Vol 4 Chapter 44: On the Road, and an Ambush

“…Such lovely weather.”

I murmured, leaning out of the carriage window. The wind ruffled my sister’s habit and blonde hair as I took in the peaceful scenery.

Our journey since leaving the royal capital, Harmonia, had been smooth.

Though I had burdened Rena, Nina, and especially Kaguya with the sudden preparations, their efforts paid off, and we’ve been traveling without much inconvenience.

“Lady Fana, about dinner—would it be alright to use the boar we hunted earlier today?”

“Yes, that’s fine. Please handle it, Kaguya.”

Perhaps due to my natural disposition and upbringing, I believe I’m managing my role as leader well. I should be meeting Shin-san’s expectations, as well as everyone else’s.

However, the negotiation with the queen the other day… Lamyre, despite being a young ruler, is undeniably skilled and cunning. To achieve SS-rank, I’ll need to face her again several times. Thinking about it weighs on me a bit, but it’s necessary for the sake of the party—and my own goals. I must steel myself.

Everyone likely harbors questions about my sudden request to rank up. Although Nina and Rena’s antics helped brush over the issue, Shin-san in particular seemed concerned.

Even so, no one pressed me further after the topic was dropped. I can’t deny that I’ve been leaning on the trust they’ve placed in me.

—Someday, I’ll have to tell them. About myself. About my true purpose.

With these thoughts lingering in my mind, the journey proceeded without trouble.

But at some point, things began to change.

“Graaaahhh!”

Stray monsters began attacking us. As we neared the Elven village, the frequency of these ambushes increased dramatically.

“Ugh, goblins this time?”

Nina grumbled, eyeing the incoming monsters, while the rest of the party exchanged tired, exasperated looks.

The creatures attacking us were formidable enough to pose a challenge, but nothing we couldn’t fend off without casualties. Still, the constant encounters were draining.

At first, we were attacked roughly every other day. Then, it became a daily occurrence. Now, we face multiple monsters in a single day.

Even though we’re close to the village, I can’t help but wonder—how are the elves coping with so many monsters nearby? Are their lives not being threatened?

“I’ll handle this!”

“Thank you, Shin-san. Please don’t overexert yourself.”

Shin-san, the strongest magic swordsman among us, was the first to spring into action. He cast his support magic with precision, moving like an arrow toward the goblins. Within seconds, he cut them down with his blade.

His strikes were so fast that, from this distance, I could barely see his movements.

He’s clearly growing stronger. Though the support magic plays a role, the fruits of his constant training—even during this journey—are undeniable.

“All clear! You’re safe now!”

Shin-san returned with a boyish grin, not a scratch or drop of blood on him.

“Great work. As expected of you.”

“No, no… Haha, thank you!”

Watching him blush like a child at my praise, I thought he deserved to feel at least a little smug after displaying such skill. Yet, he remained humble. What a curious person.

“Shin~♡ You were sooo cool!~♡”

“Wha—Rena?! H-Hey, you’re squishing me…!”

Like an overjoyed puppy greeting its owner, Rena threw herself at Shin-san, nuzzling her face against him. Despite having grown used to her affection—and sharing even more intimate moments—he still turned beet red, flustered by her embrace.

Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—there’s no progress in that regard.

“Hehe…♡”

Watching their exchange, I couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

While continuing our journey, we crossed through forests and mountain paths until we finally reached the Elven village.

A forest as vast as a human metropolis. Though I had heard tales, the sheer size of the Elven village was overwhelming. Living in such a place, with minimal interaction with the outside world, it made sense they were called forest fairies.

Deep among the trees, a wall of logs driven tightly into the ground formed an impenetrable barrier. The village within was hidden from view, and the wall stretched endlessly, as if to mirror the vastness of the forest itself.

We moved closer, searching for an entrance when—

“──Screee!”

A shrill cry pierced the air, and a cluster of bipedal mushroom monsters, Matango, appeared.

“Again…?!”

“Even this close to the village—is it really safe?”

Nina’s irritation was clear, while Lena’s tone was full of concern.

“I’ll take care of it! They’re nothing I can’t handle alone, so just wait here!”

With that, Shin-san leapt from the carriage, drawing his sword. He cast reinforcement magic on himself and charged toward the monsters.

“Eeek! Screee!”

Recognizing him as a threat, the Matango shuffled forward, but—they were slow.

“Yaaah! Haaah!”

The Matango, already sluggish, had only basic attacks like releasing spores or striking with their mushroom-like limbs. Against Shin-san, who was bolstered by reinforcement magic, they stood no chance. One by one, they were cut down before they could even act.

In less than a minute, only the shredded remains of the Matango lay at his feet.

“Phew… Alright, let’s keep looking for the entrance—!”

As Shin-san scanned the surroundings, sword still in hand, an arrow suddenly shot toward him, as if waiting for the perfect moment.

“Shin, watch out!”

“Shin-san, look out!”

Reacting to the shouts from Nina and Lena, Shin-san reflexively deflected the arrow with his sword. A metallic clang echoed across the distance as the arrow spun and struck the ground, quivering with leftover force.

Ignoring the worried voices behind him, Shin-san glared in the direction the arrow had come from and shouted.

“──Who’s there?!”

“Suspicious humans… What business do you have in the Elven village?”

A calm yet sharp voice answered.

Looking toward the source of the voice—high in the trees—figures emerged. Three Elven women stood among the branches, cloaked in deep green hoods that blended with the forest. They had bows drawn, aimed without hesitation.

Their long ears peeked from beneath their hoods, their flawless, porcelain skin glinting even from this distance. Their features were as beautiful as the rumors claimed, possessing a mystical allure that could captivate anyone—enough to leave even me, another woman, momentarily awestruck.

The three Elves stared at Shin-san, their hunter-like vigilance unwavering.

“Elves? Ah! W-We mean no harm! We’re here as envoys from Queen Ramielle!”

Realizing they were likely the village’s guards, Shin-san sheathed his sword and raised his hands to convey his innocence.

However, the Elves’ suspicious gazes didn’t waver. Their bows remained trained on him as they leapt lightly from the trees, advancing on him with calculated steps.

I moved to intervene, gathering strength in my legs, but—

“You’re not trustworthy. We’ll question you in the village.”

Before anyone could act, the Elves sprang forward. In one swift motion, they bound Shin-san’s arms and legs with ropes and—

“──Move out!”

“W-Wait! At least let me explain—!”

Ignoring his protests, the three of them lifted Shin-san and began carrying him off.

“Shin-san!”

Panicking, we jumped out of the carriage and started toward him, but—

“Stay back! Make a wrong move, and this human dies.”

“I-I’m fine! I’m sure we can talk this out peacefully, so please—ahhh!”

The Elf leader’s sharp warning and Shin-san’s plea stopped us in our tracks.

“Shin-san!”
“Hey, wait!”
“Shin-sama!”

Lena, Nina, and Kaguya’s desperate cries echoed through the forest, but the Elves didn’t look back. They disappeared into the trees with Shin-san slung over their shoulders, his figure growing smaller by the second.

“Alice! Use summoning magic to track Shin-san!”

Shouting over the tension, I directed Alice.

“R-Right! Summon Magic: Harpy! Please, follow Shin!”

Alice quickly understood my intent, summoning a creature.

The Harpy resembled a beautiful woman, with piercing hawk-like eyes, large wings in place of arms, and taloned bird-like legs. Covered in feathers, she was unmistakably a hybrid species.

Obeying Alice’s command, the Harpy took off into the sky.

“We’ll follow too. Kaguya, guide the carriage carefully and keep some distance from them.”

“Understood!”

The carriage began to move, creeping forward quietly.

We couldn’t risk escalating this into an international incident. But surely, the Elves must feel the same. Repeating that thought to myself, I tried to calm my racing heart.

“Shin-san… Please, stay safe.”

Even so, the anxiety gnawing at me escaped as a whisper. I couldn’t hold it back.