170 - 24 Hearts
**Chapter 170: Wood and Iron** --- They walked into the forest, a place not too far where the campfire's light barely reached. By the time they had finished their evening meal, the night had grown quite dark. Judah glanced at the unfamiliar male elf. "What are you curious about?" "...What are you thinking?" "?" His words were difficult to comprehend. Judah furrowed his brow slightly, pondering over them. What could he possibly mean? After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Judah questioned the elf for clarity. "So, are you asking what I'm thinking right now?" "Yes." "Hmm. Isn't all that the Eye of Truth shows you whether someone's words are true or false? Even without that, we haven't talked enough for you to need to ask what I'm thinking..." "I'm interested in your intentions." Ah, now I see. Judah felt he understood what the elf was curious about. He began to explain the things that had been niggling at him. "Why did you save us? Why bring us along and engage in such dangerous actions? According to that one called Roksin, even if you return to the elves' forest now, it won't be a pleasant sight. Humans have declared they intend to wage war on the elves again. Yet, you're still willing to take us into the forest." "......" "Why is a human like you showing us such kindness? What are your thoughts, what are your intentions?" "Does it really matter? Even if I were to share my thoughts, you can't discern whether they're true or false, right? It won't change anything." Due to his player trait, no matter what the elves tried, Judah's Eye of Truth wouldn't work. It was useless even if they brought in a high elf, who possessed far stronger physical and mental strength than a regular elf, and even the World Tree wouldn't change anything in its view of Judah. At Judah's response, the elf pressed his lips tightly together. Judah merely shrugged at the sight. "Alright then, if you want, I'll tell you. Honestly, even if you can't use the Eye of Truth, my purpose is convincing enough that you'll have to believe it." "...?" "There's no need for such suspicion. There's no falsehood in my intent to take you, the elves, to the forest. I have no intention of selling you to other humans." As proof, Judah had released all the binding seals restraining the elves. If he had intended to sell them to other nobles for money, he wouldn't have foolishly released those seals. Even if he took them back and somehow gained their trust, unless they had those seals, they'd be able to use their magic freely. If they scattered, no matter how capable Judah was, he couldn't catch them all. Moreover, he was providing them with clothes, food, and water. Most importantly, Arhil, who was with them, granted them a certain level of trust. Among humans, the most trustworthy were those priests who believed in angels. "So, why am I showing such kindness—you must be curious. Roksin might have told you that I once received favor from the elves, but that's a lie." "!" The elf's expressionless face still betrayed his surprise. "It's simple. I wish to enter the forest by earning your trust." "...For what purpose?" "To retrieve the fragment you possess—or, to be precise, the one you guard." "A fragment? Are you referring to the Guardian?" "Yes. Initially, it was just a burdensome, wicked object that you thought should be sealed. Ironically, that fragment protected the elves from human hands a hundred years ago. And now, you revere it as the Guardian, knowing it was created by a demon lord." "......" "Well, in any case, that was my sole purpose at the start. But since things haven't been going well, I've added another goal." Judah spoke as he cast his gaze toward the direction where the campfire's light extended. Though afar, between the sparsely grown trees, he could see the elves and Arhil. Encountering Asmodeus, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, was unexpected, and the thought of her becoming the Saintess of Lust was unimaginable. If left unchecked, possessing the Apostle's Qualities, she might become a Lust Apostle. "If I rescue you and safely escort you to the forest, perhaps I can obtain a drop of the World Tree's sap. I'm also aware that Gabriel's temple is said to be there." Instantly, the corners of the elf's eyes twitched. "...How do you know that?" "Know what?" "That Gabriel's temple is in the elves' forest! Humans aren't aware of that. Only an elf who has been inside the forest would know!" The elf's voice echoed loudly. It must have been audible from afar. His first thought was, what if the others thought they were fighting? "Yelling isn't ideal. It will only frighten your kin. Besides, it's possible to know. There aren't many perfect secrets in this world. Shouldn't it be less surprising that I know about the existence of a single temple?" The point of surprise seemed misplaced. He should have been startled about the intent to retrieve the fragment, not by knowing of Gabriel's temple. It was baffling. It wasn't even particularly critical information. Judah wondered if there was more to reveal, his eyes wandering. ...There didn't seem to be much else. "This should suffice. If there's anything else you're curious about, feel free to ask." "What if I want to leave with some of my kin?" "If you still can't trust me after hearing such honesty, there's nothing I can do. Or if it's due to other kin distrusting me because I'm human, the same applies. If you wish to leave, feel free. I'll provide as much food and weapons for protection as you can carry. They might not be of the highest quality, but they'll be serviceable enough." However, Judah wasn't entirely pleased with the idea of the elves leaving on their own. With the Kingdom of Silan rallying soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers from all corners, not all of them likely had noble intentions. How many would allow the elves to pass unchallenged upon encountering them? "But," Judah interjected. "?" "Instead of regretting getting caught by humans later, it's better to follow me quietly. It'll be much safer and more comfortable. A place where you’re fed, clothed, and protected... doesn’t come easy." Judah announced he was heading back and began to walk away. The elf stood there, watching Judah's retreating figure, before he started following a beat later. As he approached, several elves gathered around him, whispering about what had been discussed with Judah that warranted raised voices. Glancing back at them briefly, Judah then approached Arhil, who was washing dishes. "Oh, you're helping out?" A few elves were conversing with Arhil while assisting with the dishes. Watching her use magic to summon water and clean the dishes suggested she had successfully gotten closer to them, as she hoped. Once the dishes were warm and clean, they were wiped dry with a cloth and ready to be stored in the Bag. Judah gathered the stacked dishes and slid them into the Bag. "That's the last of them, right?" "Yes. Here you go," Arhil replied, smiling as she handed over the dish. "Great job. And thank you to the elves for helping out." "Oh, it's nothing. In fact, we owe you more thanks than we could ever offer." As the elves smiled and bowed slightly, Judah offered them fruit as a token of gratitude. The fruit, kept fresh and chilled in a magic-infused cooler, looked deliciously ripe and refreshing. After distributing the fruit among them, he carried the cooler around to share with the rest of the elves. When they had been slaves, perhaps they had tasted more luxurious and diverse foods amid more comfortable surroundings, but at the cost of their freedom. Whether one circumstance was better than the other was hard to say. Judah returned to Arhil, snacking on fruit as they chatted. Though there were some awkward pauses, they quickly moved on to other topics. Singing songs for the elves brought them joy, and Judah mused that he might have made a decent bard in this world. Having spent the first night beyond Uroon, Judah led the elves toward the Elven Forest. Days passed without any pursuers appearing. Although they did encounter common forest creatures like goblins and orcs, they were easily dealt with. Their sightings of goblins and orcs prompted Judah to arm the elves, just in case. He provided bows and arrows to those adept in archery, and swords to the proficient swordsmen among them. While there were spears, axes, and maces available, none expressed interest in them. Consulting the map, Judah pressed onward in the direction of the Elven Forest. According to Roksin's map, there was supposed to be a castle nearby. 'It's been smooth sailing so far, which is fortunate...' The uneventful journey made him feel as though something was bound to happen soon. It was uncanny how bad predictions often came to pass when anticipated. Judah hoped they could enter the Elven Forest without incident, urging the elves to pull their hoods down more securely as they continued on their way. In the distance, a moderately sized castle stood strong above the forest trees. --------- **Author's Note** ...Sigh. I'm in a bit of a panic over the 100-page study material for the exam and ended up just writing this. I really should focus though... Since the exam's on Thursday morning, I've got to review as much as I can... So, I might not be able to post on Thursday or will upload something after it's over. Ughhhh...