Chapter 251

The Gray Dwarves, the best fighting tribe, had a peculiar custom.

They held a grand feast before setting out on an expedition.

Even now, the Gray Dwarves were having a boisterous feast, drinking and making merry.

It meant they were about to embark on a mission.

“You guys! Fill your cups! Anyone caught slacking will answer to me, hahaha!”

Chief Kalkus shouted, raising his large mug overflowing with beer.

There was a saying that dwarfs lived and died by beer.

It meant they loved beer more than anything.

Judging by the Gray Dwarves’ behavior, it seemed to be true.

“Hahaha, I’ll kick their asses before the Chief even gets to them!”

“Come on, fill up, fill up! Drink, drink! Let’s drink ourselves to death!”

“Khahahaha, that’s right! Even if we die, we’ll die drunk!”

Their voices, already loud from the alcohol, were deafening.

“…”

In a corner of the noisy feast, a dark-skinned elf sat alone, sipping bitter black coffee.

Natasha kept her head down, her gaze fixed on the ground, as if she wanted nothing to do with the rowdy Gray Dwarves.

‘We’re not compatible.’

She understood their custom to some extent.

A pre-expedition feast would surely boost morale.

But that was one thing, and personal incompatibility was another.

Natasha shook her head.

“Hahaha, you’re all alone, moping in the corner.”

A hearty laugh.

*Bang!*

Someone slammed their beer mug down and sat down across from Natasha without hesitation.

It was Kalkus.

Natasha frowned.

*Shooo, shooo.*

She waved her hand dismissively, her expression clearly saying, “Go away.”

But he wasn’t the type to be deterred.

*Gulp, gulp, gulp.*

He chugged down his beer, as if to spite her.

*Bang!*

He slammed his empty mug down again.

“Ah, that’s the stuff! Don’t you agree?”

“…Just go away.”

“Haha, you’re so cold.”

Natasha shuddered at his words “we’re close.”

She looked like she had just encountered a stalker.

“Get… get lost.”

*Splash!*

She poured her hot coffee on him, as if she couldn’t even bear to touch him.

Kalkus quickly raised a large shield, blocking the coffee.

It was a mystery why he would carry such a thing to a feast.

“Ugh, now it smells like coffee. How unpleasant.”

“…Your presence is unpleasant.”

“That hurts, that hurts. I came all the way here to tell you something important.”

“Something important?”

“Yes. About the mission, the mission.”

Kalkus’s expression turned serious.

Natasha finally narrowed her eyes and crossed her legs.

“What is it?”

“Are high elves strong?”

“I don’t know.”

“…”

Kalkus was speechless at her blunt answer.

“Well, um… At least pretend to think about it…”

“How can I think about something I’ve never seen?”

“Oh? Really? Never?”

“That’s what I said.”

Kalkus’s eyes widened in surprise.

Despite her appearance, Natasha was quite old.

Of course, she would throw a fit if she heard him call her an old maiden.

But she had definitely lived much longer than him.

So it was understandable that he was surprised to hear she had never seen a high elf before.

“Hmm, they must be a rare species indeed.”

“And they rarely come out of hiding.”

“That’s true. Then that high elf at the academy…”

“She’s an exception.”

Natasha said flatly.

It was the correct answer.

Even Hiresia herself wouldn’t deny it…

“Hmm, I guess we’ll have to base our estimation of their average strength on that exceptional high elf. I heard she’s quite strong.”

“I guess so…”

“Hahaha, well, it doesn’t matter anyway. We’ll be fine with you and us. Right, guys?”

Kalkus laughed nonchalantly.

…Why did he even ask if he was just going to say that?

Natasha shook her head.

“That’s right, Chief!”

“Khahaha, we can handle anyone!”

“I’ll split their skulls open with this axe, khahaha!”

The Gray Dwarves were as carefree as ever.

Blood didn’t lie, they were consistent.

‘That’s what makes them so terrifying.’

Their unwavering courage and confidence, no matter where they went.

That’s why they could charge forward so bravely.

They were truly a formidable fighting tribe.

There was no one more reliable as an ally.

…Even if their personalities were completely incompatible.

“My, my, what a reassuring sight.”

A faint figure suddenly appeared, like a wisp of smoke.

The Messenger.

That’s what everyone in the Red Rain called him.

The mouthpiece and closest confidant of the Heavenly Lord, their boss.

His appearance meant that there was a high probability that the Heavenly Lord had issued some kind of order.

“Oh, Messenger, you’re here.”

Kalkus greeted him.

“Is it finally time to set out?”

“Yes.”

“Ooh, did you hear that, guys? It’s time to set out!”

Kalkus shouted excitedly.

“We’re setting out, setting out!”

“Good, let’s stretch these stiff muscles!”

“Bloodshed! Murder! Plunder!”

“Don’t forget arson, you bastard!”

The Gray Dwarves’ enthusiasm reached its peak.

The alcohol seemed to have fueled their bloodlust.

“Haha, excellent.”

The Messenger smiled, his eyes gleaming.

“I’ll guide you.”

“Huh? You’ll guide us personally?”

“Yes. It’s top secret.”

“Oh, I see. Well, that’s reassuring.”

Kalkus grinned.

“Did you hear it from the Heavenly Lord?”

Natasha, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

“You could say that.”

“The Forgotten Forest… According to legend, it’s supposed to be vast and complex. You’re saying you can guide us accurately just based on what you’ve heard?”

“Don’t worry. The Heavenly Lord knows everything. And he conveyed it all to me, in detail. So there won’t be any problems.”

The Messenger exuded confidence.

His expression wasn’t a bluff.

Natasha, sensing his sincerity, nodded.

“Hmm, alright.”

“Now then, let’s go. It’s quite a distance to the passage that leads to the Forgotten Forest.”

The Red Rain finally set out.

Their ominous shadow fell upon the Forgotten Forest.

* * *

“…Why did you bring so much stuff?”

Hiresia looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“Hey, it’s not that much. And we need to be prepared for a long journey.”

I chuckled.

My current attire was far from that of a traveler.

I was wearing comfortable clothes and sturdy boots that could handle any terrain.

Underneath my shirt, I was wearing the light but incredibly strong mithril armor that Ran had made, maximizing my defense.

My Turtle Sword was strapped to my left hip, my Marcus Bow to my right, and I had a quiver full of arrows on my back.

My pockets were stuffed with scrolls, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

And as if that wasn’t enough, I had brought an extra-dimensional bag, enchanted with a weight-reducing spell, filled with spare scrolls, arrows, daggers, emergency rations, and other weapons.

Even a soldier going to war wouldn’t be this prepared.

It showed how seriously I was taking this.

“…Alright, do as you please.”

Hiresia, who was wearing her academy uniform, said with a sigh.

I could guess why.

It was an ordinary outfit at the academy, but it would be completely different in the Forgotten Forest.

She probably wanted to show it off to her people.

Considering Hiresia’s personality, it wasn’t an unreasonable guess.

“Then where should we go first? I brought a carriage, you know.”

“Hmm, you’re quite thoughtful.”

“Heh, it’s nothing.”

“Let’s go then.”

“Where to?”

“Mount Harkin.”

“Huh?”

I blinked, surprised by her unexpected answer.

“Um, senior, today isn’t archery lesson day…”

“Don’t you know?”

“Know what?”

“It’s there.”

Hiresia continued.

“The passage to my hometown.”

* * *

The Forgotten Forest.

There were few places as quiet and peaceful as this.

The weather was mild all year-round, the land was fertile, and large, juicy fruits were abundant.

There were no dangerous monsters.

It was all thanks to the blessings of the World Tree.

A place where one could enjoy freedom and peace without lifting a finger.

It was a paradise, but it was also a place where Hiresia could easily get bored.

Because constant peace meant a lack of stimulation.

And the number of high elves in the Forgotten Forest was very small.

Only six.

Seven, including Hiresia, who was currently outside.

A tiny number.

The rumors of their extreme rarity were true.

Two of those high elves were sitting under a giant tree, talking.

Hiyun and Hitan.

All high elves had the word “Hi” in their names.

It signified that they were the noble children of the World Tree.

“Did you hear? The princess is coming to the gathering this time.”

Hiyun said.

“The princess?”

Hitan looked surprised.

The princess they were talking about.

It was Hiresia.

Was she a real princess?

No.

The high elves were all equal.

They didn’t have human-like social hierarchies.

But there was a clear reason why she was called “princess.”

Female high elves were especially rare, even among their already rare species.

Hiresia was the only female in her generation.

That’s why she was treated like a princess.

And…

She was also the biggest oddball among them, acknowledged by all the high elves.

Leaving the Forgotten Forest and venturing out into the human world alone was something that other high elves couldn’t even fathom.

But they didn’t hold it against her.

They found it fascinating and admirable.

Perhaps it was a form of vicarious satisfaction, seeing someone do something they could never do themselves.

However…

…They couldn’t understand her aversion to vegetables and her love for meat.

It was so bad that when the elder had seen a young Hiresia kill a rabbit and eat it with relish, he had been so shocked that he had exclaimed,

“Mother, did you bring home the wrong child?”

And then he had been slapped (?) by a branch imbued with the World Tree’s wrath and knocked unconscious for a whole day…

“What’s the occasion? Did something happen?”

Hitan tilted his head, curious.

“It seems like she has something important to say. She’s bringing a human.”

“Wh-What? A human?”

Hitan’s eyes widened, and he jumped to his feet.

“E-Even the princess wouldn’t do that. There are rules in the forest…”

“Hey, even the princess wouldn’t be ignorant of the rules. I think it’s this.”

Hiyun raised his pinky finger.

Hitan looked at him, puzzled.

“What’s that?”

“Come on, don’t you get it? It’s her lover, her lover. She’s bringing her fiancé to meet us.”

“F-Fiancéééé?!”

Hitan froze, his eyes wide with shock.

Because it was something he had never imagined.

For a high elf to be in a relationship with someone was extremely rare.

Most of them lived their long lives alone and then passed away.

So it was only natural for him to be shocked.

“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like it’s never happened before. I was prepared for the princess to find a lifelong partner, considering she’s an oddball.”

“B-But a human as a lifelong partner…”

“Hmm, that’s true. Well, she can always find another one after he dies.”

“C-Cough, cough, cough!”

F-Find another one?

Hitan coughed violently, overwhelmed by the casualness of his words, something that was unthinkable in their peaceful forest.

“Anyway, be prepared. Don’t upset the princess.”

“…A-Alright.”

“Hmm, and… Huh?”

Hiyun stopped talking.

Because he heard something.

From the direction of the passage to the Forgotten Forest.

Hitan also heard it.

“Is the princess here already?”

“I guess so? Who else could it be?”

“Then let’s go greet her. She has a companion, you said.”

“Alright.”

Hiyun and Hitan walked towards the passage.

But they soon stopped.

Because they sensed something was wrong.

An unnatural silence.

And above all,

A strong, metallic scent filled the air, instead of the usual forest fragrance.

A single human couldn’t possibly emit such a scent.

Hiyun and Hitan’s expressions turned grim.

“This is…”

“Could it be… uninvited guests…?”

Sensing trouble, they turned around, intending to warn their people.

But.

“This is why I hate perceptive bastards.”

A ghostly figure suddenly appeared out of thin air and launched a surprise attack.

A hand reaching for their hearts.

“Ugh?!”

Hitan instinctively dodged.

*Crack!*

He avoided a fatal blow, but his shoulder was ripped open, exposing bone.

Blood dripped down, staining the forest floor.

“Heh, as expected of a high elf.”

The Messenger sneered.

“Damn it, run!”

Hiyun shouted urgently.

They could handle one enemy.

But a chilling premonition told him that there was more than one.

The strong metallic scent alone was proof enough.

They had to reach their people and warn them.

Hiyun and Hitan sprinted away.

The Messenger just watched them go, a smile playing on his lips.

“You can’t avoid what you don’t know.”

Hiyun and Hitan couldn’t understand his words.

But they should have.

*Whoosh!*

A sharp, piercing sound tore through the air.

Hiyun and Hitan flinched.

But they couldn’t see anything.

What was th…?

*Slice! Slice!*

Their thoughts were cut short.

Severed heads.

Their expressions were filled with confusion, as if they hadn’t understood what had happened even in death.

*Thud! Thud!*

Their heads fell to the ground.

*Thump! Thump!*

Their bodies followed, collapsing lifelessly.

“Haha, as expected of your skills.”

The Messenger laughed, satisfied.

But Natasha’s expression remained impassive.

“Just guide us, will you?”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

The arrival of the uninvited guests had stained the Forgotten Forest with blood from the very beginning.

Four high elves remained. No, five.

The intruders moved again.

To kill all the children and burn their mother, the World Tree.

* * *

“Here it is.”

Hiresia stopped in front of a mysterious-looking ancient tree.

Had this tree always been on Mount Harkin?

I had climbed this mountain countless times, but I had never seen it before.

Well, this was my first time coming to this specific location.

“So this is the passage…?”

“Yes, there are several trees like this in the world that are connected to the Forgotten Forest.”

“Ah, I see.”

I nodded.

I had thought it would be a magic circle, but I was wrong.

A mystical tree as a passage, how fitting for a race of nature.

“Well then, shall we go?”

Hiresia smiled faintly.

She seemed to be in a good mood.

It was probably because she was returning to her hometown after a long time, and also because I was with her.

Honestly, I hoped nothing bad would happen.

Because I knew how much it would mean to her if this trip home was filled with only happy memories.

And to me as well.

“Yes, let’s go.”

I smiled back.

And so, we entered the passage to the Forgotten Forest.