Chapter 330 The Rescue of the Hidden Ones
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Elberhardt’s POV)
The sky was a brilliant blue.
Gradually, it began to turn red.
”It’s evening… huh. The passage of time here is almost the same as in the outside world.”
Milia, lying on her back on a canvas spread out in the grass, murmured softly as she continued to watch the sky.
”Night will be here soon.”
”What should we do? Should we prepare a campfire?”
After finishing butchering the rabbit I had hunted, I rummaged through the ingredients in my backpack to decide what to make for dinner.
”Hmm. I don’t want to do anything that would damage the environment here before investigating it properly…”
”How about using this? It’s something from Lady Sasha’s merchant guild.”
Shinji took out a square plate about 15 cm on each side from my bag and showed it to Milia, who was worried about damaging the grassland with the campfire.
Then he handed it to me.
”This plate is made from high-purity Flame Stone. When infused with magical power, it supposedly generates enough heat to cook.”
”Wow, that’s handy…”
I laid the plate down and placed a pot on it.
Then, Milia immediately used magic to fill it with water.
”Then, I’m going to go pick up Barbara. Have dinner with us♡”
Milia winked as she took out her scroll and teleported away in an instant.
(Well, I was in charge of cooking since we were in the party together.)
I threw the finely chopped rabbit meat into the pot.
* * *
”I’m back!”
Just as I finished making rabbit meat soup, Milia returned while Knight Müller and the soldiers began grilling dried meat on a Flame Stone plate.
Next to her was Barbara, dressed the same as when she usually walks around during the day.
A black robe covering her from head to toe.
Of course, her face was covered as well, so Milia was holding her hand.
And beside them was another person──
”Doctor Rudolf! I am glad you could come!”
”Just in case the environment here does not suit Barbara.”
Ignoring Milia’s smug expression, I took Doctor Rudolf’s hand.
”I hope to be of some help, even if just a little. ──But this environment really does look no different from the outside.”
Doctor Rudolf, who returned my handshake, looked around.
”Barbara, you can take off your robe. It’s already completely night here.”
Barbara took off her robe at Milia’s suggestion.
Finally, I could see her beautiful face that I love so much.
”Wow… It’s about the same time as when we left Goblin Forest, isn’t it?”
We decided to have a meal first as we welcomed our new companion.
* * *
”For now, I will spend the night here. I want to observe the sky again at dawn.”
”And also, how Barbara is doing.”
After finishing the meal, Shinji hands tea to Milia as she speaks.
”If the sky gets bright and you feel any changes in your body, please let me know immediately.”
”Yes. If something happens, I’ll leave it to the doctor.”
Barbara received tea from Shinji, took a sip, and bowed her head to Dr. Rudolf.
”Then, shall we move to the forest in the morning?”
Milia nodded to Knight Müller’s suggestion.
”Yes. I plan to investigate the creatures of the forest tomorrow.”
”Everyone, please take your time to rest. The protective barrier seems to be deployed, but I’ll keep watch during the night.”
Barbara said this, and while I would really like to join her…
”I’ll leave it to you, Barbara. Since I’ve been awake for a long time, I really need to get some sleep tonight.”
Barbara smiled and nodded at my excuse.
”Then let’s leave it to Barbara and everyone should get some sleep.”
Milia spread out her sleeping bag attached to her backpack, ready to sleep immediately.
”Are you sure it’s okay? If Ms. Barbara adapts to this environment, you’ll have to be active until night tomorrow. If necessary, I and the soldiers can take turns halfway?”
”If my body is okay in the morning, I do intend to stay awake during the day, but… either way, I need to get my body used to being ‘night owl’. So please don’t worry and get some sleep.”
Barbara responded with a smile to Knight Müller, who worried about her and offered to take over the watch.
We thanked Barbara and each crawled into our sleeping bags.
(It’s been a while since I went to bed at night.)
The sleepiness hit me quickly, and I drifted off to sleep just like that.
* * *
And then morning came.
Feeling light on my eyelids, I woke up.
(Ah… it’s morning…)
It had been a while since I’d experienced waking up in the morning, especially outside.
Suddenly feeling the brightness, I closed my eyes once more.
(Oh, right…!)
”B-Barbara…!”
”Yes. Good morning, Van”
I heard Barbara’s voice above me.
I had been sleeping on my side, but when I turned onto my back and opened my eyes again, there was my beloved Barbara looking down at me, smiling.
She had been giving me a lap pillow.
”How are you feeling? Is there anything unusual?”
I hurriedly got up from the ‘best pillow’ that was Barbara’s thigh.
”──She’s fine. There are no abnormalities with Ms. Barbara’s body.”
It seems Mr. Rudolf had been observing Barbara and checking her condition since the sky got bright.
”As everyone said, it does seem like there’s no sun. ──So this is ‘morning’, huh?”
For Barbara, it was her first…
She spreads her arms towards the sky, enjoying the view with her whole body.
”A bright landscape… I can’t believe I can be ordinary in a place like this.”
Barbara murmured with a happy expression.
* * *
After a light breakfast, we’ll pack up and leave this place.
While everyone was walking towards the forest, it was touching to see Barbara walking so happily.
(Unlike me, who’s half, Barbara would get severely burned from just a little sunlight.)
”Van… I want to hold your hand.”
It was so cute to hear Barbara say that while looking down as she walked at the back of the group.
Unable to help myself, I stopped and took her hand, starting to walk again.
”Just the two of us, walking hand in hand in such a bright world… how wonderful♡”
Someone like her, a ‘pure hidden one (Vampire),’ truly knows only the world of night.
In a world where the sun is out, it’s practically impossible for her body to even gaze outside from within a building.
While it’s possible to go outside covered in a robe… that ‘whole body’ includes the face, of course.
”As long as there are no dangerous creatures around…”
”Yes. I want to bring everyone from the village here.”
After defeating the Demon King as a hero, I wanted to do something for her clan as well.
The ‘hero’s power’ inherited from my predecessor had helped me overcome my ‘half-Vampire weakness.’
I thought that if a child inheriting my blood were born through Barbara… perhaps the clan’s weakness would weaken over generations.
However, cursed by Azradelius, the ‘hero’s power’ was sealed away, so I can’t use that method for now.
(If they can move here… it might provide them some relief.)
While thinking about such things, I intertwined my fingers with Barbara’s and walked along with everyone.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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