READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 28
– Clink
After carefully storing Ellie’s saintly outfit, which I had struggled to wear for two days, back into the closet, I returned to my original attire, feeling freer than ever.
It was like shedding a heavy sandbag I had been carrying for a long time.
I’m truly grateful that she stayed up all night to make it for me, but…
Faced with the insurmountable wall of “design,” I had to admit defeat. Wearing that outfit frequently was just a bit too much for me.
Unless Ellie brings it up again, it’s probably going to stay in my closet forever.
“Sister, today’s the day for the outdoor training, right?”
“You’re up early, Iris.”
From early morning, I was busy preparing in the kitchen for the outdoor training.
It’s quite sudden to have an outdoor test right after just one day of studying herbology.
“Are you sure this is okay…? I haven’t even memorized anything properly yet…”
“Of course, it’s fine. Don’t get too hung up on the word ‘test.'”
The real reason for pushing through with this sudden outdoor training is to enjoy a picnic disguised as training.
Thanks to Can, the first picnic with the kids was completely ruined, and it ended up being as if it never happened. This time, I’m determined to enjoy a peaceful first picnic with the kids without any interruptions.
Of course, the outdoor training will also be conducted diligently.
“By the way, where’s Ellie?”
“Ellie’s studying in her room. She won’t even respond if you talk to her.”
“Hmm, what about Aizen?”
“He’s still sleeping.”
Despite the passion he showed yesterday, Aizen is still lost in his dreams, even though it’s well past the time he should be up.
It’s pretty much what I expected.
It’s obvious at a glance that Aizen and studying don’t mix well.
“Looks like Ellie’s really looking forward to hunting monsters.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“Why else would she be sitting at her desk studying from early morning?”
“……”
Honestly, the monster hunting bait was a condition I set hoping Aizen would take the bait.
But contrary to expectations, it’s Ellie who’s fallen for it, creating a completely different scenario than I imagined. Still, it’s a good situation overall, so I didn’t mention it.
As long as someone’s studying hard, it’s all good.
“We’re having dinner out… I mean, we’ll eat during the outdoor training. Please let Aizen and Ellie know.”
“Okay─.”
To avoid repeating the same mistake, this time I’m bringing fully prepared food.
The situation is quite different from last time, so there’s no need to worry, but just in case, it’s better to be prepared.
– Clink
The plan and preparations are perfect.
.
.
.
That evening.
Walking through the usual quiet forest, heading to the pre-scouted outdoor training location.
I was worried because the forest holds many bad memories for the kids, but contrary to my expectations, they were surprisingly spirited.
They didn’t seem scared or hesitant at all.
“Levi, where are we going?”
“There’s a spot I scouted earlier. This area is safe, but there aren’t many herbs around here.”
It would’ve been great to do the training near the lake we visited before, but unfortunately, there are hardly any herbs there.
Even though this is a picnic disguised as training, teaching the kids about herbs is also important, so that place isn’t suitable.
“Drowsy herb… Paralysis herb… Happiness herb…”
“Ellie, you need to look ahead while walking. You might trip.”
“Snore herb… Depression herb…”
Ellie even took the book I had and is memorizing the herbs. I never thought she’d be this serious about monster hunting.
It seems like no matter what I say now, it won’t reach Ellie’s ears.
“Here we are, the training spot. It’s quiet and there aren’t many dangers here.”
“…It’s not much different from near the church.”
“Delusion herb… Antidote herb…”
“It’s really quiet around here.”
As Aizen said, this place has an ordinary scenery that you can see anywhere, but upon closer inspection, you can find quite a few interesting things scattered around.
Especially the herbs, which are today’s main focus.
“This is a spot I’ve been using recently. The herbs mentioned in the book are plentiful here, making it a great training spot for beginners like you.”
“Hmm… Is that so?”
I gave a faint smile while looking at Aizen, who was still half-doubting.
“Yes, I guarantee it.”
With that, I clapped my hands twice, loudly announcing the start of the training to the kids who were still dazed.
“From now on, you have exactly one hour. The person who collects the most herbs I mentioned will get the chance to hunt monsters.”
“Whoa─!!”
“Ting herb… Dumdum herb…”
“Okay─.”
I quietly approached Ellie, who still hadn’t taken her eyes off the book, and naturally took it away from her.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she started flusteredly fumbling around.
“Ah… I still have more to memorize…”
“Start─.”
At my quiet command, the kids immediately dashed into the forest, busily looking around.
As their figures disappeared one by one, I gradually raised the corners of my mouth in satisfaction.
“……”
Previously, a few monsters would occasionally appear, but now they’ve completely disappeared, making the forest a safe place.
I don’t have to worry about the kids being attacked by monsters.
So, I’ll use this hour to finish preparing for the picnic and leisurely wait for them.
Truly a sweet time.
.
.
.
30 minutes later.
The sounds of activity around me had completely disappeared.
The forest, now filled with silence, felt quite desolate and eerie, but the scenery was nice enough to enjoy some leisure time.
“Gulp…”
I poured tea from the bottle into a cup and enjoyed a leisurely tea time with the faint sound of an owl hooting in the background.
Thinking that this quiet and serene place would soon be filled with the kids’ voices, I felt like half the picnic was already a success.
The other half would be enjoying the time with the kids, so I was already starting to feel a great sense of satisfaction.
“Gurgle…”
As I sat on the mat, quietly waiting for the kids to return, suddenly…
– Rustle
Only 30 minutes had passed, but I heard a faint sound of movement near where I was.
I quietly turned my head toward the sound, and something started rustling in the dark bushes.
“…Did you already collect everything?”
“……”
I asked softly, just in case, but there was no response from where the sound came.
Only a hollow silence filled the surroundings.
“Aizen? Ellie? Iris?”
“……”
“I know you’re there. Stop playing around and come out.”
“……”
After asking several times with no response, I sighed softly and slowly looked around.
It didn’t seem like it was one of the kids, and the faint feeling I got seemed quite ordinary…
It must be an animal.
“…Tsk.”
Maybe I’ve become a bit sensitive due to recent events.
Getting this worked up over a wild animal passing by…
Even though no one’s around, I still felt awkward.
After regaining my composure, I turned my head back and reached for the teacup handle on the ground. Just then…
– Rustle
Another sound of movement, and a human silhouette suddenly appeared in the dark bushes.
Under the bluish moonlight, the black shadow covering their body slowly faded, revealing the mysterious figure.
“…A vampire?”
With a rather cute voice, the figure fully revealed itself in front of me.
Contrary to expectations, it wasn’t a kid or an animal, but a small, cute elf.
“…An elf?”
The first elf I’ve encountered in this world.
Just that alone was enough to leave me stunned, but the mysterious aura emanating from the elf, even while just standing there, was overwhelming.
It felt like something ripped straight out of a fairy tale.
As soon as I made eye contact with the elf, I was at a loss for words and could only blink dumbly.
“Are you the vampire that’s been frequently appearing in this forest lately…?”
With that one sentence, a quiet yet awkward silence fell between me and the elf.
The elf’s gaze was still pure and harmless, but I couldn’t help but feel tense, and my lips started to dry up.
“What’s this all of a sudden? As far as I know, there are no elves living in this forest…”
I cautiously asked, and the elf answered without hesitation.
“Yes, that’s right. I came from the Loen Forest across the river.”
“…Loen Forest?”
A forest I’ve never heard of before.
I’ve become quite familiar with the forest I live in, but I know nothing about the lands beyond the large river surrounding this area.
Even if I wanted to go, my body vehemently refuses to cross the river.
“It seems you don’t know much about the lands beyond the river. Loen Forest is where elves live, and it’s a place known for its beautiful scenery.”
“Ah… Is that so…?”
Before I could ask more about the forest, the elf suddenly started explaining naturally.
The explanation was longer than expected, and the more I listened, the more I felt strangely drained.
Even though we’ve only just met, I could unintentionally see the strong pride the elf had for the forest they lived in.
“Oh, right. My name is Lillune. I’ve come here under the Elder’s orders to meet you.”
Only after a long time did the elf finally introduce themselves.
By then, I was already wearing a bitter expression, awkwardly raising the corners of my mouth.
“I’ve come to ask you for a favor.”