Chapter 130 Splitting Apart
Arnold took the soil he brought back to the Flaria branch office. To check if it contained toxins, we needed the right equipment.
Right now, Iris and Basilio-san were at the Flaria branch office, and they were also synthesizing my part. I wanted to see their faces, but I judged it was better not to wander around the city carelessly, so I waited at the inn.
Arnold returned faster than I thought. ――With a deeper wrinkle between his eyebrows than usual.
"It's not a mistake. The soil contains toxins."
For a moment, everyone held their breath. Then,
"Ugh, so the monster we met was tampering with this forest too? Maybe the real target was the other side, and the attack on Laura was just a distraction? That's ridiculous!"
Marta was the first to raise her voice.
I approached Arnold, and he silently handed me a paper with the test results written on it.
We took soil samples from several places, but the strength of the toxins varied, and they were all different. The soil with the most toxins was near the entrance, and the area around the great tree with The Drinking Water of the Spirits ――compared to the entrance area―― had relatively less. However, the overall amount of toxins was much higher than I thought, and if we left it like this, the toxins might rot Fontapuune-sama's great tree soon.
Looking at the varying strengths of the toxins, I thought it was likely that there were multiple sources of the toxins set up somewhere in the forest.
"It seems like the monster is still tampering with it. Then we need to find the source and stop it."
"Right. Let's hurry and search the forest."
Lukas, who was peeking at my hand, agreed. However, Vake's calm voice cut in.
"Are we going to find it by searching randomly? The possibility of it being somewhere else is higher."
"But we have to do it. We can't afford to wait until it's too late."
Lukas said strongly, as if convincing himself.
What my childhood friend says is probably true. We need to find the source of the toxin spreading in the forest before it's too late. However, Vake's words are also correct. If we don't have a plan, searching blindly will only lead to more delay.
Everyone falls silent, lost in thought for a few seconds.
Suddenly, Diona, who seemed to have realized something, opened her mouth.
"If we eliminate the source of the toxin, will the contaminated soil return to its original state?"
Diona's words made everyone exchange glances.
If the monster spreading the toxin was defeated, it's possible that the toxin it created would disappear as well. However, if that didn't happen, we would need to think of a way to remove the toxin from the soil.
Synthesizing an antidote and soaking the soil with it might work. But is it possible to manually spread the antidote throughout the entire forest?
――The silence was broken once again by Wentle-sama, the lively wind spirit who had appeared out of nowhere.
'Likerland can do it, I'm sure. As an earth spirit, it's a piece of cake for them to revitalize the soil They've done it before, purifying polluted lands!'
Likerland... earth spirit... Those words reminded me of our conversation last night.
Lukas and the others still need help, and Likerland is the spirit's name.
"Then shouldn't we help th earth spirit first? We don't know the cause of the toxin yet, but if we know how to revitalize the soil, it's better to do that first. Once the soil is revitalized, we can take our time to come up with a plan."
"But there's a possibility that the great spirit will be completely wiped out while we're helping the earth spirit."
Marta proposed, and Arnold calmly responded.
We should defeat the source of the toxin and then ask Likerland, the earth spirit, to revitalize the soil. That's the best course of action. However, since we don't know the cause of the toxin, it might be better to revitalize the soil first. Even if it's affected by the toxin, we can buy some time. And with that time, we can come up with a corresponding plan.
However, considering the amount of toxins in the soil, if we prioritize rescuing Likerland without doing anything, there's a high possibility that the toxins will spread and become uncontrollable.
――I'll stay here and synthesize an antidote, I was about to say, when...
"...I don't think it's a good idea, but should we split up?"
Vake muttered, and everyone's gaze fell on him.
I also lowered my hand, which I had raised, and looked at Vake.
"What about dividing into 2 groups? One to investigate the toxins here and minimize the damage, and the other to head to Likerland Canyon to help the earth spirit?"
Vake's tone was bitter. As far as he was concerned, dividing their combat power into 2 groups wasn't a good strategy. But under these circumstances, there was no other choice, and it was a painful decision.
Arnold immediately spoke up.
"Then I'll stay with Flaria. It's within my specialty. Ampère, I'll borrow your power."
Arnold turned around. I reflexively nodded, meeting his black gaze.
"Of course, I will."
I had intended to do so from the start. There was no option to refuse.
Arnold, as usual, made a quick judgment after considering the situation. Vake, who had proposed the idea, also smiled wryly at the quick response, his expression softer than before.
"You're right, the 2 of you would be in a tough spot. The demon king might notice our movements and attack us. At least one more person..."
As Vake said, Arnold and I alone wouldn't be enough in terms of combat power. We could ask the Knight Order for help, but they were busy fighting the monsters.
One more person, Vake thought, looking around at his companions, and Marta raised her hand.
"Then I'll stay? Lukas should definitely come to the earth spirit, and Diona can use her light powers. If you're going to a new land, it's better if Vake comes too. So, it might as well be me."
Marta's judgment was calm and rational, and everyone agreed.
"...Yeah, that's true. That might be for the best."
Lukas also slowly nodded in agreement.
Somehow, Arnold, Marta, Lukas, Diona, Vake, and I formed our respective teams and stood facing each other. However, when I looked at it this way, I felt that it was too dangerous for just the 3 of them to head towards the demon king's domain.
"But, isn't it dangerous for just 3 people to head there? There are a lot of monsters, after all..."
If the Likerland Canyon they're about to head to is the same as the canyon dungeon in my memories, it's a place where they'll have to face tough monsters while traversing treacherous terrain. Even with Lukas and Diona, who have specialized powers against monsters, and Vake, who's experienced in battle, a 3-person party is still too small.
Vake scratched his head with his right hand and said, "That's true."
"Why don't we call out to the Knight Order's guys over there—"
"Let's ask Marcedes."
It was Arnold who cut into the conversation.
I turned to look at him, who was standing diagonally behind me. Arnold furrowed his brow and said in a tone without hesitation,
"Marcedes is my synthesis mentor and an excellent magician who's also an elf. She knows the situation well. We can't just let someone else take care of the demon king's influence, especially when we don't know where he is."
――That was an unexpected proposal from my perspective.
The one who came to mind as a replacement for Arnold was Elvira, a formal member of "Last Brave." However, it was unthinkable that Arnold, who cherished his younger sister, would send her to the battlefield while she was still recovering from illness and young. I knew that, but... who would have thought that Marcedes-san would be the one to take the lead?
However, as I listened to Arnold's words, I began to think that it was a suitable choice.
Arnold, an excellent alchemist and mentor, and Marcedes-san, an elf with strong magic powers from birth. Even if we were discussing this without her present, she would surely become a great force in battle.
However, some of other companions looked puzzled when a mysterious woman suddenly appeared and mentioned her name.
"I also know Marcedes-san well. I've been taken care of by her since I was a kid."
As soon as I mentioned it again, Lukas also followed, and everyone seemed to agree.
Lukas, Diona, Vake, and Marcedes-san went to Likerland Canyon. Arnold, Marta, and I stayed here to continue our investigation and try to stop the spread of toxins, and that's how we decided.
Suddenly, Arnold called out to Wentle-sama, who was floating in mid-air.
"Wentle, can I leave my sister in your care? She'll be alone in the village."
'Leave it to me!'
I was worried about Elvira's safety because Marcedes-san was gone, but with Spirit-sama's protection, I felt more at ease. It would be a much stronger defense than before.
The remaining concern was whether I would be okay staying in Flaria for a long time. It was possible that I was attacked in Flaria as a diversion to set up this trap in the forest, but the monster still recognized my face.
With Hero's party, including Arnold and Marta, around, the monster might attack again, and I didn't want to involve the people around me as much as possible.
"Will I be okay staying in Flaria? What if I'm targeted again and the city gets attacked..."
'I'll set up a barrier in Flaria's city. It may be a simple one, but it'll be much stronger than the current one.'
I was surprised and relieved by the powerful words of Avour-sama, the fire spirit who appeared out of nowhere. In "Last Brave," Spirit-sama's power was mainly used for combat support, but being able to borrow their power in reality was more reassuring than I thought.
Marta let out a whistle.
"Avour-sama is reliable!"
'Well, it's only until my power lasts, though.'
"...I see, so it's a time-limited deal, huh?"
Marta gazed at Lukas and the others. They had to head to Likerland Canyon before Fontapuune-sama's great tree withered away while Avour-sama's power still held.
Tension ran high among us. After a few seconds of staring at each other, they quickly began preparing to depart. Every second counted.
Meanwhile, I thought to myself,
"I'll use the 'tool' to contact Marcedes from my side as soon as possible. Ampère, can you please get in touch with Kasper-san just in case?"
I nodded at Arnold's words.
To make it in time for the night's mail, I hastily wrote a letter to Kasper-san. It was more like a report than a letter. I wrote about my current situation in Flaria and a brief report on the current state of affairs. It wasn't that I wanted to borrow someone's power, but since I was taking a special break to hide myself, I had to report any changes.
As I wrote the letter, 2 faces suddenly popped into my mind.
(Ah, that's right, I should contact Iris and Basilio-san too...)
Those troublesome juniors whom I was troubling. I should let them know that I'm currently in Flaria.
――And then I remembered. Basilio-san was an expert on poisonous plants. Maybe I could borrow his wisdom.
After finishing the letter to Kasper-san, I gazed out the window. The sun was setting. A hectic day was coming to an end.
(Unbelievable, I'm getting involved in the Hero's journey in a way like this...)
These past few days had been a series of unexpected developments. But from now on, it's the real deal.
I absolutely won't let Fontapuune-sama's great tree wither away. If I fail, the path to the sacred sword needed to defeat the demon king might be closed off――
I gave my cheek a light slap to psyche myself up. I had to hand over the letter to Marta, who would take it to the royal capital from Flaria tonight, so I asked her to accompany me to the city.
* * *
I had sent a letter to Kasper-san without any issues and was returning to the inn when I was greeted by none other than Marcedes-san. It seemed that she had agreed to Arnold's request without hesitation, and even risked danger by traversing the gap passage of time and space to get here quickly.
"Laura-chan, it was tough, wasn't it?"
"No... I'm the one who should be apologizing for being so flustered"
"No need to apologize. I'm just happy to be of help"
Hehehe, Marcedes-san smiled beautifully. Although I had never seen the extent of her magic, seeing her remain so calm in this situation made me feel at ease for some reason.
I'm sure Marcedes-san will be fine. Without a doubt, she'll become a powerful ally for Lukas and the others.
As I was talking with Marcedes-san, Arnold slowly approached us. Marcedes-san noticed him and smiled slightly before calling out to him.
"Arnold, Elvira was angry, saying 'Why didn't you take me with you!'"
"El is still too early"
"Yes, that's right. She also knows that, so she's going to start special training with Spirit-sama and Wentle-sama from tomorrow"
The image of Elvira pouting floated in my mind, and I couldn't help but smile too. Receiving one-on-one guidance from Spirit-sama would be a great experience for her.
Marcedes-san gently touched Arnold's forehead with her finger, speaking in a soft voice like one would to a child.
"She wants to be a source of strength for you too. Please understand her feelings"
Arnold didn't respond. However, he pursed his lips even tighter than before.
The absolute desire of a brother who didn't want to send his sister to the battlefield, and a sister who wanted to hone her magic to support her brother. As they thought of each other, Rocco sibling's feelings might be gradually drifting apart.
Suddenly, Marcedes-san glanced behind Arnold. When I looked, Lukas and the others had finished their preparations and were standing there.
They were going to depart within the night, aware of the danger and the importance of time.
"Well, I'll be off then"
"Be careful...!"
As I called out to Marcedes-san, who was leaving our group, she smiled and nodded.
Meanwhile, Lukas approached me, replacing Marcedes-san. He held in his right hand the charm I had given him ―― the spirit stone of Fontapuune-sama.
"Laura, take this. I think it's better if you keep it. Will you look after it for me?"
I nodded, gazing at the spirit stone in my hand. It was a beautiful stone, like a water surface that had been scooped out.
After observing the spirit stone for a few seconds, I looked up at Lukas. His blue eyes were wavering with anxiety.
"Lukas, don't worry. We'll do our best too."
Lukas nodded. And then ―― tightly, he hugged my body.
"I'll be right back."
Tightly, he hugged me again. I tried to return the hug, but Lukas's strength was too great, and I couldn't move my arms.
Instead, I closed my eyes and replied firmly, "Yeah." A few seconds later, Lukas hugged me tightly once more, and then released me.
Our blue eyes met, and I smiled to reassure him. Lukas also smiled back, although it was a bit forced.
"Well, I'll be off."
With those words, my childhood friend ―― the Hero ―― left the city.
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