「It really is suspended in the clouds.」
「Will you really be alright on your own?」
「It’ll be fine, I’ll be back soon.」
Having finally reached the base of the Table Mountains, we gazed at the summit from the bottom of the steep, vertical cliff.
「Alright, see ya!」
Telling everyone so, I made very small horizontal magic barriers 『Shield』, stepping on them to soar up high.
Gain distance with short range teleport and wind supported jumps at times, I steadily rushed up the hill. I had climbed 1000m in height within 5 minutes.
The spectacle spreading before my eyes is completely different from the surface, the many puddles of water within the grasslands mirrored the clouds and the gigantic boulders scattered about were covered in moss. There were no tall trees, just shrubs that I’ve never seen before.
「As expected, being 1000m higher, of course the environment would change. Oh, I have to pick everyone up.」
I teleported to the bottom of Table Mountains, and Kaede jumped on me.
「Master! Master, that was so coooool! You went bounce bounce bounce to the sky!」
「It’s barrier magic, so I think you’d be able to do it if you practice, Kaede. And you also have your threads too.」
「Kaede will practice!」
「Okay. Now then, everyone, hold onto me.」
「「「「Yes.」」」」
Upon confirming that everyone was in contact with my body, I teleported to the summit of Table Mountains.
「Fuu, as expected, when teleporting everyone in one go, the magic power consumed was too extreme.」
「………………how lovely.」
「It’s such a beautiful scenery, isn’t it?」
「True, it’s fairytale-like.」
「You wouldn’t think this is a monster nest.」
「Howaa~ So amazing nya~ 」
「Ooh, there are plants I’ve never seen before!」
With teleportation, the scene before their eyes suddenly changed, and the landscape of the summit of Table Mountains impressed Sophia and the girls.
Maria, Marnie, and Akane’s eyes were sparkling, while Lulu-chan seemed delighted. Only one person said something different, but it’s a very Laeva thing to say.
The multiple puddles mirroring the blue sky are springs welling up, and they’re shallow in depth.
「There are small fish.」
「These fish might not exist in the Sanctuary.」
「Owaa! Undine! Don’t show up so suddenly.」
As I was muttering to myself as I gazed at the water, a voice suddenly came from behind me, and when I turned around, Undine showed up. I would like it if she didn’t just slip past my Presence Detection.
After that, I began discussing the balance of the Sanctuary’s ecosystem with the Great Spirits Dryas, Sylph, Undine, and Selene.
「We’ll exclude the flora and fauna that can only live on high ground, right?」
「There appear to be various types of birds, and the little ones look like they’d be fine even in the Sanctuary. They wouldn’t do bad either.」
「I would like us to be careful with the waterways, reservoir, and the Spirit Spring for the time being. If possible, it should be small fish and aquatic bugs in the waterways and reservoir at the start.」
「Perhaps because the food is limited, there are only small rabbit and mouse-type animals and monsters. They have not been encroached by too much miasma, as such, I believe they would become gentle in disposition if they live in the Sanctuary.」
It looks like Undine and the others are selecting monsters and animals to take back.
「Hey Selene. They’ll be come gentler if they live in the Sanctuary?」
「Among the monsters, if herbivorous monsters were cleansed of miasma, they would not proactively attack people.」
「Hee~ I remember being attacked by Horned Rabbits.」
「Horned Rabbits are carnivorous, after all. Even so, I don’t think it would go into that much of a frenzy if it’s inside the Sanctuary, so besides being a carnivore, it wouldn’t become too aggressive.」
「…………so they really were carnivores.」
Dryas began collecting seeds and bulbs by influencing plants that can be grown even in the Sanctuary.
Sylph said she’d catch small birds and flew away.
How free they are. I already knew this, but the Spirits really do as they like.
We looked for a place to camp in, then set up our tents. Once we were settled, we would explore the top of Table Mountains. We talked about thoroughly investigating this land, which may very well be a place that no man has ever set foot in.
Laeva had become engrossed in cultivating samples. Apart from making things, she has a strong spirit of inquiry. She happily took notes while foraging plants.
Preparing food was entrusted to Maria and Marnie, leaving Akane and Lulu-chan with them as their escorts, and the remaining members explored the area surrounding the campsite.
「Because this place is the way it is, there doesn’t seem to be large animals and monsters, huh?」
「Indeed. There are small birds, animals, and monsters. On the predator side, there are birds of prey.」
The ground probably elevated with tectonic shifts. For the remaining small animals and monsters to survive, they probably had to develop characteristics unique to this place.
There’s the question of whether the evolution of living beings in this world is the same as on Earth, but at the very least, the flora, fauna, and monsters in this place clearly have different characteristics from those at the base of the Table Mountains.
The plan is to spend two days exploring the land, as well as catching living beings and foraging plants. Let’s give it our all tomorrow onwards!
***