I tell them about how I came to this world from Earth, and how I arrived at this kingdom after going down the mountain.
I don’t know the reason at all. It was so sudden, I don’t have anything to prove it.
Aah, speaking of which, this knight is called Ilias, and the lady at her side is Maya-san. They told me this when I told them my name.
“I find it hard to believe, but…I can’t doubt Maya.” (Ilias)
“I have had it rough since coming here. I even met a bear in the mountain all of a sudden.”
“Oh my, that really must have been rough.” (Maya)
“Even a bear is a threat for civilians after all.” (Ilias)
It seems like that wasn’t much of an issue. What’s with this reaction as if I told them a cockroach appeared in the house and they just go ‘is that so~’.
“The bear was eaten by a slime though. I thought I would die when it attacked me.”
““?!””
It seems like this one was more of an issue.
“By mountain, you were referring to the Black Demon Lord Killer Mountain?!” (Maya)
What’s with that mess of a name that sounds like choice sake? I would like to try drinking it.
“The mountain at first had transparent tree trunks and lush leaves that shone even at night.”
“Why are you still alive?” (Maya)
My existence was questioned just from me explaining the situation. That’s a bit saddening.
“I am sorry for being alive.”
“That’s not what she meant. Even dragons don’t approach that place.” (Ilias)
There’s apparently dragons. I will add them to the list of things I want to see. Words like slime and dragon being transmitted properly is most likely thanks to the possession spell.
Those are not the actual names, but the Spirit-sama is translating it for them in a way that I can understand what they are trying to say.
That’s why I want to believe the Black Demon Lord Killer is just an issue with the forced translation.
Or more like, that slime is killing Demon Lords too? Is the power balance of this world okay?
“But a bear came into the mountain though?”
“That’s because it ate a rye fruit. It is a magic plant that grows in the area when the slime spreads its mana in the surroundings. When you eat that fruit, your mind will be controlled, and you will be led to the nest of the slime.” (Maya)
Uwaa, that’s scary. It is probably something similar to scattering bait, but what’s with that about being controlled if you eat it? I was eating the nuts and fruits I found around the area, but I am glad I didn’t eat that one.
“By the way, it is the one you were carrying a whole ton of.” (Ilias)
Uwaah, I did eat it. Could it be that was the reason why I had a sudden urge to return to that place midway? It did feel comfortable, and it made me want to return and live a survivor lifestyle there.
“Does that mean it doesn’t work on humans?”
“That’s not it. There’s barely any effect if you are faraway.” (Ilias)
“I was eating them nearby.”
“It is most likely because your internal mana is low. The rye fruit is made from the mana of slimes, so it controls the mind by connecting the mana to your mana when ingested. Your mana was so minuscule the mind control didn’t activate properly.” (Ilias)
I see. So I was saved because I am a weakling with 1 MP? Let’s be happy about it instead of sad.
“In that case, you survived because of how low your mana is. It is true that slimes would prioritize the ones with high mana.” (Ilias)
“It reacted to sound too.”
“Right. It eats insects as well, so I think it has that ability too.” (Ilias)
I see. Meaning that the slime is an omnivore that would attack living beings with mana using mana detection, and would eat whatever moves while at it, huh.
I was pretty much an insect with barely any mana in my body, so it didn’t seriously try to eat me.
“Being alive is wonderful.”
“Want to join our church? I will pray for you every day.” (Maya)
“*Cough*, and so, you moved to a neighboring mountain, and after going down the forest, you arrived at Taizu, huh. It must have been rough without any equipment.” (Ilias)
“I had a great partner called Tree Branch.”
“Ah, that? Sorry, it was broken and became firewood.” (Ilias)
It seems like the partner that journeyed the mountain together with me has turned to ashes. Flashbacks of my sworn friend <<wooden>> played in my mind.
“—God is dead.”
“Don’t take my job away.” (Maya)
“But it is fortunate that you didn’t encounter any bandits. There’s been an increase in bandits on this country’s territory. You would have been dead if you had encountered them in the forest.” (Ilias)
Speaking of which, she is right. I got really excited when I found a road, but now that I think about it calmly, that’s the easiest point to get attacked in! How careless!
“Right, I am glad it was only inside the mountain.”
“Yeah, it is gre—huh?” (Ilias)
Ilias-san froze. Wow, she is making a really amusing face.
I am surprised she can even make a face like that.
“You met them…in the mountains?” (Ilias)
“Quite the dangerous bunch. They were even carrying the arm of a person—”
“Where?! Where did you see them?!” (Ilias)
She came at me at a speed even faster than the lunge of a slime, grabbed my collar, and shook me.
Wait, stop, my brain…is being shaken… Her strength is crazy. I am dying, you gori—
“Ilias, the boy is going to die.” (Maya)
“Ah! S-Sorry.” (Ilias)
“*Cough, cough cough!*”
I coughed in tears. This is the closest I have been to dying since coming to this world. I can say that for sure.
It reminded me of the time when I got caught up in the drunken stupor of a bodybuilder and he grabbed my collar, but this had even more power into it.
A person can die just from being shaken. Noted.
After I catch my breath, I tell them about how I found a piece of rope when I arrived at the river, and how I encountered the bandits once I arrived at a cave.
I also told them about how I passed by several bandits on my way down.
Ilias-san was trembling all over.
She then told me that those bandits had their hideout among the mountains and it was extremely difficult to catch their movements. Ilias-san was apparently given the mission to deal with them just the other day.
“I can’t stay put here! We must form a subjugation party and depart at once!” (Ilias)
“Wait. The boy struggled to even come here, you know? He probably doesn’t remember the way.” (Maya)
“Now that you mention it, I marked the trees of the forest.”
“It is so convenient I am moved. Can I hug you?” (Ilias)
“Gently, if possible.”
“You guys get along well.” (Maya)
After that, I ended up accepting the job of guiding them to the den of the bandits.
It is evening. In front of the gates, there’s Ilias-san, a pitiful bagged and carried isekai traveler, and the personnel gathered.
She must have gathered knights of the same unit, there’s 10 people including us. Everyone is decently old, but are seasoned soldiers in active duty.
No, more importantly than that, isn’t this treatment weird? Could it be that this girl actually likes to carry bags of rice?
“Gentlemen, thanks to the tip of a certain traveler, we have learned that the bandits have a secret cave in the mountains. We will promptly invade the mountain and seize the bandits!” (Ilias)
““YEAH!!””
“What a godsent! No, it is a natural miracle granted to us by our justice!”
“Divine intervention for Lady Ratzel!”
I could tell the morale of the knights was rising with the declaration of Ilias. I unfortunately am stuffed in a bag, so I can’t see though.
“We didn’t manage to obtain a satisfactory number as a unit due to the suddenness of the situation, however, in the face of your bravery, the ones with the inferior numbers are the bandits!” (Ilias)
““YEAAAH!””
“Don’t leave anything for the arrogant knights that couldn’t get results before us! Let’s go with enough momentum to bring down even the mountain!” (Ilias)
I thought Ilias-san was a gorilla, but they are probably all gorillas.
They are most likely waving their weapons around because of the excitement, but the sound they are making is weird.
Someone probably hit their weapon on the ground, the earth shook from that.
I unfortunately am in a bag, so I can’t see though.
“Alright, let’s go!” (Ilias)
“Excuse me, Ilias-san.”
“Hm? What’s the matter?” (Ilias)
“I would like to request an improvement in my treatment before departing.”
“?”
“Can I be treated like a human?”
“…Ah!” (Ilias)
“What? I thought the boy liked to be carried by the shoulder.”
And so, the knight unit led by Ilias trekked on to attack the hideout of the bandits.