Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 128
“Do forest fairies normally live eating things like this?”
Gerard must have been thinking something similar to me, because he asked while studying his plate closely.
Considering what Kakaros usually ate, this kind of diet was truly absurd. It was enough to make me wonder how he had managed to live together with the forest fairies.
“Even if it doesn’t suit your taste, just eat it. That’s the polite thing to do for the person who invited us.”
I heard Elonen quietly whispering to Gerard. Since they were hungry anyway, the group started eating without any further complaints.
But the grass was much tastier than expected, so my eyes widened without me realizing it. Even Elonen, who had nagged Gerard, was impressed.
“How can vegetables alone taste like this?”
Belatedly, I examined the food on my plate. Some unknown green herbs, ripe red fruit, and something like mushrooms had been cut prettily and arranged on it, and the refreshing dressing especially whetted my appetite.
It felt somehow fresh and light, making me keep reaching for more.
“I’m glad the food suits your taste. There is plenty, so eat your fill.”
The Fairy King seemed satisfied by Elonen’s reaction and spoke with contentment.
In an instant, the group devoured several plates each from where they sat. It was a more filling and satisfying meal than expected.
“Now then, let us talk while drinking tea made from flower petals I personally picked and dried.”
The Fairy King poured the tea he had brewed himself into each of our cups. In an instant, the dining room was filled with the fragrant scent of tea.
How long has it been since I had such a cozy rest? As the warm tea went down my throat, it felt as if the muscles in my body relaxed and I became drowsy.
“First, we should talk about this. Mana crystals, you all know about these, don’t you?”
The Fairy King took out the mana crystal he had taken from me. At that moment, Kyle’s startled gaze quickly flew toward my chest.
Giving me such an obvious look like that. He was practically spreading a rumor that said, ‘Everyone, look at this, that mana crystal and Lysian’s chest are extremely closely connected!’
I narrowed my brows sharply and signaled Kyle to stop looking, but instead, he was looking at me with an anxious face like a puppy desperate to pee.
“It would be better to talk about the, um, dark elves.”
In the end, I decided to speak to the Fairy King and change the subject.
“I heard from Lysian that someone is using these mana crystals to create monsters. That is happening to our forest fairies as well.”
“Is that true?”
A shocked Elonen covered his mouth and asked back. Since he had reacted with such surprise, I almost admired him for quickly grasping the connection between dark elves and mana crystals, but then he asked,
“…But what are dark elves?”
…So he didn’t know. I tried to answer, but Gerard was faster.
“I’ve heard of them before. They probably refer to fairies who rejected the blessing of the World Tree and left the Forest of Peace on their own, right?”
Gerard seemed to know something about fairies. The Fairy King narrowed his eyes, apparently surprised by his extensive knowledge.
“If you hero’s party can find and kill the Black Flame Dragon and extinguish the fire on the World Tree, we will also give you a great reward.”
Gerard’s face instantly brightened, as if he had finally met someone he could talk to after a long time, but Kyle answered faster than him.
“We don’t act in hopes of receiving rewards.”
Sure enough, his heroic spirit was being put on display once again. The corners of Gerard’s mouth drooped in disappointment.
“That makes you even more trustworthy. I hear you are heading to the Land of the Dead. We will hand over every piece of information we know about that place.”
Kyle stubbornly refused monetary rewards, but he welcomed information with open arms. Only then did he smile and lower his head slightly.
“We would gratefully accept that. We were already troubled because no matter how much we searched, we couldn’t find any information about the Land of the Dead.”
“It would be hard to obtain. It has been a very long time since humans came to the east of this place. That is also why we settled here.”
When he put it like that, something suddenly felt frightening. We were heading there of our own will, to a place no one tried to go to, literally the ‘Land of the Dead’.
Even so, Kyle’s bold attitude didn’t waver in the slightest. There was not even a trace of fear visible in him.
