Chapter 123: Broken rope (2)
F66Under the World Tree, where traces of a terrible nightmare remain.6Pe82
1P5LyRjAn old knight arrived at a place where they were working to get rid of Nidhogg’s body.uSBeIN
Ne4q“Do you mind ifI take a look at this guy’s body for a moment?”R0kGJ9
g2a“…Sure.”dtR
Y7A3J32The elves, who had been tearing apart the dragon’s corpse for some time, yielded with expressions of surprise on their faces when they saw the unexpected visitor.Iwu6uBY
ZSjwUoFAugust, a knight of the humans.PUD8I
LEnwtHe was clearly a benefactor who protected the World Tree, but from the elves’ perspective, he was also a difficult being to deal with.udu
Lwuoh5A“Thank you very much for this. There aren’t many opportunities to observe a dragon’s corpse.”iwxlPX0
bm3A welcomed presence, but at the same time unpleasant.bwj9y
ioCnOyThe old knight, who had been investigating things all his life, simply responded with a smile to this familiar reaction.c02
vPz“…Let’s see. Let’s start with the left eye.”uUQDI7S
txOAugust, who thought he had done all his work here, began to act like a retired knight.co08RJ
94dsTo be precise, he was simply following things that piqued his interest.zAinNy
UYo6C“…As I said, I cut through to the inside of the membrane.”ZBO
vC7pThe traces of the sword that parted from Nidhogg’s eyes flowed like waves and reached his armpits inside the body.xTT
uVrfk0“This was a fatal blow.”KLv0Bfn
BVSpfVAnd even the heart hidden inside.GHj3
cpXMtQkAugust realized that this was the fatal moment that took Nidhogg’s life.kjnwXZt
DYV“But it didn’t stop there.”aS0T
IiE1CwAlthough victory was assured, Vlad’s sword did not stop.Omn
YYcHThe persistent wound continued along the fiber, as if bone and flesh were being peeled away, all the way to August’s tail, from where he had cut it in half.a7ce
UgpvpHO‘…It didn’t stop even though the end was certain.’NfZRU
VXQEven if swordsmanship originates from the same root, each swordsmanship has its own individuality when practiced.uB25
fbstAnd even in Vlad’s sword that we see now, there was a strong latent personality in it that had not yet blossomed.ICH
3UFePThe name of the personality that August recognized was cruelty.ThPh
LDZqx“This is the kind that hits the mark.”LEF0dL2
MAERAugust stood up and scratched his head.NbJv5
HvF0j1jAmong the human groups I have seen while performing many missions, there was none that was as difficult to judge as this guy.bpEtzq
7eUnAUThe beginning was noble, but the end was cruel.vJd9llv
UBVThe young knight from the north wielding the imperial sword was as contradictory as the scars he could see before his eyes.XaCUWQN
3eZ0***WQyP6BQ
sZphWThe sunlight streaming through the window is warm.sZwxn
KfmSensing the unmistakable spring energy, Vlad quickly ruffled his hair.PINrRjL
NT4nGI“Can’t you guys go home now? Please.”VRnM
RPvrJr7A small ball of fur fluttered over the table due to Vlad’s hand movements.MQH
6TV5A spirit that looked like a chick began to chirp angrily, but Vlad simply shrugged off his jacket, ignoring the young spirit’s gesture.lC7dj
jI2m“I feel refreshed now that everything’s quiet.”1DL
2rd0FmHVisible but not audible.J3u
8nh1aaVlad let out a sigh of relief, feeling like the stormy world of images had finally calmed down.RagvQ
hMSuTVlad had been obsessed with the deep world in order to emit a more perfect aura, but after experiencing this incident, he realized that maintaining composure was also very important.eYyn3n
jn5“…This medicine is really good.”mpnYB
A9sTbgcAfter shaking off all the young spirits clinging to him, Vlad removed the bandages wrapped around his body and stuck out his tongue.Yn5
qPGzPZMThe scars on his palms from gripping the sword had long since disappeared without a trace, and the wounds he received in his fight with Nidhogg no longer required bandages.VpK2rC2
BLz1“I’ll have to ask for some more later.”9Tg
gfrBGood medicine is like an extra life.nd0Ye1g
YUUVlad, who had lived with minor injuries all his life, recognized the value of elven medicine at a glance.Iyow9wR
UCZK4s“I see. And is it already fixed?”sDuLjE9
GrrIt was a silent, soundless room, despite being filled with small things begging to be seen here.zjdHwt
8eFA girl entered the room, breaking the room’s silence.XzfEbiE
PKmG“I’m feeling almost better now.”W2lM
qRIT“The wound was deep. There were cracks in the bones.”SXNU
PPfQmnMWhat the girl said was not an exaggeration.luP8Jq
GmtAk6If Vlad’s wound had been treated normally, it would have taken at least a month to heal.xhYvxlB
fAM“Lie down quickly again. You have to stay here for another week.”fG8
LTg4I38Sometimes seeming too young, contrary to her appearance, but at other times having a virtuous look in her eyes.4769cUG
TefekieThe priestess of the World Tree, whose name he still didn’t know, was too protective of Vlad, even setting aside the fact that he was a precious guest.2eD1YtB
r8V6NpAnyway, the medicine is good.jwAYbxY
aq3jRzq“Can I get some more of this later?”1Lizr2Y
19YUaSeeing the girl frown incongruently, Vlad tried to change the subject.YBw6
fNvxj“And is there any good medicine for coughs? Assuming there are no side effects.”w57ko2
lZ0jYThe first person who came to mind when looking at Absilon with its light green color was Joseph.f8X
g3sTcHis lord, who always suffered from coughs, always suffered from the cold northern air.xXgn
vxCKThe elves would definitely have a medicine that would suit Joseph well.zqo9W
QqKSuch precious medicine would definitely be a great gift on the way back.wWv
fpjH8i“Medicine for coughs?”fMc3ho
Upy0The girl tilted her head and thought for a moment when Vlad asked her for medicine.Q7hvRWn
a3nMUThe girl’s golden eyes in front of Vlad shimmered for a moment.WqZ
XN5“…”RGSLOHx
eyfZs0Vlad suddenly realized that the girl was looking elsewhere other than him.kBAJbA
EJFIt felt like she was looking further through her own eyes.pMehd
NCKt5uY“…If you ask me, I’ll give it to you, but it won’t mean much.”vuF
9kKZSuddenly, the girl turned her head to the medicine jar and returned to the normal appearance that Vlad knew.28vn
CZa“The reason you were able to recover so early is because the vitality with which you were born was strong.”PdMvtM9
VIV0cThe girl shook her head apologetically.tsvnO
9dxFcA“So no matter how good the medicine you take is, it won’t be of much use to that person. That’s how our medicine works.”WAG
F185Sb“…That’s okay.”OIX
KnlzYG4She spoke as if she knew whom to give it to.46P1SoA
JvtiAs Vlad listened to the girl, a strange feeling came over him.bAtcEe
t8u33tHe couldn’t clearly understand something, but he felt like it made sense.8CJh
NVL7qTock Tock.BgyjdR
xDg9Ap7Vlad, who had been lost in inexplicable thoughts for a while due to the girl’s mysterious energy, finally regained his senses when he heard a knock on the door next to him.1Gof
gLlThe girl, whose name is still unknown, led Vlad into a moment-to-moment fantasy atmosphere.IXQRZB
2Hp“Who are you?”szqVnie
wLstYN1Unlike the girl who opened the door abruptly, it was a polite sound that announced his arrival.SvEuSoW
mYfIxRThough he was a guest, waiting for Vlad, who opened the door as if he owned the room, was an elf with dark blue eyes.E1Ab
U3WFDuK“How have you been? I’m sorry I couldn’t investigate because I was busy with work.”GiYzp
ThvLeader of the Rangers. Varadis.s29og
BpYhK5uHe was leaning on the threshold and smiling.zHT
eDTF“Even if it’s your own room, why don’t you put on some clothes? There’s a priestess here, but it’s not appropriate.”J8di
5xaVaradis’s eyes looked beyond Vlad and toward the girl sitting on the bed.5xuBY
43n1RsA girl who welcomes Varadis, waving both hands as if she’s here.iNSfc
fezYVaradis’s eyes began to narrow in an instant when he saw that only Vlad and the girl were in the room.UT8Gy9K
Z6D“Well, I was applying some medicine…”8gVkvs0
BU95“Yeah. It might be because I’m having trouble moving.”xdI
zlcnDbVaradis, who entered despite not being told to, immediately picked up the jacket from the bed and handed it to Vlad.OlVHfEs
tPuXZdj“I haven’t applied it all yet.”BOX
MhNNBp“You’re fine. Anything’s better than that.”igc
7WcpVlad took the jacket and looked at Varadis with rolled eyes.cye
NlPPLoU“Did I tell you to hurry up and put it on?”Veph
Gx01BVaradis’s expression was smiling but somehow slightly stiff.gZX3D
MIVBnAnd even the girl behind his shoulder returned to her normal eyes.XVldLXp
Q1uEVlad didn’t know why, but their faces seemed to overlap in a strange way.YgGbA4
U7QlE***FCQwVQp
Ga13wi“The old knight requested an audience before you did. So, I think the elders called me a little late because they were dealing with that matter.”ctPcdSQ
6HTKSn“Is that so.”btkVMXw
eOUVlad and Varadis leave the building allocated to the guests and head towards the World Tree.y1Kgf
77UJUThe eyes of the elves who saw them were wide open.mx0Ehdy
R7tKTo be more precise, they all smiled happily as they watched the young spirits following Vlad.ybsVP
2uho“So I hope you don’t feel too upset. The elders certainly haven’t forgotten about you.”Imv
6Ugdra3“You must have been busy. I understand.”beuv
3oPqEsVlad recalled.WRpA
ab5bOld Geronimo, who had set up a magic circle to fight against Nidhogg’s claws.a5I1
IF97dVlad, who saw the elder elf collapse and vomit blood, could fully understand the embarrassment of the elves.Ohmf6FT
N2faFn“Anyway, it’s a pity that your sword and armor are broken.”gykSvt
esYdzC5The blow to the elves was certainly great, but for Vlad personally, the subjugation of Nidhogg was a great loss.nWZ
w15DGI lost my sword and armor, which can be said to be the foundation of a knight.Vk1S3
KNaRoxiEven leaving aside the symbolism and protection they possessed, just the two items cost 20 gold.s8x
9c3k4c“…Yes. I suppose so.”eZd
7P24Vlad looked at the silver sword he held alongside Varadis’s words.774
c42CThe sword of the swordmaster that he couldn’t bear to wear around his waist.ZW4jTCg
wVzLHowever, Vlad could feel that the weight of the sword had become much heavier than before.jFNz548
5eAKThe weight, which was quite different from when he faced Nidhogg, made Vlad very concerned.I48S
490zFk“Come in.”Tt5
HcdThe tallest building in front of the World Tree.3Bo4hQN
unPszVaradis opened the door leading there and led Vlad inside with his outstretched hand.LIPY
XG2R“…”G5pEY35
IjamnCkInside a huge building with sunlight shining everywhere.I06uPZ
CUYWFVlad took a deep breath, feeling as if he had entered the inside of a tree.It smelled of forest.OkBfFD
i07G“Come up.”vcoAb
D4OiOgbStumps carved as stairs.dFAdoTG
ANUAjStepping on them one by one, there was a huge door there.huBmo
iML“This is Varadis. We’ve welcomed guests from all over the world.”rptnS
6Ddm1gB“Please come in.”pZto
XEB5OClick-KeG
05IAjRA door that opens on its own without anyone pushing it with the permission heard from inside.PLmRHs
y1k42c“…”ifgaO
AMI8Upon entering, Vlad frowned for a moment as sunlight shone everywhere.YKE5v
uXyUA huge space that felt familiar, yet overwhelming in its size.AP0Cf
xJvInside, the scattered eyes of the elders silently watched Vlad.cbdK9rL
UwWINE5“Welcome. Knight of the humans. Vlad.”LeeA8Yg
AmJCvaaThe elders’ attitude towards Vlad is friendly.dJKM
umQCsjThe fact that he protected the World Tree despite being a citizen of the empire and a foolish human they couldn’t help but hate was enough to change the attitude of the stubborn elders.sPclpF
KS8EW“We hope you’ve been comfortable so far.”mRKgi
DP8WbiN“It was a comfortable night, as if I were at home.”VD6o
FdOA knight lay wounded, without his weapons or armor.i8vB
81CMThe elves’ interest in Vlad up to now was not just mere courtesy, but extreme.2Yzrt
vCSkxd“Very well, then that’s a relief.”Zr0c
c17VHowever generous the treatment may be, it wouldn’t be the total price of Vlad’s kindness.YchC
6yTHSIf Vlad hadn’t protected the World Tree against Nidhogg that day, the only thing that would now resonate in Ausurin would have been sad cries, not the sound of a hammer.ANfSJGx
GnRP“I heard you lost both your sword and your armor. Of course, we plan to offer sufficient compensation for it.”N7Fh
JZjThe elder, presiding over the meeting on behalf of the Great Elder, reached out and pointed to the weapons hanging at his side.APp87pt
AlXDe3“That.”S1Z
JM7wD“It’s armor. One is the armor you wear on the outside and the other is the armor you wear on the inside.”6X00
aohaBYVlad’s eyes followed the elder’s hand gestures.xtD
sLSSilver armor shining under the morning sunlight.ER0OE
ofupyIt was similar to the armor given to him by San Rogino, but it was sleeker and seemed lighter at first glance.5Jk0rTQ
ySYRXIt was an armor that clearly showcased the characteristics of the elves, who valued agility.he0O
jfK8O“Still, there was one intact piece of the broken armor, so I attached it to the new armor.”d4a
qJpVlad’s eyes followed the elder’s explanation.ZXO57
EC9Chest armor portion on the left.Tj9
uWjGIwThe inscription engraved there felt familiar to him.LFH5
vakdaX“A knight who saved and protected children’s lives. I think it’s a phrase that really suits you.”Xdj6B
ef9gFrom the fog-filled village to the World Tree here.8W9HZ
Z5i7aTCThe young knight’s steps always led to the same place.NGTxN8
smWKFAg“And the sword…”sJAAH0
G7xVtYou gave me the armor, now it’s time to give me the sword.8FhB
BpVHowever, the end of the elder’s words as he spoke next only grew weaker.rMB1p
QWPOqA silver sword held by a young knight.sVZ
ZYdpqA sword that couldn’t be replaced no matter how much they gave away.Wi0c
9tEThe elders’ eyes sank in confusion as they watched the Swordmaster’s sword that had guarded the World Tree for a long time.b2W9or
bfRIzM“You can take it if you want. Unfortunately, it’s also a sword that we can’t handle…”Q1N8j
pnsFThe Swordmaster’s sword was here to protect the World Tree.EUX
fooWxAnd the young knight in front of them now is someone who is fully qualified to wield this sword, as he unsheathed that sword and protected the World Tree.KRoNBR
Mv9AQThat’s an undeniable fact, so it can’t be helped even if Vlad says he’ll take the sword here…G05
HMYV05“I’ll return it to you.”OaIX5SY
7KeAn unpredictable being.FFBSn68
l7MA mass of possibilities and unforeseen events.GAquC
hmV1Slowly he was lowering the silver sword that everyone couldn’t help but covet.93iy
Qllhoib“…Why not?”adf
yqVNfRThe elders opened their mouths wide as they watched Vlad slowly lower his sword.qFefQL
UJ7JN5The Swordmaster’s sword was an object that not only humans but also elves couldn’t help but covet.w94
cGXx“They say they don’t like it.”66GS
wAwG“…What?”Wocb
WKEx9N“It says it doesn’t want to leave here. This sword.”8BX
9pXolA silver sword that sticks as soon as you place it on the ground.yj0
0TFDRBThe elders and Varadis were speechless as they watched the silver sword stuck to the ground.SPR
VbZi“If you’re going to hand over your sword, make me a new one.”UQ17
pDjjYou don’t need the best sword.GhlLeX1
Lj1bI just need my own sword.E53g
hKYl0wI want a sword that can fully contain my will.1f73vx
2jf6“I hope the sword listens well to what I say.”iLb3
BPYrMore than the countless stars floating in the night sky, the boy wanted the one weak star hanging in the blacksmith shop.muE
gjoOnly your own sword.QTy6J4
2AygwKVlad still missed his old sword.0WEwu
r8tThe sword that was made from an elder’s dream and bought with a girl’s tears.YdK
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