Chapter 50: They might spend the night there

“Selen’s group isn’t back yet?”

Selen and her hunting group had gone out to hunt but still weren’t back yet. The days have been getting shorter recently, so it would be dark before long.

I hope they’re alright.

The hunting group has grown in number, so I was fairly certain they were running late for no real reason…however, when evening came and the surroundings became totally dark, I couldn’t help but be anxious.

So, when Satin reported that the hunters have returned, I became somewhat relieved. His next words made me worry again though.

((They say only about a third of them are here…))

((Did something happen??))

I hurried toward the northern gate, the gate closest to the forest.

Upon arriving, I did a cursory look. I failed to find Selen.

I subconsciously went near Balrath-san who was in the vanguard.

“W-what happened!? Where’s Selen and the rest…”

“Ahh, sorry for worrying you, village chief. They’re all alright. Of course, that goes for Captain Selen too.”

Balrath-san’s words allowed me to let out a sigh of relief.

“If that’s the case, where are the others?”

“Well…”

Balrath-san then proceeded to recount the day’s events.

“We were hunting like usual when all of a sudden, we heard what seemed like a roar and a scream from further inside the forest. We didn’t fully believe someone else besides us were in the monster-infested forest, but we still decided to investigate. At the scene, we saw two groups fighting one another: a group of enraged monsters called mad grizzlies…and a group of elves.”

“Elves!?”

The elven race was considered to be related to us, the human race. They had long, pointy ears; had a really long lifespan; and most of them was said to have beautiful features.

It was said that back in the day, they interacted with us. However, oppression due to their appearance have apparently made them cease all interactions.

So, they were hiding out here in this monster-infested forest?

“We decided to help the elves out. It didn’t take long for our combined forces to defeat the whole group of mad grizzles. Our group was mostly unhurt, but a lot of the elves sustained heavy wounds. The elves mentioned that they have a settlement deep in the forest, but going back while so many of them are injured seemed extremely dangerous. At that point, Captain Selen offered to escort them up to their settlement.”

But they thought that doing so without any notice to us would cause us to worry. As such, they decided to let some of the hunting group return.

“So, right now, Selen is headed to the elves’ settlement?”

“Yes. They’ve probably reached it by now too. But nights in the forest are extraordinarily dangerous, so they might spend the night there and return tomorrow.”

An elven settlement, huh…I wonder what that’s like. Well, in any case, I’m just glad that Selen and the hunting group are safe.

The next day, Selen and the others returned.

Huh? Aren’t there more of them? So many of them look unfamiliar…wait a minute! They’re elves!

“Are you Luke-dono, the village chief?”

“Ahh, y-yes!”

One of the elves stepped forward and started talking.

It was my first time to talk to an elf, so I was nervous. Unfortunately, that made me reply in a high-pitched voice.

“My name is Philianius Mel Rebore Leonius Serenelare.”

So long! There’s no way I’m going to remember that!

“I realize it’s long, so please call me Philia.”

“Oh thank goodness.”

Philia-san, now that I can remember.

They looked like warriors.

They wore leather armor and had bows hanging on their backs.

Much like what I was told, elves were indeed beautiful. Even among them though, Philia-san’s elegance, her pretty eyebrows, her height, her coolness, all of it combined made her something else.

“We are deeply indebted to your villagers. On behalf of our leader, we’ve come here to give our thanks to you.”

“I see. I appreciate you going to the trouble. We don’t have much in this village, but please make yourselves feel at home.”

Like that, I showed around the village the very first elves I met.