v5c68 (1/2)
Chapter 068 - High Elf kingdom, Enol sightseeing.
High Elf kingdom Enol was located in the territory of the Fairy race in the Fairy continent.
It took about one month and a half from the Dragon continent via the personal aircraft owned by Meiya.
High Elf kingdom Enol -- with beautiful forests, lakes, High elves living in the fairytale-like country, or so it should have been…...
“Come! Come! It’s cheap! Special High elf cake, it’s cheap!”
“Pendant that can make you become like High elf! If you buy now it’s only 5 silver!”
“How about a portrait of a High elf ? Just by having it you can extend your lifespan.”
“Uwaa-”
Overflowing stalls on both sides were spread out, in which a lot of goods were placed.
The humans who were inviting customers called out to some people who looked like tourist in earnest.
The ratio of humans was overwhelmingly high.
Probably 70~80%.
But I hadn’t seen any High elf figures anywhere.
I called out to s.h.i.+a who was walking at the front to guide us.
“Isn’t this the High Elf Kingdom ? Not to say High Elf, I haven’t even seen any of the Fairy race either.”
“Yes, it’s as you say, but ……”
Then s.h.i.+a started to explain.
The tourists came here to partake in the High elves' lifespan, and these human merchants seem to be catering to them.
The Beast race at about 200 years.
The Dragon race at about 300 years.
The Demon race at about 100~500 years.
The Human race at about 80 years, with that lifespan, compared to other races, it’s short.
On the contrary, High elf of the Fairy race is the longest among all the races.
The Normal elf was about 1000 years.
The High elf’s lifespan was said to be about 10000 years.
“Ten... ten thousand !?”
TL Note: yes, over nine thousand
“The Fairy race representative of the 5 races heroes was a High elf, seems like that one lived to be 10000 years old, oldest among the heroes. But in reality, for High elves, the heart usually gives out first at a little over 2000 years old and they die”
Furthermore High elves only marry once in their whole life.
Therefore, as a race that governed marital love and longevity, they received tremendous support from the Human race.
That was why all the goods on sale at the stalls were modeled after the High elves’, sweets, paintings, woodcarving dolls. On top of that, there was even a pendant imbued with magic that can change one’s appearance to a High elf.
They wanted to receive High elf’s blessing, even just a little.
(Almost like the combination of the crane, turtle and mandarin duck, eh.)
TL note: crane=beauty,elegance; turtle=longevity; mandarin duck=fidelity; but actually mandarin duck change their mate once a year lol, the author didn’t do his homework, just took it from the expression 鴛鴦夫婦, which is couple of lovebirds. - yuus.h.i.+n
Because of their longevity, the population count is only around 300 person.
For that reason they rarely appear before others. Between the humans, it was said that if you could see an elf you will extend your lifespan by 1 day, if you could touch, 1 year.
No matter which world, it seems that people love jinx and superst.i.tion.
“So, these people come here to meet with High elves?”
“No, to forcibly meet with High elves is prohibited. Moreover they live in a special place, where only those with special standing could enter.”
“Special place?”
“It’s over there. That island is where the High elves live.”
“Ooo...”
Through the stalls, we followed s.h.i.+a from behind, a huge lake appeared in front of our eyes.
It’s about twice as big as lake Biwa.
TL note: /wiki/Lake_Biwa - nekooo
On the island in the middle of the lake, there was a gigantic tree standing like it swallowed the castle.
The High elves were probably living inside that castle.
“Are we going to that castle ? But I don’t see anything like a boat around here.”
Snow asked in place of the fascinated me.
s.h.i.+a made a sour face.
“No, that’s …… I can’t lead you all there immediately…..”
s.h.i.+a fl.u.s.teredly explained.
“If you take out the boat without permission you will be arrested. Moreover, you’re only adventurers, not to say only level II. Even if you ask for permission, you won’t get it.”
“Ridiculous! Even though you asked the one and only Lute-sama to take the trouble to come here! How dare you!”
Meiya became enraged the moment she heard the explanation.
s.h.i.+a earnestly bowed her head and apologized.
“I’m sorry! Pardon me! I know I’m being disrespectful, but first I have to go back to the castle to report that I’ve guided you here, so please wait a night at an inn”
If we just go to the inn specified by s.h.i.+a and tell them, then we can stay for free.
Looks like she already arranged it when she left the country.
But it’s probably not that good…....
“Now now, calm down Meiya. Since it can’t be helped, let’s just leave the luggage at the inn and treat ourselves to some sightseeing”
[That’s right. Since we’re already here, let’s go look around leisurely.]
“s.h.i.+a can use that time to go and report.”
“Thank you very much!”
s.h.i.+a told us the inn’s place, then we parted there.
s.h.i.+a said she will return to the inn the next morning.
Until she came back, everyone agreed to go sightseeing.
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
The inn s.h.i.+a told us was of the highest grade around the area.
We were a.s.signed the suite-like rooms on the top.
From the windows, we got an unbroken view of the lake, Snow and Chrisse were pleased with that.
Maybe the innkeeper were paying attention so Snow and Chrisse and I got a.s.signed one room.
Meiya was in another room.
Without delay, we left the luggage in our rooms and went back to the rows of stalls that we pa.s.sed by before.
First we ate the [High elf cake] which seemed to be a speciality.
It’s baked wheat with jam stuffed inside in a High Elf mold.
Kinda like taiyaki ?
But is it really okay ? Grilling High elf …….
“It’s a little spongy but it’s delicious.”
“It dries up in the inside of your mouth really fast.”
Snow and Meiya ate with curiosity.
Then certainly, a certain Demon race person who’s picky about sweet, my wife Chrisse--
Ate the High elf cakes with her usual [sweets aren’t game] eyes and serious expression.
[The way they dissolve the wheat flour is naive. The batter is fine without being sweet, but the jam isn’t sweet enough. Not only are they trying to save cost on the sugar, but the jam only has one type of flavor, I think it’s better to add more. 2.17 out of 10.]
As usual, her scores are detailed.
This time it seems that the [High elf cake] was also not palatable.
Specialty doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good, or so they say.
There was also the possibilly of it doesn’t match the taste of the ojou-sama, Chrisse.
Then, we stroll leisurely while eating [High elf cake].
“Ah, Lute-kun, it’s a High Elf.”
Snow pointed at a walking blonde, long ears, green eyes, elf like young girl. A pendant hang conspicuously on her chest.
“No, it’s a fake. That pendant is the proof. It’s a popular souvenir from Enol, equipping it will change one’s appearance into a High elf with simple magic.”
It seems it’s a rule, that to avoid crime and misunderstanding, the pendant must be worn externally, where it could be seen.
In exchange for the real thing not appearing, they sell the pendant and let tourists imitate High elves.
Just like in Kyoto, where they let tourists rent apprentice geisha clothes and walk outside, that was to let them emphasize the Kyoto-esque feeling for the other tourists.
This country expanded with the lake as the center, you can see the large Adventurer’s guild here and there.
“Since we don’t have anything to do, let’s go to the Adventurer’s guild to give greetings and let them know about our level up deliberation, shall we ?”
When we arrived in front of the Adventurers' Guild, I remembered.
Despite us being level II and III adventurers, we defeated the magicians with a bounty and a twin dragon (young), and because of that, they are now in the middle of deliberating how much our levels should rise. I should report that to the High elf Kingdom Enol's Adventurers' Guild sooner rather than later.
”That's right, we should go there before we forget about it.”
[We still have time, too.]
”Wherever Lute-sama goes is where I'll go!”