Companionship (3)

The blue veil unfurled by Ariel was wide enough to completely envelop their group and more. Even the color was vivid, seeming like it wouldn't break from ordinary shocks.

'What the hell is this....'

Mitchel had a dazed expression. Although a priest, he had considerable knowledge of magic and realized just how high-level the shield Ariel had deployed was. A mage capable of unfurling such a shield must be among the few fingers one could count within the empire.

Moreover, even if they could deploy it, would it be possible to maintain it while sleeping? Mitchel couldn't even imaginehow abundant one's mana would need to be for that to bepossible.

On the other hand, Jenny, who didn't have much

knowledge about magic, seemed less surprised than Mitchel.

"Wow, so we can just sleep here?"

She was simply delighted.

"Not having to stand guard means we can sleep soundly!"

"Jenny... Isn't this a bit strange...?"

Mitchel asked quietly.

"Being able to unfurl a shield like this means Ariel's magic prowess is on par with a great mage."

"Really? She doesn't really look like it."

"You can't judge by appearances. From what I can see, Arielseems to possess tremendous magical ability."

"Shall we ask her directly?"

Jenny approached Ariel, who had unfurled the shield and was petting Ghost.

"Ariel, do you know any magic besides this shield?"

When Jenny asked, Ariel nodded.

"Magic Missile."

"Wow, really? Ariel, you're amazing! Anything else?"

"That's all."

"I see~"

Upon hearing their conversation, Mitchel's expression became complicated.

'...She can only use Magic Missile and a shield?'

That meant she could only use the most basic of spells.

'But this shield is simply...'

Jenny nudged Mitchel's side.

"Mitchel, did you hear? No need to overthink it. From the start, Ariel isn't human but an elf. Elves are naturally attuned to mana. So regardless of her magic prowess, she can unfurl a shield like this."

"When you put it that way... I suppose so."

Come to think of it, Mitchel hadn't really encountered elvesbefore.

Elves were said to have a high ratio of mages due to their affinity for mana.

By that standard, such a shield may not be so

extraordinary for an elf.

'I was only thinking from a human perspective...'

As Jenny said, Mitchel decided not to overthink it.

He accepted that elves with their affinity for mana could manage such a shield.

Of course, that wasn't actually true.

The notion that elves had a high affinity for mana and ratioof mages was just a rumor.

They were simply a race that lived in forests and loved nature, so humans had thought as they pleased. Elves weren't particularly different from humans.

There were elves who couldn't use magic well, and even those with no talent for mana at all.

If an elf who knew some magic had seen the shield Ariel unfurled, they would surely have been greatly surprised like Mitchel.

*

Thanks to the shield Ariel had unfurled, the group was ableto sleep safely and comfortably.

"Oh, Ariel, you're awake."

Jenny smiled and stroked Ariel's head.

"Did you sleep well?"

Though she hadn't slept well at all, Ariel simply nodded andgot up.

It was already morning.

Ghost was already awake, while Lu and Mitchel were still passed out drunk.

"Ariel, can you dispel the shield?"

Jenny gestured outside the shield.

"I need to take care of that guy. He's been staring this way since earlier and it's been bothering me."

Outside the shield stood a troll, a monster somewhat familiar to Ariel.

"It's definitely been waiting to try and eat us, but it won't goas it plans."

Jenny confidently drew her sword.

"I told you, didn't I? Big sis is super strong. Ariel, you don't need to worry. I've dealt with trolls several times before.Ariel will be safe.

At Jenny's words, Ariel dispelled the shield.

As the blue veil disappeared, the troll let out a rough roar.

"Kuaaah!!

"Wh-What...?!"

Lu and Mitchel woke up in a panic from the troll's roar, while Ghost nimbly rose.

Swish!

Jenny charged at the troll, which swung its club at her.

A short while later.

"Haah... Haah..."

Panting heavily, Jenny wiped the blood from her face.As she told Ariel, Jenny took down the troll in style.

"You have to aim for the neck because trolls have strong regenerative abilities," Jenny said as she sheathed her sword.

"But that's not easy. So first, I attacked its legs to slow down the troll's movements, then its arms to prevent it from attacking. After that, I went for the neck."

It was the most ideal method of hunting trolls among adventurers.

"This way, I can effectively take down a troll. Ah, of course, just knowing the method doesn't mean anyone can do it. I can only because I'm at this level. How's that, Ariel? Your

big sis is cool, right?"

If it had been a kid from some village instead of Ariel, they would have nodded vigorously with sparkling eyes.But Ariel was not.

Ariel simply stared blankly at the troll's corpse.

The troll's limbs were tattered, and its head was severed.

Even if sold, it wouldn't fetch a good price.

The more damaged a monster's corpse, the less valuable itbecame. From Ariel's perspective, it seemed a bit of a waste.

It seemed there was no need to put this troll's corpse intonher Inventory.

"Are you unharmed, Jenny?"

Mitchel, having regained his senses, approached Jenny.

"Just my wrist."

Jenny's wrist was fractured from blocking the troll's club. Mitchel quickly cast a healing spell and said,"Still, to take

down a troll with just that injury, you're truly remarkable."

Jenny shrugged off Mitchel's praise as if it were no big deal."Well, I'm strong."

In fact, Mitchel's praise didn't particularly please Jenny.What Jenny had hoped for was Ariel's reaction.

She had wanted Ariel to look at her with admiring eyes, if not outright exclaim,"Big sis is so cool!"

But Ariel didn't even glance at Jenny, instead frowning as she stared at the troll's corpse.

'Was it a bit gruesome...?'

Jenny had deliberately swung her sword more violently while taking down the troll.

Because she was aware that Ariel was watching.

As a result, the troll ended up completely tattered, and Jenny wondered if it might have seemed a bit gruesome to Ariel.

"...Shall we move on? Monsters might be drawn by the troll's blood scent."

In fact, it didn't really matter if monsters came.

Now that the sun was up, Jenny was confident she could easily take care of any monsters that showed up.

What Jenny was concerned about was just Ariel.

She wanted to get Ariel away from that gruesome troll corpse as soon as possible.

"You're right."

Mitchel nodded.

"There's no need to fight monsters unnecessarily."

And so, the group hurriedly left the area.

*

"By the way, Ariel, why do you want to go to the Dwarf Mountains?"

Jenny asked as they walked through the forest.

Ariel replied,"I want to meet dwarves."

"You want to meet dwarves? But elves and dwarves don't get along."

That was true.

Elves who loved nature and dwarves who destroyed nature.

Naturally, there was conflict between the two races. In the past, they had even waged quite a fierce war.

However, with the appearance of the Demon Race, elves and dwarves made a truce, which has continued to this day.

To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that neither side had the strength left to fight each other after suffering heavy losses while driving out the Demon Race.

Of course, while they no longer waged war, the two races still disliked each other. If they met on the road, they would at least frown at each other.

"Aren't you worried about getting into trouble if you go there for no reason?"

Jenny was concerned for Ariel.

As an adventurer with thick skin, Jenny had been to the Dwarf Mountains a few times before, and the dwarves were generally ill-tempered.

"Those half-pint fellows are so touchy. There are also a lot of drunkards among them. Ah, of course, their skills are excellent. Weapons made by dwarves are flawlessly superb. But Ariel, you don't really need anything like that,

do you? Why do you want to meet dwarves?"

After a moment's thought, Ariel answered.

"Just because."

That was really it. There was no other explanation.

"I like dwarves."

"..."

Jenny made a bewildered expression, and Mitchel chimed in from the side.

"In that case, Ariel, how about you also visit the abandoned temple I'm investigating? That building is an ancient temple constructed by dwarves. While modern dwarves are too

proud to do architecture for humans, there were often such cases in ancient times."

"Really?"

At Mitchel's words, Jenny looked at Ariel.

"What do you think, Ariel? Want to check out that temple Mitchel is investigating?"

Ariel nodded right away