Chapter 325
Chapter 325
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 325
Chapter Title: Chapter 8-1. The Land of the Dragonkin, Reillysa.
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"That’s…"
"Would you recognize it?"
It wasn’t said out of any desire to boast. He had simply mentioned it to check if they knew what the token was. The elves, seeing the token, nodded in astonishment, their expressions confirming that the Elven Queen’s words had been true. They alternated their gazes between the token and Judah, as if unable to believe a human possessed such a thing. The elf with hand marks still visible on her neck looked at Judah with tears yet to dry and bowed her head.
"A token made from the bark of the World Tree… We have committed an unforgivable sin against the benefactor of our race."
The other elves bowed their heads as well, their apologies sincere. Judah felt a bit awkward at their actions.
"It’s fine. More importantly, could you tell me why you shot arrows at me? Just because I’m human?"
Judah asked with a smile, not a hint of anger in his voice. Celine couldn’t understand why Judah was being so kind to them. Still, she felt relieved deep down that he intended to spare them. Killing those who remembered her past self would have left a bitter taste, after all. Celine watched as the elf shook her head vigorously in denial at Judah’s question.
"No, not at all."
"Then?"
"You might think it’s an excuse, but we believed the benefactor was a dark mage."
Dark mage?
Judah was taken aback by the sudden mention of a dark mage. There were no quests in Reillysa involving dark mages. The dark mages’ stronghold had been limited to Avark Island, adjacent to the second continent, with almost no connections to the first continent except Baekje.
'Hmm. Something’s definitely going on.'
His interest piqued. Something he didn’t know about was happening. Judah knelt down to meet the eye level of the elf still on her knees.
"Could you tell me more?"
The elf stammered, unaccustomed to Judah suddenly drawing so close.
"W-well… We don’t know the details, but first off, the dark mages are humans, and they’ve been going around burying something underground."
Judah nodded. From a distance, digging for herbs could certainly look like burying something. It was understandable to mistake it. Moreover, this place bordered the Blazing Lands and rarely saw humans, so viewing Judah with suspicion wasn’t all that strange. The elf continued.
"What they buried were stones filled with unpleasant mana. They seemed to be processed magic stones, inscribed with magic we couldn’t decipher at all. I’m not sure if it’s related, but lately, demonic beasts have been spilling over from the Dragon’s Valley…"
"Wait. Demonic beasts coming from the Dragon’s Valley?"
Celine interrupted, sensing something off, and asked again. The elf replied with a voice full of conviction.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Celine’s eyes narrowed briefly at the word "Your Majesty."
"That can’t be. The dragons living in the Dragon’s Valley wouldn’t just let demonic beasts roam free."
"I don’t know about that, but what’s certain is that demonic beasts frequently cross from the Dragon’s Valley, and strange phenomena keep occurring in Reillysa—like a fog of darkness settling over the land. On days when the darkness descends, even dragonkin with high anti-magic resistance often fall into a trance-like lethargy. The only ways to avoid its influence are to carry a holy relic imbued with the mana of Holy King Yophiel or Lord Sian, receive a priest’s blessing, or take shelter inside a temple."
"……"
"We were out hunting those dark mages we suspected as the culprits and searching for the mana stones they buried. This forest has been our home for a long time, after all."
The elf answered clearly and lifted her head to gaze at Celine, who stood behind Judah. Her eyes sparkled with an intensity that felt burdensome.
"I’m truly sorry for the late greeting, but we wholeheartedly welcome Your Majesty Celine’s return. Many have missed you."
She seemed unconcerned about having her throat gripped by Celine moments ago, nearly dipping her toes into the Jordan River, sending a gaze full of faith.
But Celine’s expression was poor. The title of queen felt foreign to her. And by her own judgment, she could no longer call herself the queen of the dragonkin.
"I’m… not the queen."
"…Pardon?"
The elf raised her head as if she’d heard something unbelievable, her eyes wide with genuine shock.
"I’m not qualified."
"What do you mean by that?"
Celine fell silent. This elf, who claimed to have seen her from afar, must have visited before the fragment fell on Reillysa.
Otherwise, she couldn’t have survived the land turning into the <Otherworld> as Requiem rampaged. Few in this world knew what had turned the once-great empire of Reillysa into the Blazing Lands, or why its countless dragonkin and other races had vanished as if wiped out.
"If Your Majesty insists, then we shall address you as Princess. You plan to head to Reillysa like this, yes?"
"……"
"The current king of Reillysa is Esther Theo."
"!"
Celine reacted with startled surprise at the elf’s words.
"Is that true?"
"I wouldn’t dare lie to Your Highness. If the queen—no, the princess—knows you’ve returned alive, she’ll surely be overjoyed. I believe the dark atmosphere in Reillysa will surely brighten with hope."
"Ah…!"
Celine’s expression shifted rapidly. Esther Theo was her father, the king before she became queen. He had left for the Dragon’s Valley just days before the fragment fell, which allowed him to survive when Requiem rampaged and the old Reillysa turned into the Blazing Lands.
"Ju, Judah. Then the one you said was waiting for me…"
"Yeah."
As if seeking confirmation since she couldn’t believe the elf, Celine turned to Judah, who nodded. Her eyes reddened, on the verge of tears.
But her excitement was fleeting. She swallowed hard and let out a sigh. Did she even have the right to meet her father? What face could she show him?
No matter what anyone said, she was the one responsible for the fall of the once-prosperous empire.
If she hadn’t succumbed to the fragment’s temptation that day and had succeeded in sealing it, the dragonkin and other races wouldn’t be confined to this narrow land.
Even now, a century later, they would have lived far more advanced and prosperous lives. Such thoughts made her momentarily question whether she should follow Judah to Reillysa. Watching the silent Celine, Judah thanked the elf instead.
"Thanks for the good info."
"Not at all. We’re more grateful that the benefactor forgave us for shooting arrows at you. If it’s not too rude, may I ask… what your relationship is with the pr… princess?"
It was suspicious rather than merely curious that she, once queen of the dragonkin, used honorifics toward a human, while the human spoke to her casually. Even with the World Tree token granted to those who bestowed great favor upon their race, doubts lingered.
Perhaps he was a dragon in disguise, hiding his identity.
"He is the one who saved me."
Before Judah could respond, Celine answered. Not just saved, but "saved" in the sense of salvation. What had happened in the meantime? The elf’s curiosity grew, but she didn’t dare pry. She simply nodded as if to say, "I see."
"If the princess permits, we’d be honored to escort you to Reillysa."
"No, we’ll find our own way. You all continue with what you were doing here."
"Very well. If that’s the princess’s will, so be it. Then we shall take our leave."
"Alright. Ah, wait. You stay."
Only the elf with the bruises on her neck remained. Celine approached the puzzled elf, gathered mana in her hand, and healed her. The scabbed wounds from nails digging in healed, and the vivid hand marks faded. As the treatment progressed, the elf spoke up.
"May I presume to say something?"
"Sure."
"Long ago, when I saw Your Majesty from afar, you were so dazzling. Beautiful, stately, magnificent, full of dignity. But now, your face is shadowed, as if you’re blaming yourself for something. I hope it’s my mistake, but if not, I wish you’d be as proud as you once were. I admired that queen and missed her. Not just me—everyone who remembers you felt the same."
The healing was complete. The elf stood, bowing deeply to Celine in respect.
"Once more, welcome back, Your Majesty. Seeing your face and exchanging words was a childhood dream, and I’ve fulfilled it today. With some intense skinship too. Hehe."
The elf touched her neck and smiled softly. Then, placing a hand over her chest toward Judah, she greeted him.
"I apologize once more for the offense to the benefactor and entrust the queen to your care. As ordered, we’ll take our leave."
With those words, the elf retraced her steps in the direction she came.
========== Author's Notes ==========
1) Ah, my back. Did I sleep wrong at dawn? Is a herniated disc coming?
2)
Q1. Isn’t Reillysa’s fall kinda the queen’s fault? (If she hadn’t been backstabbed during the seal…) And survivors from back then are still around, so won’t she get dragged off as a criminal like this? lol
A. Lololol… Honestly, shouldn’t the disaster caused by the fragment be seen as a natural calamity?
Q2. By the way, do the elves living in Reillysa prioritize the Elven Queen or the Dragonkin Queen?
A. Elves prioritize the World Tree! Reillysa and elven lands are completely far apart, so I’ve never thought about who they prioritize…
Q3. Noble or support coupon—which do you prefer?
A. I like both. Hahaha!
Q4. Can’t you induce coupons a bit? Why crush the author’s spirit! Is it okay to kill?
A. No, unfair! I didn’t induce! Waaah. Who asked that as a question…
Q5. 1 chapter per coupon?
A. No no no, even if I want to do mass releases, the writing doesn’t flow continuously… I can’t keep promises.
Q6. Was Esther Celine famous before eating the fragment?
Usually, people know a princess’s name but not her exact appearance, right?
A. I must’ve confused you by alternating queen and princess. Esther Celine inherited the throne from princess to queen of the dragonkin in the past… but the empire fell to the fragment, leaving her a queen in name only. Plus, as mentioned this chapter, Celine denies being queen, and since Reillysa now has a king, princess is used.
Treat princess = queen for viewing. She didn’t marry, of course.
Q7. Not writing more?
A. I did. Off to lie down because my back hurts.