Chapter 43 – Dryad and Alraune (1/2)
Chapter 43 – Dryad and Alraune
We both found out the owner of the『Telepathy』message that reached Elk’s ears.
Apparently that couldn’t move due to injury, and after getting her strength exhausted, she fainted.
The injury itself wasn’t something of a big deal, but staying in such a place in the cold night, furthermore in such light dressing, she surely could catch a cold.
Why was this child able to use『Telepathy』magic, why did it only reach to Elk……well they were questions I wanted to ask, but for the time being I set them aside, and treated her.
She had scratches here and there and her ankle seems to be slightly sprained, but there is nothing of a big deal. For the time being, I did the first-aid with the ointment and bandage that I took out from my bag, and covered her with my overcoat, for countering the cold.
Nevertheless, this child……
What is it, I’m feeling something out of place for some time now……?
Well there’s nothing shady about her in particular, but this, how to say, this『different』feeling……?
While I was thinking all that, there was a sign of movement under the overcoat.
Looking below, her closed eyes……opened slowly. Looks like her consciousness returned.
「……Onii-chan, Onee-chan……who are you……?」
「Errr, just #1 and #2 passing by……supposedly」
「Too sloppy……」
She didn’t seem to be completely awake, or rather it feels like she is still in half-asleep state, but suddenly, she looked over her body and seems to have noticed the difference from before.
She noticed……the injuries on her skin had been covered by a bandage, smeared with ointment.
Looking closely, her clothing, which seemed like summer clothes with lots of exposure, looked to be made out of plants or whatnot.
It wasn’t like her clothes were made by attaching leaves together, but it seemed like the material to make them was that. It doesn’t look like the clothes are dyed, and even the texture was near to that of plants.
「……This, Onii-chan and Onee-chan did this?」
Looking at the bandage covering her arms and legs, the girl’s consciousness seemed to have been gradually awakening, while she spoke bit by bit.
「Ah, Yeah, that’s right……does it hurt?」
「No, I’m fine. Thank you」
She said while touching the from above the bandages, probably to confirm the feeling.
This is great. Her injuries were really nothing of a great deal.
It even looks like she could move and talk normally……
Then, in front of me and Elk making relieved expression, the green girl seemed surprised and looked up to us.
「……Are Onii-chan and Onee-chan, human?」
「「Eh?」」
Hm? What is with this question?
We both didn’t understand the aim of the question, while we both weren’t able to reply……
「……Are you two, also going to kidnap us?」
……Hah?
We both were getting more and more troubled in giving out the answer and right reaction to her abrupt words……and the next moment,
『『『Flower Fog!!』』』
「「!?」」
*Psssh*
Suddenly, a yellow fog rose up from all over the place and enshrouded all the places as far as eye can see. Eh, what the hell is this!?
What, suddenly this fog……even that voice seeming like a skill name……does this mean it is some sort of magic!? A sneak attack!?
It was a『voice』and not crying voice, that means it might be a human or a demi-human (TL: Ajin!)……then is it the bandits!?
No, wait a sec, this, doesn’t seem like fog?
「cough, cough cough……Wh, What is this……smoke? flour? I can’t see anything……」
I can’t see perfectly, but I could hear the choking sound of Elk from the other side of this smoke. Is she alright?
But this certainly doesn’t seem like smoke, but rather flour. What is this thing?
This scent, it’s not wheat flour……it smells of flower……no, is this pollen!?
『Hurry! Get Lila immediately!』
『B-But we overdid in spreading the pollen! I can’t see anything……』
『Shut up and get to it! If you don’t, Lila will be abducted!』
I could hear those voices from the other side, and could also hear some footsteps coming near.
I don’t know what it is, but I do know that I can’t just stand here dazedly. This fog……I mean pollen is their smokescreen and they seem to be trying to do something under this cover.
Moreover, both I and Alva didn’t notice them until they neared us – at least until they entered the magic range. I don’t know who they are.
But with this pollen mist, my vision is blocked, breathing is difficult and there are limits to grasp the location of opponent with just hearing under this bad situation.
In that case……alright.
Breathing orderly I clad my right foot in Wind Magical Energy.
I raised the magical energy to a moderate level and around the time the magical energy literally started to turn into wind, I vigorously jumped straight above.
Like that, a horizontal revolution with force. A roundhouse kick in mid-air.
「Haaaah!!」
——*swish*!!
「「「Kyaaaaaaaa!?」」」
Along with the kick, a windstorm with me as the centre generated. I blow away the pollen enshrouding the area and clear the vision.
After I did that, I could see Elk, the green girl from before and also……three other girls of same appearance. I can see them clearly now that the fog is cleared.
And Alva, apparently, flew to high-altitude and evaded the pollen. It is fine……it’s good but, that definitely cheating.
Two of girls had same hair, same clothes, the face……though is strangely different, but still too much similar.
And the last girl……had clothes, hair and other things, just too different.
She looked older than the green girls, including the one we found. If the green girls are around 10 years old, then this red haired girl is around 15 years old.
The hair is, how to say……bright and glossy red, even the clothes are of the same colour.
The materials seem same for all them, but her clothes’ design is somewhat different, and it seems more exquisite?
Moreover she is wearing a hair ornament that looks like Japanese morning glory, and a hibiscus. They have scent, so they are real flowers and not artificial ones.
The green-haired girls looked like they were about to blow their fuse while not knowing what happened……compared to them this girl seemed much more calm and was surveying the surroundings to understand the situation.
When I landed, although she didn’t know what happened, but she seemed to have perceived that I did something. And now she was glaring at me.
In that case……the pollen from before was this girl, or these children’s work.
But, why were we suddenly attacked?
I haven’t done anything, but they are presently continuously releasing the killing intent.
Then the next moment, she looked at Elk……who was holding the green haired girl while coughing. She immediately bit her lower lip.
「Aaah……hey look let’s……」
「You!!『Torrent Cold』!!」
「……talk it out first, shall we……」
While I was saying, she seemed to have used some sort of magic. From her hand, some sort of green-coloured wind came at us.
……But I don’t feel any threat mixed in that……?
For the time being, I stood in front of Elk and that girl to protect them, and took on the wind.
The moment it hit my body, it just felt like having a chill for a second, but……nothing else happened. Huh, it’s over?
Seeing that, the redhead girl’s expression changed to that of terror.
「No way……why is not working!?」
Despair clung onto her face. Huh, the wind just now, was it truly an attack Considering it as an attack, there was neither any shockwave nor a Wind Blade……
Then the redhead girl’s face grimaced with vexation.
「……You kidnapper, let Lila go!」
「「Hah?」」
Wth she just said? ……kidnapper?
With this, the two green girls also returned to their senses, and,
「T-That’s right, return her!」
「Why are you doing this!? Lila-chan is hating it……huh, is not hating it?」