144 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

"We're going treasure hunting right now, aren't we?" "Yes." "Wow, ancient kingdom treasures! That's stuff straight out of legends, isn't it? I'm super excited. I wonder what people back then made." The sleigh pulled by ice wolves glided smoothly along the path. Sitting across from me, Ferka chattered away eagerly. 'I knew this would happen, which is why I thought of leaving her behind.' Ferka had thrown a tantrum, sprawling on the ground, insisting on coming with us. She wasn't my slave, so I didn't need to cater to her whims. I tried to ignore her lightly, but she cleverly shifted her focus to Ashies. 'Clever brat.' We weren't exactly friends, but seeing each other every morning had evidently narrowed the distance between us. Ashies had insisted on bringing Ferka along, leaving me with no choice. Yet, whatever made Ashies take an interest in something was certainly promising. "Don't get too excited. We're here to fight beasts, after all. I won't take responsibility if things go wrong." Our current mission was to recover the treasure Darka had requested. The final story of the Lake Fortress. We defeat the leaders, retrieve the treasure, and hand it all to Darka. In exchange for all the treasures, we'll receive a clue about the frozen kingdom and a Lapis Lazuli. Ashies, whose combat skills were near perfection, would easily handle the beasts. However, locating them was quite the ordeal. Darka had provided a map, but like any in-game map, it was flawed and blurry, making it difficult to read. Clues, reminiscent of codes, were inscribed at each location. 'The first time around, it felt like hell.' With countless monsters populating Isengard, the task was to identify the one holding the treasure, which was assigned randomly each time. I doubted if I was even capturing the right monsters. Add that to the abysmally low drop rate, and the uncertainty would cost hours of grinding. Thankfully, over time, the playthroughs piled up, and what once was a challenge became just another quest. Remembering this is, honestly, a stroke of luck. First up: An invisible anomaly, sleeping within the glacier, guards the treasure. The Crystal Serpent. A snake-like beast. It possesses passive magic immunity, so physical attacks are required to defeat it. Fairies of the silent snowfield. They pull back silver bows, engraving death upon the snowy plains. That's a snowfield elf. Rough bodies wrapped in the hatred of the harshest cold, trampling the snowfield alongside horned beasts. Finally, the Orc chief. 'What a list.' Well, it’s not all bad – the serpent is manageable, but the elf and orcs are just the worst. Elves are elusive; they're tough to locate and formidable in power, and orcs exist in overwhelming numbers. If the serpent poses a challenge in a single stage, orcs require tackling three stages. That's three times the effort. In reality, we won't have literal stages, but no doubt we'll be swarmed by orcs. "Fighting beasts sounds scary, but when you fight, sis, it's like watching a performance rather than a battle. It’s not frightening; it's beautiful. Watching makes me want to become an artist instead of a blacksmith." Back in Doomheim, Ferka had been like an emotionless puppet, hammering away. Now he was bright, almost as if we were on a thrilling excursion. "Ferka... You want to be an artist?" "Nope, I'm a blacksmith. My goal is to become a blacksmith greater than my father." "Torvar...?" "That's right. As much as I don't want to admit it, he's a remarkable blacksmith. Though, as a husband and a father, he's the worst." "It seems you don't get along well with Torvar." Ferka nodded vigorously in agreement. "That man sees nothing but work. Even when my mother passed, he wasn't there. He was too busy tending the flames of Magmar." "Maintaining the flames of Magmar is a duty of a Flame Keeper, after all." "No matter how important work is, it shouldn’t take precedence over a family’s final moment. Please don't say such things. Keep it up, and even Karami will get angry." "Understood. It’s not my place to meddle in others' family matters." Ferka's hostility dissuaded me from probing further. While we chatted, our sled arrived at the destination: a coniferous forest brimming with sharply peaked trees. Our initial target was the snowfield elf. It was the nearest spot, after all. We dismounted the sled and ventured deeper into the woods. Whooosh! The chilling wind howled aggressively between the trees. An eerie atmosphere made it seem like anything could jump out at us any moment. Ferka hunched defensively, scanning the surroundings. "Do elves really live in such places? Don't they usually inhabit the grand forests near the World Tree?" "Just as not every dwarf resides in Doomheim, somewhere out there, dwarves might be living in forests too." Initially, elves were said to originate from the grand forests by the World Tree, much like the place I left behind in Arpia. Yet, long ago, some elves ventured out, settling elsewhere. In dark woods, deserts, and also here in the snowy forest zones. Granted, numbers are sparse compared to their homeland grand forests. "I'm a bit worried." "About what?" "Elves are extremely wary of outsiders. Given there’s a dwarf among us, they might act more aggressively." They're likely to start shooting arrows on sight. It was vital to proceed with utmost caution. "We should move stealthily, unseen as shadows." "What's with all the talk about shadows now?" "It’s an expression. Move like neither rats nor shadows can notice you—meaning act with utmost stealth. Got it? Let's go." Ferka let out an amused chuckle almost involuntarily. "Ashies, if you detect anything unusual, inform us immediately. Don’t keep it to yourself like last time." "Unusual...?" "For instance, if elves are nearby." "Like... there...?" Ashies pointed her finger towards the top of a tree. Hanging from the branches of a towering conifer was a person. Though clad in thick animal skins reminiscent of those worn by northerners, there was no mistaking the elongated ears. Long ears. Elves of the snowfield. We'd been spotted from the start — moving unseen like shadows had proven futile. A whirlwind spun around the elf's arrowhead, powered by the spirit's force. "Rami, step back." Ashies blocked my path, keeping a wary eye on the elf. Yet, contrary to my fear of an immediate attack, the elf simply aimed without releasing the arrow. After whispering among themselves, they descended to the ground, still cautious as they approached us. Ferka, who had somehow managed to hide behind me, peeked out curiously. "What... what do you think it is?" "Not sure, let's find out." This doesn't align with anything I anticipated. A female elf, who seemed to be their leader, came forward. Unlike elves from the Grand Forest, her hair and eyes were a striking blue. "Who are you, human? And how do you possess His aura?" "His?" "The World Tree." "Ah." Now I understood. I had received the blessing of the World Tree, hadn't I? After liberating Arpia, I was granted a buff, significantly enhancing the stats of elven slaves. Sensitive beast people often commented that I carried the scent of the forest. On the other hand, dwarves, generally dull in senses, didn't notice. To an elf, it would be striking. "You seem to know something. Speak truthfully, lest I sketch your outline upon the snowfield with your blood." Elves were elves, regardless of their life beyond the Grand Forest. They revered the World Tree as a deity, preventing them from attacking anyone blessed by it recklessly. I had no reason to cower. I stepped forward confidently to confront the elf. "Ha, it's amusing." "What did you say?" "I am a human blessed by the World Tree. The blessing typically reserved only for the Elven Queen has been bestowed upon me. Don't you grasp the significance?" "What... what is it...?" My unwavering demeanor threw the elf off their stride. Though I had threatened them, I too was at a loss for an explanation. I couldn’t think of anything concrete. During such moments, there’s a trick. "Do you really not understand?" Encouraging them to speculate and give an answer themselves. Pressuring them with the impression that something substantial exists. The elf pondered deeply, eyes casting shadows as thoughts churned within. Then, her eyes widened in realization. "Could it be...?" "Indeed, it is exactly what you fear." "The Queen's consort?" Oh. That seems to be going a bit far. I thought they'd assume I was just a benefactor. But if they’re offering this interpretation, who am I to refuse? "You've caught on late." "The Elven Queen of the Grand Forest marrying a human as consort? Do you expect me to believe such a thing?" "There's not a shred of falsehood in my sincerity. I and Ivalry swore a thousand-year vow under the World Tree's embrace, blessed by it as well. The aura flowing from me is undeniable proof." "...Madness. Absolute madness. An elf — no, the Elven Queen swearing a vow with a human!" "It suggests how much times have changed. In a world where even gods aren’t eternal, only love is immortal." "Hah..." The elf resignedly sighed, lowering her bow. Seems like things turned out alright. "What brings the Queen's consort to Isengard? And accompanied by a mole, no less." The elf glanced disdainfully at Ferka. Ferka flinched. Though a half-dwarf, his appearance barely suggested dwarf heritage, yet the latent prejudice against dwarves was palpable. "We’ve come for the royal treasures held by the elves. Do you know of such an item?" "I do. But why do you need it?" "I intend to return it to its rightful owner." I subtly glanced at Ashies, the elf following my gaze. Indeed, the longevity species living for a millennium must have known about the kingdom erased from history. Observing Ashies, they seemed to grasp something, nodding to themselves. "How remarkable. A survivor all this time, yet reduced to a mere doll." "Will you give us the item? If not, we’ll take it by force." "Relax. Unlike some, my noble elven kind harbors no greed for the belongings of others. If an owner wants their item returned, it is only proper to comply. Wait here for a moment." The elf stepped aside courteously but soon returned. In her hands was a sparkling blue tiara. She handed it over to Ashies. "May good things come your way." "Thank... you?" YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0UVIxTFRHZlpkMm5HenN2REM0V2pGWWt2Yk5MSXdmRjlYdFYrUTlLdVBvSA Ashies gazed at the tiara intently. To an extent, she couldn’t look away, almost mesmerized. "We've managed to acquire the first treasure without incident. Shall we head back?" "Wait, there's something I want to ask." As we turned to leave, the elf called out. "Consort of our Queen, what is your relation to the Princess of Snow?" How should I respond? Saying she was a slave would only provoke unnecessary animosity. Searching for the right word, I quickly decided. "I am the one who stands by the Princess's side." In all honesty, knight sounds more accurate when speaking of princesses. Knights are quite dashing, right? *** With Karami's group departed, the elves left behind in the forest couldn't budge from the shock of Karami's statements. The one who stands by the Princess's side. Such a role could be interpreted in two ways. One, a knight. A person who literally guards the princess. However, Karami, from any perspective, seemed far removed from combat. He was no knight. So, that leaves the second possibility. A prince. Karami, though not of elven standard, possessed a gentle visage. To an elf's eye, he was far closer to a prince than a knight. In this fantasy world, unlike modern Earth, the idea of a prince was far from peculiar. But the case with Karami was different. "The Queen's consort is... having an affair?" It made more sense now. Why would the Queen's consort venture into these remote lands? It's all to have a clandestine affair with the princess away from the Queen's eyes! What a despicable scoundrel. Part of me wants to expose this scandalous truth to the world immediately, but doing so would also direct the arrows of criticism at the Elven Queen. People would say it was disgraceful that she couldn't even keep a human man from straying. That humiliation would extend beyond the Elven Queen to the entire Elven race. The proud dignity of the Elf tribe would be dragged lower than the dwarves' tunnels. Such a disgrace must be avoided at all costs. The elf wrote a message and placed it in a capsule attached to a bird's leg. The destinations were the elven elders scattered across the continent. They needed to be informed of this emergency.