Elven Village Siege: Phase 2
[Reincarnate Settlement Zone]
"Seriously, is the barrier really going to break?"
"What are you spacing out for? Let's go."
Hours before the barrier's collapse.
In the Reincarnate Settlement Zone, two former adventurers prepared for departure.
Tagawa Kunihiko and Kushitani Asaka.
They each had names in this world, but they continued to address one another by their former names—Kunihiko and Asaka.
It felt more natural that way.
Both were children of mercenary company members.
They had stayed in one place for a time as infants, but by the time they could walk, they had already traveled from place to place.
The mercenary company moved to battlefields during war, accompanied clients on escort missions, and eliminated monsters when they appeared.
Thus, having traveled across regions without being detected by elves, the two traversed the continent undisturbed.
One factor was their status as reincarnates, having begun walking earlier than ordinary children.
They had been childhood companions in a previous life as well, and in this life, by some unknown cause, they grew up as such.
It had become nearly equivalent to family; for both, the presence of the other was simply natural.
Therefore, when Kunihiko declared, “I’m becoming an adventurer!” and left the mercenary company, Asaka followed without question.
They became adventurers and continued moving from place to place.
During that time, they experienced numerous adventures, rising to prominence among the younger generation.
Such recognition meant they could easily have been present in this very location.
The reputation they had earned flowed directly into the elf village, and thus the two were brought to this same location as the other reincarnated individuals.
They had rejoiced at the reunion with an old acquaintance, meeting again after a long time.
But after learning what life in the elf village was truly like, their initial excitement sank instantly.
It was precisely the kind of existence one might call a living death—excruciatingly tedious.
Kunihiko quickly grew bored of a life without dreams or romance.
In contrast, Asaka thought this way of life might not be so bad after all.
She was pulled along by Kunihiko’s reckless nature, yet remained fundamentally a rather ordinary girl.
Living as an adventurer was dangerous. Asaka, with her preference for stability, found that a modest existence—without dreams or romance—suited her better.
The reincarnated individuals in the elf village, including Committee Chair Kudo, seemed dissatisfied with life here.
Asaka understood the reason clearly after beginning her life here.
Wake, work, sleep.
A life with no entertainment.
Awareness of covert surveillance by the elves.
Stress accumulation was inevitable—this was Asaka’s honest assessment.
Yet, from her perspective, having experienced the dangers beyond, it was not unbearable.
Traveling across regions had forced adaptability upon her.
Without it, survival would have been impossible. With it, poor fortune could still end her life swiftly.
This was not an exception—this was the norm of the world.
To Asaka, the elf village, secured and safe, did not seem as dire as it was made out to be.
Still, starting with Kudo, most humans here lacked knowledge of the outside world’s reality.
They mentioned the dangers outside and their current way of life with subtle hints, but their dissatisfaction remained unresolved.
Asaka sensed the teacher was concealing something. She also understood it stemmed from concern for a former student. Years spent living as an outlaw adventurer had honed her ability to read people.
Still, she felt it was inappropriate to defend someone she had abducted. So she left it as is.
Asaka was not like Kunihiko—she practiced a hands-off approach.
In contrast, Kunihiko did not conceal his true thoughts.
He spoke what he thought, answered as he was asked.
For a male, adventure was inevitably a compelling word. It was natural, then, to hear about it from Kunihiko, who had firsthand experience.
And so, at the request, Kunihiko recounted his past adventures.
The first time he had slain a monster.
Leveling up.
The boys listening to the tale shifted between delight and unease.
Most gazed at Kunihiko with admiration, envying his fulfillment of a boy’s dream. Yet some, upon hearing his account, began to comprehend the harshness beyond their world.
Whether for good or ill, the two entering the elven village influenced other reincarnates.
And the balance wavered.
Safety in the present, or the pursuit of perilous freedom?
Of course, this was not a problem solvable immediately.
Yet the moment might come when such a choice would need to be made.
They hesitated. They remained bound by daily routine.
And thus, without resolution, without the will to act, the elven village approached crisis.
“I’m counting on you. Just don’t overreach.”
Given their combat capability, Kunihiko and Asaka were granted special permission to participate in the defensive engagement.
All remaining reincarnates saw them off, together.
Kudō delivered the words of encouragement on behalf of the group.
"Stay sharp. Think of yourselves as riding a great ship."
Kunihiko laughed cheerfully, then abruptly felt a chill run down his spine as his gaze shifted.
"Then? Ogii, you’re going to tell us your true intentions—why you tried to poison us—before we set off, right?"
All eyes turned to the cook, Ogihara.
Ogihara could only flounder, overwhelmed by the weight of their collective stare.