I was honestly dumbfounded by Falce-san’s story—or more specifically, her abysmal lack of direction. I now completely understood why Laguna-san had forbidden her from wandering off on her own.
"So... basically, you’re just trying to get to the Hydra Kingdom, right?"
"Yes, precisely. There is still time before the Founding Anniversary Festival, but since Laguna is the one who insisted on dragging a shut-in like me out into the world, the least she can do is let me stay at the castle for a few days or cover my lodging. As long as I can reach the capital of the Hydra Kingdom, everything else will fall into place."
"I have a simple question, then. Falce-san, can't you use Teleportation Magic?"
Falce-san was one of the most prominent mages in the Human Realm, renowned as the Sage of the Forest. It stood to reason that she should be able to cast such a spell. Then again, teleportation aptitude is a very individual thing; many simply lack the talent for it. Given that she was relying on Teleportation Gates, I had assumed she was in that camp.
"Hmm? Oh, I can use it perfectly well," she replied.
"…Seriously?"
"My, what is with that look? You look as though you've just swallowed a bitter pill."
That was definitely strange. I hadn't expected a "yes." If she could use teleportation, then the conversation should have ended with her simply blinking her way to the Hydra Kingdom.
The entire premise of her being stranded and wandering for ten days only worked if she lacked that shortcut. If she had it, the logical conclusion was simple: "Just teleport when you realize you're lost."
"If you can use Teleportation Magic, why on earth are you still lost?"
"Ah, I see. My explanation was lacking. I can certainly cast the spell, but I am quite poor at it. By 'poor,' I don't mean my magical execution is flawed—I'm referring to my constitution. I suffer from extreme teleportation sickness. Every time I use the magic, it is an absolute certainty that I will lose the entire contents of my stomach. As you likely know, the methodology for teleportation differs between a personal spell and a Gate, and the Gates don't trigger my nausea. I haven't investigated the exact cause, but the difference in experience is night and day. Frankly, I have no desire to experiment further. It is truly wretched. It isn't just the vomiting; the sickness lingers for hours, leaving my mind far too foggy to function."
"Ah, so that’s it."
It was like someone with severe motion sickness. She had the means to travel, but her body just couldn't handle the strain. That made a lot of sense.
The option to use teleportation must have occurred to her whenever she realized she was off-track, but looking at her expression now, she clearly despised even the memory of it. It must be some truly legendary nausea.
"Well, if it's that bad, I guess I can't just use a Teleportation Magic Tool to take you there myself."
"No, I would ask that you spare me. I don't know where your registered coordinates are, and I still have some pride left. I have no wish to become a miserable spectacle in the middle of a crowded street."
"But the Teleportation Gates are definitely safe?"
"Yes, those cause no trouble at all. As an aside, I've noticed some call them Teleportation Portals while others call them Gates. Some even switch between the terms on a whim. I wonder what the root of that linguistic divide is? Is it regional? I’d like to look into it. There might even be a third name used somewhere in the world."
Since she couldn't handle direct teleportation magic, a public Gate was the only solution. I wondered about the gate-type magic tool back at my place, but since I didn't suffer from teleportation sickness myself, I couldn't tell the difference between the various methods. It would be too cruel to test it on her and fail, so it was best to stick to the standard public Gates.
"In that case, once we're done here, I'll guide you to the Teleportation Gate."
"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly trouble you further. If you just give me directions, I'll be fine. I am a leader of the Elves, after all. I’ve visited the Sinfonia Royal Capital for festivals before, so I have a reasonable grasp of the layout."
"Right... Well, let's head out together once we finish our tea."
"…That’s odd. Why did you respond like that? Perhaps you didn't hear me? I said I don't wish to be a burden. If you'll just tell me where it is—"
"We're going together! As soon as we're done!"
"—Ah, yes, sir."
I didn't know Falce-san that well yet, but I knew one thing with absolute certainty: if I just gave her directions and let her go, this woman would be lost in another country by sunset.