Chapter 77: Finding the Queen Part 2

"Alright, Darion. I understand what you mean."

"Then…!"

"But you can't."

"What…!"

Darion looked at me with a face clearly filled with disappointment.

But what can't be done, can't be done. I looked at him with a face colder than cold that was filled with the intent to completely shatter this young lord's naivety today.

"This is because I think of you like a brother."

I had thought I left my old-fashioned ways behind in reality but here they were back again. I'm saying this because you're like a younger brother to me. Like a younger brother, not the other way around.

"To be completely honest with you."

"..."

"Even if you offered money, I wouldn't take you with me."

"What?"

"Darion, you're a good person. But you're not a good 'mercenary'."

Just an elf nobleman, that's all you are.

My words must have shocked him deeply since Darion opened his mouth wide and was unable to speak.

I can't stop now.

I have to discourage him completely.

"Think about it, Darion. You might handle a 'duel' but you've never experienced a real 'battle'. Have you ever faced a monster? Have you ever killed even a goblin with your own hands? Ever seen a troll?"

"..."

Darion was silent.

"Your swordsmanship is certainly excellent. I can tell without seeing it. It follows perfect and beautiful rules."

"O-Of course."

"But that's useless by itself. There is no perfection in battle, and beauty is pointless."

"!"

"Joining me in the Dark Forest would not help Her Majesty in any way."

Darion's face which was previously lit with a bit of hope and excitement darkened in an instant. Yes, such a candid and harsh assessment is something this noble elf young master has likely never encountered before.

But what can I do? This is the reality.

I cannot take him to the Dark Forest just to spare his feelings.

It could be a matter of life and death for him.

It's not just the monsters that are the problem. The dark elves are also not friendly to elves, and taking him could lead to… who knows what.

I looked at Darion's dejected face and lightly patted his shoulder.

"I'm saying all this because I care about you, Darion."

"...…"

"Don't be too upset. Mercenaries have their roles, and nobles have theirs."

That statement certainly wasn't wrong.

If I were to take Darion with me, I might end up looking after him instead of accomplishing our mission. What if he gets injured or worse? How would I explain that to the Sylvanus family? That their son died because he was foolish….? That wouldn't fly at all. They would definitely hold me responsible.

It's already troublesome enough…

But honestly, I spun my words a bit because telling him directly would hurt him.

"You've already done enough by helping me so far."

"Is that so…?"

"Thank you, Darion."

So now, please go home… After reassuring him enough, I sent him on his way. I don't know if his parents know that he is doing this.

"Phew."

It's unsettling. After watching Darion head back to the mansion, I went off to the diner.

**__*

The next day.

We took a carriage provided by the Sylvanus family towards the Dark Forest. They also offered to send elf soldiers with us, but I declined. This was because I didn't think the dark elves would react well to the other elves.

The map Mrs. Sylvanus gave us marked the location of a dark elf village. Most dark elf villages were located on the outskirts of Lysette and the border of the Dark Forest.

Except for one…

The village deep inside the Dark Forest looked dangerous even at a glance.

I wonder if we can really make it that far…

The dark elves weren't the only problem. The Dark Forest was a region known for the excessive emergence of monsters, both in their frequency and the danger they posed.

Recruiting Lloyd really was a good decision.

He had a monstrous stamina, and his swordsmanship skills were almost terrifyingly perfect. If it had been just El and me, this mission would have been much harder. We might have had to recruit another mercenary to break through, or if even that proved difficult…

We might have ended up dragging Darion along.

After all, they say that in times of need, you'll be willing to borrow even a cat's paws.

Anyway, with Lloyd, El, and Ayla around…

And now that I've acquired [Sunlight].

The timing couldn't be better.

I spread out the old book and the map Mrs. Sylvanus had given me. As I alternated between the old book's [??? map] and Mrs. Sylvanus's map, something strange caught my eye.

"This is…"

The location of a fragment of Earte in the [??? map] and the location of a dark elf village deep in the Dark Forest were surprisingly similar.

It was too much of a coincidence.

Perhaps someone is using the fragment of Earte to imprison the Elf Queen in the labyrinth of dreams.

I wouldn't know for sure until I checked for myself, but now that it's come to this, it couldn't just be overlooked.

The estimated time to tour the dark elf villages and reach the center of the Dark Forest was about a fortnight.

Could the Elf Queen last that long?

I'll hurry as much as I can, but…

We urged our horses on and quickly exited the outskirts of Lysette.

It seemed it would take about three days to reach the nearest dark elf village.

"Phew, just one more day to go."

As the sun set, Lloyd and El prepared for camp while I studied the map. We should arrive at the dark elf village by tomorrow evening.

Despite the distance, there was some interaction between the nearest dark elf village and Lysette, so the atmosphere wouldn't be too hostile.

Well, we won't know everything until tomorrow.

"I'll prepare the meal. El, gather some firewood. Lloyd, please fetch some water."

"Okay!"

"Understood."

I assigned Ayla to keep watch around us.

"It has been a while since we last camped out."

We had been staying at an inn in the Echaits Union and had been staying at Darion's mansion since we came to Lysette, so it had been a long time since we'd been camping. Preparing our own food was part of it too.

I began skinning the brush goat I had caught earlier in the day and preparing dinner. The hide was perfectly intact thanks to a well-placed arrow to the head, so it would be good to trim and use or even sell.

First, I decided to roast the four legs whole. I mixed the sweet, fatty cuts with the tougher ones for the stew and planned to smoke the leaner parts.

While El gathered firewood and started the fire, I gathered pine needles nearby; their cool scent was perfect for smoking. I selected cedar from the firewood, ignited it, and placed the pine needles on top. Then I added the seasoned meat and covered it with a basket made of water vine stems, which resisted burning well. The smoke began to billow out with a distinctive and pleasant aroma.

This was my first attempt at smoking meat; if it tasted good, I might make it a regular part of our meals.

El had built up a fire, over which I placed a pot for the stew. Lloyd poured in the water he had fetched. I added ribs and large chunks of meat to create a rich broth, along with the spices we had, potatoes, and freshly sliced tomatoes. With the wind and fire cooperating, the pot quickly came to a vigorous boil.

The whole roasted legs were easy. Just salt and pepper and cook; occasionally turning was all that was required.

Cooking by myself after such a long time felt good, even if it made me sweat. And when the delicious smells began to waft around, I couldn't resist taking out some wine.

"Lloyd, would you like some wine?"

"I'll take a glass."

"Me too, please!"

"El, not for you. Drink the goat's milk instead."

"But…"

I shared some wine with Lloyd as an aperitif. Aaah, delicious! I must make time soon to brew a few more jugs and bury them in the dimensional garden!

-Crack, crack.

Against the backdrop of the crackling campfire, we each took a leg of the well-roasted brush goat and began to tear into it. The wine flowed smoothly. Really, this world sucks, but the food is truly exceptional. If it weren't for this pleasure, I might have been long gone…

-Rustle.

…Huh?

What was that sound? All three of us exchanged glances at the same time. It wasn't just me who heard it. Ayla who had been busily gnawing on a goat's leg bone suddenly perked up her ears and looked towards the source of the noise.

"...…"

"...…"

"...…"

I put my finger to my lips and whispered a soft "Shh." Amid the chirping of insects—rustle, rustle, were unfamiliar footsteps. The whinnying of a horse seemed to echo from afar.

Could this be an attack? It seemed too clumsy. Perhaps a dark elf on guard because of our approach? Or a monster? Or…

-Crack!

The sound of dry twigs that we had scattered to break alarms signaled that the intruder was close by. I immediately reached for the dagger at my waist, ready to slit a throat at a moment's notice. Well, depending on who might appear.

-Crunch!

"Ah!"

After stepping on an unusually loud branch, the startled intruder gasped and stumbled backward. I sprang forward, ready to pounce before he could escape. I dodged a tree, leaped over a stone, and quickly overtook the intruder before pressing my dagger to his throat. The blade glowed ominously in the moonlight.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh, ugh! Wa-Wait, Wait a moment!"

The cold question and the feel of the blade on his throat made the intruder panic and cry out. Wait, what is this guy? His pointed ears… an elf?

"Let, let me go! Just let me go!"

…And then I recognized the voice.

Could it be…?

"Theodore!"

The man urgently called out my name. I finally recognized the intruder's identity and sheathed my dagger back at my waist. After I put my weapon away, the intruder hurriedly removed the hood he was wearing. And his lustrous blond hair was revealed.

What in the world is going on?

"…Darion, why are you here?"