"Forest? Are you sure you're in this forest?"
"I know this forest, Commander Alphonse.Because it is a forest close to the city, people who have nothing to do with it should have been forbidden to enter.I think they took precious herbs and mushrooms. "
"Managing forest resources?"But a tracking bird following the smell of an assassin is about to enter this forest.That means there are assassins in this forest. "
"Hmm, I've never heard of anyone living here."
After tracking the smell of the two assassins defeated in the village, we arrived in a forest quite close to Orient Country.
It is a very ordinary forest with lots of trees.
I've never heard of anyone living in this forest.
Zen, who knows more about this area than I do, says there should have been nobody here.
However, although it was a forest near the city, it was said that no one could enter or exit freely.
Because it is a forest owned by whoever it was, and what is taken from it is the property of its owner.
I don't know what punishment I'll get if I find myself in the woods harvesting.
That's why there aren't many people in this forest.
"Some of them came out of the woods.Aren't they from the Glades? "
But while we were talking while we were looking at the forest, people came out of the forest.
The figure was, in any case, a run-down image reminiscent of life in the ghetto.
If I'm wrong, I'm not the keeper of this forest.
Such a poor man has something nutty in his hand. Is that good?
"Speaking of which, I'm sure you're forbidden to go in on your own, but you've probably never heard of anyone watching you."
"If that's what they say, yes.Zen is right. The sentry is nowhere.Doesn't everyone just keep going into the woods at this rate? "
"I think so, but it doesn't seem like the poor are coming out that much.There was a storm this year, so everyone should be hungry.If it's okay to go in and out, more people are going into the woods. "
Zen was right and saw some people in the woods.
It's just shallow in the woods, but there are people.
And there's nowhere to be seen to take it away.
Normally, the poor would jump if there were a natural forest like this delicious pantry.
The poor are hungry and in distress every day.
It is not strange to risk entering the forest if it is possible to get food even if there is some danger.
But if that were the case, it wouldn't be strange to have more people in the woods.
Nevertheless, it didn't seem that way.
Until now, it was too close to Orient Country, so I didn't pay attention to it, but there is a discomfort in the management system of this forest.
"Don't worry about it. Let's gather some information first.Can you talk to the guy who just came out of the woods? "
"Okay, I'll go."
I didn't have to go into the woods like this.
The tracking bird followed the smell and came here.
At least it has nothing to do with the assassin.
Or maybe it's one of the assassins who manages and monitors the forest.
But is it dangerous to enter the forest?
This forest has something to do with the existence of an impossible to distinguish pseudo.
Just be careful.
So Zen went to talk to the poor people who came out of the forest.
"Why don't you go inside the woods?"
"Seems so. I've just spoken to some of the men I've heard about and some of the people who were in the woods.That's what everybody says. "
"I don't know, what do you mean?Does someone get in the woods or something like that? "
"I thought so too, but it seems different.What do you say?It seems to be coming out on its own, even as it tries to go deeper. "
"On your own, unintentionally?"
"Yes, even if he's going straight into the woods, he feels like he's out of the woods.That's why they seem to be walking properly and taking home the food they found along the way. "
"Wow, it's a strange forest.Is there such a place? "
Report the information Zen learns from listening.
The contents were surprising.
Apparently, there is no one in this forest to watch over.
But instead, it seems that the forest itself has changed considerably.
When I try to go in the back, I leave the forest on my own.
They say it's such a strange forest.
"It's similar to the old Hermes territory."
"What? Is Hermes from the United Kingdom of Fontana?"
"That's right, Mr. Alphonse. The former Hermes Territory is a mountainous area north of Boutika territory.Because fields such as wheat are difficult to make, medicinal herbs are famous as specialties.And it used to be illusioned. "
"... illusion. Was it the Hermes magic?"
"Yes, the top magic used by the Hermes family's current class is called the Phantom Boundary.It had the effect of using the leaves of the mountains of the former Hermes territory to hide the home of the Hermes family at that time.As a result, the neighboring aristocracy could not locate the Hermes' stronghold and was called the Lost Forest. "
"I see. Does that mean that this forest might have something like that?"
"We don't have enough information at the moment.But I think it's possible. "
I wonder if this forest resembles the mountain where the Hermes family's top magic, [Phantom Boundary], was used.
Maybe so.
We haven't tried it ourselves yet, but there are multiple testimonies that they leave the forest on their own.
That means that this forest may have massive magic.
I wonder if there are people like the Hermes here.
Maybe shadow folks are funnier than I expected.
While thrilled, I decided to take the mercenaries into the woods.