When Menado returned from hunting, as an acting chief, she and the others goblins together with Mea the Dryad, started talking about how they were going to deal with the monsters. And while they were talking I was dealing with another issue.
Both, me and Rize, were walking around the forest.
Finally, Rize stops and turns around, facing me.
「This area should be okay. I'll introduce myself again, I'm Rize!」
「If so, me too. I'm the strongest warrior of my family, Alberto」
「Is that so? Hey, tell me the truth, who are you, Alberto? You're a gargoyle, right?」
She ignored flawlessly my introduction.
Although I haven't lied, probably.
「It's the truth, I'm a gargoyle, though a damaged one」
「Really?」
Rize started to approach, staring at me. Close, too close.
And since she was short, she ended up looking at me with upturned eyes.
Isn't it cute, this act of her?
「It's the truth, besides, what would I gain with lying?」
「Considering the strength of that barrier, I can't accept that the creator is a nobody and not a demon king-class magical power holder. It's impossible for me to believe that the creator of such a barrier is a gargoyle」
It's seem that Rize is not convinced.
「Even a gargoyle can rival a demon king in strength if he accumulates experience in battles」
「U~m… I won't deny that the possibility exists」
It's natural for one to doubt, since a gargoyle can not evolve.
「Leaving that aside… Though my information comes from other people, but are you really an elf?」
「…What do you mean?」
「It doesn't' have any other meaning… You are hiding your magical powers」
My question causes a bit of silence.
「Well, I won't inquiry about that」
「I'm a high elf」
「…So after all, you'll say it yourself」
She is a girl who always betrays ny expectations.
「I'm just hiding my magic power since everyone around would be scared of it」
「I'm not surprised」
Although the goblins are unable to detect magic, right now there is a dryad around.
It's for the same reason that I try not to let magical power leak out from my body.
But in turn, by not letting magical power escape, the monsters lower their vigilance and can approach you.
「Anyway, it's my first time seeing an high elf」
High elves are the elite of their race.
A powerful race that uses fire, water, earth, wind, and a wide variety of magic, or so they say.
And why do I say such a thing? It's because I never fought against elves.
But it's the truth that they are strong, after all, one of the many demon king is a high elf.
Although the appearance of a high elf is not different from that of a common elf.
If she wanted, she would be able to break the water barrier.
I wonder what would have happened if I had arrived a little later?
Dangerous, that was dangerous.
「It's not uncommon, after all we are few. I'll give you a warning in advance, just because it's strange doesn't give you the right to spy the body of the person in question! I believe I shouldn't tell you why」
「I know that」
Everyone has secrets, even more so if you're from a high-ranking race like a high-elf.
Even I have things that I don't want to say.
If you are not careful you could bring unnecessary trouble upon yourself.
I would dislike getting into trouble.
「You said there are few, so how many high elves are there?」
「Currently there are five people including me. One of them is a demon king, and the remaining three are demon king's subordinates. As for the last one, she is the demon king's sister」」
「…….He, hee~~~」
I messed up!
This is really a dangerous woman!
She hasn't leaked out something really dangerous?
On purpose?
I'm not the bad guy here! I didn't intend to hear such thing.
Does this woman understand what she has said?
If I try to turn it into a joke, I will lose.
「So, um… right. What is doing a high elf like you in this place? 」
「The same as you, traveling」
That's not an answer.
「What I hate most is boredom and that's why I'm in the middle of my journey. This time I was nearby so I came to visit my friends Sari and Mea」
「I really wonder how you three could end up as friends…」
「Ten years ago they helped me when I got lost」
「Can high elves get lost…?」
「You're seriously annoying! I just wasn't used to traveling since I never stepped out of my country」
「I~see」
Your country… eh.
「I should have been here the day they were attacked by the werewolves」
Said Rize with an apologetic face.
It's true that she being a high elf would have had no problem in dealing with mere werewolves.
「By the way, perhaps the elf specialized in water magic that Rize said could be that you?」
「You're wrong, it should be another elf, after all I'm good at everything」
「Is that so?」
Is she bragging?
「Let's stop with me, tell me about you now!」
「About me, eh? Even if I tell you, you won't believe me」
「I don't care, I'll just listen」
I explained the whole situation as she requested.
I told her that until recently I was under the influence of slave magic, but with the death of the demon king Rannu I was released.
But that in the last battle for the defense of the castle, my wings were burned by Beria.
That in the middle of my trip to the Fara town I rescued Daidarian.
That since I met with Daidarian, I started to give a hand to the goblins.
Rize listened to me without saying anything until the end. And then…
「It doesn't seem like a lie, but even so it's unbelievable」
As expected, she didn't believe me.
Ah, that's right, if I show her that, she will surely believe me.
Besides, it's a perfect gift for a beautiful elf.
Let's engrave my presence into her memory.
「Wait a bit, I'll gift you something in commemoration of our meeting」
「Oh, what could be? I wonder if it would be okay to have expectations?」
*Goso Goso* searching in the bag.
「Um, where did I leave it?」
Where it is? Where are you, hair, hair?
Since I couldn't find it, I throw everything to the ground.
Poisonous plant, poisonous seed, poisonous mushroom, poisonous flower, venomous snake, poisonous fruit, uhhh, where is that…?
Ah, the hair was in the bag number 2, wasn't it? The wyvern one.
「…You, do you plan to approach me and poison me?」
「Wrooong! What do you think I am? What a rude woman!」
Attracted by what fell from my bag, Rize approaches.
This is bad, if I do not explain quickly, she will get the wrong idea about me!
「I will eat those later」
「…Uuwaa」
Was I able to become a man you will never forget?
「Ah, I found it」
I finally found it.
「N? What's that? A woman's hair? Seriously, what are you thinking in giving a woman's hair to another woman as a pre…sent…」
Rize stares at the demon's king hair.
It seems she has noticed the magical power that runs through that hair, and gradually her expression changes to a severe one.
「Hey,,, tell me, this could be…」
「It's the hair of a woman, the hair of a true vampire and as a magical medium, is a super-first-class product. I have five of them so I can give you one」
「It's impossible! Why the hell are you in possession of such a thing!」
「I already told you that I fought in a defensive battle…」
「I see, now I have understood. If you have this thing, it wouldn't be strange for you to make that barrier…」
No… you're wrong, that was completely made by my own efforts.
「Even with the magic medium, it's impossible if the conjurator doesn't hold a considerable amount of magic power, so now I know why you said that you were the creator. Even if you're exaggerating about being as powerful as a demon king-class. it's the truth that you're a much stronger than a normal gargoyle」
Please hear what other people says.
「No, what I'm telling you is that…」
「Well, I don't care, and though I don't know why you have such a thing and I'm sure you don't feel like telling me」
「Errr, I pulled them out directly from her head」
「It's fine, you don't have to tell such an obvious lie! I don't intend to pry in your matters!」
What you say is completely different from what you said before.
I have no intention whatsoever in hiding anything.
Nothing that I say will have an effect since it seems that she has convinced herself.
Okay, let's stop.
We aren't even talking about the same thing.
「But even if you give me such an expensive thing, I can't give you anything worthy of it」
「I didn't say it…? I'm giving you this as commemoration of our meeting」
「Wait, this is too much… Don't you know the value of this hair?」
「I believe that I understand the value of this hair as an item」
「Don't you know that the value of this hair doesn't fall below 3 million gold? So even if you tell me to accept it, it's a bit…」
「I'm giving it to you, I still have four more with me. If you insist, then you should help me when I'm in trouble」
Only that you say? But I believe that's a necessary expenditure.
Having connections with a high elf is nothing to be sorry for.
「Is that right? We…well, if you are giving me such an expensive thing, then I intend to do what I can」
「It's okay, it's okay, I won't ask for something impossible. This is a commemoration of our meeting, a commemoration」
「…I'm not doing anything perverted」
「It's okay, it's okay, I already said that I won't ask for something impossible」
「Why it's the same line but now it sounds different!?」
「A different meaning? I don't know what you are saying, lewd elf」
「Shut up! Do you understand or not!?」
Oops, I got a very good reaction from her so I ended teasing her.
「Sorry sorry」
「Good grief!」
I'm in the middle of experiencing the feelings of a boy teasing the girl he likes at my 1501 years old.
I'm in the springtime of my life, but it's a shame that the other party doesn't think anything about me.
「But I'm relieved, I had my guard on though I look like this. I never expected someone capable of creating such a powerful barrier to be so close to Sari」
「Moreover, that being is a winged gargoyle riding a slime, no matter who you look at it is suspicious」
「Well, I won't deny that, but are you relieved now?」
「Giving away such a precious item is evidence of how stupid and good-natured person you are」
「But even so… I don't dislike that! Alberto!」
After a completely change of attitude, now she is smiling.
What the heck is… happening.
I'm a little happy although she has misinterpreted everything.
Indeed, I can't really hate her.
The best part is that she isn't cautious of me.
But please, listen to what other people say!
It will be at another time when her misunderstanding will be resolved.
Rize, a high elf girl with whom I will be having a long relation from now on.
My relationship with her started in this way.