Story 4: 【Caller】 And The Secret Of The Skill

After somehow preparing breakfast with hard-baked breads and jars that had been thrown into the cart along with my luggage.

I was pondering a bit as they were munching the bread in front of me.

「......It's going to be a problem if we don't have a stable source of food soon......」

I don't want to be a burden.

At my muttering, Roa responded by twitching her ears.

「That's right. The food that oniichan brought will be gone soon. If that's the case, are you going to go down to the village to buy some? ......Rather than that.」

「Why does the goshujin-sama live in a place like this? This area is quite deep in the mountains and there are many monsters, so I think it's too difficult for humans to live here.」

Roa and Fiana both tilted their heads.

「That's, well, it's a good question......」

I decided to take the opportunity to tell Roa and Fiana what had happened, and I told them how I had been driven to this mountain.

I was given a skill and was kicked out of my hometown with no mercy.

......and by the time I finished telling  them, an unusual aura raised from their bodies.

I don't know how to describe it, but it doesn't look peaceful.

It was as if they were about to jump out and do something.

「What you just told us, I can't ignore it...... What do you think Fiana?」

「Yes, for once I agree with Roa.」

The two girls who said this had grim expressions on their faces.

I couldn't help but try to calm them down.

「Both of you, calm down, calm down. It's already in the past, and now you two are going to help me. So don't be so mad. I'll be fine.」

I tried to cover it up by laughing and saying, 「Ahahaha, just think of it as something that happened」, but the two people in front of me snapped, 「「It's no laughing matter.」」

「In the first place, goshujin-sama, why do you think god gave the 【Caller】skill to humans?」

「Well ......I've never really thought about it in detail because I've only ever thought of it as a failure skill that attracts monsters.」

When I found out that I had been given a 【Decoy】, which I now call a 【Caller】, I couldn't think of anything other than I am really in trouble.

I had no time to think about what god was thinking.

I don't know what she thought when she saw me, but Fiana's shoulders slumped.

「Even goshujin-sama himself are not aware of such things....... So, did the human race forget about the importance of people with the 【Caller】 skill over the long generations? It seems that these days there aren't as many monsters invasions and catastrophes in the villages as there used to be.」

「Yes, it seems so......」

Roa agreed with Fiana.

Then Roa spoke up, quietly.

「The 【Caller】 can speak to dragons and phoenixes, and can even ask for help in case of emergency. If the 【Caller】is a decent person, we would like to lend our help just like the case with oniichan, and you know that very well, don't you?」

「Well, there are two of us now......」

In fact, if Roa hadn't come when I was attacked by the Dark Kobold, I probably would have died back then.

So I think I know firsthand what Roa meant when she said that.

「Then it's simple. This means that if oniichan had asked us to "Protect the people of his hometown from the monsters hordes and other great disasters", we could have helped him in that direction as well. ......After hearing a story like that, I don't have the faintest idea about helping people in oniichan's hometown anymore.」

As I listened to Roa's word, it finally hit me.

「In other words, when a situation arises that humans can't handle, the 【Caller】 acts as a bridge to call the divine beast for help?」

I think it's like a fairy tale, a man who calls upon the divine beasts to ward off evil.

But the divine beast, Roa, says this, so it must be true.

Fiana nodded her head instead of Roa, who was also puffed up from remembering the story of my hometown.

「That's the correct interpretation, goshujin-sama. But, as I said before, even if we can hear the voices of the 【Caller】 these days, their hearts are dirty, so we don't lend them any help. ......I don't want to get close to people who are greedy, because even if I lend them my help, they will still harm me.」

Fiana's words were strangely persuasive as she said it with a heartfelt sense of annoyance.

「That's right......」

If you sell off legendary items that only appear in fairy tales, such as dragon scales, phoenix feathers, and other items that can be obtained by catching divine beasts, you can make a tremendous amount of money.

I don't think I'd be able to afford it, living in the middle of nowhere, but if someone wanted it, they could have it, there are some unscrupulous people who think they can hunt down the divine beast while calling them, surely there are people like that among the 【Caller】.

「In any case, humans are greedy, but they are not as strong as monsters. That's why when 【Caller】 like goshujin-sama finally appear, they can communicate with us, and protect the human world. ......Originally, the skill that the god gives to humans to maintain the balance of this world in such a way is the 【Caller】.」

「And yet, I can't believe they kick out the 【Caller】...... If you have a problem with the monsters that oniichan attracts, there are many ways to deal with it compared to a major invasion of monsters or a major calamity, and it is at times like this that people should unite and help each other. Good grief, people have forgotten about that stuff too...... I wonder what the people around here would do if there was a big monsters invasion. In the first place, there is even a legend that the 【Caller】 itself is born before a major disaster occurs......」

Roa and Fiana crossed their arms and gave difficult expression, 「「Hmmm」」.

But soon afterwards, they both looked at each other and said, 「「Well, whatever.」」.

「There is no reason to lend a hand to the town that drives out the 【Caller】 who acts as a bridge between humans and us, and it is unpleasant to hear that goshujin-sama who has helped his hometown has been kick out. ......Instead of talking about this now, let's think about what we're going to eat in the future.」

「Yes, I don't like to be hungry either.」

I nodded and told them both, 「Let's do that.」.

「Now that I've been kicked out, it doesn't matter how much we think about it, we'll just think about the future. And if a big disaster happens, we can all think about it again when it happens.」

Yes, now I have to think about my immediate life above all else and take action.

I've been hunting in these mountains for a long time, so fortunately I know the area well.

And this mountain has enough wild vegetables, plenty of beasts, and clean rivers to make a living.

But as it is now, it's not very convenient.

If the three of us are going to live together, it would be better to eventually be able to grow a farm and somehow secure a well.

That said, I think we'll be mainly hunting and gathering for a while, though.

「......With that said, let's get our stuff sorted out quickly and then head out to get some water and food.」

「Yes. I fly all the time and have never walked in the mountains, so I'm a little bit excited. Oniichan, please guide me!」

「Yeah, leave that to me.」

When I patted Roa little bit, who hugged me tightly, Fiana narrowed her eyes, 「Muu......」.

I chuckled and said, 「My bad, my bad」, and did the same to Fiana as I did to Roa, then quickly organized my stuff.

Then we got ready and left the cabin.