Chapter 215

Eh? Angel-sama!? 」

One of the big trees standing in the forest in the foot of the mountain . There was a confused voice from above the trees .

「Who’s there? Prepare to get hit if you’re not coming out . 」

Ardis who demanded their identity created lumps of ice around himself .

「Wah, please wait! I’m not an enemy, not an enemy! 」

The owner of the voice panickily responded before landing on the ground .

It was a young man barely adult . Rather, it’s more suitable to still call him a teenager . Wearing a light getup of a hunter, his back was carrying a short bow and a quiver .

「Hey, why’re you――! 」

Another girl about his same age panickily followed after . She was also wearing a similar getup with the young man .

「I mean, he’s gonna attack if we stayed there . 」

「Even so, showing ourselves when we don’t know their identity is――」

「It’s fine . There, aren’t those two twins . Since they’re bringing the twins along, they might even be related to Sieg-niichan . 」

While saying so, as the young man pointed at Fillia and Riana, they two hid behind Ardis .

「They seem awfully on guard though . 」

「It’s just the outwards look, didn’t Sieg-niichan said so too? 」

With the girl staring at the young man, it seemed like he was trying to find an excuse .

「Isn’t it about time? 」

Ardis interrupted seeing the two was talking among themselves without regards to their presences .

「Who are you two? You don’t look like mercenaries or explorers to me . 」

The equipment of the young man and young girl didn’t look like they are prepared for a fight in the monster infested Canobis Mountains .

Certainly they had a dagger and a bow on their back, but those at most can do something against animals but not the demonic beings like Grinders or Hell Mantis .

「So? 」

「What so, don’t these people look good? 」

Although the young girl seemed skeptical asking the young man, the young man refreshingly answered .

「I say what if they’re bad people . 」

「But there . That person, don’t she look exactly like Angel-sama? 」

The young man pointed at Nere, and the young girl looked over at her as well .

「I mean, the face is the same but……, the colors of her eyes and hair are totally different . 」

「Relatives…… or something? Don’t Angel-sama have those too? 」

「As if I would know! 」

The young girl seemed angered . Rather than anger, it felt like she was really irritated .

「You seem intrigued in mine face, but what could you be trying to say? 」

「Eh, no…… it’s not like that……」

The young man who was asked by Nere unexpectedly turned red .

「So? Who actually are you two? 」

Ardis who thought he had enough stressed his question again with a stricter tone . Probably sensing something bad would happen, the young girl spoke instead of the young man .

「Umm……, that, we are here to hunt for dinner . We are definitely not your enemies . Rather, I would like to ask, who are you people? Why have you come to this place? 」

But naturally, for them, it is Ardis’s and his party that visited suddenly, as she asked in reverse . Ardis thought about how to respond for a moment before giving up .

Although he didn’t expect seeing anyone in this area, the people he met was as good as amateurs . Leaving aside Ardis, it didn’t seem like they can best Sharu in terms of mana .

Although there’s no need to reveal their identities, Ardis decided to say their purpose truthfully .

「Just mercenaries travelling . We are now heading north through the mountains . 」

「Umm……, there’re dangerous demonic beings around here right……」

「That’s why we are armed . 」

「It’s not a problem about that though…… 」

The girl that asked reservedly showed a complicated expression at Ardis’s answer .

「If you’re not our enemy, then we have no business with you . 」

Leaving aside if they’re going to attack, it’s not like Ardis would do anything to someone they met coincidentally . Just as Ardis was about to ignore them and start walking again, he stopped again after recalling something .

「Come to think of it, is there some kind of shelter further north from here? 」

The girl widened her eyes .

「Eh, how did you know? 」

「Could it be, you heard it from Sieg-niichan? 」

Ardis tilted his head at the unfamiliar name that came out of the young man’s mouth .

「Sieg? ……Who’s that? 」

「Huh, was I mistaken? 」

The young man seemed perplexed at the unexpected answer .

「I thought you were since there’re twins accompanying . 」

「Is there any problem with twins accompanying? 」

At that moment, Ardis’s gaze pierced through the young man .

「Hiek……! There’s no problem, yes! 」

The young man seemed to understand the power difference between the two parties . He was denying it while waving his hands in panic .

Although it’s unknown why they’re in this kind of place, at the very least, it seems like they understood the dangers of this demonic realm .

And Ardis and his party that can get through such a place must be a considerable force .

「What do we do? 」

「Do what? 」

Once again, the young man and young girl started talking, but their voices were so loud that everything can be heard .

「Whether we should bring them to the village . 」

「Why does it become like that . It’s not like they said they want to stay right? 」

「But I mean, there’re twins with them? And there’s a person with the same face as Angel-sama, isn’t it better for them to stop by the village for once? 」

The young man said so, as the young girl started to frown and think . After a short while of silence, the young girl eventually came to a conclusion and said .

「Is Angel-sama around today? 」

「Didn’t the village chief said he has something to discuss about the fields? 」

「Unn……, well, if it’s like that . 」

The girl that seemed convinced without a choice faced back to Ardis .

「Umm……」

「What is it? 」

「Would you all be glad to stop by our village? We don’t have an inn but, we can at least lend an empty house for the night . As for the meals, if it’s little…… ah, of course you’ll have to pay . 」

After the young girl, the young man spoke towards Nere as well .

「Also, there’s a person that would like to meet you . Well, there’s a possibility that you just look like another person though . 」

「Person who wish to meet me? 」

「Of course, we’re not forcing you . 」

Looking away from the young man who seemed courteous for some reason, Nere was asking for a decision from Ardis .

「How shall we proceed, my master . 」

Ardis closed his eyes to think for a moment . It’s already been several days since they left Reiten . During their journey, they had been camping outdoors . Unlike Ardis who is used to it, the twins must be feeling fatigue as well .

Even Sharu, she had a tired expression even though she didn’t complain . Leaving aside meals, having a roof over their head while sleeping makes big difference .

Either way, it’s a place they will pass through . Ardis judged that if they’re willing to guide, it will be even more convenient .

「……Alright, guide us . But as you see, these children are twins . Is it fine still? 」

「Ah― . There’s no problem if it’s that, our village―― . Rather, we two are twins too . 」

The young man’s unexpected words surprised Ardis . Certainly, the pair had similar faces . What he said about being twins is probably true .

「At the very least, we aren’t people to discriminate twins, so rest easy . 」

Guided by the twins older brother Deen and the little sister Karina, Ardis and co headed towards the village .

Not encountering any demonic beings nor beasts along the way, it was a walk unthinkable to be deep inside a demonic realm, as they arrived at a flat land after an hour or so of walking .

「That’s our village . 」

The young man was pointing towards houses spread over the land . Ardis understood that this was probably the place that Rona and himself had seen when flying above .

From afar, it looked like a normal village . Stone foundation and wooden buildings . Rearing livestock like cows and chickens inside pens, there were also fields visible on the slope a little further away .

Seeing the villagers moving around without any sense of danger, it was a place unimaginable to be located within the foot of the demonic realm known as the Canobis Mountains .

Following the pair of siblings, the villagers suddenly looked over at Ardis and co .

It’s natural . After all, a remote place like this wouldn’t expect any outsiders at all . Even more so when Ardis had a sword at his waist . It’s expected for the villagers to be on guard against them .

Even though Deen said it was alright, Ardis thought it’s possible for them to be stopped from entering the village .

「Angel-sama……? 」

However, the villagers were all saying an unfamiliar word, 『Angel-sama』 .

Seeing the people who said that, they were all looking towards Nere . It was not just one or two people .

Even the young men that worked the fields, middle-aged woman that were washing laundry by the well, children and the elderly, they were all looking at Nere with a surprised face and saying 「Angel-sama」 .

「What……? 」

「Follow us . For the time being, I think it’s better to meet with Angel-sama first . 」

Not understanding the situation, they guided the party to the largest house in the village .

「Who’s that Angel-sama you all are saying? Is it someone related to Nere? 」

「It’s alright, just meet her for the time being . 」

Deen was saying so, and entered the house without waiting for the party .

「What does he mean? 」

「Well……, I believe that you will understand once you’ve met . 」

Even if he asked Karina, the answer he got back was vague as well . Just in case, Ardis sensed the mana signatures in the surroundings but, there weren’t any large ones that could be threatening to them .

While being on guard and ready to call over flying swords over the 『Gate』 at any time, Ardis followed Karina . Although the biggest house, it’s just the biggest one in a small village .

It wasn’t actually that much bigger than the house that they had in Corsas Forest . After being guided by Deen and Karina, the party stepped into a big room, probably the reception room .

And then the person that was waiting there, shocked him into no words .

「Wha……! 」

The ones sitting on sofa with a plain table in between them was an elderly man and a young woman . However, Ardis’s eyes was nailed on the woman .

「Ara, what an unusual girl has come . 」

The woman was looking at the party with a gentle smile . Rather, she was looking behind Ardis, at Nere .

「Eh? Nere? 」

Fillia’s eyes also widened looking at the woman, and alternated her gaze between the woman and Nere . It can’t be helped . After all, the face of the person sitting on the sofa smiling, was exactly like Nere’s .