Volume 3, Chapter 32 – Shiltsa Lake

“Wow! Onee-sama! Amazing! It’s so beautiful!”

Lu-chan was bouncing around with incredible energy, but it was only natural. I couldn’t help but gasp at the stunning vista unfolding beneath us.

Despite it being winter, the trees in the forest had not lost their leaves.

Between them, at the bottom of the valley, lay a series of lakes filled with water of a mysterious, milky-blue hue.

The surface of the water rippled in the breeze, sparkling brilliantly under the sunlight.

“Incredible. What a mystical sight. I can’t believe lakes of that color actually exist…”

I had heard that people lose their words in the face of nature’s beauty, and this was exactly what that meant.

I had been surprised by the deserts and the oases, but this scene far exceeded my imagination. I never dreamed such a place existed.

“As expected of an Elf village. I have never heard of such a place even in the White Moon Kingdom,” Chris-san remarked.

“This is a sight I behold for the first time as well,” Shizuku-san added.

It seemed to be a first for both Chris-san and Shizuku-san.

“I would love to call it a miracle of the spirits, but it is actually because certain minerals in the surrounding rocks dissolve into the water, and as they accumulate here, they create this coloration. The scenery illuminated by the sunset is also exceptional,” explained Eiittoru-san, one of the male Elves guiding us. Along with Eiittoru-san, another male Elf named Kantso-san was also accompanying us.

Both were Elves who had come to meet us at the Forest of Lost Paths.

Apparently, Eiittoru-san is around 300 years old, while Kantso-san is a youth of 35.

The fact that a 35-year-old is considered a youth is surprising enough, but even 300-year-old Eiittoru-san is apparently treated as a young man by Elf standards.

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The fact that they both looked to be around twenty is likely a trait unique to Elves.

Incidentally, the youngest person in Shiltsa Village is Sierra-san at 27, followed by Kantso-san at 35.

Thinking back, I don’t recall seeing any small children in the Silver Village either; perhaps a 13-year-old Elf like Lu-chan is quite a rare existence.

Now that I think about it, I feel like the villagers look at Lu-chan completely like a child, and the way Eiittoru-san looks at her feels like a parent worrying that a toddler might wander off.

Well, since I’m supposedly 14, they probably feel the same way about me.

However, in my case—whether it’s thanks to the embarrassing title of Maiden of Blossoming Grace, or because they mistake me for a genetic throwback—I don’t really feel that kind of gaze.

Guided by Eiittoru-san, we descended a steep mountain path. As we gradually lowered our altitude toward the water’s surface, I could see a path-like trail maintained right at the boundary between the water and the white cliffs.

“Is that a road?”

“Yes. I shall guide you along that path now. We do a bit of fishing here and there, so that is the road used to reach the upstream lakes.”

“I see.”

“Does that mean we can eat fish?”

Lu-chan is unwavering. Her appetite takes priority over everything else.

“Yes. You shall dine by the lakeshore.”

As expected of the 300-year-old adult, Eiittoru-san. He answers Lu-chan’s appetite-driven outburst kindly, even though she completely ignored the scenery.

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Wait. In that contrast, does that make Lu-chan a 13-year-old child? No, surely not. Oh, wait, but from Eiittoru-san’s perspective, is that how it is?

I started getting confused thinking about the Elven sense of age, so I decided to cut my thoughts off right there.

Following Eiittoru-san and his companion, we proceeded down the cliff.

After descending the slope while admiring the mystical sights—waterfalls cascading from the cliffs and the tiered lakes—we finally arrived at the lakeshore.

“Amazing! It’s amazing, Onee-sama! Even up close, the water is pale blue!”

“Right! It really is beautiful.”

I had never seen water this color. Despite the strange hue, it didn’t look dirty at all.

“It is milky-blue today, but there are days when it looks emerald-blue, or even deeper colors like cobalt or ultramarine,” Eiittoru-san explained.

“Why does the color change?”

“We are not entirely sure ourselves, but we believe the components in the water change slightly every day.”

Science isn’t as developed here as it was in my previous world, so I suppose this is just how it is.

“Onee-sama, look! There are so many fish! Even ducks are swimming! Drool .”

“Lu-chan, they said they’d prepare a meal for us, so you mustn’t catch them on your own.”

“Ehh? I can’t catch them?”

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“If it is just enough for one person to eat, there is no problem with catching some. However, it would be a burden to walk while carrying your prey. Therefore, I would appreciate it if you could save that for another occasion.”

“Hmph.”

Lu-chan looked truly disappointed. Well, she isn’t throwing a tantrum about insisting on catching them, so it’s fine.

We spent quite a while walking past waterfalls and pools until we reached the shore of the lake located furthest upstream in this lake group.

A hut stood there, and it seemed the Elves had gone ahead to prepare our meal.

It was exactly lunchtime, and we were starting to get hungry. The savory aroma of grilling fish tickled my nostrils and stimulated my appetite.

“Yay, food!”

As we sat at the table in front of the hut, the meal was served. Salt-grilled fish, a salty soup with fish and vegetables, and buttered potatoes.

Word of our large appetites must have reached them, but it seems to have been misinterpreted; two plates of everything were served to each of us.

“Onee-sama!”

Lu-chan directed her usual sparkling eyes toward me, so naturally, I gave her half and a bit more of my portion.

I couldn’t possibly eat two plates anyway, so it worked out perfectly.

“Here you go.”

“Yay! I love you, Onee-sama!”

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We each enjoyed the meal in our own way. The taste was quite mild; to put it positively, it was a gentle flavor. Perhaps because we are so far inland, salt is a precious commodity.

I finished everything, thanking the Elves who had prepared the meal.

The potatoes were a bit large, so I probably could have given Lu-chan a few more, but I managed to eat it all without leaving any.

“Ah, I’m full. Thank you for the meal.”

“It is my pleasure if you were satisfied.”

Even the weak winter sun felt warm when I stepped into its light. Between the mild weather and the feeling of fullness, I started to feel a bit sleepy.

“It feels so nice here; would it be alright if I lay down for a bit?”

“Of course.”

With Eiittoru-san’s permission, I lay down on the grass where I had a good view of the lake.

——Ah, it’s the perfect day for a nap.

Lu-chan seemed to have started fishing alongside Shizuku-san. Chris-san sat down beside me.

In the peaceful, leisurely afternoon, bathed in the warm sunlight, I surrendered myself to a hazy drowsiness.

Wrapped in drowsiness, I felt as though I heard someone’s gentle voice.