23. The Search for Boyce-kun

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23. The Search for Boyce-kun

Melby’s preparations for the journey finished in no time.
She doesn’t need any food since she lives by absorbing mana from the atmosphere, and she doesn’t have many belongings either.
In addition to that, not only does she have a Dimensional Stash, but also if it comes to that she can return to the Fairy Village with [Dimension Magic] anytime, so this is not really any different from a simple outing.

On the way back we jumped straight to the vicinity of Riverette Village with Melby’s [Dimension Magic].
It’s awfully convenient, but to be able to move with [Dimension Magic], first Melby has to leave a Gate in this world.
Even if I say it’s a Gate, it’s apparently an invisible mana marker of sorts.

Also, moving from Gate to Gate, in other words, from somewhere in this world to somewhere else in this world is not possible.
You can only jump from this world back to Fairy Village, then from Fairy Village back to this world, and also, when returning (when moving from Fairy Village to this world), you can only use the same Gate you used to arrive.

For example, if you leave a Gate at the outskirts of Riverette Village and use that to jump to the Fairy Village, then you can only go back through the Riverette Village Gate (although you can leave through the 「Exit」 of Fairy Village which leads to the limestone cave behind the waterfall).
Therefore, moving to a different place via Fairy Village like Riverette Village → Fairy Village → A different Gate is not possible.

Well, even then it’s an awfully convenient magic.

By the way, my appearance returned to its former 3 years-old-like state (the contents being barely 8-month-old).

“…..Ed, you really were a child, huh.”

A bit more familiarly acting Melby’s eyes grew round with surprise.

When I was just thinking that the way she displayed her surprise is a bit too weak,

“Well, if you live for a thousand years you get to see all kinds of people.”, she said.

“Also, Master is about a thousand times more amazing than you.”

Mm, well, after seeing that Status I can’t really deny it.

As it was dawning in the village, I walked in a way so people wouldn’t notice me, and tried to get back to the village chief’s house.

“――Don’t move!”

Suddenly, someone called out to me from behind.

I turned back with unease.

I knew from her voice, but there was Julia-kaasan with a grim expression on her face.

“Get away from Edgar-kun!”

“Huh……?”

Mom said that while glaring at Melby―― the fairy flying near my shoulders.

She can see her!?

When she saw Melby, she hurriedly put on an intense expression.

“When I suddenly woke up at dawn, Edgar-kun was nowhere to be seen. I thought maybe I was overthinking it, but there was that missing person’s case, so I woke up the village chief and had him put together a search party. ――But, I’m glad the culprit was found before that.”

“Please wait, Mom! Melby is not at fault here!”

“…..really?”

“Really! I’ve become friends with her!”

Mom is inspecting both of us with a still very doubting expression.

“I don’t know if you will believe me, but it’s true.”

Melby said this to her.

Maybe they heard mom’s voice, but the villagers started gathering and surrounding us at a distance.
The villagers are holding spades, sickles, and hoes in their hands.

“I heard from Ed that there is an ongoing missing child’s case in this village. It was a coincidence that our Fairy Circle was found near the scene of the crime. In the first place, fairies can’t harm people.”

The villagers start talking among themselves after hearing Melby’s words.
Since the villagers can see her, that means Melby decided to show herself, it seems.
Since I could see her from the beginning I don’t know when she did it.

“Is that true….?” “Of course it’s a lie” “But, they say fairies can’t lie” “Maybe that’s also a lie” ……

The villagers reaction was filled with doubt.
There are no concepts in this world such as a scientific investigation or innocent until proven guilty, huh.

Moreover, there some said,

“――Fairies are servants of the devil! Fairies came to eat us!”

A middle-aged fellow with an unkempt beard and red face yelled with a hand-axe in one of his hands.
This one is probably the woodcutter from the spokesperson’s story.

“We can also hide our appearance. ――Like this.”

Apparently Melby hid her appearance for a moment.
The villagers are stirring.

“However, as you can see I’m showing myself. If we really abducted the child, then I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

The villagers were looking at each other after hearing Melby’s words.

It seems she was somewhat convincing, but they are still doubting her.

“――Melby-oneechan!”

Suddenly a voice cut in.

Rushing out from the row of villagers was a familiar little girl.

Weell, she’s that one. The one that defended the fairies in the village chief’s house.
Her name was….. yes, Aino-chan.

“Oh, you are…..”

“It’s Aino! When I got lost before Big Sister saved me!”

“Right, that’s how it was. You got bigger since I last saw you.”

Melby flew over to near Aino-chan’s head and affectionately patted her head.

Her appearance was like a big sister pampering her younger sister.

Huh, it looks like Melby has a Big Sister personality even outside the Fairy Village.

Seeing how Melby and Aino-chan looked at that time the villagers lowered the spades, sickles, and hoes they were holding.

“Hoy! Don’t be deceived by the words of the fairy! Fairies are the servants of the devil, that must be it!”

The woodcutter is shouting with a red face, but

“….it’s more dangerous to believe the things you say.”

Saying that, the spokesperson appeared from within the group of villagers.

“Hello there, cute Fairy-san. Welcome to Riverette Village.”

“Ah, no, well…. saying that I’m cute…..”

“He is just being diplomatic.”

For the time being I make a remark to the hands-on-her-face-squirming Melby.

“So, Fairy-dono. What business might you have in this village? I’m sorry, but this village has a somewhat frenzied atmosphere currently, you see.”

“Ed deciphered the code we left behind and came to play to the Fairy Village, so I came to escort him back.”

Ah, I would’ve liked if you didn’t tell them that.
Although, there is no helping it since Melby can’t tell a lie.

“Is that true? That kid is not even 3 years old.”

“Huh? But, the Divine Blessing――mmmm!”

I put my hands on Melby’s mouth, who was letting things slip one after the other.

“(Wh-what?)”

“(Don’t speak about my Status, please.)”

“(You are asking me some difficult things…. Got it. I will keep it in mind.)”

As Melby and I was speaking in a hush-hush,

“Melby-oneechan! Boyce-kun disappeared……”

“A friend of yours?”

“Nn. Boyce-kun. He said he will give me a beautiful stone for my birthday and went to the river….”

“……I see.”

Melby nodded to the depressed looking Aino-chan with a grim expression.
Then,

“Village chief”

“Nah, I’m not the village chief, you know? I’m just the village’s spokesperson.”

“I don’t care which. I will also help with the search for that Boyce-kun.”

“That would a great help, but…. is that alright?”

“It’s the perfect chance to lift everyone’s doubts….. and also, fairies are the allies of children. But, before that……”

Of all the places, Melby started flying to that woodcutter.

“――Woodcutter-san”

“Do-don’t come near me! You wicked fairy!”

“――You, you are possessed by something?”

“Wh-, what……..?”

“Lalala…….♪”

Suddenly Melby closed her eyes and started singing.

That singing continued on for about a minute.

Sweet and gentle, it was a singing that warms people’s hearts.

The woodcutter started staggering, then he leaned against the wall of a nearby private house….. did he fall asleep?

“Wh-, what was that about?”

The spokesperson asked.

“This was a [Fairy’s Song] that has the effect of calming people’s hearts. It caught my eye since the beginning, but it seems this woodcutter-san was under a spell that affects the mind. Thankfully, it wasn’t that strong of a spell, so I managed to cancel it with the 《Song of Tranquility》…..”

“What the-!”

Maybe it’s the effect of the song, but it seems Melby’s words were easily accepted by the villagers.

“Wait a moment.”

Saying that, Melby returned to the outskirts of the village.
She must be going where the Gate is.

After a few minutes of waiting――

“Sorry for the wait.”

“”””Sorry for the wait~!””””

Melby came back with a few other fairies.
Every one of them is someone I met at yesterday’s party.
The twin fairies――Secel and Secela is also here.

“We will search the forest by us fairies. We will start with the upstream part of the river, so can I ask the people of the village to take care of the downstream part?”

“Yea-, yeah….of course.”

The spokesperson nodded with a dumbfounded expression.
Even if Riverette Village is near the Fairy Village, it’s the first time they saw such a gathering of fairies.

“Then, that’s how it is. Let’s start!”

Perhaps it’s the effect of the [Leadership] skill, she said that as she took charge of things before anyone noticed.

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