Volume 9 Chapter 9 - Rain of the Forest (2)

Part 1

I thought that something was going on.

Fitts-senpai who had hired me was acting strange.

There was that abnormal weather event as well.

I got the feeling that the movements of the clouds were way too fast even for rain to fall.

Showers almost never fall in the winter.

There's the possibility that someone used magic.

No, but what did they intend to do by making it rain?

Maybe being a hindrance.

Who would?

That noble who princess Ariel was said to have stayed with?

For what reason?

Do they intend to try and assassinate Ariel?

Maybe they think Fitts-senpai is a hindrance for that sake.

No, if that were the case then they wouldn't make rain fall, some other kind of thing would have been better, spears for example.

I wonder if Fitts-senpai has realized it.

It seems like she hasn't realized it, but she's still strangely calm.

I guess it means that this amount of hindrance was within her expectations.

No, then, she would have said we might be obstructed from the start.

Or else maybe she wants to assassinate me.

If that's the case then the other day, she would have done it at the time when she came to my room.

I wonder what's going on.

While worrying I prepared the fire to try and dry out our wet clothes faster.

I thought something like this might happen so I already had prepared some firewood for the sake of a fire.

It's possible to maintain a fire with just fire magic, but if you have firewood it's more comfortable.

During the time when a monster might appear, it wouldn't be good if you had to light the fire again.

At night you would lose the light as well.

I placed the firewood and started the fire.

After confirming that the fire was stable, I took off my winter clothes.

The winter clothes were soaking wet, the exterior was frozen.

Underneath the winter clothes I was wearing my usual grey robe, but this was soaked as well.

Just going off by the sensation, but I'm sure it's soaked all the way to my underwear.

For the time being, my underwear are fine since I have a change of clothes, but I need to dry my robe and the winter clothes first.

I used wind magic and water techniques to evaporate it in an instant.

Just, if you try to remove all the moisture from it, the cloth will be damaged, so it's done in moderation.

I made a clothes drying rack with earth magic and hung it there to dry.

The same with the clothes I was wearing underneath my robe.

I had gotten down to my underwear, so I went to the fire to warm up my body.

It's still cold.

I used earth magic to create a wall and sealed off the entrance of the cave.

If I completely sealed it off we might suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning, so I created a crevice in the ceiling.

Now then, what to do about my underwear.

As expected it's not like I can strip them off in front of Fitts-senpai.

And then I suddenly looked at her.

"Wuu…"

Fitts-senpai was trembling while holding her own shoulders.

She had removed her winter clothes, but she was still wearing the mantle and things below that.

If it continues like that she'll catch a cold.

"Dry it?"

Wouldn't it be better to dry it off?

Is how I asked but I shut my mouth.

Fitts-senpai is a female that looks like a boy.

Not to mention, she's hiding her identity.

It's not like she can just strip in front of me.

However, continuing like this is no good.

I wonder what can be done.

Hmm.

"Fitts-senpai."

"Wh…what is it!?"

She responded with a somewhat loud voice.

It seems Fitts-senpai has realized the current situation as well.

She has no choice other than to strip, but she can't just strip, that kind of situation.

Therefore, she's cautious about being exposed.

This is no good.

I should read the mood.

"In the past I heard from a girl acquaintance of mine, that it's a taboo for other races to see elves naked. I'll turn my back and keep my eyes shut, so during that time please use magic to dry your clothes."

"Eh!!?"

Fitts-senpai made a surprised voice.

I'm sure. I've never heard a story of such a taboo.

If there were such a taboo out there, then Elinalise's existence itself would be a taboo. A walking taboo.

However, if I show it like this, that I have mistaken knowledge, then I think it should work in Fitts-senpai's favor.

I slowly turned and faced the other way then closed my eyes.

And then listened closely.

At least, I want to imagine Fitts-senpai stripping behind me, I'll enjoy just the sound.

"…"

"…"

However, there was no sound at all.

Even though she's wet, if she were to take off her clothes, and then use chantless magic to dry them off, there should be at least a little bit of sound.

Strange.

Could it be, Fitts-senpai can change clothes without making any sound?

Come to think of it, during my elementary school days, there were females who could change into swimsuits with clothes on. They sure are skillful.

During my elementary school days, I had no interest in them changing their clothes.

Both men and women changed in the same classroom.

If I think about it, it was a splendid period.

After the spread of the internet, I found the method they changed with at that time on the net, and thought "I see now".

I have interest in such unique changing methods.

A scholastic interest.

That's right, this is learning.

It's intellectual curiosity.

It's absolutely not an erotic…purpose.

If Fitts-senpai doesn't change her clothes, then she might freeze after all.

After thinking that, I slowly~ turn around.

My eyes completely met with Fitts-senpai.

Even though she's wearing sunglasses, somehow I knew our eyes met.

I didn't turn my eyes away.

It's because Fitts-senpai was turning deep blue.

"Fitts-senpai!"

With a deep blue face she was holding both of her shoulders and trembling.

Even just from looking, I could tell that Fitts-senpai's body heat was completely stolen.

The atmospheric temperature in the winter forest of the northern lands is most likely below freezing.

If you walk around in that then your body heat will quickly be lost.

Even I am actually cold.

The temperature in the cave is going up a bit, but since she's continuing to wear those wet clothes, it's like being covered in cold water.

It won't stop at just a cold.

"Please at least change. Since that's the case would you like me to create a changing room? No, I will, I'll go outside of the cave, let's go with that. That's fine."

"Wait."

Just as I was about to go outside of the cave, Fitts-senpai held me back.

She continued to look at me while trembling.

And then while continuing to tremble she slowly walked in front of me.

Carefully looking over me.

"…"

"…"

Carefully, while trembling.

It seems like she wants to say something.

What is it.

What does Fitts-senpai want to say?

No, what does she want me to do.

"You…you'll catch a cold??"

"Yeah. Tha…that's right."

She responded to my question with a trembling voice.

I was confused.

I couldn't read Fitts-senpai's thoughts.

"If you don't take your clothes off, it will be dangerous. If your body temperature lowers, people die you know?"

"Yeah…I might die, if it continues like this…"

While saying that Fitts-senpai didn't make any movements towards taking off her clothes.

Ah no, she would be troubled if she stripped in front of me.

I don't know, Fitts-senpai is a man.

He's absolutely not a woman, that's the case.

If I don't close my eyes.

"I can't take them off myself. Take them off for me."

...

...

…

What is this person saying.

"…If you can't take them off yourself, then I have no choice other than to remove them."

…What am I saying.

Ah, no good.

My hands are stretching towards Fitts-senpai on their own.

First I touch her shoulders.

They're cold.

And slender.

Without a doubt it's the shoulder of a female.

Slender, a shoulder almost like it might break.

And then I'm a man.

Man and woman.

There's the same common sense in this world that you shouldn't carelessly expose your flesh.

"To…to be honest, I know that Fitts-senpai is a woman."

"Yeah. But, if you don't take them off I might die."

"Ye…yeah."

What does this mean.

I can't read her thinking.

What is Fitts-senpai planning.

Could it be, this is a blackmail scheme.

For example after I strip her, some scary people will come out from somewhere, and suddenly tell me indifferently, [You've come to find out matters of absolute secrecy of the Asura Kingdom!] and then take me off to some experiment room and dissect me.

It's not something that I can say when right now I'm truly about to dissect Fitts-senpai though.

My hands were moving on their own, I took off Fitts-senpai's coat.

After removing the coat made of a thick material on top, a dripping wet white shirt appeared.

It's a white shirt.

While the white cloth was a bit thick, it was transparent.

Fitts-senpai's underwear entered my vision.

What was wrapping her chest wasn't a bra.

It was some kind of underwear that went from just above her belly button to just before her shoulders covering her chest.

What was it again, I can't remember the name.

She's unexpectedly adult.

When what it's wrapping is a bit lacking and chaste like this, it's not really all that adult.

However, just like this, when it's clinging to skin from being wet and you look at it, it's certainly there.

The two mountains that men seek out, the outline of her breasts.

"Fitts-senpai?"

"What's wrong, Rudi?"

Rudi, calling me by such a nostalgic name.

It feels like it's calling out to something within me.

This situation, somewhere, I feel like I've experienced it somewhere.

"Pl…please excuse me."

"Yeah."

Fitts-senpai's face was bright red.

Red all the way to her ears.

I feel like I've seen these ears that have turned red somewhere before as well.

After removing the white shirt, pure white skin was exposed.

Thin shoulders that seem like they might break.

Lacking in both muscle and fat and the nape of the neck that was slender all around.

Seeing something like that in close proximity, touching it with my hands.

My sword that has been miserable recently, almost like a knight's sword being offered up in ritual, is facing upwards.

Fitts-senpai has something.

She has something that can cheer me up.

Something I don't know what.

Just, I feel so excited that I'm about to push her down right now.

"Ha…ha…"

While trying to hold back that excitement, I put my hands on Fitts-senpai's belt.

I loosened the belt while making a clicking noise, then put my hands on the cuff of her pants.

Suddenly, I remembered something.

Come to think of it, something like this happened in the past.

Around the time I was five or six years old.

This sort of thing happened.

After pulling the wet pants down, pure white panties appeared.

The difference from that time, is that I didn't remove the panties together.

However, after all underwear that has been soaked becomes transparent so you can see what's below.

Could it be, I've stumbled upon a barren zone?

"…[Gulp]."

Fitts-senpai silently removed her leg from the pants and sat down in front of me.

It was the so called girls sitting style.

I sat in seiza directly in front of that.

The floor of the cave was rugged and my lower legs were in pain.

"Rudi."

I could understand that Fitts-senpai's gaze was looking a bit below.

It's the tent that just started construction some time ago.

After all Fitts-senpai's body contributes greatly to the construction of my tent.

"There's still one remaining."

The words of one.

I understood that it was not referring to her panties.

After coming this far I understood it.

I put my hands on her sunglasses.

"?"

Take them off.

And then there was after all.

A face I have a recollection of was there.

It was the face that I once thought would become the face of a bishonen when it grows up.

It was a beautiful face, that I thought as long as I could remain together with it, I wouldn't mind being treated as leftovers.

And then that face was far more sweet than I imagined at the time.

With her youthfulness still remaining, it was a face that you couldn't call anything but sweet.

With sharp eyes, a high nose, small lips.

The power of the genes of an Elf.

She looks similar to Elinalise as well, but she has the easily friendly characteristic of a half or a quarter.

"Umm, Fitts-senpai."

"What is it, Rudi?"

And the way she was leaning her head as she asked with her face bright red was the same as always.

I wonder why I didn't realize until now of all times.

Hair, that's right.

It's because her hair color is different.

Her hair color was supposed to be green.

Now it's pure white.

No, something like hair color you can change all you want.

Bleaching isn't really all that difficult.

"Could it be that, Fitts-senpai's real name might be something like Sylphiette?"

"...Yeah."

Fitts-senpai, No, Sylphy…

Nodded shyly and smiled.

"Yeah…Yeah…"

That smile quickly changed into a tear-stained face.

Before that completely changed into a crying face she moved to embrace me.

"At last, you've said it…"

After whispering that, Sylphy's skin was cold.

Part 2

A short while passed.

I couldn't hide my confusion, but I felt like I was finally convinced of everything.

"Uu…gusu…"

Sylphy was sniffling away and crying while embracing me.

It's similar to that time.

She's a crybaby the same as always.

And then, soft as always.

Thin, without seeming like she has any fat, but when you hold her tightly she's soft.

Could it be that she's using some kind of softening agent?

"I…I was…always, always waiting. In Buina vilage, I was always, trying my best."

I had heard about how Sylphy was giving it her best while I was working as a home teacher from Paul.

I silently caressed her head.

And then Sylphy tightened her embrace on me even more.

And then she raised her face.

Her face was all sticky from the tears and her running nose.

I didn't know what would be good to say after seeing that.

"?"

Just, Sylphy was different.

After she looked at me she opened her mouth.

"I've always liked you since the past…"

My face went blank and I became aware of it.

"I liked Rudi. Now I like you more. Please don't leave me anymore. I want to be with you forever."

The inside of my head went pure white.

I was surprised after being told Sylphy liked me.

Sylphy was always stuck close to me since the past.

It could be said that I acted in such a way to induce that.

However, now it's different.

At the very least this past year.

I've watched Fitts-senpai.

I've watched her as a person I respect.

At least, Fitts-senpai was standing as an independent person.

Could there possibly be some dependency still remaining towards me?

However, at least, I've depended on Fitts-senpai.

She has knowledge, a person who I've depended on and has thought about a variety of things for my sake.

Speaking of "Silent Fitts", he's a serious person that princess Ariel can trust.

Right now I.

Being confessed to by such a person.

My chest became hot.

In the furthest regions of confusion, I still hadn't settled down with Sylphy=Fitts-senpai.

I had become so full of happy feelings as if I wanted to dance.

In that instant, I suddenly remembered Eris.

Come to think of it, did I ever tell her that I liked her.

I said I would become her family.

However, that was something she suggested.

I wonder if I ever said anything to her from my side.

What do I think about Fitts-senpai… No, what do I think about Sylphy.

It's no good if I don't think about that even more.

However if I don't say it here.

She might disappear again.

"I like you as well."

And.

I grabbed onto Sylphy's shoulder and separated us.

I thought she would resist, but she was frail.

Sylphy's face had become pretty bad covered in tears and snot.

I gently caressed her head and raised her face.

"Nn…"

Sylphy's lips were soft.

There was a bit of, just a bit of snot, but that was unrelated.

After the kiss ended, Sylphy had stopped crying.

With a red face she was looking at me with a blank expression.

"?"

I lost my words.

Words were already unnecessary.

I'll ascertain it with words of love.

Next is that.

Love, that which follows love is H, ecchi comes next.

I think I'm acting pretty self-interested right, but something that's been repressed for two years is on the verge of explosion.

Sylphy isn't resisting either.

Underneath the blanket I prepared for camping use, an eggplant had become horizontal.

It could be that she had this sort of intention from the start.

This job as well, was for the sake of revealing her identity in a place with no one around.

No, let's stop with the unrefined thoughts.

Now at any rate, it won't be good if I don't proceed without making the same mistakes as before.

"…Sylphy, it's your first time right?"

"Eh? Ah, yeah. Yes. It's my first… is that no good?"

"It's not no good."

Rather, it's good.

But, however.

However you know, if I were to fail here, it might end up like last time.

I pass on things happening like with Eris again.

I can't afford to fail here.

I can't fail.

I carefully, carefully stretched out my hand to Sylphy.

"…"

"…Umm, Rudi?"

After I realized it, my tent had collapsed.

Part 3

About an hour passed.

The rain had stopped.

Because we had kept embracing each other for a long period, our bodies were warmed up.

Our clothes seemed like they were almost dry, but I was on the verge of crying.

I received a shock from being useless at the most essential time.

This shock is severe no matter how many times or when I experience it.

This time it's not a woman I've paid in a brothel or some passing adventurer.

It's an especially harsh feeling.

It seems Sylphy received a shock as well.

Even so it seems the shock Sylphy had was a bit less.

While jesting a bit, continuing with a bitter smile, she was depreciating her own body.

"It's not Rudi's fault. I, look, my chest is small, and I have no charm…"

"No, Sylphy's body is very charming. I'm very sorry. It's been like this since three years ago."

"Ru…Rudi?"

I started to talk about myself.

I talked about everything.

I faced my first experience three years ago, since then, the fact that I had become useless.

And then, for the sake of searching for a method to cure that, I came to the Magic University.

In the end I was unable to find it and it came down to today.

"I've caused Sylphy to feel ashamed. I'm very sorry."

I prostrated myself.

There's no way there's a problem with Sylphy's body.

Rather it's a huge stimulation.

Certainly her chest is small, but with her slender limbs, and thin hips.

It's not like the balance is bad.

It was like you pulled the image of a shojo straight out just like that, from directly in the center of my strike zone.

In the first place, during these past three years, the only one who has allowed me to stand up is just Sylphy.

There's no way I could have any dissatisfaction with her.

It's just that I'm cowardly.

"Ru…Rudi, don't say something like that. It's not a shame, go back to how you were."

Sylphy let out a pitiful voice.

I myself feel a pretty pitiful mood coming on.

"I really want to return to how I was very much as well, but nothing can be done about this."

"Not like that, your tone, stop with the honorifics."

Sylphy's tears started to flow again.

I panicked and wiped those tears.

"Sorry. I was just a bit upset."

I'm full of apologies.

Here recently I've used nothing but honorifics so I can't help it.

That's why, I end up using them going with the flow.

"…But, I always used honorifics up until now, isn't it fine?"

"It's fine but… Rudi's honorifics, you can feel a sense of distance from hearing them."

Is that how it is?

It's the first time I've heard that.

Could it be that, Eris and Ruijerd felt something like that as well?

Possibly Zanoba as well… come to think of it, that guy hasn't used very many honorifics at all.

"From here on out, honorifics are prohibited."

"Yes."

"Honorifics again."

"That much should be fine right?"

"Fufu…I guess so."

With that conversation somehow or other the atmosphere got better.

However, it's been quite a while since I stopped with the honorifics.

Thinking about it, I feel like I've always used honorifics since I came to this world.

After that, neither of us talked, we just sat snuggled up to each other.

While listening to the crackling sound of the burning fire.

Together in our underwear.

If I turn my neck around a bit, I can look over Sylphy's collarbone.

If I look at her slightly wet underwear from above, I can see a cherry blossom colored, beautiful something flickering in the light.

From that position.

In the middle of that I suddenly opened my mouth.

There was something I needed to ask.

"Come to think of it, why is Sylphy dressing as a man… No, what happened after the teleport?"

The reason why she was acting as a guard for princess Ariel.

The reason why her hair turned white.

The reason why she's hiding her identity.

I didn't know if it was fine for me to ask.

I need to at least try asking I'm sure.

"Yeah, umm, I wonder where I should start talking from…"

Sylphy started to tell me about it bit by bit.

Starting from the training she did in Buina village.

How she tried to learn my location from Zenith and Lilia and in reverse ended up being taught in healing magic and etiquette.

How she made a pendant for my sake.

"That means, this pendant was something handmade by Sylphy?"

"That pendant, how do you have it?"

The pendant was hidden within my clothes.

I didn't like how Elinalise teased me that we matched after all.

Though since we took off our clothes it's been exposed now.

"Lilia was holding onto it. But, she never said anything about Sylphy."

"I'm sure she thought I might be dead, so she kept quiet."

"I see now."

That is like how Lilia might try to be careful.

After hearing it's an article of the deceased, whether it's good or bad, you can understand the decision.

"Umm, is it fine for me to continue the story?"

"Sorry-sorry, please do."

Things that happened after the teleport, there's truly no way to call it other than full of ups and downs.

Thrown into the sky, falling, and then a monster was there.

Coincidentally saving the Ojou-sama, then becoming a guard.

Before she realized it her hair had become pure white.

Starting a painful life in a place where the sense of values were completely different.

Being targeted by assassins in a political dispute, being pursued by the king.

Going on a journey with only those who weren't used to travel, occasionally being deceived, falling into a predicament.

And then, while in the middle of a comeback attempt at Magic University.

I appeared.

"Even though we can say it can't be helped since I was in disguise [It's nice to meet you.] being told that was a shock you know."

"Sorry. But, even Sylphy, if you had told me sooner, even I would have realized it."

"Ah…Th…that's right isn't it… So…sorry, that I didn't say it… I'm sorry about that… I'm very sorry…"

Sylphy continued to spill large drops of tears.

In regards to this matter, I'm sure she worried about a variety of things as well.

I understood from the talk just now that it was absolutely not that she didn't say it because she had some kind of evil intent.

I have no intention to blame her.

"From my side as well, that I didn't come around even after a year, I'm very sorry."

Well, according to the story, it seems like she was trying to hide her identity as well and it seems Sylphy thought I completely forgot about her.

If the case were to have been where I had forgotten about her, it would have simply resulted in her spreading her identity around.

I was originally a person from the Boreas after all, there was the possibility that I was an enemy.

I'm sure not saying it was the correct answer.

And then, I think that during this past year I haven't shown a behavior of searching for Sylphy.

If she didn't think that I was worried about her then it can't be helped if she couldn't break the ice.

That's right, it couldn't be helped.

A variety of circumstances were being a hindrance.

In the end just like this, she revealed her identity after all, so I think that's fine.

I embraced her shoulder.

Sylphy leaned her head on my shoulder.

Her shoulders are cold, if I don't get closer to them and warm them up.

"And then, I wasn't able to gather my courage, but, somewhere in my heart I thought that keeping our current relationship would be fine to hope for."

"Well, it wasn't a bad relationship after all."

Recently it seems her impatience had come out.

There's a gathering of bishojo in my surroundings.

It seems that she thought if she doesn't do anything I might get taken away.

Since I'm in the ED state, there was no need for that worry.

No, for example if Nanahoshi had found me a medical treatment drug or something, I would have been grateful towards her, and finally might have been swayed towards her.

And then, Sylphy carried out a variety of strategies.

It seems that when she stayed over for the night the other day as well was one of those.

Though it seems it ended in failure because I was too dense.

"Rudi is really dense you know."

"I have absolutely no words to retort that with."

In the past I did swear in my heart to become the dense type though.

I can't laugh if I'm already a dense type protagonist.

Unexpectedly, if it gets mixed up with a variety of other circumstances, being faced with love, it's hard to realize.

If I had been a bit more connected with my sexual desire, I might have realized it though…

Unexpectedly, all of the dense type protagonists out there might have ED as well.

"Then, this time I beautifully got caught in that plan is what you're saying."

"So, sorry, it ended up in a shape kind of like I was deceiving you."

"No, I'm sure it wouldn't have been any good if you hadn't gone this far in my case."

If it had continued like that I'm sure I would have continued to tell myself that Fitts-senpai is a man forever.

In the first place, it's suspicious whether I even remembered things about Sylphy.

"Come to think of it, does princess Ariel know about this matter?"

"She knows. Rather, Ariel-sama was the one thinking up the strategies."

"I see."

So my worries were unnecessary as well huh.

If it was Sylphy acting on her own judgement, then after all I think it would have been better if she didn't know about it.

Even though I say that, after all I guess it would be better for the existence known as [Fitts] to remain as [Fitts].

"But, Ariel-sama worried over it considerably. [I can't understand Rudeus Greyrat's objective. I wonder what that guy is thinking.] like that. By no means, that, it seems that she couldn't have imagined that you came here for the sake of curing that."

There was those sorts of rumors, but it seems that she didn't believe them.

Reality is stranger than fiction.

"However, since it's come down to it, would it be better for me to enter as one affiliated with princess Ariel I wonder?"

I don't want to get involved with political disputes to the best of my ability though.

However, if I were to be asked to lend my power to Sylphy, no matter how poor of an ability it would be I would lend my power.

"When it comes to me, I'd like for you to lend us your power, but, Rudi, you don't want to get involved with Asura Kingdom right? In that case, it's fine for you not to overdo it."

Sylphy said that and bashfully smiled.

When she doesn't have the sunglasses on, her adorableness increases 100 times over.

Since that's the case, it's hitting up my nether regions.

Since I couldn't resist it, I licked her ear.

"Hi…ah!?

"Ah, excuse me."

She raised her voice in surprise and my nether regions quickly cooled down.

Somehow, I can't seem to control it.

However, after all I'm relieved that there was a reaction.

I can say that it's proceeding favorably towards recovery.

It's thanks to Sylphy.

"Thank you, Sylphy."

"Eh? for what…?"

Sylphy leaned her head.

We couldn't do it until the end, but this is fine for now.

I felt that way.