Chapter 59

For now, I set the leader who I captured free in the forest .

Since he didn’t say anything even when the elves interrogated him .

No, this guy most likely didn’t know anything .

He just seemed like the leader, his sword was crude, and above all, their scheme to pretend to be bandits was too ill-prepared .

And so, the elven forces were divided in half, one half were the guides and escorts who sent the hostages back .

And the other half were our guides .

Perhaps there was that matter from earlier as well, because the elven knights were escorting us without letting their guards down, though really, we were just walking .

Along the way, Amelia got tired and rode on top of Yoru who enlarged itself .

「Akira, was it really ok? If they were truly bandits that the guild had put a bounty on, we could’ve received a reward . 」

I poked Amelia who was displeased .

Most likely, she wanted to use that money to eat something tasty .

「It’s good that we were able to get those people who were kidnapped back . Besides, there’s the proverb that says that those who chase after two rabbits won’t catch any . 」

「Those who chase after two rabbits?」

I explained the meaning to Amelia and Yoru who tilted their heads to the side in confusion .

『I see, the inhabitants of Master-dono’s world use interesting phrases . 』

Yoru and Amelia folded their arms and nodded in admiration .

Those actions resembled that of an ossan’s so I laughed a little .

「Saa, we’ve arrived!」

William, who was walking in front, his voice rang out, and the procession stopped .

The trees were in the way and I could barely see anything, but a large ship that was rarely used was anchored at the wharf .

Incidentally, Amelia and Yoru were bewitched by the blue sea that was spread out before their eyes .

「Akira-dono, that ship, “Orchid”, periodically travels between the elven territory and the beastmen territory, and this time, you will be riding that . 」

William said that and presented to me, a letter with the insignia of the elven royal family .

He said that the king was giving it to me to use in the only beastmen port city, Ul .

Don’t do something so cool .

The king probably thought that he had paid back the favor with this, but too bad .

The one who saved the hostages, was me .

The king, would be glad that his brethren returned as well, but the thing that I’m most unhappy about would be not being able to see his face filled with despair .

「This is as far as we go . Akira-dono, Yoru-dono, to say this to you even though you are not elves, we are definitely a failure as a country . However, as William, I want to request something of you!」

William made a face as if he was holding back his tears .

「My beloved wife and daughter! Please save them!!」

「M, me too!」

「Please!」

The elves bowed their heads .

Definitely, if scholars studying the ecology of elves saw that, they would definitely be extremely excited .

Elves basically did not associate with other races, and were very prideful .

To want them to willingly bow their heads, it would never happen, with the exception of torture .

No matter how strong Akira was, they did so to a human who was much inferior than themselves even though their population was higher .

Their resolve could be seen .

「…sorry, but I left my sickly mother and younger sister behind in my hometown as well . I need to go . 」

「A, Akira-dono!!」

「However, maa, if I come across them, I might as well pick them up along the way . 」

It was a line that, I definitely would not have said when I left the castle .

I thought that Amelia too had changed a lot since the time I met her, but it seems that it was the same for me as well .

「Akira-dono, you have my gratitude!」

「Amelia-sama as well, take care!」

「Please take care of yourself!!」

When we boarded the ship, the elves shouted this .

I ran to the middle of the deck so that I wouldn’t be able to see them, and left everything to Amelia .

「Everyone too, take care . 」

「Yes!!」

Like that, the ship set sail .

The small Yoru on my shoulder was hit with the sea breeze and was delighted by it .

『It feels good, Master-dono . 』

「Aah . 」

But, the sea breeze was too much, so I didn’t really like it .

Today, I need to carefully wash Yoru too .

「Akira, I have something to talk to you about though . 」

「…Amelia . 」

Amelia expressionlessly stood in front of me .

I knew what Amelia wanted to say .

「Akira, I too…isn’t there anything I can do to help?」

「There isn’t . It still isn’t Amelia’s turn yet . 」

「…I see . 」

Amelia hung her head .

Before, I would’ve undoubtedly patted that head, but I didn’t do so .

「Amelia, if your goal is different from mine, than it would be better to go our separate ways . 」

「W, hy… . 」

I too, did not want to say this .

「Amelia, I’m close to the elves . I’m fine with just those around me being happy . 」

「Am I not, among those people?」

「No, you are definitely one of them . 」

Because you are, even though I don’t know what they’re trying to do, I would not forgive the Uruk Kingdom who tried to kidnap Amelia .

However, if we’re going to the Uruk Kingdom, it wouldn’t be the shortest route to the demon king’s castle .

The me who wanted to return to Japan as quickly as possible, and the me who wanted to protect Amelia were warring with each other in my head .

Perhaps Amelia sensed my internal struggles as she stood on tiptoes and patted my head .

「It’s fine to do as Akira likes . I will do the same . 」

「…is that so . 」

I gave a wry smile, at Amelia who decided everything .

This girl, was really soft on me .

If he said that, it seemed like he would be tsukkomi’d with ‘Akira too is soft on Amelia’, so he didn’t say anything .

『…Master-dono, I’m fine with it, but that’s not something that you should do in public…on the deck of the ship . 』

Realizing it when Yoru pointed it out, everyone who was working, did their best not to look at us, and we were in the way .

Come to think of it, the workers in this world, most of them were humans .

The sailors working on the ship too, and the enemies who attacked us were humans as well .

Humans and beastmen didn’t change much, but because their population was overwhelmingly more, there was little to no people who go to the territories of other races to work .

The humans that we’ve seen so far were, merely a small fraction as well .

There wasn’t anyone who was dissatisfied, but it was definite that the treatment of humans was different than that of other tribes .