I wanted to enjoy a slow life while exploring the territory with a secret gift [craft skill], but I was intentionally banished to the frontier by pretending to be incompetent.

Volume 5-: Lesser Elf Village

Chapter 12-: Let's listen to the story at the banquet table!

( TL By GUST) 

"On that day, our welcome party, which began in the early afternoon, reached its peak when the large fish Terrine had caught was cooked and served. As we were introduced one by one to the villagers – numbering around a hundred – by the village chief, Koritoko, and his father, I learned something important.

"Survivors from the research expedition?"

"Yes, a few of them. At the time, they had collapsed in the nearby forest and were rescued."

Back then, Uderau Village was different from what it is today. The blessing of the Holy Beast was not as strong, and there were reports of monsters and dangerous animals not far from the village.

"Blessing... I see."

Well, or rather, the monsters left because they found the Holy Beast's constant attempts to communicate with them annoying. However, that was a promise not to be revealed to the villagers. As I absentmindedly nibbled on some leaves given by the village girls, I continued to listen to the story.

"They were found paralyzed due to the poison of plant monsters, and it took quite some time before they could hold a proper conversation."

"What happened to those people then?"

Once the members of the research expedition could communicate, the Lesser Elves learned about the expedition's intention to reach their base to inform them of their safety. However, what they found was an abandoned base, a mere shell, with no sign of the people.

"So, this happened after they received orders to withdraw from the kingdom?"

"That's correct. According to the records left in the capital, there were supposed to be not only confirmed casualties but also about ten missing members of the research expedition."

So, some of those ten people were the ones helped by the villagers. However, while they were receiving treatment, the research expedition withdrew, leaving them behind.

"When the research team left, there was no way to leave this island. And there was no way to call for help either... right?"

"Exactly, my dear Village Chief. What happened to the survivors after that?"

"Except for a few individuals, three of them ended up living in this village."

"What about the rest of them?"

"Somehow, they stayed at the research team's base, trying to find a way back, but... we don't know what happened to them afterward."

I couldn't help but picture that desolate base in my mind. I hope they managed to leave the island safely, but they didn't have the means or the strength to dig tunnels like us. I couldn't believe they had escaped.

I decided not to dwell on the fate of those people and asked, "So, what happened to the ones who stayed?"

"As I mentioned earlier, we can have children with various races."

"You mean...?"

"Yes. Some of the village residents are descendants of those survivors. However, this environment was harsh for their kind, and they all succumbed to illness at a young age."

The Lesser Elves, except for a few diseases, had a physique that hardly accepted anything in this environment, allowing them to survive. However, people of our kind, like us, didn't have such resilient bodies. In this village with no medicine or facilities, falling ill meant immediate danger to life.

Although the poison from the plant monsters that the research expedition first encountered could be gradually metabolized, it would have been fatal if it were an incurable toxin.

"Nevertheless, while they were still alive, we were able to learn many things about the outside world from them. We found out that this island is part of a kingdom called the Enhanced Kingdom. However..."

According to the stories of the survivors of the research expedition, they had heard that once their investigation was complete, the kingdom might start extensive development. However, the Lesser Elves couldn't leave this place.

They considered making a boat and escaping from that cove, but they concluded that it was impossible.

"In the end, we decided that someday the kingdom's envoys would come to talk with us and allow us to live here officially. But even after several decades, no one came."

"That's where we come in."

With a small nod, the village chief continued, "So, we would like to negotiate formally with all of you."

"Understood. In fact, that was our original purpose for coming here. We wanted to mediate with the Holy Beast to make that happen. Of course, sending Koritoko safely back to this village was also one of our goals."

"We feel guilty about what we did to Koritoko... We wish we had the knowledge to overcome the illness they had, and we've regretted it countless times."

"Koritoko's illness was unknown to us as well. If it weren't for Terryne's 'Gift,' there would have been little we could do."

Even though I can craft most things, I can't create something without the blueprints and materials. So, I stuffed as much crafting knowledge as I could during my time in the noble's house, but there are still many things I don't know. Koritoko's illness taught me that I can't save everyone on my own.

"Oh, speaking of Koritoko..."

As if suddenly remembering something, the village chief clapped his hands and said, "That child is a descendant of the research expedition, you know."

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