Elfaria Chapter 97

097. Agricultural City of Bele

　As the ancient saying goes, "The people are the heaven with their food(? 民は食糧を以て天と為す)." It is a fact that has remained unchanged throughout the ages that people tend to place the utmost importance on food.

　Therefore, the "Agricultural city of Bele," also known as "Hanaria's pantry," is inferior to Hanaria in terms of size and population, but it is no less prosperous or economically powerful. However, 

(There are more people than I expected and the atmosphere is not as good ......)

　This was the first time I actually visited Bele, but perhaps because the incident at Hanaria still lingered in the air, people's expressions seemed to have a shadowy quality to them.

　Also, I passed by "patrolling soldiers" more often than when I was in Hanaria.

(Yuuto-sama. What are we going to do now?)

　Nemu was talking to me in my brain.

「Let's meet up with Osada-kun and the others for the time being. Do you know where they are?」

　She told me that she had found a silhouetted being in the eastern part of the city a short while ago.

　While I was walking around, looking at the town for the time being,

「Oya? Could it be the black-haired fixer there?」

　I turned my head to look, and standing there was a man with dark skin, bluish-black hair, and an eye patch. It was Luia.

「It's only been a few days since we parted,......, but I wonder what happened to General-dono and the others?」

　He was still talking as if he was eating people, but I slurred my words, "Well, things have been happening," and then I asked him where Osada-kun was.

「Oh. If it's him, he's at Felicia's orphanage, but now might not be the best time.」

　I asked, "What do you mean?" But, as I had half-expected, he answered lightly, "What, you'll understand when you get there".

　And then...

「Uooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!? Stooooooop iitttt!! Please stooooooppppp iittttt!!!」

「It's gonna craaaaaack!? It's gonna craaaaaaack!?」

　At the orphanage, which is much larger in scale than the "Leia Orphanage" in Hanaria, Osada-kun was being played with by an incomparably large number of children.

　As usual―I mean, Osada-kun was really loved by children everywhere he went, but

「Oh? Is that Yuuto there? Then don't just look at me, help me out here!」

　Osada-kun noticed me and asked for help, so I broke up the children for the time being.

「Forgive me. May I ask who are you?」

　A woman walked up to me from the back.

　She was probably in her late twenties.

　A flaxen-haired woman in a monastic dress―but with ears and even a tail on her head that were clearly not human

　At a quick glance, I guessed she was a dog-shaped beastman.

　I told the beast nun, who introduced herself as "Gemma," my name and identity, and explained that I was Osada-kun's partner, and soon she seemed to loosen her guard.

「We have heard many rumors about you, Yuuto-sama, even here in Bele. Besides, Osada-kun has really helped us a lot―I'm sure you have many stories to tell. Please come this way」

　With that, she led me to the back of the building.

「But still, it's quite a magnificent building, isn't it?」

「Yes. This is one of the top three orphanages in Bele――and Felicia-sama's church is nearby. We also receive support from the mayor of the city.」

「Well, let's talk about that in the room, shall we?」

　I nodded silently as Luia went, and soon after, I entered the room to which I was led.

　It was quite spacious, with a long table and chairs in the center of each.

　Gemma, who had guided us to this point, said, "Well then, please call me if you need anything," and left, leaving me and Luia inside. The only four people left inside were myself, Luia, Osada-kun, and Nemu, who looked like a doll.

「Nemu. About the barrier?」

「Yes. The entire room is covered with a tarp that wraps around the entire room. Therefore, there is no worry about leakage to the outside unless there is a loud noise or impact.」

「That seems why you did that, but―Yuuto. What the hell happened?」」

　I told them that Philly, who had asked me to check the clues again, had lost contact and that I had come to look for her.

　I also told him about the word "Argos" that she had left behind, but...

「Hmmm. Well, at least we haven't met Philly, right?」

「In my case, I don't know, since I don't know her, but at least I haven't seen any elves since I came to Bele with Osada-kun.」

　That was their reply.

「Hmmm―By the way, Luia. It may be a little late for this, but... Didn't you once request us to "search and investigate elves"? What was your intention behind that?」

「Well, as I explained to you at the time, the elves and spirit people who served King Hanaria have disappeared, so we asked you to find their whereabouts, but――」

「Enough of your nonsense. Speak your mind.」

　I have already confirmed that there are countless inconsistencies in Luia's story.

(In the first place, Luia only said vague things from the very beginning.)

　If he really was looking for everyone in the "hidden village" who had disappeared from Hanaria, all he had to do was consult Jean, whom he said he had known for a long time.

　Also, if he was after a dark elf named Leige, he would have taken a different approach.

　Considering all the other details, I can only surmise that Luia has been spreading the bait to find the "individual" from the beginning.

　Perhaps we are not the only ones being searched for―when I glared at him, Luia's mouth twisted for just a moment, and then he finally began to speak his true intentions.

「To tell you the truth. What we are still looking for is an elf girl named 'Stella".」

「The reason?」

「――Perhaps because I believe that she is the only one who knows the "truth" in the current stupor state of Hanaria.」

　After folding his hands on the table, Luia began to explain briefly about the background.

「Stella and I have known each other since we were both working at the castle. We have been friends for more than ten years, but――one day I witnessed her running down a corridor in a panic. I stopped her and asked her about it, and she told me that she had seen a teleportation circle in the basement where many people were locked in prison, being sacrificed and experimented on.

「...... Hmmm」

　That part of the story fits with what Philly had told me before.

「After that, Stella went to talk to the others about it, and I went to the basement, but ...... the teleportation circle had already been erased. Still―there was something interesting down there instead. This is it.」

　Luia said, and on the table was a small piece of metal with a thin chain attached to it.

　And when I saw it, I was shocked so strongly that I thought my heart would stop. Because, you know.

「If it's you ......, or rather, every fixer must have seen it at least once, right? Yes, that's right. This is the neck tag "Fixer Identification Card" that proves your status as a Fixer, but still, how did such a thing end up in the basement of a castle that is normally inaccessible to outside entities?」

　You don't need to tell me that.

「Is it because there is a possibility that the Fixer's Guild itself is involved in the series of incidents―at least, the ones beyond the scene that Stella or that elf girl saw?」

「Yeah. I don't know if it's the "perpetrators" or the "victims"―or if they are just "neutral"―but if Stella takes a series of actions. If the owner of this Fixer ID had witnessed her.」

「Certainly, it's the closest thing to the 'truth' that's possible.」

　Of course, this alone is not enough to prove anything.

　It only shows the 'fact' that it fell at that time.

「Who else knows about this story?」

「Aside from you two, only Jean and Barbara.」

「? Aside from Jean, why is Barbara's name mentioned?」

「It's simple. She's the one who knows about the "dark side" of Felicia's religion. In other words.」

「Felicia's Church is in a position to help us, at least at this time, with what is occurring in Hanaria―Can we judge it that way?」

「I think it would be risky to say "fully". I think we can place a certain amount of trust in them. In addition, there seems to be a cult involved behind the incident――If the worshippers of the evil god "Orr Go Gruesus" are involved, we can't just leave it at that, can we?」

「I see.」

　I understood. Or rather, I had to.

「In any case, Stella had disappeared, and Philly, the elf girl? And now that that elf girl has disappeared, we can't just sit back and wait for things to happen.」

「What do you think we should do?」

　Even if we searched in the dark, we would not only be wasting time, but we might also be provoking the enemy.

　Silence reigned for a while.

「....... Hey. If this happens, maybe we should get the old man from Tonelico to help us, right?」

　Suddenly Osada-kun said such a thing, and I couldn't help but stare at his face.

「Who is he? Who is this Tonelico?」

「? Has Yuuto never heard of him? Speaking of "Tonelico the Great Merchant," he's a man whose name is unknown in those circles.」

　I was told, but since it didn't sound familiar, all I could do was mumble, "Hmmm?".

「As Yuuto had told me, I had been stocking up on food and stuff since I arrived in Bele, and that's how I met him.」

「For better or worse, he is a man with great power. As of now, it would not be a bad idea to ask for his help, but there is the risk of not knowing how things will turn out.」

「But if we don't dare to take the risk, we won't get the tiger's cub――we have no choice but to do it.」 [TLN: It is a parable that you cannot achieve great results unless you dare to risk your life.]

「Then the sooner we talk, the better. Can we move now?」

　After Luia told me, I affirmed, "Of course," and got up from my seat vigorously to follow him.

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