Chapter 586: A Moment of Relief
“Thank you for your hard work. How was the situation in the mountains?”
“Julius-sama, so you had already returned to the village. Well… we ended up fighting those black creatures several times. They were most likely wild animals that had been consumed by the corruption.”
…You’ve got to be kidding me.
So there were more of them.
Still, judging by the fact that not a single person appeared injured, they couldn’t have been particularly formidable opponents. Even so, if such creatures were roaming the corrupted land, then this village might actually be in danger.
“It seems investigating the mountain was the right decision. How strong were they?”
“They were weak enough to be cut down in a single strike,” Erwin-sama replied calmly. “Nothing to fear too greatly. However… it might be a bit much for the villagers to handle on their own.”
“In that case, it would be best to station soldiers in this village.”
Not just here.
The surrounding villages would likely require some kind of countermeasure as well. And beyond that, it seemed necessary to regularly monitor the state of the corrupted land.
At least, that was what I had been thinking—
“I don’t believe that will be necessary.”
One of the researchers who had accompanied Erwin-sama during the investigation spoke up.
“Based on our observations, those creatures seem unable to maintain their form outside the corrupted land. The moment they leave it, they disperse—likely dissipating into nothing.”
I see.
So they had looked into it thoroughly.
Perhaps they had tried to bring a corpse back for study, only for it to vanish the moment they descended the mountain. That would certainly explain it.
“The area surrounding the mountain is under the influence of my power,” the Forest Spirit added, her voice calm and assured. “If they are not within the corruption, they are swiftly purified. That is also why the black giant tree never moved from its place.”
“In that case, it seems we’re safe. That’s a relief.”
“Your concern was entirely reasonable, Julius-sama. I’ll make sure this information is shared with the surrounding villages at once.”
The discussion grew more detailed, and it was decided that we would continue it inside the village chief’s house. Sophia-sama would undoubtedly want to hear this as well, and she should be awake by now.
When we returned, both Sophia-sama and Fabienne were already up.
Fabienne’s face was slightly flushed—perhaps from sleep—and I’ll just note here that her sleeping face had been… undeniably adorable.
The investigation team reported that, as planned, they had surveyed all areas where the corruption was particularly severe.
Every black creature they encountered had been eliminated.
For now, it seemed fair to say that the mountain was safe.
“What about the possibility of those black creatures appearing again?”
“I believe it is unlikely,” the researcher answered. “Those creatures were likely exposed directly to the corruption emitted by the Bone Dragon. Only those that survived such exposure transformed into those forms.”
That made sense.
If that was the case, then the chances of them appearing again were extremely low. If corrupted creatures were continuously spawning from the land, we wouldn’t be able to relax like this at all.
“There was no place more heavily corrupted than the summit,” the Forest Spirit concluded. “The corruption will spread no further.”
With those words, she gave her assurance.
It was enough.
Everyone in the room seemed to accept it without question. The atmosphere, which had been tense until now, noticeably lightened. Even the expressions of the investigation team softened with relief.
The village chief, who had been listening the entire time, let out a long, heartfelt sigh.
“Thank you. Hearing this will surely put the villagers at ease.”
“We will inform the surrounding villages ourselves,” Erwin-sama said. “You should continue focusing on this one.”
“Leave it to me,” the chief replied firmly. “Until everyone returns, I will protect this village with everything I have.”
His face tightened with renewed determination.
Reliable, indeed. There was a reason he had been chosen as village chief.
At this point, it was fair to say the safety of the village had been secured.
What remained was deciding our next course of action.
“I would like to depart for the royal capital tomorrow,” Sophia-sama said. “We must report these events to His Majesty.”
“If we leave early in the morning, we should be able to reach the capital by the end of the day. What are your thoughts?” Erwin-sama asked.
Sophia-sama placed a hand lightly against her chin, considering his proposal.
But only for a moment.
She soon lifted her head, her decision made.
“No, we will depart tomorrow in the afternoon. Everyone must be given time to rest properly. Tomorrow, we will travel only as far as the neighboring town.”
“Understood.”
It seemed she had chosen to prioritize everyone’s condition over speed.
Reporting to the king was important, of course—but the immediate threat had already passed. There was no need to rush at the expense of the group.
With that, the meeting came to an end, and everyone returned to their rooms.
Sophia-sama, however, planned to visit the fields.
It was a place she had personally helped tend—so if sprouts had begun to appear, it was only natural she would want to see them for herself.
As for me…
What should I do?
…Right.
First, I needed to thank the Forest Spirit.
“Forest Spirit, thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“It is nothing, my friend Julius,” she replied gently. “But if you truly wish to express your gratitude… then I shall ask for that thing.”
“That thing… you mean dried fruit?”
“Indeed.”
It seemed the spirits had developed quite the fondness for dried fruit.
Well, I understood why.
The concentrated sweetness, the rich essence of the fruit packed into every bite—it was hard to resist.
In that case…
Maybe I should make some right here.
I hadn’t brought much fruit with me, so I wouldn’t be able to make a large quantity—but still, it should be enough to show my gratitude.