Going Back 10,000 Years (4)

I always thought that I hadn’t changed much myself. Although I was growing quickly, I still felt inadequate and there was so much I didn’t know. But it was meaningless given that everything in this world had changed except for me.

In a village of one-eyed people, a person with two eyes is an oddity. It’s an issue I’ll have to deal with until I adapt.

“Did you come knowing this would happen?”

“Of course not. My initial purpose was completely different.”

The fox beastkin, who introduced herself as Renia, opened her mouth with a trembling voice. I laughed dryly at her question about whether I knew about what had happened here in advance.

My initial purpose was simply to accept the mayor’s request, which seemed highly likely, to learn about the curse, and I became interested in this cave because the land here pitifully begged me, the only being who could hear their voices, a High Elf, for help.

It’s true that I was concerned after learning about Goblin Kai’s circumstances.

In the current situation, I was the only one who could break Kai’s curse. I was so concerned that, encouraged by Lina, I tried to do what I could do now.

It was absolutely not some grand and noble sense of mission as the last remaining climber.

I couldn’t deny that the ‘things that happened in the process’ might seem grand to others.

“You’re a scholar, aren’t you? Don’t you know why this happened?”

“I, I specialize in artifacts… Above all, nothing like this has ever happened before. The curse inducing erosion as if it’s alive and even summoning magical beasts en masse might be related to the anomaly that occurred in the forbidden area last time.”

Renia, pondering, mentioned the anomaly that occurred in the forbidden area.

Hearing that, I awkwardly avoided her gaze. The anomaly in the forbidden area she’s talking about is probably about me.

“Anyway, this is absolutely not a problem to be taken lightly. If the curse left in this world awakens and evolves in any way, the impact of that calamity will certainly not be small.”

Renia plopped down on her knees and grabbed my pant leg. Since I wasn’t wearing anything on my lower body right now, there wasn’t actually anything to grab, but anyway, she noticed that I was about to leave like this and tried to stop me.

“It’s true that those remaining things bother me, but I don’t know much either. Especially not about theoretical or academic aspects. Even if I cooperate, I probably won’t be of much help to a researcher.”

“That’s not true. The power of a great High Elf who has reappeared in this world after crossing a long time will be of great help in any way.”

When I smiled bitterly and shrugged, she shook her head, wagging her tail.

I flinched at her words that instantly saw through my identity. Being an elf is one thing, but I didn’t expect her to recognize a High Elf without even mentioning it.

“High Elves, the origin of elves whose records began in the Primordial Tower. It’s something that anyone who has studied elves would know. It seemed they had completely disappeared after the last High Elf vanished thousands of years ago, but that wasn’t the case. To think I could actually meet someone who only appears in historical materials like this.”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something…”

Renia’s eyes were sparkling, her previous wariness completely gone.

She thinks I’m an ancient High Elf who noticed the anomaly occurring in the world and has resumed activity after ending a long period of seclusion.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t wrong. From her perspective, I am indeed a person from long ago and it’s true that I’ve come out into the world again after a long time.

So I flinched for a moment but didn’t strongly deny it.

If I continue to be interested in the anomaly I just dealt with, it wouldn’t be bad to have a knowledgeable connection in that field.

‘Who knows what might happen if left alone.’

It’s not something to be exaggerated into a noble sense of mission. It’s closer to trying to do something because I can’t let the new world I have to live in be ruined again.

Like how I purified and eliminated it with my power, at least I have the power to do something about it, so it would be frustrating to do nothing.

I absolutely didn’t want to experience again that emptiness and powerlessness I felt right after being flung out of the collapsed Tower and realizing what kind of world this was, which is gradually improving now.

“I don’t know exactly what the cause is, but you’re right that the curse passed down from ancient times is still rampaging even at this moment. Do you want to stop it too?”

“As someone living in the present, and as someone who studied that era. Of course.”

When I raised the corner of my mouth, she nodded hurriedly, wagging her bushy tail. Seeing this, I made up my mind.

It’s the same as Ethan and Patrick. It’s like gaining a connection that will help in areas I need as I adapt to this world.

“Tell others about what you discovered here today and research it together. But don’t talk about me.”

I intended to publicize this anomaly discovered today through her. Of course, she alone is enough as my collaborator, so I made her keep quiet about me.

“O-Of course!”

Renia nodded hastily. She would want to keep me to herself as well, so there was no worry about the secret leaking out.

This way, I can just extract the information I need.

“What happened today. You know what it means for you, Ian?”

Sensing it was about time to leave, I turned my head towards Ian, who was still sitting blankly in the corner without presence.

“The gate of erosion from which rampaging magical beasts were pouring out has been closed by Kai’s sacrifice. A goblin they ignored sacrificed himself to save them, so it’s your role as a witness to make others know this and repent their wrongs while honoring him.”

“My role…”

I gave Ian a hint. This is the repayment I could give to Kai who sacrificed himself.

Ian muttered blankly, but Renia, who had stood up, seemed to realize the implication of what I said as her eyes changed.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it well, as if the situation was already almost over when I arrived.”

Renia was enthusiastic, perhaps wanting to make a good impression on me.

* * *

“Let’s head back now.”

Right after getting out of the cave. Secretly hiding on a nearby hill and looking down, I smiled slightly as I watched the Guard rushing into the already annihilated nest.

“—!”

“And you, even if Renia used magic, why couldn’t you detect her? What if she had been an enemy? Moreover, Ian noticed but didn’t tell me.”

I smirked at the sight of the earth spirits beside me looking pleased. The earth spirits then avoided my gaze, looking sheepish.

As I grow, the spirits I communicate with grow too. They are beings with emotions and self-awareness, not strictly programmed AIs, so I need to coax and scold them well to prevent such things from happening in the future.

“Do you need a new friend?”

“—…”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the dejected appearance of the earth after being scolded by me. It’s been quite some time since I came out to this world, which is much easier to communicate with spirits than the Tower.

My connection with the earth has grown closer, but now it’s time to call in a new friend.

“The next friend seems a bit lighter.”

The wind that wraps around my body, clad only in Lina’s loose blouse torn and ripped from the aftermath of the battle, feels especially cool today as it asserts its presence.

With this level of connection, it seemed I could call it to my side if I set aside a day to have a deep conversation.

‘I should think about artifacts too.’

Originally, it would have taken more time to gather enough power to call another spirit, but there’s a separate reason why this was shortened.

The cluster of light gathering in my hand took shape again. This gun, which had been absorbed into my mana in response, is an object that existed in the same era as me.

This power wasn’t the High Elf power I received as a blessing. Like how the collapsed Tower left behind a curse, it’s a power left to me, the last remaining climber.

Just as I don’t know why the curse remains and rampages until now, I still don’t know why such power has been bestowed upon me.

There might not be any particular set meaning. There might not be any criteria for artifacts that respond and those that don’t.

This was something I had to figure out on my own, without anyone else’s help.

“Isilia!”

“I’m exhausted, so let’s hurry back. Everything ended well.”

When we reached the meeting place, Patrick and Lina were indeed waiting for me.

I put on the clothes Lina had been keeping and urged them to go back quickly. I had forgotten for a moment because so many things happened, but maybe because I used too much power, I’m incredibly tired.