30 – Malco Palm Deer
The next morning.
We headed to the entrance of the village to resume our journey.
I thought we would rest for a few more days since Shiz was injured, but that was a nonsense to our employer, the high elf.
She said she was fine since the bleeding had stopped and she tried to leave last night, but Bii and I barely stopped her.
I didn’t know who it would be, but I felt sorry for the person who would become Shiz’s husband for a night.
“Stop dawdling and get ready quickly.”
“Okay, okay, you nag.”
“What? What did you just say?”
“Nothing. I just said I’ll hurry up.”
I put Bii down and started to check my equipment under Shiz’s urging.
I tightened the laces of my boots so that I wouldn’t twist my ankle on the rough mountain path, and I put on the breastplate and shoulder pads over the black leather clothes so that they wouldn’t shake.
After wearing all the armor, I just had to put on the dark green cloak and flip the hood over my head.
Originally, I would have had to disassemble the chainsaw and polish the weapon, but since the chainsaw was blessed, I didn’t need to do that, so I just dusted off the dirt.
I felt like my butt was falling off as I chewed on jerky and thought hard in the woods again.
I sighed and looked up at Shiz.
“Send the recovered spirit stones and spirit wood to Eldenore. I’m going to ask Draya to try to regenerate them.”
“Yes! Got it!”
“And, when the high elves who chased after the prisoner return, let them know the news to Eldenore as well. They might get confused, so there’s no need for them to come to us directly.”
“Yes! I will deliver the message!”
Siz was giving orders to his subordinates while dealing with the remaining issues.
I couldn’t help but admire the impeccable captain’s competence, but his flawless attitude often made me tired and left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I had to travel with that iron wall-like lady again.
I hugged my only support, Pi, and sighed as if the world was leaving me.
Then, Siz, who was giving orders to his subordinates, pointed at me and spoke to the elves.
“Oh. And, if there’s any leftover fire oil, bring it all. That guy has the merit of catching an Ampityre Draca by himself. I think we should give him a bottle of fire oil at least.”
“Fire oil, you mean? We can give you some that we left for lighting, but then we’ll run out of solid fuel for next month.”
“We’ll start hunting before the stock runs out. Don’t worry, we’ll supply this village first.”
“Understood. I’ll bring it right away.”
One of the elves ran off and came back with a small pottery.
He then approached me and handed me the pottery with a polite attitude.
I carefully opened the seal of the pottery I received.
Inside the pottery, there was a transparent fire oil filled to the brim.
With this amount, I could fill up the fuel tank of the chainsaw.
I looked at Siz with sparkling eyes at the unexpected gift.
Siz smirked and threw a casual remark at me.
“Just use that for now.”
My lips curled up involuntarily at the subtle touch of emotion that Siz gave me.
Who was that guy who said Shizu was like a steel wall earlier? Where else can you find such a loyal and pretty lady?
“Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
I thanked Shizu and the elves and started to fill the fuel tank with flame oil.
Then, Pii, who was holding a leaf funnel, whispered to me with a giggly laugh.
[Gaul. I think Shizu is a tsundere after all.]
This time, I had no choice but to agree with Pii’s opinion.
“I admit it.”
Shizu was undoubtedly a tsundere.
“I’ll be leaving soon, so bring me one deer.”
“Yes!”
That tsundere then went back to her subordinates and ordered them to bring some deer.
Why is she asking for a deer all of a sudden?
As I wondered that and closed the lid of the fuel tank tightly, the elves came dragging something huge.
“Oh, wow.”
I momentarily forgot about the question of why she wanted a deer, as I saw the deer that the subordinates brought.
A massive body that seemed to be over 2m tall and two large horns that spread out like eagle’s wings.
The gigantic ‘Palm Deer’ with a sturdy saddle on its back looked like a ‘vehicle’ to anyone who saw it.
“It’s a smart and strong one, so it’ll help in battle too.”
“Hmm. Yeah.”
Shizu and the elves acted naturally as if they were used to such a deer.
The deer was so big that Shizu, who was standing next to it, looked like a child, but he acted as if he was dealing with a puppy from the next door.
I asked Shizu with a feeling of disbelief.
“Are you really going to ride that? A deer, not a horse?”
Shizu answered as if there was no problem.
“Yes. From here on, it’s a flat forest all the way. There’s no reason not to ride the deer.”
“I’ve never ridden a horse before.”
“I’ll hold the reins. You just have to hold on and not fall off.”
“Isn’t it dangerous? It won’t bite or anything?”
“That’s only if you’re careful with Pii. This deer is a herbivore.”
[Heek!!]
From Shizu’s words, I realized that the huge deer was a favorite mount of the elves.
I felt worried, but at the same time, it looked fun and my heart started to pound.
How many men would refuse to ride something like that, let alone be scared?
I took Pii, who was whining and protesting, and approached the deer.
“It looks like we’re ready to go.”
Shizu, who was stretching his waist, jumped onto the saddle.
The deer, as brave as its size, didn’t flinch at all and just looked at me.
Its eyes seemed to ask, ‘Aren’t you coming?’
I grabbed the edge of the saddle and leaped with all my strength.
[Woah!]
Thanks to my enhanced physical abilities, it was not that hard to climb on the deer.
As I settled in the saddle, Shizu turned her waist towards me and said.
“If you fall off while running, you’ll crack your head. I’ll let it slide this time, so hold on tight.”
Shizu’s slender waist had nothing to hold on to.
I had no idea what she wanted me to grab.
When I tried to pinch her side flesh slightly, a flash-like elbow flew in from the front.
“Ouch!”
“Hey, you. Do you want to die?”
“No. Then where do you want me to hold?”
“Just wrap your arms around and hug me.”
Wow. This is the first time I’ve ever heard a pretty girl ask me to hug her.
I felt a bit embarrassed and coughed as I sent Pii to the front seat.
Then I stuck to Shizu’s back and wrapped my arms around her firm waist.
[Whew~ Shizu’s face turned red!]
“Sh, shut up.”
Shizu shook her head and a grass-like scent unique to elves wafted over.
Sending Pii to the front seat was a really brilliant choice.
My face must have turned slightly red too.
“Hmm! Well, then let’s go.”
“Yeah. Okay.”
Seize gripped the reins, trying to hide his awkwardness, and urged the deer on.
But the deer didn’t care about the riders’ mood and just turned its body leisurely.
The elves of the village sent us strange glances as they saw us.
The deer started to run faster after the cheerful greetings of the high elves reached us.
“Seize-nim! We support you!”
“See you at the hunting season, candidate-nim!”
Seize muttered a curse at the jokes of his subordinates.
But he didn’t seem to have any intention of turning the deer around and scolding them.
The deer sprinted through the forest and the elves’ farewell quickly faded away.
The journey through the great forest went by in an instant, as if it had gained momentum.
From Noble mtl dot com
* * *
“Get up now.”
“Ugh. Huh?”
I opened my eyes, waking up from Seize’s words.
His golden head was shining strangely, as if he had drooled while sleeping.
He would kill me if he noticed that I had drooled on his hair, right?
I hoped that it would dry naturally before it was too late and lifted my head.
“We arrived faster than I thought.”
“Oh.”
The deer we rode on was as fast as it was big.
As expected, the large car was better than the small one, and the ride comfort was not bad either.
It was enough to fall asleep while driving, which said it all.
I patted the deer’s butt as a sign of appreciation for its hard work.
“Rudolph. You’re coming with me when we go back.”
[Ugh. I hate this guy… He keeps trying to eat me.]
I chuckled and gently shook the annoyed Pi.
As I played with Pi and squeezed Siz in the middle, Siz pushed me away with his back and said.
“That’s our destination.”
At the end of the long and long journey, we finally arrived at the place where Pi’s main body was.
I turned my head following Siz’s finger.
Under the hill where the red sunset was faintly hanging, a tree that looked ominous at a glance stood tall.
“Pi. Is that your main body?”
[Yes! I’m huge, right?]
A giant tree that seemed to grow higher than the others around it.
Pi’s main body was much bigger than I had thought.
“There must be a lot of sap coming out.”
[Ah!!]