Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Wanderers in the Forest - 1
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Tower's village inside.
People in the village.
The first festival opened on the 1st floor, not Luden, left deep impressions on everyone's lives.
The purpose was for me, an adventurer, but it was also a day everyone could enjoy.
Now, they could be certain it was a special day that would return every year.
One never-ending quest had justified the village head's actions.
A few festival aftermath stories emerged.
"Here, a gift."
"What's this?"
"A bracelet. Take one to Grandpa."
One item bought from the stall: bracelets.
Ellie had picked purple, Sua red, and I'd bought two of the same color there too.
The stall owner had asked about my choice, saying couples often matched colors.
Superstitions didn't just define lovers.
Friends or family too.
It was just a childish belief stemming from the rumor that matching bracelets meant a bond that lasted long.
And sometimes, only childish things offered that sense of security.
Especially the younger you were.
I slipped the green bracelet onto Sylvia's right wrist.
Handed the remaining one to her other hand.
"Your wrist is so thin, it just slides down."
Twisting the middle to double the strand finally made it fit her wrist.
"Thank you."
"Was the festival fun?"
"Yes! Grandpa bought me lots of candy. He usually doesn't let me have even two."
Sylvia rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a fistful of candies.
Poked a few with her finger.
"Hmm..."
She gave two to me.
"My gift to you."
"Why so many? He didn't stop you?"
Festival day was the exception; normally, this much snack wasn't allowed for Sylvia.
At least, residents sneaked them to her out of Harman's sight.
She never carried them herself.
"The adults secretly gave them yesterday, telling me to take them. Grandpa doesn't know."
"You're savvy about personal assets, huh."
"Of course."
Sylvia managed her snacks just fine on her own.
"I hope we have another festival."
"Was it fun?"
"Yes! Grandpa seemed to enjoy it too."
Good to hear he enjoyed it as well.
"His smile... it had been so long."
I patted Sylvia's head.
"Yeah. Let's definitely hold another one next time."
"Yay!"
Not participating in the lottery was hands-down the best choice I'd made lately.
A new item appeared at the request office.
A doll sat on the counter.
"A slime."
"Yes, a slime doll."
One charm of prizes: some came from unknown sources.
Overall, the village head had prepared them matching the population.
Grateful residents had sent items like the potion shop owner.
Of course, in those cases, the sender was clear.
"Why make a monster into a doll? Who?"
"No idea. It was just a prize."
- *squish, squish*
Ellie pressed the soft top with her palm.
The doll squashed helplessly.
Poking the bulging sides restored it.
"Fun to play with. And slimes are relatively cute among monsters."
I hunted real slimes to relieve stress sometimes too.
Couldn't say much to Ellie playing with a slime doll.
Entering and eyes drawn to it? Not bad as interior decor.
Amid slime extermination requests everywhere, a slime doll in the middle was a funny touch.
"It looks too dumb."
"Slimes look dumb by nature."
"Captured that dumbness perfectly. Makes me wanna smack it more I look."
"No way. This is mine."
Ellie pulled the doll to her chest.
"So why didn't you take a prize? Jealous? Regret it?"
"My number wasn't the doll anyway."
"Too bad for you."
Ellie seemed thrilled with her prize.
"More importantly, you're alone today?"
"Ah, Sua's tired, said she's resting."
No special reason, but Sua, who always hunted with me, was absent.
Too lazy to get out of bed; from beyond the closed door, she mumbled to go alone.
No response after, probably back asleep.
"Exhausted after one day of fun? Some adventurer, stamina's nothing special."
"You're the impressive one. Drunk that bad the night before, yet opened on time."
"Eek, forget yesterday!"
She hid her face with the slime doll.
"Put the doll down now. Can't process requests if both hands are busy with it."
She slid the doll down and assigned the usual request.
Today too: five slimes, five slime cores.
"There's another request. Want that one too?"
"Huh? Another one?"
No request paper, no quest window pop-up.
Ellie came around the counter to my side.
She took a deep breath like steeling herself, body rigid as she spoke.
"Th-there's a new request...!"
"Not the one from yesterday, right?"
Yesterday's atmosphere had fit perfectly.
But the morning request office was too everyday.
Resolve in a special moment felt different from actions blended into routine.
"Today's different! A bit similar, but..."
She spread her arms wide.
"Hug me."
"Uh...?"
This request was a hug.
"Qu-quick! You doing it or not? Don't embarrass me."
And the reward was the same.
"A bit tighter is okay."
"Ah, uh. Like this?"
"Yes. That much."
I had no clue how much strength I was using.
"Uh, how long?"
"10 seconds, no, 20 more."
Couldn't count seconds passed.
Felt like over 10, or under 3.
"Warm."
Closer than ever to Ellie, her small voice rang clear.
Her impression.
Strength eased from her hands around my back.
Ellie turned away and headed back behind the counter.
"Ahem! First one's hard, gets easy after."
"Ellie, your face looks ready to burst."
"J-just go already! Gotta hunt slimes!"
Soft.
My impression.
About the slime doll, of course.
'Is she planning different requests every day now?'
Ellie's requests weren't consistent anymore.
Heading to the forest.
Steps quicker than usual toward the damp woods.
Because she urged, or needed to clear my head right away.
Couldn't tell.
Either way, I needed a slime group to vent on now.
⋮
Reached the forest entrance quickly.
But something was off.
The usual person wasn't there.
No Koon.
Instead, another being was.
"Why's this still here?"
- *fwoosh!*
Faint flames danced on the helmet.
Like greeting me?
"This is Sua's summon. Forgot to dismiss after yesterday?"
- *fwoosh! Fwoosh!*
The knight-shaped summon in armor swung its arms.
Gesturing like guiding me inside the forest.
"Does the job well."
The summon scratched its helmet back, pleased by the praise.
Even if Sua left it due to bed laziness, Koon's absence wasn't minor.
Festival had a substitute for his duties so he rested; normally, he never missed a day.
"Finish the request first."
Then go find Koon. Probably home if not forest.
"Good work. Careful not to set the back on fire."
- *fwoosh!*
Perky for a summon.
Passed the entrance.
Slime clusters visible right away.
Hunting with Sua slowed pace due to chats.
Alone, five slimes took little time.
Find, stab.
Repeat five times.
- *schlurp!*
Actually not even five.
If clustered nicely for sweeping, one sword stroke hit all five cores.
"Done. Heading back."
Alone, this time sufficed usually.
Sometimes overdid for fun, but other matters now, so exactly five.
- *fwoosh?*
Out so soon after entering, summon reacted surprised.
Knocked on the door.
- *knock knock!*
Knew where Koon lived.
Didn't visit often.
Most meetings at forest entrance.
"Wh-who is it?"
"Me."
"Ah. Earthbound Spirit, sir."
Koon was awake, but door stayed shut.
His voice sounded quite raspy.