Chapter 153 Let'S Find The Cause, Shall We?
We were all gathered around a big table, and there was a map shaped like a lake spread out in front of us. Jam-san was using a red pen to draw arrows on it.
"So, the smell is coming from this spot and heading in this direction. I checked it myself earlier, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate."
I think the other side is probably the shallow part or the beach. There are a few arrows drawn to the right. The wind seems to be blowing from the north, but the smell is coming from the right side.
"So, what should we do about this? We can't just go for a full-on attack, right?"
Well, with Rosalier-san and Maya-chan here, there's nothing we can't handle. But I think it would be a bit of a problem if it turns into a big fight.
"Okay. We'll send out two boats from here. One will be a distraction, and the other will provide backup."
"Yeah. How many people in total?"
"Okay. One person will steer the boat. And there will be two more, making a total of six."
"I see. Anyway, we won't get captured since we're here. Let's make sure to gather solid evidence. Mother (Privia) even said she's 'counting on us.'"
"Definitely..."
"It's tough, isn't it..."
This story is amazing. First of all, the expectations from Mother and Jam-san's expectations from Geno-san feel heavy. Maybe we're similar somehow.
"By the way, I totally forgot about it..."
"What's wrong, big brother?"
"So, Tigerman and Cat-people men can recognize people by their smell, right?"
"Yeah, that's pretty handy!"
"It seems like Centrena can see, and of course Alesion too."
"Yeah."
"Can Maya-chan see?"
"No."
"That's what I thought..."
I totally forgot about it. It's so dark now, you can't see the condition of the ship from above. I just realized that now
"Oh, that's right. Maya seems okay though."
"Why's that?"
"Because Rosalier-san can use magic that seems like it."
"Really?"
"Yes. She can grant dark magic, you see."
"Oh, I see."
"But... it might be difficult if you move away from her..."
"Huh?"
"It seems like Maya needs to stay close."
"Oh, okay..."
"Yeah. I can't."
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"Seriously?"
Ba-fu, the usual sensation on my head.
"Yeah. What's up, Centrena?"
As I turn around, Centrena lifts her chin and looks down at me with familiar eyes. Ah, this is the look Rosalier-san always gives. The "look of disapproval."
'Kuu'
"What is it?"
'Kuu, kuu'
"Could it be that Centrena...?"
'Kuu'
"You want me to leave it to you?"
'Kuu'
Ah, her voice and the nod confirm it.
"Brother, are you really able to have a conversation with Centrena-tan?"
"I kind of understand. It seems like Centrena completely understands what I'm saying."
"I'm a little jealous, to be honest. As for me..."
Rosalier-san is making a joke. That's unusual. Maybe she's trying to cover up my mistake.
"Alrighty!"
"Hmm?"
"Mother said she won't give me Alesion, but she didn't say we can't be friends, you know?"
"What do you mean, Maya-chan?"
"So, I thought I'd try my best to talk to Alesion."
"Oh, so it's a challenge for yourself, huh?"
"I think I can get close to him, like brother."
"On what basis?"
"Well, you know, Maya has 'appraisal.'"
"Wow, that's like cheating!"
"Hehehe."
While having such a chat, we left the building and are waiting for the boat to be ready. We're not going fishing or anything, we're just going to carry the boat and head out.
When I say carry, it's not like a thin canoe or anything. It's just a normal fishing boat that can hold five people. The Tigerman guys flip it over and lift it up with a heave-ho.
Three of them split into the front, middle, and back, all of them being as big as Jam-san.
Not all Tigerman men are as big as Jam-san, but it seems like fishermen have surprisingly good physiques. Following them are the adventurers going on this investigation.
There's one guy who's used to sailing and also works as an adventurer, and two adventurers who are skilled in scouting. It seems they're three people each, making a total of six. I see, I get it now.
There are a total of 10 Tigerman walking, including the helpers. Alesion and Centrena are walking behind them, kind of like a little stroll. We also know about that shallow area on the east side.
They're planning to take the boat all the way there. It's pretty deep and turns into a cliff on this side, so they won't force it down. It's quite a distance, all the way to the surface of the water.
The Tigerman folks floated their boat in the shallow area and boarded it. We're supposed to stay up here in the sky and wait.
"All right, then."
"Got it."
The adventurers know that we'll be waiting up here, ready to assist if anything happens. That's probably why they look so cheerful.
Well, it makes sense. They've heard about the strength of the two dragon riders. Plus, they seem to rely on me since they know who I am. I've got to live up to their expectations. Yeah.
"Maya-chan, let's go!"
"Okay!"
When I looked at Rosalier-san, she nodded at me from behind Maya-chan.
"Okay, Centrena."
'Kuu'
"Alesion-tan"
'Guu'
We weren't lighting up the ship, so even just going up a little, everything started to disappear from sight. I can still hear Maya-chan's voice on Alesion, who is flying right next to me. We're supposed to communicate through our smartphones in case of emergencies, you know.
Just because Centrena is flying next to Alesion doesn't mean we're flying side by side, huddling together. So we can't rely on Rosalier-san's dark magic buff to see through the dark water.
The ones I can see clearly are Rosalier-san and Maya-chan. Alesion and Centrena seem to be visible too.
"Hey, Maya-chan! What do you think?"
"Yeah, so far both ships seem to be fine."
"Oh, really? Can you see anything in the path of the ship?"
"Nope, I can't see anything. This lake is so wide."
"Yeah, it sure is."
The two ships are heading northeast instead of due north. They're moving really slowly, so we're hovering at the same speed to stay ahead of them.
The ships are powered by people rowing, but they also have a motor that runs on magic stones for emergencies. It can't be used for a long time, but it's still pretty fast.
"But seriously, though."
"Hmm?"
"The water around that ship is amazing."
"What do you mean?"
"Oso (Dreadful element)."
"Oh, right, I completely forgot. I guess they're moving slowly to avoid getting splashed, it might not be good for their bodies."
"Yeah, I wonder. I think as long as we don't drink it, we'll be fine."
Maya-chan tells me stories like that, but from the way she feels, I can tell that everything is normal for now. Even Rosalier-san doesn't say anything.
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