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Searching For Nina
We continued doing business by traveling to various places with Teleportation, like Donkel village, for 6 days.
We mostly went around places that have a close relationship with the Emilio Company, and now my work is finally done.
After sending Emilio and the others back to the royal capital’s company, I decided to immediately return to Howling Village.
The fatigue from the six-day business trip accumulates and I want to relax in the mansion, but I promised to return as soon as I can and go to the secret base with Nina.
「Well, then, I will return to Howling village」
「Thank you. Please give my regards to the ojousan」
Knowing the reason for my wanting to return quickly, Emilio allowed me to return while having a wry smile on his face.
It’s sometime after noon. I can go to the secret base if I return to Howling Village right now.
Leaving the rest of the work to the others, I teleport to Howling Village.
I return to Howling Village from the royal capital.
It’s been six days since I left Howling Village, but the scenery of Howling Village covered in snow still hasn’t changed.
Let’s see Nina for now. Thinking like that, I try to visit her house.
「Hello, it’s Kureto」
「Kureto-san! Have you seen Nina?」
When I knocked on the door and called out, Stella strongly opened the door and leaned forward, asking me that.
「Eh? Nina? I just returned from the royal capital and thought of showing up to see Nina......」
「I, is that so」
Stella cast her eyes down with a worried look after answering like that.
「You haven’t seen Nina?」
「Yes. She went out for a walk in the morning and still has not come back」
「……she might be playing at someone’s house and is just late」
Unlike me, Nina has a wide range of interactions with the villagers.
She might just be late because she’s hanging out at someone’s house or helping with the work over there.
「It will be great if that is so」
Stella still looks worried even after I tried telling her that possibility.
A parent will naturally be worried if their only daughter goes out and doesn’t come back anytime soon.
「I’ll use my magic to search around the village」
「In that case, let me come with you!」
「No, Stella-san please wait here. There’s a chance that Nina return and you miss each other after all」
We need to consider the worst-case scenario, but if that doesn’t happen then at least someone should stay at home. Nina might suddenly come back home.
「……I understand. I’m sorry to bother you even though it’s your rest day」
「Please don’t worry about it, I’m the one who always receive your help」
I’m extremely grateful to Stella and the others for their help with my everyday life, such as farmwork and mushroom gathering.
Nina is also an important neighbor to me so going out of my way to look for her is not a big deal.
「I haven’t seen Andre-san, does he know about this?」
「No, today is his guard duty so I don’t think he knows」
I don’t know what will happen if I don’t tell Andre about this. It might become somewhat serious, but as long as he knows, he will probably be able to work with the other villagers to look for her efficiently.
「Then, I’ll tell Andre and ask for his cooperation in searching」
「I’m sorry to trouble you, and thank you in advance」
「Please use this magic tool when Nina returns home. It will absorb your mana and release a fireball if you push this button」
「U, understood」
「Then, I’m going」
After handing over a magic bracelet to let us know immediately if Nina has returned, I teleport to the village’s entrance.
As my vision warped, I arrived at Howling Village’s entrance.
There's Andre standing at the village entrance, wearing winter clothes and practicing swinging his spear.
His body will probably end up cold if he doesn’t move around.
「Oooh! Kureto, you’re back, huh! Have you finished your work in the royal capital?」
Having no idea of what’s going on, Andre starts chatting casually, but now is not the time for that, so I cut him off.
「It looks like Nina went out for a walk this morning and still hasn’t come back yet」
「What!? Tell me in detail!」
Andre’s expression immediately became serious when he learned something disturbing involving Nina.
I told Andre about how I returned this morning and what Stella told me.
I thought Andre would suddenly bolt out to look for her, but surprisingly, he remained calm and listened to what I had to say.
It might be because he’s on guard duty that he understands the importance of listening ot information seriously, especially in times of emergency.
「It’s indeed a possibility that she was just playing somewhere and was late, but Nina has rarely come home late, so I’m worried. I will look for her」
「Is the guard duty alright?」
「I’ll find someone to take care of it. This might be a bit serious, so I’ll also call some other people to look for her. Sorry, Kureto. Can I also ask your help to find her? You should be able to go to a lot of places quickly to look for her with your magic, right?」
「That was my intention from the start. I will also look for Nina」
「Thanks. I owe you one」
I plan to do that from the start, even without Andre asking me.
Andre smiled in relief after seeing me firmly nod.
「I will call out everyone I know and start looking around the village’s center」
「I will look around the walking routes Nina might enjoy taking」
We tell each other the rough estimate of our path and I also tell him about the magic tool I gave Stella.
Andre immediately returned to the village after I told him the necessary information, while I cast Teleport to start searching for Nina.
Now, first, I will search for the walking route we always take.
Upon returning to the front of my house, I teleport straight up to the sky.
I search for Nina by looking down from a high vantage point.
Perhaps it’s because the whole area is covered in snow that the view is almost completely white.
There are almost no villagers walking outside since most of them are staying indoors.
After confirming no one is nearby, I teleport forward and look down in the same manner.
I can see people clearing snow from the roofs of their houses and women chatting while bartering stuff. But I can’t see the figure of a person resembling Nina.
I teleport again and follow our walking route.
There is a beautiful stream around here, filled with beautiful flowers in spring, with lush green leaves and various creatures in the summer.
There is a nice shady spot nearby, making it my favorite spot to take a break during walks, eat a packed lunch, and spend time.
But, that place is also buried in snow and not a place you can relax at this season.
「……she’s also not here, huh?」
I look around while having such thoughts and occasionally checking Nina’s favorite spots.
However, Nina’s figure is nowhere to be seen.
Howling Village itself is not that big, but it suddenly feels so vast when you trying to find a girl.
A sense of worry gradually wells up inside my chest.
But, I have to keep calm in times like this.
No matter how many times I teleport around, searching blindly will only end up wasting time.
If even I, as the neighbor, am this worried, I’m sure both of her parents - Andre and Stella - are more worried than I am. Even so, the fact that both of them can still be calm and take the best course of action shows how amazing parents they are.
Another place Nina might go to, is probably Lefyria’s house.
It looks like she went to play at Lefyria’s house on a fine autumn day, and slept soundly there. It might be the same this time.
Thinking like that, I teleport to the front of Lefyria’s house.
I tried knocking, but there’s no sign of Lefyria coming out.
I also tried to go around and peered inside, but there’s no sign of the magic stone lamp being lit, and I simply can’t feel any presence of people inside.
It seems like Lefyria is not home. In that case, Nina is probably not here.
Where else could Nina go to?
「Ara, Kureto-san. Is there something you need from me?」
As I turn on my heel, someone suddenly calls out to me.
Looking up, there is the homeowner - Lefyria - standing right in front of me.
She’s wearing a muffler and a long coat and her white skin is slightly red, I guess it’s because of frostbite. The fact that she is holding her art supplies means that she is painting even under the falling snow.
「I’m looking for Nina, have you seen her?」
「If you’re looking for Nina-san, I saw her entering the forest, you know?」
I’m surprised since I didn’t expect Lefyria to give such detailed eyewitness information.
At the same time, I feel a chill running through my spine, hearing that Nina had gone into the forest.
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