Welcome to Japan, Mr. Elf.
Episode 20: A Cat Night
It was one night.
The children of the cat tribe returned to the holes, where they lived.
The moon was also an invisible dark night, but for him it was equal to day. As an indication of that, a round splendid bird hung on his hip.
Cats are a weak species. I can't stand up to demons, and I can't even get close to people. So I asked around, and then I gently went back to the cave where I hid it. Because if they see a nest or something, it will be a hassle.
"Oh, you're home, Muy. Which is a good bird."
My grandfather stroked my head in his big hand and the child laughed happily.
The skeleton is too close to a person for a cat to stand up, and the wild taste is too strong for a person to have body hair.
Besides, physical lightness is important in hunting, so even adults are as small as children.
After rubbing their heads off and replacing the smell of the gnats, they do meal support.
A peaceful day when nothing happens is what matters and what they keep protecting all the time.
But tonight, their routine will be broken.
Wrapped in lantern lights, my grandfather took out one stone.
When the fire reflects, the stone glows in a seductive color, and the child leaks his voice as "wow". My grandfather narrows his eyes and speaks out about this stone in a squeamish voice.
"Which, shall we talk about the old days before we go to sleep? This is a story from generation to generation."
The cut is not in place for the gem, but depending on the angle it looks transparent to the deepest part of the inside. It's what my grandfather calls a fat old breath, and he touches it with his little fingers.
Then only slightly glowed where I touched the strange.
"Ho, Mui is a stone-favorite child. Yes, the Washi and other clans used to deal with what they called Demon Stones at Uger Peak. It was hundreds of years ago."
"Demon Stone...?
My grandfather's voice mixes bitter things, and I look up to him.
When you move your fingers and change the angle of the demon stone, a blue and white light is scattered around the cave. Muy was surprised enough to reverse her whole body's hair as she suddenly dyed up like a starry sky.
"... of all these, it's a magical stone. and destroyed our midst."
In disturbing words, the child leaned over to his grandfather. This is what kids always do when they're scared.
"The legend says the monster woke up because he found this. The ancestors were kicked, chased after a restful place, and even the few demonic stones left were targeted by humans"
I don't know why that catastrophe happened.
He just found a sleeping demon stone deep in the ground and said his ancestors had taken it back.
Such a fairy tale was hard to get out of Muy's head when she went into the bunk.
My ancestors would certainly have had unlucky eyes.
But as bad luck as it was, it was close to them again.
Cat survival is easy to keep an eye on. Because its rarity makes it suitable for buying and selling, and some of it is suitable for purifying magic catalysts. Like this muy.
Soon the cave was engulfed in flames.
A bandit tracked him down and set a trap.
The smoked cats were captured by the nets, and the magic stones became the property of the bandits, and the old grandfather was destroyed.
That was just about ten minutes ago.
Shortly after I wept, and Muy was chained.
"... well, that was a disaster for the cats. It's a cowardly race. Come on, you scared me."
"Yeah, besides, this was where the thief lived. I happen to know that stone can call a monster, and that must have caused a lot of damage."
Just past the sandstorm, they're all over the sand in and out of their clothes. There are twelve men who march on the sand with the Zakzak, all of whom are entrusted with the maintenance of security.
The two leading men have height differences between adults and children, but the smaller ones are surprised because they solved this case and even discovered the labyrinth.
"So as promised, I ask you to take refuge in that cat tribe."
"Don't rush it like that. Asylum can only be seen if the labyrinth is real."
If the story of the underground labyrinth is real, Muy's position as a cat clan changes. Anyway, if demon stones can be unearthed again, the catalytic purification of the child known as Mui will be a valuable asset to the country.
But it's a report from an unknown boy. The man still has half-hearted eyes wondering if it's false, or not a mistake to look at. To that voice that thrusts away, the boy lifts his mouth cover to his nose and walks out silently.
Apparently, boys aren't very good with people.
The Adventurer Alliance is still an untouchable realm. If we discover a new labyrinth, the country moves first. Because we still don't know how much good it will be or whether it will create another catastrophe.
If both the benefits and the catastrophes are together, then I will finally turn to the Adventurer Alliance.
It was yesterday that I heard the situation from that cat clan called Muy. He, who had been refused a tendon in his leg, is now being treated in Alirai country with an elf girl.
It's pathetic, but you won't even be able to walk around for a while.
The wind is roaring from the bottom of the earth.
This big hole in the corner of the oasis will never flood even by the water veins.
I can't see the bottom when the sun illuminates me, and I remember wondering and pulsating in the wind that blows up. It is as if civilization, which was supposed to have perished in the ancient times, has awakened.
"No way really...... definitely, this is an underground labyrinth!
"It's been years, what I found in this Alirai country. Besides, look, I didn't know there was a high-level demon at the entrance!
Mouth to mouth they leak surprise voices. But listening to their exciting mixed voices, the boy knelt on the ground and stared at the sand. There were many footprints there, and they were headed for this labyrinth.
This means......
"You thieves, have you finally embarked on a labyrinth attack..."
Yes, the boy shrugged.
Even though high difficulty is expected, we also have to think about dealing with it from the thieves. Such a meaning is included in the boy's words.
The beating heart is like music played in ancient times.
Looking down at the bottom of the big hole, the boy smiled slightly.
- Demon Stone Chapter END -