The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

After two full days of flying, we safely arrived at the Elf village.

The dragon species were quite tough. They only took a few hours of rest to stretch their wings and didn't complain about the long flight. Though they did mention the handrail incident.

We landed in an open area on the south side of the Elf village—where there used to be an herb field—and the elves came to greet us. Happily, Mererosu was waiting at the front.

"I heard about it, but I'm still surprised you actually came riding dragon species. And elemental dragons at that."

"Sorry for the shock. It seems Bargia's feelings of apology are that strong."

"I see. Well, when we heard the children were taken to the demon realm, even the militant faction turned their attention from Bargia to the demons, so it's okay now."

I guess that's good for Bargia.

"And you guys are the [White Tiger] kids, right? I'm Mererosu. We've met once before, but this is our first time talking. Nice to meet you."

When Mererosu addressed them, they hurriedly responded with greetings, having been looking around curiously at their first time in the Elf village.

"Ahem. I'm Furat, the leader."

"Besmond. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Leelin, the scout."

"...Lakirala."

"I'm Kemuna. This is my familiar, Hotaru. We've heard about you from Ruruk."

Their attitude is completely different from how they treat us.

I guess that's natural since they're dealing with an elf... but it's kind of irritating. Especially Furat's eyes looking at Mererosu seem somewhat lecherous. Can I poke his eyes out?

"I think you've heard from the Guild Master, but I'll be accompanying you as a 'hunter'. If you have any questions about the kidnapped children, feel free to ask. And Ruruk-kun, is it okay if you're the leader of this temporary party?"

"Eh, me?"

Considering the party rank, I think Furat would be more suitable.

I'm still inexperienced as an adventurer, and more importantly, I lack trust from [White Tiger].

"It's too much responsibility for me."

"I see. What do you think, Furat-kun?"

"If we need a leader, I'd like to ask you, Mererosu."

Furat made an unexpected proposal.

"To be honest, I'm weaker than this kid. It's embarrassing to call myself the leader, but I dislike being ordered around by this kid even more. On the other hand, I know you're experienced and highly skilled."

"I agree. Mererosu-san, please take care of us."

"I see... Okay, I'll be the leader. Members of both [White Tiger] and [Rozewill], make sure to follow instructions. We don't know what might happen in the demon realm, so don't act on your own."

"Yes!"

I was worried about the impromptu joint party, but I feel reassured with Mererosu acting as a buffer between us.

She knows our fighting style too.

However, Mererosu is meeting some of us for the first time.

"...So, Ruruk-kun, is that the dragon princess hiding behind you?"

"Yes. Come on, Seori, say hello."

"I-I am the chaos born from the world's darkness, Shadow Dark—ow!"

Be serious.

I chopped the back of her head, and Seori cleared her throat.

"Ahem. I-I'm Seori, the true ancestor dragon."

"Well, she's a bit of a mental wreck so her words and actions are... odd, but her status is high, so she shouldn't be a burden."

"Treating the dragon princess like that... As expected of Ruruk-kun, you're quite something."

Mererosu smiled with a strained expression. Next to her, [White Tiger] glared at me with murderous intent.

The fact that they're not complaining despite my casual treatment is probably because Seori is sticking to me. I can sense their determination to immediately pull her away if the princess shows even the slightest sign of discomfort.

What devout citizens.

"So, are we leaving right away?"

"No, it's almost sunset, so we plan to stay here for the night. We'll leave as soon as dawn breaks."

"I understand. But even though we've made an exception to welcome you, we can't let the dragon species or adventurers into the village, you know?"

"Yes. We plan to camp, so could you lend us an empty space?"

"Sure, that's no problem."

As she said this, the guardian unit members who had been quietly on guard behind Mererosu breathed a sigh of relief.

It's one thing if it were just us, but there are unfamiliar humans here. Not to mention the dragon species.

"By the way, is Karmarike not here? I thought she'd come flying as soon as we arrived."

"She's already headed to the demon realm. The Elf village has formed a team too... but it'll take at least four days to reach the demon realm no matter how much they hurry, so we'll probably arrive first."

"I see."

We'll be crossing the Magic Tree Forest at dragon speed, after all. It should take about half a day.

Anyway, we'll let the dragons rest for today, and depart early tomorrow morning.

With that in mind, we set up camp in the corner of the ruined field—though it was just setting up a campfire, and we'd be sleeping rough in sleeping bags—and kept our interactions with the elves to a minimum.

This is a joint party quest, after all. It would be selfish to act as their "savior" or "benefactor".

Of course, we asked the elves to treat us the same way, so no one except Mererosu approached us.

However, since we're camping a bit away from [White Tiger], it's not difficult to have private conversations. There are no monsters, so we don't need night watches either.

Mererosu seems to plan on staying here too, and was sitting around the campfire with us. She's used to traveling with us to Bargia, so it's like old times.

We spent the night chatting and exchanging information, and then morning came.

The weather was good, a perfect morning.

"Alright, shall we depart?"

"Yes!"

In response to Mererosu's spirited command, the members of [White Tiger] looked somewhat tense.

I pushed the still dreamy Elen and the deep-sleeping Punisuke onto the dragon's back, and we took off into the sky.

Of course, I didn't attach a handrail this time.

Even the magic trees that seem to pierce the sky are just big trees for the dragon species. They fly northward without any trouble.

They must have a constitution that doesn't disrupt their internal magic... Besides their racial skills, they have such characteristics, huh.

"That's right. We elves can see spirit elements from birth, and beast-people inherit the characteristics of the animals they originated from. Each race has its own traits."

"Then what about us? Do we have anything special?"

In response to Saaya's innocent question, Mererosu answered in a small voice, seeming a bit uncomfortable.

"Um, humans... have the ability to reproduce with other races."

I thought it would be something like that, so I didn't ask.

Saaya's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"B-but that's just a racial trait. Personally speaking, Saaya-chan probably has higher physical abilities than beast-people, better handling of spirit elements than elves, and faster magical growth than demons. You have the highest talent among all the humans I've met so far."

"Thanks..."

Mererosu tried to praise and encourage her, but that's not what Saaya was concerned about. Only humans can understand the feeling of being told that their distinguishing features are sexual desire and fertility.

Well, as for me, I might be glad to be human.

We're the only race that can marry elves, after all.

"So, Mererosu-san, when shall we hold the wedding ceremony?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Tch, no good, huh?

As we flew leisurely through the sky making such jokes, by noon the magic trees in front of us came to an end.

Beyond that, a very ordinary forest spread out.

There's no particularly evil presence, just a forest where animals and monsters live normally. If anything, the magical element in the air is a bit denser, but there are no other notable features.

The dragons landed in a slightly open area at the edge of that forest.

Small animals nearby ran away.

"So this is the demon realm. It seems... ordinary."

"...There's a lot of magical elements. Recovery is fast, but magic doesn't flow well."

As Furat spoke with a disappointed tone, Lakirala was already experimenting by creating a small piece of ice in her hand.

I used "Eye of Illusion" to search the surroundings, and after confirming there were no particular threats, I spread out the map.

From here, there's a dungeon to the northwest, and further beyond that is the castle of a mid-ranking demon. Since we know which direction to go, we won't get lost.

"Mererosu-san, let's depart right away. Ruby and the others are staying here, right?"

"Yes."

"The elf team is supposed to arrive in a few days, so please set up the camp as planned until then."

"Understood."

So far everything is going according to plan, and the two dragon species immediately started preparing.

"By the way, Mererosu-san, did you know there were elves in Luney Trading Company?"

"You mean the 'hunter' who recently returned? I heard from them directly. Actually, Luney Trading Company members wear masks over their eyes, so you'd know right away even if you didn't know."

"...Ah, I see."

That was a blind spot.

So elves are the same, huh.

Of course, they probably take them off during covert operations, but if they wear that outfit during normal activities, it's an easy identifier. The only time they wouldn't stand out would be at a masquerade ball.

After everyone checked the map and understood the direction we were heading, Mererosu clapped her hands.

"Alright, let's form our formation. Scout Leelin-chan in the front, vanguard right is Ruruk-kun, left is Besmond-kun, middle guard right is me, center is Seori-chan, left is Saaya-chan, rear guard is Elenora-chan and Lakirala-chan. At the very back, Furat-kun and Kemuna-kun are responsible. You two can balance the overall formation, with one of you free to move as a skirmisher. I trust you veterans."

"Roger."

The formation is quite rigid for a 10-person party. But Mererosu seems skilled at coordinating, so I'm not too worried.

However, what's concerning is that we have several restrictions this time. Since Lakirala and Hotaru can detect magical elements, we plan to keep Elen's "Full Scan" hidden.

We certainly don't intend to reveal that we can use forbidden techniques. We're planning to use them only in the worst-case scenario.

Still, this is the unknown forest—the demon realm. Although this area is supposedly ruled by mid-ranking demons, there's always a possibility of encountering high-ranking demons. It's better to be overly cautious, so I'll keep using "Eye of Illusion", which doesn't risk being detected, at all times.

"Everyone, don't be so tense. It's okay, let's move forward believing in ourselves. If you're worried about anything, just say so. It's my first time in the demon realm too, but I've lived for over 100 years, so I have plenty of experience walking through forests."

Mererosu tried to ease our tension.

She really is a kind big sister.

The one who was most nervous was Leelin, who was acting as the scout.

It's her first quest in the demon realm, and she's at the forefront of vigilance, so her responsibility is heavy. She sharpened her already keen gaze and moved forward while cautiously scanning the surroundings.

However, this really is just an ordinary forest. There are no traps, and only weak monsters.

If she stays too tense, she'll just get tired unnecessarily.

I should give her some support here.

"Leelin-san."

"W-what is it, brat?"

"Can you sense the presence of the monster 50 meters ahead?"

"Are you making fun of me? That's easy."

"Then, what kind is it?"

"...I think it's an Orthrus."

Oh, that's correct.

The trees should still be blocking the view, but she accurately identified the monster's type just by sensing its presence.

"That's impressive skill."

"H-hmph. This is nothing."

"Then we can relax. If there's an Orthrus, there won't be any stronger monsters around."

"...Is that so?"

Leelin looked at me doubtfully.

I guess there's a lot she doesn't know, living in Bargia where there aren't many wild monsters.

"Yes. Orthrus is a beast-type monster that forms packs. They're territorial, so they don't live in areas where there are higher-ranking monsters. They're ferocious, but also cowardly. With this many people, they won't attack us. Right, Mererosu-san?"

"That's right. If this is Orthrus hunting grounds, Orthrus is at the top of the food chain in this area."

"Then we can relax for a while, Leelin-san."

"...I-I see."

Leelin breathed a sigh of relief and slightly lowered her guard.

Of course, she seems to be continuing her presence detection skill, so she's not being careless.

It looks like she's released unnecessary tension, so let's help her relax a bit more.

"Your scout skills are really excellent. Our party doesn't have a scout, so I'm envious."

"R-really? Well, I'm only useful as a scout..."

"But you're small and cute, so you must be popular at the guild, right?"

"I-I guess...?"

She blushed when I praised her.

With her sharp eyes and small stature, in another world she'd definitely satisfy the tsundere demand. She's the only teenage member of [White Tiger], so it wouldn't be strange if she became popular.

Well, with the presence of Lakirala, who has a flashy appearance and is a beautiful girl (※actual age 27), even if Leelin became popular, she might be overshadowed.

Anyway, it seems Leelin's tension has eased a bit. Good, good.

Our joint effort with Mererosu was effective. Speaking of which, let us work together more. Bring me and Mererosu closer! Now, who's the next target!?

"Ruruk-kun, why are you looking at your allies with bloodshot eyes?"

"It's just your imagination (said with a straight face)."

As we moved forward in this relaxed atmosphere, we passed through the Orthrus territory.

Unfortunately, the others don't seem as tense as Leelin, and Punisuke has even started snoring on top of Elen's head. Well, he'll probably wake up if he senses danger.

"Stop. There's something. Slightly to the left in front—it's charging at us!"

Just as Leelin pointed out, a giant hedgehog—a Bloody Hedgehog—came charging at us.

As its name suggests, it has a cruel nature and is named for its fur always being wet with the blood of its victims. It's a B-rank monster.

"Leelin, fall back! I'll receive it!"

Besmond stepped forward with his shield raised, switching places with Leelin.

The Bloody Hedgehog, upon visually spotting its prey, curled its body into a ball and came spinning towards us. What is this, a character from some game? But well, it's a vicious attack method.

"Ngh!"

Besmond let out a groan as he was hit by the dangerous object with its heavy body, but he firmly caught it with his shield. The shield isn't just ordinary equipment, it's an 'heroic class' shield made of an alloy with destruction resistance.

"I'll pass it to the right!"

Mererosu shouted as she nocked an arrow and released it.

The arrow slipped past Besmond, who had shifted his body slightly to the left, and lodged itself between the gaps in the Bloody Hedgehog's spines. What impressive skill.

The Bloody Hedgehog flinched. I won't miss this opening.

"'Blade Transfer'."

I have to do my job as a vanguard.

I won't miss a stationary target. I sliced the Bloody Hedgehog in half, spines and all.

"Well, it seems they're not exceptionally strong just because we're in the demon realm."

"Huh?"

The members of [White Tiger] froze for some reason as they watched the fallen monster.

Leelin, who was next to me, looked at me with a shocked expression.

"Did... did you just do that?"

"Yes, I did."

"No way, with one strike..."

Leelin had a solemn look on her face.

Bloody Hedgehogs are known for their toughness, after all.

But well,

"My weapon is made of mithril, so that much is..."

"M-mithril short sword!?"

"Huh. Didn't I mention that?"

"Ruruk-kun, mithril is so rare in Bargia that only nobles can possess it. It's usually processed into tableware or decorations, so it's extremely rare for it to be made into weapons," Mererosu explained.

"Is that so? I sometimes saw it in weapon shops and material shops in Stoania."

"That's because it drops in dungeons. But mithril doesn't drop in Bargia's dungeons."

I see, come to think of it, this was a reward from the 100th floor treasure chest.

The Bargia dungeon only goes up to the 70th floor, so it must not drop even as a rare item.

Leelin looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if she wanted it desperately. I understand that she wants it as a fellow short sword user. But I'm not giving it away. Well, I could let her look at it... but what should I do? Show it? Not show it? Which one?

As I was playing with Leelin's gaze, Kemuna tapped my shoulder.

"More importantly, Ruruk, that technique just now was the one you used with your fist when you fought Furat, right? So you can use it with weapons too."

"Yes. Actually, I created this skill to use with weapons in the first place."

"That's amazing. An invisible mithril slash... No wonder the Guild Master was at a loss."

"Indeed. Even my shield couldn't block that."

"...Don't point it at us, okay?"

"Hey, please! Let me see that sword!"

The members of [White Tiger] crowded around me.

It seems they've warmed up to me a bit after actually fighting together. And it's all thanks to the mithril short sword... Wait, is my communication ability losing to mithril? To an inorganic object? No way.

"Come on, everyone, don't break formation."

"Yes~"

They returned to their positions at Mererosu's instruction.

She was like a teacher leading a school trip now.

The tension has eased and the barriers between us are starting to break down.

Maybe we'll start to function as a temporary party now.

"...Tch."

But at that time, I didn't notice.

I didn't notice that Furat's gaze had become even sharper.