Chapter 123 – Dark Elf (2)
The sudden sound of a notification from a smartphone.
‘huh?’
Xian stopped walking and took out his smart phone from his arms.
Thanks to the clothes Sera gave her, even the frozen smart phone regained its warmth.
At the same time, the mobile lord also returned to normal.
Tring!
《It can be damaged if it is too cold!》
I wondered if the mobile lord had ever been normal…
well, anyway.
Xian turned off the notification window of the emerging mobile lord and checked the notification window of the quest.
『[Land Quest] – ‘The Dark Elves are calling. We are not devils!’ (clear!)”
＜Reward: Favor of the Dark Elves＞
.
.
‘It’s cleared?’
The quest has been cleared.
At the same time, he was able to obtain the favor of the Dark Elves as a reward.
Maybe that’s why the forest keeper guided me straight to the village.
‘Didn’t you do anything?’
The problem was that nothing was done.
All Xian did was chat with Sera.
By the way, the quest cleared.
“What are you doing not coming in?”
At that moment, Sera’s voice came from the front sight.
Sera stuck her head out through the swaying space.
Because of that, only his head was floating in the air.
“Come in quickly. You have to close the barrier.”
Before long, Sera disappeared again through the shimmering space.
‘······ Let’s go for now.’
Xian took another step and squeezed his body through the swaying space.
#
Forest race, elves.
A race that has been cut off from humans for a long time.
As I squeezed my body through the swaying space, my vision reversed for an instant.
I felt a slight vertigo, and I could see a dense forest landscape through my inverted vision.
dense forest.
The snow that covered the world in white was nowhere to be found.
The cold that froze the flesh was also gone.
The trees that made up the forest towered high into the sky.
How thick is it again?
Even if 10 adult men held hands, they couldn’t hold them.
Because those trees are full of sight.
Indeed, it was a landscape that was more appropriate to say that it was a majestic forest because it was not dense.
And that’s all.
Tent-like houses were attached above and below each trunk of such huge trees.
From houses almost attached to the ground.
Can I live there…? Even the houses that are so tall that you want to.
Tree vines hung down to the floor in each such house.
It seemed to play the role of a ladder, going up and down to the house.
Subsequently, the space behind Xian shook and Osley and Panat appeared.
And facing the forest in front of my eyes.
“How could there be an area like this in the north…?”
“How could there be an area like this in the north…?”
Osley and Fanat muttered the same thing.
However, the meaning of each bar was different.
If there was a meaning of ‘why is Osley’.
There were many meanings of how the fanat was.
“It is a space created with the power of the World Tree. Awesome isn’t it?”
Sara smiled and spoke.
“I can’t believe the power of the World Tree was this much…”
Beside him, Panat muttered something in an admiring tone.
But Xian just shrugged his shoulders.
The Dark Elf village seen up close was more magnificent than it looked.
And it wasn’t as wide as I thought.
Still, it was large enough to be called a village.
In the village, grass bugs were heard.
In the plaza, young elves were playing with their black hair fluttering.
Same with Sera, and so are the Dark Elves now.
It was because it was completely different from the image of the dark elves known to the public.
“hmm···.”
“Dark elves… are they right?”
Osley and Panat reacted differently.
For an instant, the gazes of the Dark Elves turned this way.
The eyes of the elves who were perched on top of tall trees also turned this way.
Dark black hair and black eyes.
Xian didn’t know, but the Dark Elf’s eyes were also black and black.
The Dark Elves huddled together and looked at Xian and the others.
They are humans. the humans are here
How did you get in?
see humans first
The main emotion shown was curiosity.
Soon, a group of people approached us.
Is it the guards who feel the momentum? guards?
I don’t know what the Dark Elves are called, but they seemed to be of that type.
“This is the first time humans have come to the village.”
“Hello humans!”
“Did the forest keeper bring you?”
The Dark Elves’ eyes turned to the Forest Keeper.
The forest keeper glanced at Sera and said.
“These are the ones Sarah invited.”
“Is Sarah?”
“huh. I brought them.”
Sara raised her hand and said.
“I see.”
“Sera invited me.”
The Dark Elves nodded and murmured.
Then he cried out with his eyes twinkling.
“Hello, humans! Would you like to play with me?”
“Let’s play with us! There are many fun places.”
“Everyone is fascinated by the sparkling lake. Wanna go?”
Something… they looked like they were very excited.
He doesn’t seem to mind humans at all.
Before long, Sera spread her hands and blocked Xian’s way.
“no! Xian will meet the Forest Keeper.”
“Forest Keeper?”
The Dark Elves’ eyes turned to the Forest Keeper.
Then the forest keeper nodded softly.
The Dark Elves lowered their heads as if they were sorry.
“Sheesh. Then there is nothing you can do.”
Then he trudged along, his body drooping and drooping.
The forest keeper moved without a word again.
Sera followed the forest keeper and moved on.
“let’s go.”
The place we approached was a wide square at the entrance to the center of the village.
With the eyes of the dark elves full of curiosity.
In the center of the plaza, I saw a tree that looked unique.
Perhaps that is the world tree.
“I didn’t believe it while looking at the studies on the World Tree… but when I saw it myself, it turned out that all the studies were reduced.”
At this, Panat burst into admiration and said.
The World Tree was a tree with power worthy of its name.
It is also called the water of life because it contains the source of life.
It was also known as a tree that grows through the boundary between life and death.
But it wasn’t really the tree that supported the world.
It could be said to be a tree that supports the cities or villages of the elves.
Even so, it was true that it contained tremendous power.
It was a tree that caused the wizards to have seizures because they were paralyzed.
A tree that embraces the source of life.
The magic wand made from that tree exerted tremendous power.
It is said that the reason why elves can be called natural wizards is because of the world tree.
In the past, countless humans rushed to get the world tree.
Because of that, there were quite a lot of elves who were exterminated.
This was also the reason the elves hated humans even more.
However, despite such greed, there were no staffs or weapons made of world trees on the continent.
There might be one, but it didn’t exist at all.
Not because it was broken or lost, it literally didn’t exist.
The world tree is a tree with a will of its own.
The beings not chosen by the World Tree could not use that power.
Even if it’s a plucked branch.
Unless the will of the World Tree permits it, it loses its power.
“This is the world tree.”
Xian looked closely at the world tree in front of him.
Unlike the surrounding trees, the world tree was not very tall.
However, it’s just that the surrounding trees are abnormally large.
It was also big enough that five adult men couldn’t hold it together even if they were holding hands.
And the appearance of the world tree was also a little different.
If the other trees soared without knowing the sky, as if they were showing off their height.
The world tree grew bent inward as if embracing something.
What does such a World Tree contain?
I couldn’t see anything there for some reason.
“Did something happen here?”
“Yeah, but not right now.”
Sera responded with a sullen expression to Xian’s question.
There seemed to be a story behind the dark expression.
Xian was curious, but didn’t bother to ask.
Eventually, the forest keeper approached the world tree.
Then, the base of the World Tree split up and down, left and right, and the stairs leading to the basement appeared.
“Come in.”
The Forest Keeper walked into it and disappeared.
Sera, Sian, Osli, and Panat also followed the forest keeper.
After walking down for a while, a spacious room appeared.
The room had no decorations, but the atmosphere was crazy.
Aura exactly? Strength?
It was something difficult to explain.
Cozy yet cozy.
It was filled with the comfort of the world, like falling asleep if you just closed your eyes.
The forest keeper looked at Xian, Osli, and Panat in turn as they entered.
Then he stopped his eyes on Sarah and slowly opened his mouth.
“Sarah, you should go out for a while too.”
“why. I will be here too.”
At the same time, Sera puffed out her cheeks.
“These are the friends I brought.”
The Forest Keeper had no answer.
He was just staring at Sarah.
“I won’t say anything. I won’t be noisy.”
Even so, the forest keeper still had no answer.
Only the calm gaze and eyes were directed at Sarah.
“These are the friends I brought…”
Before long, Sara slumped, slumped, and left the room.
After Sera’s popularity faded away.
“This is Aslandis. I am the forest keeper of the Dark Elves.”
The Forest Keeper, or Aslandis, spoke up.
And is a forest keeper a forest keeper?
The atmosphere was distinctly different from Sara’s.
“This is Xian, the lord of Ruben.”
Sean immediately opened his mouth.
After that, Osley and Fanat also opened their mouths.
“Osley Battenberg. He is the Marquis of the North.”
“My name is Panat Lorsilt.”
Aslandis nodded once and said.
“They weren’t normal people.”
How much do you know about human society?
Asrandir’s gaze at Osli and Fanat was subtle.
Xian asked Aslandis.
“I’m presumptuous, but is it okay?”
“What are you talking about?”
“So, can you let us into the village without any doubt like this?”
Aslandis hadn’t asked anything.
Elves basically hate humans.
It was no different from the Dark Elves.
Rather, the more I hated it, the more I hated it.
It was unacceptable to be invited to the village like this.
However, Aslandis guided them all the way into the village without any questions.
To Xian’s question, Osley and Panat nodded slightly as if they agreed.
Eventually, Aslandis slowly answered.
“Didn’t Sera bring you?”
“…?”
Xian wanted something for a moment.
Because Sera brought them, they let you into the village without question?
Without fact checking?
Apparently, Sera was the daughter of Aslandis.
So, the daughter of an eight-year-old fool?
Xian thought for a moment.
Naturally, it wasn’t like that.
“The child has the ability to see into the souls of beings. Sarah does not open her heart to anyone. Even more inviting to the village.”
“ah.”
Xian let out a small exclamation.
Somehow, he said he felt a demon from the source that even Durak hadn’t noticed.
It seems there was a reason for that.
And why the quest was cleared.
I also kind of understood what it was like.
Although not completely.
“He’s not like a dark elf.”
“Humans each have their own individuality, but… and it is a misunderstanding that Dark Elves are stained with darkness.”
At Xian’s words, Aslandis tilted his head.
“Do you know about us?”
“I don’t know the details. It’s just that I’m a descendant of that distant person.”
“…!”
At that moment, Aslandis’ eyes widened.
surprise and astonishment.
I looked at Xi’an with an expression that was in the middle.
His distant descendants.
It seemed that he didn’t know what Elodie meant.
And that fact was not easily known.
No, it’s not easy to know. It was a fact that no one knew anymore.
Even the Dark Elves don’t know that.
It was just a word that the forest keepers heard like a legend.
But humans know that.
Aslandis’ shock did not go away.
There was such a depressing silence.
And little time passed.
“It’s not just… a misunderstanding.”
Aslandis slowly opened his mouth.
Aslandis’ expression was quite dark.
It’s like the fact that he brought up the story of the black magic spreading in the north as soon as he first saw it.
It seemed that there was something there.
Sian slightly turned his head to look at Osley.
Look at the status, look at what.
Because the person in charge of Xian’s party was none other than Osley.
Osley reacted as if he had noticed Xian’s notice.
However, Xian only looked at him with calm eyes, but did not show any particular interest.
It was as if Xian was telling you to bring up the story.
That’s right, Osley was a knight.
He was ignorant of black magic as well as magic.
Although it was related to the North, the fundamental problem was black magic.
I couldn’t lead the story about him.
That’s why Osley brought Panat.
However, Panat also had no intention of stepping out.
On the way, I caught a glimpse of Xian’s magical knowledge.
It’s not worth it, but I had a huge understanding.
Even with regards to the dark mana, he showed a level superior to himself.
so how can i get out?
Above all, it was all thanks to Xian that he came to the Dark Elf village.
Osley and Fanat said nothing.
Seeing the two of them like that, Xian let out a small sigh inwardly.
I tried to listen to the story while resting in the back.
Sian slowly opened his mouth.
“It’s not just a misunderstanding… does that mean that the dark magic spreading in the North is related to the Dark Elves?”
“······ Yes.”
Aslandis nodded slightly and said.
“We Dark Elves deal with Dark Mana. And the madness that dwells in it. That which must be rejected from the world. It was the fate we had to accept.”
“But… you know some way to control your madness, don’t you?”
The Dark Elves are the descendants of Elodie.
Elodie was able to control the mana of darkness.
Although it is said that it did not reach Kyle’s magic spirit recipe.
Also, it is said that Elodie’s knowledge has been lost for a long time.
They knew how to control the mana of darkness.
I knew it without even asking.
Same with Sera and the Dark Elf I saw while passing by.
Because I didn’t see any power of madness in them.
Even more so now to Aslandis.
Aslandis was a magician of the 8th rank comparable to Egritte.
To put it simply, a wizard who has reached the 8th level with the mana of darkness.
In fact, there was no problem even discussing the continent’s strongest wizard.
And yet, he was not tinged with madness at all.
that means that.
It was safe to say that he had almost perfect control over the mana of darkness.
“So it was.”
“So… was it?”
Aslandis spoke slowly.
“misunderstanding. and regret. That colored his heart.”
“What do you mean…?”
“He had a lot of complaints about the treatment we Dark Elves were receiving.”
Dark elves ostracized by the people of the world.
It was purely because he was using the mana of darkness.
And the mana of darkness always had the power of madness.
But the Dark Elves were not.
They could control the power of madness.
That’s why I don’t know if I’m really stained with madness.
It would have been unfair if the rejection was purely due to misunderstanding.
No, I couldn’t help but be angry because it was unfair.
To the people who oppress them like this.
that means that.
“So… are you saying that the dark elf turned the situation upside down in the north now out of rebellion?”
“·······”
Aslandis said nothing.
It was just a silence that contained neither positive nor negative meaning.
Silence that subsides for a moment.
After a while, Aslandis spoke again.
“I thought so. But misunderstandings weren’t just for humans. To be precise, we had a misunderstanding. Spring must be correct. We . . . were mistaking ourselves.”
Aslandis muttered something incomprehensible.
“What do you mean?”
“You saw it when you came. The appearance of the world tree.”
Xian nodded.
In the first place, where we are now is the base of the World Tree.
It was a space embraced by the World Tree.
“Then you must have seen that the World Tree was holding something.”
Xian nodded once more.
Because that’s what I just checked.
And I’ve even heard Sarah say that there isn’t now.
However, until what he was holding—
“What the World Tree had was Instiz.”
“Instiz…?”
Sian tilted his head involuntarily.
It was because it was a word that gave me a strange sense of deja vu.
A word that seems familiar but unfamiliar.
Then all of a sudden
“What if it’s Instiz?”
Suddenly, Xian shouted in surprise at the memory that came to mind.
Instiz.
The beginning of this word goes back thousands of years.
And two names that appear here.
Goddess Morkru.
One of the 6 Arnaises.
Arnaise, who created other Arnaise’s legendary weapons.
Instiz was the name of an armament made by Morcru.
And the owner of the weapon is right.
“It was the staff Elodie used.”
Great Mage Elodie.
The wand she used was an Instiz.
and.
“Instiz began to be swallowed up by the darkness at some point.”
With the words of Aslandis that followed.
Tring!
『[Story Linked Quest] – ‘Finding the Continuing Truth’』
In an instant, a change occurred in the story-linked quest.