“The Lost Forest…?”
“Yes. This forest has been called ‘The Lost Forest’ from about two years now.”
If I summarize Cynthia-san’s story, it’s like this.
In this world of <Letisreel> ‘Lost Forests’ appear on rare occasions.
They appear without any regular pattern. One day, a normal forest will start making people get lost inside it like a labyrinth, turning into a ‘Lost Forest’.
Inside, it is said that visibility grows worse, and even walking straight leads to getting lost. Also, without magic tools to point the way, it’s difficult to return. Apparently, it is said that experienced adventurers can explore without any magic tools. A ‘Lost Forest’ returns to being a normal forest after 2 to 10 years.
“Ah…so that’s why I couldn’t meet anyone.”
“Yes. There was an official notice from the adventurer’s guild, so people normally don’t set foot here. This forest is relatively safe, so there are no merits for veteran adventurers to explore or hunt here.
Then, that means. This ‘Lost Forest’ will turn into a normal win 8 years at the latest. Or it could even turn into a normal one tomorrow…that’s what it means.
“…We were training… hunting right outside this ‘Lost Forest.’ Then we were attacked by hard wolves and ended up here while running away.”
“And while I was with you…I’m sorry.”
“I see…that must have been tough. But do you know the way back…?”
““Ah!””
To my question, the two raised their voices as if to say, ‘We forgot!’
I see…so they don’t know their way back. However, I also don’t know the way either…?
“Ah, it’s alright…I have a magic tool for communication. I’m sure onii-sama will definitely come for us…”
“I see. Then that’s a relief.”
“Yes. I’ll try contacting him now…!”
Cynthia-san took off her necklace with a red stone and gently clasped her hands over the stone. Then, a red light flowed out, with the necklace shining red in response.
Amazing, so there are magic tools like this…there really can be anything. This is indeed a different world.
Immediately, a panicked voice was heard from the necklace.
“Is that Thia…!?”
“Onii-sama!”
“Are you safe…!? You didn’t return even after the promised time, so I was worried that something might have happened to you!”
He must have been worried about his younger sister.
For some reason, I felt happy at seeing that. Yes, protecting a younger sister is a natural thing to do. I thought about my little sister Hana a bit, and there was a painful feeling in my heart.
“We were chased by hard wolves into the Lost Forest…But we managed to defeat them and we’re now resting at our benefactor, Hinami-san’s, house.”
“A person…in The Lost Forest?……Okay. I’ll be there immediately, so please tell me the location.”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’ll be waiting…”
Then the conversation ended.
It looks like he’ll be coming right away, so it’s a relief for me for the time being.
“I just activated the transmission device of the magic tool, so Onii-sama will be here soon.”
“I see. That’s good! Then, please relax in the meantime.”
“Thank you.”
However, I have no idea how long it will take for him to come…By the way, Cynthia-san also said that she doesn’t know. In a normal forest, it would take about 2 hours by horse. So at the fastest, by evening…I guess.
In that case, I think I should prepare dinner, right…? They ate all the donuts happily after all.
Right. According to the information I heard, sugar is a luxury after all…Yes, sugar is made along with salt, but the ratio of salt and sugar is 9:1. So nobles can have them, but commoners don’t have many opportunities. By the way, I had saved up a lot over the past 2 years!
“Ah, right. Cynthia-san, your robe…I can wash it, so why don’t you head to the bath?”
“Eh…! There’s a bath!?”
“Eh?”
I unintentionally asked back. A bath isn’t that surprising…right? To me who was sincerely puzzled, Kiruto-kun taught me that only mansions of nobles or high-class inns have baths.
I-I see…But then, how do normal commoners do it? Shower? It’s a mystery. But I don’t want them to find out my lack of common sense by asking more.
“Well then, please, by all means!”
“Thank you very much!”
I handed her a bath towel from the shelf in the corridor to the bathroom, and also gave her the clothes I wore 2 years ago, which were a little small for me now.
By the way, there are many lovely clothes with frills and they are replenished arbitrarily. When I asked god why that was, the reply was, “It’s my hobby.”…Yup, how peaceful.
***
While Cynthia-san was bathing, I headed to the rooftop to do the laundry.
There are many herbs in the pots, as well as cute flowers. It’s a rooftop, but for some reason I could add a well, so I didn’t have troubles with watering the plants or doing the laundry.
“I’ll help,” Kiruto-san said as he came up, and then let out a voice of admiration at the scenery from the rooftop.
This rooftop was around 3 stories high, and you can quite a bit of the forest. Of course, there are trees bigger than my house so not everything can be seen.
“Amazing…! To think that you can see the Lost Forest like this.”
“Yes, it’s beautiful, right?”
“Very!”
While heading out to dry the robe, I watered the plants too. Next to me, Kiruto-san was looking at them rather curiously. No, after seeing his expression, rather than curious, he looked more amazed, I think?
“What’s wrong…?”
“This is amazing…!! There are so many herbs!!”
Eh! Are herbs rare…? Hmm, there are only 3 kinds of herbs at my home too, so there might not be a lot of herbs in this world.
After I finished watering the plants, I headed to the garden to prepare to make food. Kiruto-san said that he’d help too, so we went out to the garden together to harvest vegetables.
“……Eh?”
“Hmm?”
When we arrived at the fields to harvest the vegetables, for some reason Kiruto-san was very surprised and stood frozen on the spot. Could it be that he was surprised at the vegetables this time…? If that’s the case, then I don’t know how to explain it. Then, noticing my gaze, Kiruto-san explained excitedly.
“Medicinal plants are growing…”
“Yeah? I didn’t think they were rare though…”
“No…that’s not it. The cultivation of those medicinal plants is said to be impossible. Basically, medicinal plants are always collected in the forests and mountains. Even the chemisters of the royal palace can’t grow medicinal plants and have to gather them from forests.”
“…!!”
“Also… herbs extremely difficult to cultivate, and only high-ranking chemisters or professional herb cultivators can grow them. Hinami-sama…just who are you?”
Oops. This was the biggest surprise I’ve had ever since I came to this world.
Medicinal herbs can’t be cultivated…!? But the reality is that they are being cultivated very easiily. Health grasses, red grasses, orange-grasses, blue-grasses…these four kinds are growing very well in the garden. There weren’t any that really withered either…they were growing very normally, no, rather too easily, in great bulk. Of course, it’s same with the other plants…!
“Ah, um… I…I have an affinity for being a chemister I guess…Ahaha.”
“……”
Wow…Kiruto-san’s gaze hurts a lot. Though honestly, from a boy younger than me…around 10, I think? The only impression I get is that it’s cute.
“Hinami-sama! Kiruto!”
In that moment, Cynthia-san came out to the garden. Maybe it was because the bath felt very good, but she looked very satisfied, which made me happy too.
Walking over to me while waving, Cynthia-san said, “Thank you,” and sent a gaze towards Kiruto.
“Kiruto…You shouldn’t trouble Hinami-sama.”
“Ojou-sama…I’m sorry. Hinami-sama, I’m very sorry.”
“No, it’s alright…! I don’t mind? A-Also…I’m not anyone who should be called with the ‘-sama,’ honorific, so I’d be happy if you stopped that…really.”
She’s really polite…!
Then the two of them laughed at my suggestion, but then Cynthia-san smiled.
“Then please call me Thia. Hinami-san…would that be alright?”
“Yes! Then I’ll call you Thia-chan…is that okay?”
“Yes, of course! I’m happy!”
This is the first girl friend I’ve made in this world…!
The two of us smiled and said to each other, “Please take care of me.”
Meanwhile, Kiruto-kun…is just looking at us silently. I wonder if it’s because he’s an escort…?
“Thia—!!!!”
While we were chatting and harvesting vegetables, a voice calling out to Thia-chan was heard. But no matter where I looked around in the forest, I couldn’t find the owner of the voice…
Where’s the voice coming from? While I was wondering about that, I heard a sound cutting through the wind from right above my head, and when I lifted my head, there was…a dragon, flying in the sky.
“Eeeeeh!!?”
“Onii-sama…!”
“Eh!?”
I ended up shouting in surprise, but Thia-chan who was next to me called out his name so I decided to just accept it. How dangerous…are dragons used as vehicles in this world…?
As I was panicking, the dragon did not care and mercilessly landed in the garden. Scary, very scary…! Ah, I’m getting goosebumps. But thankfully, down on the ground, the dragon was only about 3 meters tall. It was smaller than I imagined so I feel a bit relieved.
And on it’s back was a boy. He was…similar to my age or a little younger. His straight hair was tied behind his head and he was wearing high-qualities clothes of a black base with red lines in them. I see…that is a nobles’ outfit…!
“Thia… you’re safe!”
“I’m sorry…you had to come for me.”
“There’s no problem. And…I take it that you’re Hinami?”
“Oh, yes…”
I thought it was a time of reunion for the intimate siblings, but the older brother’s focus turned to me.
“This time, for helping my little sister…I thank you.”
“No no. I’m just glad that she’s safe.”
“I’m Alfred Melditi, Thia’s older brother.”
“I’m Hinami.”
Conclusion. He’s looks self-important but he’s probably more mature than me. Even though he looks like a kid…!
Noble children of this world must all be like this. Seems like it would be a tiring life…I don’t think I can manage that. Well, not that I would need to.
“In any case…to think that there would be a person living in the ‘Lost Forest.’”
“…Is it strange after all?”
“Yeah. Difficult…In rough mountains and deep forests there are a few people on rare occasions. But it’s strange to see someone here in such a shallow forest. There had been an exploration request from the guild I did before…but there was nothing different here other than that it was easier to get lost in than usual.”
“I see…”
“Hinami, have you been living here the whole time?”
“No…it was from about 2 years ago.”
“I see…but why here?”
It seems that a place like this turning into a ‘Lost Forest’ is quite…rare, or strange.
Apparently, such a phenomenon doesn’t normally happen in forests for beginners like this.
Alfred-san was pondering something, but when he saw the garden his expression changed into one of surprise. I wonder if the exchange I had with Kiruto-kun just then would repeat. Yeah… it seems like I’m weird after all. Maybe it’s not the forest that’s strange but me that’s strange.
“To think that someone could grow medicinal herbs. How surprising…”
“Yes. Moreover, Hinami-san’s mana potions are very delicious!”
“A mana potions is!? I can’t believe it, but if Thia says that, it’s the truth…Hinami, do you have a teacher? After all, isn’t it impossible to be living alone here?”
“Ah, no…I live alone here.”
“I see…I was insensitive, I’m sorry.”
Seeing me have a troubled expression, Alfred-san apologized. Because I didn’t really have a way to explain anything, I was thankful that he ended the conversation there.
Suddenly, Thia-chan approached me and tugged my sleeve a little. What was wrong? When I looked at her, she whispered in a small voice.
“If it’s alright with you…I’d like to show my gratitude, so won’t you come with us to the mansion?”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. You are Thia’s life-saver. Please let us invite you.”
“Eh! Erm, that means…going to the city…right?”
“That’s right. The mansion is located in the city…is there something bad about it?”
“No, nothing.”
“Then it’s decided.”
At Thia-chan’s suggestion, Alfred-san agreed and proceeded to settle the matter. Rather… I’m so happy I can go to the city! I couldn’t go alone because I was scared before, but if there are 3 other people, then I can rest easy.
Not missing that my expression loosened from happiness, Alfred asked when I’d like to leave.
I mean…Leaving the house like this is a little difficult. But I won’t be leaving for too long so I think it should be alright.
“Ah…that’s right. Can potions be sold in the city?”
“Ah, equipment stores buy them. Are you selling?”
“Yes. I have a lot…and I don’t have any money.”
“I see. Then I’ll show you around.”
“Thank you!”
It seems that potions can be sold in equipment stores. As expected, going to the city without any money is too sad.
It was soon the time of departure so I will take the exchange diary, clothes to change into, and some potions, I guess…
“I’ll be fine once I arrange the luggage.”
“I see. Then, let’s go as soon as you’re ready.”
“Yes!”
Now, I can finally go to the city!
Although excited, I would later regret not thinking about anything else like how to get back home, or my ID card.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
T/N: Finally…FINALLY! Hinami is finally leaving the forest and headed to civilization!
Here is a picture of Alfred:
KizunaTLs 