Reunion
Veronica's face was deathly pale as she trembled violently.
Not particularly cold outside, though. Arrhythmia, maybe?
"Wh-what were you planning to do with the elf...? There wasn't even a scream? D-don't tell me... instant death? Did you hit a vital spot?"
"No—"
"Wh-what do we do...? F-first, we should get away from here— u-uh, priority one, back to the Fairy Realm—"
"Didn't kill! Elf Saria healthy!"
"Pardon...? I-is that so...?"
I had no idea what kind of impression of me was etched into Veronica's mind. Just listening quietly, she was slandering me with the most absurd nonsense.
All I'd done was throw the fork to gain the upper hand in negotiations. No way I'd commit murder over something as minor as bruised pride.
"Diana kills. Bad green elf— ear freak only! Saria not bad elf! Don't kill, right?!"
"That's... a relief."
Only then did Veronica finally dispel her misunderstanding about me, letting out a small sigh of relief.
"—Still, violence isn't good."
"Not violence. Diana not bug. Proof needed, throw."
"Well... even so."
It was clearly the elf who'd picked the fight first, but somehow I was the one getting lectured. Go figure.
Anyway, after she repeatedly warned me never to throw the fork so recklessly again, Veronica finally pulled a fresh one from her bag and placed it back in my hand.
"Veronica come together?"
When I asked if she'd join me for the talk with Saria, she pondered alone for a moment before shaking her head.
"Even if I met the forest ranger captain now, we wouldn't be able to communicate anyway."
"Hmm."
Veronica only knew the most basic elven conversational phrases. And from what she said, Saria probably didn't know the kingdom's language well either.
"So you should talk to her first, Diana. Then we can decide whether to rescue her or not."
"Got it."
No matter the handcuffs, the opponent was a full-grown adult elf with a tall frame. If she overpowered Veronica before she could cast a spell, we'd be in trouble.
It was a cautious, wise judgment. With a small nod to me, she hid herself among the bushes, and I approached the barn again.
Weeeeng—
I flew along the wall and reached the window frame.
At first, she was startled by the sudden appearance of the green creature. But from the fork it threw, Saria realized it was the mysterious familiar that had been with the human princess before.
Does that mean the princess is here too?
Saria perked up her ears, focusing on sounds outside the barn. From not far away, she heard bushes rustling.
...Nowhere to be seen when I needed her.
When she'd searched desperately, not even a trace. But after the human army had already seized the elf village to hunt the princess, she showed up like she'd been waiting.
She wanted to grab the princess and beg her to pull back the army right then.
If only I'd learned some human language.
Unfortunately, Saria didn't know the human tongue. Nor did she expect a mere child princess to speak fluent Noseo.
As Saria looked up at the green bug-human flying in with a fresh fork loaded, her eyes dull with boredom—
"Hello?"
"...! Y-you, you speak Noseo?!"
At the familiar language from the bug-human, Saria's eyes widened.
"Speak no. Listen only, can."
"What does that...?"
Contrary to Saria's hope that they might communicate, the bug-human shook its head slightly and replied in halting pronunciation.
Listen only? Then what's this Noseo you're speaking? ...Just mimicking elves?
Saria recalled a peculiar bird from the Great Forest.
Like that bird, which simply imitated sounds without understanding meaning, this bug-human might have picked up elven speech somewhere and was parroting it blindly.
If so, no need to engage. As Saria started to turn away—
"Hello? Me, name Diana. Elf Saria, nice meet!"
"...Seems like a sentient being we can talk to after all."
"Yes. Diana sentient, talk can, nice!"
Following Saria's turned gaze, the sentient being greeted again. She twitched one eyebrow.
"What are you here for?"
"Uh, um. Here, Diana, talchul, talchuli... hmm... Saria, get out here. Nice?"
"What?"
"Ah, not that. Escape... go... hmm... ah!"
Weeeeng—
"Diana, Saria, do this, do this. Nice?"
Watching the sentient being dart in and out of the window bars where it entered, Saria frowned briefly before piecing it together.
"Are you saying you'll help me get out of here...?"
"Get out! Go out! Nice!"
At Saria's words, the sentient being broke into a huge grin, eyes sparkling as it nodded vigorously.
So it can read intentions.
At first baffling, but clearly this creature had the knack for grasping the meaning behind Saria's words.
That makes things quick.
She wasn't particularly interested in this unknown ability. But it was obvious it'd greatly help her escape her current predicament.
Moreover, if she could escape and persuade the princess to come to the village, she might negotiate the human army's swift withdrawal from the Great Forest.
"I ask you."
"Ask, got it. Saria go out. First, wait bit."
At Saria's response, the creature—which had seemed ready to free her immediately—paused.
Suddenly, it pointed the fork blade at Saria.
"Rakan! Name Rakan, elf know?"
"Ra...kan?"
"Yes. Name Rakan, elf Saria know?"
The creature grabbed a fistful of its hair, pointing frantically at the black mold on the barn wall with its other hand.
"This, this color! Rakan! Was elf! Ask!"
She had no idea why the sudden question.
"...No. No such elf—at least not in our village."
That much she could answer confidently. As far as she knew, no black-haired elf named Rakan existed in the village.
"...No Rakan? Veronica, elf village Rakan existed."
"Hmm..."
But the creature insisted the princess had met an elf named Rakan in the village.
...Who?
Obviously, no inferior human versed in magic could sneak into the elf village undetected.
Several possibilities flashed through Saria's mind. As usual, the princess and this creature deceiving her with human lies. Or perhaps a village elf involved, using a false name to avoid detection. Or...
.
As she pondered the possibilities, Saria's ears twitched.
Thud. Thud....Footsteps?
Someone was approaching the barn.
But from what she sensed, the presence came from the opposite direction of where the princess hid.
She glanced sidelong at the small creature—it seemed oblivious to the situation. Whoever was coming, she didn't know.
Not a forest ranger.
The footsteps were too frivolous. Clearly not an elf come to free her.
"...Hey, hide for now."
"?"
"—Quickly!"
"Ah, got it."
Unsure if the approaching entity was foe or friend, Saria judged it best to hide this friendly, meddlesome sentient being for now.
At her warning, the creature looked puzzled but obeyed, ducking behind a water jug in the corner.
.
Moments later—
Clunk—thud! Screeech—
The latch released, and a smirking human man entered the barn.
"Ω, το βρήκα. —Excuse me, nice to meet you, something like that?"
First in the kingdom's Elenika. Then fluent Noseo.
As Saria predicted, the barn's visitor was no elf.
And someone she'd encountered once before.
A red-haired, squinting man in ornate clothes out of place in the forest.
"You..."
"From today, I'm your new master."
The man shook the iron collar in his hand, a light, mocking smile on his lips.