Chapter 56: Elixir(1)
Chapter 56: Elixir(1)
Lina and her party prepared to enter the forest. It was the only place the pig and the skeleton could be.
"They say the forest is where people usually go missing, and it's also where they return from."
This was information Lina had gathered while I was just messing around getting laid. I felt a little bad.
The party got ready to enter the woods.
Bears, wolves, and even monsters lived in the forest, so we had to be thoroughly prepared. We also had to pack enough food and water.
This sort of thing was my responsibility. My two years as an adventurer were finally paying off.
"Alright, we're all set, Lina."
"Yes. Thank you, Kerry. It's very reassuring."
The forest wasn't far from the village.
A short walk outside the village limits brought a dense forest into view. Maybe it was because I knew the ominous rumors, but it felt a little scary.
Lina walked ahead without hesitation.
The party pushed forward, trampling down the head-high grass.
Whoosh.
Was I the only one who found the sound of the whistling wind so eerie?
Everyone else seemed completely unfazed. Even the old grandma.
"The trail ends here."
Lina, who had been tracking, shook her head.
We had come quite deep into the forest. It wasn't like we could just turn back now that the trail was gone.
"Is it my turn to step up?"
"...Kerry? You know how to track?"
"No, I don't know how to do anything that complicated. But I have this."
Kerry took out the magic orb.
"Don't tell me... tracking magic?"
"That's right. As luck would have it, the Magic Storage Orb happened to have a tracking spell in it."
That was a lie.
Kerry had asked the White Witch to imbue a Rare-grade Magic Storage Orb with a tracking spell.
There was no point in putting a low-level attack spell in it; it would be pathetic compared to Lina's power, so this was better.
I knew this would come in handy.
Kerry infused mana into the Magic Storage Orb.
In that instant, a wave of mana spread out from the orb. After a few pulses, it stopped.
Kerry could feel it. He could sense the forest and the animals within the mana's wave in detail.
And within that detection range, he sensed a single person.
"There's one person 700 meters away, at our two o'clock. I don't know who it is... but it's suspicious for someone to be alone in a forest like this."
"Wow! That's amazing, Husband."
"Well, we don't have any other leads, so let's head that way. Good work, Kerry."
"Kerry, you're starting to look like a real mage now, aren't you?"
"Ho ho... what a frightening talent."
I still had three more spells I hadn't shown them.
Two were low-level spells in Rare-grade orbs, and one was an intermediate-level spell in a Hero-grade orb. I'd keep them hidden and use them when I needed to.
The party moved in the direction Kerry had indicated.
At the location he'd pointed out, they saw a man standing blankly. He looked like one of the villagers. What on earth was he doing here?
His attire was strange for someone with business in the forest. He wasn't even carrying common equipment like an axe.
In the end, we had no choice but to talk to him. Kerry called out to the man.
"Excuse me."
"?"
The man, who had been staring into space, turned around.
"May I ask what you're doing here?"
"...You must be the outsiders who arrived a few days ago."
"Yes, we are, but..."
"Outsiders should mind their own business and be on their way..."
This is how it always is in this damn other world. Outsider this, outsider that, what's the big deal?
Just as a wave of irritation was about to surge, Lina cut in from the side.
"I apologize for the intrusion, but could we have a word with you? We are, in fact, the party of heroes chosen by the Goddess Elena. We heard the unpleasant rumors about this village and came to help."
"...Heroes? A-Are you really the heroes from the rumors?"
"Yes, we are."
The man's attitude changed completely at the mention of heroes. Maybe we should have played the hero card sooner.
We'd avoided it because Lina didn't like the attention.
The man started bawling, saying he was so relieved the heroes had come. I wished he'd just hurry up and tell us what was going on.
After crying for a good while, the man calmed down and began to speak.
"Heroes, please save my little brother... no, please save our village."
"Yes, take your time. What exactly is happening in this village?"
The man spoke, sniffling. He looked as if he was afraid to even speak the words.
"The White Witch... the White Witch lives in this forest. She must be the one kidnapping people!"
Kerry shook his head.
*
To summarize the man's story, it went like this:
There was an old legend that a White Witch lived in this forest, and the villagers believed she was responsible for all the disappearances.
The White Witch isn't such a bad woman once you get to know her, though.
"Then what are you doing standing here in a daze, mister? What if the White Witch comes to get you?"
"...I have no choice. My younger brother went missing in this forest."
"You didn't look like you were searching for him."
"I'm waiting for my brother's voice... The people who made it back from the forest all survived because someone who heard a voice came and saved them. So I thought, maybe if I wait here, I might hear my brother's voice too..."
You have to hear a voice in the forest to save someone? And to save them, you have to enter the forest. Suspicious.
"...Have you ever thought that it's suspicious? It's like... it's luring people into the forest."
"Of course I have! All the villagers know it's suspicious. They call it the voice of the dead and are terrified of it. But... but... it's my own brother who's missing... How can I just rest easy at home?"
"..."
"And it's true that a fair number of people do return safely from the forest. So I... I have no choice but to wait here for my brother's voice. Sob, sob."
I was starting to get the picture.
I understood how he felt, but this would only lead to more victims.
Lina, who also seemed to have a good idea of what was happening, clenched her fists. She took a deep breath to calm her anger.
"For now, let's go back to the village. It's dangerous here."
"But, heroes... my little brother... he must be waiting for me to save him."
"Leave the rest to us. We'll handle this."
The man insisted he couldn't go back until he found his brother, but after some firm persuasion from Lina, he returned to the village.
"Tsk. The poor man."
"There might be... more people like him in the forest."
"Are you planning to find all of them, Lina?"
"No."
That was unexpected. I thought she'd insist on searching for them immediately.
"That's not the way to solve this. It'll be faster to crush the bastards hiding in this forest than to wander around looking for people whose whereabouts are unknown."
Kerry nodded in agreement. There was something about their methods that really got on my nerves.
The party continued to search the forest.
The deeper we went, the more sinister it felt. What on earth were those bastards doing in this forest?
And why were they kidnapping people only to release them?
More importantly, I felt bad for the White Witch.
Getting blamed and cursed for something she didn't do. I wonder what she'll say when I tell her later. I'm kind of looking forward to it.
Lina's party searched the forest until nightfall but found nothing else. That was fine.
We had already anticipated this wouldn't be resolved in a day or two.
That's why we had prepared so thoroughly.
The party set up camp in a suitable spot in the forest. Kerry started a fire and began cooking for everyone.
"Wow. That smells amazing. Husband, you're a really good cook. Where did you learn?"
"Just from knocking around as an adventurer. I had no choice but to pay attention to my cooking. The ingredients were often such utter crap that if you couldn't cook, it was torture just to put it in your mouth."
Compared to back then, this was paradise. The meat and soup sizzling on skewers over the fire stimulated my sense of smell.
There's a special kind of fun in huddling around a campfire to eat.
And when you're with beauties like these, anything tastes amazing.
"We're always so indebted to you, Kerry."
"I know Kerry's cooking skills well. Heh heh."
The party happily ate the skewers and soup Kerry had made. The forest was eerie, but at least it was atmospheric while we ate.
Moonlight was already filtering down through the tall, ancient trees.
As they ate, Natasha and Victoria bickered.
"Make sure you eat your vegetables too, Natasha."
"...I'll eat them on my own. Why are you acting so friendly all of a sudden? It's making me uncomfortable."
"Heh heh. There's a reason for that. And it doesn't seem like you hate it, though?"
"I... I do hate it! I hate it a lot!"
Despite her words, Natasha readily accepted and ate the vegetables Victoria gave her.
The atmosphere had changed quite a bit. As expected, there's nothing like physical contact to get people to warm up to each other.
As Kerry ate, something kept bothering him.
This was the forest where the White Witch was said to have lived.
Honestly, it didn't feel good to hear her being misunderstood and accused of kidnapping people.
Had I grown fond of the White Witch already?
It seemed I would have to meet her tonight.
I was also curious to see her reaction when I told her the story.
The party finished their meal.
They didn't seem the least bit tense. It almost felt like we were on a camping trip.
After the noisy dinner ended, the party decided on the night watch schedule and went to sleep.
Kerry also lay down in his sleeping bag. He planned to wake up at dawn and go to the White Witch.
While Kerry was asleep, someone gently shook him awake.
What is it? Is it my turn for watch duty already? Reminds me of the army. Dammit.
But the face he saw when he opened his eyes was different from his army days.
It was Natasha, with her red hair and large, round eyes. Just looking at her seemed to melt away his fatigue.
"Natasha. Is it... my turn for watch duty already?"
I didn't think Natasha was scheduled before me.
"H-Husband. It's not that..."
"Did you wake me by mistake? It's okay. I can just go back to sleep. I'm a heavy sleeper."
"That's not it either..."
"?"
Then what was it?
"I... um... it's just really hard to hold it in..."
"Hold what in?"
Natasha hesitated shyly before whispering in my ear.
"...I have to pee."
"..."
"It's too scary to go alone. It's pitch black because it's night... and the forest is so creepy..."
"Wouldn't you normally wake up your grandmother for that...?"
"If I asked Grandma to go with me... she'd throw a fit. 'A warrior of the Maruna can't even go pee by herself?' But... what can I do if I'm scared? Ghosts are the scariest thing in the world to me."
"...Even if a ghost shows up, I can't protect you."
In the first place, Natasha was stronger than me.
"Eek! Don't talk about ghosts! It's already super scary."
"You were the one who brought up ghosts, Natasha."
"Anyway, hurry, Husband. Hurry. I've been holding it for too long."
Natasha stomped her feet.
Kerry had no choice but to get up. He and Natasha walked into a dark part of the forest.
He could see the rest of the party sleeping a short distance away.
"H-Husband, you wait here... I'll go do my business in the bushes up ahead."
"Okay. I got it, Natasha."
"Just in case... you won't go anywhere else, right? You'll stay right there?"
"I will. Don't worry."
Natasha went into the bushes.
Then came a shhhhh sound. It sounded similar to when Natasha squirts.
Come to think of it, there was still something I needed to confirm with Natasha.
The obedience training.
I hadn't fully confirmed its effects yet.
"Phew. I thought I was going to die."
Natasha had taken off her heavy armor and was in light, casual clothes. Of course, you couldn't sleep in armor.
The way Natasha's skirt fluttered was turning me on.
"Natasha. Feel better?"
"...I don't know. Don't ask me things like that, it's embarrassing."
"Lift up your skirt so I can see if you cleaned up properly."
"!"
Natasha's face turned red as she spoke.
"I-I wiped myself just fine. Husband, you're being so mean. Are you getting revenge because I woke you up?"
Natasha shot me a dirty look, but she just looked cute.
More importantly, Natasha had no idea what she was doing right now.
Without realizing it, she was lifting her skirt.
Just as Kerry had commanded.
Beneath her skirt, Natasha's panties were visible.
Perhaps because she'd rushed to get back to where Kerry was waiting, her thick pussy lips were bulging out from the side of her panties. Wow. Fuck. So damn hot.
The obedience training was a massive success.
Natasha belatedly seemed to notice her own state and looked down. She saw her own hand, lifting her skirt.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence fell.
"Kyaaak! Husband, you're so mean!"
Even though she was the one who showed me.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Natasha ran back to her spot.
This is amazing. I never thought the obedience training would be this effective.
Natasha had crawled into her sleeping bag and was hiding.
Well, I'm wide awake now anyway. Might as well go see the Witch for a bit.
"Natasha. I'm going to get some fresh air for a minute."
"Do whatever you want! Husband, you're really the worst!"
I feel bad. I'll have to make it up to Natasha properly tomorrow morning.
Kerry walked into the forest and grasped the White Witch's Seal in his hand.