"It's an unusual case, but he's human regardless. I've concluded he's human."
Rather than calling him a troublesome resurrected being or a saint blessed by the gods, concluding he was human simply sounded better. I readily nodded and glanced at him.
"You've seen things like necromancy around here, haven't you? Beings brought back through necromancy are unrealistic, supernatural existences."
"Those brought back through necromancy are monsters!"
Xenon protested strongly.
"Monsters can be killed, but ghosts can't be killed even with magic! That expensive magic tool you're carrying is completely useless."
Why would I use a magic tool bought for use on people, on a ghost? What a waste.
"So in the end, you're afraid ghosts might pop out?"
"Look at those ominous crows! Wouldn't it be stranger if there were no ghosts?"
I looked in the direction Xenon was pointing. Whether this entire forest was a crow habitat, black feathers were visible wherever my eyes landed.
Even though the trees had no leaves, the crows made it look at a glance like the trees were full of lush black foliage.
Indeed... the sight of crows sitting packed together with folded wings could certainly look ominous to Xenon.
[It's been a long time since a person came.]
[Where are you heading?]
[It's a cliff ahead!]
[Humans don't have wings, so they'll fall!]
[It's dangerous!]
[Did you get lost? Should we show you the way?]
"Ominous? They're just cute."
[They said we're cute!]
[They said we're cute!]
[You're cute too, human!]
[Human, there's no path here!]
[Do you think they understand us?]
At the cawing sounds all at once, Xenon shuddered. Too bad, if he could understand what they were saying, he'd be less scared.
I smiled kindly at the flock of helpful crows and looked around again. Even the bushes that should have been lush showed their thin branches prominently, and the leaves were all dried and withered.
Judging by appearance alone, it looked almost like a dead forest. Since I could hear the crows' chatter clearly, I had no room to be scared, but it was definitely a scene that wouldn't be good for people who feared this kind of atmosphere.
"Then can't you tell me at least what goal you have that requires passing through this dangerous place? Why are you going to the cliff?"
"To gather subordinates."
"You left subordinates at the cliff?"
"Yes."
I nodded without much sincerity and pulled the reins to stop.
"This is good. Set up camp and wait here."
It was a reasonably wide clearing. At my words, Xenon asked back with a pale face.
"Camping in this forest? You're saying you'll leave me here?"
"Whatever appears, Nessie will drive it all away for you."
"Nessie can't catch ghosts!"
"Then go down to the village right now."
I didn't mind if he really went down, but Xenon, while guarding his surroundings with a pale face, still obstinately began setting up camp.
Seeing that stubbornness was a bit fascinating. He truly seemed to worry about me regardless of gain or loss.
Even if he didn't accompany me here, the money I gave him would be the same, and he must already know that.
Come to think of it, even before, he had asked if I shouldn't rest since I was sick.
'Shouldn't you rest since you're sick.'
That was something I'd heard quite often since receiving the time-limited sentence. Many people had said such things to me, but the meanings were all different.
You no longer have the stamina to handle this work, you've lost the qualification, acknowledge your incompetence and worthlessness...
Xenon's words didn't correspond to any of these meanings.
"If you feel something strange about the atmosphere, scream... no, use the communication device. Nessie and I will come find you. And if you think you've gotten lost for no reason, just stay where you are."
While arranging a place to sit and a spot for a bonfire, Xenon kept talking.
Seeing him trying to shake off fear even like that, I nodded willingly.
"Alright."
"Aren't you hungry? Should I prepare something while you're gone?"
"You grumbled about making the high-class personnel do all the cooking."
"I thought it would be better to focus on cooking."
"If there's meat, try throwing some to the crows. This forest is barren, so the crows seem a bit scrawny."
Xenon, who was rummaging through ingredients, stopped moving. Just then, a few crows that had been sitting nearby flapped up and dropped black feathers.
I saw Xenon swallow a scream while waving his arms and making all sorts of fuss. I smiled brightly at him.
"You'll get friendly with the crows and lose your fear too. You'll have a beneficial time."
I became a bit curious. While I'm gone, will Xenon be able to take out the ingredients or not?
* * *
"Nadab, do you sense anything?"
[Nothing in particular yet. I apologize, Captain.]
Was finding the wyvern habitat with just the hint of 'wyvern' too reckless a decision after all? I sank into thought, gazing beyond the cliff into the distance.
It didn't take long after leaving Xenon in the forest and asking the crows for directions to reach the cliff.
Upon reaching the cliff, birds of prey were indeed visible here and there as I'd heard. However, I couldn't find any wyvern, and Nadab didn't sense any particular energy either. Perhaps there was nothing here.
It would be nice if I could at least ask hawks or eagles for help, but they were all circling from afar and only wary of me, so there was no one to catch and ask. I really just want to ask peacefully.
"Should I cause a scene?"
But then wouldn't they try to run away even more?
[Intruder!]
[This is our territory!]
While poking around below the cliff after dismounting Nadab, I heard some birds of prey shouting at me from afar.
Whether they were hawks or eagles, I didn't know, but they descended threateningly with their sharp talons fully bared. At the same time, Nadab, who had been in horse form, returned to his true form.
Startled by the appearance of the fearsome Dullahan, they hurriedly turned and circled upward.
[It's a Dullahan!]
[A Dullahan has appeared!]
[We need to inform quickly!]
Inform? To whom?
"Wait...!"
Before I could even call out to stop them, they had already disappeared into the distance.
"...."
Looking blankly at the birds that had become dots, I just plopped down on the spot.
Since they said they'd go inform someone, someone would probably appear. That someone would likely be stronger than them, so maybe a wyvern? I just hope I can communicate with that wyvern.
How long had I been idly watching the cliff scenery and killing time? Nadab suddenly pointed his sword somewhere. Black smoke rose from Nadab's body.
[Something is approaching. Please get behind me, Captain.]
From the direction where the birds had disappeared as dots, I saw something flying this way. A dot the size of a fingernail quickly grew larger. That meant it was flying at a fast speed.
The dot grew bigger and bigger, and finally, the form gradually became distinguishable. Heavy, flapping wings appeared first. Then bulging eyes and a sharp beak came into view one after another.
What was approaching closer and closer was, as expected, a wyvern.
[OH~! WHO~ IS~ TH~IS!]
A loud, drawn-out cry struck various parts of the steep cliff face.
Uh, so that means...
"Nadab, lower your sword."
[But I cannot determine the enemy's intent.]
"It's fine. I think I know.]
[AN~NEL~IA~!]
I looked at the wyvern's red feathers and patted the neck of the horse Nadab was riding.
Hearing the wyvern's call, even more ringing and clear than when I heard it in the central square, a hollow laugh escaped me. With such an enthusiastic welcome, it's tear-inducingly moving.
"It's just being friendly."
* * *
The crows, which had seemed to be just one or two, kept increasing in number. Annelia had packed plenty of ingredients in the spatial bag she bought, but that wasn't meant to feed all the crows in this forest.
Xenon looked at the crows devouring everything the moment it was thrown, faster than blinking, and eventually dropped his shoulders with a resigned face. Still, since he was throwing crow food, his fear had lessened considerably.
"Since I fed you, if ghosts appear, you need to chase them away. You have to repay the kindness."
Muttering alone to crows he couldn't communicate with, Xenon's eyes met Nessie's. Seeing Nessie indifferently turn away, Xenon clicked his tongue.
No matter how he looked at it, that wolf was clearly ignoring his owner. Such an insolent fellow.
But Xenon was a generous owner, so he cut the meat into easy-to-eat pieces. Nessie, who had been sitting indifferently, accepted the meat with a haughty air.
That thing is so arrogant—who else would prepare food if not me? I was about to shake my head at Nessie when a sparkling communication device caught Xenon's eye.
He quickly picked up the communication device. Finally leaving this scary forest!
"Lord Annelia! I'll come right away!"
—Can you find this place?
An urgent voice was heard. Xenon quickly nodded and answered.
"Of course! With Nessie's sense of smell, it's enough!"
—Then take our Nadab.
"Yes, I underst... what?"
Something incomprehensible noise came from the other side. The sharp sound closely resembled a monster's cry.
—I need to go somewhere for a bit, but I can't take Nadab. And I'm worried about leaving him alone. You can take Nadab and go down to the village first.
Annelia, who had only said what she wanted to say, unilaterally cut off communication. It was instantaneous, before Xenon could even ask anything.
"...?"
Xenon looked blankly at the communication device that had gone dark and frowned with a subtle expression.
Wait, but just before the connection was cut, what he saw behind Annelia.
"Wasn't that a wyvern?"
Sadly, no one was there to answer his question. Only the cries of the full-fed crows echoed through the desolate forest.