"Did they leave?" He muttered as he noticed the absence of the two individuals who had been keeping an eye on them.
Since they started moving again at daybreak, their presence was nowhere to be found. Eye of Providence couldn't detect them anywhere within its coverage area.
They were no longer under surveillance.
Still, they continued to move forward at a slower pace. And with caution.
If they were indeed scouts… that could only mean…
He didn't deactivate Eye of Providence just in case his prediction was right.
It didn't take long for his prediction to prove itself.
Not long after they left the clearing where they rested for a bit, multiple presences entered his locator's area of effect. About twenty individuals, divided into groups, were waiting up ahead.
Their positioning told him they were not here to welcome him with open arms—it was highly likely an ambush.
Kagen stayed hidden inside his shadow as they kept moving forward.
Alert… ready to spring at any moment.
After a while, they finally got close enough.
Right then, a whistling sound cut through the air as a couple of arrows planted themselves on the ground in front of them.
Blaze halted.
He immediately raised his hand, as if telling them he had no intention to resist.
Time stretched without anything happening.
Finally, the five individuals in front revealed themselves while the other groups remained hidden on both sides and behind, leaving them surrounded.
Two came out from behind the tree trunks, while the three others perched above, jumped down on the visible limbs of the trees.
Their appearance was something he wished for but had never expected—every otaku's dream.
Elves.
Happiness was almost written in his face, but he managed to keep his expression in control.
Who would've thought that elves were the first race I'll encounter?
Thank you, cruel god.
He was all smiles inside, though his face remained calm. He didn't know why, but unlike the past two days, killing intent was leaking around them.
Blaze lowered itself, and he jumped down from its back, stepping forward.
"Greetings, a good day to you."
He didn't know what to do, so he copied what he saw from medieval movies, lowering himself slightly as he greeted them.
The only female in the group stepped forward and greeted him in response.
"Likewise, otherworlder."
He was caught by surprise as he had planned to introduce himself as a merchant; now that plan just went straight out of the window.
Otherworlder? Does that mean they knew I'm a reincarnator?
A bitter smile tugged on his lips.
"How did you know?" He asked.
Do they have someone with appraisal skill with them?
That was the only conclusion he could think of.
Without making it obvious, he appraised the five of them, but not a single one of them has appraisal skill. But to his surprise, each of them has a single combat-oriented skill.
They were no doubt warriors.
Not someone you could mess around with.
"Well… It's not every day that someone comes from that side of the forest." The female elf—Aerilyn—answered.
Her gaze lingered on him.
He didn't seem dangerous… then why did the elder say the spirits became restless?
Is it because of his monster companion?
She took a glance at Blaze, then back at him.
But it's not like this was the first time monsters from that side stumbled upon this forest.
Noticing Aerilyn's lingering gaze, he asked.
"Is there something wrong with my face?"
"Oh… no no no." A bit flustered by the sudden question, Aerilyn responded. "I was just wondering."
Unable to hold his curiosity, he followed with another question;
"About? How ugly I look?" His sarcastic personality shows up time and time again.
But to him, this felt familiar.
The hostility… the confusion.
"Might be, but… well." She hesitated for a moment. "We were sent here to investigate why the spirits suddenly became restless." She explained.
The spirits became restless? Is it because of my arrival?
But why? He glanced at Blaze, then the fox.
No. It can't be.
Kagen?
The only possibility he could think of was his shadow companion. If so, then they should never find out about the Servant of Darkness. And thus, he decided.
Thankfully, Kagen has been hiding in his shadow ever since they detected a presence two days ago and has never revealed itself.
"Is it because of my arrival?" Could it be…?"
He turned and studied Blaze. At that moment, he just wanted to divert any suspicion that might lead to Kagen.
"It could be." Aerilyn's voice rang close beside him as she got closer to take a look at Blaze.
"But…" She stopped mid-sentence. "Our tribe has been patrolling this area for centuries, dealing with strays that stumbled here from the other side. Yet, this is the first time the spirits became restless."
"I see… that means I could be the reason."
He thought so; if Blaze was out of the picture, and the fox was the same since it is a guardian spirit, then it was either him or Kagen—and the answer was obvious to him.
"But I'm not an evil person. I may be weird, but I swear I'm not evil." He spread his arms outstretched as if to plead his innocence.
"Just because you said so doesn't mean you're not," Aerilyn answered with a blunt comment, her voice nonchalant, maybe a bit uninterested even as she was busy petting the fox in her arms and studying Blaze.
"Ouch… that hurts, you know." He responded with a playful tone, putting his palm on his chest.
She only shrugged her shoulders in response.
At that moment, while following Aerilyn's movements, his eyes caught sight of the baskets Blaze was carrying.
Oh, right… a thought crossed his mind.
He moved next to the baskets.
"Okay, fair, I admit I'm a bit greedy, well… maybe not just a bit, but, look." He uncovered the baskets and showed her the ores they were carrying all this time.
"All I wanted was to earn money—get rich." This time, he tried his awkward acting.
"You have no idea how hard it was to live as a poor man, huhuhu." He opened one eye to check her reaction, but she was obviously not buying any of it.
She sighed.
"Okay, okay, I got it, you're not evil."
She moved closer to check the ores.
She picked one and raised it above her head, studying the ore.
"Hmmm… I expected nothing less from the sacred forest; these ores are pure." She nodded again and again.
"Are they that rare?" He asked.
"They are, though they can still be found in some places, but those mines were heavily guarded by kingdoms that claimed them." She explained.
A grin tugged across his face.
Taking the ores with him was the right decision after all.
While they were busy checking the ores, the sky above was slowly being painted with golden light and orange as the sun began to sink on the horizon.
"For now, why don't you stop by our village?" Aerilyn suggested.
"Just so you know, the nearest settlement from here was about a month's journey away." She added, expecting him to reject or at least hesitate.
But contrary to the hesitation she expected from him, he agreed right away.
"Really?" This time, he couldn't contain his excitement.
Am I really being invited to an elven village?
Of course I'm in.
A village full of elves? Oh my… A paradise here on earth.
He steadied his expression right away.
"Then, I accept your invitation with a grateful heart."
He was indeed very thankful for the invitation, but more importantly, thankful that their hostility had faded—at least for now.
He secured the baskets on Blaze's back once more.
On the other hand, Aerilyn gave a signal, and the remaining elves that were hidden among the trees came out to join them as they moved towards the village.