Chapter 125 – Parent of the Elves (Part 2)

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Until not long ago, Marcus and Sonya had a typical image of elves in their minds.

For instance, leaning against an old tree enjoying the warm sunlight, accompanied by animals that naturally gathered around them.

However, after meeting Selene, Johannes, and Aurelius in the north, that positive image had been greatly diluted. Now, Marcus and Sonya had no special illusions about elves.

Even by Sonya and Marcus’s standards, the current sight of the elves was quite bewildering.

“…I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Even mercenaries don’t usually do stuff like that.”

Elbridge and Rombel were equally bewildered.

Elves had often shown bizarre behaviors even in the distant past. However, they had never shown such a sight to outsiders.

“…”

The quiet gazes of the three Sentinels licked over Elbridge’s party.

Marcus grew worried for no reason.

‘They aren’t going to make us do physical training punishment too, are they?’

Just then, Elbridge lightly nodded to greet the Sentinels.

Among the Sentinels, two were male and one was female. Of them, the silver-haired female Sentinel spoke.

“You children are the ones I saw last time.”

The female elf’s gaze was fixed on Elbridge and Rombel.

Although two hundred years had passed, she spoke as if they had met just a few days ago. Elbridge replied.

“Lady Bella. You remember me.”

“When you stay inside the forest for a long time, you tend to remember those who came from the outside even more clearly.”

For a long time, indeed.

Elbridge scrutinized the female Sentinel, Bella.

At first glance, she looked young like any other elf, but Elbridge could read the traces of time in Bella’s appearance. Her deep eyes, the rough backs of her hands, the faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and the like.

Bella gave instructions to the reserve Sentinels, who were still planting their heads on the ground.

“We shouldn’t show such a sight in front of our guests. Get up.”

The elves receiving disciplinary punishment sheepishly stood up from their spots.

The elves picked off the leaves stuck in their hair, yet even that pathetic action looked like a noble grooming. The power of outstanding looks was just that strong.

“Dismissed. Prepare for the next battle.”

“Understood.”

The reserve Sentinels left the area, casting subtle glances at Elbridge’s companions.

Their gazes held a hint of subtle goodwill toward Elbridge’s party. It was likely because Elbridge’s companions had brought an end to their physical punishment.

The party stepped forward toward the sacred tree, right in front of the Sentinels.

White petals and leaves were piled gracefully around the sacred tree, making it look as if snow had fallen only in its vicinity.

The female Sentinel, Bella, spoke.

“Your name was… El, right? And the dwarf next to you was Rombel.”

“It is Elbridge. You may call me El.”

“Right. It has been a while, El. What brings you all the way to the Forest of Thorns?”

Elbridge cast a brief glance at the three elves who had accompanied them.

“I received a request for help. I was told we need to drive away the demons around the Forest of Thorns.”

“Indeed. We needed help. The situation around the forest hasn’t been good lately. It would have been better if we could go outside the forest.”

Sentinels make a covenant with the Goddess of Thorns. A covenant never to leave the Forest of Thorns in their lifetime.

Because of that covenant, the Sentinels could not take a single step outside the Forest of Thorns.

That is the reason why, in the distant past, despite possessing the highest level of martial prowess, the most they could do was drive away demons from the outskirts of the Forest of Thorns.

But even that much was of great help to the knights of the north.

When their lives were in jeopardy while fighting demons, they could save themselves just by entering the Forest of Thorns. The outskirts of the Forest of Thorns served as a safe haven for the knights fighting in the north.

“It’s a good proposal, but I don’t think the story will end here. Humans always associate a price with every action, so you must have something you desire as well.”

“I would like to ask for two favors.”

“Speak.”

“First, I want to know a way to deal with the Central Mage Tower Lord.”

“I don’t even know who the Central Mage Tower Lord is. Why should I tell you that?”

Indeed, there was no way a Sentinel who had been cooped up in the Forest of Thorns all this time would know about the Central Mage Tower Lord.

Johannes, who had been listening quietly all along, stepped in to explain.

“Lady Bella. As a result of gathering clues after receiving our mission, we have reached the conclusion that the Central Mage Tower Lord is behind the current situation.”

“…I will hear the detailed story later. Who is the current Central Mage Tower Lord?”

“It is the God of Circulation and Flow.”

Hearing the answer, Bella murmured.

“A deity who descended to the earth…”

“That is correct. The Central Mage Tower Lord has virtually seized control of the central region, and it is difficult to know exactly how great his capabilities are.”

“I also do not know much about the Central Mage Tower Lord, so I do not know an exact solution. I can give you a few pieces of advice, though… It would be best to organize our thoughts slowly and speak again. What is the second request?”

Elbridge pondered for a moment before speaking.

“I would like to receive your teachings.”

Since awakening from the seal, Elbridge had not diligently honed his skills.

Looking back, the reason was that the capabilities of the knights in this era fell far behind compared to the past. Those who stand at the forefront tend to grow a bit lazy.

Elbridge was unrivaled with just his current capabilities.

However, his thoughts changed after facing the Silver-Gray Knight at Fort Hebron.

Staying ahead compared to others wasn’t a particularly important matter to Elbridge. After all, what Elbridge had to face was not humans, but demons. While humans had grown weak as time passed, the demons had not grown weak along with them.

Bella smiled faintly.

“That is not a difficult task. But it would be better to recover from your travel fatigue today. Aurelius, guide them.”

*

As they moved under Aurelius’s guidance, young elves followed them, staring at the party.

Perhaps because they hadn’t been worn down by the long passage of time, the young elves possessed a clear sense of self-awareness and were highly curious.

Sonya clenched her hands tightly as she looked at the young elves with sparkling eyes.

“How cute. I’ve never seen such young elves before.”

Hearing that, Rombel chuckled.

“I can guarantee you, not a single one of those elves is younger than you.”

“Really?”

“Even the youngest one is probably around Marcus’s age.”

Sonya cast a brief glance at Marcus.

A mercenary in his late thirties with brown hair and an untrimmed beard. He was far from cute.

Then Sonya glanced at the elves.

“…That’s somehow creepy.”

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think you won’t grow old?”

“You really don’t get it. A beauty like me doesn’t grow old.”

“…Nonsense has really stuck to your lips. Do they teach nonsense at the Central Mage Tower too?”

While Marcus and Sonya bickered, the party arrived at a cabin.

Sonya seemed a bit disappointed.

“Didn’t elves love nature? Is it okay to just cut down trees?”

Aurelius shrugged his shoulders.

“We don’t cut down needlessly many trees like humans do. We also hunt animals only as much as we need to eat.”

It was a strangely generous and practical standard.

“The Sentinels will probably look for you around tomorrow morning. Rest well and see you tomorrow.”

Aurelius spoke thus and departed.

Sonya asked Rombel.

“You know the Sentinels. I heard that two are the first Sentinels and one is a Sentinel who was replaced halfway through. Who is who?”

“The silver-haired man and woman are the first Sentinels, Jean and Bella, and the blond one is Orion, the Sentinel who was replaced midway.”

“I thought the Sentinels would have grandiose names like Johannes or Aurelius too, but that’s not the case.”

Rombel nodded.

“Elves have a culture of naming themselves without overlapping. Since concise and good names were all used up by the ancient elves, the names of young elves are getting increasingly long and complex.”

“If they use names like Jean and Bella… just how old are they?”

“No idea. The elves themselves probably don’t know either. Even Jean and Bella themselves might not know.”

Sonya looked like she found it hard to understand.

“Does it make sense not to know one’s own age?”

Marcus cut in with a snort.

“Of course it makes sense. Once you get to your mid-thirties, you start getting confused about your own age.”

“Isn’t it just because Marcus is a dimwit?”

“Absolutely not. All of my friends are like that too.”

Knowing that Sonya would surely bring up birds of a feather flocking together, Marcus quickly asked Rombel.

“Mr. Rombel. How old are you this year?”

“About three hundred years old.”

“See? He answers vaguely. It would be stranger if a Sentinel who has lived for at least several thousand years remembered their age exactly.”

“Hmm.”

“There’s no need to know the exact age anyway. Just thinking that Jean and Bella are the oldest in this forest, and Orion is next, is more than enough.”

*

Dawn the next day. Elbridge woke up with a strange sensation. The feeling that someone was calling him.

There was definitely a reason for such a specific feeling. Elbridge grabbed his sword and shield and walked out of the cabin.

It was an early hour when the eastern sky was just beginning to turn dim and bright. Elbridge walked aimlessly in the direction his feet led him.

And Elbridge arrived in front of the sacred tree.

The aforementioned Sentinels were sitting in front of the sacred tree.

“Did you call me?”

Bella laughed.

“Yes. It’s convenient that you’re quick-witted.”

Elbridge checked the armaments of the three Sentinels.

As elves usually did, all three possessed only weapons without any armor. Bella and Orion had swords. Jean had a bow and a dagger.

Elbridge had never fought a Sentinel.

Watching them fight demons on the outskirts of the Forest of Thorns in the distant past was all he had seen.

A subtle sense of excitement and anticipation bloomed inside Elbridge’s chest.

People prefer crushing the weak and putting on airs over fighting the strong and losing.

It was the same even in situations where lives weren’t at stake. After all, victory is sweet, but defeat is bitter and unpleasant.

However, Elbridge had little interest in crushing the weak and showing off his skills.

Elbridge found joy not in the sweetness of victory, but in the process of climbing to greater heights.

And those who had guided Elbridge to greater heights were always above him. Just like these Sentinels.

Elbridge drew his sword. Then one of the Sentinels stood up from their spot.

However, it wasn’t the person Elbridge had expected. Jean, the elf with the bow and dagger, stood in front of Elbridge.

“…That is unexpected.”

“Which is why it’s all the more interesting.”

Bow is not a good weapon in a one-on-one duel.

It becomes even more disadvantageous against someone with a shield like Elbridge.

In other words, Jean was the only opponent against whom Elbridge could hope to achieve a victory, however slight.

“Shall we begin right away?”

Elbridge nodded.

Jean did not stand far from Elbridge. The distance between the two was roughly ten paces.

Though it was called ten paces, one could put the opponent within striking range with just a single step off the ground while harboring divine power.

‘Is he planning to drag it into a close-quarters battle with the dagger?’

Elbridge took a deep breath and spoke.

“Here I come.”

And immediately bounded off the ground.

Elbridge’s gaze was fixed on the dagger tucked into Jean’s waist.

However, Jean did not reach for the dagger. Instead, he swung the bow he held in his right arm like a club.

Clang!

He didn’t know what kind of wood the bow was made of.

But a metallic sound rang out from Jean’s bow as it clashed against the flat of Elbridge’s sword.

Since it was an unexpected response, Elbridge’s balance faltered slightly.

Jean’s long leg stretched out, aiming for Elbridge’s ankle.

‘Dangerous.’

He had felt it when he blocked the bow Jean swung just now with his sword.

Contrary to his slender appearance, Jean’s physical strength was extraordinary. It felt similar to receiving a blow from Rombel’s two-handed axe.

Thud!

Elbridge attempted to receive Jean’s leg by firmly pinning the shield on his left arm to the ground as if slamming it down.

At that, Jean twisted his body in a bizarre manner. The kick suddenly turned into a leap off the shield pinned to the ground, and the gap between Elbridge and Jean widened in an instant.

“…”

A succession of responses that defied expectations. However, the action to follow was certain.

For Jean, having widened the distance, was now aiming his bow at Elbridge.

He could see a shroud of light wrapping around the arrow.

Jean’s right hand released the bowstring. And in the very next moment, Elbridge realized that the arrow had already flown past the side of his head.

It wasn’t a miss, but rather, he had deliberately shot wide.

There was no time even to raise his shield.

Elbridge felt blood trickling down his ear.

“…”

It felt as if he were possessed by a ghost.

It was a feeling similar to when he faced the paladins who were considered the strongest in the distant past.

Since the Sentinels were considered among the absolute strongest back then as well, it was only natural, but…

Jean approached with a grin and patted Elbridge on the shoulder.

“Not bad at all. That reaction is better than most reserve Sentinels. This is going to be worth teaching.”

“…”

“But we must do what needs to be done.”

Jean then whispered.

“Plant your head.”