The elven village has a wooden gate with two trees as pillars.

It seems that they piled up wooden boards between trees and surrounding the village like a castle wall.

When Takeru was looking up at the big gates, three shadows of a person went down from a tree and approach Takeru's party quickly.

「Mou」when Takeru tried to take a stance,

「Wait, those kids…」Eclair stops him.

「Eclair-sama」

The three of them jump at Eclair at once.

「Ritz, Rakka, Roussef, you've grown.」

「Eclair-sama, I wanted to see you.」

「It's awful that you never return to the village.」

「I was worried because there was a lot of danger outside of the forest.」

「I am sorry, I did not forget you.」

The elven children look exactly like human children except for their distinctive ears.

「Uuu, Eclair-sama, who are these people?」

Ritz, who's embracing Eclair, glared at Takeru.

「My companions. I'm a member of an adventurer party called Babel.」

「They are only a group of humans, ah, there's also a beastkin.」

「Companions… Adventurer…」

「Eclair-sama party with such people…」

It seems that the three of them are not good at interacting with outsiders. Is this place is an elf exclusive place?

「Eclair, who are these children?」

「Children of the village. I used to take care of them since they were small.」

「It's impertinent of you to call Eclair-sama with just her name.」

When Takeru calls Eclair familiarly, Ritz, who got angry, brandish a small wooden sword that she's carrying on her waist.

However, it naturally won't hit Takeru who pinched the sword with his fingers and took it up.

「Ah, give it back.」

Ritz jumps and tries to recover the sword, but she can't reach it.

「Ritz-chan, I’ll help you now.」

Rakka also tries to reach the wooden sword.

「Stop it.」Eclair's fist dropped twice.

「Ouch.」

「Uuu, why, Eclair-sama?」

「I just said that he's my companion.」

「But this human outsider called you without honorifics…」

「Ritz!」

「I’m sorry.」

Ritz surrendered as she was glared by Eclair.

Following Eclair and the children, Takeru's group also pa.s.sed through the gate of the elven village.

「Eclair-sama, welcome back.」

「Eclair-sama, it's been a long time.」

The elves of the village calls one after another.

「She's amazingly popular. It's just like Leiria last time.」

「But Leiria-san was Istria's princess, she's of different status from Eclair-san.」

There, a woman with different atmosphere from other elves has come forward.

「Eclair, welcome home. You've come back well.」

「I'm home, mother.」

Eclair ‘s mother is certainly a lot like her. Blonde hair , blue eyes, her eyes and lips resembles Eclair's.

Elves really doesn't age much, she can pa.s.s as Eclair's elder sister with her appearance.

「Everyone, this is my mother, Elmia.」

「Welcome to the village of elves. I am Eclair's mother, Elmia Rietveld Ernest. I'm one of the village elder.」

「Eclair's mother is an elder?」

「I’m surprised. Isn't the family name Ernest is one of the five large elf clans.」

「Yes, my name is Eclair Rietveld Ernest, a member of the Ernest clan.」

「Then, Eclair is a princess like Leiria?」

「Fueeh, I didn't know nanodesu.」

「It’s a bit different, elves have no hereditary system. The best of each clans are chosen to be elder. The elders of the five major clans gather to decide the policy of the village.」

「As this girl says, elves don’t like power unlike humans. An elder is just a representative. A privileged cla.s.s like the one humans have doesn't exists in the elves. Takeru-san, this girl, my daughter seems to be indebted to you.」

「Ah, no. I'm Takeru, nice to meet you.」

Takeru, who noticed that he was being rude for not introducing himself, introduces himself in a panic.

「I'm Leiria von Istria.」

「My name is Felicia Artian.」

「Feene nanodesu.」

「It's Ordega.」

Everyone introduced themselves politely knowing that Eclair's mother is an elder.

「I’ve also heard about you. You must be tired from the long journey. Please take a break in the room first. Let's talk after that, Luceria, guide them to their lodgings.」

「Yes, elder.」

A woman called Luceria steps forward.

She's about the same age as Eclair, a different type of beauty.

「Luceria! It's been a while, have you been well?」

「Yes, Eclair, you seem to be energetic. You seem to be doing well outside the forest.」

「The outside of the forest is full of stimulation. You should try going out of the forest once.」

「As usual. Eclair has been talking about the outside word and was frequently brought back by the village's adults after trying to escape from the village. When you went out of the forest and said that you're going to be an adventurer, it became a big fuss in the village.」

「Hee, so that’s what happened, Eclair was a tomboy after all.」

「What do you mean by that, Takeru? Luceria, stop talking about the old days. Is it true that there is a strange accident in the forest? 」

「Yes, it's really serious. All of our brothers who came out of the forest were called out. 」

「That’s why I was called too.」

「That's right. Elmia-sama opposed to call you back to the last minute but she was pushed by the other clan's elder.」

「Mother opposed?」

「I guess she didn't want you to put in danger even though it is something serious for the village.」

「…」

Eclair was visibly surprised and thinks.

「So, what's the accident in the elven forest?」

「About that, it should be personally explained by the elder.」

It might be a content which cannot be spoken to outsiders. We have no choice but to wait for Elmia’s explanation.

Takeru's party was guided to a root of a huge tree. Looking up, there are several huts built on the thick branches.

(Oh, there are a lot of log houses.)

Numerous boards are arranged in the tree trunk as stairs to the hut.

They walked there and were guided to a hut in the middle of the tree.

It's about 20 meters from the ground.

On the way up the stairs, looking down is pretty scary.

Takeru carefully climbed the stairs while trying not to look down.

It seems to be normal for elves as Eclair and Luceria climb with a calm face.

Surprisingly, Feene seems fine.

「Amazing, there are houses on the tree nanodesu.」

She's happily running to the left and right of the stairs.

Ordega is silent and pretending to be calm but his face is blue. Will he be okay?

The problem is Felicia and Leiria.

「Ta-Takeru-san it's high. P-please don't leave me.」

Felicia is completely emanated. She's strongly gripping Takeru's hand without signs of letting go.

「This is … scary …if I fall…」

Leiria, who's saying dangerous things, clings on Takeru's waist.

We managed to get to the hut which is our lodging.

It is bigger than the surrounding huts and looks great. The interior is quite large and clean.

Tables and chairs are all wooden and simple but they are firmly built.

The bottom can be seen from the gap of the floorboards. Goodbye peace of mind.

They took a rest there for a while until the elder called.