LIGHTNOVELWORLD Ch52 - The Sylph of Wind and Water ★
Chapter 52: The Sylph of Wind and Water ★
As Lena blinked, a gentle breeze caressed her dark eyelashes.
The wind, as if possessing a will of its own, swirled around the girls, playfully rustling Lily’s wings, the slimes’ jiggly bodies, the tips of Hamal’s ears, and Luca’s golden hair.
His purple eyes softened.
“Sylphine. You’re here.”
“!”
As if responding to his words, the mischievous wind blew a little stronger, playfully tousling his golden hair. Any beauty-conscious lady in the world would gnash her teeth at the sight of the shimmering golden locks settling back into place.
Lena and the others still couldn’t see Sylphine. They wore disappointed expressions.
Luca, showered with looks that clearly said, “Lucky you…”, chuckled wryly and began speaking to the empty space in front of him.
“…Yes…I see. …Your mistletoe is there. …And…you guided Lena and the others here?……”
To those who couldn’t see the spirit, he must have looked a little strange.
Lena wondered if this was how she looked to others when she talked to her familiars.
After talking with Sylphine for a while, Luca relayed the spirit’s words to Lena and the others.
“As I thought, she’s still a newborn sylph.
She wants me to help the injured ‘older sister’ Sylphine I saw earlier, so she followed you guys because you happened to be nearby.
This one’s mistletoe is still a sprout and hasn’t been discovered by anyone, so there’s no barrier and she can move freely.”
Lena and the others’ eyes widened.
“So we were near the sprout?
Hmm…I didn’t notice…”
“Since it’s just a tiny sprout, it can’t be helped.
…This Sylphine is also slightly affected by the defilement.
But because the sprout grew in a special place, it’s only this minor.”
“Special?”
The slimes repeated the word, bouncing onto Luca’s shoulders.
“Yes. Special. It seems to be inside the Labyrinth Falls’ Blue Grotto.
So the sprout didn’t directly absorb the defilement from the ground, but it came outside and touched a cursed monster, which affected it. Its fingertips are blackened.”
“! That place was so beautiful, Luca!
…Is Sylphine’s body okay?”
“We were so distracted by the Bubble Fish and looking up that we didn’t notice the sprout? Hmm…”
“It’s just a little stained, so I can purify it to this extent.
However, to do that…I have to go to the sprout itself.”
Luca glanced at Lena with his Magic Eye. He tilted his head, confirming the otherworldly woman’s luck, then let out a wry chuckle as if exasperated.
The familiars, recalling the blue, shining scenery within the Labyrinth Falls, started chattering about how amazing it was.
Luca smiled gently at the little monsters who were worried about the spirit. He quickly summarized the important information that was about to be derailed.
“This young Sylphine also says she wants to resolve this curse incident for her older sister.
I’m thinking of asking for her cooperation…what do you think?
I’ve been guided to the older Sylphine’s mistletoe before, but since she stopped appearing, I don’t know the way.
This one seems to know the location of the mistletoe because they’re both spirits, so I thought I’d ask for her help.
…Oh, and the reason her older sister hasn’t appeared is because a new, temporary barrier has been added.
It seems the city’s priests are now permanently stationed there, protecting the mistletoe…so even though she can’t move, I’m relieved for now.
The cursed animals seem to be being hunted too.
Once this incident is resolved, I want to somehow inform the country about the barrier.
…The location of the mistletoe is quite deep in the forest, and it’s still a bit difficult for my tired Magic Eye to see that far.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Let’s ask for her cooperation!
Sylphine…thank you very much.
Luca, please make sure your eyes are completely healed first.”
Lena bowed to the empty space, relying on intuition.
“Fufu, Sylphine is a little more to the right.
…Then, let’s have her accompany us. Nice to meet you.
If we’re going to purify the main sprout, we’ll need to go to the Labyrinth. I’m counting on Lena’s luck.”
“…W-will it be alright?”
“It’ll be fine! Lena ‘is’ lucky!”
“If that’s what Master desires…Surely, fortune will come to us!”
“We’re going to the Labyrinth again? I’m so excited!”
The familiars clambered onto their master and started playing.
…Please don’t rely on Lady Luck too much.
When she gets too enthusiastic, Lena and the others usually end up in trouble, so please, in moderation…
For the time being, they decided to return to the city of Rachelle and get their Labyrinth stamps again. After a certain period, even those who had visited before could try their luck again.
Thanks to the adventurers starting to hunt the cursed monsters, the older Sylphine’s defilement seemed to have lessened slightly since Luca last saw her.
Apparently, even before Lena defeated the giant boar, Luca had been alone deep in the forest, defeating strange monsters. The monsters had been tampered with, and his tired Magic Eye couldn’t see the details of the cause.
…On their way back, Lena and the others encountered a cursed giant rat. Luca plunged his magic sword deep into the rat as it jumped at them, then blasted it with lightning, charring it to the bone. This prevented the defiled blood from seeping into the earth.
With his slightly recovered Magic Eye, Luca confirmed traces of the culprit. He told everyone that a “green-haired man” seemed to be involved in the incident.
They decided to report this to the Adventurers’ Guild, saying they had seen a suspicious person in the forest.
When they returned to the city, they used Lily’s [Illusion] skill on Luca, disguising his features to look like those of an ordinary young man.
While it sounded sarcastic to say he was too handsome for his own good, considering his current situation, they couldn’t bring themselves to feel jealous.
To emphasize his “averageness”, Luca took off his blue robe’s hood, revealing his face. He was pale with nervousness, but…when the townspeople passed him by without a second glance, he ended up being moved. The gazes of Lena’s party, watching Luca, were filled with sympathy.
“My! Thank you very much for this valuable information.
We haven’t received any information about the suspected culprit yet, and we were really at a loss…
Deep green hair is an unusual color. It might make him easier to find.
We’ll ask around to see if anyone knows him.
Thank you again.”
Lena and the others, having visited the Adventurers’ Guild, gave the veteran receptionist a general description of the culprit.
She smiled beautifully and bowed deeply, praising them for their good work.
While the adventurers were making progress in eliminating the cursed animals, it also meant that a lot of curses were being spread, and the incident wouldn’t end unless the source was dealt with.
Everyone was quite anxious.
Lena’s testimony about seeing a suspicious person in the forest was technically false, but it was also the truth that Luca had seen with his Magic Eye, so it was more reliable than any random eyewitness account. Please forgive her.
There were no unusual lines in the guild these past few days.
All the receptionists were busy organizing information, so the men refrained from bothering the cute newbie.
However, while Lena and the others were talking to the veteran receptionist, the cunning newbie receptionist approached them.
“…Senpai! About processing these documents…”
While pretending to ask about urgent matters, her gaze was fixed on the seemingly average blue-robed man. She was a persistent maiden.
Luca froze, but it seemed the newbie receptionist couldn’t see through Lily’s [Illusion] +2.
She looked quite disappointed for a moment, as if thinking, “Oh well, I thought he was my type…”, then obediently listened to her senior’s advice.
Lena looked at Luca’s goosebump-covered arms with pity.
Suddenly, the veteran receptionist asked her junior.
“…Come to think of it, you’re good at remembering faces, aren’t you?
Have you seen a man with deep green hair in this city?
If you have, I’d like you to tell me anything you can about him…”
“Huh? Deep green hair?”
“Yes.”
“Um. I can think of one person.
About 180cm tall, average build, a fairly young, pale-skinned man. Short, deep green hair, and narrow eyes that were almost a dark indigo. He was wearing a black robe and carrying a staff.”
“…!!? W-where did you see him!?”
“I’ve talked to him a few times in the city. Oh, and he had a rather deep voice.
He seemed to be a traveler who had just arrived in Rachelle, and he asked me where the grocery store was. He was a very cool guy.”
“…What did he look like?”
“Very handsome!”
Apparently, that was the case.
The veteran receptionist, Lena, and the others gave the newbie, whose smug expression clearly said, “Aren’t I amazing at remembering things?”, a lukewarm look.
…Well, well, this time her superficial nature had been very helpful in gathering information.
They should be grateful for her exceptional memory.
It was a talent to remember the details of a traveler she had only briefly spoken to. While she said he had asked her for directions to the grocery store, it was probably her who had aggressively approached him.
The veteran receptionist, her expression one of serene enlightenment beyond exasperation, quietly told Lena and the others, “We’ve just received an eyewitness report of a suspicious person, so we’ll be issuing a search request from the guild immediately.” She spoke in a low voice so as not to agitate the other adventurers.
Since it hadn’t been confirmed that the green-haired man was the culprit, they would issue a search request to talk to the “suspect”. It was frustrating for Lena and the others, who knew through the Magic Eye that the green-haired man was the cause, but they couldn’t arrest him just because he had green hair and looked suspicious.
While making light conversation about the newbie receptionist’s unexpected contribution, saying things like, “That’s great” and “I hope they catch the culprit soon”, Lena’s party returned to their usual inn.
Since the price of all the inns in Lanash was per room, there was no extra charge for Luca.
As Luca began to worry about sharing a room, the slimes chided him, “Something unlucky might happen if Luca is left alone!” and “We all slept together last night. It’s too late to be shy now!”, rubbing salt in the wound.
If he tried anything funny with the girls, all the familiars would beat him up, and in any case, Luca currently had zero interest in romance. He was still traumatized.
And then, around midnight.
The Labyrinth stamp on Lena’s hand, fortunately, started to glow blue again. This meant they could all visit the “Blue Grotto” together tomorrow.
After taking refreshing showers, everyone lay down on the bed, using the fluffy Hamal as a pillow.
Since Hamal’s giant form would damage the floor and bedsprings inside the inn, he stayed the size of a long pillow.
Luca was gazing at his stamped hand with sparkling eyes, and Lena spoke to him gently.
“I’m looking forward to sightseeing in the Labyrinth Falls tomorrow.
Of course, Sylphine’s treatment is our top priority.
The scenery is a breathtaking, translucent blue.”
Luca’s dream since childhood:
–To explore every corner of this vast world and see many, many beautiful sights.
The prince, who had been confined to the cramped rooms of the palace, constantly reading books, might have finally reached the starting line of his dream. This was a real adventure, not a fugitive’s journey while being chased by enemies.
Having heard about the Labyrinth from the familiars during the day, he had unconsciously looked very envious.
Luca, addressed by Lena, who had seen through his excitement, smiled shyly and happily.
“…Did you notice?
Yes. I’m so excited about the ‘Blue Grotto’ that I can’t sleep…”
“That won’t do. It’s not good for your health, so please rest. Come on, Har-kun.”
“Yes! As you command, Lena-sama. Skill [Deep Sleep].”
“…Zzz”
How merciless.
Luca, who was already quite tired, hadn’t fully recovered from yesterday’s [Deep Sleep] and immediately fell asleep.
Looking at his peaceful sleeping face framed by golden hair, the master and servants chuckled.
Lena made a “shh” gesture with her finger to her lips, telling the mischievous Sylphine, whose wind was rustling Luca’s hair, “See you tomorrow.” She then murmured to everyone, “I hope we can make some wonderful memories tomorrow,” and drifted off to sleep.
A blue, shining ceiling that resembled the surface of the water, and Bubble Fish glittering in the light filtering through.
This was the Labyrinth Falls’ “Blue Grotto”.
The rustling of the trees and grass was the breath of Sylphine, the Sylph of Wind and Water. There had been no wind in the Labyrinth before, but it seemed the natural elements had increased since the Maiden’s Mistletoe had sprouted.
The fish swam playfully in schools, carried by the wind, sometimes swimming powerfully against the current. When they burst with a pop! pop! from the wind pressure, they created a shower of glittering rain throughout the space. Captivated by the beauty, everyone’s cheeks flushed as they gazed at the scenery in awe.
“…Oh, right, right.
We need to purify Sylphine’s mistletoe quickly.”
Luca, who had been poked on the cheek by the wind, or rather, the Sylph’s finger, murmured as if startled. But his voice was still hazy, as if he were still in a dream. He must have been deeply moved.
“Where’s the mistletoe sprout?”
“This way.”
Everyone followed Luca as he led the way.
The tall grass in front of them was parted by the wind, creating a path as if urging them to “Hurry up and find it!”
“Is this it?”
“Wow…!”
The sprout of the “Maiden’s Mistletoe”, something they would normally never see.
The branch that would become the trunk was a smooth, pure white, with about ten tiny leaves of light blue, blue, yellow-green, and green. The leaves themselves, perhaps due to the influence of the Labyrinth, shimmered dazzlingly.
“…It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah. It looks like an accessory all on its own.”
“Fufu, it does. It might resemble a brooch made of gemstones that I saw in Toilia. You have a good memory.”
Lena and the others praised the leaves for their gem-like beauty, but…the still naive Sylphine didn’t seem to understand the analogy, and Luca chuckled, relaying, “She’s making a puzzled face.”
Luca, who had considerably strengthened his power on his own, gently touched the base of the sprout and chanted the light magic [Purification Purge]. A ring of light moved from top to bottom, as if passing through the sprout, then shone brightly before disappearing.
It seemed the purification was complete for now.
“–You’re welcome.”
Luca smiled at the empty space. Apparently, Sylphine had thanked him. Once again, he was the target of envious stares.
Smiling wryly, Luca continued his whispered conversation with the Sylph of Wind.
“…You guys might be able to see Sylphine too. I found a way that might make it possible. …Are you interested?”
“Really!? I’d love to meet her!”
Lena responded immediately.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Huh!?”
The atmosphere grew ominous.
“Lily…senpai?”
“Yes! What, what? …Fufu, my new kouhai!”
Luca was whispering to the other maiden, the dark fairy, with a mischievous grin.
…Oh. Lily’s face also broke into a wide smile, or rather, a look of ecstasy.
▽Lena is scared!
“Wait, wait, wait… W-what is it!?”
“Well, you see?
A big reason Sylphine was affected by the defilement is that the soil within her blessing range was contaminated by the curse.
So, we can assume that what she absorbs affects her body.
In other words…I thought if we let the Maiden’s Mistletoe absorb Lena’s blood, there might be some kind of change that would allow you to see Sylphine.
If it works, you might be able to see her just like that.
Sylphine has agreed.”
“Blood… Um…that probably requires…a fair amount of bloodsucking…?”
Her delicate shoulder was patted from behind.
“…Leave it to me! I won’t hurt you♡”
No, Lily’s [Blood Sucking] always hurt quite a bit.
However, spurred by the possibility of seeing Sylphine, the slimes and Hamal also looked at their master with expectant eyes. Cute!
▽Doting Lena cannot escape!
“Here I go♡”
“Ah!”
A small, red mark from Lily’s fangs remained on Lena’s white neck. As for how Lily got the blood she sucked into the sprout…let’s keep that a secret for the maiden’s sake.
Lena and her familiars blinked.
A faint, translucent white, like a veil, softly appeared above the sprout. It swayed playfully, and vibrant young green began to mix with it.
The young, silky, thread-like green hair was breathtakingly beautiful and delicate. Here and there, lovely white flowers adorned her hair.
Her blue eyes, like the watery ceiling of the Labyrinth, curved playfully, reflecting the little girls.
Sylphine, the Sylph of Wind and Water, performed a somersault in the air, her long limbs stretching gracefully, and spoke in a melodious mezzo-soprano voice.
“Hello! I’m a girl loved by the world!”
▽A wild Sylphine has appeared!