Chapter 88 - Dune
By the time we came out from the fog, the sun had dipped quite low. As we rowed to the shore, Marcelo-san and the two from the workshop were waiting for us at the log cabin they'd built near the goblin nest.
"You've been waiting for us all this time? I'm sorry."
"Nah, we were building this. And that too."
Where the old man pointed, the entrance to the goblin nest now had a wooden door. He said he'd attached it for them before winter came. They must still be sleeping. The door was closed.
"They said they wanted to hear the story at the Waterworks Management Office once you lot returned. I'll go call them, so wait there."
Regarding this exploration, we've been told by Adolf-san to keep quiet. To be precise, we're supposed to tell the town that we were ultimately pushed back by the fog and failed. After making several round trips on the bowl made with Wind Barrier to send everyone back, only Paul-san and I remained at the lake.
"Now then, it's okay."
"Dune. Come out."
When I called out toward the lake, a woman wearing a light blue one-piece dress came out from the water. It's Undine. Apparently, she can transform into a human form. We all thought of a name and decided to call her Dune. We had her come through the lake water instead of riding the boat, and met her here.
"Then, let's go."
The bowl piloted by Paul-san carries us through the sky. We first ascend and fly over the forest.
"Amazing! So this is what it means to fly in the sky."
We could have flown near her house, but it's obviously better to fly in a wide-open space. Before I knew it, Kuroko, who had returned to its original white form, was also flying right beside us. When Dune and I waved, it cried "Qua, qua."
"Look! You can see so far away."
Looking south of Nakanohara, I could see the plains bathed in the setting sun. The clusters of houses here and there must be villages. I also saw the fortress where we first exterminated bats.
We descend near the waterfall. The volume of water before our eyes is incredible. Looking down, I felt like I was going to be sucked into the basin, so I reflexively clung to Dune. Dune, with a grin, pulled the water toward us, so water splashed on my face. We descended while frolicking. We landed in the pond at the base of the waterfall and celebrated the flight commemoration with a high-five.
As we drifted toward the shore, Adolf-san, the Archbishop, and the Archbishop's secretary—the three of them—came out to meet us. Adolf-san acted as the intermediary for introductions. Having had her first flight experience, Dune was in a good mood.
"I'm the water spirit who lives in the lake above. When I'm in this form, I've decided to go by Dune."
She looks at Paul-san and me. Both of us can't help but nod with smiles.
"We would like to hear your story, so please come this way."
From the window of the Waterworks Management Office that Adolf-san pointed to, everyone was peeking out. For the time being, we had Dune, Adolf-san, the Archbishop, and the secretary sit on the sofas, while we decided to stand and watch from behind... but I ended up sitting next to Dune. Dune told me to do so.
In a sense, it's an official setting. To be honest, I was nervous and ended up breaking a sweat.
"Thank you for showing yourself to us. First, please accept this."
What the secretary presented was a box of small assorted cakes and a basket filled with various fruit wines.
"We apologize for offering the same things all this time. From now on, we will be more creative and include things like Highway Cookies in our offerings."
Beatrix was puffing out her chest proudly. She must have put them up to it.
"I'd appreciate it if you did that."
She's being treated with the utmost respect.
"To start with, allow me to thank you for protecting the Goddess's ruins."
The Archbishop bowed his head.
"Even if you say that, I was just protecting my own dwelling."
"That dwelling of yours is the very ruins of the Goddess. In our lore, it is said that she placed a barrier on that land and sent a guardian. That guardian must be you."
"Is that so? I don't really know, but I'm a spirit born from the lake."
Dune tilted her head.
"Originally, that lake was said to be much smaller. It was our ancestors who built the tower that serves as a temple on the island within it. Later, our ancestors chose to descend the mountain and live by the riverbanks. And upon leaving that land, they asked the Goddess for the protection of the temple, and the current massive lake was created."
That means only the small pond-like lake around the tower existed from the start.
"And then a guardian was sent. In other words, you were born from the lake."
"Hmm. I see."
"It is passed down that that was about three thousand years ago."
That means Dune is three thousand years old.
Dune pointed her index finger at me and splashed water in my face.
I get it, I get it, the Great Water Spirit doesn't age, so she's eternally twenty.
She looks satisfied. Apparently, her set age has been decided.
"I would also like to offer my thanks."
This time it was Adolf-san.
"Thanks to you, we have never lacked for fresh water. Because of that, the lives of the people have been stable, and we live healthily."
"I'll tell you now, I wasn't protecting the water just for the sake of humans."
"I am well aware. For all of that power, as a part of the living creatures who cannot survive without water, allow me to thank you."
He bowed deeply. As expected. He didn't call humans the representatives of living creatures, but a part of them. There are those who arrogantly say that humans were specially chosen by the Goddess. In such a climate, a person chosen by the King as an administrator of Sertoria accurately understands the essence of the doctrine.
"By the way, what do you intend to do from now on?"
"Let's see. I'm thinking of enjoying the outside world with these children from time to time. My house... the ruins you speak of, is protected by the barrier and my companion bird, and leaving the lake for two or three days a month won't affect the purification of the water. Of course, I can't leave if there's heavy rain and the water gets muddy."
Both the Archbishop and Adolf-san bowed their heads, saying "We look forward to your continued favor."
After that, there were explanations from Adolf-san about making the area around the lake a no-fishing zone, that goblins are currently living there and making nests, that goblins will likely make nests on the north shore in the near future, and that for that purpose, they will modify the terrain of the north shore to build a watchtower, and so on.
Dune nodded at each point, but she showed reluctance toward Adolf-san's plan to eventually make the observatory above the waterfall a tourist attraction. She's worried that many people coming will pollute the lake. In the end, it was settled with a promise to strictly control entry to the observatory by providing priests and guards as guides.
Anyway, the exit from the observatory to the lake has a locked door in the observatory's basement. Ordinary people can't even get up to the observatory without using a sled. Incidentally, when he explained that he was thinking of connecting the top to the bottom with sleds as a tourist highlight, her eyes changed color.
"What's that? Let me on too!"
As expected. Moreover, she tries to drag me in too, saying "You come too!"
"In that case, shall we go!"
Paul-san was enthusiastic. I tried to escape somehow, but even Beatrix told me, "It's an honor, so just go quietly."
Honor or not, why are you smirking!
I returned to the office while supporting Dune, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement. "I like this. I haven't met humans in a while, but it seems things have changed a lot."
She was all smiles. She rode it three times while squealing. I wish she'd consider the feelings of the one forced to go along.
"I wonder if you have met humans before?"
"They said they were hunters around here. If I recall, the name was..."
I was surprised to hear the name she gave in response to Adolf-san's question. It was the name of the first King. When I asked if it was such a person and gave his appearance and characteristics, they matched.
"Heh—so he became a King. He said he wanted to become a skilled hunter, marry a good-natured local girl, and teach his children how to hunt, though."
I wonder what their relationship was. After all, it's a man and a woman. I don't know if I should ask.
"Were you acquaintances?"
I'd forgotten there was a fearless mage here.
"I wonder if you'd call us acquaintances. There are few people among you humans who use light magic, right? So, he was the first human I ever met and spoke with. He came to see me several times and told me various stories. Sometimes he brought wine and bread. He was also the one who suggested the idea that the fog barrier could be passed to the next stage if people held hands and sang some song."
So one could go to the other side even without Light. However, I didn't know that Light was such a rare magic.
"He said he had to go to war. After that, only offerings came and he stopped coming himself. I thought he'd died in battle, but he certainly rose in the world."
She laughed, "Ufufu." It must have been fun.
The talk of the Demon Lord's army in the north also came up. There's a possibility of an invasion at worst. Adolf-san likely wants to confirm Dune's stance.
"Basically, I'm neutral. But if they pollute the lake or attack me while I'm in this form, I might become hostile regardless of your situation. I'll tell you now, I'll attack even if humans do the same thing."
"That is sufficient. If there are any unscrupulous individuals among us, please do not hesitate to fulfill your duty as the guardian of the lake."
He is resolute. He really is a great person.
After that, it turned into casual small talk. Since we'd come all this way, Beatrix suggested having a drink in town and that she'd treat, and Dune went along with it. When I asked how she'd get home at night, I was given a ring. She said that if I chant the keyword, I can call her through the ring, and she can also return home. When Dune has business with me, the ring will apparently glow.
"It's a charm," she laughed.
It's a silver ring with a blue stone. Or should I say light blue? The surface is pale, and the center is dark.
"Amazing. As expected of a spirit."
Paul-san, who was shown it, had his fingers trembling as he held it. To those who know, it must be an incredible object.
"It's nothing special. I just made it to kill time."
She says it bluntly, but she probably made it because she got lonely after she couldn't see the first King anymore.
"Don't lose it. If someone else puts it on their finger, it'll break and the lake water will overflow, causing a flood."
Paul-san hurriedly returned it to me.
When I tried on the ring, it changed to the perfect size. When I peered into the light blue stone, the dark part in the center was slowly swirling.
"From now on, when you speak with me, do it through Jeanne. In exchange, I'll protect this girl to some extent."
When I asked what she meant by 'to some extent,' she said she can't exert sufficient power unless there's a large amount of water nearby. In exchange, if there's a large amount of water—lake, pond, river, artificial moat, anything is fine.
"Is it okay? For someone like me..."
"In exchange, treat me to some delicious food at least once a month."
I see. It's like a hired bodyguard. Even so, it's an incredible thing to be protected by a water spirit.
When I took her hand and said "Thank you," she squeezed back, saying "That includes the part for my bird taking a liking to you, too."
"Come to think of it, what on earth is that child?"
"I don't really know. Maybe a spirit of a bird or something. It just started living near my place before I knew it. It helps me monitor the lake, so now it's like a partner."