I returned to the group with the second lost child, Falce, in tow.
"Can you believe it? That Laguna fellow brought me all the way here, only to tell me she had to take her place in the royal guest seating since she’s a King. She left me to fend for myself in this labyrinthine venue! The despair I felt at that moment... it was truly dreadful. It felt as though the world had gone dark before my very eyes. You have no idea how much I struggled just to reach that spot from the teleportation point."
"No... from the teleportation point to that spot is a straight shot of only a few hundred meters."
Even with the festival crowds, it wasn't so packed that you couldn't walk. However, to someone like Falce, a straight line filled with people was apparently equivalent to a maze. I felt like I finally understood why Noin had been so shocked that she’d managed to reach the gate at all.
"Anyway, I’ve brought her back."
"What are you doing, High Elder?"
"Oh? You are... if I recall, you’re Reijihart and Sylphia’s daughter... Sieglinde, was it?"
"Yes. It’s been a long while."
I tended to forget, but Falce was at the very top of the Elf Race. Naturally, Sieg, being an elf herself, knew her. In fact, based on their conversation, it seemed they had met quite a few times in the past.
"I see, I see. My, you’ve certainly grown. In my mind, Reijihart and Sylphia were just small children only a short while ago. To think their daughter has already matured into such a splendid woman... Dear me, how time flies."
"I’d heard about it from Kaito-san, but your physique has changed so much since we last met that I was still surprised even though I was expecting it."
"Hahaha, well, you’ll have to get used to it. The shock of change is a fleeting thing. It will soon become your new normal—just as it has become a fact for the Elf Race that Kaito Miyama is a hero."
In the middle of her conversation with Sieg, she casually dropped something very strange.
"A hero of the Elf Race? Me?"
"Of course. You’re the one who annihilated the massive swarm of Black Bears and contributed immensely to the reconstruction of Rigforresia. Plays based on your exploits are already becoming a staple. Indeed, leaving one’s name in history is a heavy task. Now, now, don't look so conflicted. I know the circumstances, but trying to change things now would be quite difficult."
"Well, I’ve already given up on that part."
I’d heard it from my mother and father as well, but apparently, the books based on me were high-quality and incredibly popular. Out of consideration for me, they didn't use my actual name in the stories, referring to the protagonist as the 'Young Man from Another World'... but it was an open secret. Because of the incident at the Treasure Tree Festival, almost every elf knew the model was me.
I once received a message from the author wanting to give me a share of the profits, but I replied that I didn't need any modeling fees. I told them they were free to do as they liked so long as they didn't write anything bizarre.
According to what I heard from Isis later, for some reason, my exploits started being depicted with even greater intensity from the volumes following that...
Regardless, I’d stopped worrying about those books. I still refused to read them myself, though.
As I was lost in thought, someone suddenly tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to find Tre looking at me with an incredibly solemn expression.
"Kaito... you wiped out a swarm of Black Bears? Just what kind of illegal magic did you have to use to pull that off? I'm so sad. Your big sister doesn't remember raising you to be someone like that."
"I don't remember being raised by you either! Besides, Tre... hypothetically, alright? Even if I used some kind of powerful magic, do you honestly believe I could win against a horde of Black Bears?"
"No. Not at all. Not even a little bit. If you could win against Black Bears, I could take down a Wyvern if I tried hard enough."
"Well, there you go."
"Oh, so it was someone else who defeated them? What a relief! The bond of the Slime Alliance between you and me remains unbroken."
"I was added to a weird alliance without my permission!?"
As always, Tre was quick-witted and playful. Talking to her was genuinely fun. After nodding with a satisfied smile, Tre turned her attention to Falce.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Tre. I've heard a lot about you from Noin—that you're just like me and get lost all the time."
"My, my, excuse my late introduction. I am Falce. I look forward to your acquaintance. While I am curious about your connection to Noin, I am far more intrigued by the part about us both getting lost. Are you also directionally challenged?"
"Hmm, rather than being directionally challenged, it's more like... strangely enough, the scenery just changes before I know it!"
"I see... what a magnificent observation! It isn't that we are lost, but that the scenery has shifted around us, resulting in our displacement. A complete reversal of perspective! This might be worth researching in earnest."
I realized then that I probably shouldn't let these two mingle too much. I felt a sense of danger—like if I didn't step in with a retort, the conversation would start rolling in a very weird direction.
Kaito Miyama (Excluding buffs from equipment, blessings, etc.) HP: A little Attack Power: Feeble Defense Power: Fragile Speed: Not fast Mental Power: Strongest in the series
Big Sis Tre HP: Full of energy Attack Power: Slime Defense Power: Slime Speed: Neither fast nor slow Mental Power: Ultra-strong
Serious-senpai HP: Infinite due to Gag Correction Attack Power: Mild Defense Power: Extra green onions Speed: Hokkaido Miso Mental Power: Pineapple
Serious-senpai: "Wait, my stats make absolutely zero sense except for the HP part!?"