To the Mermaid Village Once Again
Thinking of visiting the Mermaid Village――the Blue Waters Shrine before departing from Bailey in order to say farewell to Miko Princess, I brought the kids to the sea. I made a promise to “Come play again” to Miko Princess and I also thought of asking her to lend me a few more mermaid bracelets.
“Takumi-sama~! You came as promised~”
The fascinating intrusion checking barrier was spreading before us, but because I made sure it didn’t react to us, we went directly to the Blue Waters Shrine. Then, Miko Princess, Mirena-san, and Gard-san immediately welcomed us.
“Hello, it’s been a while. Hey, Allen, Elena say hello.”
“”Hello~””
“Oh my, oh my, hello. Allen-sama and Elena-sama seem to be doing well.”
“”Doing well~””
It was only our second time meeting Miko Princess and others, but Allen and Elena cheerfully greeted them.
Were they affected a bit by Theodore-kun and Latis-kun and got accustomed to people a bit more?
“Today, rather then coming to play, we came to say goodbye and…… to request something.”
“Goodbye? A request, is it?”
“Yeah. We will be leaving the nearest town from here soon.”
“Ehh!? W, why~!?”
When I reported that we will be leaving Bailey, Miko Princess lost her composure and raised a surprised voice.
“Miko Princess, your mask came off. Please, calm down.”
“!! Wau~”
When Mirena-san soothed Miko Princess, she tried to mend her manners in panic.
“I, I’m sorry, Takumi-sama.”
“No, no, I’m sorry for surprising you.”
“I just lost my composure, so don’t worry about it please. So, where is Takumi-sama heading to?”
“The capital of the country we are currently in.”
“Is that so…… then, we won’t be able to meet again quite readily……”
Miko Princess was clearly feeling dejected.
“Miko Princess, if you get dejected in such easy to understand manner, Takumi-sama will get worried. And so, what is your request, Takumi-sama?”
Gard-san soothed Miko Princess this time and I stated my other business.
“…… Umm, I was wondering if you could lend me some mermaid bracelets…… of course, I will pay the price.”
“Oh my? Mermaid bracelets, is it? Takumi-sama is using it, right? Eh, was there perhaps a malfunction while using it!?”
“No, everything’s all right.”
When I conveyed that I would like more bracelets, Miko Princess got flustered, thinking that my bracelet broke down, so I immediately denied.
“R, really?”
“Yes. I have several contracted beasts, so those children’s share…… I really wanted to come here together with them, but…… well, it was impossible.”
“So it’s like that. In that case, we will immediately prepare them. How many do you need?”
“Is that okay? If possible, I would like at least three.”
“No problem! We will prepare a few including reserves. It’s fine right, Gard?”
“Yes, if it’s mermaid bracelets then they can be immediately prepared.”
I’m glad~ It seems they will give them to me.
“Thank you very much.”
“”Everyone’s share?””
“That’s right. A share for Joule and everyone. Will Allen and Elena give thanks too?”
“”Yea, thank you~””
As they were told, Allen and Elena bobbed their heads and thanked Miko Princess and others.
“And so for the compensation, money…… won’t be necessary, right? If you have something you need, I would like to prepare it, but……”
“To receive compensation from Takumi-sama! Something like that isn’t necessary.”
“However…… that would leave me unsatisfied. If you have materials you need, if you are troubled about something…… is there something?”
As expected, I won’t be able to calm down without paying with something of equal value rather than just receiving if for free. However, it’s not like mermaids living in the sea are using money from the surface.
Mirena-san said that she likes gems, so I was considering whether gems would be all right, but I thought it would be better to confirm what they want, so I asked but…… is there not something, I wonder……
“――Ah!”
Oh my? It appears that Miko Princess has come up with something.
“If there’s something then tell me without hesitating.”
“Umm…… err, you see…… Gard~ What’s going on with that matter~?”
“That matter, you mean the crimson luminous moss, right? Unfortunately, it hasn’t been settled yet.”
“Crimson luminous moss, is it?”
“Yes, actually…… crimson luminous moss is a faintly shining moss growing in the depths of the sea, but we could hardly harvest it recently.”
Miko Princess apologetically explained the situation.
Crimson luminous moss, huh…… erm, a moss growing in the depths of the sea…… ahh, materials for medicine?
N~…… how unfortunate. I don’t have any.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have any at hand…… will I be able to get it in the town? That or I should search the bottom of the sea……”
“No! Umm! We, we know the place where it grows! That place has a considerable amount of growing moss, but a strong monster lives at that place, so……”
I see, it’s a place where moss grows en masse and a monster that the mermaids can’t deal with lives there, huh. If that’s the case, it would be faster than looking for it around the sea or in the town.
“You know something about that monster, right?”
“Yes. It’s Bone Shark.”
Bone Shark――a shark of bones, huh…… it’s a B-rank monster.
It’s a sea monster, but it’s also an undead.
“Your troubles will go away if that Bone Shark is defeated, right? In that case, I will deal with it for you.”
“…… Uu~ Even though we said that there’s no need for compensation, to request you with such thing……”
“That way is better for me. So, may I ask you to guide me to the Bone Shark’s place?”
“Is that really fine with you? It’s a considerably strong monster, you know?”
“Well, I will somehow manage」
I’m concerned about the underwater battle, but light magic will be effective and if something unexpected happens, it’s an opponent I will manage to deal with my own strength.
“”Will do my best~!””
“Eh? Allen-sama and Elena-sama are going as well!?”
They must have understood monster subjugation from the flow of conversation. Allen and Elena raised their voices in high spirits and Miko Princess got startled by that.
Well, I was certain the children would want to go with me though……
“Ah~…… Allen, Elena. Leave it to me today, okay?”
“”……””
It’s a bit unacceptable for the children to have a higher level than me, so I would like them to let me level up here. Therefore, when I asked the two, they were troubled.
“Okay?”
“”…………Uniyu~””
When I asked once more, the two reluctantly accepted.
“But, you are bringing them with you, right!? Isn’t it dangerous!?”
“Fufu. Allen-sama’s and Elena-sama’s swimming is so skillful that even I was startled, so they won’t become a burden. Besides, they know how to fight.”
“They have a talent for magic after all. They won’t have problems defending themselves.”
“Ehh!? Is that so!? Eh? It was only me who didn’t know!?”
Mirena-san who saw Allen and Elena swimming and Gard-san who instructed them in magic were watching with consent, so Miko Princess called out in surprise again.
I wonder how many times we made her surprised in this short time~ Somehow…… I’m sorry.