Following the footsteps (1)
Geronimo, the elder and oldest elf of the elves, spoke.
He said he left for the west.
“…I don’t know why you are looking for his whereabouts.”
It was a forest of elves who followed the traces of voices, but what they actually encountered there were traces of the Sword Master, not voices.
The more questions he solved, the bigger questions were waiting for Vlad.
“But if you want to find traces of him, you have to understand it first.”
“…What do I need to understand?”
The sword I used was the imperial sword.
Then why is the voice using the imperial sword?
The voice’s actions were clearly protecting the spirits.
So why was the voice protecting the spirits?
“Not Frausen, the founding king, but Quijano Fraussen, who is just a human being.”
“…….”
The questions that followed incessantly were clearly pointing to one place.
Founding King Frausen.
The first sword master.
And Quijano, a human who gave up all his glory.
“I want you to read the concerns about why he did that.”
Geronimo, who had become wiser as he aged, was able to tell Vlad the direction to take.
To know the end, you must see the beginning.
He probably had to revisit old memories countless times to get these words out of his mouth.
“Go west. “He said he was leaving there.”
“Is it west?”
Although everyone praised the glorious beginnings of a man named Frausen, no one spoke about his end.
Traces of Frausen, who mysteriously disappeared, as if in a legendary story.
Perhaps the current Vlad was the person who came closest to the traces, even if it was not his intention.
“okay. West. “The place where our mother’s world tree was.”
I walked all the way here without knowing who I was looking for.
However, a faint trace clearly remained, which was probably the struggle of those who tried to protect it.
“Go find the dwarves there.”
The signpost set up by the old man was pointing the next direction for the young knight.
The west has now become a wasteland.
Toward the dwarves who are staying where the Mother World Tree used to be.
“Dwarf…”
A noble silver color remained on Vlad’s face as he encountered an unfamiliar world again.
A beam of light started from the silver sword that was lying there.
The light spread so subtly that Vlad, who was pondering, could not notice it, and was looking at Vlad for a long time as if he was examining it carefully.
※※※※
Alicia was barely able to keep her composure while holding on to her racing heart.
“…You want to compensate us for our heirloom?”
A trace of my missed father and a long-standing family heirloom.
Giving the amber stone, which was so precious to Alicia, to Vlad was not simply because she was personally attracted to it.
It was a kind of investment.
An investment that foresees the future of Dermar.
A promising knight named Vlad was clearly a great piece that could make up for Deermar’s weakest points, and Alicia really wanted that shining piece.
“That’s right. Lord of humans. “Alicia of Hainal.”
The elf who introduced himself as Varadis was indeed treating Alicia in a polite manner.
This is completely different from the rumors that people were being ostracized.
The vassals of Hainal just kept their mouths shut in confusion as they looked at the elves like that.
“The precious family heirloom you gave to Vlad was truly of great help to us Aushurin.”
There was a letter from the elves that Vlad brought, but it was just a greeting.
The elves decided to provide reasonable compensation to the human lord who had preserved the precious traces of the Mother World Tree and had also lost them.
“Even though it’s only a small amount, I hope you like it.”
An antique wooden box began to be lifted from behind Varadis, who bowed his head politely.
It looks like the box alone is worth the price.
Everyone held their breath and looked at the box as it slowly began to open, knowing that just having the name Elf in front of it would greatly increase its value.
“What is this…?”
Eventually, when the box was opened, a subtle scent wafted out along with it.
It was the kind of scent that instantly brightened up this place that was filled with gloomy smells.
“It’s saffron. “It’s a spice we especially love.”
Red stems that look like dried flower petals.
The scent emanating from it had a clear substance, as if you could catch it with your hand.
“Uh um. “This is it.”
Alicia’s voice was uttered somehow but could not be put to an end.
After encountering the culture of the elves for the first time in her life, Alicia was able to immediately recognize that the saffron in front of her was an item of great value.
“Baron Alicia. We would like to use this opportunity to build a strong relationship with the Hainal family.”
I don’t need to say it again.
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Unlike humans who try to profit by hiding their true intentions in their words, the elves simply conveyed the story straight and correctly.
“Although it is far away, if there are trustworthy people there, there will be no reason to worry. Please consider our proposal carefully.”
The scent wafting is dizzying and the words heard are sweet.
Alicia’s vassals were barely able to breathe as Varadis’ words rang in their ears.
Is there such a ridiculous opportunity?
Faced with the most incredible opportunity in the most difficult time, the heads of the vassals naturally turned towards Alicia, who was sitting in the lord’s seat.
“…I listened carefully to what you said.”
And Alicia Hainal, the only Hainal sitting there.
Her shoulders were straightened in triumph as she faced the eyes of her retainers.
“welcome. “Everyone who came from far away.”
Alicia’s smile towards the elves brightly lit up the halls of Deermar.
What was in front of Alicia, whose value she recognized more than anyone else, was a gift from Vlad to repay her for the past years.
※※※※
The conversation with humans was successful.
Since the elves were inevitably poor compared to the empire, they had no choice but to always live in anxiety about them, but a great wind of change was already blowing in the big world they had just faced.
“The rise of the Northern Alliance will definitely be beneficial to us.”
“Perhaps it can provide an alternative to the Empire.”
It was said that the Northern Orthodox Church, which the Northern Union is promoting, clearly has lenient standards for other religions and beliefs.
Not just one standard, but the possibilities of you and me.
The new sect that guarantees this will certainly provide another option for the elves.
“Here you go.”
The Rangers, who succeeded in understanding the trends of the world they had hitherto been ignorant of, asked Alicia’s permission to look into the tree of Hainal on the hill to solve their original purpose.
Because this was the most important reason they left Aushurin.
“This is what Vlad said…”
I felt like I knew it without having to check.
A lemon tree that looks old no matter who looks at it.
The strong scent felt there was clearly similar to the smell of a young world tree.
“It was a snake after all.”
Although his left eye was not closed, the pentagram in his pupil was lighting up Varadis’ eyes.
The world of elves with the World Tree.
In the dark-colored area visible through it, there was a white snake with its tongue lashing out at them.
“You survived.”
“It feels like Dobrechti’s mole that I saw before.”
Varadis and the elves followed the traces of the spirits as Vlad said.
They left Aussurin, met Dobrechti’s mole first, and finally reached Deermar, where the Mother World Tree nestled.
“Could he have kept me alive like this?”
In the past, elves had no choice but to run away, taking only the seeds of the World Tree with them in order to survive.
However, even when everything burned down, there were things that remained and traces that someone had secretly scattered out into the world for them.
One of those traces is probably the white snake you see now.
“Mr. Baradis. excuse me.”
“hmm?”
Varadis turned his head to follow the finger pointed by his subordinate and was soon able to smile brightly.
Young ones sticking their heads out from behind the white snake.
They were clearly the spirits of the young World Tree that had been sent in Vlad’s sword.
“You’ve settled down.”
I came a long way, but it was worth it.
Because I saw something that was not just alive, but was firmly rooted.
Bright smiles began to form on the elves’ faces as they looked at the young spirits born in Aushurin.
“I will have to ask the lord of Hainal for his cooperation so that I can stay here for the time being. “Maybe there are other traces left.”
“All right.”
Small worlds that were crumpled without a trace within an empire that had become one.
However, only now were the elves who had come out into the world recognizable.
Nevertheless, there are small worlds that are still breathing.
And the traces were lined up along the path of the young knight they followed.
It was similar to the actions of the Sword Master who had visited them a long time ago.
※※※※
In front of the dock of the port, where dusk is slowly setting.
Vlad was standing there, quietly watching the ship disappear over the horizon.
On the ship that left Nassau with a creaking sound, many dwarves were still looking at the port where Vlad was.
“Rutger probably won’t like it.”
“…I know.”
Vlad quietly nodded while listening to Marcus’ words coming from behind him.
“Maybe so.”
Of course Rutger won’t like what I’ve done.
This work was solely for Josef’s benefit, and it was also connected to the brothers’ fight to obtain the position of head of the family.
“You won’t regret it, right?”
Marcus’ question spread along with the sound of the waves, reaching Vlad’s ears.
You won’t regret it, right?
Rutger, who cared for you, will definitely be disappointed.
“Regrets… “I think I will.”
Rutger Bayezid.
The man who killed the dragon with me.
Every moment I spent with him was a heart-pounding experience and, looking back, it was a joyful experience.
“But I think I’ll regret it even more if I don’t do this.”
Betraying Rutger’s favor was clearly a painful decision.
But Godin had said.
Start by looking at where your feet are now.
“I am Joseph’s knight.”
“……okay.”
The war with Gaidar was a variable that suffocated Josef and at the same time raised Rutger’s value.
If things continue like this, it will be clear that Josef will eventually die without even being able to shine.
Therefore, Vlad did not hesitate to send the dwarves to their hometown.
“I think I’ve done everything I was supposed to do here.”
With Vlad’s words, the ship on the horizon became a small dot and disappeared into the twilight.
There are probably still dwarves on the now-vanished ship looking toward the port where Vlad will be.
“I have to go back now.”
For Josef, who pulled her out of the mud, and for her voice.
Vlad used a dwarf named Vulcanu as a dove to send a letter to a world he had never seen before.
