Chapter 4:
Diverging Paths
RHODEN’S CAPITAL CITY, Olav, sat amid an expansive field of green, bordered on one side by the Lydel River that ran out of the base of the Calcut mountain range. The city itself was protected from the outside world by four towering walls of stone, at the center of which stood the royal palace.
The majestic city served as a symbol of all of humanity’s accomplishments.
The Rhoden Kingdom was the third most powerful country on the northern continent, following the dueling Revlon empires, and was also part of the coalition that had joined forces to take down the Holy Hilk Kingdom.
In one of the palace’s expansive rooms, a large number of tables had been lined up together and covered with a cloth to create the appearance of one large table. The representatives from the coalition nations were seated around it.
At the head of the table sat King Karlon Delfriet Rhoden Olav, the ruler of Rhoden Kingdom.
The elderly man’s forehead was creased with deep wrinkles, and a long beard took up much of his face. The recent upheaval clearly weighed heavily on his shoulders, but his bright blue eyes spoke of the fiery intellect that still burned within him.
He was joined by two members of the royal family, Prince Sekt Rondahl Karlon Rhoden Sahdiay and Princess Yuriarna Merol Melissa Rhoden Olav.
Sekt was a handsome man with light-brown hair, instead of his father’s blond hair, and a charming smile. He and his father shared the same powerful blue eyes. The connection between the two was undeniable.
Yuriarna had wavy golden locks, just a tinge more yellow than her father’s, and beautiful brown eyes. Her round face betrayed her young age, though her gaze carried with it the same force as her father and brother.
Next was King Asparuh Nohzan Saureah, ruler of the Nohzan Kingdom. His nation sat across from the Bay of Bulgoh and was a longtime trade partner of the Rhoden Kingdom’s.
In stark contrast to King Karlon, King Asparuh had a round face and a friendly demeanor. He was also the older brother to King Karlon’s late wife, so the two royal families were connected by both law and blood.
Off to his side sat the young but capable eleven-year-old Nohzan princess, Riel Nohzan Saureah. Her skin was as pale as porcelain, and the tips of her vivid blonde hair curled slightly where they dangled at her shoulders. Her expression spoke of her innocence, as well as her nervousness over being here.
Margrave Wendly du Brahniey, the representative from the Salma Kingdom, was a powerful, heavily built man with a receding hairline and a thick white mustache. He showed no sense of apprehension over sitting among nobility. In fact, there was a look of strength and confidence in his face, a credit to his long military career.
The margrave was the last of the human representatives. Beyond him were representatives of an entirely different sort.
First up was the third founding elder and head of the elven realm in the Great Canada Forest, Briahn Bond Evanjulin Maple. He was the highest-ranking elder of all the elves, greater in importance than even the individual elders who ruled the villages. He looked no older than forty and sat there, calm and composed, scanning the crowd with pale green eyes. Briahn’s long, green-tinged blond hair was tied back with ornamental cords, exposing two long pointed ears.
It was rare for Briahn to travel outside of Maple, but the significance of the day’s events justified the outing.
Next was a two-meter-tall, muscular dark elf with amethyst skin and a piercing golden gaze. The large scar marking his face gave Fangas Flan Maple, Ariane’s grandfather, an intimidating appearance. During the battle against the Holy Hilk Kingdom, Fangas had fought on the front lines against hordes of the undead. He lived in a world far removed from that which the noble-born humans inhabited.
After the elven delegation was Hanzo—the twenty-second in the line of Hanzos—who led the military group of cat people known as the Jinshin clan. He was here as the representative for the mountain people.
Hanzo looked something like a stereotypical hermit, with thick, bushy white eyebrows and a long beard. Though he appeared to be a gentle old man, there was a degree of toughness just below his skin. Much like the elves, he kept himself away from the prying eyes of humans. But he’d agreed to join this meeting as a sign of trust, given the recent efforts that had freed so many of his people.
Next to him sat a hulking figure even more massive than Fangas—Goemon, one of the six great warriors of the Jinshin clan.
He was covered in gray-and-black fur, giving him the appearance of a muscle-bound tabby cat. Two distinctive ears crowned his head, while a long tail extended from his lower back. In a way, he was almost cute.
Goemon had also fought on the front lines, using his earth-based magic to great effect. Even when surrounded by a large number of human knights, he’d managed to take them down with minimal effort.
He sat silently at Hanzo’s side with his arms crossed, looking down from his immense height at everyone around the table. It was clear that he was there as Hanzo’s bodyguard, rather than a representative.
Under normal circumstances, seating wouldn’t have been left up to the attendees’ discretion, with royalty choosing to have their various advisors seated with them in order of rank and power.
This was the same even when conducting meetings with other royals, where the parties involved would closely evaluate each other country’s size, status, and rank and then assign seating accordingly—rarely without some arguments involved.
In fact, it was almost unthinkable to conduct a meeting in such a large space with open seating. From the point of view of the humans, it was insulting to do so.
For the non-humans, however, this was simply common sense. Not only that, but the elves found the very concept of basing one’s seat purely on relative influence to be patently absurd.
Since this meeting had been called on such short notice, it had been decided that the seating would follow the elven style—a decision that spoke of the true power wielded by the elves. In many ways, the humans were beginning to see the Great Canada Forest as a kingdom in its own right.
There were some nobles who still considered the elves to be little more than barbarians living in monster-infested forests on the fringe of civilization. But those who actually knew the scale of elven ingenuity were now true believers.
It was clear to all human nobles, however, that the elves’ military strength was far more advanced than the humans’.
A creature known as a Dragon Lord, a sworn protector of the elves, had even joined the field of battle at their behest. Dragon Lords were so powerful that they could level an entire city with a single blast. The humans had nothing that could counter such power.
What’s more, the elven warriors were able to call upon spirit magic, a skill that made them more powerful than any of the kingdoms’ best soldiers. And that was saying nothing of Fangas, who was in a class unto himself.
It had also recently come to light that the elves were able to use teleportation magic, which allowed its user to move to far-flung places in the blink of an eye. To those who saw it, it was like something ripped straight from a fairy tale.
This technique was considered particularly intimidating by humans, as it meant the possibility of instantly transporting a large force right into the center of a city, bypassing all of its defenses. Essentially, the humans could no longer rely on their numbers to attack or defend.
Teleportation magic had also played a major role in allowing this meeting to take place with such short notice.
Of course, elves weren’t the only non-humans in attendance. There were also the species that the humans collectively referred to as “beast people” but who referred to themselves as “mountain people.”
The mountain people had no country of their own on the northern continent. Instead, they lived in small clans that all too often ended up being enslaved or exterminated by the humans. The Jinshin clan had sworn to free their enslaved comrades and had destroyed many slave markets in the process.
The slave markets had made demands to their ruling kingdoms and other local nobles to do something about these newly freed slaves. But if they tried to hunt them down, the mountain people vanished into the shadows, or else were far too powerful for the search parties to stand up against.
Until recently, humans had had little meaningful contact with either the elves or the mountain people. But they needed to get on board quickly. Maintaining their attitude toward the mountain people would have an incredibly negative impact on their developing relationship with the elves—and it was easy to imagine just what kind of future awaited them if they were to harm their relationship with such powerful new allies.
They also couldn’t ignore how helpful the mountain people had been in the recent conflict.
Not only had the Hilk’s influence weakened, and their human-first attitudes along with it, but the impact that the mountain people had had in making this happen—while saving countless human lives—was undeniable.
That didn’t mean, however, that all nobles understood the magnitude of recent events. There were still those who felt a strong repulsion toward non-humans. If they were allowed to take power, it would mean an end to the long-awaited peace that had finally arrived.
This was why this meeting would only be attended by the representatives and their retainers.
Alas, the very sight of elves and mountain people walking confidently through the halls of the palace had already caused countless rumors to spread throughout the capital.
King Karlon cast his gaze across all of those in attendance before speaking. “I realize that our battle has only recently ended, and I apologize for summoning you back while you’re still returning order to your lands. I understand that you’ve already been briefed on the reason for today’s meeting, so I’ll get right into it.”
All eyes settled on Rhoden’s king.
“We are here today at the request of the representatives of the Great Canada Forest, but first I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the recovery efforts of those who’ve suffered at the hands of the Holy Hilk Kingdom. If you need any support, I trust those of us in attendance will do our best to come to your aid. Any objections?”
Those gathered around the table nodded silently. After confirming all were in agreement, King Karlon turned his attention to King Asparuh.
Nohzan’s king cleared his throat. “If I may be so presumptuous, I would like to discuss the status of the Nohzan Kingdom. The Holy Hilk Kingdom crossed over our shared border to the northwest before driving toward the capital, ravaging nearly all villages and towns they encountered along the way. Fortunately, thanks to some powerful forces who came to our aid, our capital was spared.” King Asparuh turned his attention to the elves in attendance. “I’ve requested—and was granted—permission to send the majority of our troops who participated in the assault on the holy capital out to survey the damage and provide support where possible. Even though the damage to our kingdom is great, it’s not a danger to our survival.”
The king seemed to be about to end his speech when suddenly he remembered something else.
“Ah, yes. I received some information about our neighbor to the north, the Delfrent Kingdom. Though the capital city of Lione fell and the royal family was murdered, elven soldiers were able to wipe out the hordes of undead. The rest of the lands were left mostly unscathed, so I fear that infighting will soon begin.”
He slumped back down in his chair and let out a long, slow breath.
King Karlon turned his gaze to Margrave Brahniey of the Salma Kingdom.
“I suppose I’m next.” The margrave ran a hand through his receding white hair, the exhaustion evident in his voice. “I’m sure none of this is new to you, but when Larisa fell to the undead legions, most of our citizens escaped to the sea, where they’re struggling to eke out a meager existence. The remaining nobles are arguing over which of the surviving members of the royal family will assume the throne. Currently, no one group holds all the power.”
Brahniey sighed and waved a hand dismissively.
“None of those idiots understand the point behind the treaty, and no matter who winds up taking control, I doubt they’ll ever agree to become a signatory. I’m immensely thankful to the elven warriors of Canada who worked so hard to free those trapped inside the capital and make it safe once again, but at this point in time, I’ve asked them to leave Larisa. These foolish nobles are intent on making more and more enemies, and it’s no longer safe for elves in our lands.”
Fangas nodded at the margrave’s assessment. Clearly, he’d already agreed to this request.
“I feel bad for those living near the capital, of course, but I also had to withdraw my own forces to keep watch over my territory. I’d say the odds are good that a civil war will erupt shortly. It’s possible the country may cease to exist entirely, much like Delfrent.” A pained look stretched across Brahniey’s face.
Prince Sekt looked puzzled. “Why don’t you take over the Salma Kingdom? I apologize if I’m being forward here, but if Larisa is in the state you describe, it should be of little challenge for you to take control.”
Margrave Brahniey’s eyes went wide for a moment, then he belted out a hearty laugh. “You’re right, it wouldn’t take much to overthrow the capital right now. But I’m far too old for all the drama involved in running a kingdom. Now, don’t take that to mean I’m endorsing any of the surviving members of the royal family. But I’ve got my hands full simply keeping my own lands in order. I’d probably die if I took on any more.”
Sekt raised an eyebrow. Yes, Margrave Brahniey was certainly on the older side, and the amount of work it would take to win over the opposition and seize the throne would be immense. But the young prince clearly couldn’t understand why someone with blatant disrespect for the royal family wouldn’t want to wrestle away control for himself.
“Your own lands must surely be affected by the discord in the capital, no?”
The margrave rested one elbow on the table as he stroked his mustache. “I’d be lying if I said it would have no impact on us. But I’ve always been rather independent from the idiots in the capital. Even if they send some kind of demand for assistance, I plan on treating them like a completely separate nation. Why shouldn’t I ignore them? They’ve never helped me anyway.”
King Asparuh looked taken aback by the Salma Kingdom’s dysfunctional affairs, especially considering how many times they’d faced off in the past.
The king’s surprise drew a smile from Brahniey. “I was thinking this would be a good opportunity for me to declare my independence. Or maybe I could finally open up the route between Saureah and Dimo. In any case, I plan on letting the infighting run its course before making my move.”
Princess Riel looked as surprised by this sudden revelation as her father did. She sat a little straighter in her chair.
The margrave oversaw a land known as Brahniey—a land that had once belonged to the Nohzan Kingdom, before the Salma Kingdom invaded and took Brahniey for itself. This cut off Nohzan’s territory of Dimo, and the only way to access it was through Brahniey.
The margrave’s proposal would finally bring the Brahniey lands back under Nohzan’s control.
“Of course, these are just my personal thoughts on the matter. Whether I can convince people to accept their neighbors as compatriots, after years of feuding, remains to be seen. At present, this is merely one of many options on the table.”
King Asparuh laughed at this obvious attempt to backtrack. “Delfrent, Nohzan, Salma… Why, all of our nations have expanded and contracted continuously throughout our long histories. I see no reason for that to stop now. Is there anything we can do to accelerate this transition?”
Both men smiled.
King Karlon watched the exchange with great interest as Prince Sekt leaned over to whisper in his ear. “It looks like we may have found our western ally.”
The king kept his gaze straight ahead and nodded. “I would like to ask that Nohzan serve as the leader of the western front. Fortunately for us, the Olav and Saureah families already share a connection. However, I think it may do us some good to further strengthen our ties.”
Sekt turned his attention to his sister, Yuriarna.
Nohzan’s royal family consisted of the king and his three children—two princes and a princess. King Asparuh’s daughter was still only eleven years old and a good deal younger than Sekt, so that marriage prospect was rather unlikely. Which meant the only option would be for Princess Yuriarna to join Saureah’s royal family.
Princess Yuriarna’s ears flushed a pale pink as she realized the implications of what her father had just said. She looked to King Asparuh.
But before the conversation could go any further, Fangas spoke up. “Well, then, I guess I’ll talk about how events have unfolded down at Fehrbio Alsus.”
All eyes fell on him.
“Thanks to the efforts of the elven warriors and members of the Jinshin clan, the city is now entirely clear of undead. Alas, the number of casualties is simply too high for the capital to function as is. That’s assuming they would even want to rebuild. Many survivors are still terrified of the prospect of the undead and have no desire to return to the city. The refugees are currently living out of a camp, but we are slowly beginning the process of moving them to nearby towns and villages.”
Both King Asparuh and Margrave Brahniey furrowed their brows at this report.
While the casualties inflicted on innocent citizens during the battle to oust the pontiff had certainly been immense, the capital had had a huge population to begin with, meaning that there were still a significant number of survivors.
It would be quite a challenge to move these refugees to the neighboring towns. Each could maybe take on ten or twenty new people, but to suddenly increase their populations by several hundred would be an immense strain.
If these people were unable to find a way to make a living, they might resort to begging or banditry.
Making matters worse, they’d also bring word about what had happened within the holy capital. It was hard to say how the local officials might react to that knowledge, though it was likely that the larger cities would isolate themselves and turn away the refugees.
Their rulers might not have a problem if it were merely a matter of increasing the number of working adults within their city limits, but a large number of needy refugees with nothing but the clothes on their backs was another matter entirely. Each city would need to temporarily close its gates and make a determination about each and every individual before letting them in.
Those who weren’t allowed in would move on to the next city, with no guarantee that they’d be granted permission to enter there either. The further these refugees had to travel, the more desperate they’d become. It was a downward spiral.
If enough of them turned to banditry, they might grow large enough in number to take on small villages and towns, causing a marked drop in safety throughout the country.
With no overarching leadership within the Holy Hilk Kingdom, in the form of the pontiff or his cardinals, bandits would no longer need to worry about any national effort to quash them and would only have to deal with local armies. They could quickly become a major nuisance.
Margrave Brahniey’s territory didn’t share a border with the Holy Hilk Kingdom, so the impact on him would be minor. However, this did not hold true for the Nohzan Kingdom.
While they could certainly dispatch soldiers to stand guard along their western border, these lands had already suffered greatly during the earlier invasion by the Hilk. There was simply no way they had enough soldiers to both aid their own people and guard their borders.
This was quite the vexing problem for King Asparuh.
Fangas spoke up again. “I made the decision to give a fixed sum of money, paid out from gold recovered from the church’s coffers, to anyone who makes the decision to leave the refugee camp. I authorized this myself, as I believe it would help contribute to these people starting a new life.”
He looked at each of the humans in turn. King Asparuh and Margrave Brahniey seemed relieved to hear this, while King Karlon nodded without any objection.
Fangas continued. “I would like to do the same for the rest of the refugees, as I imagine they’re getting quite tired of living in the camp. It’s also about time that we send Rhoden’s soldiers, Canada’s warriors, and members of the Jinshin clan home.”
He paused and once again looked to each of the human representatives. No one seemed to oppose this. No nation could support another forever.
Fangas cleared his throat. “I believe it will be difficult to care for the refugees much longer. But if we abandon them, they’ll do what they must in order to survive, and the borders that Nohzan, Salma, and Delfrent share with the Holy Hilk Kingdom could become more unstable. I think it would be best to split up the refugees and send them out into these territories.”
Everyone appeared to be in agreement with this plan.
“Once we secure each location that will take in a group of refugees, we’ll teleport them there. I’d like to ask that you begin searching for these locations at once. I hope you understand that Canada is not considering taking in any refugees at present.”
No one appeared to have any objection to this either.
It would cause nothing but problems to take people who’d lived under the Hilk’s teachings and ask them to live among elves. Besides, the elves had already offered up a great deal, including their powerful warriors on the field of battle and their ability to quickly move soldiers from one location to another.
The handling of the refugee crisis would be left to the humans.
Once the meeting concluded, King Karlon would summon all of the various lords throughout the kingdom to the palace, to brief them on the new treaty and to discuss the refugees.
Though few of the nobles were dyed-in-the-wool Hilk believers, the king did expect some pushback on this. Yuriarna planned to use the cultivation rune stones she’d acquired through trade with the elves as a way to get them on board.
King Asparuh had other plans. The refugees could be hired as laborers to help speed up the recovery of the western part of the Nohzan Kingdom, where the losses were greatest. They would also help to replace the lost population, though no one said that aloud.
“The pontiff’s two remaining cardinals, Elin Luxuria Castitas and Baltord Spelvia Humilitas, are still unaccounted for. The refugees have provided all the information they have, but we’ve learned very little about Cardinal Humilitas. Anyway, that’s all I have to report.”
Fangas sat down in his chair, leaned back, and crossed his arms to signal he was finished.
The cardinals he spoke of were both incredibly powerful creatures. According to King Asparuh and others who’d witnessed it for themselves, one could lose an entire company’s worth of soldiers when trying to take them down. For King Karlon and Princess Yuriarna, who hadn’t seen one of them in action, it was hard to comprehend just how powerful they were.
Prince Sekt, however, had engaged in battle against a cardinal first-hand and spoke of the absurd power he’d witnessed. His stories were corroborated by the soldiers who’d served with him.
Just a short time ago, the knowledge that the elves could take down such immensely powerful creatures would have been of great concern to King Karlon. Yet now he found himself in a position where he could be thankful for such allies.
Considering these two monsters had served as cardinals and leaders of the Holy Hilk Kingdom, they definitely couldn’t be underestimated. The fact that they were still unaccounted for was a terrifying thought to contemplate for nations about to begin the process of rebuilding.
“The fact that they can just hide among humans so easily is nothing short of a nightmare.” King Asparuh furrowed his brow.
Prince Sekt spoke up. “This is only a theory, but I wonder if they might have escaped to Revlon. All they’d have to do is travel west from the capital, cross the Beek Sea, and they’d find themselves in the Great West Revlon Empire.”
Margrave Brahniey frowned. “With the pontiff dead, I don’t see them staying out there for long, though.”
With a nod from Briahn, Fangas cleared his throat and picked up where Sekt had left off. “I’ve had my researchers back in Maple go over all the clues we’ve been able to gather, though we’ve yet to come across anything definitive.”
A series of sighs echoed around the room. These creatures could easily destroy an entire city, and they were out on the loose. This posed a significant problem.
After letting the silence hang, Briahn spoke. “I understand your concern over the whereabouts of such monsters, but I’ve already assigned the task of tracking them down, so I ask that you leave it to us. Instead of worrying, invest your energies in restoring your kingdoms to their previous grandeur.”
Briahn’s soft, clear voice seemed to resonate with everyone in the room. However, those in attendance could sense that there must be an additional reason why the leader of the Great Canada Forest would make such a rare personal appearance. The fact that he’d emphasized the need to restore their kingdoms as soon as possible did not bode well.
“I have something else I’d like to discuss, unrelated to the battle with the Holy Hilk Kingdom. In fact, it has to do with the empire Prince Sekt just spoke of. Some…information has come to my attention.”
Everyone in the room tensed up at this. Due to the contentious relationship between the East and West Revlon Empires, the rest of the nations on the northern continent were able to remain relatively peaceful. While the Delfrent, Nohzan, and Salma kingdoms were protected by the Rutios Mountains, the Rhoden Kingdom shared a border with the Holy East Revlon Empire and could only count on this ongoing conflict to keep them at bay.
“I’ve received reports that the eastern empire has invaded the western empire,” Briahn continued. “Reports are still vague, but a western empire city has already fallen.”
Several gasps broke the silence.
Yuriarna, however, regarded Briahn with some skepticism. “Small-scale military actions are nothing new for these two empires. The loss of a city is certainly worth notice, but there must be something else that has caused you alarm.”
Briahn turned to face the young princess. “You’re right, of course. Were this a small-scale affair, I wouldn’t be here telling you this. However, it seems that the eastern empire has gained the ability to control monsters.”
The shock at this news was palpable. King Karlon and Prince Sekt both shouted at the same time.
“Are you sure?!”
“Is this true?!”
Briahn nodded. “I don’t have all the details yet, but from what I hear, a legion of monsters under the control of the eastern empire was used to great effect in toppling the city. Much of what I’ve heard is little more than third-hand accounts and rumors, but apparently, losses to the imperial forces were minimal.”
This caused another round of nervous murmurs.
Disputes broke out between the twin empires every few years or so, but those were quite a bit different from what Briahn was describing now. The very idea that monsters were being used to wage war left everyone’s mouths suddenly dry—due in no small part to how closely this resembled the pontiff’s army of the undead.
The margrave nervously stroked his mustache. “If the eastern empire’s losses were as small as you say, then it’s only a matter of time until the western empire succumbs.’”
The whole room was still. Would the eastern empire be satisfied with simply annexing the western one?
Everyone knew the answer to this question without it even having to be raised.
The moment the western empire fell, the eastern empire would turn its gaze to the bountiful farmlands in the south.
After the recent assault by the Holy Hilk Kingdom, the Salma, Delfrent, and Nohzan kingdoms were in no position to resist another invading force.
The humans clearly hadn’t anticipated such a situation…except for Prince Sekt of the Rhoden Kingdom.
Though Emperor Domitianus of the Holy East Revlon Empire had ascended to the throne at an incredibly young age, he’d wasted no time in consolidating his power base among the various nobility throughout his lands—building up and reorganizing the imperial army and pouring resources into researching magical items and other technologies that would help him wage war.
Prince Sekt had been watching these developments closely and had realized that the emperor was putting a plan in motion to topple the Great West Revlon Empire. But even though he’d foreseen this part, the idea that they’d use monsters to supplement their forces hadn’t entered into his most terrifying nightmares.
“I’d like to ask a question, if I may. Is the eastern empire using magical items to control these monsters? I know they’ve been researching these technologies for some time.”
Prince Sekt watched as a look of surprise washed over Briahn’s face.
Carcy had theorized that such magical items might be used to control monsters, but that had been little more than a guess. That the human prince would reach the same conclusion was quite a shock.
“Some have reported that the monsters were domesticated from a young age to obey their master’s commands, but we personally feel that magical items must have been involved. There’s a clan of people living near the eastern empire who possess techniques for controlling monsters. Some of our researchers believe that the empire recreated those techniques using magical items.” Briahn let out a resigned sigh.
“May I ask a question, Elder Briahn?” Yuriarna piped up. “The elves are unmatched on this continent when it comes to their ability to make magical items. Do you truly think such a thing as you describe is possible?”
Briahn smiled warmly. “Thank you for the compliment. I have spoken to our artisans and researchers, and they believe that as long as someone has the ability to control monsters, it would be a simple matter to break this ability down to its components and infuse it in a magical item. The technology would be incredibly difficult to copy, however.”
Those gathered around the table scowled. In general, once a technology was discovered, one would be hard-pressed to wipe it out entirely. However, if no one knew how to reproduce this particular technology, then it would be nearly impossible to stand up to the Holy East Revlon Empire.
“U-um, Elder Briahn…” Princess Riel said. “I, um, I was wondering… Assuming there really is some kind of item for taming monsters, what kind of monsters could it control?”
Briahn gave a helpless shake of the head. “I’m sorry, Princess, but I’m afraid I don’t have the answer to that. According to our researchers’ best guesses, it would be unlikely that they could control any and all types of monsters. We believe that the monsters must be intelligent enough to understand commands but not so intelligent that they would fight being controlled.”
Sekt muttered to himself. “In that case, we can rule out any monsters in the insect line. We can also probably exclude any that would be difficult to capture in large numbers.”
Princess Yuriarna looked at her brother in surprise, but he merely arched an eyebrow at her and turned away.
“In any case,” King Karlon said, “those of us here united under the treaty will likely find ourselves facing off against the empire soon. We must build our lost forces back up and restore our damaged countries—and quickly.”
Briahn nodded.
With that, the gathered representatives promised to help their partner nations rebuild, though they all knew that this would be no easy task. Not a single person present looked hopeful about their chances.
***
“Job’s done.”
I reached back and hit my fist against my lower back several times, stretching the tense muscles.
“Kyii… Kyii!”
Ponta cheered me on from its perch atop my head.
The job I referred to was teleporting to all of the various places where the representatives—those who’d originally signed the multi-species treaty—attending the meeting in the Rhoden Kingdom lived…and then teleporting them to the palace in Rhoden.
The meeting would be held just after noon, so I figured that most of the representatives were probably relaxing in their provided rooms or speaking with the others. I had to admit, it had been a lot more tiring than I’d thought it would be to teleport all these important people from the Nohzan Kingdom, the Great Canada Forest, the village in Calcut, and other locales all day.
I wanted nothing more than to head back to my shrine and take a dip in the hot spring.
It had been only a week since the meeting was first suggested, and the only thing that had even made this international conference possible on such short notice was my long-distance teleportation magic.
I tried to feel at least somewhat proud of myself as I rolled my shoulders to release the tension.
The meeting would take place over two days, and then I would have to take everyone back home. But until then, I was free to take care of some pressing tasks of my own.
I glanced around at my surroundings. I was standing in the middle of a hall in Rhoden’s palace. The floor of the hall was made of beautiful marble, polished so perfectly that I could see my own reflection in it as I walked.
“Kyii!”
Ponta excitedly swished its tail back and forth, seemingly enjoying seeing its own reflection.
The walls were lined with exquisite decorations and works of art spaced at even intervals. It almost felt as if I were walking through a museum. I could only imagine how nervous I would have been as a mere commoner walking through the halls of the palace.
“Arc? Aaarc! Aaaaarc?!”
There was something rather adorable about the voice calling my name that caused me to quickly turn around. I was greeted by the sight of a young noblewoman and her chambermaid.
The chambermaid had short-cropped red hair and intense hazel eyes. Her dress must have been starched. There wasn’t a single wrinkle to be seen.
The noblewoman at her side had wavy chestnut-colored hair, a slender face, and long eyelashes. There was something almost ephemeral about her appearance, though I could sense the warmth of her personality just by looking at her face.
She was wearing a dress that was somewhat mature for her age, but considering the air of maturity she gave off, I didn’t think anyone would find it strange.
I tilted my head to the side. I knew I’d seen this pair before, But I just couldn’t place them.
The chambermaid bowed her head. “It’s certainly been a while, Arc. I hardly expected to see you here.”
Seeing the way she moved and hearing her voice brought it all back to me. “Oh, wow! Lauren? Rita?”
The girls standing before me were the daughter of Viscount Luvierte and her chambermaid. I’d saved them while they were in the middle of being attacked by a group of bandits, shortly after I’d first arrived in this world.
Lauren Laraiya du Luvierte spoke next. “It’s good to see you again, Arc. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for saving me.”
I’d left the city of Luvierte shortly after my arrival and had never learned what happened with the viscount’s daughter. She seemed to be in good spirits.
Though logically I knew it hadn’t been all that long ago, it somehow felt like an eternity since we’d last met.
However, I had more pressing questions. Like what they were doing here in the palace, for starters.
“It’s great to see that you’re both doing well. What brings you here?”
If I recalled correctly, Luvierte was located all the way on the other side of the Calcut Mountains, quite a distance from the capital. While the Luvierte domain was still a part of the Rhoden Kingdom, it was hardly a trip you’d take lightly if you had to travel by carriage.
Lauren giggled at my question. “The king called all of the nobles here to his palace. Except for the new year’s greeting, such an event is quite rare, so I figured I’d join Father for this unique opportunity.”
Rita nodded. “Apparently the king is going to make an important proclamation in five days’ time. The madam and I have been wandering around the palace to see what we can learn before then.”
“Is that so?”
The only reason I could think of for Rhoden’s king to issue an order for all the nobles to gather here was so that he could tell them about the treaty the kingdom had entered into following the battle with the Holy Hilk Kingdom.
In the past, nobles throughout the country had abducted and sold elves like property, resulting in a rather touchy relationship with the Great Canada Forest. However, Princess Yuriarna had been making great strides toward improving this.
The treaty added more severe punishments for the already-outlawed behavior pertaining to the elves, and it laid the groundwork for improving relations between elves and humans, in addition to expanding the legislation to include the mountain people as well. The question was whether or not the nobles would so readily give up their slaves.
Then again, there was really no use in me thinking about such things.
Lauren looked up at me with an inquisitive twinkle in her eye. “More importantly, what brings you here, Arc?”
It was a fairly obvious question to ask. When we first met, I’d introduced myself as a wandering mercenary—someone you certainly wouldn’t expect to find walking alone in a palace.
But what could I say to explain this away? Few people even knew about the meeting that was to be held here. Sure, it would eventually be announced, but it hardly seemed right for an elf like myself to go blabbing about it. Best to keep it vague.
“I can’t tell you any details, but I’m here to protect a very important person.”
They seemed satisfied with this answer.
“You’re quite strong. I’m sure there’s no better bodyguard out there.” Lauren offered a praising smile. As I looked at her, the image that had been burned in my mind, of the terrified young girl being attacked by bandits, slowly faded away.
“Kyii?”
While I was focused on the two women standing before me, Ponta gave a curious cry from atop my head.
“Eep!”
“Whoa!”
The sudden movement caught Lauren and Rita off guard. They turned their attention to the top of my helmet.
“Wow, that’s so adorable! I thought it was just a decoration!” Lauren gazed up at Ponta with wide eyes.
Rita looked startled, though she refused to let such unbecoming behavior show in front of her mistress.
“Sorry for scaring you. This little critter is Ponta, my travel companion.”
“Kyii!” Ponta puffed out its chest and gave its tail a proud wag.
Now that the shock had worn off, Rita’s eyes sparkled. She seemed quite smitten by the little cottontailed fox.
Lauren smiled. “Um, Arc, would you like to join us?”
I was thrilled that she offered, but unfortunately I had other plans. It was about time for me to stop by Lahki’s Shoppe in Lamburt and take my supplies, assuming they were ready, back to the temple.
Before I could do that, I would need to head back to the mountain people’s settlement to ask Chiyome to join me again and drive the cart.
“That’s very kind of you, but I’m afraid I have other matters I must attend to.”
The pair looked disappointed, but they tried not to let it show. I got the impression that noblewomen in this world weren’t given many opportunities to socialize outside of the roles that society thrust upon them.
After we parted ways, I made my way to a secluded part of the palace. Once I confirmed I was alone, I used Transport Gate to head to the settlement.
When the darkness faded, I found myself outside the entrance to the mountain people’s village, surrounded by nature in all directions.
It looked like a few more houses had been built since I was here last, though some of them were little more than frames with roofs. They still had a long way to go, but they were making great progress.
I glanced around for Chiyome, but she didn’t seem to be anywhere nearby.
A voice called out from behind me. “You’re early, Arc. Shall we get going?”
“Whoa! Chiyome?!”
“Kyii!”
I spun around, completely caught off guard. She seemed to have appeared out of thin air. Her ears twitched atop her head, and her tail wagged back and forth excitedly. She seemed pleased with my reaction.
Chiyome had recently been training with Glenys—Ariane’s mother and a skilled teacher in the art of combat—to hone her skills in sneaking up on opponents from behind.
I was also training with Glenys, and I was getting pretty decent when wielding a blade, if I said so myself. Not that I held a candle to Chiyome.
“Sorry to bother you.”
“Not at all! I’m actually not all that busy out here. I spend my time cleaning, gutting, and drying fish, harvesting wood, tilling soil. It’s kind of fun, really.”
Chiyome smiled, looking off in the direction of the work site as the hollow sound of a mallet hammering nails echoed through the air.
She’d largely been relieved of her previous duty—sneaking into human cities and rescuing her comrades from slave markets—and had been assigned to watch over the construction of the settlement.
Though one of the most powerful warriors of the Jinshin clan, Chiyome was also the youngest, at a mere fourteen years old.
Now that the battle with the Holy Hilk Kingdom was over, it seemed as if Hanzo had decided to put her into a position more appropriate for her age…and maybe even let her relax.
At least, that was how I interpreted it.
“It’s really nice to see it all coming together.”
Chiyome nodded at this sentiment before shooting me a questioning look. “Where’s Ariane?”
Ariane, who’d practically been tied to my hip for the last I-don’t-know-how-long, hadn’t been around as much lately.
“Glenys sent her on a mission to clear out some monsters lurking near Lalatoya Village. She told me to say hi to you.”
“Oh…I see.”
The young girl seemed less than enthusiastic about this answer. I quickly changed the subject.
“Well, shall we get going?”
Chiyome nodded, and I teleported us back to Lamburt.
Lahki’s Shoppe was just as busy as it had been when I’d requested the lumber. In fact, it might have been my imagination, but I thought it was even busier.
Unlike the large shop next door, Lahki’s was narrow and deep, making the people flooding in and out all the more obvious. It struck me that the shop might have grown a little too fast.
Another new addition were the burly men guards keeping a close watch on the entrance.
I introduced myself to a staff member on the first floor, and they quickly ushered us inside, where I found my cart filled with lumber. It looked like my order had been fulfilled without a hitch.
I made my way to the reception room on the second floor and found Lahki there with a bright smile on his face.
“Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you once again, Arc.” He bowed low and gestured for Chiyome and me to sit.
A woman appeared with glasses of hot tea and snacks.
“Kyii!”
I handed one of the snacks up to Ponta.
Chiyome took one of the glasses from the table and brought it to her mouth, gently blowing on it before taking a sip. Her ears and tail instantly tensed. Apparently, it was still a tad too hot.
I turned my attention to Lahki. “Thank you for taking care of this matter so quickly, despite how busy you are. I just looked at the cart and it appears as if everything is in order. Is that correct?”
Lahki’s smile grew even wider. “Yes, I was able to get everything you asked for. I did my best to stack the wood in such a way that it won’t fall out, but please avoid any sudden bumps or turns.”
Chiyome, my driver, nodded.
“Understood,” I said. “By the way, it seems like things are even busier than last time. What happened?”
Lahki made a face. “Well, the seperis steel you left with me earlier is apparently immensely rare. After talking it over with an acquaintance, he recommended putting it up for auction.”
I’d been aware that seperis steel was considered a precious metal, but it was also difficult to sell, since it was almost impossible to work with. An auction would narrow the bidders to those who knew what to do with it…and fetch the best price in the process.
Lahki ran a hand through his hair. “I trust this acquaintance of mine, so I didn’t figure there’d be any problems. But two days after we finished the paperwork to put it on the auction block and get the item appraised, someone broke into the shop.”
Chiyome watched his face closely. “So the seperis steel was stolen?”
Lahki vigorously shook his head. “Oh, no, no, no! Your precious item is still safe and sound! No, the guards of another acquaintance of mine managed to catch the thief. But I never even imagined that someone would walk through the front door in the middle of the day to try to steal something. I was completely unprepared.” His shoulders slumped.
Chiyome let her gaze drop back down to the tea in front of her. “If they didn’t steal anything, what’s the problem?”
“I mean, it just wouldn’t do for a merchant such as myself to have such weak security…especially when accepting possession of customers’ valuable products. My acquaintance really let me have it.” Lahki let out a rueful laugh. The regret was clear on his face.
“It sounds like you found good company, then,” I said.
Lahki ran a hand through his hair. “You could say that, yes.”
“So, you decided to increase your number of guards? I’m really sorry for causing you all this trouble.”
I never would have guessed that all the commotion downstairs was due to the item I’d left with him.
Lahki shook his head again. “No, no. Like I mentioned, it was a lack of foresight on my part. There’s nothing for you to apologize for, Arc. Besides, I want to talk with you about the thief.”
He frowned.
“You see, one of the appraisers leaked the fact that seperis steel would be coming to auction. Of course, he’s already been arrested, but when it reached the Lord Petros that you were the owner, the auction house was temporarily closed. They’re conducting an investigation to ensure that no other information will be leaked. But this means that I can’t put your item up for auction until it reopens.”
I’d met the lord of Lamburt before, so it made sense that this would draw his attention, but the fact that the thief had a connection to the auction house could cause the entire city to lose faith in local trade.
Petros was an intelligent man, unlike the previous lord, who’d encouraged the slave trade. Under Petros’s leadership, I was confident the city would see immense growth.
“Well, I’m in no hurry. I can tell that it’s been a hassle for you, so by all means, wait for the right time to sell the seperis steel.”
Lahki bowed his head once again.
We returned to the cart and, with Chiyome in the driver’s seat, left Lahki’s Shoppe. We drew a lot of eyes as we left, but I was used to that at this point.
Unfortunately for me, paved roads were still a distant dream in this world, and a jolt ran up my spine every time one of the large wooden wheels rolled over a stone.
We were moving so slowly—to make sure the overloaded cart didn’t topple—that I could have walked faster. The more I thought about this kind of reliance on beasts of burden, the more I realized why armies weren’t able to march long distances in short periods of time. Why, it would take at least a month to get my supplies from Lamburt to the shrine if I’d been stuck relying on nothing but this horse-drawn cart to get me there.
As soon as we left the city limits, we took a path off the main road.
“Your turn, Arc.”
“Right. Transport Gate!”
I felt as if I were weightless for a moment. Then the familiar shrine came into focus in front of me, and I hopped off the cart.
“Kyii!”
Ponta took off toward the shrubs, probably looking for Shiden.
“Sorry about that, Chiyome.”
Chiyome waved a dismissive hand. “Not at all. Feel free to call upon me anytime.”
“I guess we should head back to the village to pick up the craftspeople, eh?”
“Let’s.”
Since Ponta had left to play with Shiden, I figured I could leave the cottontailed fox to its own devices. After releasing the horses from the cart, I teleported us back to the village.
Chiyome and I parted ways at the new settlement. I returned to the shrine with the craftspeople and their helpers. Just as they were about to begin working, one of the older men turned to me.
“We’ll get started on that roof now, Arc. But would you mind stopping by the village from time to time to pick us up some grub? This is gonna take a while.”
“That’s absolutely not a problem.”
Stopping to gather and cook food would greatly slow them down, so they’d already made arrangements to have meals prepared for them back in the village. I was more than happy to help.
The old man headed off to join the others. I gazed upward, relieved to finally be done for the day.
The sun was still high in the sky. It couldn’t have been much later than noon. Chiyome was helping out around the village, Ariane was carrying out her elven duties, and Ponta was playing with Shiden. That left me free to get lunch by myself. The only question was…where to eat?
“Hmm… this definitely isn’t an easy decision.”
I’d eaten quite a few dishes in a variety of places since coming to this world. But one memory definitely stood out.
I cast Transport Gate and found myself standing in the middle of an expansive field of grain a moment later. Up ahead was a town surrounded by a large ditch.
Beside the town gate stood a watchtower filled with several guards.
“Wow. It’s sure been a while.”
A gentle wind rolled across the field of green, like a gently crashing wave.
I was standing outside Luvierte—the first town I’d ever visited in this world. Even with the viscount off in the capital, the town positively bustled.
I walked across the stone bridge, showed my travel pass to the guard, and was waved inside, where I was greeted by stall upon stall lining either side of the main road.
Each of the vendors brought with them a different memory—the leather waterskin I still used daily, the hemp bag I carried with me, and so on.
I walked through the food vendors for a bit before stopping at my objective.
“One of your best, kind sir.”
“Of course!”
The man handed me some smoked rabbit wrapped in a large leaf, and I dropped two copper coins into his hand.
With my lunch secured, I started to wander the stalls. I decided to pick up some dried nuts as a gift for Ponta.
I recalled how I’d gotten my mercenary license out here. How was that bear of a man at reception doing?
I let my mind wander as I walked the streets of Luvierte, only to find myself at the edge of town. It was a whole lot smaller than the capital, though I personally enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere here.
However, something about the sight of Lauren when I’d run into her told me this town would soon be growing. I couldn’t point to any specific reason, but I knew it to be true.
“Well, I guess I’m about done here.”
I exited the east gate and followed one of the footpaths running between the fields north, along the city wall. Whenever a farmer caught sight of me, they immediately bowed before hurrying away.
It was a familiar experience, since it happened every time I went out in my armor.
I probably looked like some sort of villainous soldier out for trouble. They were just trying not to draw any attention to themselves. I turned onto a mostly deserted trail, pulled out the smoked rabbit, and began munching as I walked.
It was quite salty, and the smoked herbs nearly overpowered my senses, but it was absolutely delicious. I let out a long sigh after swallowing my first bite.
“Mmm, that’s amazing.”
It wasn’t the fare you’d expect from a five-star restaurant, but it was the kind of delicious grub you’d want after a hard day of labor. In a matter of moments, I’d devoured the entire rabbit.
Glancing back over my shoulder, I saw the tiny outline of Luvierte on the horizon. I must’ve been pretty lost in thought to come so far without realizing.
“Well, let’s keep going a bit further.”
I cast Transport Gate again, this time heading to a village I hadn’t seen in quite a long time. The world went dark, then opened back up to a small tranquil village.
The fields outside the village were surrounded by ditches and wooden fences. The village itself had a dense earthen wall around it, with a large wooden gate. This was Rata, a village I’d visited on my first mercenary assignment.
The last time I was here, the gate had been guarded by two old men, but this time, there was only one…and he had his back to me. He seemed like a pretty terrible guard.
The old man finally noticed me as I walked past him.
“A knight?! You…you aren’t by chance the same knight who came here before, are you?”
He looked at me with wide eyes. At least he seemed to remember my previous visit. That was good, since it meant I wouldn’t need to explain everything all over again. My gaudy armor had its uses.
“I’m glad to see you’re in good health, fine sir.”
I offered a quick wave before turning my attention back to the village, where he’d been gazing just moments before.
All of the villagers were gathered in the village square with their hands held together in prayer. They seemed to be chanting something.
From time to time, I caught the sound of someone sobbing.
It looked like…
“Excuse me, sir, but what happened here?”
The old man confirmed my fears, his voice heavy with sadness. “Two children recently succumbed to an illness.”
So this was a funeral.
The only children I knew in this town were Marca, the girl who’d called me here in the first place, and her younger sister, Herina.
“It…wasn’t Marca, was it?” My voice was rough as I forced the words out of my throat.
The man blinked once before a gentle smile graced his face. He shook his head. “Ah, no. Marca, Herina, and their mother are all fine. These two were much younger, around four and six. It’s hardly a rare occurrence, unfortunately.”
The man turned back toward the funeral and brought his hands up in prayer.
Four and six…
“Is there some kind of disease running through the village?”
The man shook his head again. “Just a run-of-the-mill cough.”
“A cough?”
“Right. When adults catch it, we go to bed early and it’s gone before we know it.”
It sounded like he was describing a common cold.
I gestured to the funeral. “Does this happen often?”
“Hmm, I s’pose so.”
From the way he said this, it sounded like quite a few children had been lost already.
“Medicine is so expensive, you see. People like us can hardly afford it.”
Making matters worse, if the village had a poor harvest, they’d have to eat less and less nutritious food, leading to a weaker population even more likely to succumb to the illness.
“Thanks to you, Sir Knight, since you brought that fang boar to us, we shouldn’t want for food for some time.” He sighed. “If only that older one could’ve held out another year, they would’ve been offered the divine protection of the spirits.”
“I’m sorry?” Divine protection sounded like something out of a fantasy novel.
The old man’s eyes were sad. “They call it the second birth.”
This was the first time I’d heard of such a thing.
The man explained. “The first time you’re born, it’s from your mother’s womb. The second time is when you receive the divine protection of the spirits and the right to live here in the world. Until you receive the divine protection… Well, this can happen.”
I finally understood what he meant. In a world without a proper understanding of medical science, the death rate for children was alarmingly high. Nearly half of them would die before reaching adulthood.
Now that I thought about it, the sisters I’d saved from the undead back in the holy capital had been around Marca and Herina’s age. If children received the divine protection of the spirits at the age of seven, that meant the younger one wasn’t out of the woods yet.
I could only imagine how hard it must have been on the girls, both physically and mentally, to live in that refugee camp. But was there anything I could do?
The face of another young woman appeared in my mind. It was that of Lauren, the daughter of the viscount of Luvierte.
“Maybe I’m only doing it to feel good about myself,” I mumbled, “but that’s better than doing nothing at all.”
The old man gave me a confused look.
“Excuse me, sir. Are there enough people here in Rata to perform all the necessary village work?”
He thought it over. “Well, no, of course not. We’re always shorthanded out here.”
It was clear he had no idea why I’d asked him this.
“I see. Anyway, I’d best be going.”
I began to walk away.
The man called out after me. “Sir Knight? You’re leaving so soon?”
As far as he knew, I’d spent the time to come all the way out to his village, stood at the entrance, and then immediately left. It was a pretty bizarre sight, to be sure.
I stopped, reached into my bag, and pulled out five gold coins. I walked back and pressed the coins firmly into the man’s palm.
“Please give this to the suffering family, along with my condolences.”
Before he had a chance to reply, I started off again, ignoring the man’s calls. Only once I was far enough from the village did I stop and turn around to look back at the village one last time before using my Transport Gate to teleport to the capital city of Olav.
Later that night, I returned to Lalatoya and met up with Ariane after she’d finished with her patrol for the day. Before we could properly catch up, Dillan pulled us aside.
“I have something important to discuss with you. Would you fetch Chiyome as well?”
I nodded.
“Thank you, Arc.” Dillan hurried off in the direction of his house.
I summoned up Transport Gate. A short while later, Ariane, Chiyome, and I were all back in Lalatoya.
“Kyii! Kyii!”
Dillan hadn’t asked me to bring Ponta, but I’d stopped by the shrine all the same. Ponta was in a bad mood when I first arrived, given how late I was, but the snack I’d bought it had changed its tune.
“What were you so busy doing today, Arc?”
I turned to Ariane. She sounded just like a mother harping on a young child.
She’d taken a bath after her patrol, and her amethyst skin was practically glowing. I averted my gaze and thought back on my day.
“I did quite a bit, actually. I needed to pick up the lumber for my roof. Then I visited some places I hadn’t been to in a while.” I kept it brief.
“Hunh.” Ariane leaned in close, looking me over from head to toe. “I sense you were close to a woman today.”
Chiyome began to sniff the air around me. “It’s faint, but I detect the scent of perfume.”
Under the pressure of such intense scrutiny, I took a step backward.
I’d met with two women today, but we’d only spoken briefly. How could they pick up on such little contact?
I mean, sure, Chiyome had a keen sense of smell, but I’d never heard anything about dark elves having superhuman senses.
“I ran into a woman I once saved from a pack of bandits. According to her, King Karlon summoned all nobles to the capital.”
Chiyome’s ears twitched at this. “Maybe he plans to announce the details of the treaty?”
“That’s what I would assume. He’ll need to impress upon the nobles the need to improve their relationship with the elves and mountain people.”
We made our way to Ariane’s house, where we caught a whiff of whatever Glenys was cooking for dinner. The smell instantly reminded me of how hungry I was.
On the second floor, Glenys greeted us with a warm smile. “Welcome back. Once you’re done speaking with Dillan, we can all sit down for dinner. I fully expect you to eat with us, Chiyome. You can even stay here for the night, if you’d like.”
Chiyome bowed low at the kind offer. “Th-thank you!”
“Kyiiiii!” Ponta was completely intoxicated by the delectable scent and wagged its tail around hungrily.
Not to be outdone by Ponta’s wail, the loud grumble of someone’s stomach sounded from the kitchen. Chiyome and I exchanged a curious glance. Before I could say anything, Ariane started aggressively shoving me along.
“Hurry up! You can’t keep a village elder waiting around for you all day, you know!”
Her ears were flushed ever so slightly pink as she urged me through the doorway and into the next room.
It was the first time I’d ever been in this particular room. It looked like it was used for receiving guests and was furnished with a beautiful wooden table, a gorgeous sofa, and a chair in which Dillan sat.
“Apologies for dragging you into a meeting right after you got back, Arc and Chiyome.”
I waved my hand to indicate that it was no big deal. “Lalatoya has done so much for me. The least I can do is rush over when summoned.”
Chiyome nodded in agreement with my sentiment.
Dillan let a gentle laugh escape his lips. “I’ve lost count of how many times you two have come to my aid, but I can’t for the life of me recall ever doing the same. Be that as it may, why don’t you sit down?” A concerned expression washed over his face. Once everyone was seated, he continued. “So, shall we discuss why I called you all here?”
He reached into his robe and pulled out a familiar gem.
Deep within the faintly glowing crystal, I could see extremely detailed magical runes. I’d found this gem in the treasury of the central cathedral of the Holy Hilk Kingdom’s capital.
At the time, all I knew was that it seemed to be magical, so I’d given it to Dillan in the hopes that a magic researcher or artisan in Maple might be able to analyze it.
“Were you able to find out what kind of magical effects it has?” I asked.
Ariane and Chiyome also looked eagerly toward Dillan.
“It took some time to read the runes, but yes, we managed to figure it out.” He rolled the gem in his hand as he spoke, causing the symbols within to flash and sparkle in the light.
“Kyii, kyiiiiii!” Ponta stood on its hind legs and batted its paws in the direction of Dillan’s hand, as if drawn in by the hypnotic prism.
Ariane grabbed Ponta and placed the cottontailed fox in her lap.
“Kyii…”
“To make a long story short, this crystal allows those who wield it to use teleportation magic.”
Ariane, Chiyome, and I all looked at the gem in shock.
“Are you sure about that?” I asked
He frowned, shrugging slightly. “I’m not a researcher myself, so I can’t say if what they told me is accurate or not without testing it. Apparently, this is what’s known as a teleportation gem or teleportation stone. In any case, it can only be used once. In the right hands, it’s invaluable, and yet so fragile.”
He set the teleportation stone on the table.
“It seems awfully costly for a one-time-use item. Maybe it’s meant for emergencies?”
Ariane furrowed her brow as she gazed intently at the gem.
The teleportation pads that connected all of the major villages of the Great Canada Forest were magical items created by the founding elder that relied on a fixed dais running off of rune stones. This teleportation stone, however, could only be used once before it was gone forever.
There were no living elves capable of making new teleportation pads, so the very idea of a disposable item for something as precious as teleportation magic seemed absurd.
In the game, however, one-time-use items that teleported you around the map were hardly rare. In fact, with the right class, you could even make them on your own.
Since the pontiff and I came from the same world, it seemed entirely possible that he’d either brought these consumable items with him or was able to create them on his own. Given that I’d shown up here with nothing but my equipment, the latter of the two possibilities seemed far more likely.
Which meant…
“Assuming these stones are for emergencies,” Ariane said, “the missing cardinals very likely used them to flee the Holy Hilk Kingdom.”
Chiyome glowered down at the teleportation stone in response to this theory.
Dillan agreed with his daughter’s assessment. “That seems highly likely.”
“Where do these teleportation stones take you?” I asked
Dillan shook his head. As I’d half-expected, there was no way of knowing until you used it. Not only that, but the moment you used the teleportation stone, it would be destroyed. You’d have no way of coming back.
The concept was so terrifying that the stone really couldn’t be used. At least not by most people.
“So if we use the teleportation stone,” I said, “we might find some clues as to where the cardinals ran off to. On the other hand, getting back would be no small feat. Our problem would be solved if we knew someone who could teleport back here after using the stone.”
Dillan smiled. “I think we have no choice but to ask for your assistance in this matter.”
Ariane stuck her tongue out at me. “That’s right. Even if Arc ends up in the middle of a dragon roost, I’m sure he’ll make it back just fine.”
“Even I would be completely terrified to end up in a place like that!” I protested.
Seeing my response to Ariane’s teasing, Chiyome joined in as well. “And the fact that being terrified is the worst thing that would happen is what makes you so great, Arc. Most people would die.” Her tail wagged cheerfully behind her.
“Kyii! Kyii!” I couldn’t tell if Ponta was trying to cheer me up or joining in the teasing.
I was sure that Ariane and Chiyome were more than capable enough to get out of a dragon’s roost on their own, but I decided to not push the point.
I took the teleportation stone from the table and held it up to the light. It wasn’t nearly as heavy as I’d expected. I could probably crush it in my fist if I tried.
I looked back up at Dillan.
“During our battle with the Hilk, the humans, elves, and mountain people learned of the danger presented by the cardinals. As long as they’re out there, unaccounted for, they pose a threat. Arc, I would like to ask for your assistance once more, in order to put our war with the Hilk to rest for good.”
Seeing how serious Dillan was, I sat up straighter in my seat. “I understand. There is nothing more important to the future of the continent than to eliminate the threats that face us.”
Right as I was in the middle of accepting Dillan’s task, I heard another oddly adorable growl, like that of an empty stomach. My eyes fell on Ariane, but she shook her head aggressively in denial.
“Whoa, hey! That wasn’t me!”
The grumbling stomach erupted again, and Ponta let out a long, sad mew from where it sat in Ariane’s lap. “Kyiiiiii…”
Apparently, Ponta was the culprit.
“You can’t fight on an empty stomach,” I said.
Dillan nodded. “You’re absolutely right. Why don’t we end the conversation here and head back to the kitchen, eh?”
Ariane needed no further prompting. She quickly made her way to the door, clutching Ponta to her chest.
“Now, what do you think Mom made for dinner, my sweet little Poooooonta…?” Her voice was muffled as she buried her face in the fox’s soft fur.
“I would like to join you, if I may,” Chiyome said.
“No need to be so humble,” Dillan replied. “After all, I called you here in the first place.”
Chiyome and Dillan followed Ariane out of the room.
Realizing I was still holding the teleportation stone, I rushed to put it back on the table, causing the runes to glow deep within its core.
Would this really provide us a hint as to where the cardinals had run off to?
There was something both beautiful and ominous about the faint light coming off of the gem.
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