第１７１０堀：長閑な風景とそこに映るモノ (Part1)
"See you, little lady."
"Yes. Thank you."
With that, I parted ways with the old man who had given me a ride on his cart.
I disembarked onto a land of rolling grasslands.
It was a tranquil scene, with a clear blue sky.
Normally, I could enjoy such fine weather and relax, but…
"Alright, the village should be that way."
I was currently heading to a village where, at Yuki's request, a missing persons case had occurred.
The details of the incident were simple: people were going missing.
If it hadn't happened suddenly, in broad daylight, within the village, it would have been ignored.
In this world, with monsters, beasts, bandits, and thieves, missing persons weren't exactly rare, and it was something the local lords were supposed to handle.
"Given the circumstances, it's natural to assume they were transferred by some means."
It was safe to assume someone was clearly exploiting that transfer ability.
With the incident involving the Dark Guild, which began in Surus, causing nations to be on edge, this new case had prompted Weed to take action, deeming it something they couldn't ignore. However, negotiations with other countries were taking time.
Therefore, I had been sent ahead.
"There's also a non-zero chance I could be kidnapped."
That's right, villagers were being abducted, and there was no guarantee I wouldn't be next.
Well, there might be a reason why the villagers were being taken, and investigating that reason was also my job.
My goal was to gather as much information as possible to pass on to the investigation team that would follow.
As I was thinking this, my communicator rang.
"Hello?"
"It's Yuki. How's it going over there?"
"I just got off a kind old man's cart and landed in the grasslands near the village. You've already got a handle on the situation, haven't you?"
As I spoke, I glanced up at the sky and saw a tiny black speck, along with some birds flying.
"We're confirming, but I wanted to hear from you, Nina. How is it?"
"I see. So, Yuki just can't wait to hear my voice."
"Exactly. So, how is it now that you're near the scene?"
My teasing was easily brushed aside.
It made me wonder if what Kaya and Kishua had said was true.
Well, I'd just have to treat it as work.
"I don't feel anything yet. It's just a pleasant grassland under a clear sky."
"Anything feel off? What about the device?"
"I haven't used it yet."
I'm not an expert, so the device was entrusted to me.
Even if I looked at it, I wouldn't necessarily understand if something was abnormal.
I could only send the data.
So, I took out the device and turned it on.
"I've just activated it. Is the data being sent to you?"
"...Confirmed. The readings are normal for now."
"Good. Then I'll proceed as planned."
"Ah, about that, please start moving while taking measurements. You made a pocket for it, didn't you?"
"Understood."
I placed the device in the pocket of my adventurer's jacket and started walking.
However, it was a rural road, and there was nothing but grassland and blue sky.
"Come to think of it, you said the village was near a forest, but I don't see any forest."
"Even if you say 'near,' it's still about 20 kilometers away. It'll take about five hours on foot."
"...Is that how villages are? So, what if I ran?"
"Please don't. I'm taking measurements with the device. Just go at a leisurely pace."
Sigh. A road that would take me less than thirty minutes if I ran, or fifteen minutes by car, I had to walk for five hours.
"Also, if you run, the villagers will get suspicious. They'll wonder what's going on."
"Mmm."
Indeed, arriving at a village after walking all night would be considered unusual.
And to someone who didn't know my physical capabilities, seeing me run would definitely make them wonder what was happening.
In that case, it would be easier to explain if I arrived after a normal five-hour walk.
No, I was told to take measurements, so running was out of the question.
"Well, just enjoy the scenery along the way. You've been in a hurry until now, haven't you?"
"It's not that I was in a hurry, it's just that there was no reason to walk."
There was no particular reason why travel would take a long time, and I could shorten the travel time by running, so there was no need to walk.
I had never even considered sightseeing.
After all, it was work.
"Sigh, a lot of jobs in this world are like that, aren't they?"
"I wasn't sent to a remote area or asked to negotiate. My main purpose was reconnaissance, and I couldn't afford to leave any traces."
"Then why not take this opportunity to enjoy the scenery? Walking slowly is part of the job, after all. You can enjoy the view in the meantime, right?"
"Enjoy the scenery?"
I looked around again, but it was still just grassland and blue sky.
"It's boring."
"You're not exactly used to it, are you?"
"It's a landscape you can find anywhere."
Yes, the scene before me was the common grassland and sky found on both the If Continent and the Rogari Continent.
People lived in this seemingly endless world.
"Ah, well, I suppose that's true."
"Aren't you used to it, Yuki?"
From the way you're speaking, it sounds like this scenery is unusual for you?
"Ah, Japan is an island nation. You rarely see vast plains like this. There are places like Hokkaido or high plateaus, I guess."
"Hmm."
I don't know much about Japan, so that's all I could say.
"However, it's not exactly the same, but do you know that no two landscapes are exactly alike?"
"Are you talking about something spiritual? Or are you being pedantic about the environment being exactly the same, or the way the grass grows?"
"Ah, judging by Nina's words, it's closer to pedantry, but there's also enjoyment in appreciating the subtle differences in a landscape. Are there any differences that you, Nina, perceive?"
"Differences from the landscapes I know?"
Confused by Yuki's meaning, I walked while looking around, and suddenly a certain plant caught my eye.
"I've never seen this flower-like thing on the If Continent before."
Before me was a plant with white flowers... I think.
There are also flower-like grasses, so as someone who isn't an expert, I have no idea.
"Is that so? Hey, Agil. Is the plant Nina is looking at unique to Rogari?"
"Hmm? You're asking me that? I wouldn't know. I might know a little about special medicinal herbs, but I'm not a botanist. Besides, since this is Rogari, wouldn't it be better to ask someone from Rogari?"
Yes, Agil is right.
After all, Agil is from the If Continent and wouldn't know about this place.
"Well, I suppose so. It doesn't seem to be a common plant that Agil would know."