episode_0090

“Then let’s check before we leave.”

When everyone in the group had gathered and even finished greeting, the woman spoke.

“I guess you all brought your equipment and food, right?”

You have to go out into the forest and stay there for a few days.

Bringing food and equipment for those few days was a basic rule.

“Of course.”

Charlie smiled and nodded.

“Yes.”

I also nodded lightly.

“Good. I think you both packed it properly, but just in case, I will reveal the list of things you packed.”

The woman nodded slightly and continued.

This part was also a necessary procedure for going to the forest.

The forest is a dangerous place, and you can’t be sure what will happen.

In preparation for such times, it is best to know your party’s baggage in advance so that you can deal with unexpected situations.

Knowing that and making a suggestion, the woman clearly seemed to have done proper research before entering the forest.

“Indeed, it looks like you did your research properly. You are amazing.”

Charlie gave the woman his signature grinning smile and praised her.

“What. If you want to go into the forest, this is a given.”

In response to Charlie’s praise, the woman smiled brightly and triumphantly.

A smile that could be seen as obnoxious on someone else just looked cute when it appeared on her face.

What can I say, it reminded me of Sarah in Lakenwood.

Sarah felt exactly like that when she was young.

Should I say that I feel like a child who wants to be praised?

After I got a little older, a lot of those features disappeared, so I felt a faint sense of nostalgia looking at the woman.

Anyway, as the woman suggested, the group opened each other’s luggage and inspected the contents.

Most of them were emergency goods such as food or potions to treat wounds.

In particular, Dorothy, the escort, carried a large bag on her back that seemed to be several times larger than her body, most of which was filled with preservation food designed for those heading to the forest.

“Oh. At this rate, you won’t run out of food during your journey.”

Charlie exaggeratedly widened his eyes in surprise.

“The more thorough the preparation, the better.”

A triumphant smile appeared on the woman’s face again.

Anyway, after checking each other’s luggage, we finally left Darbil and entered the forest.

***

“I feel something strange.”

After some time had passed after entering the forest, the woman, El, spoke.

I had finally learned the woman’s name through the self-introduction session that took place before leaving Darbil.

“What do you mean?”

Immediately Charlie picked up El’s words.

Charlie has been like this ever since he met L and the others.

When the women, especially L, said anything, they answered back as soon as a word was left, as if it were a spinal reflex.

There was a difference like heaven and earth in the way he treated me, and his true feelings were so transparent that I could see them clearly.

To be considered simply polite in dealing with a client, the young emotions in his eyes did not appear to be very healthy.

No, his intentions were dripping.

Come to think of it, there were some rumors about Charlie like that.

He’s a guy who’s very crazy about women.

If there’s a woman with a good appearance, he flirts with her regardless of whether she’s a client, co-worker, or resident.

If that’s true, it’s understandable to have that kind of reaction after seeing Elle and Dorothy’s faces.

Elle and Dorothy had looks that would definitely stand out even in the crowded city of Darville.

In particular, El exudes a nobleness that is hard to find in Darville, so it would not be strange for Charlie’s eyes to roll.

Those eyes were so blatant that if I were in their shoes, I would have goosebumps all over my body, but they seemed to not be able to read the intentions behind those eyes, so they were interacting with Charlie normally.

“It’s amazing to come into a forest I’ve only heard about and see it in person.”

This time again, the woman answered Charlie calmly and looked up at the sky covered by the densely grown trees.

“Aha. Well, if you were a foreigner, it would be natural for you to be amazed.”

Charlie lowered his head.

For your information, L did not reveal his last name, but only his first name.

However, Charlie was naturally calling Elle ‘young lady’.

You can guess that her background is unusual just by looking at the fact that she has an escort of extraordinary skill, but in fact, you can tell just by looking at her even if you don’t go that far.

Because the atmosphere she gives off is not something that ordinary people can embrace.

Even among nobles, such natural elegance does not flow until a certain level of nobility.

In other words, it was not that difficult to guess that her family was a fairly powerful or historic family.

“But the forest hasn’t even started yet. I would like to say that it is still too early to be alarmed.”

Charlie waved his finger and laughed.

“Miss, it’s not a situation where you can be so surprised. The forest is dangerous.”

At that time, Dorothy intervened in their conversation.

She seemed to be displeased with El, who was just taking this situation in the forest as a surprise.

Personally, I thought Dorothy was right.

As long as I’m around, there’s not a high chance of it getting really dangerous, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to let go of all the tension.

“Ugh… … .”

As if pricked by those words, El slightly furrowed her eyebrows.

I tried to open my mouth as if to say something back, but there was someone who hit me.

“Haha. Of course Dorothy is right. The forest is a dangerous place. You never know when or what will happen. You must never relax your guard.”

That’s right, Charlie.

Charlie smiled brightly at Dorothy and continued speaking.

“But, there is no problem because I am there.”

Charlie declared with a confident face.

“Just trust me. We will protect you safely to your destination and all the way to Darbil.”

Charlie smiles again while saying that.

If you put aside the youthful intentions in his eyes, Charlie’s face is not that ugly.

Since his skills were quite outstanding, it was likely that there would be quite a few women who would be shaken when approached in that way.

However.

“… Ah, yes.”

Dorothy’s reaction was sullen.

“Look! They say it’s okay!”

Elle didn’t pay any attention to Charlie and just glanced at Dorothy in triumph.

“… … .”

At that sight, a subtle crack appeared in Charlie’s smile.

Elle and Dorothy didn’t seem to recognize Charlie, perhaps because they were not interested in him at all.

“… hey! Follow me properly!”

In the end, Charlie just took out his anger on me.

***

Occasionally, you could feel the presence of people, and the atmosphere, which was not much different from other forests, changed as the group progressed.

The trees became more dense, and there was no sign of anyone around.

The son-in-law became quiet, as if there was nothing around.

“Now, from now on, it’s better not to speak loudly if possible.”

At that point Charlie took the weight and stepped forward.

Unlike before, there was a serious expression on his face.

“Is it because of the monsters in the forest?”

El suddenly interrupted and asked.

At this, a smile appeared on Charlie’s face again.

“That’s right. As expected, you are a young lady.”

However, as if it had been like that for some time, his expression became serious again right after.

“So far so good, but from about this point onwards monsters start to appear. That’s why you need to refrain from talking loudly. It’s difficult to completely hide our existence from them, but we can avoid provoking them.”

“I see… !”

L made an interesting expression.

Even after hearing that monsters could appear at any time, there was no sign of tension on his face.

“Lady… … .”

Dorothy looked at Elle’s face and held her head as if she had a headache.

“… … .”

I looked at Dorothy with sympathy.

The time I saw L wasn’t very long, but even in that short time, I was able to get a general idea of what kind of person L was.

He seemed like the type of person who was probably more curious than others and couldn’t control his curiosity.

The day I first met her probably felt that way too.

I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Dorothy, who had to protect Elle by her side and take responsibility in case anything happened, so I could guess the hardships she was going through.

“But you don’t need to worry too much. For now, only the ones that aren’t that aggressive come out. Occasionally, there are entities that harbor hostility toward humans, but to that extent, they won’t approach if you use ‘incense’.”

Saying that, Charlie took out a small pouch from his arms.

He then put his index finger and thumb into his pocket, took out some of the powder inside, and sprinkled it on his body.

“This will keep you safe for a while.”

Putting aside the fact that the smile he made while saying that felt uncomfortable, Charlie’s response was standard.

Her intention to impress Elle and Dorothy is blatant, but she is still following the rules.

It was still too early to judge, but I and the group continued to move forward, thinking that Charlie’s reputation was certainly not in vain.

Even though they had left the safe area, they were still at the beginning of the forest, so the group was able to move forward without any problems.

And time passed, and the group spent their first night in the forest.