The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 55

“Sorry, it’s because your eyes are red…”

“What about them? Even if it’s not a Maple Tree, red eyes aren’t that uncommon.”

Was it my imagination? Although he still wore a smile, his voice seemed a bit subdued. The others were also subtly watching for his reaction, so it didn’t seem like just a feeling. Perhaps mentioning eye color was considered rude here. I hurried to explain.

“I meant no offense. It’s just that I was told my eyes might turn red too.”

“…What?”

“Lord Kalph mentioned that if my eyes awaken, they might become completely red. That’s why my gaze wandered without me realizing it. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”

Talis clicked his tongue in brief surprise. Irei sighed and hit him on the back of the head again. Talis, who quietly took the hit, now looked at me with a softened gaze.

“Sorry, I was too sensitive. So, you thought you might be a Maple Tree because of that?”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize for that. But you’re probably not a Maple Tree. Our eyes are fully red from the start.”

“Oh, I see.”

With a strange sense of disappointment, I nodded. Talis, who had a complicated expression, lightly patted my head, then cupped my face in his hands and looked straight into my eyes.

“Let’s see. Your eyes are a pretty hazel. There’s a high chance they might turn red. Who else has red eyes? With your handsome looks, you might be a Rose. They tend to look quite striking.”

Others then began to examine my eyes as well.

“No, he has a more serene, elegant aura. I’d say he looks more like a Camellia to me.”

“Don’t you see some purple mixed in? Maybe he’s a Peony or a Silk Tree.”

“He could be an Azalea or a Rhododendron.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. Sei’s quite tall.”

Even from their conversation, it was clear that families with red eyes were more numerous than I had thought. Whether they bore fruit, flowers, or leaves, it seemed that nearly any tree known for its red hues could be a potential candidate. In the end, it felt futile to make any guesses right now. Noticing my inexplicable disappointment, Irei gently patted my shoulder.

“Still, red eyes are rare in any tree. Did you know that individuals with red eyes tend to have strong abilities?”

“Lord Kalph mentioned something like that.”

“Exactly. You’re destined to play a significant role within our kin. I’m already excited to see which guardian you’ll be matched with.”

Oh, that’s right—I would have a guardian too. It wasn’t something I had thought much about, but it felt strange now that it was brought up. Maybe sensing my awkwardness, Irei flashed a gentle smile.

“Shall we move on to a different topic? There’s so much we’re curious about you. How did you spend your time before you came here? Serige mentioned that you worked at the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, I was an officer in the Security Department.”

“Security Department? Isn’t that a high-ranking position?”

“Wow, that’s impressive!”

We continued with a series of questions and answers. I thought they would be curious about my personal life, but they were more interested in my preferences—what kind of food I liked, if I played any musical instruments, and so on. They seemed to consciously avoid asking questions that might be uncomfortable to answer.

Maybe because of that, I felt strangely at ease in this otherwise unfamiliar world. It felt, peculiarly, as though I had lived here all my life.

* * *

Once our conversation wrapped up to a certain extent, Irei suggested showing me the place where I’d be staying. It was the house at the front, which also served as the accommodation for Knight Kalph and Syran.

“During the awakening stage, anything can happen, so you’ll be staying with the knights for a while. You’ll be able to move out once you’re an adult, so please bear with the inconvenience.”

The room he showed me was larger than I expected. Not only was it spacious, but it also had its own bathroom, toilet, and private entrance, making it almost like a separate residence.

As seen from the outside, this room also featured large glass windows on its walls. The bed was placed where the natural light was best, while the opposite side had furniture like a table and wardrobe arranged neatly. The furniture had a familiar shape but was made of stone instead of wood.

But what caught my eye the most was the small curtain hanging above the window. A phrase, painted as if with watercolor, was written prominently in the center.

『Welcome back to our world.』

“We worked hard to decorate it when we heard you were coming,” Irei said with a shy smile as he noticed I couldn’t take my eyes off the curtain.

“It’s a bit simple, isn’t it? We had to set it up in a hurry, so it might be lacking in some aspects. We’ll add more as time goes by.”

“…No, it’s more than enough. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“Ah, hearing that makes me feel even more sorry for not preparing it better. Don’t consider this ‘more than enough.’ If you had grown up here, you would have had much more.”

For a moment, I found myself imagining things that hadn’t happened and couldn’t happen. What if I had been born and raised here? Perhaps I would have grown up with a brighter personality than I have now. At least I might not have been called ‘annoying.’ Or maybe I would have been so pampered that I’d end up being even more arrogant. The thought made me chuckle a bit. All these musings were pointless anyway.

“There aren’t many strict rules, but we usually eat meals together. There’s a separate dining hall, so just come out at the appropriate times. Although other matters aren’t strictly monitored, everyone values this tradition, so it would be nice if you could adapt to it, even if it feels bothersome.”

“Yes, understood. But who prepares the meals?”

“We take turns on kitchen duty. But since you’re still an Aesang, you’re exempt from that.”

“I can help as well.”

“I’m sure you can. But we’re not heartless enough to make a kid work. It’s something you’ll have to do once you’re an adult, so for now, just enjoy it.”

“But…”

“It’s alright, it’s alright. Just listen to the adults for now. Oh dear, you’re already nineteen, so you’ll only get to enjoy it for a few more months. If I’d known, I would’ve met you a bit earlier,” Talis said playfully, winking with one eye. I laughed quietly, thinking again that if I had grown up here, I would probably have an arrogant personality.

“By the way, it’s already lunchtime. Do you want to head to the dining hall?”

The dining hall wasn’t far away. Unlike the other buildings, which were built with stone foundations, the dining hall was made entirely of glass, allowing a clear view inside. The interior was bustling with activity as preparations for the meal were in full swing. Watching this scene, my eyes fell on a particular sight: various ingredients laid out on trays, including chopped vegetables.

“…Do Clonnes eat plants too?”

Talis’s eyes widened, and he burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Of course, we do. You’ve been eating vegetables all your life, haven’t you?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“Does it seem strange that plants eat plants? But strictly speaking, we’re different species. Humans also raise and eat animals like pigs and cows, right?”

He wasn’t wrong. Now that I thought about it, Serige had casually worked with herbs. It just hadn’t crossed my mind at the time. Still, Clonnes could communicate with plants, so the situation seemed a bit different. Cutting or eating something you could talk to felt unsettling. Noticing my discomfort, Talis laughed again and continued to explain.

“We don’t harvest them by force. We get leaves or roots that the plants don’t need. The plants don’t feel any pain, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“I see…”

“In fact, they appreciate getting rid of the extra stuff that’s in the way. Besides, we need essential nutrients, so it’s unavoidable.”

“That’s true. Even though we’re humanoid plants, we probably need more than just sunlight and water…”

“Exactly, just sunlight and water wouldn’t be enough. At most, it might sustain us for about half a year.”

Half a year is quite a long time, isn’t it?

Feeling at a loss for words, I stared blankly. Talis, catching my eye, looked puzzled. His gaze seemed to ask why, so I shook my head to indicate it was nothing. It seemed like it would take a bit more time for me to fully adapt to this world.

“By the way, Lord Kalph seems to be taking longer than expected. Do you think there’s something wrong?”

As the smell of food grew stronger, someone voiced their concern. It had been three to four hours since Lord Kalph left for Dras Village. The faces of those looking up at the midday sun were filled with worry.

“Maybe Lord Syran is hiding to avoid being caught?”

“That does seem likely. They’re probably playing an intense game of tag by now.”

“So what about lunch? Should we just eat without them?”

“Well, with Sei joining us today, they’ll probably try to make it back in time. Talis, can you try to get in touch with them?”

At Irei’s suggestion, Talis gave a playful smile.

“I’ll do it if you say you love me.”

“You’re dead meat, seriously.”

“Ow, don’t hit me! I surrender, I surrender!”

While it was Irei who was swatting his back, the others shared similarly exasperated expressions. “Everyone hates me!” Talis defended himself amid the reproachful looks, but no one paid him any heed.

“Just shut up and contact them.”

“Why don’t you just say it? What’s so hard about saying ‘I love you’? It’s not like saying it will wear your mouth out! You guys are so harsh!”

“Talis Aisera.”

“Fine, I’ll do it, okay?”

With a disgruntled face, Talis extended his arm. A gentle breeze seemed to stir, and red, glittering particles began to swirl, gracefully twining around his arm. Eventually, they clustered together and softly settled on the back of his hand.