---

Fletta slowly surveyed those lined up before her.

The monsters among the fully armed monsters. The elite troops formed by the carefully selected forest guardians of each clan were waiting for their deployment, their tension palpable.

“It seems that all the forest guardians and heroes have gathered.”

Fletta’s whisper was like a gentle breeze.

The individuals gathered here included not only me and Shione from the Count’s House but also Diolia, as well as a gathering of notable elves who were vying for the top ranks within the Great Forest.

Reflected in the lenses of Fletta’s glasses, and further in her murky green eyes, were quite a few people I needed to pay attention to as well.

As decided in discussions, not only had Ianette’s eldest daughter joined the unit, but Chelness, although few in number, was among the swift and merciless elves. Ultimately, even Fletta’s daughter, Friel Arielte, had become a part of this group.

Among them, one stood out as worth paying close attention to—

“Seems like she’s in a bit of a bad mood.”

Friel kept glancing at one elf in front of me and Shione. It was notable how she was conscious of the elf with the striking crimson hair.

I briefly looked at Shione, who was frozen stiff amidst the disciplined soldiers, and noticed that her gaze was also fixed on the same elf that Friel was focusing on.

“If she has crimson hair… that elf must be Aina’s daughter.”

I vaguely registered Ianette’s distinctive features from what I could see of Airine.

“Eunice Kalia mentioned that Ianette is like a doll,” I recalled.

I could now clearly understand what that meant.

Her expression was so devoid of emotion and color that it could easily be described as more chilling than cold, depending on who was interpreting her demeanor.

She merely stood there as if she were a mannequin displayed in a shop window, utterly motionless, rigidly staring down only at Fletta, who was about to issue the command for deployment. She maintained an air of indifference to everything else around her.

“…She also mentioned that she was like a puppet.”

I should remain alert to whatever hidden motives Aina might harbor within her. It would be better to stay aware and keep my guard up.

In the midst of this, Friel brushed her radiant hair, glowing brighter under the sunlight, and with her signature refreshing smile, she spoke to Airine.

Even I, who prided myself on having slightly sharper ears than others, found her voice difficult to hear.

“Ianette.”

At her call, only the soft crimson-tinted hues of her dark red eyes rolled over to glance at Friel.

“….”

“It’s been such a long time since we’ve entered the forest together like this. And here of all places, the Eastern Forest….”

Soon, however, Friel’s natural smile began to take on a more artificial atmosphere.

“Friel—”

“I can’t help but wonder if the fates are playing tricks on our relationship, Airine.”

“Could it be that you still hold onto that past incident?”

At Airine’s peculiar words, Friel formed an even more feigned smile.

“I sincerely hope… this time we can just let it pass quietly, Airine.”

In the stillness, I had to concentrate on their exchange, and suddenly, a whisper entered my ears that chilled my mind.

It seemed that there was indeed some past incident between Friel and Airine. Consequently, these two elves did not seem to have a very good relationship.

“…….”

Airine, who had merely been watching Friel silently, then rolled her eyes again.

After withdrawing her gaze from Friel, at the moment her dark red pupils focused forward again—

Fletta Arielte’s voice echoed across the training ground.

“The tracking and extermination unit—”

In Fletta’s voice, there was no trace of her usual languidness, sharp and bold.

With her commanding tone, the spirits of the forest guardians began to bristle with excitement.

“We will commence the operation now.”

““Ha!””

The leaders of each clan’s forest guardians took the lead. And we from the Count’s House, with Shione at the forefront.

As I moved ahead of everyone, I couldn’t help but see Shione’s back.

“She’s completely tense.”

It felt as if her joints were malfunctioning like a broken robot. Or perhaps it was more fitting to say she resembled a marionette being controlled by a novice puppeteer.

Watching her somewhat creaky movements, I thought to myself.

“Just a little bit of Cotton Puff… no, I mean, if I can just throw Orna to her, it’ll be fine.”

The atmosphere was too heavy at the moment…. And with only elves surrounding me, it was understandable that summoning a spirit would feel a bit off.

I figured that just before entering the forest, at the time everyone was preparing to summon their spirits, I could toss Orna to Shione.

They’d tease each other like a bigger moth. Even if they somewhat bickered, this too was a behavior stemming from a good bond.

The problem was—

“Aina’s puppet. An elf who only pays heed to where Aina’s intentions lead.”

It wasn’t Shione I had to be wary of; it was Ianette.

She merely gazed ahead, occasionally exchanging intense glances with Friel. But now, her eyes suddenly turned to glare at my master, Shione.

*

We reached the entrance of the Eastern Forest.

The dense thicket right before us was nothing to underestimate. While elves who lived their entire lives in the forest might find it familiar,

humans were used to open plains devoid of such obstacles, and unlike mercenaries who would go anywhere for a fee,

being knights of considerably high status, a dampening forest like this could undoubtedly seem unfamiliar or quite burdensome.

“Umm….”

Shione clicked her tongue at the sight before her.

“It makes sense why those half-demons fled this way. They say monstrous creatures are abundant here, and if they hide in the trees, targeting them with arrows would be quite difficult….”

“Are you worried about that?”

“Of course! But Ray is okay—oh right, Ray….”

Since Shione knew somewhat about what I had done previously, she nodded thoughtfully as she came to realize something by herself.

“Don’t worry too much. We are here, after all.”

“……. ”

“As for your safety, Diolia and I will keep you safe—”

At my words, Diolia smiled and placed her left hand on the hilt of her sword.

At the same time, while she bowed her head slightly in respect, I continued speaking.

“I will take responsibility and ensure your safety, so you need not worry.”

This was the crucial part.

“Shione, you don’t have to engage in combat in such a complicated area. On the contrary… I hope you’re not too absorbed in the notion that you must personally strike down the monsters.”

She likely believed it was entirely her duty to defeat the monsters while searching for the half-demons.

She needed to change her mindset.

Rushing to act too quickly could lead to mistakes, and nothing would be more troublesome than that.

“Shione, you should focus solely on tracking the half-demons.”

While busy tracing the half-demons, she had no need to draw her sword. During our battles, it would be far more beneficial for her to stay vigilant in searching her surroundings for leads.

Finishing my words, I summoned a spirit as if waiting for this moment.

Even if it was now at an intermediate level, it was still just a puff of wind brought to life, Orna.

—Myaong!

As if excited to see me, Orna puffed up and joyfully jumped out, and I quickly whisked her away.

—Mya, mya?

Without delay, I placed Orna in Shione’s arms, and both she and Orna stared at me in bewilderment.

“Ah…?”

—Hoee….

Their foolish expressions made me chuckle, and I smiled faintly as I said.

“Trust in us, including Orna. With Diolia and me by your side, what is there to fear?”

“Ah….”

Shione quietly murmured and then finally let out a small laugh.

The tense, robot-like Shione returned to her natural movements once again.

After summoning Tania for a moment of rest,

“We’re entering the forest!”

We finally stepped into the Eastern Forest.

*

As the owners and residents of the Great Forest, the elves’ unique nimble footwork indeed shone the moment we entered the unfolding woodland.

Silencing their presence and footsteps, they naturally concealed themselves behind trees, and yet their speed of advance remained unimpeded.

Almost as if their motions were ingrained in their instincts, there was no sign of them losing their composure at all.

Only Shione and Diolia occasionally displayed inexperienced movements as they advanced.

Soon, Diolia, having adapted quickly, began to assist Shione actively, and still, the pace did not slow for her.

The deeper we went into the woods, the more we could perceive.

“…Shione, are you alright?”

The expression on Shione, who hugged Cotton Puff to her chest, looked troubled, much like a castle wall gazing down upon the monsters below.

 

---