I glanced back at the people behind.

Genzo’s party and the elves were all in the state of shock, with the women covering themselves and their ears, and the men standing in daze. Even fellow otherwordler Genzo was shaking as he looked at me and Bretagne.

On the other hand, my party was as unfazed as always.

Upon noticing how Elina was filing her nails while ignoring the chaos around, Genzo exclaimed: “Am I the only one who never expected something like that to happen…? Are you guys from Earth too…?”.

“No, we just got used to it.” Elina continued grooming her nails to the size when they don’t interfere with the sword handle.

“I never thought the actual explosions were THIS loud…!” Genzo tried to chuckle, but his attempt was pitiful. I patted his shoulder, and pointed at the space in front of our firing position.

“Man, you never thought a ton of gunpowder will explode loudly?”

“No, it never was this loud in games.” I smiled, and continued patting him.

---

A short while later, the elves calmed down, but were now even more cautious of us.

They were no longer trying to aim the bows at us, but they also were not letting anybody get closer to them, nor were talking to us. Only after Genzo’s elf wife returned we could at least try having a chat with them.

“That was really loud. What happened here?” She glanced over the people gathered.

“Forest protection~.”

“T-t… Ah…! O… W-w…!” The elves tried saying something, but they could only mumble and faintly raise their fingers.

“O-okay…? Darling!” She called out Genzo, and he showed her thumb up, as weakly as the elves.

Under the elves’ cautious gazes, I approached the waifu.

“How about you explain them what we came here for?” She nodded, and started saying something in elven language.

“0100111001101111001000000110100101100100011001010110000100101110” Genzo said something too, immediately making me stare in shock.

“What…?” (G)

“The hell have you said?”

“What…? Wait, you don’t understand what they’re saying?!” (G)

“Is this so surprising to you…?

Wait, you don’t happen to have translation skills, do you…?” He nodded in confirmation.

“Die. Just die, you lucky bastard.”

For some reason, Genzo quickly retreated behind his wifes’ backs.

I only sighed, and watched how the elves were getting agitated as they spoke their weird language…

“Kasumi! Do you unde…?”

‘Shook-shook’

[How come Japanese know moonrunes, and don’t know Elven…?]

---

While I was thinking about this philosophical question, the elves stopped shouting, and appeared to have reached some sort of an agreement.

“Are you guys finished? Can you speak HUMAN now?” For whatever reason, the forest elves trembled and jumped back.

“Y-you n-n-n-need an elf, right…?” One of them stepped forward, trembling.

“Yeah.”

“Any elf?” I glanced at the loli kitsune.

“It matters not which one of you.” The elf smiled, and said something to his kin, making all elves but him run back into the forest.

He rubbed his hands, and smiled like a salesman: “We happen to have one kinsman, who loooves to travel, and will no doubt agree to go with you.”

“The problem is…?” I prompted him to continue.

“T-t-there are n-no p-rob-lem~ s.” The elf’s smile turned forced.

I smiled, and showed the huge quadruple guns.

“Really~?” He started nodding like a bobblehead.

“Well, if you’re lying, then I’m gonna make you regret it~.” The elf’s face lost all color, but his forced smile stayed.

‘SLAM’

Suddenly, my head was hit by something, and my face hit the ground.

“Ignore this imbecile. We have no desire to stay here for longer than it is necessary. Is this righteous Akagi-sama right?” The goddess drilled the back of my head with her sole.

“AM. I. RIGHT?” (A)

[Yes, my Goddess.]

---

Together with losing a few thousand HP, I lost any desire to be speaking to anybody.

I simply sat in a corner, far away from the others, savoring my humiliation.

“Here, have some water.” A clay mug appeared in front of my face.

“Who…?”

I looked up, and saw an elf girl standing in front of me.

Unlike the others of her kind, her skin was darkened by tan, and covered in paintings.

“Name’s Lusa. Starting from t’day, I’m gonna be your guide. Please take care of me~!” The girl grinned, and walked away.

Unconsciously, I followed her with my eyes, to the point my head turned. And I saw my and Genzo’s party looking at me.

But, unlike what I expected, their gazes were filled with concern.

[And nobody was laughing at me for being face-slammed into the ground…?]

The goddess showed me thumb up. While covering her mouth with the fan and suspiciously shaking.

[Thank you for your support.]

“Enough fooling around. This forehanded Akagi-sama already filled the poor victim in, leaving us with only waiting for you.” (A)

“Ok, let’s get going!” I jumped up and hurried to the party.

I turned to head towards the city, but my dress was gripped from behind.

“And where do you think you are going?” (A)

“Shouldn’t we start with searching for the Bestower’s trail?”

“That child over there, she’s already on it.” The goddess pointed back at the elven girl.

Now that I got a better look at her, the girl was looking way different from the other forest elves. She was wearing crude clothes and had war paint all over her body, making her look feral in comparison to her kin.

But God damn it, the bow on her shoulder was times better than the other elves had. It was closer to the modern compound bow.

The girl saw me examining her, and exclaimed: “I may not look like much, but I’m quite capable!”.

“Sure…

Are you guys going with us?” I looked at Genzo and his waifu party.

“Sorry, we have our own work too. Call us, if something’s needed!” (G)

“Thanks, Bro! Don’t get yourself killed before you get the punishment for being bastard from me!”

At the closest fork we bid each other farewell, and my party headed to where the Bestower’s foul magic was coming from.