第８１０堀：のんびりした田舎 (Part1)
Chapter 810: A Laid-Back Countryside
Side: Labyris
"Oh, look, it's a grasshopper."
"You're right."
I stood watching Aslin and Firia, who were off on a tiny adventure in the grass—or rather, the field in front of the forest behind Micos’s family home—while Shera stood beside me.
"It’s peaceful, isn't it?"
"Yes. It feels as if time itself is flowing at a much slower pace here."
Just as Shera said, for some reason, I felt as though I were drifting through a time that moved with a languid, unhurried rhythm.
"I’ve seen plenty of villages before, but..."
The air here was different; it held a certain loose, relaxed quality that I hadn't encountered elsewhere. I could finally understand why Micos had felt the sudden urge to run, and why Kagura had described the place as having an indescribable sense of vastness.
"It’s surely because they have room to breathe," I mused.
"Room to breathe?"
"Yes. The people working in the fields didn't look desperate at all. This land must be truly bountiful. To be able to smile while tilling the soil is proof that their lives are not lived on the edge."
"Ah, I see."
As expected of a former royal, Shera. She always notices these subtle details. It’s true that in most small villages or towns, the struggle for food and basic necessities is usually quite severe. Yet, just as Shera noted, there was no such desperation among these people. It was as if they felt no anxiety about what tomorrow might bring.
"But, according to what Kagura told us, this region shouldn't be particularly wealthy..."
In fact, given the technological level of Haiden, it seemed impossible for a remote backwater like this to be so well-fed. There had to be a reason.
"Even if they aren't 'wealthy' in the traditional sense, it simply means they don't struggle to eat. Being rich and having room to breathe in one’s life are not the same thing, after all."
"Well, that’s true. Still, what about the lord’s manor? It’s... quite something, isn't it?"
"It is a rural lord, after all. This is to be expected."
Shera gazed at the manor with a calm expression, but to my eyes, it looked like nothing more than a dilapidated shack. It was heartbreaking to see the boards nailed over holes everywhere, clearly makeshift repairs. But then again, this was a common sight outside of Weed.
"...I’ve grown too accustomed to Weed."
"I believe that is true. Our Weed is quite extraordinary, after all."
"Still, to go out of his way to pay his respects to Micos’s family... Yuki is certainly something."
The reason for our visit was to formally request the lease of the land. Since we already had permission from Princess Carrie and the King of Haiden, there was no real need to go out of our way to offer greetings, but...
"This is on the route to the Sea-Saifo Kingdom, after all. You know as well as I do that it’s considered an important defensive stronghold, Labyris."
"Yes, I heard as much. Yuki explained it to me properly. But something still feels off."
"What is bothering you? Is it the fact that Micos-san is being so proactive?"
"That part is fine. It’s only a matter of time anyway. The problem is Taiki."
"Taiki-san?"
"Yes. Those two were chatting away so happily. That was the look they get when they’re plotting some bizarre prank."
"I see. But perhaps they just wanted to visit a laid-back countryside like this? Yuki-san and Taiki-san are always so busy; surely they want to stretch their wings in an environment like this."
"...That is a possibility, I suppose."
It was true that since Aslin and the others were enjoying themselves, it was only natural to assume that Yuki and Taiki found this place to be a relaxing retreat...
"If you're that worried, why don't you just read Yuki-san's mind?"
"I’m not the type of woman to keep him on such a tight leash. Still, I have a strange, uneasy feeling about this. If it comes to the worst, I might consider that option... wait, what is that?"
As I turned toward Shera, I caught sight of something near the forest in the distance.
"Eh?"
Following my gaze, Shera looked in the same direction. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.
"Is that... a goblin?"
"How rare. Or rather, this is the first time I've confirmed the presence of goblins since arriving on the New Continent."
Indeed, it was a goblin. It was chatting amicably with a villager working in the fields, exchanging crops back and forth. Come to think of it, Kagura had mentioned that while they were few in number, goblins did exist here, but I never expected to see one in a place like this...
"Wait, hold on. I feel like I've seen that goblin somewhere before."
"Me too. Actually..."
The goblin seemed to have noticed us as well, and after a brief farewell to the villager, it began running toward us.
"Hm? Oh, if it isn't Lady Labyris and Lady Shera."
"Britt?"
"Indeed. What are you doing in a place like this?"
Yes, the goblin was none other than Britt, one of Steve’s subordinates.
"Er, well, you are aware that we are currently renting this land from the Jarna family, right?"
"Yes, I know that. That’s why we’re here with Yuki to pay our respects and handle the lease properly."
"This is a preemptive measure for that strategy. We are the insurance."
"Insurance?"
"Yes. Even if the Jarna family were hesitant to lease the land, if we have a track record of interacting with the villagers and getting along well, the chances of them agreeing increase. So, we’ve been bringing crops grown by General John and trading them."
"..."
I understood what Britt was saying. I understood it all too well. It’s much easier to accept a request from a friendly neighbor than from a complete stranger.
"And how long have you been doing this?"
"Let’s see. Ever since the Sea-Saifo Kingdom arrived at the border, so about a month now."
They had been laying the groundwork from the very beginning. Well, that was certainly like Yuki.
"Aren't people making a fuss about you being a goblin?"
"Not particularly. Baron Jarna, the lord here, is a good man and accepted us readily. Well, we’re officially registered as a traveling goblin clan. Besides, on the New Continent, goblins are viewed as a race derived from the Spirit Maidens. Ah, in that sense, I suppose there was a bit of a stir."
"I’m surprised the Haiden royal palace didn't intervene."
"They couldn't possibly move in the current situation. Not after the war between Haiden and Findall, and the trouble with the Haire religion. Besides, as I said, goblins are considered to have a lineage from the Spirit Maidens, so they can't force our hand. If they could just gather us up, they would have already brought us to the royal capital of Haiden, wouldn't they?"
"That’s true... But it’s a strange story. The beastmen called Spirit Maidens are cherished as priestesses, yet the goblins are left to their own devices..."
"Ah, that’s simple."
As I pondered the mystery, Britt replied with a bright smile.
"Goblins are basically weak, after all. We can't use magic, and our physical abilities aren't anything special."
"..."
I had completely forgotten, but now that he mentioned it, goblins were indeed a fundamentally weak race. They were the kind of monsters you’d encounter in a beginner-level quest.