We ran for a while longer until a deep, sprawling forest appeared on the horizon.
"Oh, there it is. That’s the forest."
When I had accidentally burned it down before, the center had been left completely scorched and bare, but it seemed to have recovered now. A thick, lush canopy stretched out as far as the eye could see. Nature’s resilience is truly a marvel.
"Good work, Shiro."
"Whine."
I patted Shiro on the head while looking toward the woods. Last time, I just forced my way through the front because taking the long way was a pain, but since we had Fiona as our guide this time, I figured we’d take the official route. I wanted to see the forest’s magical mechanics for myself, anyway.
"Now then, I’ll leave the guiding to you, Fiona."
"Leave it to me, Master Lloyd."
Fiona closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath. Suddenly, the tall grass at our feet flattened, branches bent away, and a clear path began to form within the dense woods.
"Whoa, the road is just opening up on its own!"
"This is magic, right? It feels kind of strange."
"Tree System Magic... no, that’s not right. It looks closer to Bloodline Magic. She’s using mana with unique properties to directly influence the forest itself. What a fascinating spell formula. It’s quite interesting."
This labyrinthine forest had formed due to the stagnation of the earth’s mana. Over the years, the elves had likely carved intricate spell formulas into it, creating the Forest of Bewilderment that confounded and repelled any intruders. It was probably a natural maze constructed by dozens of high-ranking mages... a sort of massive altar, perhaps. Without a guide, it would be nearly impossible to navigate.
"...Well, Lloyd broke through it easily enough before. Anyway, I just thought of something—what were you planning to do about Babylon? He’s with Lord Rion, but he can't use magic like this, can he?"
"I gave him a magic tool I had Connie make. With that, he shouldn't be affected by the mana wavelengths emitted by the Forest of Bewilderment."
I had conducted a preliminary investigation of the forest the other day and discovered that its interference was triggered by sensing human mana wavelengths. The magic tool I gave Babylon had the effect of blocking those. He should be able to reach the Land of the Elves without getting lost.
"Wait... if you had something like that, did we even need a guide in the first place?"
"No, no, that’s not true. If I went alone, there’s a risk it would turn into a fight just like last time. They might not be as guarded if they see one of their own."
My original plan was to have Babylon handle things while disguised as an elf, but since we had a real elf like Fiona with us this time, I was sure it would go smoothly. And if it didn't... well, I’d think of something then.
We continued deeper into the woods. Thanks to Fiona, our feet didn't get caught in the undergrowth or branches, making the trek very comfortable. However, just walking was getting a bit dull. The monsters that appeared were far too weak, and Sylpha and the others were killing them instantly the moment they showed their faces.
"Halt, humans!"
Suddenly, a voice echoed from above. They were hiding in the thick, overgrown trees, but I saw right through them with See-through. Elves. About ten of them were perched in the branches, aiming their bows to surround us.
"I don't know how you got this far, but you will go no further!"
"Wait, wait, please calm down. We didn't come here to fight—"
"Enough talk!"
Arrows were loosed, cutting off my words. But before they could touch me, they were sliced clean in half. Before anyone could even register that fact, the Silver-haired Maid struck again. A series of sharp, metallic rings echoed through the air, and an instant later, the surrounding trees were sliced down.
"Whoaaa?!"
"Gah?! W-What just happened?!"
The elves scrambled to their feet amidst the dust, looking utterly bewildered. Hey now, I did say we should try to keep things peaceful at first.
"My apologies, Master Lloyd... but I could not overlook those who dared to point their weapons at you."
Sylpha looked quite intimidated by my gaze, but for now, I was just relieved that no one seemed to be seriously injured.
"Who’s the leader? I’d like to talk."
"I... I am."
I crouched down in front of a youth who raised his hand, even though his knees were practically knocking together. He let out a short shriek. Honestly, I didn't think he needed to be that frightened.
"Like I said earlier, I’m looking for a dialogue, not a fight. It would be a big help if you’d cooperate quietly."
"Y-You wicked humans! We will not yield to the likes of you!"
He sounded spirited enough, but his voice was thin and trembling. Yeah, this was no good. It didn't look like we’d be having a proper conversation like this.
"Well, that’s only natural. Even the Silver-haired Maid is far beyond these guys. There’s no way they wouldn’t be terrified of Master Lloyd, who commands her."
"Elves in particular have a very high sensitivity to mana. They are likely sensing Master Lloyd’s true power on a subconscious level."
That said, it didn't look like we were going to get anywhere. Right—this was exactly the kind of situation for Purification. I invoked the spell that wipes away all malice and turns the target into a "good boy." I unleashed my Purification magic.
"Aghhhhhhhhh!"
"C-Captain!"
He let out a roar that sounded like a death rattle before his head slumped forward. Then, he looked up with a serene expression.
"Please, ask me anything!"
Alright, that’s better. I questioned the man, who had become completely submissive.
"You guys are from the Land of the Elves, right?"
"Sir! We are the Forest Guard of the Kingdom of Elfrieden! We are under orders to immediately expel any humans who approach!"
"Sorry about that. Well then, I’ll ask again. Could you go speak to the people in charge so they’ll let us in?"
"It would be my pleasure!"
The Captain gave a crisp salute and departed, leading his suspicious subordinates away. Good, good. It looked like we’d be able to enter the Land of the Elves without any trouble.
"Ah, wait a second. Do you guys know this girl?"
"That girl, sir? Hmm... no, I’ve never seen her before."
I asked the Forest Guard members about Fiona, but every single one of them just tilted their head in confusion. I had hoped her memory might return if she met someone she knew, but I guess it couldn't be helped if there was no one.
"That’s strange. Elves are a race that places great importance on their connections with their kin; almost everyone from the same region should know each other."
"Maybe she’s not from around here. Elves live in various places, right?"
Though I didn't think there were any other elven settlements near this area... Well, these guys were just guards, so it wouldn't be surprising if they didn't know her personally.
"Then, please wait a moment!"
As we watched the Forest Guard members leave, we decided to wait there for their return.