95 Denial
That was another delay but I decided not to mind it and got back on our track.
That said, I actually don't know how much distance we should cover in one day.
Hence, I just left it all to the elves. Still, aren't we walking too fast, oh? or perhaps not.
We saved Tagdes during lunchtime, and yet it felt like we had walked for quite a distance since then.
"The sun is starting to go down. I would like to raise our pace a bit. Would that be fine, milord?"
I nodded to Serena. We still haven't found another open space like the one we used to camp out yesterday.
Or perhaps that was the only one. We just gotta push through here.
"Just don't overdo it, okay."
Despite what I said, nobody looked tired.
We finally found an open spot by the time the sun almost set.
It's only about half a classroom big. That's when I thought.
(This is way too cramped if we want to put out the tents, table and benches.)
I borrowed a sword from Serena and entered [Acceleration]. In order to clear out the trees here.
I looked around to decide on the scope. Then I stabbed a tree that was in the way with the sword at its base and slide the sword around. The blade sunk into the thick trunk without any resistance and slipped out on the opposite side.
I kept cutting more trees while getting appalled by that.
As I've focused myself into Stage [5], the elves likely can't catch me moving.
Afterward, I grabbed all the felled trees and tossed them aside.
Mysteriously enough, I didn't feel the weight at all, no clue how and why.
(Not feeling the weight when I'm in this state, yeah it's just way too bizarre...)
That fact bugged my mind but I kept working.
Next, I'm pulling the stumps. I don't feel any resistance, like these trees aren't rooted to the grounds at all.
I toss them aside somewhere out of the way.
I fill the opened holes with soil and level them.
Then once I'm done with securing a nicely snug spot, I get myself out of the state. There was no need to be in a hurry if I could do this, but it simply never occurred to me until today. Really stupid of me, I groaned when I woke up and realized the next day.
Alright! I clapped my hands to shake off the soil as I said 'This'll do' to the elves.
Of course, to them it must have looked like this camping spot suddenly manifested out of thin air.
They looked so dumbfounded you'd think they forget to breathe, so I called out to them again.
"Aah, let's get ready. I'm getting hungry."
They finally came back to their senses 'Ha!?' and hurriedly began preparing.
And sure enough, I didn't have anything to do but to stand idly again.
Apparently they've made preparation already in the morning, the stew is already boiling full of ingredients.
When did they light the fire again? But then I recalled the existence of the handy power of magic in this world.
(It's too much how I can't make use of such power when it's so close to me. Though I can't use it being a 'Manaless' and all.)
Manaless, lack of mana, incapability of using magic is a serious defect in this world.
To light a fire, there's no stove or 100 yen lighters, people in this world instead use magic.
However, I don't dwell much on that fact. Since I have some rough knowledge of survival skills which I honed since childhood.
I can easily make a fire just by rubbing some sticks together in 'Acceleration' state. Had to go through lots of trial and error at first though.
Therefore, I'm confident that I can camp out alone even if I had to journey out by myself.
As I was simulating that, I heard voices 'We're finished' spoken in unison. They were done with their chores and I was just losing in thought for a moment.
I took my seat while feeling down from my lack of helpfulness.
Then the elves started taking their seats, I was relieved to see they finally got the memo. Don't have to go through the usual skit now.
While having our meal, I asked again if I could help.
"Mind letting me wash the dishes at least? I wanna help."
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"Please allow us to take care of all menial chores."
She said it so flatly like it's final.
It's probably partly because they don't want to let their savior work, but after hearing about the team thing yesterday, it's also probably because of that too. I gave up and shut my mouth.
The atmosphere turned a bit awkward as we had our meal so I started talking to gloss it over.
"Since you girls told me about elves yesterday, this time I'll tell you about myself."
I gave a rough lowdown on my history.
Born in a certain village and shunned by the villagers, but managed to led a comfortable life without issues thanks to my parents, I'd help them with hunting and farmwork until I left the village when I turned 15.
Which explains my lack of common sense and knowledge.
I rescued a certain merchant and agreed to be her bodyguard, and by chance or fate ended up getting involved with a crime syndicate, which I ended up destroying in irritation.
Here, I gave another convincing attempt a try.
"So yeah, I only happened to save you due to my own circumstances, so you can forget about getting indebted or whatnot."
But it was in vain, they wouldn't agree to it.
I looked back to myself.
(Ah, right I'm still 15...)
I was born with my past life's self and ego, and even now I don't really feel like I've been living this life in this world.
I stop thinking about that as that doesn't seem to bring any problem for now.
Instead, I asked about the girls.
"Speaking of, how old are you girls?"
Elves are a long living race, or so it goes usually in fantasy. But the ranges can vary wildly.
Some works go to 300, 500, 1000 or even 1500 year old.
Some character looks like in their 20s while actually being 200 year old, some other looks 20 and really is 20 year old, there's so many patterns.
The one trait they share is looking young forever.
And it's no exception with these girls.
"All of us here are around 80s."
"Eighty... Five times my age... Please excuse me for talking so casually with you all this time..."
I stood up and bowed.
(Even compared to my previous life age, they're 2.5 me... I'm just a baby to them.)
But Serena hurriedly tried to stop me.
"Please cease that milord! Please raise your head! You're our savior, please don't apologize to us!"
"But you know, you've gotta respect your elders and all."
It's a standard etiquette as a member of society in my previous life, but it has the opposite effect here.
"Strength is the only thing that matters in the world of nature. Ages do not mean anything. Us elves could only prostrate ourselves before milord's strength. I beg of you, please don't lower yourself such."
Strength is everything, I tried to think up a word to get back at that, but decided to bitterly swallow that logic.
"Haa... I got it, I'll drop it."
No helping it. As someone who lives by my previous life's standard, there's no way for me to persuade the people in this world to change theirs.
When our roots are this different, even if it's possible to work together, mixing them up would be a herculean task.
I muttered in wonder as I thought that.
"It's all so strange huh. Even the slightest change of direction might have ended up with me never rescuing or coming across you girls. Ah, you really can't tell what the future has in store for you huh."
"It is exactly as you said milord. Perhaps it's god's divine work we found ourselves here too."
I ended blurted something after hearing the word 'god' and got into a bad mood.
"I deny the entirety of that god though."
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