The name’s Yame.
Just a weak, frail little demon girl.
…
Though, no matter the age, a girl’s always a girl!
I had been in the care of the Village of the Great Tree for about ten days now. During that time, I kept my sanity by fluffing the cat.
Petting that specific cat made me feel strangely refreshed. It didn't try to run away, either.
The other cats wouldn't do. Petting them just didn't feel the same, and they’d always bolt. As long as I had that one cat who stayed put, I was perfectly satisfied.
There, there. Right here? Does this feel good?
Hahaha.
…All right, time to face reality.
Then there was Lana-san. Once, long before I went into my deep sleep, I’d chased off a certain dragon. It turned out she was his wife.
Wait, were they married back then? No, I don’t think they were yet.
And yet, she hadn’t appreciated me chasing away the dragon who would eventually become her husband, so she had targeted me relentlessly. Thinking back on it now, I suppose she was taking revenge for the man she’d set her sights on.
Lana-san killed me many times. Just hearing her name used to be a trial for me. She was a hated adversary, and I remembered her vividly.
And that very person was standing right in front of me.
…………
It had been about two thousand years, so I was hoping she might have forgotten me, but… no luck. I recognized that look in her eyes. Dragons were not only clever, but they also had excellent memories.
Grrr.
It couldn't be helped. If it came to a confrontation, I’d have to threaten to spread rumors about how she’d actually managed to snag her husband.
Wait, no, that wouldn't work. She knew all about my own embarrassing past. If we started a battle of exposing secrets, I’d definitely be at a disadvantage.
N-No, hold on, maybe if I brought up the stories of their marital spats, I could hold my own?
It was a tough call. Lana-san seemed to be weighing her options as well.
…………………………………………………………
Lana-san and I made peace.
Forget the past and live for the present—that was for the best. What a relief.
Apparently, since there was a child with the same name now, she wanted me to call her Lana-san. That was fine by me. I was invited over to her place, and we had a great time drinking and talking about the old days… though to me, it felt like it had happened only recently.
The Village of the Great Tree actually had a World Tree. It was vibrant and growing lushly. Normally, you’d think a single World Tree Leaf would be enough to fully restore someone as weakened as me, but life wasn't that convenient.
The effects of those leaves were weak on us demons. I wouldn't say they did nothing, but the power was significantly diminished. In my particular case, they had no effect at all.
I remembered using one before, so I knew for a fact. About one out of every three times, the leaf actually turned into poison for me. Had I done something to earn the World Tree's grudge?
Well, regardless, for those reasons, I returned the leaf I was offered straight to Urza.
Then there was Lumani Bran Transylva. I knew that name. He was a legendary gargoyle craftsman who’d placed his creations all over the world. I remembered him because I’d been attacked by those gargoyles so many times. I’d learned early on that Lumani’s gargoyles were dangerous.
And that very Lumani was right in front of me.
Huh. So, because he was the Vampire Progenitor, the Village Head called him Shiso-sama.
…Wait, he was the Vampire Progenitor? I hadn't known that. Ah, so he was the oldest vampire. Well, as long as he wasn't an enemy, it was nice to meet him. Also, I hoped he wouldn't just set up gargoyles wherever he pleased, even if this wasn't my village.
Then there was Versa. I had a vague recollection of hearing rumors about an ancient demon by that name. I didn't know her well, but the stories said she’d been around when the Magic God was sealed, making her far older than I was.
I had no personal connection to her. I’d heard she was a shut-in somewhere… had she been hiding away in this village? No? She was at Village Five now?
Ah, that was the place where I’d landed with the airship. It was a nice town… I mean, a nice village, after all.
And then there was Elme, Versa’s maid. I knew her well—mostly because she tried to punch me the moment we met. Good grief, she could clearly see I was in a weakened state! A hit from her right then would have literally killed me. She shouldn't do such dangerous things.
So, why was she here? Had she heard about me from Prada? No? She was serving as Versa’s attendant now?
Huh. And she was also running a business to distribute the books Versa wrote. I didn't know what kind of books they were, but I wished her luck. I hoped they’d be successful.
I told her I’d read them sometime… eventually. I had to tell her not to be so aggressive with the recommendations.
For some reason, the Village Head was confiscating the books Elme brought out. Apparently, they were treated as Forbidden Books in this village. No, it wasn't that I was uninterested, but… yeah, just keep them confiscated.
So, anyway, we were going to the island. Yes, I was going along to act as the guide. The Village Head would follow later; the advance team was going first.
Understood. We were departing tomorrow? That was sudden, but fine. I’d get ready.
I suppose we’d be taking the airship from Village Five again. I wanted to bring some souvenirs for the birds and Ivan.
As it turned out, our transportation was Lana-san’s teleportation magic. However, since she couldn't warp to a place she hadn't visited before, we first moved to the city where we’d stopped with the airship—the place where Urza had to pick up her paperwork—and from there, we flew on Lana-san’s back.
The Angels who had been on the airship pointed out the course to the island, but there was apparently a slight misalignment, so it took a little while. Even so, we arrived at the island faster than I had imagined.
Mmm, a familiar sight. It was calming.
For now, we headed to the cave that served as my base. The birds and Ivan seemed to be doing well, which was a relief. I was happy they were welcoming me back, but I really wished they’d stop swarming and pecking at me.
The people from the investigation team who came with me were at a total loss as to what to do. Though when I say "the investigation team," excluding me and Lana-san, it was really just two Angels.
We were the advance team. The plan was for Lana-san to return to the Village of the Great Tree using teleportation magic and then bring back the main unit.
Since she could return so quickly, I thought the Village Head could have just come along, but… I suppose it was better for him not to take risks until safety was confirmed.