Chapter 17
Am I being too willful?
They bullied Qifeng like that. Do they expect me to pretend nothing happened and show up at the Church as usual the next day? Well, I’m sorry, I can’t do that.
We slipped away into the smog, leaving the Church knights blockading my doorway far behind. The feeling was truly exhilarating.
Fortunately, they didn’t pursue us.
“Nature’s Home? Don’t think you can just trick Fei’er into some deep, dark forest,” Qifeng said, seeming not to trust Loroshe at all.
“No, no, our community isn’t in a deep, dark forest. It’s actually in the suburbs of the Royal Capital. You reach it right after leaving the city. You don’t even need to take a carriage,” Loroshe replied, leading the way.
“Eh? You don’t even need a carriage? Isn’t that even closer than Fontainebleau Manor?” Lian Qi said.
“Are you talking about the royal Fontainebleau Manor? Of course it’s closer than there! The land for Nature’s Home was originally Professor Einstein’s ancestral property. His esteemed self contributed it for free for the sake of environmental public welfare,” Loroshe said.
“Professor Einstein really is a good person,” I said, unable to help but recall how he seems to have a kindly smile for everyone.
“Of course! Professor Einstein is our spiritual leader.” Loroshe’s eyes sparkled with adoration.
As we walked, we happened to pass by the Adventurers’ Guild. We saw a crowd of protestors holding banners and blocking the main entrance.
Is protesting a new trend lately?
I looked to see what their banners said.
“No Trade, No Slaying” and things like that.
“…Who are these people?” I couldn’t help but ask.
Of course, Lian Qi and Qifeng didn’t know either.
“Oh, they are also members of the Druid organization. It’s just that they are on the animal protection side, while we are on the environmental protection side,” Loroshe explained as we passed the protestors.
Lian Qi frowned upon hearing this. “Your Druids are split into two factions?”
“Yes. But I personally feel that we don’t really get along with them.”
“Don’t get along?” I asked.
“Mm. Compared to protesting and demonstrating, shouldn’t we be guiding people to realize the importance of protecting the environment? That’s what Professor Einstein has always done.”
I thought to myself, so that’s how it is. Professor Einstein’s methods are much more moderate. He really is worthy of respect.
“So those people are raising a fuss at the Adventurers’ Guild entrance in the name of protecting animals?” Qifeng asked.
“Everyone knows what an adventurer’s job is, right? These people are protesting the adventurers’ indiscriminate killing of monsters,” Loroshe replied.
”…? There are people who speak up for goblins and stuff? I’m speechless,” Lian Qi said.
We moved away from the animal protectionists. The smog was so thick; who knows how long they planned to stay at the Adventurers’ Guild entrance?
…
…
About half an hour passed.
When we walked out from under the towering city walls of the Royal Capital, Qifeng pointed at the sky—“Fei’er, look.”
I looked up and felt a sense of sudden openness.
The smog was gone.
“I can’t believe the sky is actually blue once you leave the Royal Capital.”
“The Royal Capital is shrouded in miasma precisely because of the pollution from the Mana Furnace. The farther you get from it, the more you can see the blue sky and white clouds.”
Loroshe explained as she led the way.
“None of you had ever left the Royal Capital before, right? Do you have a more direct understanding of the Mana Furnace’s pollution now?”
“In that case, a lot of people must be fleeing to the countryside to escape the smog… the miasma, right?” I said with a weak laugh.
“Mm. In this day and age where everyone is used to magic, there are still many people who have begun to yearn for that kind of pastoral life. When you get to Nature’s Home, you’ll understand.”
I was skeptical of her words. If daily life was truly devoid of magic, could people really stand it?
Qifeng whispered to me: “Pastoral life? I think people who experience that kind of life have masochistic tendencies.”
“Well, doesn’t that suit you perfectly then?” Lian Qi smiled, her lips curling.
“Eh? Eh? Eh? I’m not like that at all!” Qifeng denied it, blushing.
After leaving the city, Loroshe led us down a tree-lined avenue.
Normally, following this road would lead straight to Fontainebleau Manor. But this time, she led us down a winding path into the woods. The deeper we went, the more it felt like we were entering an undeveloped forest. Why do I have a feeling we’re getting far away from civilization?
“Hey, I’m warning you, you’d better not be leading the Saintess into some deep, dark forest,” Qifeng said, dissatisfied.
Actually, the deep, dark forest is fine. I was just afraid a branch would snag and tear my stockings. If I’d known, I would have prepared beforehand.
“We’re almost there. Once we enter Nature’s Home, please be sure to follow one rule: no one uses magic, okay!” Loroshe reminded us.
“Eh? Not even basic mana reinforcement?” Lian Qi asked.
“Once you’re here, please imagine yourselves living without relying on magic.”
She stopped walking as she spoke and pointed ahead—“The Druid’s utopia, Nature’s Home, is here.”
I looked into the distance, my vision passing through the forest. Ahead of us was a stretch of countryside fields, and… a manor covered in climbing vines, completely integrated with the natural environment.
“It really feels like ‘finding a new village hidden behind the willows and flowers,’” Lian Qi said softly.
Next, Loroshe led us on a tour of Nature’s Home.
I noticed some people working in the fields, and they seemed to be growing quite a few varieties. I couldn’t help but ask: “Excuse me, who are these people?”
“Some of them are volunteers who come to experience the lifestyle. Some are members, just like us,” Loroshe replied.
“You grow your own vegetables?”
“Yes. From tilling the soil and sowing the seeds to harvesting, we don’t rely on magic at all.”
“No magic? Aren’t these people tired?” Qifeng said, finding it incredible.
I scratched my cheek with one finger and gave a weak laugh: “Wouldn’t it be better to use Manipulation-type magic to make the farm tools move on their own, or… use Enchantment-type magic to strengthen your body for a much more efficient result?”
Loroshe said meaningfully: “We are experiencing the original way of life for humans. This is a way of coexisting with nature. Besides…”
Just then, a little girl in a green dress ran up to me.
I was surprised for a moment. Nature’s Home even has children?
She held up a basket of apples to me, smiling as she said: “Big sister, these apples were just picked. Please have one.”
So… so well-behaved…
A certain sentimentality welled up inside me.
“Go on, try one. That’s green, non-mana food,” Loroshe said with a smile.
“Ha… what the hell is ‘non-mana’?” Lian Qi asked with a frown.
“It means exactly what it says: no magic was used in the cultivation process,” an aged voice sounded by my ear.
I turned to look. Professor Einstein was smiling kindly at us.
“Children, we meet again.”