Chapter 239

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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Slig—

Charlotte, who appeared in the center, knelt before the corpses of the elves.

Her face, as she carefully caressed their faces, was filled with grief.

“I’m sorry. I was… lacking.”

-ㅠㅠㅠ

-The trash are the Sacred Body Faction bastards;

-Dog-like, really.

-Did all of them die?

-Seems it’s finished inside the village?

The Sacred Body Faction players existing inside the village had all turned into powder and scattered.

The reason she arrived late could be guessed and more.

Probably the process of handling the enemies in the forest and rescuing the elves took a long time.

She was not a Charlotte who could turn away from them and run to the village.

“Uh…?”

Wendy, who had been running toward Lael, was in a state where she momentarily froze.

Because the culprits who would have killed the elves had died too futilely.

That gaze naturally headed toward the human woman in the center.

“Charlotte…!”

Wendy, who only then realized the appearance of her friend, ran while shouting her name.

The one who was surprised was the Investigation Team Commander as well.

“…Wendy?”

Hwak—!

Wendy, who jumped toward her, was embraced just like that.

While holding her tight, Charlotte could not feel a sense of reality.

Because she had never encountered an elf who was not crazy until now.

“Are you alright? Are you really alright?”

“Mhm… But the other friends, hieuk.”

Wendy, who was continuing her words, burst into tears once more.

Charlotte, who was lightly patting her back, raised her head.

And she met eyes with Han-bit who was approaching.

“…Black Dragon.”

In her eyes, sadness and desperation were steeped.

As Han-bit stopped his feet close by, Charlotte said while lightly patting Wendy’s back.

“Just how did this happen. Why the Forest of Illusions and the elves…”

The entire forest still dyed in blood color.

At least the village was a bit less, but the state of the elves was the worst.

Han-bit decided to deliver the facts he knew.

“The technology of the Holy State was used. It’s an object that drives the forest crazy, and it would have been difficult to respond even if you knew in advance.”

“…Holy State.”

Charlotte’s expression settled coldly.

The speculation she had faintly heard from Ibella in Area 8-35.

As there was neither evidence nor anything, she was still investigating, but if this incident was their doing, the story was different.

She said while looking at the corpses of the elves.

“Investigation Team members I didn’t bring were killing elves while laughing. It was not a coincidence that their origin was the Holy State.”

“What happened to those members?”

“…All died by Dusk’s hand.”

Somehow a situation that was vividly drawn.

Even if it were Charlotte, she wouldn’t hesitate to execute, but it was a natural story that Dusk moved first.

“They said there were people who targeted you in Nephelis too, is it related to that?”

The identities of the Investigation Team members who attacked Han-bit were reported by Dusk.

Come to think of it, how are the dead members recognized.

This also needed confirmation.

“I’ll explain later. Let’s turn this place back first for now.”

“…Eh? Is there a method?”

As he said it while looking at the surroundings, Charlotte opened her eyes wide.

Han-bit nodded his head.

“It’s tricky but possible. How are the elves in the village? I hope there are some survivors.”

“The inside is alright.”

In an instant, the hooded man appeared from behind Charlotte.

Kneeling, he immediately continued the report.

“The elves inside the barrier have all been confirmed to have survived. However, their state is also not good.”

“It’s a relief. That alone is enough.”

“…Eh?”

While Charlotte let out a sigh of relief, Wendy who was held in her arms raised her head.

“They’re… alive?”

Good news to the point that she wondered if she misheard.

Charlotte, who met her gaze, held her hand and slowly raised her up.

“Let’s go inside. Dusk, you scan the states of the bound elves together with other members.”

“I shall follow your command.”

Tat—!

Dusk immediately concealed himself.

As they didn’t have a method to put them to sleep like Han-bit, they seemed to have bound the elves as much as possible.

As their aggressiveness was still high, it wouldn’t be easy to move them to the village.

Jeobeok—

Charlotte, who held Wendy’s hand, slowly moved her steps toward the inside.

The corpses of elves fallen on the forest path were still shocking, but she nevertheless advanced.

“Black Dragon-nim, what about this?”

While following behind, Haneul, who had been watching from a bit of a distance, approached to the side.

No-eul and Ping-pong also had dark expressions at the terrible surrounding scenery.

“…First we have to turn it back to normal.”

Using the Blood-colored Mandragora’s Head right now was completely unexpected.

The damage having become large to that extent was a painful thing for Han-bit too.

Jeobeok—

The group that moved inside the village like that arrived at a place where two trees stood tall.

It was the entrance to the space where the elf’s barrier was installed.

“Ah…”

Wendy, who was looking inside, slowly walked forward.

Appearances of elves visible inside.

Bright red eyes and abnormal appearance were the same as the outside, but they could not come outside the barrier.

“…Mom.”

A silver-haired woman whom Wendy’s eyes reached.

She was her mother and an elf who was one of the village’s leaders.

-Ah;

-Is it mom?

-ㅠㅠ

-Real, the mind goes out;

‘About 1 hour or so.’

The influence of the blood-color worsens gradually over time.

If it passed the critical point, it could fall into a situation where they could not return by any method.

It was a curse like a time bomb.

“Black Dragon, how is it? Do you think it’ll be alright?”

Charlotte, who was looking at her friends’ appearances, asked with a heavy voice.

Naturally what had to be done did not change.

“It’s alright. As long as it’s finished within the time…”

Ttiring—

Then, along with a suddenly ringing alarm, a message popped up.

[Sub-Quest]

The Forest of Illusions stained in curse due to the attack of the Sacred Body Faction power.

The elves, residents of that place, have fallen into the tragedy of frenzy and death.

To prevent further damage, this place must be turned back to its original form.

Objective: Let’s remove the blood-colored curse dwelling in the Forest of Illusions and the elves.

Reward: Sub-quest settlement

Time Limit: 1 hour

-Sub-quest?

-Main quest failed anyway.

-The flying ship crashed;

-Giving a save like this.

-But the quest difficulty is…

-No hints?

At the newly appeared sub-quest, viewers started a discussion as they pleased.

Although it was a feeling as if there were no clues or anything, the clear solution was in his memory.

‘It’s organized as a quest indeed.’

The situation where the episode progress was cut off was not good for Han-bit either.

But if a sub-quest was presented like this, there was no worry.

As it had been before, the settlement of the quest played the role of putting the flow of the episode back on track once again.

“Black Dragon?”

While he was having such thoughts, Charlotte called his name with worry.

Han-bit once again continued the cut-off words.

“We have to go to where the Essence of the Forest is. Because we can only turn it back if we purify that.”

“Essence of the Forest? Did it really exist?”

Charlotte asked while wearing a puzzled expression.

A fairy-tale-like story passed down in the elf village.

That a heart-like essence was hidden in the living and breathing Forest of Illusions.

However, the reality had never been disclosed even once.

“Wendy, you know, right?”

“…Yes.”

Wendy, who was wiping away her tears, slowly nodded her head.

Watching her mother inside the barrier, she continued her words with a submerged voice.

“I was… originally a cursed child. They said the Elder said so as soon as I was born.”

“Elder? Are you talking about Ahjussi Roandel?”

“No, it was the previous Elder. He passed away 20 years ago and is not here now.”

Wendy immediately shook her head and added the explanation.

Because since the current Elder Roandel was her benefactor, she did not even want to compare.

Charlotte, who was listening to the story, asked with a worried expression.

“What do you mean by curse?”

“It seems I am not connected with the Forest of Illusions. Actually, unlike other friends, I get lost in the forest, and also didn’t receive several graces. Because of that, my mother and I were persecuted a lot by the previous Elder.”

Wendy watched her mother inside the barrier while wearing a bitter expression.

The shackles of a curse bestowed upon an elf who was not an ordinary existence.

It was a matter that the past Elder, who is now dead, led and committed.

-Curse?

-She looked normal though;

-Was she weak for an elf?

-Persecution ㅠㅠ

“…Is it alright now?”

Charlotte asked cautiously.

It was a heart wishing that the discrimination was not continuing yet.

Fortunately Wendy nodded while wearing a faint smile.

“Elder Roandel helped me. He proclaimed that it was not a curse. Ah, other friends also took good care of our family before too. Although we all got scolded together thanks to that.”

Roandel, who rose to the position of the head newly as the Elder who denounced her as an existence harboring a curse died.

If compared to a king, he was a man with the qualities of a wise ruler.

Wisdom and virtue, decisiveness, integrity, etc., there was not a single part to leave out.

“…It’s a relief.”

Charlotte let out a sigh of relief while placing her hand on her chest.

Because it was not different from the appearances of the elves she knew.

Han-bit, who saw that appearance, lightly added words.

“The conclusion is that it’s not a curse but the key that can solve the current situation. Because it’s the only path that can go to the Essence of the Forest. Right?”

“Certainly I did learn that elves except for me cannot go to that space but… How do you know that? Your familiarity with the Forest of Illusions, and also it’s as if you’ve been here since a long time ago.”

A natural question occurring to Wendy who was continuing her answer.

Han-bit had not become their friend like Charlotte.

But he possessed too much information to be called an outsider without even a contact point.

Naturally Han-bit, who had expected that question, brought out the prepared answer.

“You know Serendel, right?”

“Eh? That adventurer unnie?”

Wendy opened her eyes wide at the name that appeared abruptly.

An elf who left the village several years ago.

She was being called an adventurer in the village, but the reality was a wanderer who did not belong anywhere.

“I was friends with Serendel. I heard many stories then.”

“Ah…”

Despite the too-simple explanation, Wendy nodded her head.

A personality likely to be able to get along without reserve even with humans.

The appearance of her who liked sharing stories was also vivid.

“So you were acquaintances with Serendel? I haven’t even seen her yet.”

Charlotte also showed a reaction as if it were mysterious.

Actually the situation when meeting Serendel was not worried at all.

Because if he invested only 1 minute, he could make it as if they had known each other for 10 years of time.

Han-bit, who finished his thoughts, said to Wendy.

“Explanation is enough, right? Let’s move before it’s too late.”

“But what about the method to return the forest to original? I haven’t learned anything about that…”

“I know. So only think about heading to the Essence of the Forest.”

“Ah, yes!”

Wendy’s expression turned a bit brighter at the answer filled with conviction.

Raising her head, she pointed at the old tree standing tall inside the barrier and said.

“What’s needed to go to the space where the essence is are two things. One is the Elder’s box, the other is the sphere hanging on the Phantom Beast Blue Moon Bird-nim’s neck.”

Kaaaaak—!

Then, a bizarre cry echoed from above the top of the old tree.

A giant bird with silver-blue feathers flapping its wings.

It was the Phantom Beast Blue Moon Bird that settled in the elf village.

The faintly visible bright red eyes were showing an abnormal state.

“It’ll be… possible, right?”

Wendy, who knew its power well, asked worriedly.

It was certainly dangerous, but ultimately it was a task that had to be done.

“I’ll explain how to do it, so listen well. Especially Charlotte, your role will be the most important.”