Chapter 302: Farewell, Panemo Vige<ol> <li><strong> Farewell, Panemo Vige</strong></li> </ol>


    * * *


    “Wee,” he said, and then, “Please leave the vige.”


    Unable to fully grasp Vige Chief Toppipappugen’s true intentions, I tilted my head.


    I’m not emitting ck haze or anything.


    I’m not that irritated.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In any case, I didn’t understand what he meant.


    So, I was puzzled.


    To exin how I feel, it’s something like this.


    <I’m a bit annoyed…… but I think it’s okay to kill them……>


    Calm down, Extra-sama.


    You’re a bit too hotheaded.


    Now, no matter what I’m thinking in my mind, my face is expressionless.


    However, it seems that my bewilderment was fully conveyed to Vige Chief Toppipappugen by the fact that I ended up freezing silently.


    He scratched his head while slightly lowering his eyebrows with a troubled look.


    “……I’m sorry. Honestly, I would like to at least hold a weing feast for you…… but there are circumstances that prevent me from letting you stay in this vige.”


    Then, after letting out a big sigh, the vige chief began to exin those circumstances.


    “Do you know the name of the noble who governs this area, including Panemo Vige?”


    “I don’t know.”


    Of course I wouldn’t know.


    In fact, I just learned from the vige chief’s words that this country is called “Ashgo.”


    <We crossed another country’s border without realizing it. We didn’t notice because we were basically progressing through the forest since escaping from the ruins.>


    “……Then I’ll tell you, thisnd is the Daychib Duchy, governed by Duke Daychib. And this duke is…… despite his advanced age, a youthful person.”


    <em>Trickle, trickle……</em>


    The vige chief slowly speaks while pouring the orange tea from the teapot-like object into our emptied teacup-like objects.


    Slowly, while choosing his words.


    “And we, the people of Ashgo, feel indebted to the ck-haired and ck-eyed people, but this person is different. The duke hates ck hair and ck eyes, no matter what.”


    “Why?”


    “……I’m sorry. I can’t go into details of this either. I cannot speak of the circumstances around here, it’s too dreadful.”


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    Saying that, the vige chief took another sip of tea.


    Again with “I can’t go into details”


    I wonder what he means by dreadful?


    While pondering that question, I also sipped my tea slowly.


    “Anyway, the duke hates ck hair and ck eyes. If you catch his eye, he will probably cut you down on the spot, that’s how much he hates them. And since all the officials are at his beck and call, if they find you, they will immediately report you to the duke’s knights.”


    “And I…… maybe even the vigers, will be captured?”


    “Probably. In the past, it wasn’t this bad. There are no longer any loyal vassals to advise him, and those around him are honing their skills to please him every day…… ahem.”


    An exaggerated clearing of the throat.


    “In any case, these are the circumstances. The tax collector will being to this vige soon. A particrly enthusiastic guy. The kind of guy who digs through the back of your drawers to see if you’re hiding any money. I can’t fully hide you.”


    Saying that, Vige Chief Toppipappugen stared intently at me and quietly lowered his head.


    “So, I’m sorry, little guest. We don’t know you. You never came to this vige…… that’s what I want you to pretend.”


    * * *


    A few minutester.


    I was at the outskirts of Panemo Vige.


    The reason is to leave this vige.


    In front of me is a straight path lined with shells, just like before.


    This white path continues all the way to the small mountain range visible far in the distance.


    “Myogomyoggoshugoshuggo…… Myogomyoggoshugoshuggo……”


    The sound of Myogomyogoshugo can be heard here and there in the forest surrounding the vige.


    At the outskirts of the vige, the vigorous shouts of making dried fish can no longer be heard.


    “If you go straight north on this road, you’ll reach the royal capital. There are probably…… fewer inhumane people like me there.”


    While saying such things, the vige chief, who was the only one who came to see me off, casually handed me a bag about the size of my head.


    I wonder what’s inside, it’s lumpy and hard.


    The smell is…… ah.


    <It’s dried fish.>


    It’s dried fish, this is.


    And when I take my eyes off the bag and look up, there’s the vige chief’s apologetic face with his straight-lined mouth, as usual.


    ……What do you mean, inhumane?


    Inhumane people don’t make that kind of face.


    “Listen well, guest, I’ll say it again. Go straight ahead. There’s a fork in the road leading to the sea along the way, but never go that way.”


    “Why?”


    “…………”


    I stare intently at the vige chief.


    The vige chief…… didn’t say “I can’t go into details” about this.


    Defeated by my silent gaze asking him to tell me, he told me the reason in a small voice.


    “……Recently, a huge monster has taken up residence in the sea near the cape over there.”


    “A huge…… monster!?”


    “Keep your voice down…… It’s still a secret from the vigers, except for a few. We mustn’t scare them.”


    The vige chief looked around restlessly and continued.


    “Anyway, that’s why you must not head towards the cape. It’s a dead end anyway. Understood?”


    “Understood.”


    Seeing me nod for now, the vige chief let out a sigh of relief and patted his chest.


    “Then, guest…… traveler Emi Rune. Have a good journey.”


    “……Goodbye, Panemo Vige. I pray for your happiness…… Thank you for the tea and gift. I was very happy.”


    After exchanging those words, I turned my back on Panemo Vige and started walking on the white path.


    “Myogomyoggoshugoshuggo…… Myogomyoggoshugoshuggo……”


    The sound of Myogomyogoshugo reaching my ears is getting farther and farther away.


    Instead, I start to hear the sound of the grass in the meadow surrounding the path rustling in the wind.


    Looking at the meadow, I see various flowers growing there, such as yellow lily-like flowers andrge, tall celery-like flowers.


    And if I walk absentmindedly, a small lizard runs between my feet and immediately hides in the grass, disappearing from view.


    When I turn around to follow the lizard’s movement with my eyes, I see a sun-tanned figure that has already be as small as a bean, standing on the other side of the path under the blue sky with arms crossed, watching me intently.


    I don’t know if they can see me from over there.


    I bowed once.


    I couldn’t lift my head for a while.


    * * *


    Now.


    Now, now, now!


    Then, after walking straight on the white path and the vige chief’s figure waspletely out of sight, the fork he mentioned earlier appeared in front of me.


    In the middle of that fork, there’s a brand new signboard.


    It says, “Dead end! Entry prohibited due to danger!”


    The vige chief probably put it up.


    “…………”


    I nced at the signboard and…… ignoring its warning.


    I changed my course and started walking towards the fork…… towards the cape where a monster is said to live.


    <Emi, are you going to repay the tea and dried fish by exterminating the monster?>


    Extra-sama speaks in an exasperated voice.


    <Your gratitude is excessive. That monster is surely strong. It’s big, right?>


    A big monster, that’s exactly why, Extra-sama.


    <Huh……?>


    Extra-sama let out a questioning voice, not understanding what I mean.


    You see, Extra-sama.


    I only stayed in that vige for a short while.


    But I certainly liked that vige.


    <Yes.>


    But you know, Extra-sama.


    That’s a separate matter.


    <Yes?>


    You see.


    “I’m hungry.”


    The words unintentionally slipped out.


    And also, pitch-ck haze.