Isekai Lizardman Survival Log

My first impression of the founder of the Red Claw tribe was [big]. Despite rarely being overwhelmed by size anywhere, the founder’s spirit was so enormous that I had to look up at it.

I also realized that it was the founder who had created and removed the barrier. The mist scattered around was part of the founder’s body, so perhaps even this form was the result of reducing its size.

As I approached the founder, whose features were distinct unlike other spirits, a sense of pressure pressed down on my body from above. I moved my feet, resisting the pressure that tried to force me to my knees.

《Oh―.》

The founder looked at me with interest, and as if its gaze really had power, the pressure pressing down on my body intensified.

Breaking through the pressure that made it difficult to even lift my knee or take my foot off the ground, I stood before the founder. The pressure that had been crushing my entire body disappeared like a mirage.

As the pressure vanished as if it had never existed, my suppressed body suddenly became free, and I almost lost my balance, but I endured by putting strength into my legs.

Planting my legs firmly on the ground as if rooting myself, I raised my head and met the founder’s eyes. The founder looked down at me with curved eyes, as if interested, and opened its enormous mouth.

《It’s nice to meet you, young hero.》
“It’s an honor to meet you, founder of the Red Claw.”

The founder seemed pleased with my greeting and smiled slightly. It’s worth mentioning again, but it’s really big. Among humans, except for ogres, there were none bigger than me, but I barely reached the founder’s thigh.

《Why is that? Are you surprised that I’m bigger than you?》
“Well, yes… Honestly, it is surprising.”
《Ha―! Ha! Indeed. For someone of your stature, it would be natural to look down on everyone except ogres.》

The founder emitted mist from its body, surrounding us. A barrier formed, enclosing just the two of us.

Perhaps as a reaction to extracting the mist, the founder’s body shrank a bit, but I still had to look up at it.

《Now our voices won’t be heard from outside. I’ve taken special care, so don’t worry about it leaking out.》
“…Thank you?”

While surprised by the sudden private conversation, I tried to think of why it had gone to such lengths to block sound for a one-on-one talk.

Unfortunately, no particular reason came to mind. The founder, seemingly uninterested in answering my doubts, spouted trivial small talk.

《Are you perhaps thinking that I was this big when I was alive? If so, rest assured, when I was alive, I was definitely smaller than you.》
“…I see.”

What could be the meaning of this conversation? That the size of a spirit’s body has no relation to their physical size when alive? Or that even the founder was smaller than me when alive? Whatever it was, it wasn’t particularly nutritious information.

《When I was alive…》

The founder’s story continued. What kind of being it was when alive, what it hunted, what great deeds it accomplished, and so on. Unfortunately, most of it was identical to the stories passed down in the Red Claw tribe, so there wasn’t much new to gain.

So, why is it telling me these stories? What does it want from me?

《Yes, you’re probably thinking something like this right now. What on earth do I want to say?》

I quietly raised my head and met the founder’s eyes. I waited for the words to come from the founder’s mouth, which had accurately guessed my inner thoughts.

《Young hero. I’ve heard about your circumstances. No, it would be more accurate to say I’ve seen them.》
“…?”

Seen? What does it mean it has seen? Perhaps it’s been staying in the village constantly and heard what I’ve said? If so, there’s no need to correct it to “seen,” is there?

《You’re looking for the fairy elixir, aren’t you? It’s not for you to drink, young one, so you must want to prolong the life of your family.》

I slowly nodded at the founder’s words. In fact, it wasn’t something that needed to be hidden, as if I were to find elves, it would most likely be for the fairy elixir, so what was the point in hiding it?

I wasn’t planning to meet the elves secretly anyway, but openly, so I didn’t feel the need to hide it.

《Let me give you a piece of advice.》

The founder said this and began to shrink its body again, emitting smoke. As the surroundings filled with smoke to the point where it was difficult to see even a foot ahead, the founder’s eye level lowered.

The smoke, thickly domed around us, blocked the view between inside and outside, and judging by the fact that no sound could be heard, it also had excellent soundproofing effects.

《To obtain the fairy elixir, you must overcome a trial.》
“A trial… you say?”
《Yes.》

I rubbed my chin with my hand and pondered the founder’s words. A trial… a trial, huh. Given that the founder specifically mentioned giving advice, it probably wasn’t an ordinary trial.

It must be incorporating magical elements, making it abnormally difficult and dangerous, which is why it’s bothering to give advice.

“What specifically is this trial?”
《I don’t think I need to advise you on that.》
“…Pardon?”

Wait, you said you’d give advice. If you’re going to tell me about the trial, at least explain what it is. What am I supposed to gain if you respond with ignorance at this point?

I glared at it with those questions and emotions in my eyes, and it shrugged and gave a bitter smile.

《You’ll find out when you go there yourself.》
“…Is that so.”

I sighed, deeply disappointed. I had high hopes when it said it would give advice, but now it’s saying I’ll know when I get there. Is it right to call this advice?

《Don’t worry. I’ll give you proper advice.》

As if it had seen through my doubts, the founder insisted that it would give proper advice separately. If I could receive proper advice, at least I wouldn’t be at a loss.

“Before hearing this so-called advice, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”
《Hmm?》

The founder seemed puzzled by the sudden question and drew out its words. I pushed the thought that its reaction was certainly befitting of Karakt and Kart’s ancestor to a corner of my mind.

The question I’m asking now is very important. No joke, it’s as crucial as a major crossroads that will determine my future course of action.

I carefully opened my mouth.

“The fairy elixir. How effective is it?”

The Red Claw tribe was in a festive mood. Honestly, every day felt like a festival, but this one was incomparably larger.

It was nothing less than a day of celebration for the village, with the chief’s successor being determined, so the villagers enjoyed the festival as if they were living only for today.

How great must have been the confusion the village experienced when it was revealed that Karakt, who had become chief, was seedless? And how anxious must they have been, unable to casually choose someone due to the magical symbolism of the chief’s position?

Naturally, the center of the festival could only be Kart, who had newly become the successor. Kart was drinking alcohol given to him from here and there, his face flushed red as he spouted drunken nonsense.

Whether his drunken behavior was fist-fighting or not, Kart, who fought with people around him whenever he felt bored, had a tattoo in the shape of a scar from a beast’s claws engraved on his chest.

Carrying the tribal symbol made from the blood of the prey he hunted during his coming-of-age ceremony on his chest, Kart went around overturning drinking parties like a violent beast.

Ironically, as if to prove that the name “race of struggle” was not just for show, these people who fought while eating, drinking, and sleeping loved bloody sparring matches more than anything.

Before long, Kart had completely melted into the Red Claw village. Lulu, with fire in her eyes, was fending off female orcs who were flirting with Kart, perhaps thinking of causing trouble in their drunken state.

Turning my eyes away from the fierce fight between women who seemed to be exercising their fighting spirit even here, I looked around the village.

It had only been about ten days in terms of duration, but it already felt quite familiar.

“We’ll be saying goodbye to this village tomorrow.”
“Yeah, we’ve been here for a while.”

Just ten days. It’s not an absolutely long time. Rather, it’s quite short, but we’re in a position where we can’t waste time carelessly.

‘It’s been about half a month, hasn’t it?’

About half a month since the old man started to become emaciated as the effect of the medicine wore off. The old man said he could hold out for half a year, but from what I could see, it didn’t look like even half of that.

We invested time because it was necessary, but it’s not that the time passed isn’t regrettable. If I think about the old man closing his eyes by a hair’s breadth, my chest feels tight.

“Hey―! Brother! What are you doing there―!”
“Ugh, the smell of alcohol…”

I smiled bitterly as I watched Kart’s tongue twisting, apparently quite drunk, and Chik-chik’s reaction of covering his nose at the smell of alcohol.

“What are you staring at―!”
“Just that it’s nice to see.”

Karakt, who had been worrying and looking for ways to help, and Kart, who was desperately struggling to overcome on his own. Everyone had shed their worries and was drowning their days in alcohol. It was truly nice to see.

“Brother―. Are you leaving tomorrow―?”

The question, thrown out without order as if completely drunk, was a mix of unconscious thoughts and rational certainty. I smiled bitterly at the beast-like sensibility.

“Yeah, since Kart has safely completed his coming-of-age ceremony. There’s no reason for us to stay here anymore.”
“Is― that― so―.”

Leaving Karakt, who seemed regretful as he licked his lips, I tilted my cup and let the alcohol flow down my throat. The fruity aroma stimulated my nose as the rough fruit wine captured my tongue.

“Brother―. Are you going to the Black Claw tribe―?”
“That’s right.”

The Black Claw tribe. Contacting the elves beyond them was one of the original goals for entering the forest. Now that we had solved the urgent problem, there was no need to push ourselves further.

Thanks to the seal Karakt gave us, we would start on relatively friendly terms with the Black Claw tribe, but it would take considerable trust-building before we could be in a situation to be introduced to the elves, so we needed to move as quickly as possible.

‘Above all…’

-The fairy elixir, you ask? It should extend one’s lifespan by at least 10 years.

I had specifically confirmed the efficacy of the elixir, and knew it was a definite solution, not just a meager hope.

There was no choice but to reach out to them, saving even one more day.
My eyes, shining like stars, gleamed piercingly cold.