episode_0049

“I need to remake the necklace.”

He carefully removes the mana stone from the already broken necklace.

The mana stone still emits a sinister glow, but faintly reveals something alien inside.

Several crystals are dyed red.

Is that where Ifrit’s core is stored?

The power of spirits comes from their essence.

Ifrit, sealed within this core, is rendered powerless and unable to manifest its essence until I release it.

Until I retrieve it, Ifrit remains trapped inside.

“Hmm. Something feels off.”

Considering the circumstances, things have worked out quite well.

With the Archspirit ignoring the priestess and advancing, it seemed pointless to try to communicate.

So, in a hurry, I sealed it inside the mana stone… but…

Here lies the problem.

“Why on earth did that guy go crazy and try to set Elvengard on fire?”

I initially thought it was just a result of Kali’s manipulation, given the spirit’s frenzy.

But seeing him speak coherently, it was clear that he wasn’t being controlled by the druid’s power.

He was clearly acting of his own accord to set Elvengard and the World Tree ablaze.

If a being as powerful as an Archspirit is trying to burn Elvengard, there must be a valid reason.

But what that reason is remains completely unknown.

“What new variable is at play this time?”

During the 13th chapter, numerous variables arose as the situation escalated.

Perhaps Ifrit’s rampage was caused by one of these many variables.

Here, the possibilities diverge.

First, if the variable I introduced caused a butterfly effect.

Second, if the variables arising from the heroines regaining their memories caused it.

It’s still unclear which is the case.

My head throbs as if it’s about to explode.

“Everything worked out well, didn’t it?”

“Who are you really…?”

Alicia, wide-eyed, stares at me in disbelief.

Perhaps her legs haven’t fully recovered yet, as she still trembles.

“I just happened to have the perfect tool for the situation. Thanks to you, it was resolved easily.”

“I…”

Suddenly, Mijung approaches me and gently bumps her forehead against my waist.

“You did well too, buddy.”

“Heh.”

As I pat her head, she lets out a contented sigh.

Ifrit’s power was so overwhelming that it was difficult to approach, but thanks to Mijung’s swift movements, I was able to accurately place the mana stone.

“Are you going to act up again?”

“No! Who do you think I am, a troublemaker?”

Despite her rough response, Alicia, still sitting on the ground, continues to shake her legs.

When I offer my hand, Alicia’s eyes narrow slightly.

Then, cautiously, she takes my hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh? Weren’t you trying to help me up?”

“No. I want my ring back.”

“This guy is unbelievable…! I almost felt touched, what a fool I am!”

Annoyed, Alicia takes off the ring and places it in my palm.

A woman’s ring… the thought of putting it back on my finger feels strangely unsettling.

“Unbelievable! The Archspirit’s essence really disappeared?!”

At that moment, a group of elves rushes towards us.

Usually leisurely in their movements, it’s a rare sight to see them running.

Pointed and elongated ears.

White hair.

Paler-than-usual faces.

And even their attire looks sophisticated.

At least 800 years old, these High Elves.

Among them seem to be the elders of Elvengard.

Elves live over 1000 years and maintain their youthful appearance until they die.

So, in the past, it was hard to distinguish between old and young elves.

I can now see the ‘vitality’ emanating from the faces of the elves.

“I am grateful for your kindness. If it weren’t for you, what would have become of us… Thanks to you, we were able to preserve the lives of a hundred thousand elves and the World Tree.”

“We express our infinite gratitude in the name of the Elvenguard Council.”

One by one, the elf elders gathered, kneeling down and placing their hands over their chests.

It’s the first time I’ve seen a High Elf raise their voice to a short-lived species and lower their body.

It feels completely different from the attitude I’ve seen during the previous 12 chapters, creating a sense of discord.

If even the one who prevented the catastrophic fire that almost engulfed Elvenguard doesn’t have any arrogance, then they must be truly remarkable.

“Mia?”

Among the elders who had gathered closely, a girl in white clothes faintly appeared.

Just by looking at the veil covering her face, one could tell.

The chosen maiden of the World Tree. Mia.

But the moment our eyes met, Mia turned away from me.

It is set that Mia does not interact with other races, especially humans.

But I don’t know the reason for that.

The game failed before even creating the sequel to Elvenguard.

It’s easier to just think that the maiden hates humans.

“The wind magic from earlier! Who cast it?”

“I… I did…”

“Oh. I didn’t know there was such a great mage among the waterfolk. May I ask for your name?”

“I’m Alicia Yevgenia.”

“Yevgenia! Isn’t that the only house in the north that produces great mages? What is your relationship with the current head of the house?”

“He’s my father. I’m his daughter.”

“I heard that you successfully obtained your degree from the Mage Tower. You’ve grown into such a talented mage…”

“Hehe. It’s not that great.”

Alicia quickly released her mental armor in response to the compliments flying around.

Since there aren’t many mage families to interact with in the north, she is quite friendly with the humans and elves in the south.

Thanks to that, it seems like the conversation is blossoming.

It’s fortunate that the atmosphere won’t suddenly turn hostile.

“But what kind of magic was that just now? I’ve never heard of wind magic that can subdue a great spirit in one go. Did Alicia Yevgenia finally develop a 10th-rank wind magic?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Oh! I apologize. You didn’t plan to announce it yet, did you? Then I’ll keep it a secret until it’s presented at the conference. If this magic is revealed, Yevgenia will have produced its second great mage…”

“W-wait! I think there’s a big misunderstanding here!”

It was only then that Alicia, feeling something was off, waved her hand and shouted.

“I actually don’t know what happened. I just shot the magic as I was told. It was my companions who subdued the great spirit, not me.”

Too bad.

If Alicia had a little more conscience, she could have received all the credit.

But inevitably, attention is now shifting towards her as well.

“What family do you belong to…”

“I’m a nameless mercenary.”

“Ah.”

The faces of the elves, filled with anticipation, stiffen.

They seem to be trying their best to be polite, but the sudden loss of interest is evident.

A short-lived species, not nobility, and unable to wield magic?

At that moment, the elves have already written off this individual as someone not worth their attention.

But this time might be an exception.

Even though this human may seem insignificant, the fact remains that they captured the great spirit.

“If it’s not too much to ask, may I inquire about the ingenious scheme you used to neutralize the great spirit?”

“Of course.”

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

With a faint smile, Alicia extends a black gemstone to the elders.

The elders were puzzled as they accepted the mausoleum and began to examine it, passing it back and forth.

“Oh! It’s faint, but I sense the presence of Ifrit!”

“What on earth is this?”

“This is called a spirit ball.”

“Spirit ball?”

“It’s a magical tool that can contain any spirit.”

“Wow…”

The elders listened intently, surprised.

I didn’t lie.

Everything I conveyed was the truth.

Of course, I carefully chose my words.

If I had expressed it as ‘capturing’ spirits, there would likely have been resistance.

“What is the principle behind it?”

“It automatically forms a spirit contract.”

“What? A spirit contract?”

“That’s impossible. The Great Fire Spirit does not make contracts with anyone.”

“Moreover, if it’s in an excited state like earlier, it’s even more likely to make a contract…”

“If there were any complaints, it would have jumped out of this magical tool long ago. What does it mean for a great spirit like the Great Fire Spirit to stay still?”

“What does it mean?”

“It means it’s very comfortable and pleasing inside. That’s a spirit contract. What else could it be?”

“…”

For a moment, silence filled the room.

It seemed like they were at a loss for words in the face of my perfect logic.

Even Alicia opened her mouth wide and stared at me.

I succeeded in persuading them.

“Spirit ball? Is this really true?”

“There’s no way! It must be a lie!”

“Even if it’s a lie, the fact remains that those mercenary elves have a means to subdue the Great Spirit.”

Among the elders gathered around the table, the conversation buzzed.

The Great Spirit disappeared, and Elvengard was saved from the brink of destruction.

However, the elders could not rest easy.

The unknown weapon that subdued the Great Spirit.

Understanding its identity was the biggest issue they faced.

“What was his name again?”

“His surname is Cheon. His name is Michael Jackson.”

“We should investigate his background quickly.”

It was useless.

Mia quietly shook her head, looking at the elders sharing their opinions.

Unlike the rabbit beastman, the male elf showed no desire to reveal his name.

There was no way that the name he gave was his real name.

It was definitely an alias.

So even if they searched the entire world, they wouldn’t find anything.

“Where are the guests now?”

“They should be unpacking and resting in their accommodations by now. Rest assured, we will show them the utmost respect and hospitality, thanking them for their help.”

“That’s a relief to hear.”

Having always appeared endlessly rude to the High Elves, Mia had been worried.

But it seemed that the heroes who saved Elvengard had no such intentions, so Mia could breathe a sigh of relief.

“So, how should we reward them for this incident?”

“It’s a real concern. It’s an unprecedented event, so it’s hard to determine how much gratitude we should show.”

They hadn’t received help from a single faction or nation.

Escaping the brink of destruction with the help of only three individuals was a first in their history.

So, they couldn’t come up with a clear idea of how to reward them.

The simplest solution was, of course, money.

Even paying a large sum equivalent to the wealth of a small kingdom wouldn’t be enough to repay their deeds.

But if they refused the money and asked for something else, what should they do?

“We should discuss and decide on the reward through another meeting.”

“Yes. Let’s do that. Since the guests seem to be planning to stay here for a while, we still have time to decide.”

It seemed that they would need to discuss further.

After a long meeting, Mia walked out, feeling exhausted.

But just as Mia was about to open the door and leave on her own.

The elders hurriedly blocked her path.

“We will lead the way.”

“Please follow us.”

“Oh, yes…”

Surrounded by elders wandering around, Mia exited the conference room, encircled by guards.

“Do not reveal your appearance as the Elvengardians have arrived.”

“You’re being too cautious.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. The prophecy of the World Tree has never been wrong.”

“Still…”

Mia was about to argue back but quickly closed her mouth and swallowed her words.

It was true.

Although the prophecy of the World Tree was somewhat ambiguous, it was absolute, so there was no harm in being cautious.

‘But still, I wanted to have a conversation at least once…’

The prophecy that came down a year ago.

– A lowly-born being will take a divine maiden.

Since this prophecy came down, Mia was forbidden from encountering beings of the Elvengard.