Chapter 191
Chapter 191
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Chapter 5. Tree and Iron
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Good for you, huh?"
Arhil, standing beside him, nudged Judah's side with her elbow. Judah was quite taken aback by her pouty lips and sulky demeanor.
"W-What do you mean?"
Even though there was no reason to panic, Judah ended up stammering. It only made him look more suspicious. Watching him, Arhil let out a snicker and shook her head.
"You got kisses from those pretty elf ladies. You still have that smile on your face."
At Arhil's words, Judah touched his mouth with his hand. He really was smiling. It was a belated excuse, but honestly, as a man, how could he have no reaction when women as beautiful as celebrities were by his side and even kissed his forehead?
"Uh... It was just a pure gesture of goodwill. I couldn't exactly hate it, right?"
"Yeah, right."
She said it flatly, but Arhil's reaction was icy. Judah turned away, watching the elves disappear into the distance. The sensation of their lips on his forehead lingered, making him feel inexplicably good. As he turned back smiling, his eyes met Via's.
She was looking at him with genuine surprise. When their eyes met, she hurriedly changed her expression, but it was too late.
'Hm?'
It might sound unbelievable, but the moment he saw her expression, he vaguely intuited what she was thinking. That's the face you make when you see a new side to someone you dislike. He was certain. He'd made that face himself once before.
"Impressive. I see you in a new light."
As he approached, she said it with frank honesty.
"What about?"
"That the elves blessed you. I never imagined they'd bless a human who's not even kin."
It seemed like quite a fresh shock; she nodded repeatedly in admiration. But Judah couldn't understand her reaction.
"?"
He thought a kiss on the forehead was just a sign of gratitude.
"You don't know what a kiss on the forehead means, do you? ...Well, that makes sense. You're human. When elves kiss someone on the forehead or the back of the hand, it carries special meaning. They don't do it for just anyone. It's a special ritual for family, or those they trust as much as family, or harbor strong affection for—a kind of blessing."
"Wow, it means that much?"
Arhil, who had been quietly listening, widened her eyes. She looked intrigued, like she'd heard a fascinating story. Via let out a light laugh at Arhil's innocent reaction.
"Yes. The kiss means they wish luck on your future journey or hope you achieve your desires without incident. As I said, they don't give it to just anyone. So feel proud, and be proud of yourself. It means they're truly grateful to you."
Above all, she couldn't have imagined elves—who had been captured by humans, sold as slaves, and endured all sorts of humiliations and hardships—blessing another human. It showed just how well Judah and Arhil had treated them while rescuing and bringing them here, enough to move them. Unconsciously, Via was reevaluating Judah and Arhil.
But that didn't mean her negative fondness suddenly flipped positive. With her eyes still cold, Via let out a soft breath and continued.
"I'd love to treat you to a simple meal as thanks for bringing the elves here, but the scouting party has gone out beyond the forest to verify your words. If what you say is true, we'll be on high alert, so we won't have time to leisurely visit the temple."
"Then...?"
"We'll go now. No problem, right?"
No need for deep thought. The sooner, the better. No special symptoms were visible yet, but Arhil's body was currently mutating into a demon. Influenced by Asmodeus, the least human-like in form among the Seven Deadly Sins? No, the most similar to humans, so she wouldn't turn into some grotesque demon, but the fact of mutating into a demon was dangerous enough.
"Is it far by any chance?"
Arhil cautiously asked Via in a fearful voice. They'd come this far without rest and were exhausted to death—now they had to go somewhere else? Hearing her quivering voice, Via rolled her eyes toward her. Even if she thought well of her, the gaze still felt cold, making Arhil flinch.
She figured she'd have no choice but to forcibly recover her fatigue with holy magic. But Via's next words brought her salvation.
"No, we'll teleport with magic. Lady Gabriel's temple is in a remote part of the elves' forest. Walking would take at least two weeks, so we can't go on foot."
"That's a relief..."
Arhil sighed in relief, drawing out the words. Seeing her expression at her mental limit rather than physical, Judah reached out and patted her shoulder. It was meaningless encouragement.
"And... I have something for you."
Via pulled a very small glass vial from her pocket and handed it over. Judah received it in Arhil's place and confirmed it contained a green liquid. The vial, about two finger-widths tall, was filled with the green fluid.
"It's the World Tree sap you wanted. A single drop won't have much effect anyway, so feel free to use it all."
"Thanks. I didn't expect the reward upfront."
"I told you, it's thanks for saving the elves. We can give this much to those who worked hard bringing them here. Now, follow me."
Via nodded to the side and walked ahead. The place she led Judah and Arhil to was the inner keep at the center of the first castle. The inner keep's walls were open, and elves were moving about freely—or rather, busily.
Elves passing by greeted Via politely and glanced at the two humans, Judah and Arhil, with expressions mixed with curiosity and interest. There was a hint of hostility, but whether it was offset by their efforts in saving the elves and bringing them to the forest, or because Via was there preventing open enmity, was unclear.
"......"
This must be how a monkey at the zoo feels. If someone had thrown something at him while passing, it would've felt truly pathetic. Burdened by the stares, Arhil shrank back passively, sticking close behind Judah.
They went up to the second floor and entered a room where an elderly elf waited. Seeing the humans Judah and Arhil, he was startled, eyes widening and mouth agape in shock. So flustered, he pointed at them and frantically looked around as if asking someone to explain, but the only elf in the room was Via.
"V-Via! Humans, why are they here?"
"It's a long story, but sorry, will you grab passing elves to ask? Or I can tell you after I finish my business."
"I-I understand. Then... where are you heading?"
"Prepare for Lady Gabriel's temple to the west. We can go right now, right?"
The elderly elf glanced at Arhil and Judah and nodded. His eyes showed unease at the presence of humans.
"Of course. The connection there is always active. Please move to the center of the magic circle."
"Thanks, Jerin. Now, follow me. Don't be afraid."
At Via's urging, Judah and Arhil moved to the center of the magic circle. Standing in the middle, filled with incomprehensible runes and lines, the elderly elf immediately chanted a spell, pouring mana into the circle. Like water flowing through pipes, mana traced the lines, emitting blue light, and when it completed a full circuit—
Wooong!
The ground shook, and brilliant light burst forth. Blinded, Judah squeezed his eyes shut. After about two seconds, the air changed. It had been warm inside the building moments ago, but now a familiar chill swept over his body. Opening his eyes, they were no longer inside but before a massive, ancient temple.
The white marble was grimy from neglect, and unidentified vines climbed the pillars. Looking around, a darkening forest greeted them.
"This is Lady Gabriel's temple, the one you sought. Even elves don't know much about it, so it's amazing a human like you knew. Go inside. Holy water... well, not sure if it qualifies as holy water, but there's a small lake deeper in. That lake is probably the holy water you're after."
"Then Via... no, you? A bit late, but what should I call you?"
Unsure of the honorific, Judah hesitated, but she replied indifferently as if it were no big deal.
"Just call me Via. I don't care for honorifics from a human like you. I'll wait here. It's a temple no one visits much anyway... no need for me to go in, so you two go ahead."
With those words, Judah took the admiring Arhil, who was gazing up at the temple, and entered. The massive doors were open, making entry easy. Peering inside from the entrance, it was pitch dark.
"Wait a sec. I'll light it up soon."
As he reached into <Bag> for a glowing mana stone, flames suddenly ignited in the air at the entrance where Judah and Arhil stood.
Fwoosh-!
The white flames burned without fuel, like will-o'-the-wisps, illuminating the surroundings. As if inviting them in, the flames rose one after another: fwoosh, fwoosh-.
"Holy fire...!"
Arhil murmured softly, staring at the flames. To others, it was an invisible gap—the <Bag> he'd reached into. Judah rolled only his eyes warily before cautiously withdrawing his hand. Instead of the mana stone, a bastard sword was now in his grip.
An old temple might house monsters. These white flames might not be holy fire but something else. Yet they felt truly sacred as Arhil said, unlikely from a monster.
And the open temple doors rumbled... closed on their own. Turning back, he met eyes with Via, startled by the sound. She rushed toward the entrance but bounced off an invisible wall.
Thud!
With that, the doors shut. Fearing more events, Judah moved Arhil behind him and immediately deployed shadows via Shadow Heresy Arts. Under the holy flames, shadows connected, relaying the temple's information to him.
No map markers, no lifeforms detected. Nothing. Inside the temple, only Judah and Arhil.
Judah surveyed the silent temple, broken only by the crackling holy fire. Suspicious, but he decided to proceed.
"Let's go."
"Y-Yes!"
Arhil looked fearful but calmly blessed herself and Judah before walking in. Light filtered through the temple's old windows but wasn't enough to fully illuminate the vast space. The lined holy flames helped, but shadows lingered in corners, heightening unease.
Their footsteps echoed as they ventured deeper. Passing holy flames extinguished behind them, as if their duty done. Looking back revealed only darkness and the sealed door.
After about ten minutes of slow walking, another door appeared, cool air flowing out—not eerie chill, but refreshing like air conditioning on a summer day.
Passing through the corridor to the temple's depths, Judah and Arhil reached a high-ceilinged round chamber open to the sky, with a small lake.
──!
With a flick, the guiding holy flames extinguished all at once. Darkness fell again, and as Arhil hurriedly tried to summon a light orb with holy magic, dazzling light descended over the lake.