Chapter 76: The Mysterious Flying… Butt?

“Shall we head back soon?”

“…Yeah. Looks like the party’s winding down anyway.”

As the sun began to sink beneath the horizon, painting the sky in gentle hues of amber and rose, we decided it was time to leave the village.

“Hoee~? Heading out at this hour~? It’s almost night~!”

“The village chief’s had too much to drink,” I muttered under my breath.

The chief, utterly plastered, exhaled a breath that reeked of alcohol as he fretted over us. His face was beet-red, his speech slurred into nonsense, and he wobbled like a newborn fawn, teetering on the brink of collapse. Frankly, he was far more worrying than any of the dangers we’d faced.

And he wasn’t the only one drunk. Nearly all the adults of the village had overindulged, sprawled haphazardly across the squares where the feast had taken place.

All it had taken was a small offering of the alcohol produced in their home gardens, and they had gone absolutely wild. Apparently, it was the best drink they’d ever tasted, and the villagers had fought—literally—for more, drinking as if the world would end otherwise.

…Makes you wonder what that initial hesitation had even been about.

“Daddy! Let’s go home!”

“Not a chance, this right here is my home! Hic!”

“…I give up.”

Even the children were exasperated, shaking their heads at the spectacle.

I couldn’t entirely blame them. I had let the alcohol flow freely, partly because I wanted everyone to celebrate the relief after facing monstrous threats—but I had hoped they’d exercise a little restraint.

Judging by the current state, Anii was probably right: the party was effectively over.

“Don’t say such things! Please stay the night~… ugh!”

“Whoa, gross.”

“…Snooze.”

And just like that, someone had already passed out.

Normally, we would have gratefully accepted an overnight stay, but we had the means to return to Arcel in an instant.

“Let’s go home~! Hic!”

“Why are you drunk too? Did you actually drink?”

“I didn’t, but watching everyone got me a little tipsy~! Hic!”

“…How weak are you?”

Carrying the strangely intoxicated Sena on my back, we made our way to the home garden we’d left at the edge of the village.

“Hee-haw!”

Of course, we brought the horse along, and in a blink, we had teleported back to our home in Arcel.

For reference, the corpses of the Red Dragon and the Wyvern had been moved to the second home garden while the villagers prepared for the feast. There was plenty of space there, after all.

“We should probably wait a while before reporting to the guild. If we go too soon, they might get suspicious.”

“Do we need to report to Zari’s guild?”

“No, it’s fine. Our guild can pass the report along.”

So, while the official guild report still had to be submitted, this marked the completion of the quest. The journey there had taken time, but the return was instantaneous.

“Ah, but what should we do with the home garden over there?”

“Yours… can’t it be deleted once it’s made?”

“Not sure. I’ve never tried it.”

〈Do you want to delete the designated garden?〉

As we debated, that familiar mysterious voice resonated in my mind.

The word “delete” caught my attention, but it seemed possible to target only specific gardens without affecting others.

Though it had been a short journey, saying goodbye to the home garden we’d traveled with felt a little sad. Still, I accepted it as inevitable—until Shifa spoke.

“Geo, I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Huh?”

“If we leave it as is, it might be useful someday.”

She had a point.

Maintaining the garden required no effort on our part, so there was no reason to erase it.

Besides, there might be another chance to visit that village.

“Though… we should probably move it away from the village. Imagine if a mysterious garden suddenly appeared nearby—they’d freak out.”

“Shall we return it first?”

“Yes. Since the sun’s down, it won’t be noticeable now.”

The peak of the mountain where we’d fought the Red Dragon rarely saw visitors, making it the perfect place to relocate the garden.

“Sena—”

“Guh… snoooze.”

Of course, the girl was already fast asleep, snoring away.

“Geo, I’m coming with you.”

“Really? Please, that would be great.”

I felt a quiet thrill at the thought of being alone with Shifa, until—

“Then I’m coming too.”

“Huh? Anii as well?”

“What’s the matter? Bad?”

“No, not bad… just…”

For some inexplicable reason, Anii decided to tag along. Really, I wish she’d read the atmosphere…

We teleported near the village. Faint sounds of raucous laughter and shouting indicated some villagers were still partying.

We transported the home garden and set off toward the mountain.

“Hey, why don’t we fly there?”

“Good idea.”

Using the three-dimensional movement that had been so effective against the Red Dragon, the garden floated into the night sky.

“This feels amazing.”

“It really does.”

Shifa was right—the cool breeze brushing against us was refreshing. During the Red Dragon battle, there had been no time to enjoy the sensation, but now, soaring above the world, it was intoxicatingly freeing. For a moment, I felt like a bird gliding on the wind.

Peering over the edge of the garden, I saw the village sprawled beneath us. The village chief lay flat on his back in the square, arms and legs splayed like a starfish. Honestly, he should probably just sleep at home.

“Anii, are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine!”

“Wait… are you afraid of heights?”

“I said I’m fine, didn’t I!?”

Yep, she was definitely bluffing. Her knees trembled like a newborn fawn’s.

“Come on, let’s peek over the edge a little.”

“…No thanks.”

“Aww, the view’s amazing! Just a bit closer to the edge—come on.”

“Hey… don’t push meee!”

While teasing Anii mercilessly, the peak of the mountain came into view.

…Maybe this was divine retribution for my teasing.

And then it happened. My face collided with—

“Eh? —ugh!?”

My lips met a backside with a sudden, humiliating smack.