"Come inside."
"Okay."
"Can we really? Last time I tried I was pushed forcefully!"
"It is fine."
I lead them both inside the barrier, as I am the owner, I can easily allow them to enter.
"First show me what you wanted to take."
"Mm."
She is walking to the garden with the princess and me following her. She is not exactly fast though.
"This."
She is pointing at... my watering can?
"You want to drink from this?"
"Yes."
"..."
That item is the [Heavenly Watering Can], it produces unlimited amounts of Holy Water. So, she is not some forest-based demi-human but a plant? I really want to appraise her but I still have a bad feeling about doing that.
"Can I? Drink?"
"Go ahead..."
"Mm!"
And so she started drinking from the watering can. It looks really weird. But the contents are fine to consume, I too didn't only use it to water the plants, but also for cooking, so I guess this is fine.
"Umm, Hermit-sama? What is inside that watering can?
"Water."
Hermit? Eeeh, sure I'll take it.
"Water...?"
"Holy Water."
"HUH?! I-is it fine for her to drink that?!"
"Sure is. Rather isn't she growing? Is she really a plant?"
"Ah? She really is growing, huh? Wait no that's not the problem! This is Holy Water! You can't just waste it like this! At this rate, she is going to empty it all!"
"I said it's fine, I'm more worried whether or not she can grow enough to be as big as a house."
"No, that... it shouldn't be possible I think?"
"So, you're not sure either? Let's wait for a bit she is already 1.5m tall. If she doesn't stop growing at 3m I'll assume she can grow infinitely and stop her from drinking any more."
"3m?! Wouldn't the Holy Water run out before that though?!"
"I told you it's fine."
"Ugh, sure, if you say so..."
"Didn't you say you were a princess? That seems like an unbelievable claim considering how you've behaved until now."
"Isn't it fine? I'm not the first princess anyways and it's not like anyone is here. It's only Hermit-sama and this person. Neither of you seem like you'd care about how I behave and even if I behave myself, unlike a princess neither of you would come to our kingdom and spread rumors."
"True. Accepted."
Gulp. Gulp.
She really keeps growing taller, but that's not all, she also doesn't look like a little girl anymore. I wonder how large they will become. Both the top and the bottom have become quite big. She is also taller than me now, about the same as the merchants Guildmaster?
"Kuuuu! Ah!"
"What are you, an old man?"
"Whaddoyumeen hunee~?" 1 What do you mean, honey?
"Was that really Holy water in the can?!"
"That should be the case unless someone switched it for wine..."
She walks towards me. Correction, she stumbles towards me.
"Cumere sweetee~ Takeoffthetmasc endledmerewaadyuu~" 2 Come here sweetie~ Take off that mask and let me reward you~
"Ah, that'll be enough you should 'sleep' now old man."
I whisper into her ear and quickly put her to sleep using magic. Successfully.
"I wonder what I should do about her... You want her?"
"I'm fine. At least I would say that, but without her, I won't be able to leave the Black Devil Forest, for some reason not a single monster attacked us when I was with her. But I'm not sure she would really help me out. She only helped me stay alive because it gave her a higher chance to get what she wanted. Ah, I don't believe her to be evil by any means, but from what I've seen she simply doesn't concern herself with matters other than her own life."
"How did you even end up together?"
"Right, so I was--"
"Actually wait, we should sit down, let me get some tea too."
"I... Ok."
I swiftly went into the house and took out some prepared tea out of my Item Box. Ah, at some point the skill gained the ability to keep the state of things the same as if time stopped inside the Item Box. That's why I can now keep warm, cold, and perishable food inside too. I also took out some clothes for the plant girl.
"Sit down here."
After getting out again, I saw Katharina still standing at the same spot. I point at a garden table as I tell her to take a seat.
"Um."
First, I should dress this drunk hazard. Since I'm going with this theme I went for a yukata. I could dress myself easily with my Item Box a kimono wasn't a problem, but both a hakama and kimono are a pain to wear so my only option was a yukata. Also, yukatas should be worn with no clothes under them I think, so that fits too.
"Now, we have tea and she is no longer naked. Tell me your story."
"Yes, Hermit-sama.
So, I was on my way to inspect some of the towns on the outer regions of Taluria, and the way passed by here, the Black Devil Forest, and that was when I and my guards were attacked by the assailants. At first, things were fine with me and my guards working together, but somehow, the enemies received reinforcements and I got separated from my guards. I ran away from them and stumbled into the forest, the enemies also followed me here but before they could kill me a Goblin General appeared and a fight between both parties broke out.
While that happened the trees suddenly moved, separating me from the rest, before I noticed I stood before her and she told me to come with her. I was brought here and told to get inside but that didn't work as you already know. After that, 2 days have passed, she fed me while I was here so I didn't struggle, but it would really help if I could get back.
I'm sure all kinds of problems appeared while I was away. I'm aware that this is too much to ask of you, Hermit-sama, but would it be possible to bring me back outside? Since you can somehow live here that means you are powerful enough, right? I will make sure to reward you accordingly."
She says while bowing to me. Somehow this isn't what I expected our first meeting to be like. In the novel she barely ever behaved this reasonably, is it because she is aware of her bad position here? This is very welcome for me.
"Sure, I can get you out."
"Really? Thank you very much!"
"Let's go quickly, I want to return before she wakes up."
"Yes!"
Krasus· Nov 30, 2021
