Chapter 238: Reunion (2)
a2msYXIt was a place that common elves could barely approach.hkArm
qrrSHHlOnly those with permission could enter deep into the roots of the World Tree, where the elders of the elves gathered.3ut
NVafSn“We must succeed this time.”2APai
Pcqt2q“Of course, Great Elder.”6fd
d8ux5vYThe tension on the faces of the elders who looked ahead could not be hidden.e6FXuTx
b64wzRThis would likely be their last chance.APZ0
fC2Because there were neither enough materials nor enough time to keep holding out.pT23LC
lcgZThe elders, who were looking at the sword, had solemn expressions because they knew that the sword now visible was their last hope for establishing a barrier.VeId
Rvw“Everyone, prepare.”KtQjbqS
GGjoiMWIt was the place where the Sword Master’s blade, the Silver Knight, had once been embedded.Ge9
msoBut now, a sword of a completely different color occupied that spot, and above that sword, complex magical symbols painstakingly drawn by the elders floated, glowing as if they were paintings.KJl
WlU“…Let’s begin.”wNF6TS
2gSBFollowing a beam of light descending from above, the magic circles began to float in the air.taE1Dmq
5IEymJGreat Elder Geronimo, who was watching them, raised his finger with a firm voice, as if he had made a decision.midw1d
J9A8eGuuuuuung-zmevFM6
3D15As the spell was chanted by the elders, the magic circles began to slowly rotate, forming a pattern of circles of various sizes and colors.AaXpe
7cYVozThe longer the chant continued, the more cold sweat appeared on the foreheads of the elders in charge of each circle.tHXra5C
9gg“Slowly!”xp0L
dBquM1The larger circles descended, and the smaller circles rose.4SMVp9n
bLNXCFollowing the old fingers of Geronimo, the circles starting from the surface began to align, gradually forming a huge cone.DrJ
ARpHE“Now!”OiNHxbO
beyKs9Under Geronimo’s command, the world created by the elders began to slowly descend.h3QS
26NlX2oTo the place where the Sword Master’s blade had once been.jl5Ar16
wfkO8But now, to the place where a completely unknown sword stood.49rsT
UAU7vRumble-!b2KKcI2
r3TpFWhen the cone descended towards the sword, an enormous vibration that could not be seen from the outside began to ripple within the World Tree.Krcy7
Uv0rnCThe most important and final step in executing the closing ceremony.dUsvlx
c7rFinally, the world created by the elders began to inscribe itself as a single line through the sword.da5E
3tQNs7z“We’ve done it…”I9sDV
LrjibL9Someone who saw this began to shout in joy.t2S
URsThey had failed many times, but this time, there was hope that it would work.SDGKlsN
J0NKKRIndeed, the sword embedded there was glowing differently from before, and the resonance it emitted was completely distinct.e7B
pjQlCrack! Crack crack!W28url
f5IgoIf it weren’t for the ominous sound that followed.wGjlT11
rqK5PnA“Damn it.”TV9JT
x73As if something had gone wrong, the bright conical world began to slowly tilt.0WxzqHd
dPQdQAccompanied by the cry of the sword that was supporting it from below.1xgiCs5
wc5gjw“Everyone, get down!”wVvNl2
5pA6W“Protect the Great Elder!”awRtta
Mlw3VaTRealizing the failure, one of the elders shouted, and everyone began to crouch.8WZjvm
Bjdz4And everyone began to crouch, protecting the Great Elder in a familiar motion.u1neXG
ACdGududududuk-!ADFy
uPivbAs the elders shouted, the brightly shining sword began to flicker and burn white.mzdq
zzgBurning its own body as if it could no longer shine this way.R2hi
PY4EdkkThe old Geronimo could only watch, unable even to blink as he observed the scene heading toward destruction.PghwM
OdcyBoooom!U6wmzUR
5JoQVFinally, the sword, unable to withstand the power of the elves’ world, exploded with a deafening roar.gZub6
GeMoh1Geronimo lowered his head with a sigh of sorrow as he watched it burst like a falling star.I9bfFw
dz5Because the sword that had exploded was not just a sword but a fragment of the hope that the elves desperately needed.jawstLB
5rnaD“…Perhaps we should have used the Sword Master’s blade.”52im
lDnr7The World Tree had permitted it, and the oldest elves had poured all their essence into creating the forest’s barrier.It86z
i8hwThat barrier must have been such a heavy and difficult task since it was responsible for the survival of a species.Wa2
NezmgThat’s probably why it couldn’t hold out and broke.wa3H
5PRt“…”4Gy
lEewnGeronimo looked at the cold fragments of the sword cooling in front of him and, without saying a word, began to carefully caress them in front of him.uj0k
Rmn7XUPUnder the roots of the World Tree, now dark, Geronimo remained in place, curled up, unable to leave for a long time.2r1
mQUp4X***mDVaFj
2d6A young girl was walking through a wide hill, holding a long branch, followed by a group of disheveled-looking refugees.IBCjOMJ
XYwSeveral of the guards protecting the priestess were very nervous, as if the current situation was quite frightening, but for some reason, their appearance from a distance seemed quite reliable.sOSi
F9hV“I’ve been waiting for you. Lately, my brother… No, I mean, Lord Baradis has been having a tough time.”3EQ1Dlg
2zWWaving the branch through the foliage, the young girl seemed like a child playing.p0ns
45KuBut Vlad knew that beneath that innocence lay a mysterious power that could not be ignored.9RAu
WCA9tjI“Lord Baradis?”8gD4VUg
Ete0Vlad asked in a voice that seemed a bit surprised by the girl’s words that Baradis was going through a difficult time.rvtuG
FG3HThe elf Baradis, the leader of the rangers.FzhyxW
8f4QvThis was because he knew that Baradis was not someone easily shaken by any adversity.Gzn7Xhk
SIVVCV“Yes.”dUoa5O
yF6OThe priestess turned her head in response to Vlad’s question coming from behind her.TXfc
v5NwwdBIn doing so, the childlike appearance she had shown just moments before completely disappeared.LgK
F4wPNkg“Because there was no one to help him.”aPDO
ZtazVlad stopped when he saw the sudden change in the girl’s expression.N9R4O
cwAwgWThe girl’s eyes were clouded, as if she were dreaming, but he still felt an intensity in her gaze.F6NUiPn
GWmS4“But now it’s okay. Because Vlad has brought many people to help.”cBc6cZ
Hc5bIHowever, as soon as the words ended, the young priestess returned to her innocent appearance and slowly began to walk forward again.OIO
3AEkOEqIt seemed she was quite excited as her quick steps seemed light.t7ffaR
yVC“There are many more people than I saw in my dream. Back then, there weren’t even half as many people as there are now.”Ymu6Lf
r4wM9X“A dream?”8eSdr
BepThe girl, who continued to look at Vlad, slightly tilted her head to the side and continued speaking as she looked at the people of the Ruga tribe following her.2NH28
uml“Yes, a dream. In the dream that the World Tree showed me, I saw this scene.”BmebY
62qFKaThe World Tree is the tree closest to the will of God, and the young girl, as its representative, saw the future through dreams.i5gZpTd
TnUHowever, the future she saw through the existence of the World Tree had already passed through various stages, so it was somewhat blurry and incoherent, like a child’s drawing.6Qcr4nO
FjNY“But this mole didn’t appear in the dream I saw.”1xpR
Yj2FychTherefore, when she encountered the future she had seen in reality, it was very different from what she had seen in her dream, which surprised her.tkghvgQ
M1fqYLike the time when Vlad saved the dwarves while wielding his sword over the sea, or like the mole that hadn’t appeared in her vision now.1ilmBx
OFjj9tT“It must be that Vlad brought it with him. Maybe that’s why there are more people.”BZ10moI
OuoYoSp“…”35povF
EUnxNuThe girl’s tone was lively, but there was a strange tension on Vlad’s face as he listened to her words.LeS
yTTWhat she said now sounded as if she were implying that if there hadn’t been a mole, the number of refugees from the Ruga tribe would have been halved.URwe
wT1[This city is strange, Vlad.]CtRdl
lKnABdBehind the girl who uttered meaningful words, the Elven city of Ausurin was slowly coming into view.XvR
iOEZfEHowever, the Elven city that had returned after a long time looked very different from when Vlad left.iZI
s1cO0[Looking at the wooden fence surrounding it, it seems they are probably preparing for a battle. And on a large scale.]ruZBK
sMjGa9Following Kihano’s words, Vlad inspected Ausurin from a distance.KvjfEx5
manIndeed, just as Kihano said, the now visible Elven city was filled with clearly erected wooden fences.6xEP1
033KnCreeeeeak-NCMFzbR
70zfPerhaps because they saw the refugees from the Ruga tribe, the gates of the city of Ausurin began to open slowly.So3
HDzMRIn a place as majestic as human walls, there stood a man with navy blue hair, looking at Vlad with his arms crossed.Bcv
cwOkpO8“So it was you, after all. Vlad Aureo.”3J6sOos
khRxBaradis, the leader of the rangers.QTN4tg
1lRQVHe smiled bitterly as he looked at the crowd of people brought by his younger sister, who had sneaked out, and raised a hand slightly towards the familiar blond hair.nsS53
b2kFbm***cn1o
YWZe“As always, you’re doing unpredictable things.”NMlNAPS
Tvi“Thank you for opening the door for us, Baradis.”Emg
A5bNVSI“I opened it for you, not for the Ruga people.”pshfxR9
3EgNhAfter leaving the Ruga refugees in a temporary shelter, Vlad followed Baradis as they walked toward where the elders were.7hx
3KVThe elven residence built within a large tree was something amazing to see even after all this time, but at this moment, Vlad didn’t have time to be impressed by the elven style.mVe
uTy1“So, there’s no need to thank me. My authority here is temporary. For them to be allowed to stay in Ausurin, you’ll need the approval of the Council of Elders.”a1n
qocdThe elves were a race that didn’t easily allow access not only to humans but to other races as well.jNU
2ikFgFFor the elves who had survived until now thanks to such an exclusive attitude, the hundreds of refugees who suddenly arrived would not be welcomed.DTZLkU
oNY“They are people without a place to go. And I’m also responsible for their situation.”TAtWk
MnC868G“You’ll need to explain all of that clearly to the elders you’re about to meet.”a8KH
QwscQKfBaradis, who had been walking down the hallway for a while, stopped in front of the large door he had seen before and looked at Vlad.CpsGR6
8jSI4“Are you ready?”69nMJt8
0hYaY“…Yes.”aAZ3Wh
Db8eQVlad silently placed the still-sleeping mole from his head into his arms and took a deep breath as he looked towards the door to the conference room where the elders were waiting.ATH
udgyQ“Then, I wish you luck.”OyLbj
54DTCreeeeak-iFGVnH
zcNjNPWith a gesture of Baradis’s hand, a bright light began to enter through the opening door.KkWnLw
DvIAs Vlad grew accustomed to the light, the vast meeting hall was revealed before him.69E8v36
hXIMore than ten elders, seated here and there upon the massive tree roots entwined like stairs, were all looking at Vlad.s81pemT
hqVAKI“…It has been a long time, young human knight. Vlad.”UxekmBz
BsurGThe old elf seated highest among them gestured toward Vlad and smiled faintly.IDlbOJL
MmnWd5The old Geronimo, the eldest of the elves, remembered the young knight who had saved their World Tree and was pleased to see Vlad return.RaYdJ0n
c3Zx“It seems you’ve been through a lot. You’ve grown much more than before.”FWhdevP
1CaThe potential that had shone when Vlad struck down the dragon Nidhogg had now fully developed.N0Tlu
jPnURmHowever, the way Geronimo saw Vlad now was incomparable to back then, and the elder’s heart seemed somewhat satisfied with the young potential that had grown so rapidly.Wsac9
0ZX“…I hope you’ve been well, Great Elder.”muIo
AJ1IHowever, as the child grows, the elder becomes older.IkbUM
XmyvUzwEven while sitting there, Geronimo’s energy was clearly low enough for Vlad to notice.SPK
DXgH6“I would like to say we’ve been well, but that is not the sad reality we face.”py8N
IgfY10Watching Geronimo’s fingers tremble slightly, Vlad began to quietly observe the other nearby elders.qn2Z
8dBy“Something has happened.”Nex
QMggAlthough it wasn’t as severe as Geronimo, all the elders seemed to have been drained of energy.vNbf
NzmeYSeeing them like this, Vlad could tell that something significant was happening in Ausurin at that moment, even if it wasn’t for the wooden fences surrounding the place.9zI
uEsG“I don’t know what has happened, but I believe I can help. So please…”DlJcTR
8lKcts“You must take the Ruga far away from here.”bhWR5UW
4KLIt seemed that Baradis also wanted him to be here.4Y8
S1IvsgBecause of this, Vlad thought that if he handled things well, he could wrap up the situation with the Ruga people, but the words that came out of Geronimo’s mouth were surprisingly firm.MXmXMj
dOhssK“If possible, it would be better if you leave soon. That would be better for them as well.”ksyC
BgWzTfWGeronimo coughed with difficulty as he asked them to leave, but his attitude showed neither annoyance nor rejection toward anyone.zBVH7rz
sBycYq“Soon, a human lord will attack this place.”o5k
b5VM“A human lord?”ry9z
aowmKc“Yes. I’m sure you know him. Count Vitskaya.”CBA
KKrCount Vitskaya was definitely a familiar name.XgNC
88nffW“And moreover, the resurrected ones are targeting our forest with their horrible forms. In other words, this place cannot be a safe refuge for the Ruga.”Jxk5
ksWSJiCAnd the “resurrected ones” was another expression that was also familiar.fQkA
F0i“…The resurrected ones.”vz48oH
q5dNTtpNames he didn’t expect to hear in this place.lcN1y5q
HUHxYNrVlad had sought out the Ruga tribe in his struggle against Frausen, and now he found traces of them here, in Ausurin.92iG4Ar
ZMMwJ“Are they coming here now?”iRcTwB
8tCtG1HNobles, clerics, and even the imperial family, the owners of the empire.wShTp
ruUmeEBIt was Vlad who had arrived in the city of Namarka in search of their presence, only to be ignored by all those in charge.nVY
obiEven though he was driven out by the oldest dragon there, Vlad didn’t lose sight of his original purpose, not even when he was crushed.xPv6E1
hsDBs9“Yes. They are staining our forest black as they approach.”Rw7
14i6Hearing Geronimo’s words, Vlad clenched his fist around the hilt of his sword.CZg
9N4QC“…”nvXtL
rKirP2His anger was conveyed through the hand he gripped tightly.L81GJY
0bhz0The Dragon Slayer Sword, which understood the anger because it mirrored its owner, began to tremble slowly as Vlad held his hand firmly.PcNPMn4
iS7wDRumble-rumble-rumble-0UQHN
LQlOVlad’s sword began to tremble even more as it resonated with the beating of its owner’s heart.mONOec8
0h4ZOYA silver light shone through the blade of the dragon-slaying sword, which was gradually emerging from its sheath.qFbOZhO
8IEMO“…Hmm?”uPVOF
nzcmk74Geronimo’s eyes began to widen as he recognized that familiar light.ZWw
5qcNot only Geronimo, but also several elders beside him began to slowly lean forward as if they were hypnotized.XOMsEjE
TXB“Even so, I beg you, Great Elder. Please allow the Ruga to stay here temporarily. They have nowhere else to go.”4syQUh
JMbThe young knight wasn’t the only one who had grown since their last farewell.W8X
isO92eVlad’s sword was now wrapped in a glorious silver light instead of the blue light it once had, and the elders who recognized it stood up one by one.f8V
Hfsb1“If you do, I will also repay you with my sword.”cDz9EwG
tAqz8Do what you have to do where you need to be.3iPP
7JWThe only thing I can promise is with the sword I hold.gi5O
WKUoThe young knight who had raised the most honorable sword to protect the World Tree now spoke as he raised his own sword.nViUg
q6MHp1“…The Silver Knight.”v5R
ra4X5Just like back then, he promised to fight with a sword of the same color.jrzA4c
h0U2nIJust like the Sword Master’s blade that had protected the young World Tree that day, the sword Vlad held now shone in the same silver color.cPuhu
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