully. So, you’re going after a Simurgh…?! I want its feathers! Feathers!!”
The male elf grabbed Ekvar by both shoulders, apparently desperate for them.
The Simurgh is a very beautiful bird, with wings that, when fully spread, can span the size of two or three humans, depending on the individual. It’s smaller than the Anzu bird we hunted at the mines.
“Simurgh feathers are said to have healing properties. Since their uses aren’t widely known, they’re not commonly sought after,” I explained.
“Is that so? We only need specific parts, so would you like to come along? You can have all the feathers.”
“Thank you so much! Decorations made from Simurgh feathers are a dream for elves!”
The female elf nodded excitedly several times at Ekvar’s proposal.
“To a beautiful woman’s request, I’ll gladly dedicate all the Simurgh you desire.”
…There he goes again.
I handed Ekvar a whistle to summon a wyvern, and the three of them headed off to subdue the Simurgh. Belial, content with the alcohol he’d received, went home ahead of us, leaving me alone with Sieghart—and Silphy, I suppose.
When I tried to bid farewell, Sieghart offered to escort me home.
“…By the way, Lady Iriya , who was that man? He seems to visit your house as well…”
“His name is Ekvar. He’s from my homeland and is currently staying on the second floor as a lodger.”
Is this part of his duty as a captain of the guard? Though Ekvar may not seem like it, he’s strong in swordsmanship. While his words and actions are questionable, his demeanor is far from that of a typical adventurer. Being a D-rank adventurer is actually more suspicious.
“A lodger… So, he’s not your lover?”
“No, he’s not. I’d say he’s someone who likes just about any woman.”
After Alesia and the others, I’ve been asked this again. Is everyone so curious about such things?
“Haha, he was certainly showering the elven women with praise. Well, then… er…”
“…What is it?”
I looked up at Sieghart, who seemed hesitant and averted his gaze.
“…Well, if you ever need help, please don’t hesitate to rely on me.”
“Thank you?”
“Bye-bye, Iriya !”
Silphy waved her tiny hand enthusiastically from Sieghart’s shoulder.
Somehow, Sieghart was unusually fidgety today.
Without much further conversation, we arrived at my house. After thanking him for escorting me, we finally parted ways.
Sieghart gave a slight bow and headed in the direction of the Guard Headquarters.
(Ranvalt , my elder brother… What should one talk about at times like these…?)
As I walked alone through the bustling streets, Sieghart’s conflicted figure lingered in my thoughts.
