181 Episode 181 "When I was investigating the river, an unexpected person was hiding.".txt (2/2)

The bell made a clear sound.

The sound could not be heard by Letitia or by Cutlass.

But a cool tone reached Rita's beastly ears.

The sound gradually spread out.

The ripples of sound spread as if a stone had been dropped on the surface of the water.

It bounced back.

Rita's ears, her skin, and all her senses catch it.

Eventually, Rita slowly opened her eyes.

”──Deep of the cave──something──is there──?

The bell translates the echoing sound into a form that Rita can understand.

The shape of an invisible place appears in the mind of Rita, who is equipped with it.

A choice is made - the depths of the cave.

Beyond the water source. The place where the sound just barely reaches you.

What was there. The image that came to Rita's mind was something with wings and - a human shadow.

──── tasquete

And in Rita's ears, she heard a faint voice.

'Letitia-sama, Cutlass!　There's someone out there!　A human-like shape and ...... winged something seems to be caught on the rocky ground inside. I can hear voices!

Rita jumps towards the river. She stands on the surface of the water again with 'water walking' and runs towards the cave.

'This is absurd!　Mr. Rita!

I...

At the sound of Letitia's voice, Rita stopped in a hurry.

The entrance to the cave is narrow. It's barely possible to crawl through the water. It's impossible to enter the depths of the cave, against the current, while maintaining the 'water walking' by sacred power in that state. If he lost concentration for even a moment, he would fall into the water and be swept away.

''No matter how much of a 'chit-chat' you are, there is a limit to what you can do!　You know what you can and can't do!

'Yes, sir!　This is where Fynn, who can fly, comes in!

All my worries were instantly irrelevant!

We are here to help people. We can't afford to lose our way, sir!

Cutlass puts his hand on the armor of Balal on his chest and declares, ”Another me.

The other me. It's time to go!　Feen!

Do I have to get dressed?

Of course it is!

”...... I can't help it. Alright.

With a light call, a girl with gray hair like Cutlass, Fynn, appeared.

I have been informed of the situation. I - I - Fynn will fly through the air and pull the one who needs help at the back of the cave, right?

Yes, please.

Letitia handed the rope to Fynn.

We can remeasure the depth of the water later. Our priority right now is to save lives.

''Yes, sir. Sir.'

Fynn floated up in the air with a rope in his hand, fluffily.

The artifact 'Armor of Balal' is able to create a body with magical power. Now, he transferred another personality of Cutlass, 'Fyn', to it. Fyn can fly, so it's good for investigating small places like this.

Fynn, who headed straight for the river, turned around in the air and...

”By the way, I wonder if you like to be wet through and through.

I'll ask him later, sir!

”...... cutlass. I think you should learn to be a little more s*xy.

With that, Fynn flew through the water in a slumped position and disappeared into the depths of the cave.

A few minutes later

Alright, ready for rescue. Please pull the rope!

Hearing Fynn's voice, Rita, Leticia and Cutlass stood on the riverbank and began to pull on the stretched rope.

It was responsive. Indeed, someone's body was tied to the end of the rope. Probably Fynn is holding it up to prevent it from sinking, the body of two people - Fynn's body made of magic power is light, so it's precisely the equivalent of one and a half people.

Feeling that much weight, Rita and the others desperately pulled the rope closer.

'Rita-san. Can you still hear my voice?

I can't hear it. But I can hear something flapping around at ....... Is this ......?

Every time the three of them pull the rope, something is getting closer and closer.

Finally, it emerges from the cave and...

'Oh, thank God!　After all, the thing to have is a friend!

””Saint Delilira!”

It was a bird-shaped golem that contained the soul of ”Saint Delilah”.

''Huh?　Why?　Why is the saint here!

'I thought I'd practice on a nearby trip before I set out on a journey to find ...... ”City of the Demon Race”. Then, deep in the river, I got trapped on a rocky beach.''

The saint-infused golem scratched his head on the tip of his wing.

''It's not something I'm not used to doing. Delilira-san still has a lot of training to do.''

'It wasn't. What I found was supposed to be in the shape of a human being: ......

Rita touched the 'Squire's Bell'.

'Could it be my misunderstanding?　Huh?　Huh?

”It's not a mistake. That's the one at the end of the rope. She'll be along with Fynn in a few minutes.

The saintly golem pointed to the entrance to the cave with the tip of its wings.

Rita, Leticia and Cutlass continued to pull on the rope.

After just a few seconds, it revealed itself.

'That's why Delilira-san was trapped in the water. I heard her scream and that's why I jumped into the cave.

''Of course, if they didn't come back after a while, Golem-kun and the others were supposed to come looking for them,'' - Saint Delilah added.

However, Rita and the others didn't hear that.

It was because all three of them were blinded by what Fynn had been holding in her arms.

'He's unconscious, but he's definitely alive.

Fynn said as he untied the rope wrapped around the child's torso.

Rita and Letitia reach out to the child. They hold it in their arms and look at Saint Delilira, unsure whether or not to bring it ashore. ''It's okay if it's a little. The two of them picked up the child in their arms and laid him down on top of the cloak that Cutlass had laid out.

'Saint Delilira-sama,'

”Yes, Rita?

We heard about the Horn Serpent's body being washed ashore in this river, and we're here to investigate.

”Sea monster. But he's a gentle race. He's not going to release a demon into the river.

That's not something a little, cute girl would do, even at .......

Does Your Highness know anything about her?

At Leticia's question, the saintly golem shook her head.

''I was already unconscious when Delilira-san went to help me. It's been about a day since then, but I'm still asleep. So I don't know anything about it. I don't know why a subhuman child of the sea is in a place like this.

She is a beautiful girl, isn't she, and it's a wonder.

Cutlass and Fynn looked at the girl.

The girl's body was smaller than Iris'. If she were human, she would be about five or six years old. Her long, light blue hair was spread out over her cloak, and she was breathing painfully. He wore an underclothes made of what looked like seaweed on his upper body. She wrapped it around her chest. The lower half of his body is - in the water. For now, Rita and Cutlass have piled up stones in the water, inserted their shields, and are immersed in the slowed down current.

Because the sleeping girl was a mermaid (mermaid).

'...... I'm troubled. What shall I do?

Letitia folded her arms and nodded her head.

'The questers have no choice but to report what they find with their normal skills, so we should keep this girl under wraps at .......

The 'Squire's Bell' is a secret, right?

So let's call her a 'saintly girl' case.

Yes. And I agree with Lady Letitia.

I do too, sir, and so does Fynn.

What is it?　”Delilira's case”? Delilirah-san is like the root of all evil!

So what does Your Highness think we should do with this child?

”...... Can you all carry me to the 'Delilira Maze' - ......?

The saint-infused bird-shaped golem looked away awkwardly.

''I was actually planning to wait for Delilira-san's 'Golem-kun' and the others to come to the rescue. As planned, Delilira-san will take care of her with a bang!

If you're going to send her back to the sea, I'll be happy to help.

Letitia said, stroking the sleeping mermaid girl's hair.

'That much, Nagi-san wouldn't object.

”I'm sure Nagi-kun, that 'Insufferable Master', would have.

Leticia and the bird-shaped golem looked at each other and nodded at each other.

Then they all decide on their roles.

Letitia, Cutlass and Fynn return to the village to report on the completion of their investigation.

Rita and Saint Delilira (a golem in the shape of a bird) were to head to the Delilira Maze.

''Please take care of that child. Rita-san.

I'm on it. I'll join you as soon as I drop you off.

'I would ask you to send me a good send off, especially the saint. Miss Rita.

I will. I'll bring you back to the Delililah Maze without a second's notice, I promise.

”Hey, isn't that funny?　Why does it seem more difficult to send Delilira!　Hey, hey!

You have to keep the saint from flapping her wings over Rita's head and, well, trying to calm her down...

Rita, Leticia, Cutlass, and Fynn decided (after re-measuring the river's depth) to head to their respective destinations.