“Tek here, during times when food allergies were a minor problem, looking for things that can be eaten seemed to be difficult. Even longer ago, so many people didn’t have access to a stable supply of food, they couldn’t afford not to eat everything they got their hands on. I wonder if food allergies exist in a fantasy world--”

 

“Sweet melons”

“Lots are growing!”

 

“Pochi, Tama. They’re fruit that the Elves have raised, so you can’t take them without permission, okay.”

 

These fruit grow on the trees around Mia’s house, the ones that create the spiral staircase hat we’re currently climbing. Pochi and Tama are in high spirits when they see all the food, even if it isn’t meat.

 

“Nn.” Mia plucks one of the fruits, cuts it in half with a knife, and gives a half to each Pochi and Tama.

 

“When you’re hungry, you can pluck and eat them as you like, you know? You don’t need to be reserved--” Mia’s mother says.

 

I see, so rather than being specifically raised by someone--they are like some of the buries that grow on bushes in fields, that can be eaten by anyone.

 

Or so I thought, not only on the trees along the roadside, but fruit and flows grow inside the houses. I don’t think the sunlight would reach inside, so how are they growing them?

 

We’re guided into a big living room, with a very tall ceiling.

 

Leaving behind Mia, who’s being jostled by the other Elves, we head towards a room with a table which looks like a tree stump, guided by Mia’s parents.

 

When Mia’s father says, “Chairs.”, ivy rises from the wooden ground, becoming chairs--this is quite fantasy-like.

 

When Mia’s father snaps his fingers, some Pixies bring several goblets and line them up on the table. He snaps his fingers once again, and this time, pitcher-plant-like plants descend from above and pour a sweet smelling transparent liquid into the goblets.

 

Just as I was wondering if it was fine to drink, Pochi and Tama have already drunk them without hesitation, and raise voices of praises. Is that so, it’s tasty huh?

 

We were so captivated with the fantasy scenes that were unfolding in front of our eyes that we neglected to monitor one dangerous person. We only realized this after we heard small voices of protest.

 

‘Let go of me.’

‘Hey you, let go.’

‘Halp, Laya, halp.’

 

When I turn around, I see that three pixies have been caught by Nana, and are begging Mia’s father for help with faces that look like they’re about to cry--Nana is holding one of them in each hand, and the last one…is crammed between Nana’s voluminous breasts.

 

Mia’s father keeps staring at the pixie who’s struggling in Nana’s cleavage, not helping them. Our eyes meet, and we nod.

 

Arisa smacks the back of my head, to break my stare--while Lulu rescues the Pixies.

 

***

‘Jeez, ya’ gone and done it now.’

‘That was bothersome.’

‘Here, cozy.’

 

For some reason, the Pixies who have run away from Nana are nesting on my head and shoulders. The one who said the peeved remark, pulls at my hair with tiny hands.

 

Since it’s painful, and Nana’s teary-eyed stare is boring into me, I gently pick up the Pixies and place them on the table.

 

Pochi splits some baked sweets, and feeds them to the complaining Pixies.

 

‘Ou! This is some good stuff.’

‘It’s true.’

‘More, give me.’

 

They’re spilling cookie crumbs all over the table, but I can use Life Magic later.

 

The Pixies from the town have gathered here due to overhearing the Pixies here praising the food.

 

‘Hey, give me?’

‘Won’t you, give me, too?’

 

“Au, wait, there’s…there’s no more.”

 

Panicking Pochi is adorable, but since the food has run out--I decide to send her a lifeboat. I take out a basket full of baked sweets, using Item Box, and place them onto the table.

 

The Pixies attack the baked sweets in high spirits.

 

They’re a little too vigourous that there are those who bury themselves in the basket, showing only their legs, and there are some who are falling from the table on the opposite side while carrying sweets almost as large as their upper-bodies.

 

The Elves who are coming with Mia seem to be interested in the baked  sweets too, so I’ve already lined up two baskets full of sweets on the table.

 

‘Yum.’

‘Mhm.’

‘Good.’

‘Delicious.’

 

They generally talk in short speech, like Mia. But there are also some who talking in longer sentences, but not as bad as Mia’s mother.

 

“My, they’re delicious. Really delicious.”

“It’s true, this is delicious.”

“Hey, although it’s different than honey, the sweetness is wonderful isn’t it?”

 

Most of the Elves are friendly, but not all of them, it seems.

 

One Elf boy points at me, while glaring, “Mutual love?”

 

Mia moves from the seat near me and plops down onto my lap, she reaches behind her and wraps her arms around my neck, “Of course!”, she speaks with red cheeks and a smile.

 

Apparently, that boy likes Mia--although I’ve been referring to him as a boy, he looks quite a bit like Mia’s father. He’s also 250 years old, so he is a fair bit older than Mia.

 

“What’s so good about him?”

“Beautiful.”

 

Hmm?

 

She says that I’m beautiful?

 

Her reply to the boy’s question is incomprehensible. In fact, the Elves around us are looking puzzled as well.

 

‘Beautiful.’, ‘Yup, it’s beautiful.’, ‘Isn’t it.’

 

Some of the Pixies are agreeing with Mia.

 

Mia’s mother is tilting her head, puzzled, before her eyes change from blue to silver as she looks at me, “My, oh Mia! It’s certainly beautiful, I’ve never seen this before. I wonder how many spirits there are, it’s hard to see--since there are too many of them, but it’s a beautiful light!”

 

“It’s true.”

“You’re well liked by the spirits.”

 

The people who call me beautiful all have the Spirit Seer Skill in common.

 

Apparently, spirits are gathering around me. It seems that I’m letting out an aura called Spirit Light that the spirits like, and it looks beautiful.

 

They tell me that it’s rare for spirits to gather, besides at a place where an Earth Vein is gushing.

 

The reason why Mia can find me wherever I am, seems to be because of this mass of spirits acting as a landmark.

 

***

There was another of Mia’s secrets that became clear.

 

It’s about meat.

 

“My, oh Mia! You won’t become an adult if you’re picky with food, you know?  Now, don’t avoid it, eat the meat. You’ll eat it right?”

“Mwuu, unnecessary.”

“Eat.”

 

Mia is sandwiched between her parents as they tell her to eat meat.

 

It was our misunderstanding that Elves couldn’t eat meat--in truth, other Elves eat meat dishes just fine. They may not be like Liza, who regards meat as supreme, but among them, there’s none who only eat vegetables.

 

Since the Elves seem to be hearty eaters, I go with Lulu as she helps the Elven chefs. I stand by her side and reassuringly her hand as she begins to discuss food with them, and have them taste the Monstrous Great Fish meat, and Wyvern meat hamburgers.

 

Lulu is usually shy around others, but if I’m there, she can talk to them much more easily.

 

I help Lulu and the others when serving the overly large amount of food. Not only have some extra Elves come, but so have simple Pinocchio-like living dolls, to help with carrying the plates to a banquet hall.

 

Mia’s family is seemingly quite high ranked.

 

I watch, with a grin, Liza guarding the huge pile of meat from Tama, Pochi, and the Pixies. I listen to the song that the Elves are playing.

 

“Tek.”

 

“What’s wrong, Mia? Is it fine for the guest of honour to leave her seat?”

 

“Nn.”

 

Mia leads me by my hand, walking through the town of the Elves.

 

Everyone seem to have gone to the banquet, there are only living dolls and carriages around.

 

The place where Mia leads me to is--