Seawater tribe.
One of the many rare races that existed in this world.
The woman in front of me right now definitely belonged to that tribe.
Because the only race that appeared to be an ordinary human on the ground and the appearance of a whole body covered with scales in the water was them.
I was a little surprised because I didn’t expect to see such a rare race in a place like this.
“What are you staring at? Are you curious?”
“...”
She’s a bit of a funny guy.
The scales that had sprouted on the skin almost disappeared.
She was completely naked because she wasn’t wearing a single piece of clothing, so I glanced away.
...Come to think of it, they weren’t the kind of people who were ashamed of showing their naked body like humans.
The woman glanced at me and then continued with a tongue-in-cheek tone.
“How long are you going to be stunned? Aren’t you going to say thank you to me for saving you from becoming fish food?”
I also got up and shook my head.
“There’s no need for you to save me.”
“...What?”
“It wasn’t even dangerous. You just did something useless.”
I could just say thank you and move on, but the way she spoke was annoying.
“Wow, hah! So, that was not dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“You’re really shameless. Is it so hard to say thank you? Did you think I’d ask for anything in return for saving you, like you humans do?”
“I was just telling the truth.”
“Okay, that’s all right. Boy, anyway, that’s why human bastards are…”
She shook her head and turned around.
I stared at her back.
‘Do the Seawater tribe also live in Gaitan Lake?’
It was a fact I didn’t know at all.
Because it was such a rare race that I only saw it once while playing the game.
And I knew that the Seawater tribe was definitely a tribe that inhabited the ocean… Why the hell were they in a lake like this?
As it was an unexpected encounter, I felt a little strange, but a thought suddenly came to my mind.
...Then do they know some important information about the lake here?
Could they know where the place I was looking for was?
After thinking about it up to that point, I immediately called after the woman.
“Hey, Seawater person.”
She stopped walking at my call and turned her head back. She had a slightly bewildered face.
“Who are you? Do you know about our race?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I’ve seen it in a book. A legendary race that has a human form on the ground and scales like fish in the water.”
“...Me, a legend?”
The corners of her lips twitched.
“Hmm, hmm. It’s a legend. Is our race so famous to you humans?”
“...”
Did she like hearing the word “legendary”?
I just meant that it’s a race that was rarely seen.
As she stared at me, she suddenly gave me a look of disappointment.
“Oh, no? I’m not a Seawater person? You’re wrong, human.”
Why was she acting like that suddenly?
“I’m right.”
“No, sir. Don’t go around saying that you saw me here, huh?”
She started murmuring that she saved me for nothing.
Like the vampires of Elrod Forest, I wondered if they were concerned that their home would be exposed.
Still, she didn’t want to kill me, but she tried to save me.
“So what? Why are you calling me?” she asked.
I asked her.
“Are you aware of the rock formations in the lake? Or is there a cave?”
She made a strange expression, then frowned and replied.
“I don’t know. Why are you asking that?”
I didn’t miss that subtle change.
After gaining [Super Sensory], I could read other people’s facial expressions better, but she especially could not hide her emotions.
So I was half sure. That she knew the place I just said.
“You know.”
As I spoke again, I saw her flinch. So, she really knew about it.
“Please. I want you to guide me there.”
“No, I don’t know.”
“If there is anything you want, I will repay you in the best possible way.”
She snorted and turned back.
“Well, don’t hold on to me with useless words. If you chase me, I’ll throw you back into the lake, so don’t chase after me.”
Then she ran and disappeared into the forest in an instant.
I brushed my hair once more and stared at the forest.
I wasn’t worried about losing her.
It seemed that they settled here by the lake, anyway.
How should I coax that?
I’d go back and try again later.
***
After returning to the carriage, drying myself and eating, I immediately took Asher back to the place where I had met the woman.
I followed the trail she left.
Footprints on the floor, tread marks, etc., were enough to figure out where she was headed.
There were traces that would be difficult to find normally, but it wasn’t too difficult to notice with [Super Sensory]. It was also very useful for tracking.
The place we reached after chasing the trail was a cave located deep in the forest.
I saw two men standing at the entrance of the cave, chatting.
They looked like they were standing guard, and when they saw us, they stiffened their faces.
“...Human?”
It seemed to be the right place.
One hurried into the cave, and the other shouted at us as we approached the cave.
“Stop, human!”
I quietly stopped.
I felt others coming from inside, so I waited quietly.
Soon, dozens of Seawater tribe people came out of the cave. Fortunately, this time they were all wearing clothes, so there was no need for me to look elsewhere.
“...Hey you!”
One of them, a woman with a familiar face, saw me and pointed a finger at me and shouted.
“How did you know we’re here?”
I answered calmly.
“I’ve been following your trail.”
“Then why did you chase me? I even saved you…!”
“What do you mean, Anne? You saved a human?”
The eyes of others who were looking at me with tense eyes shifted to her.
“Uh, no, that’s not it…”
She panicked and waved her hands.
The noise was getting louder and louder, but we heard a sound from inside the cave.
“Everyone, be quiet!”
Suddenly, silence fell upon them.
The man walking out of the cave was an old man with a strong build. With blue hair and a beard.
An old man who passed the others and walked forward met my eyes.
[Lv. 87]
...Close to 90 level.
'Is he the chieftain of this tribe?'
Although the Seawater tribe was born with a fairly strong affinity for magical powers, that was already a very high level, even if one considered that.
I hid my surprise inside and exchanged glances quietly. The old man’s eyes were as deep as the sea.
The old man who was staring at me immediately burst out laughing and opened his mouth.
“Heh heh, this is true. I guess you’re not a normal person.”
“...”
“Tell me why you came here. It looks like you’ve already had a small encounter with my granddaughter.”
The old man glanced at the woman.
She let out a small sigh and scratched her head.
I looked at the two and asked.
“Are you the chieftain of this tribe, Sir?”
When I said that, I felt awkward.
Because it was the first honorific word I used after possessing this body.
But, now, I had something to ask, and I was the one who came here suddenly, so I had to be polite.
The old man nodded at my question.
“That’s right.”
“I have no intention of harming you. I’m just here to ask that woman a favor.”
She caught my gaze and tried to shout again with an angry face.
“Hey, I already told you I don’t know!”
“Stop it, Anne.”
The chieftain stopped her and spoke to me again.
“Would you like to come in first? If you want a conversation, I’ll offer you a cup of tea.”
I nodded.
The old man smiled and turned back into the cave as if gesturing to follow him.
I looked at his back and furrowed my brow.
...A wound.
Because it looked like he had a pretty big scar on his back.
The wounds were being treated, and herb-like grasses were glued together.
“Hey, if you’re coming in, come in quickly.”
The woman, who was looking at me with a dissatisfied gaze, pointed with her chin.
Well, luckily, it seemed like they were going to treat me like a guest, so let’s go inside.
***
As we entered the innermost part of the cave, a simple space appeared.
There was grass on the seat, and around the bonfire, things like fish bones were gathered and scattered.
“Just take a suitable seat and sit down.”
As Asher and I hesitated about where to sit, the chieftain said that.
So, as he said, we just sat down randomly.
The Seawater person, who gave tea to the chieftain first and set down the teacup in front of me, glared at me before leaving.
The chieftain clicked his tongue and raised the teacup.
“Please understand. Because of what happened recently, everyone has a lot of hostility towards humans.”
The woman, who was crouching in the corner and looking at me as well, said.
“I hated humans from the beginning, Grandpa.”
“It’s noisy, girl.”
“No, look at that brazen thing. I was the one who saved him from being fish food earlier. But even though I told him not to follow me, he kept chasing me all the way here. Without knowing grace.”
The chieftain tilted his head at her and asked, as if he did not understand.
“You said you saved that man?”
“That’s right!”
“Did you really get help from my granddaughter?”
He looked away and asked me again.
I shook my head.
“It was just a pointless meddle.”
“Well, then.”
“No, wow! What a shameless…!”
The old man ignored it and continued.
“My granddaughter seems to have misunderstood something, so please ignore it. Although she has a rough mouth, she has a good heart, so it’s probably not something she did with bad intentions.”
How much did this old man know about me?
I nodded my head as I looked at the woman screaming with a face about to die from unfairness.
“Anyway, I have a favor to ask of your granddaughter…”
“Hey, are you going to ask me to show you the place you asked me about earlier?”
“Yes.”
She said, sticking her tongue out.
“I will tell nothing to a brazen bastard like you.”
“Thank you so much for saving me earlier. I’m late to thank you.”
“...Do you think I’m a fool?! I will never tell you, so fuck it!”
It’s not that simple.
I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the chieftain.
Mystery was a Mystery, but I also had a question for him.
“By the way, I knew that the Seawater people lived on the seashore, but have you been living in this lake from the beginning?”
At that question, their faces darkened slightly in an instant.
The chieftain shook his head.
“No. Right now, we’re just staying for a while.”
I intuitively seemed to know what the situation was.
“Is it because of the wound on the back?”
“That’s right. It’s been quite a while, but recovery is slow, so it’s still like this.”
“Can I ask how it happened?”
Considering his level, he wasn’t weak enough to be attacked by anyone.
The chieftain replied with a bitter smile.
“I had a conflict with a human like you.”
“If it’s a human….”
“He’s a powerful mage. He called himself the chief wizard of the Imperial Family of Santea.”
...What?
A completely unexpected person popped out, so my eyes widened.
