The me who brings three of my companion including Yuno was dumbfounded.

The high tower which was there before is gone, and the total number of buildings decreased too.
Not to mention , the terrain had changed here and there too.
There seemed to be an uproar someway or another at the center of the village.

“Oi oi, this, are we too late?”(Daz)

Daz the bowman mutters in a low voice.
However, it’s totally different from our concern.
Since I’ve found what seemed to be a bandit hideout in the forest, I gathered my friends thinking of the possibility that they might attack the village.

However, I can’t remove this helpless feeling when my a.s.sumption turns into reality.
I should have been able to deal with this crisis if Yuno and I prolong our survey and stayed here. The damage might be considerably reduced then.

After catching up to a villager and  hearing the story, it seems like two medium-sized dragon somehow appeared in the village and started fighting at the village center.
This disastrous scene can be said to be the result of their fight.
One of the dragons lose the fight and die, while although the other one won, the injury it receives was deep making it crashed into the bottom of the cliff, a.s.sumed to be dead.

Not to mention with the appearance of a human that should have died appeared in the village and act violently, some speculation like zombie or poison mushroom flew about.

Thus, I remembered about the Necromancer theory that I refused before.
Although I was convinced that it’s different since the village’s graveyard was not damaged, by all means the possibility still exist if I hear about a zombie.
Don’t tell me,did those thieves gained a necromancer?
The risk is too high when such a dangerous monster is used. No, won’t they still do it considering they’re group of outlaws who doesn’t think of the consequences?

I brought the other three and visit Marielle’s residence.
If it’s her, I should be able to grasp the village’s circ.u.mstances without being confused with any superst.i.tion.
She doesn’t stay in the village for a long time just for show. That dignified presence is one of the things I wished to have.

Since the residence is empty, I look for Marielle around the village. She seems to be the at the village’s a.s.sembly hall.
One way or another the a.s.sembly hall seemed to be turned into a refuge place for the people who lost their place to sleep, as well as a treatment place for the injured.
Marielle is using the white magic on the surrounding injured people.

When our eyes met, Marielle stops.

“If it isn’t Meltia who visited the village before”. (Marielee)

She doesn’t say anything about the request.
Last time, the secret request done by us to avoid causing confusion to the villagers, was asked by this Marielle.

We changed place, as the full story will be heard at Marielle’s office.
However, there was no great difference between the provided information and the rumors from the villagers.
Though Marielle seems to be hiding something, it doesn’t seems like we will be able to find out by questioning her.

I confirmed the rumor from the villager through Marielle and hear her opinion of each one.
After the talk ends, I bring out the story about what seems to be a group of bandits hideout and asked permission to enter Noah’s Forest.

However, Marielle won’t officially give out her permission, giving the condition that we enter the forest without permission.

She wants to spread the opinion of [The guardian spirit of the forest is angry because there are many people breaking the rule of the forest] as some kind of excuse for the abnormal situation that had occurred.

The villagers will calm down a bit if they know of the cause, and it will totally be killing two birds with one stone if the number of people entering the forest decrease.
Actually, a man named Dorz rejected the superst.i.tion, and this chain of abnormal events seemed to begin when he forcibly enters the forest.

Therefore it seems like it cannot be known to the villagers that a person of Marielle standpoint giving permission to some adventurers to enter the forest.

When I was going to leave the residence, i stopped by Marielle.

“Ah, there is one request-jya.Since this might be good for you, why don’t you hear it?” (Marielle)

When I looks back, Marielle was no longer sitting on her chair.

“Do you remember Milia? During our previous meeting, she was the child in this room-jya?” (Marielle)

I recalled the last time when I hear the name.
I surely remembers there was a girl when I came.
She was an innocent looking girl with the bob cut hairstyle, with a beautiful skin like a doll.

“That child, she said she wants to travel. I want you to take care of her for a while-jya. Its also good to teach her the common sense of the outside world. I totally welcome it. If you really need to think about this, I’m also fine with you giving me the answer after having talked with Milia first.” (Marielle)

If you exclude Marielle, Milia is the only one who practice white magic in the village. From the village’s point of view, you would not want to let such a talent to get outside of the village as much as she can. Does this trip has any specific purpose?

Although I’ve heard some rumor that Milia is the real person who brings one of the dragon into the village, if it is her fault will they drive her out of the village?
However, it’s hard to think that is the reason when I see Marielle’s expression.

Although I don’t mind having to particularly take care of inexperience white mage, it’s bad to answer without knowing the full circ.u.mstances.
I should really decide this after meeting the person in question after all.

“Then, I’ll decide about it after I search the forest”. (Meltia)

Saying that, I went out of Marielle’s house.

We go to the place where it’s okay to say that we got Marielle’s permission, and proceed into the forest.
Though we got attacked by lump of clay shaped like a wolf, spider or bear, as expected the stability is different with four people.

The bow user Daz starts the preemptive strike with poison arrow, while Yuno finished the job with her hammer when the enemy flinched after getting pierced.
I come close from the other side to pursue with the sword or light magic, and then at the end of the battle recover with the healer Romina’s white magic.

Previously we had to run away when we met with the Small Evil Plague Dragon, but right now we should be able to face it with our current party.

“Reeallyyy though, Meltia~. Is there really  a bandit hideout in such a place~?” (Daz)
[T.N: Don’t blame me, he speaks like that]

When we make a detour to pa.s.s over the cliff, Daz ask me that question.

“Yeah, I’ve seen it before. We should arrive at the place I said soon. I have confidence in my memory. Please be at ease” (Meltia)

“I’ve been thinking about this when I heard the story from you. You know about the large merchant from this continent. There’s no movement, NONE. If Phi Perries of such a huge amount in jars were to disappear, don’t you think it’s strange that there’s no commotion at all? Naa, is it really Phi Perries~?” (Daz)

“If you already did that much investigation, you should have been able to tell me”

“Well we dont know whether they ran here from another continent-jyan?　If the Phi Perries was smuggled, it’s also going to be bad for them if the public knows about it, thus having no desire to make it any worse. However, when I hear the conversation of the villager and see the forest, as I thought, sooomehow, it’s something entirely different”. (Daz)

Daz grows up as an orphan in a dangerous town. And it seemed like he had worked with an organization involved with the mafia before.
He knows at least that much about that kind of particular details.
If he says [something is different],it could be about the place not suitable for being a bandit’s hideout, or the sense of something missing about this situation, it would be that kind of thing.

Though Daz talks with light tone, he’s not a man who say pointless things.
It might be because he grew up where the value of life is pretty light.
However, the fact is I did saw Phi Perries.

“There’s no doubt in that regard. For sure, its the smell of Phi Perries. Yuno had seen it too right?” (Meltia)

“No, for Yuno-chan, that’s the first time for me to see such quality goods you see. Did you know that we are so poor that my mother almost sold me, so I had to run away from home? I had to grill father’s boots to eat it. At that moment, I wonder if it would have tasted better if I had smeared it with Phi Perries” (Yuno)

While twitching her dog ears, Yuno answers so proudly for some reason.
The atmosphere around me and the other dropped suddenly when such a heavy story came out lightly like that.
Although the person herself think proudly about it, I want you to stop it because its hard for us in various ways.

“Ah…..no, sorry. For me too, I’ve never get to experience any luxury goods….Ah, there, the cave should be at the corner…there” (Meltia)

I run, however although I have arrived at the place with the cave before, there is nothing there.
There is no significant stone statue, the tree with meat stuck on it is also not there.
Is it not here? No, that can’t be….

“What’s the matter, Meltia?” (Yuno)

“Y-Yuno! Last time, the cave was around here right? Right!?” (Meltia)

“Nnn….. Yuno-chan thinks she is not sure about her memory. But, uum, could it possibly be a little deeper inside?” (Yuno)

Though I do think it’s possible….no, however… I can’t think of another place if it’s not here.

“Naa, did you really see it for sure? Although I do think it seems to be strange, I still believe in the story, although not in full scale. Are you sure you’re not dreaming?” (Daz)

Daz said that to me with an angry look.

“N-no, but, it should have been around here! There’s a tree with meat pierced on it, there’s a statue…” (Meltia)

“Oh, is that so. For the time being, I’ll go search for other places. I can’t really just stop here.” (Daz)

“Yes~, Yuno-chan here will be your guide now okaaay? For sure, no problem even if we go deeper. Seriously, Meltia, being a klutz is really your strong point” (Yuno)

Yuno, did you really see me like that too?
No, now is not the time to be pondering about that.

“Wai- please wait a moment! Around here! It was definitely around here!” (Meltia)

“Ou, just follow us soon. We’ll be going ahead” (Daz)

With Yuno as the guide, Daz follows afterwards.

Romina looks troubled between me and Yuno, but after saying “…um, sorry” in a small voice, she also ran after Yuno.
… Though I have no idea why she’s apologizing, since there is no use of me remaining here alone, although I hesitated, I decided to chase after the three.