Chapter 43 Dryad and Alraune

We both found out the owner of theTelepathymessage that reached Elks ears.

Apparently that couldnt move due to injury, and after getting her strength exhausted, she fainted.

The injury itself wasnt something of a big deal, but staying in such a place in the cold night, furthermore in such light dressing, she surely could catch a cold.

Why was this child able to useTelepathymagic, why did it only reach to Elkwell they were questions I wanted to ask, but for the time being I set them aside, and treated her.

She had scratches here and there and her ankle seems to be slightly sprained, but there is nothing of a big deal. For the time being, I did the first-aid with the ointment and bandage that I took out from my bag, and covered her with my overcoat, for countering the cold.

Nevertheless, this child

What is it, Im feeling something out of place for some time now?

Well theres nothing shady about her in particular, but this, how to say, thisdifferentfeeling?

While I was thinking all that, there was a sign of movement under the overcoat.

Looking below, her closed eyesopened slowly. Looks like her consciousness returned.

Onii-chan, Onee-chanwho are you?

Errr, just #1 and #2 pa.s.sing bysupposedly

Too sloppy

She didnt seem to be completely awake, or rather it feels like she is still in half-asleep state, but suddenly, she looked over her body and seems to have noticed the difference from before.

She noticedthe injuries on her skin had been covered by a bandage, smeared with ointment.

Looking closely, her clothing, which seemed like summer clothes with lots of exposure, looked to be made out of plants or whatnot.

It wasnt like her clothes were made by attaching leaves together, but it seemed like the material to make them was that. It doesnt look like the clothes are dyed, and even the texture was near to that of plants.

This, Onii-chan and Onee-chan did this?

Looking at the bandage covering her arms and legs, the girls consciousness seemed to have been gradually awakening, while she spoke bit by bit.

Ah, Yeah, thats rightdoes it hurt?

No, Im fine. Thank you

She said while touching the from above the bandages, probably to confirm the feeling.

This is great. Her injuries were really nothing of a great deal.

It even looks like she could move and talk normally

Then, in front of me and Elk making relieved expression, the green girl seemed surprised and looked up to us.

Are Onii-chan and Onee-chan, human?

Eh?

Hm? What is with this question?

We both didnt understand the aim of the question, while we both werent able to reply

Are you two, also going to kidnap us?

Hah?

We both were getting more and more troubled in giving out the answer and right reaction to her abrupt wordsand the next moment,

Flower Fog!!

!?

*Psssh*

Suddenly, a yellow fog rose up from all over the place and enshrouded all the places as far as eye can see. Eh, what the h.e.l.l is this!?

What, suddenly this fogeven that voice seeming like a skill namedoes this mean it is some sort of magic!? A sneak attack!?

It was avoiceand not crying voice, that means it might be a human or a demi-human (TL: Ajin!)then is it the bandits!?

No, wait a sec, this, doesnt seem like fog?

cough, cough coughWh, What is thissmoke? flour? I cant see anything

I cant see perfectly, but I could hear the choking sound of Elk from the other side of this smoke. Is she alright?

But this certainly doesnt seem like smoke, but rather flour. What is this thing?

This scent, its not wheat flourit smells of flowerno, is this pollen!?

Hurry! Get Lila immediately!

B-But we overdid in spreading the pollen! I cant see anything

Shut up and get to it! If you dont, Lila will be abducted!

I could hear those voices from the other side, and could also hear some footsteps coming near.

I dont know what it is, but I do know that I cant just stand here dazedly. This fogI mean pollen is their smokescreen and they seem to be trying to do something under this cover.

Moreover, both I and Alva didnt notice them until they neared us at least until they entered the magic range. I dont know who they are.

But with this pollen mist, my vision is blocked, breathing is difficult and there are limits to grasp the location of opponent with just hearing under this bad situation.

In that casealright.

Breathing orderly I clad my right foot in Wind Magical Energy.

I raised the magical energy to a moderate level and around the time the magical energy literally started to turn into wind, I vigorously jumped straight above.

Like that, a horizontal revolution with force. A roundhouse kick in mid-air.

Haaaah!!

*swish*!!

Kyaaaaaaaa!?

Along with the kick, a windstorm with me as the centre generated. I blow away the pollen enshrouding the area and clear the vision.

After I did that, I could see Elk, the green girl from before and alsothree other girls of same appearance. I can see them clearly now that the fog is cleared.

And Alva, apparently, flew to high-alt.i.tude and evaded the pollen. It is fineits good but, that definitely cheating.

Two of girls had same hair, same clothes, the facethough is strangely different, but still too much similar.

And the last girlhad clothes, hair and other things, just too different.

She looked older than the green girls, including the one we found. If the green girls are around 10 years old, then this red haired girl is around 15 years old.

The hair is, how to saybright and glossy red, even the clothes are of the same colour.

The materials seem same for all them, but her clothes design is somewhat different, and it seems more exquisite?

Moreover she is wearing a hair ornament that looks like j.a.panese morning glory, and a hibiscus. They have scent, so they are real flowers and not artificial ones.

The green-haired girls looked like they were about to blow their fuse while not knowing what happenedcompared to them this girl seemed much more calm and was surveying the surroundings to understand the situation.

When I landed, although she didnt know what happened, but she seemed to have perceived that I did something. And now she was glaring at me.

In that casethe pollen from before was this girl, or these childrens work.

But, why were we suddenly attacked?

I havent done anything, but they are presently continuously releasing the killing intent.

Then the next moment, she looked at Elkwho was holding the green haired girl while coughing. She immediately bit her lower lip.

Aaahhey look lets

You!!Torrent Cold!!

talk it out first, shall we

While I was saying, she seemed to have used some sort of magic. From her hand, some sort of green-coloured wind came at us.

But I dont feel any threat mixed in that?

For the time being, I stood in front of Elk and that girl to protect them, and took on the wind.

The moment it hit my body, it just felt like having a chill for a second, butnothing else happened. Huh, its over?

Seeing that, the redhead girls expression changed to that of terror.

No waywhy is not working!?

Despair clung onto her face. Huh, the wind just now, was it truly an attack Considering it as an attack, there was neither any shockwave nor a Wind Blade

Then the redhead girls face grimaced with vexation.

You kidnapper, let Lila go!

Hah?

Wth she just said? kidnapper?

With this, the two green girls also returned to their senses, and,

T-Thats right, return her!

Why are you doing this!? Lila-chan is hating ithuh, is not hating it?

??? What is this s.h.i.+t?

How to say it, it feels like there is a terrible misunderstanding between usdont tell me

At that time,

Kyaaaaaaaaa!!

!!?

Two shrill screams resounded from deep in the forest. What is it this time?

!? Dont tell me, there too! What to do

Hearing that voice, the two greenheads clearly panicked, even the redhead seemed fretful while sweat appeared on her forehead.

At that time, the greenhead in Elks arm, with an taken aback expression, spoke to us.

In a rapid-speed completely different from beforeand in a tone that easily told that she was in hurry and desperate.

Please, save them! You two are not bad people, right? Right now some bad people have come in the forestand everyone is in danger!

Well, as usual I still dont understand a s.h.i.+t

However theres no doubt that this is a situation where I should move immediately.

And, after coming to look at the origin of voice

Noo! Leave me!

Why are you doing this!?

Why, well thatsyou know, right?

Yeah, you fetch a high price?

Yeah, now I see. This is truly great. I understand the situation now.

This scene looks like I have seem somewherenot that, I seem to remember seeing people with this bad atmosphere before too.

Yes, if Im not wrong, it was around the time of that outrageous test.

In other words these guys are

Well, leaving that aside for now,

Kachaawww!

*stab* x2

My eyes!!!?!!

The two bad people trying to abduct the two little girls in front of them, suddenly got attacked by the hand scissors I fired with all my might.

The two people, having their vision stolen, writhed their body as if to say, it hurts like h.e.l.l. I know its already too late now that Ive moved, but these people are truly gross and a nuisance.

During that time, I pulled over the dazedly looking two little girls and showed them the way to Elk and other girls from before, standing just behind me.

Then, having similar green-haired girls and the redhead in front of themthey made a surprised, and relaxed expression and ran up to them.

They ran in oh so full speed and jumped in the chest of redhead girl.

The redhead said relieving words likeIts fine now, and the two started crying *waah-waah* while hugging her. The similar greenheads encircled them.

Apparently they have still not noticed about a girl among them called as Elk, with her hair as green, her clothes (armor) also as greenand everything else different from other girls.

Well leaving it as like that, I should finish the work of this place.

Looking at them, the kidnappers (probably) finally recovered.

Albeit their eyes are red.

You d.a.m.n f.u.c.kwhat is your problem!? Why b.u.t.ting in our work!?

Thats my line. Geez, the air is good, Flower Dishes are good, the city is goodyet you both are trying to mess with everything starting up a s.h.i.+tty work

Get lost you d.a.m.n snotty brat! Dont f.u.c.king stand in our way!!

Saying that, they took out the sabre hanging on their waist. Oh d.a.m.n, this pattern again.

Why are the bad people arrogant and so b.i.t.c.hy no matter where. Truly inartistic.

The two came at me brandis.h.i.+ng the sabre while shouting

I could feel the gazes of surprise and concern from behind.

Among thereElks gaze wasnt present.

I send a fleeting glance behind, and saw that Elk was also staring me along with girls, howeverthe contents of her gaze were truly different.

Finish it off quickly

Yeah, she is saying she is worrying.

Of course it means she trust meoh what is this loneliness.

For the time being, lets hear her request.

Orrrraaa! Die Minato: NO I WONT! Gobbaaaaa

Gugaa!?

Its useless to waste time on themso I got done with them in the same way as I had with those goblins in the labyrinth quite some time ago.

The way in which I break the weapon and the bones of opponents neck with just one kick.

Of course, it not good to kick someone to death in front of children, so while breaking the sabre, I retained my power to the level of just giving a cerebral concussion.

Even so I had used enough power to break the weapons swung at me in full strength, hence the two hoodlums went flying.

Well they arent deadI think.

I ignored the hoodlums that are now several metres away, and looked over at the girls who seemed to have finished their pa.s.sionate reunionat that time only the redhead, the girl who seemed senior among them all, noticed my gaze

And shyly nodded.

After all that,

The redhead understood that they had misunderstood everything, and sayingIm very much sorry!, she started explaining the circ.u.mstances.

The two from before were truly kidnappers, and including them, they all were nearly abducted, but somehow they escaped.

However, during the way they all got scattered, and the one I and Elk saved was one of them.

However, they were attacked and the girl had injuries, so they jumped to wrong conclusions and grouped us as the comrades of those kidnappers.

And,

They also told that were allnot humans.

Dryad?

Yesmight you have not heard about it?

I have heard about them. If Im not wrong, they are roughly cla.s.sified as demonsah, sorry, dont take any offence. You are alluhhthose Plant Spirits that live in forests, right?

Yes, that is correct, we are all living deep in the forest in our community

Apparently these girls areDryad an existence that is like personified plant but are not humans. Their bodies and magical energy both are made from plants.

Hearing that, I realized.

That out of place feeling when I met the first girl.

How I had that feeling, that was because of body odourtheir bodily scent.

The body odour of these girls is obviously different from that of humans.

Normally, humans body odour is made with sweat and seb.u.m as the main materials, but these girls didnt had those smell on their body.

On the contrary, the scent coming out of their bodies is of like new leaves growing thickly in the summer timethe scent of like fresh water, limpid water. These are extremely forcefully coming out of their bodies.

No matter how you think about it, it was the scent of plants and not animals. I was covered by plants in surroundings, so I wasnt able to correctly discern it.

No well, judging from the scent, at once might make me seem like a pervert, but Im not one, this is just from the effect of my enhanced nose.

For instancethe difference is like the scent of boys in the male changing room after P.E, and the scent of spring flowers in a botanical garden.

Isnt the difference too big?

No, based on bodily feel it is the truth

E-Errcan I continue?

Ah, Yeah, Sorry sorry, continue. Err

Ah, Im Neil

The redhead, Neil-chan, again bowed.

Incidentally, this Neil-chan, is not aDryad, apparently.

No, its not like she is humanbut she is a different kind of spirit.