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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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I had traveled all over the continent, gathering the necessary ingredients. All that remained was to go to the Elven Forest, obtain blood samples from the patients, and create the cure.
I double-checked the ingredients in my bag, then returned to my room in the royal palace.
“You’re here.”
Not long after I teleported back to the palace, Lucille entered my room. It seemed she had come after her alarm spell had been triggered. I greeted her with a smile. We went to see the Queen together and were informed that an envoy to the Elven Forest was being prepared.
“And Lucille will be leading the envoy.”
“I see.”
“The Church has also agreed to help.”
“Are the other races not participating?”
“We decided to go first.”
It seemed she wasn’t pleased with the humans taking the lead.
Or perhaps she had been pressured by the other races.
Did they refuse to participate, wanting to teach the arrogant elves a lesson?
Well, that wasn’t my problem…
“And we’ve decided to accept the Hero’s help. Sage, do you have a problem with that?”
“Claire’s? Hmm…”
“Yes. Ah, of course, you won’t be working with her directly. Just…”
“Support for the transportation of personnel and supplies?”
The Queen nodded. Rucal, who was standing beside her, glanced at me nervously. Knowing my history with the Hero’s Party, he seemed to be feeling awkward about asking for Claire’s help.
“It’s fine.”
“Huh? Really?”
As long as they didn’t interfere with me or hold me back, I didn’t care what they did.
Rucal sighed, relieved at my nonchalant response.
“What, did you think I would throw a fit just because the Hero’s Party was involved?”
“Honestly, yes. After all, you…”
“I know how to separate my personal and professional life.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Did you hear that, Lucille?”
“…Yes.”
Lucille pouted, clearly annoyed that Claire, Leventia, and Evangeline would be joining them. But what could she do?
“The Church’s support will probably be joining us as well, so we’ll have to wait a few days.”
“Understood. Then let’s do that.”
“Hmm? Aren’t you going with them?”
“I’ll go ahead.”
Support was support, and my work was my work. We could just move separately.
Lucille looked disappointed, the Queen sighed, and Rucal smiled faintly.
“Then we’ll expect you.”
After discussing a few more matters, I concluded my meeting with the Queen. I had no more business in the capital for now.
I returned to my room to pack for the Elven Forest. As I was finishing, Lucille entered.
“Tutor, um…”
“Leading this envoy will be a great opportunity for you to grow as a princess.”
Raising Lucille wasn’t just about making her a powerful mage.
It was about preparing her to become the next Queen, so leading an envoy would be a valuable experience.
Especially if it was a success.
“Yes…”
“I’ll be rooting for you. After all, you’re my only student.”
“Th- That’s a little… pressuring.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to pressure you. Then how about this?”
“What is it?”
“If you do a good job on this mission… how about we take a few days off and go on a trip?”
“A… a trip? Um… you mean… just… the two of us…?”
“Well, it would be awkward to bring anyone else. I heard there’s a nice resort near the capital. I’ll make a reservation.”
“…You… promise?”
“Yes.”
I patted her on the shoulder, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Then I’ll see you later.”
I had visited the Elven Forest a few times during the main storyline.
Of course, I hadn’t been allowed to enter the forest itself. Only Claire, Leventia, and Evangeline had gone in.
So, I had left the main storyline progression to them and had completed all the achievements in this area on my own.
In other words, if it weren’t for this plague, I would have had no reason to come here.
“Hmm…”
So, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be looking at the Elven Forest.
I didn’t really like elves in the first place…
“Who goes there?!”
“It’s the Sage.”
I raised my hands at the sharp cry from the forest. Lorelia should have informed them, right? But the rangers guarding the Elven Forest didn’t seem to care. They had their bows aimed at me.
“A Sage? You’re a human.”
“A mere human dares to call himself a Sage. How arrogant.”
Arrogant and haughty elves. They always reacted this way when I introduced myself.
I wasn’t hurt or angry.
I had been through too much to be hurt by something like this.
“I’m here at the request of Chieftain Lorelia of the Lightwing tribe to investigate the plague.”
“Hah, the Lightwing tribe has fallen. They should have just left it to the Healing Tree tribe.”
It seemed the arrogant elves wanted to solve their own problems.
The Healing Tree tribe was a village of elven priests and healers. If you recruited an elven priest as a party member, they would usually be from this tribe.
Anyway, that wasn’t important right now…
“Could you please inform the Lightwing tribe that the Sage is here?”
“Hmph. Wait here.”
The tall male elf who had been grumbling ran into the forest. The two female elf rangers kept their arrows aimed at me. I ignored them and sat down.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m hungry. I’m going to eat.”
I hadn’t had a chance to eat with all the rushing around. I used a flint I had gotten from the Dwarven City to start a fire and placed a frying pan on it.
As I was making pancakes, I saw the elves staring at me.
“What is that?”
“A pancake.”
“No, the thing you’re pouring on it.”
“Ah, this. Maple syrup.”
Right, the Elven Forest didn’t have sugar maple trees, so maple syrup was a rare commodity.
I offered them the syrup. One of the elves, her interest piqued, approached me.
“I’ve never seen this kind of syrup before. It smells wonderful. May I have a taste?”
“Sure.”
She poured a little syrup onto a spoon and tasted the brown liquid. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“This is… amazing. It’s not just a simple syrup… is it made from tree sap?”
“Oh, you know a thing or two about cooking?”
The blue-haired elf seemed to be a foodie. The green-haired elf beside her frowned.
“Lucia, what are you doing?! We’re supposed to be on guard!”
“He doesn’t seem hostile, and he’s here to help. And he’s cooking, not wielding a weapon. It should be fine, right?”
“Seriously, you and your obsession with new ingredients…”
The green-haired elf sighed and lowered her bow, but she still watched me with suspicion. But Lucia, the blue-haired elf, was different.
She came and sat next to me, watching intently as I made the pancakes.
“That’s not how you make pancakes.”
“I’m not a bad cook, you know.”
“The batter is too thin for that syrup. It should be thicker.”
“Oh, if you’re so confident, why don’t you try? I’ll give you the ingredients.”
“Heh. You’re asking the best cook of the Land of Plenty tribe to cook for you? Fine. I’ll show you what real cooking is.”
She smiled arrogantly and took the ingredients, quickly whipping up a pancake batter.
It wasn’t just elven arrogance. Her hands moved with a practiced skill.
This woman…
She was the real deal.
She was clearly serious about cooking. She skillfully made a pancake and offered it to me. It wasn’t just a pancake; she had even drawn a picture on the bottom.
That was all the proof I needed.
She was a better cook than me.
It was probably a racial difference, not just skill.
Sigh. Elves…!
“Amazing.”
“Heh. Why don’t you have a taste? The opportunity to taste the cooking of Lucia Rotenbeia is rare.”
I poured maple syrup on the pancake and took a bite.
Wow, it was incredible. The stress relief and satiety were on par with a top-grade meal.
Even the food at the royal palace wasn’t this good.
To think such a talent was hidden here!
“This is really delicious…”
“Hehehe, right? I adjusted the batter to match this maple syrup. I added a little more flour and salt to complement the sweet flavor…”
My genuine praise seemed to please her. Lucia chattered on confidently. I listened to her advice and made a pancake myself.
“Oh, you’re a quick learner. Not bad.”
“I didn’t expect to learn a new recipe so easily.”
I had unexpectedly obtained a “delicious pancake” recipe.
Pancakes were a common travel food, so this would be great for the adventurers.
“Thanks for the tip. Here, take this.”
I could always get more maple syrup. I pulled out a bottle and offered it to her. Lucia grinned and accepted it.
“If you bring me any other ingredients I don’t know, I’ll teach you a recipe for them.”
“Oh, really? Then I’ll give you a list of ingredients I know. Let’s see what we can make.”
An unexpected gain from an unexpected source.
Anyway, I was full, so I started cleaning up. A moment later,
“You’re late.”
A familiar face appeared. Lorelia.
The exhibitionist chieftain of the Lightwing tribe, dressed only in a bikini armor, walked out and said to me,
“Let’s go.”
“Wait, Chieftain Lorelia. An unauthorized human cannot enter the forest.”
“This is an emergency.”
“For the Lightwing tribe, perhaps.”
The male elf who had gone to fetch Lorelia looked at me with suspicion. As Lorelia was about to say something, Lucia shook her head.
“It’s fine. Let him in.”
“But Captain Lucia.”
“I tasted his cooking. He doesn’t seem like the type to cause trouble.”
Could you really tell that from food? Anyway, with Lucia on my side, the green-haired elf sighed and nodded.
“Just let him in.”
3 to 1. He finally opened the path, though he still looked at me with suspicion.
I was allowed in, but it was a long way to the Lightwing tribe’s village.
I had never been there before, so I couldn’t teleport. I had to follow them.
As we walked, Lorelia spoke.
“Sage, there’s something you should know.”
Her voice was serious.
I thought about what she might say, then spoke first.
“Has someone started to turn into an undead?”
She nodded.
She nodded, her voice bitter.
“Yes. So… what is your relationship with Evangeline, the member of the Hero’s Party?”
“Just former comrades. Why?”
Lorelia hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke.
“Even if you’re on bad terms… I hope you can understand. She’s Evangeline’s younger sister. Can you save her?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
That was a separate issue.
I wasn’t such a fool as to not be able to separate my personal and professional life, unlike that elf.
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