Chapter 330 - Chapter Thirteen: The Ritual of Purification
Unfortunately, escape was not achieved. However, it seems Henry-sama's group is at the village altar in the mountains.
The two of them were boasting about having good eyes. Since Wilson-san and Alex are also there, they might find this hut by searching in the bowl.
But six wyverns, huh. If it's Mel, it'll be one shot. The fact that Eleanor-sama is on this island means James-sama might bring her. If so, it's seven hours. Even if they depart the palace now, they'll make it in time. That is, if James-sama feels like it, but I'll just have to have his master, Eleanor-sama, do her best to persuade him.
If we're saved, what will happen to the people of this island?
Since I'm technically a state guest, treason might be applied. The priest will almost certainly have his entire clan slaughtered. His attitude is arrogant, but there's no doubt he's a noble and serious person. Getting hooked on wyverns was his downfall. He must have seen a wyvern as a child and had his heart stolen. After all, when the older brother talked about wyverns, he was laughing innocently like a child.
No, it's not just the priest and the older brother. The people looking down there are surely the same.
Since they were small, they have feared, respected, and revered the wyverns. That's how they've lived. I heard that if they give boar meat and wine, they can have a banquet near them while they eat. Everyone might have had banquets like that.
The reason this small island could continue to refuse to belong to Finis is also because I heard that if they attacked with a large army, the wyverns might get angry and attack. Of course, if they were serious, it would have been possible to subjugate the wyverns, but the Finis Royal Family, which respects spirits, did not choose that. For the people of the island, they must have been guardian gods.
A banquet together with the wyverns, huh. Even if they aren't friendly like the Water Dragon, being able to have a banquet with a god-like existence is like a dream. By doing that, as a part of the living things of the island...
Eh? Wait a minute.
The 'role as the strongest biological being' that Mel mentioned, could it be to restrain humans?
Humans are generally arrogant. They drive away spirits, drive away monsters that like humans, and finally drive each other away.
If a being that makes such arrogant humans realize their own weakness is the strongest biological being, the dragon...
Offering humans as sacrifices is not allowed, but boar meat is allowed. If so, in a sense, this island was achieving coexistence and co-prosperity with the wyverns.
What. It's the same as the Water Dragon.
After that, as long as people don't die, it's fine.
If Mel is here, we can talk to the wyverns. The Black Dragon mother's last words are of course important, but on this island too, it might become possible to hunt together with the wyverns like with the Water Dragon.
I felt relieved once I thought this far. After that, I just have to have everyone do their best. I'll be completely dependent on others, but it can't be helped.
Perhaps because I've calmed down, I can see my surroundings. No, until now I had been thinking while blankly looking at the ceiling, but I have the mental leeway to twist my neck and look around.
The three guards are still looking down. The older brother has his eyes closed and is moving his mouth mogo-mogo. He must be offering prayers to the Goddess.
The sister was shedding tears in silence.
I make a sound like a voice or a cough.
The sister noticed and looked at me.
It's okay. We'll definitely be saved. I have the protection of the spirits of water and wind, after all. Besides, the old and new heroes should help us too. So, please rest assured.
I ended up laughing with only my eyes, but it seemed to be transmitted. She gave me a smile.
While I was calculating various things for after we're saved, I became incredibly sleepy. I think I'm thick-skinned myself, but I can't help being sleepy. When I looked at the sister, she met my eyes. She's not crying anymore. It should be fine. If [Thought Communication] could be used, the two of us would surely be able to draw various visions of the future. It would surely be fun. If we're saved, shall we talk about various things with the older brother too...
I woke up because things became somewhat noisy.
"What are you! You insolent fellow!"
The priest is shouting in a bright red rage before my eyes. What is he angry about?
"You! Do you understand what the Ritual of Purification is! You are about to be eaten by a wyvern! In other words, you are going to die! Despite that, what kind of nerves do you have to be sleeping while drooling!"
Apparently, he's angry because I was sleeping. Even if you say that, normal humans sleep at night. It's natural to get sleepy, so it can't be helped.
He was shouting while wheezing, but he finally seemed to run out of breath.
"Enough!" he said, and after shouting various instructions at the apprentice priests and villagers, he went elsewhere.
"Give me a break. If the priest gets angry, he takes it out on us too!"
I was even complained to by a villager.
That villager carried a barrel. It's like a wine barrel.
When he pulled the plug... the smell of the strong alcohol unique to Finis wafted out. As I thought, it's a wine barrel.
When he lifted that wine barrel... of all things, he started splashing it on a person's body!
What are you doing!
A whole barrel was splashed on me. The smell of strong alcohol hung in the air, and I felt like I'd get drunk just from that.
Thanks to that, I'm soaking wet. No, it's somehow slimy.
Since it was splashed on my face too, I ended up drinking a little.
It has a strange taste. Come to think of it, the smell is also strangely fishy.
"It's special wine mixed with boar fat. Wyverns like alcohol. If you splash this wine on your body like this, they apparently have a good appetite because of the smell of alcohol and the taste of boar. Well, it's just in the legends and I've never seen it, though."
No matter how you think about it, you're deceiving the smell and taste!
It's a scam, a scam!
Why are you so obsessed with humans to that extent!
Change it to boar meat!
"Alright. The priest's portion is done. Shall we carry her? The other two, we'll let them be eaten later, so we'll leave them here."
The siblings made fugu-fugu sounds to protest, but they couldn't resist. I was carried away just like that.
When we reached the exit of the hut, the priest and the others were waiting.
Eight of them were carrying two door boards with three short, wide wine barrels on each. They'll likely have the wyverns drink them.
"Now, we depart. Chant along."
The group proceeded while chanting along with the priest's prayer.
It's quite cold. Even though it's October, the altitude is high. I'm only wearing undergarments and work clothes. Since a large bonfire was lit in the cave altar, it wasn't cold, so it's even more so. Judging from the height of the sun, it must still be early morning. The path we're taking should be the one we ran on last night. Since we ran for nearly half an hour, it'll take more if we walk. I heard that wyverns wake up a little later than humans. The reason the voice of the prayer is restrained is likely because they are trying not to anger the wyverns, who might be sleeping.
Because of the journey of over an hour, I started to freeze. If I had known this would happen, I should have opened my mouth more when the boar wine was splashed on me.
We reached the great rock of the altar just like that, and I was lifted up with a unse-unse. There should be wine barrels under the rock. I'm practically a snack for the wine.
The priest and the others got off the rock. Before long, the good smell of roasting meat wafted over along with the smell of alcohol. They must be preparing for the banquet.
I didn't notice because it was the middle of the night yesterday, but rocks are poking their faces out here and there, and trees are growing reasonably around them. With this, it might be difficult to specify the altar just by looking from a distance.
The voice of the prayer became louder. The chanting is also loud accordingly.
They must finally be calling out the wyverns.
Where is James-sama? I'll be in trouble unless he comes soon.
"H-He's here!"
One of the villagers raised his voice, and a stir arose.
The priest continued the prayer without minding, and the apprentice priests were chanting.
When I looked in the direction of the nest, he was certainly there.
He's poking his light green face out from beside the great rock the older brother told me about.
However, perhaps because I'm used to seeing the Black Dragon and the Water Dragon, he's small. He's an inverted triangle and his eyes aren't red. They are diamond-shaped like the Water Dragon's. He has no horns. The part of the base of the triangle is just pointed.
His figure with folded wings is slender. His whole body is light green, and sturdy scales cover his body. He's certainly different from the Fire Dragon and the Water Dragon. His legs are long, and large, long claws are firmly gripping the rock. He resembles a bird. This part is different from the Water Dragon. The Fire Dragon also had legs like a bear.
That wyvern walked closer.
The voice of the prayer became exceptionally loud. The villagers are shouting, it seems they are screaming.
Even if I say he's small, it's in comparison to the Water Dragon and the Fire Dragon. The rock I'm bound to is about the height of a hut, but his face is at a higher position than that.
When the wyvern leaned forward and brought his face close, he went fun-fun as he sniffed my scent and tilted his head.
He must have realized I'm not a boar.
He started licking me with a bero-bero. I'm covered in drool. It's fishy!
I'm not a boar!
When he sniffed the scent fun-fun again, I felt like the corners of the wyvern's mouth turned up.
Could it be he noticed I'm not a boar?
He straightened his posture just like that, looked down at me, and gave a single cry of gyaon.
Um, what does that mean?
Suddenly, he flew up.
He's huge! His wings are wide!
His body is slender, but even one wing is many times wider.
He must be flying without magic power.
Just as I thought that huge thing drew a circle in the sky once, he landed right next to me again.
Because of the wyvern's mysterious behavior, the priest and the others are also confused, and the prayer and chanting stopped.
"W-What is the matter? Does our offering not please you?"
When the priest asked, he cried gyaon and turned away.
Apparently, he has no intention of eating me. Good.
At that time. The wyvern soared. No, he might have been blown away while his wings were folded as he was spinning guru-guru.
It must be Mel! James-sama must have finally come.
Now the wyvern is spinning guru-guru in the air while giving a scream.
Perhaps they heard the voice, as the remaining five also came out, but they were all blown away. The number of things spinning guru-guru just increased to six. They fell into the valley with a bota-bota just like that. They must be dizzy.
Now the voices of the priest and the others can't be heard. I heard a scream for an instant, but it soon became quiet. Since I'm bound to the door board and can only see the sky, I don't know what's happening, but it seems I'm saved.
"Jeanne! Are you okay? Eh! Stinky! What are you doing!"
Mel flew over, but it was a sudden greeting. I didn't get covered in boar wine because I liked it.
"Jeanne! Are you okay!"
"Jeanne! Are you alive?"
When I looked in the direction of Will and Bonnie's voices, a medium-sized bowl was floating. Henry-sama, Eleanor-sama, Gwyn-sama, the lord of the island, Wilson-san, Harris-sama, Will, and Bonnie were on it.
Even Dune is here. They might have gone all the way to Nakanohara Lake to call her.
Eh? James-sama isn't here.
When they undo my restraints and I hear the story... I was told I'm stinky, dirty, and not to approach, and they kept their distance, but... they were apparently waiting at one of the altars managed by the village. There, they can see when a wyvern flies from the nest. They thought they'd know the moment it approached the altar where I was.
"I thought we'd make it in time if we chased with the high-speed bowl once the wyvern flew from the nest. It's the plan I made."
Will is puffing out her chest boastfully.
No, you actually didn't make it in time, you know. If he had suddenly gone gabu on me, I would have died.
"Where is James-sama?"
Leaving aside Will, who made a plan that didn't make it in time, I have to say thank you to James-sama, who called out Mel.
"He's not here. Because I'm the one who called Dune and Mel."
Bonnie showed me the pendant hanging from her neck. The stones of the water spirit and the wind spirit are embedded in it.
"In case something happened to Jeanne, I became the one in charge of calling Dune and Mel."
I didn't know that. My calculations didn't serve any purpose at all.
"I requested it. I'm also the one who told them to keep quiet to Jeanne."
As expected of the Great Mage Eleanor-sama. Today, the victory pose looks cool.
It seems it was based on the assumption that I might be put to sleep or restrained like this time. The fact that Bonnie had it seems to have been a secret, and Will said she also found out for the first time this time. Because if it weren't to that extent, Bonnie might be targeted too.
I finally understood the reason why I've been with Bonnie lately.
Eleanor-sama said it also includes preparing for when we go to the continent. On the continent, magic can hardly be used. Therefore, those who go together are not mages. Excluding the Kingdom Army soldiers and the two from the Guard Corps Workshop, the candidates would be Will and Bonnie. The reason Beatrix hasn't been coming along lately is likely for that reason.
"Sorry, Jeanne. For keeping quiet. But thanks to that, we were able to protect you from the wyverns like this."
"That's right, there are times when Jeanne is sleeping too. I didn't think you'd be in such an outfit, though."
Dune grimaced as she tried to hug me and splashed water on me, and Mel pinched her nose as she tried to sit on my shoulder and kept her distance. I became soaking wet, but it became somewhat better.
"T-Thank you. But the wyvern didn't seem to have the intention to eat me."
"Eh! Is that so?"
That wyvern...
Somehow, below, a cry that sounds like a scream can be heard.
"Eh? Did I overdo it? But it's okay since Jeanne was saved, right?"
Mel laughed with an ahaha.
Poor wyvern... My condolences.
The priest and his faction seem to have been suppressed by Dune with [Warm] (T/N: Likely meant to be a water-based restraint). The reason they came in the medium-sized bowl was also to carry the water Dune uses, and they seem to have decided on a division of labor where Mel takes the wyverns and Dune takes the priest and the others.
The lord of the island apologized as if he were rubbing his forehead against the ground, and said he would put everyone involved in my kidnapping to death.
"Let's have them see what I came to do."
If they hadn't suddenly gagged me, it wouldn't have become like this.
By the way, the wyverns. Perhaps they are completely dizzy, as they are repeating trying to stand up and then falling over at the bottom of the valley.
"Really, it can't be helped."
When Mel made six huge bubbles, she began to return them to the nest.
They are making a fuss with gyaon, gyaon, but she just said "Sorry." It's extremely unreasonable.
"Hey, it seems several of them got injured. Can you heal them?"
I want to say I can heal them, but the [Magic-Sealing Ring] has been put on my finger.
When I looked at the priest, he turned away with a "Hmph."
"As you can see, I have the protection of the spirits of water and wind. The two can talk to the wyverns. The reason we were able to start fishing with the Water Dragon is also because we had them interpret."
Everyone met each other's eyes in unison.
"Now, the wyverns are injured. Because the wind spirit blew the wyverns into the valley to help me. I can use holy magic, so I'm thinking of casting [Heal] to heal their injuries, but could you cooperate?"
"W-What are you saying. Wyverns are monsters. If you cast [Heal]..."
"Dragons aren't monsters. So it's okay."
Dune grabbed the priest's scruff and was grinding his forehead into the ground.
"B-But..."
"Are you saying you can't trust my words? I'll kill you on the spot."
"H-Hold on, Dune! You mustn't kill him."
"If he dies, the effect of the ring will be cut, right? Then it's faster to kill him."
"K-Kill me! Either way, I'll be executed for treason. If I die, it'll be along with the wyverns!"
That's why I'm saying I won't kill the wyverns.
When Dune put a kick into him, he easily lost consciousness.
Next, she took my hand, and when she touched the [Magic-Sealing Ring], the Black Stone shattered into pieces.
"It's fine now. I'll leave this guy to the humans. Since I've released the seal of the ring, let's go heal the wyverns' injuries quickly."
Dune is also quite something.
I finally became able to use magic. First, I feel refreshed with a maximum [Clean Up].
Since everyone tied up the faction with ropes, we go to the entrance of the cave where the wyverns live. The priest also regained consciousness because Gwyn-sama gave him a stimulus.
Mel calls out, but they are just crying gyaon, gyaon and won't come out. They might be reluctant.
"Really, it's troublesome."
When she held her right palm upward to her mouth and blew a breath with a fuu, a gust of wind entered the cave. Just like that, the six dragons came rolling out as if they were spat out from the entrance of the nest. They are looking at Mel resentfully. Some are even bleeding in places.
I heal them with Harris-sama. It wouldn't do if something bad entered the wounds and they got sick. First, I cast a maximum [Anti-Sepsis] on each one. Next, together with Harris-sama, when we cast a maximum [Heal] on one, the wound closed before our eyes.
They are rejoicing with gyaon, gyaon.
"N-No way..."
The priest and the apprentice priests are surprised as if only now realizing.
"Do you understand now? Wyverns are not monsters. Like humans and normal animals, their injuries can be healed with [Heal]. Of course, they can't be subdued with light magic."
Saying that, when I showed a large Firefly to the wyvern whose treatment was finished, he approached and was peering into it. Since he thrust his snout out, I stroked it. Seeing that, the other five were making a fuss with gyaon, gyaon.
"They're saying to heal them quickly."
Mel interpreted for me.
"How about it? Can you all not use [Heal]? I would be grateful if you could help."