Shepherd Wizard (Novel) - Chapter 175

Chapter 175

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In the distant ancient times, there was an era when countless different races gathered among themselves to form kingdoms and show off their power.

Among them, the ones that flourished in the most diverse varieties were the elves.

Dark elves, forest elves, highland elves, snow elves, and so on…

White elves were among the relatively weaker groups, because their power of necromancy that dealt with dead magical beasts or spirit magic that drew strength from natural environments was difficult to use in warfare compared to other abilities.

Later, when the Freya gods arrived and swept away the different races that had dominated the world, the white elves, who had originally been close to a minority group, were reduced to pets of a few curious gods who recognized the potential of spirit magic.

And after the gods fell, no one had directly witnessed their existence.

Until now, when Turan faced them.

‘White elves…’

Looking at the elves who were staring at him with bewildered expressions, Turan realized that the reason Ruban’s half-elves had been able to solidify their identity toward the white elf side was because of these people.

Unlike the Baraha side, who thought their kin had already disappeared, these people had a sense of mission to care for their fallen kinfolk.

‘Should I… take these guys to Ravitas?’

In the past, when he first met Rida, an elder of Ravitas, she had proposed to Turan that if he captured a white elf spirit mage and brought them to her, she would repay him with a Ravitas holy relic.

She had promised to give him something that could perfectly prevent physical aging, even if spiritual lifespan was unavoidable.

If there were spirit mages among these people and he handed them over, and if Ravitas derived meaningful results through research…

He might be able to grasp the path to immortality he had once longed for.

“I came after hearing from Bartelesina.”

At Turan’s words, the white elves’ attitude noticeably softened.

They thought that if he knew that name, he couldn’t be an intruder who had wandered in by chance.

“So, what’s going on here?”

Turan ignored the question from a female white elf with a slender face and surveyed the interior.

Internal facilities where about thirteen or fourteen people lived.

Judging by the many animal sounds he could sense from below, it seemed to be a structure that could sustain itself without external support.

Had they been living here continuously among themselves for generations?

With this number of people, serious inbreeding would have occurred long ago.

Well, since elves lived much longer than ordinary humans, it might not have been such a serious matter for them.

Even if he didn’t know their exact lifespan, they were said to live longer than ordinary mages, so if they lived about five hundred years, only about three or four generations would have passed since the arrival of the Freya gods until now.

“You! How dare you ignore the princess when she’s asking you something!”

One white elf stepped forward, indignant at such dismissive behavior.

However, the moment Turan lightly waved his hand without even looking at him, the white elf collapsed to the floor as if crushed by an invisible hand.

The sound of air being expelled revealed how much pressure he was feeling.

‘Their physical abilities are slightly weaker than dark elves and stronger than humans.’

Subduing ordinary different races without magical power and therefore no resistance to directly applied magic wasn’t difficult even for mages who weren’t as powerful as him.

More importantly, the woman called princess seemed to be the only spirit mage in this place.

At first, the feeling was weak so he couldn’t tell well, but when he paid attention, he could sense a flow of heterogeneous power slightly different from magical power, just like dark elf necromancers.

“No, this is so insolent…”

Keeping that fact in mind, Turan passed by the terrified white elves and found a stone tablet located inside.

Similar to the one in Baraha, it was an object that served as a vessel for souls and a base for returning spirits from dead bodies.

“Let’s see.”

Using soul magic that had now become familiar, he immediately released his spirit form and slipped inside, where he sensed the spirit form of one half-elf.

Probably one that was dormant because it hadn’t yet found a usable body.

The opponent who sensed Turan’s presence opened their eyes and cried out in surprise.

[No, you are!?]

[Come out.]

With his bloodline set to Nagin, Turan’s spirit form could now sufficiently subdue most gods one-on-one, so the opponent was helplessly dragged out and trapped in the jewel box.

After completing the collection and shattering the stone tablet with Judgment’s Light, the white elves who had followed behind saw this and screamed.

“Ahhh…!”

“The resting place containing our ancestors’ souls!”

“Do you know what you’ve done!”

Even after showing his abilities just before, they still had such an arrogant attitude. Did they lack a sense of reality?

Turan, who had been puzzled, realized a moment later that they still misunderstood him as a subordinate of Ruban’s half-elves.

He had roughly made up a story because he was worried they might run away in fear, but they still believed it.

Well, it wasn’t strange for them to be so naive, having lived their entire lives in this cramped underground space.

Originally, people need to see and hear more things to mature.

“Quiet. I’ve restrained all those who ruled Ruban. You are now my property too, so behave yourselves.”

Making this declaration, Turan glanced at the white elf who had been pressed to the floor and withdrew the force that had been crushing his body.

Only the sound of coughing could be heard in the underground space filled with fourteen white elves.

“Ruban…”

“What’s that?”

“What?”

At the white elves’ reaction, Turan unconsciously made a dumbfounded expression.

No matter what, to not even know the name of the group their protectors belonged to…

One could think that Ruban’s half-elves had thoroughly isolated and protected their descendants.

Honestly speaking, being this thoroughly shut off seemed more like imprisonment than protection.

Then, the white elf woman called princess, who seemed to finally understand the situation, showed hostile eyes and asked.

“Don’t tell me, you’re the one who harmed our ancestors?”

“I fought and won, exercising the victor’s rights.”

The moment she heard those words, the white elf’s eyes flashed.

Through his activated spiritual vision, Turan could see that the opponent’s spirit form was emerging from her head.

The technique of manipulating living souls meant she could also handle her own soul.

The white elf woman’s spirit form was similar to those of the half-elves but more bizarre in appearance.

Her head was pure white and smooth without facial features, her torso was elongated like a snake or centipede, and the arms lined up like a centipede’s legs were similar to human ones.

When Turan brought out his spirit form to counter this, she cried out as if shocked.

[You! How can you use spirit magic…?]

[Go back while I’m asking nicely.]

If she had been just a white elf, he would have killed her to suppress her rebellious spirit, but the opponent was a precious spirit mage.

Since he couldn’t sacrifice such a valuable resource, Turan attempted to persuade her with words.

However, unfortunately, instead of complying, she extended her characteristic centipede-like torso and tried to restrain Turan’s spirit form.

Turan, who had been quietly watching that attack, reached out and firmly grasped the centipede-like elongated torso.

[Ahhh!]

[Go back. If you don’t, I’ll tear you in half.]

Since spirit magic no longer existed, ignorant people harbored all sorts of fantasies about it, but through the Baraha half-elves, Turan knew well that it was an ability with relatively clear limitations.

If it had been an ability that could harm powerful mages like Turan, wouldn’t the white elves have been ruling the world long ago?

Having even deeply practiced soul magic, Turan could easily defeat hundreds of spirit mages like her even if they attacked together.

[Ugh, ancestor. Please return our ancestors…!]

[I can’t return them, but if you want, I might be able to show you their faces later.]

[Really, is that true?]

[Yes. So go back to your body obediently. If you don’t, I’ll kill one of your companions.]

Sensing that Turan’s words weren’t an empty threat, the spirit mage soon withdrew her spirit form into her head.

Perhaps because being squeezed even briefly had damaged her spirit form, she staggered and had to be supported by another white elf beside her.

“Everyone… follow that human’s words.”

“But Princess.”

“It’s an order.”

Could royal authority remain even with only this small number left?

The white elves bowed their heads and showed their intention to obey.

Since he had been thinking of killing a few, it was a fortunate result for both sides.

* * *

Turan, who had been looking around the white elves’ hideout more, soon realized there was little to gain and clicked his tongue.

He had hoped to find some ancient books of different races, but all the books here were written by humans.

At least he found a few things that looked like diaries, so maybe reading them would yield some gain.

Since it was awkward to open the jewel box and put spirit forms inside while alone, he decided to first take the white elves out of here and move them.

“You want us to go out?”

“Yes.”

“But there will be humans outside…”

The white elves showed terrified expressions, saying that if they went outside, bad humans would catch them and roast them alive.

It was truly ridiculous.

In the distant past, it was their ancestors who used to roast humans alive.

Anyway, since Turan held the initiative, they eventually crossed all the barriers and defensive devices that Turan had disabled while coming down and came up to the surface.

Since they had started the night attack and several hours had passed, dawn sunlight was beginning to rise.

“Oh.”

“That’s the sun…?”

Having lived their entire lives in that underground hideout to not tolerate even the slightest possibility of danger, the white elves looked at it with enchanted expressions.

Turan rummaged through his large-capacity bag and took out several hoods and masks used for disguise, throwing them to them.

“Everyone wear these.”

“Indeed, with these we won’t look like humans.”

“But is it really right to follow that human’s words?”

“Shh, isn’t it the princess’s order? Besides, we have no way to do anything with our power anyway. Let’s follow for now.”

After confirming that the white elves had covered their faces with hoods and masks, Turan took out Bije and enlarged her.

Seeing the golden eagle that suddenly appeared from nowhere grow tremendously large, they were startled once more, and a moment later, riding on Bije’s body and flying through the sky, they trembled.

“I’m, I’m flying, I’m really flying…”

“Would we die if we fell from here?”

For those who had lived their entire lives below ground level, rising hundreds of meters into the air was an overly unrealistic experience.

Carrying these trembling people took more than twice as long as when he had come.

This was because Bije had grown larger to carry more people, slowing her speed.

By the time they arrived at Ruban’s capital Slon, morning sunlight was illuminating the city beyond the black walls.

“What’s that golden eagle? It looks quite big…”

“It’s a magical beast! Call the knights!”

“Why isn’t there anyone patrolling the streets!?”

The city’s citizens were surprised once by the sudden appearance of a magical beast, and again by the behavior of Ruban knights who didn’t respond despite seeing it.

Naturally, those living near Ruban’s main house might know, but those living in relatively outer areas hadn’t heard the commotion that occurred last night at all.

Passing by the agitated citizens and returning to Ruban’s family head’s residence, Turan went to find Solif, who was busy giving various orders.

“I’m back.”

“You’re a bit late. But what’s behind you?”

“White elves.”

“Ah. Wait, what? Did I hear wrong?”

After nodding briefly at Turan’s matter-of-fact answer, Solif showed a dumbfounded expression.

“And there’s also one spirit mage.”

“No, they went extinct long ago, didn’t they? What suddenly…”

“They were living in an underground cave. I’ll tell you the details later, so please take care of those things.”

“You’re going back right away?”

“I have to.”

He wanted to take time to interrogate the white elves and Ruban’s half-elves one by one to uncover the detailed circumstances, but for now, creating a path back to Kalamaf was more urgent.

Anyway, most things could be done on the way.

“Roughly like Armani, but with more restricted freedom. There should be underground dungeons here too.”

After giving Solif several pieces of advice, he went to find Armani.

The guy was occupying one of Ruban family’s luxurious mansions and having cooks prepare a delicious breakfast, as if the Parsha and Baraha mages running around busily was none of his business.

“You’re really living it up…”

“There’s nothing as delicious as what you humans eat, so it can’t be helped.”

“Well, it would be better than what merfolk eat. Let’s go back for now. You brought the Jade Mirror, right?”

“Of course!”

At Turan’s question, Armani immediately took out a mirror made small from his chest and showed it.

It was the one removed from the side installed in Baraha’s capital, while the other side was still installed in the forest east of Slon city.

Now Turan would return to Kalamaf to install this, then come back through the mirror and return the one installed in Slon city to Baraha’s capital Helio, restoring everything to normal.

Of course, that would mean all the forces here would have to return on foot…

Well, since they had attacked easily, shouldn’t they suffer a bit on the way back?

“But who’s behind you?”

“Your friend.”

The white elf princess, whose name he didn’t even know, was looking at Armani, who was wearing a suspicious mask like himself, with a wary expression.

After sitting across from each other and eating the feast that Armani had people prepare to fill their stomachs, Turan flew southwest accompanied by one white elf and one merman.

It wasn’t difficult for three people to sit on the appropriately enlarged Bije’s back.

“Ugh, I’m full.”

“Want to swim to the North Sea later? To digest too.”

“Don’t say scary things. I’m afraid I might meet Father.”

After chatting with Armani to lighten the mood briefly, Turan turned his gaze to the white elf princess sitting quietly.

She was still hunched over wearing the mask and hood Turan had given her.

“You can take off the mask now.”

“…What about him?”

“He’s a merman. A merman prince. Come to think of it, Armani, what’s your relationship with white elves?”

At Turan’s question, Armani tilted his head and said.

“White elves? What’s that?”

“Ah.”

It meant they had no particular relationship, to the point of not even knowing what they were.

It would have been known that they went extinct too long ago anyway.

The white elf princess, who seemed surprised by Armani’s answer, slowly took off her mask.

“Oh… so white! Strangely so!”

“Yes, from my perspective you’re also strangely blue, so it’s similar. What’s your name?”

“Yukvalenia.”

Somehow white elves all had long names that were hard to remember.

Come to think of it, Lesion’s white elf name was also long, so maybe they all had a culture of using six syllables.

Or maybe spirit mages had relatively high status so that’s why.

“It’s bothersome, so I’ll call you Nia. First, I have many things I want to ask…”

“Wait. Before that, show me our ancestors. You definitely said you could show me their faces, right?”

Nia glared at Turan with a determined expression and demanded.

Should he threaten to kill the commoner-class white elves left with Solif to break her?

After thinking briefly, Turan decided it would be better to grant this level of request.

Originally, threatening and persuading opponents was like fishing – it was important to appropriately release and pull.

Of course, he wasn’t a very skilled fisherman.

“Wait a moment. Armani?”

“Hm?”

“If she starts glowing her eyes strangely, attack immediately. Just drop her from here.”

After preparing countermeasures for when the spirit form left the body, Turan entered the jewel box and brought out one of the imprisoned half-elves.

The leader half-elf who had occupied the body of Ruban’s new family head Calais, whom they called prince.

As spirit mages could sense without directly bringing out spirit forms, Nia, who saw Turan’s spirit form that came out of the jewel box and the half-elf’s spirit form in his hand, cried out.

“Ancestor…!”

[Yes, this is your ancestor.]

While Turan and Nia were having this conversation, the half-elf prince who was suddenly dragged out looked around and then sighed.

The frustration contained within was deep enough for anyone to feel.

[Finally… our race’s lineage is ending. Bartelesina, is this what you wanted? Preserving this wretched soul temporarily?]

After watching him mutter in a theatrical tone for a moment, Turan poked the side of the spirit form.

The half-elf who had been despairing like a tragic protagonist groaned.

[Stop the nonsense and answer. The Baraha guys weren’t like this – why are you so desperate to act like white elves?]