Chapter 385 : The Spirit’s Favorite Spring
The trees in front of us began to thin out, and our view widened as we headed toward the open area ahead. Finally, the place we were looking for came into view.
「Whoaa… It’s so beautiful!」(Delica)
In the middle of the thick forest swarmed by kobolds, this area looked like a completely different place.
The clear water of the spring sparkled in the sunlight, and the flowers and Sesilia Grasses that grew all over the place—Delica was amazed by how beautiful this sight was.
「Now I can see why Diadora likes this place.」(Delica)
「Thank you for leading us here… Delica…」(Diadora)
「You’re welcome!」(Delica)
「Ahh… This smell… This atmosphere… It’s been a while…」(Diadora)
Although her expression remained the same, I could tell that Diadora was so excited. She let go of my and Nicola’s hands and ran toward the spring.
For some reason, monsters hate this place. I don’t see any kobolds nearby, and Nicola doesn’t seem to feel any danger either, so I think I’ll just let Diadora do as she pleases since she seems to be fond of this place.
「Alright, guys. As planned, let’s eat lunch here.」(Mark)
「Yaay~! I’ve been waiting for this!」(Nicola)
「Un. This is a nice place to enjoy lunch. But…」(Delica)
Delica stepped away from Nicola and me for some reason.
「What’s wrong?」(Mark)
「Uhh… I don’t want to ruin our lunch with my terrible smell, so I’ll wipe my body first.」(Delica)
「Alright.」(Mark)
Delica took out a towel from her waist bag and went to the spring to clean her body and clothes from her victims’ blood.
「I honestly don’t really mind if she smells a bit. Well, perhaps it’s because I’m used to the smell of monsters’ blood.」(Mark)
When I muttered to myself, Nicola shrugged and shook her head in response.
「Hahh… Onii-chan, you really don’t understand. You may not mind it, but Delica does. Girls at her age care what boys think of them. Now think about it, do you prefer Delica who likes to be clean or Delica who doesn’t care about cleanliness and says, “Haha! My body is smelly and dirty, so what!?”」(Nicola)
「Now that you mention it, I prefer the former for sure…」(Mark)
While replying to Nicola, I turned my gaze toward the spring without thinking.
Delica noticed my gaze somehow and shouted.
「Hey, Mark! Are you looking over here!?」(Delica)
「IーI’m not!」(Mark)
I quickly looked away in panic as I answered.
I couldn’t see her because of those tall reeds around the spring blocking my view, so it was safe, I think.
「Don’t even think to take a peek! You hear me!?」(Delica)
「I won’t!」(Mark)
But how did she know I was looking in her direction? Is it because of her sense of warrior?
「Since she only told you, that means I’m allowed to take a peek, right? Muhehe~」(Nicola)
「No, no, no. You stay here with me.」(Mark)
Knowing my perverted little sister would have such a dirty plan in her mind, I immediately pulled her arm, stopping her from approaching the spring.
「Puu puu!」(Nicola)
She pouted at me.
Anyway, there’s no point in just standing here, and to distract my focus so as not to look in Delica’s direction, I guess I’ll just prepare lunch now.
First of all, we need a table and four chairs. Usually, I make earthen tables and chairs with earth magic, but I’ll try making them with tree spirit magic this time.
I stretched my arm toward the ground and started concentrating. Soon after, I felt the wood-attributed mana coming from Diadora.
I’m not sending her my mana this time since I won’t use her mana that much. In exchange, I will give her extra tomatoes for lunch later.
As I imagined a chair made of wood, four tree buds began to grow from the ground at four different points, which, when connected, formed a square. They continued growing and began to intertwine with each other, forming the legs of the chair, the seat, and the backrest.
「Phew… One chair is complete.」(Mark)
「Ho ho~ Looks like you’ve gotten slightly better at using spirit magic. Let’s see if it’s comfortable to sit on.」(Nicola)
After Nicola complimented me, which was rare, she sat on the chair and started rocking forward and backward violently, perhaps trying to test how sturdy the chair was.
However, she leaned backward too much and lost balance. She then fell with the back of her head hitting the ground first.
「Ouch!」(Nicola)
「O, oi, are you alright?」(Mark)
「Gununu! I take back my words! You’re not getting better at spirit magic at all! This chair sucks! It has poor balance!」(Nicola)
「Huh? It’s your fault for moving so violently like that.」(Mark)
「No! The back legs are shorter than the front legs!」(Nicola)
「Really?」(Mark)
Nicola glared angrily at me. She squirmed in pain on the ground while holding her head.
Looks like I didn’t concentrate hard enough, so I unconsciously made the back legs a bit shorter than the front ones.
Making a chair with wood spirit magic is much harder than making a chair with earth magic, it seems…
「Nicola… that looks fun…」(Diadora)
Diadora returned, perhaps because she noticed me using spirit magic.
She looked at Nicola and lay on the ground too, mimicking her. She then started rolling around. She must have thought Nicola was playing.
「Rolling… rolling… This is fun…」(Diadora)
「Ugh, my head hurts, but that seems fun! Secret techniqueー Rolling Thunderー!!」(Nicola)
They both began to roll around the grass, playing like children.
「Mark… join us…」(Diadora)
「Nah, I’m good.」(Mark)
「You can feel the earth like this… it can strengthen your senses… when you use spirit magic…」(Diadora)
「For real?」(Mark)
「Un…」(Diadora)
Is she telling the truth?
I doubt I can get better at spirit magic by just rolling around the grass like that, but… she’s a dryad, and I don’t think she has a reason to lie
Well… I guess I’m joining them then…
「Rolling… Rolling…」(Diadora)
「Waaaii~!」(Nicola)
「…….」(Mark)
I’m trying to feel the earth like Diadora said, but the only thing I feel is dizziness and… I feel kinda stupid…
「You guys… What in the world are you doing…?」(Delica)
Before I realized it, Delica, who had finished washing her body, returned and looked at us with a dumbfounded face.
Ugh… This is embarrassing…
ーーーーー
After I made a wooden table and chairs with wood spirit magic, we sat together and had lunch.
The chairs I made this time were sturdier and had better balance than the first chair I made earlier, so we won’t fall over.
Today’s menu is Dad’s special omelet, Nicola’s favorite hamburger steak, our inn’s best-selling fried chicken, and salad made with plenty of fresh vegetables picked from my farm. As usual, Dad seemed to have put his all into his dishes.
「Mmm~! Jean-san’s food really is delicious! I’ll never get tired of it no matter how much I eat it!」(Delica)
Delica’s eyes sparkled as she ate her fried chicken as if her tiredness gradually went away. She is the person who worked the hardest today, so I hope she eats her fill.
「Right~? Papa is the best! *Munch munch*!」(Nicola)
「Salad… so good…」(Diadora)
Nicola started devouring her hamburger steak like someone who hadn’t been eating for three days, while Diadora enjoyed her salad without expression as usual.
「Mmm~」(Mark)
As for me, I’m eating my omelet slowly, enjoying every bite to the fullest.
After the fun lunch, Delica, Nicola, and I leaned back on our chairs, taking a break, while Diadora was running around the spring like a vigorous child who had never tired.
I can barely feel it, but according to Diadora, this place is full of natural mana. Perhaps her energy came from the surrounding mana in this area.
While I was watching Diadora play by herself by the spring, Nicola sent me a telepathic message.
『Onii-chan, someone’s coming.』(Nicola)
『Kobolds?』(Mark)
『No, humans. Two people, but they don’t seem to be bad guys.』(Nicola)
『I see.』(Mark)
They must be adventurers or people who are training for the exam, like Delica.
While wondering who they were, two men appeared from the trees. No, to be exact, one adult man and one boy about Delica’s age.
Hold on… That man… I feel like I’ve seen him before.
As they proceeded toward the spring, the man noticed us and waved his hand at us.
「Oo? Isn’t it Mark-bocchan? Weeiii~! Long time no see! Remember me? Weeii~!」(Weikel)
「Hmm…?」(Mark)
That weird way of shouting…
Ah, that’s right! I remember now!
He’s the extroverted adventurer we met in Sadola Town!
「Weikel-san!」(Mark)
*/TL : Mark’s first encounter with Weikel is in chapter 150
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