EP.209 Reunion (4)
“I remember the most brilliant times, Remia. “All the adults who remember that era have been reduced to a handful of ashes… but I remember it as much as I do.”
Elder of the elves.
The elf who has lived the longest.
Orvel, the king of the fairy species.
He often told Remia old stories. Remia loved the fairy tales that Orvel read to her every night. Even decades later, I still remember it all without a single mistake.
“A huge tree soaring into the sky.”
“The lake of fairies overflowing with starlight, a spring that never runs dry, and ornaments filled with starlight.”
The elves in fairy tales were beautiful, noble, and shining above all else. Remia has always admired those proud elves.
“The era hundreds of years ago, the era you now call ancient times, was more brilliant than any other era.”
Orvel spoke to Remia.
“Unfortunately, all the elves who remembered that era died. Trampled by the Demon King’s forces, the entire civilization of the elves was reduced to ashes. “The only people left in my old hometown that was reduced to ashes were me and other children.”
The elves have lost their splendor. All knowledge and technology accumulated over thousands of years was lost. There was nothing the young Orvel could do as he was thrown into a heap of ashes.
“It was difficult. Even I, who inherited the royal blood, couldn’t remember much. “It felt like black paint had been applied to my mind.”
Orbel says it was daunting.
He had to take responsibility for the few remaining young elves, but Orvel was too young to be responsible for them. Thrown into the world at a young age, Orvel felt fear.
“There was someone who approached me like that.”
When talking about that person, Orvel would always close his eyes. Orvel spoke with a faint smile, as if recalling someone he missed.
“It was a strange person, but I was familiar with it. Because he was a particularly special elf.”
An elf who refused the position of next generation elder and chose to live intertwined with humans. The first elf to reach the level of great wizard.
“He led me and the young elves into a forest. He planted the seed of the World Tree there and told you to take care of it.”
That place is right here, Remia.
Orvel smiled gently while stroking Remia’s hair.
“After that, he taught us many things. “He left us only after I was able to stand on my own as a leader.”
Therefore, he is the teacher of all elves.
That’s why he is called the elf’s teacher.
“Remember, Remia.”
Orvel spoke to Remia.
“He has silver hair like the moon in the night sky and golden eyes like a flying dragon.”
An elf with silver hair and golden eyes.
The savior of all elves and the only elf who lived in ancient times forgotten by everyone.
“His name is…”
‘···Cardi.’
Cardi, savior of the elves.
An ancient elf that Remia has longed for.
Thinking of that great elf, Remia looked at the elf looking down at her. Remia’s eyes trembled under the cool gaze.
“Ugh, ugh…”
Remia struggles to get up.
The blonde hair she was proud of was dusted with stone dust and scattered in disarray. Her blood flowed from her broken forehead and obscured her vision.
However, that didn’t seem to matter.
Remia bowed her head in front of Cardi. It was a more polite move than ever.
“Mi, the humble Malye meets his great ancestor.”
As she bowed politely, the eyes of Raniel, who was standing next to Cardi, opened wide. Her lips parted and her words escaped.
“Wow, f*ck.”
That was truly an exclamation of surprise.
The fact that that crazy earl could show courtesy to someone felt like a lie to Raniel. Raniel blinked his eyes several times.
‘Am I dreaming?’
It was reality. surprisingly.
2.
While Remia bowed her head, Raniel jabbed Cardi’s side with his elbow. Cardi narrowed his eyes.
“···What.”
“Why is he bowing his head? Are you a great ancestor? “Are you going around emphasizing that you too are great like me?”
Raniel whispered in Cardi’s ear.
Cardi thought for a moment about how to explain this. It wasn’t difficult to guess why the elf, who didn’t even look like an elf, was bowing to him.
‘Orvel, I guess that kid said something useless.’
It was scandalous that unnecessary parts were emphasized and the basic mindset of elves that really needed education was neglected. Cardi pressed her temple.
“It’s a long explanation.”
So I decided to guess accordingly.
“Now Orvel, the king of the elves, has taught that kid. That guy must have been saying useless things to future elves.”
“okay···? Didn’t you go around emphasizing that you were great?”
Cardi frowned.
“Why do I do such an ugly thing as painting my face with gold? “What feels good about being called a great ancestor?”
“Yes···.”
Raniel bowed his head.
He looked disappointed without knowing why. It was as if he realized that the person he felt a sense of kinship with was in fact a completely different person from himself.
‘···Why are you doing that again?’
There was a moment of doubt, but Cardi quickly shook it off. Raniel has always had a unique side. Trying to understand her every move was tiring, so Cardi shook her head and looked away.
“so.”
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The place where the gaze was directed was Remia.
Cardi opened her mouth towards Remia, who bowed her head. That voice was different from when dealing with Raniel.
“Are you a contemporary shrine?”
It’s a surprisingly cold voice.
It was so cold that Remia, who was lowering her head, had her back trembling.
“Yes, my name is Re-Remia.”
“Seeing that you use moonlight arrows, it seems like you are a true archer of the time. “It is truly a pity.”
Cardi sighed briefly.
“I emphasized that to my Orvel. It is said that those who receive the blessings of the World Tree are likely to fall into a sense of superiority and become arrogant. That’s why education is important…”
Cold sweat formed on the back of Remia’s neck.
Remia swallowed her dry saliva without even thinking about raising her head. Cardi’s cool voice penetrated her ears.
“I’m disappointed.”
Words that do not specify an object.
“I’m really disappointed.”
Those were not words directed at Remia. These were words directed at the king of the elves who raised Remia, and perhaps also aimed at the entire current generation of elves.
The savior of the elves, the king’s teacher, speaks.
‘I’m disappointed.’
You guys are disappointing.
The blood drained from Remia’s face at the words spoken by the person she admired. Remia slowly lifted her pale face.
“···Well, that.”
Remia tried to say something, but the moment she made eye contact with Cardi, Remia was left speechless.
The king of the elves said it had golden eyes that resembled the eyes of a dragon. Remia feels fear in the eyes, which resemble the eyes of a beast but retain a coolness.
“In my generation, the era you call ancient times, the shrine was an elf elder. “He who lived for 7,000 years was more beautiful and proud than anyone else.”
Cardi said.
“He gave his life to protect the current generation of elves and your king, Orvel. This is what he used until the end…”
He extends his finger.
The finger was pointed at Remia’s bow lying on the floor. A bow made from the branches of the World Tree.
“It is the bow you are using.”
He then pointed to Remia’s heart.
“It is a moonlight arrow created with the protection of the World Tree that you possess. “Do you understand what I mean?”
Remia swallowed dry saliva.
Cardi didn’t ask the question hoping Remia would get the answer right, so he answered right away.
“Holding the title of Shrine means carrying on his will. It means that we are determined not to tarnish His pride.”
Once again, Cardi asks:
At that question, Remia feels out of breath.
“Do you think you are worthy of taking on the name of the shrine?”
Remia cannot answer.
Cardi took a moment to spare before continuing.
“It’s a name too much for someone with no pride.”
The person you admired denies you.
Remia’s pride is trampled. Remia lowered her head, which she had barely raised. Then a whistling sound was heard, but it was definitely not the whistle made by the noble ancient elf.
“You look good, you little bitch!”
It was a sound made by a girl standing behind the elf and smiling brightly. Remia’s eyes widened. She whipped her head around and glared at her girl.
“Why are you picking it? “Kowa?”
The girl laughs.
Heat suddenly rose in Remia’s head.
‘That crazy bitch?’
Although she couldn’t say harsh words or act undignified in front of her savior, Remia felt like she wanted to slap that girl right now. And very intensely.
“Why are your eyes open like that? “Do you have any complaints?”
“Oh, no. “Rock dust got into my eyes…”
But that gaze doesn’t last long.
Remia lowered her head and bit her lip.
3.
“Wow…”
I stuck out my tongue as I watched Cardi a few steps behind. Indeed, is it that the old-fashioned behavior that comes from a thousand-year-old Jjambap can make even Remia of the world remain silent?
‘Is that the essence of an old man?’
Even as I was exclaiming my admiration, Cardi’s sermon did not end, and the content was mostly about the attitude of elves.
“In ancient times.”
“In my time.”
“The elder of the elves of my generation said.”
All of those sermons started from the basics, and were therefore the type of sermons that could not be skipped over. At some point, Remia was sitting on her knees, sitting still, listening to Cardi.
‘I see all this in my life.’
I sighed briefly, wishing I had something to chew on. I thought to myself as I relaxed my slightly stiff shoulders after moving vigorously.
Remia came here.
Looking at Remia answering Cardi’s questions, it seemed clear that she came here to obtain the Holy Grail, even if she didn’t know how she found out.
‘And, that…’
It allows me to infer other information.
‘There is no way Remia could have come here alone.’
Although she is an excellent ranger, there is no way she would set foot in the unknown territory of the Land of Ashes alone. Remia came here, to put it another way…
‘I guess that means he came here too.’
It wasn’t very good news.
I clicked my tongue briefly.
‘···It wasn’t difficult to deal with Remia.’
Because it was easy to deal with an unarmed gunner. Of course, it was not simply a matter of compatibility. The reason I was able to take the lead from start to finish was largely because I knew all of Remia’s habits.
‘The target is always the ankle, and it looks down on the opponent… and if one or two shots are blocked, it fires quickly.’
And, above all.
‘Save the moonlight arrows. To the point of excessiveness.’
That was Remia’s biggest weakness.
To her, the moonlight arrow is like a treasure. Remia views her arrows as treasures, not consumables. That’s why I don’t try to shoot a moonlight arrow as my first shot.
‘···Looking down on the other person.’
During the battlefield, I lashed out at her and made her shoot moonlight arrows from the start… but now, Remia has no one to take my place.
‘What if the first surprise attack was a moonlight arrow?’
The battle couldn’t have dragged on this easily.
I probably had to prepare for some injuries.
‘and···.’
If only I had tackled that guy from the beginning.
If I had to face Remia with all my ranks.
“······.”
While picturing ‘what if’ situations in my head, I raised my head and looked at the half-ruined stairs. At that moment, my eyes opened wide.
A moment of embarrassment.
What follows is laughter.
“aha.”
Is it a coincidence or is it inevitable?
The guy had already arrived.
“It’s already here.”
It is the only entrance to the basement of the church.
The only way out of here.
There was someone standing on the stairs that you must stop by no matter which one you choose. I immediately recognized the face of the person standing still there.
There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize it.
“···Kyle.”
Kyle Torben.
Now that I was facing the face of the damn hero, my face was expressionless. Emotions that could not be expressed in one way sank down instead of appearing on the face.
And, the same goes for him.
The guy was standing still on the half-ruined stairs, looking down. That gaze is calm. There is no sign of moving the body. He just stays still, watching me and Cardi.
‘As if trying to understand the current situation.’
Suddenly, I think about how the current situation appears through his eyes. It wasn’t that difficult to guess.
Injured colleague.
An unidentified man saying something to a kneeling colleague… and a person who appears to be the man’s colleague standing on a pillar and looking at him.
It’s reminiscent of someone holding a colleague hostage. At least, that’s how it appears in his eyes. It was funny that that wasn’t necessarily wrong.
And, in this situation, if it’s a guy.
‘maybe.’
Blah, blah.
‘They’ll run at me.’
Without hesitation, straight ahead.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa!
The stairs are broken. Stepping on the remains of the collapsing stairs, he rushes towards me. Its body shines with the blessings of a saint… and in one hand, a sacred sword, like its symbol, emits starlight.
“···under.”
A sneer formed on the corner of his mouth.
I twisted the corner of my mouth as I looked at Kyle, who was approaching me with a group of lights in tow. I reached out and pressed the robe a little deeper.
“That’s right.”
The spell stocked on my forearm burns.
As if to counter the crushing starlight, blue mana burst out around me. With a thud, he buries one of his feet into the ground and pulls his fist back.
···I know it’s not a good choice.
I also know that this is an emotional choice and that there is no reason for me to confront this guy.
It may be possible to resolve the issue with a few words of conversation, and if the story goes wrong, it may not be too late to choose this method.
However, the moment I faced that damn face, all other possibilities seemed to have disappeared.
‘There might be another way.’
However, none of them were the methods I wanted to choose. The blue mana trembled violently from the tightly clenched fist, making a popping sound.
‘For now, let’s just focus on one thing and think about it.’
Sometimes emotions took precedence over reason.
If the other person is a f*cking asshole, a little more than usual.
A word from the author (author review)
It was packed in plenty 😀
I am traveling and writing from a hotel.
It’s not easy to write because the environment is unfamiliar…!
