Now It Finally Feels Like a Hero's Journey!
"Hero, you are the hero of us elves."
"Oh, no, that's far too kind of you. Hahaha..."
After wrapping up the monster subjugation and returning to change into fresh clothes, we'd been summoned to the throne room. Now Valeri and I stood at its center.
Unlike when we'd first arrived, a crowd of elves lined the walls of the chamber, and the Elf King regarded us with an expression of pure delight.
"Since coming to this land, far removed from where our kind once lived, we elves have known many hardships. Being so small in number, even outside aid often felt more like a threat than a blessing. But today's events have taught me something. The friendly alliance with the Kingdom of Zortia was the right choice to make! Hoh hoh hoh~"
The Elf King stroked his beard and chuckled with satisfaction. For some reason, Queen Anaris—who I'd assumed would be off in her cabin—was seated on a throne arranged alongside his, right next to Histira and Fresia, laughing loudly with him.
"It is highly unusual for different species of monsters to band together and form a coalition in this peaceful forest. No doubt this too is the work of the Demon King's revival... The one who saved us from being swept away by the tide of such an age is none other than you, Hero! Hoh hoh hoh~!"
"It was nothing. Even without me, all of you would have managed it."
"Such modesty. And yet, had you not been here, I shudder to imagine how great the damage might have been. Even if we had succeeded in holding back the monsters, the recovery would have been painful and long. You spared us all of that! Please, take pride in it~ Hoh hoh hoh hoh!!"
Beneath the flood of praise, I felt embarrassed—and happy all the same.
Glancing around, I saw Valeri holding herself ramrod straight, nerves written plainly all over her. But her eyes were absolutely sparkling. Apparently she was more than satisfied with her own performance.
"For the sake of such a Hero, we will aid you whenever you have need of it—so swears Bahav, King of the Elves. Hoh hoh hoh~"
"Thank you for saying so."
"Then first, please accept this token of our sincerity."
At the Elf King's words, Queen Anaris, seated beside him, unfolded a document with a flourish and presented it. It was densely covered in unfamiliar script, and at the bottom glowed two radiant signatures.
"This certifies, in my name and that of my king, that you are recognized as the Hero, and that you bear the power of the Holy Sword. With this in hand, you'll be free of the tedious questions about the results of the Holy Sword's ritual."
It was the certification Queen Anaris had mentioned before. Which meant the two glowing signatures at the bottom must be those of Bahav, the King, and Anaris, the Queen. From Zortia's perspective, this was the endorsement of a nation's sovereign and its queen—a mage of great renown—so they would surely accept it without question.
"And next, we have this."
Histira rose from her seat and lifted a small, elegant box, drawing something out of it. It was a pure-white, teardrop-shaped pendant.
"This is a protective charm crafted with the magic of our elves. So long as you keep it upon your person, it will safeguard your precious body on the journey ahead."
Histira held the pendant up high to show it off, her voice brimming with unmistakable pride.
From both sides of the throne room came murmurs of awe from the elves who beheld it. I couldn't say for certain, but it was clearly no ordinary magical tool.
Histira returned the pendant to its box, accepted the rolled-up document from Queen Anaris, and descended the dais. Approaching me, she smiled and offered the two items with both hands.
"Please accept them with our deepest gratitude, Hero."
"No—the gratitude is mine."
I reached out with both hands and received the two treasures carefully from Histira's outstretched palms.
"Hoh hoh hoh~ It is far too early to be so pleased with only this~ When the two of you depart this place, we shall gift you equipment befitting your deeds. But such stiff, formal rewards alone cannot express the warmth of my heart! Tonight, the festival shall last until the depths of night~! Hoh hoh hoh hoh!!"
At those words, the elves in the chamber broke into applause. Histira, caught up in the excitement, clapped along before growing self-conscious and clearing her throat with a cough, while Anaris stared at her intently. The Elf King Bahav wove his own warm laughter into the sound of the clapping.
"Wait just a moment~!"
The one to shatter the mood was Fresia, thrusting her arm high into the air with a loud cry. She stepped up onto her own throne, which sat beside Histira's.
"Fresia! You must not stand upon the throne! Come down at once!"
"But you're all talking without me~"
With a pout, Fresia hopped back down to the floor.
"Oh ho, my darling Fresia. So you have something to say as well. Yes, yes, out with it."
"Earlier you said that when those two leave, you're giving them equipment."
"I did. Surely that's only the natural reward for the two of them?"
"Then~ where's mine?!"
"...Huh?" "...Pardon?"
The Elf King and Histira both froze at Fresia's words.
"Fresia, weren't you only planning to accompany the Hero to the capital and then return?"
"That's right. To buy my... my, ah... gift, remember?"
"No, I thought I'd hand the gift over to a courier and pay for delivery.
I'm going with the Hero to defeat the Demon King!"
Well, had anyone expected anything less from her? I'd been wondering why she was just standing there quietly this whole time.
"Goodness... setting off on another long journey. My queen, what say you?"
"I already knew, you know."
At the Elf King's question, delivered with a small sigh as he turned to her, Queen Anaris answered with perfect cool.
"Hold on! If you go, what am I supposed to do about the hunts?"
"You have my sister, don't you?"
"Ugh...!"
Histira's face crumpled at Fresia's breezy reply.
"You've managed just fine for over a year without me~"
"Only because I squeezed every last ounce of strength from myself in your absence!
No—no, that is not the point."
Histira soon drew a deep breath and turned to the Elf King.
"Father, whatever else may be said, the Demon King subjugation is dangerous. Please, talk her out of it!"
"It is true... sending my daughter into such peril does weigh upon me~"
"Ehh?! Why not~? Even the weakling Hero is going~"
So that's how you've seen me this whole time?
Well... I mean, weakling was technically accurate...
"Let her go."
At Queen Anaris's words, every gaze in the room swung toward her.
"She's not a child who'll be talked out of it just because we ask. Let us simply think about what we can do to help her come home safely. As for the hunts... I will assist you, Histira."
So saying, Queen Anaris met Histira's eyes.
"Mother..."
"Hoh hoh hoh! The strength of our royal women's will has always been our pride, has it not? Hero."
"Y-yes!"
Suddenly called out of a conversation that had been passing entirely among the royal elves, I jolted and answered.
"Might I entrust my daughter, Fresia, to your care?"
At the question, I stole a glance toward Valeri. Perhaps thinking the same thing, Valeri turned her head toward me at that very moment, and our eyes met. I smiled and looked back at the Elf King.
"Of course! We already suspected Fresia would insist on coming."
"Then it is settled. Hoh hoh hoh~"
"Yay~!"
No sooner had permission been granted than Fresia leapt off the dais and came dashing toward us at full sprint. Then, seizing one of my hands and one of Valeri's, she spun us round and round in a dance.
"I get to be with you two~!"
"Hey, Fresia! I'm getting dizzy!"
"Hahaha! It's a pleasure to have you with us, Fresia!"
The Elf Village was already brimming with festival atmosphere in the broad light of day. The wide clearing was packed with more tables than one could hope to count, and all manner of dishes kept piling up atop them.
From the structures built into the trunk of the Great Tree, elves played music that was at once beautiful and exhilarating. As my eyes followed the performers, I noticed elves busily moving between the buildings clinging to that colossal tree—some sliding sideways, some traveling up and down.
"Whoa~!"
The mystical festival spreading out above and below me left me spellbound. Fresia grabbed my shoulder.
"What are you spacing out for, Hero! This festival is for you and us!"
Beside Fresia as she said this, Valeri had somehow already appeared, holding a glass of fruit drink and smiling.
"This gathering is in celebration of your deeds, Hero!"
"You're the one who caught the Hobgoblin, though."
"I did not! That I was able to do so was entirely thanks to your attack, Hero."
As she said this, Valeri stepped slowly toward me and brought her lips to my ear.
"So your merit is mine as well."
she murmured, barely above a whisper.
"Ohh, what's this, what's this? Valeri's way of talking got so much lighter!"
Fresia had it exactly right. Valeri, who had until now clung stubbornly to her stiffest formal register, had just let her sentence trail off casually. She sounded exactly like she had last night, after we'd slept together.
"I decided it was time to stop keeping you at arm's length."
Valeri straightened her back with a refreshed expression and said this to Fresia.
"Me too! Say it like that to me too~"
Fresia clung to Valeri's arm and nuzzled her playfully.
"I'm afraid not~"
"Ehhh~"
Valeri teased Fresia in a voice full of mischievous playfulness I'd never heard from her before, then walked off toward the tables laid out with food. Pouting and complaining, Fresia trailed after her.
Before long the two of them stopped together, turned around, and met my eyes.
"Hero! Come enjoy yourself with us!" "Hero~ hurry up and get over here!"
"Yeah!"
At last, it felt like my adventure in this other world was truly beginning—and the joy of it, shared with my companions, filled me to overflowing.