Chapter 4.6 - World Tree’s Shrine Maiden

After helping the two, it became a talk where they should talk and it was eventually decided that they’ll discuss at the inn where Kousuke’s party is staying.

Sylvia and Collete have already moved out of their inn.

They also thought that they should stay in the same inn anyway so they can ask for help in case of emergency.

Well, it still depends on the result of their discussion.

On the other hand, Kousuke was checking the status of the two while walking to the inn.

He saw Collete’s convincing title.

Her title is .

Thinking about Cheryl, who they met in the elf forest on Azen Continent, he knows what that title means.

He’s not sure if Esena cares for her that’s why she got that title or she has that title that’s why Esena cares for her.

As for Sylvia…

She also has a worrisome title.

Her title is .

(Eris and not Erisamir?)

That name Eris is someone he’s familiar with.

At this point, in Kousuke’s brain, he thought that Eris = Erisamir but he doesn’t know if it’s true.

Kousuke doesn’t know if it is good to talk about it while walking so he’ll talk about it to them as soon as they reach the inn.

—Scene Change—

Sylvia and Collete seemed to have taken individual rooms.

On the other hand, Kousuke and Mitsuki are sharing the same room. When they were deciding on a room, Mitsuki quickly took it before Kousuke decided.

The room of Kousuke’s party is a little bigger than the others so they decided to have their discussion there.

However, even if it is supposed to be a discussion with Collete and Sylvia, on contrary to expectations, it ended in an instant.

「Can you add us to your party?」

「Yeah, okay.」

That’s it.

Kousuke’s party is a party with the powerful Mitsuki.

Even if the two of them don’t join, there will be almost no trouble at all.

That’s why Collete and Sylvia thought that they’ll be put up with a lot of conditions first before they can join. Doing that is normal common sense.

They were even prepared for a long discussion since they knew they were at a total disadvantage but they never thought that they’d be easily accepted.

「….Hah!? Eh? Okay….!?」

「Yeah, okay….is there a problem?」

「No, nai wa. There’s none….is it really okay?」

「Ano….Kousuke-san? Normally, shouldn’t you be asking for conditions? We are the ones asking after all.」

Hearing Sylvia, Kousuke nodded with satisfaction.

「Ah, right. I should ask for that.」

「Then, what is it?」

Collete had no choice but to smile wryly at Kousuke. She looks at Sylvia who in turn nods to her.

「You know, Sylvia, I think it is better not to say anything that will put us at a disadvantage, right?」

「I know desuwa. Kousuke-san doesn’t seem to want to ask us for conditions from the beginning.」

「No, that’s not the case. However, if I say it, it may be a condition that you can’t refuse. Especially for Collete-san.」

「You don’t have to put san…..what do you mean I can’t refuse?」

「Then, I won’t add it….well, it’s not like you can’t refuse, you won’t dare refuse…」

Collete frowned at Kousuke’s vague statement.

「Maa, okay. Esena, you can come out.」

At Kousuke’s request, Esena appeared.

Both Collete and Sylvia looked at the girl who suddenly came out.

Esena, who came out near Kousuke, walked to Collete and hugged her.

「Wh……what? This girl….?……N-no way!?」

Collete, who was hugged, was initially puzzled but she noticed that Esena was a fairy when she was hugging her.

「H-how could there be a fairy in a place like this….!?」

「Heh, amazing. As expected of an elf. You noticed that she’s a fairy just by one glance.」

Sylvia is surprised when Collete makes a “fairy” remark.

「There’s no way I wouldn’t notice. No matter how you look at her, she’s a genuine fairy. I knew it the moment she touched me.」

Collete patted Esena’s head while saying those.

Esena, whose head was being patted, closed her eyes in comfort.

Thinking that it would ease the situation, Kousuke dropped another bomb for Collete.

「Right….Esena is a world tree fairy. Since you noticed that, aren’t you amazing?」

「Heh, that’s unusual.」

Collete responded to Kousuke’s words without thinking it deeply. His words just entered her ear and left to the other for a moment.

However, when she finally noticed what he meant, she screamed instinctively.

「….w-world tree fairy…….you’re lying!?.」

Since Collete raised her voice, Kousuke put his forefinger in front of his mouth to silence her.

Esena, who’s hugging Collete, was also surprised.

「Ah….so-sorry.」

「No, I think your reaction is normal. I have one more thing to say, okay?」

「Wa….wait a minute, let me calm down first.」

Collete remembers that Kousuke said that it is something she won’t dare refuse so she took a deep breath.

By the way, Sylvia still doesn’t understand why Collete is so surprised.

The stories related to world tree are close secrets of the elves and Sylvia, a human, doesn’t know anything about it.

「O-okay. Bring it on!」

Collete thought that she was already surprised enough but she never thought that Kousuke would say the biggest surprise of her life.

「Collete, you were chosen by Esena to be the shrine maiden of the world tree…」

「…..!?」

Despite being prepared, Collete desperately suppresses her startled voice that she involuntarily raised.

Kousuke almost laughed at her seeing her like that while Sylvia and Esena are looking at her with puzzled faces.

Collete, who felt that it was unreasonable for him to surprise her like that, asked Kousuke with a furious expression.

「…..what do you mean?」

「No, I don’t even know why. I’m not the one who chose you.」

Collete, who tried to continue questioning Kousuke’s defense, was interrupted by a cute voice that came from below her.

「Collete, Esena’s shrine maiden, no?」

「N-no, I don’t hate it. I was just a little surprised.」

Seeing the sad Esena, Collete hastily denied it.

Esena is happy to hear that so she continues to say more words.

「Kousuke, Esena’s father. Collete, mother.」

Collete was completely stunned by the joyful words Esena has said.

「…..Collete?」

In addition, she heard the voice of her friend next, and it made her sweat cold for some reason.

「Wa-wait, Sil. No matter how you think about it, there’s no way I can have a child with someone I met today!?」

「….Is that so? How can I be sure that it’s not an elven secret technique?」

「There’s no way it is! If there’s such a convenient technique, we will not have to worry about our birth rate which is the worst in the world!」

Collete’s excuse(?) seemed to have convinced(?) Sylvia.

Collete was finally relieved and glared at Kousuke.

「Why are you so happy?」

「No, well, what kind of man will not be pleased if someone assigned the beautiful Collete as his wife?」

「……ano nee.」

Hearing Kousuke’s words and seeing her friend grumpy again, Collete got angry.

Collete did not anticipate that she would have a completely different kind of struggle from what she initially thought will happen during this discussion.