Journey to the Elf Holy Kingdom
"Thank you for your cooperation, Hunter Lee Se-yeon."
"Sure~"
I handed Lee Ho-jin over to Ha-eun and the team alongside her, receiving my payment. Afterward, we stopped by a café for a bit.
Where to next? First things first, let's check the money.
Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand... Heh heh heh...
◈ After taxes and split with Ha-eun
After taxes and splitting it with Ha-eun, what I ended up with was 100 million won. Hunters really are the best. When you properly complete a commission like this, the cash just pours in. Yeah, this is living...
"Unnie, you look so happy."
"Look at the amount, the amount! Getting 100 million all at once doesn't even feel real. Isn't being a hunter just way too OP?"
Ha-eun let out a soft chuckle and handed me my coffee.
"Not every hunter makes this much. That was an A-rank hunter's bounty, too—most B-ranks and below couldn't even dream of it."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Um... usually, D-rank and below hunters live paycheck to paycheck."
So you have to hit C-rank before you really feel like a proper hunter, huh.
"What was that guy's name again? Lee Ho-jin? What happens to him now?"
"Mm... he'll go to trial, and they'll decide his sentence."
"Yeah? Hm, somehow I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again soon."
"Pardon?"
"Just a hunch."
With that, I pulled out the World Tree's Leaf hanging around my neck once more to take a look.
"Oh yeah, you remember what we talked about earlier? With the elves."
"Ah, right."
"I don't exactly have warm fuzzy feelings toward elves... but maybe I should go anyway? Our home worlds are different, after all."
In fact, I've been backstabbed by elves three times. Those pointy-eared bastards are seriously shady.
"Mm... but elves are more human-friendly than other races..."
"I'm not human. I'm a dragon."
"I-if you're that worried, want me to come with...?"
"Maybe I will. Let me shoot a message."
Elves don't usually let other races into their lands. Just stepping foot there supposedly pollutes their soil or some nonsense... That's the kind of mindset they have.
"But they're just giving away the treasure like that?"
"Something about improving interspecies relations. Sounds like they ultimately want to ask me for a favor."
Of course, I don't mind either way. As long as I get the treasure, who cares? A straight-up heist wouldn't fly well in modern society anyway. A clean, legal deal leaves no loose ends.
"I'll check with the Association too."
"Yeah. Oh, and Ha-eun."
"Yes?"
I looked at Ha-eun and flashed a smile. She must've sensed something ominous because her shoulders twitched, and she started to bolt from her seat.
"U-unnie, I need to use the bathroom real quick..."
I grabbed her.
"Contract time?"
"Eek...!"
Unfortunately, no contract this time either. What a shame.
I really want to polish this rough gem into something shiny ASAP.
A few days passed.
Receiving that message, I packed my bags like I was heading off on an overseas vacation. The Association had only just approved it yesterday, so Ha-eun was apparently scrambling to pack last night too.
"Terra."
"Yes."
"So this is what luggage looks like?"
"That's right."
Her bag was stuffed full of dirt... Did she seriously just pack soil?
"Couldn't fit the computer, though."
"What the... Anyway, you need to cut back on gaming."
"Pardon?! W-what do you mean...?"
"You've barely been sleeping lately. You won't grow if you keep this up."
"B-but...!"
Lately, she's been totally hooked on RPGs. It's worrying seeing her play non-stop without rest. What if she forgets she's even a dragon? Should I send her to school? She could use some social skills... Nah, that might be tough.
"Anyway, pack some clothes too. Don't just wear the same thing every day—where are your other outfits?"
"This one's comfy!"
"Sigh..."
That was my boxy tee I bought for lounging. She stole it from me. But snatching it back from a kid feels wrong...
Shaking my head at the sight, I took Terra and headed to the rendezvous point.
But...
"So this is luggage, right?"
"Yeah."
"Haa... Unnie... Who packs only clothes...?"
"...Isn't clothes all you need?"
This feels like a huge scam. What else am I supposed to pack besides clothes...?
"No cosmetics? No hygiene stuff? At least wet wipes?"
"Uh... I don't use that stuff?"
"..."
"D-dragons don't need that!"
Cosmetics? I've never even tried them.
"Let's just go already, okay? We're in a hurry. Don't look at me like that."
"Haa... Fine."
Any longer and the nagging would've continued, so I pushed her back and got us moving.
How much time passed after we set off? Maybe out of boredom, Ha-eun tossed a question my way.
"By the way, what were the elves like in the world you used to live in, unnie?"
"Where I lived? Mm... Just your typical pointy-ears."
"P-pointy-ears...?"
"Yeah. Arrogant as hell, looking down on other races. Backstabbing like it's breathing."
"...Dragons look down on other races too, don't they?"
I narrowed my eyes at Ha-eun. What does this girl think dragons are?
"N-no, right...?"
"We don't hold other races in high regard, but we acknowledge what's worth acknowledging."
"I see..."
"Look at me! I'm living just fine in human society!"
"That's 'cause it's you, unnie..."
Anyway, elves were a different breed. They flaunted their racial superiority, scammed other races left and right, then stabbed their benefactors in the back. And after all that, they'd threaten for money. Talk about species hate—no one hates their own kind more.
"There was this one time—they showed up at my lair out of nowhere demanding I invade the dwarf kingdom."
"I-invade...?"
"Yeah. And their 'payment'? Some human woman they'd kidnapped."
"..."
"Do I look like an animal to them? Like I'd pounce on any woman they dangled? That's why they ended up captured and sold into slavery instead."
Ha-eun asked cautiously.
"...So what happened?"
"What else? Told 'em to get lost if they didn't wanna die. Handed the humans over to the Empire. I don't need anything that's not treasure or useful."
Terra, who was fiddling with her phone in the back seat, flinched at that.
...She's really been watching her step around me.
"Anyway, Earth's elves ended up with a Holy Kingdom too. Probably the same shady types."
"Still... they get along with humans, so maybe they're different?"
"Who knows. Have you ever met an elf?"
"Umm... Once, back when I was D-rank. As a party archer..."
"What was that elf like?"
Ha-eun paused, digging through her memories, then spoke softly.
"They liked mushrooms...?"
"...Mushrooms?"
After driving nearly three hours, we arrived at the Taebaek Mountains, where a direct road led straight to the Elf Holy Kingdom. Elves and asphalt—such an odd combo.
"Halt. This is elven territory from here on. State your purpose."
As we reached the checkpoint, an elf with a golden bow slung over her back approached us. I showed her the emblem BountifulHarvest had sent ahead and the World Tree's Leaf.
"You must be the visitors scheduled for today. We'll need to do a quick inspection of your belongings. Do you consent?"
"Yes."
"Also, vehicles aren't allowed from here. We'll hold yours for you."
The elf's gaze flicked to my horns and tail, twitching ever so slightly.
"Something wrong?"
"...Nothing at all."
Nothing my ass. That stare was sticky. It couldn't be my looks—elves are mostly female anyway, and blondes are a dime a dozen. So it had to be my racial traits that caught her eye.
Clack—we got out of the car, unpacked our bags, and submitted to the inspection. We could get the details inside anyway.
"Ha-eun, it's a belongings check—should I strip too?"
"Y-yes?!"
"What? They might ask."
I'd been bored, so I was just teasing Ha-eun a bit.
"What's with this bag full of dirt...?"
"Dirt...? Let me see."
Some elves were eyeing Terra's bag suspiciously. But...
"What? It's literally just dirt?"
"Weird..."
"That kid looks like a little girl."
"Aw, cute."
"Cute? She's a lizard in the end."
...Lizard? Did they just call Terra a lizard?
I hear it sometimes during streams, sure... But that's just casual chat spam online—we let it slide. Saying it to our faces in real life? That's crossing a line. Did they think we couldn't hear? Or did they say it loud on purpose?
Either way, if they were trying to get under my skin, mission accomplished.
This is why I hate pointy-ears—
"You lot—care to repeat what you just said in front of your honored guests?"
"Ah!... U-um..."
"My apologies. Please forgive their rudeness. They're new recruits, not fully trained yet. I'll make sure they learn properly."
Just as I was about to snap at the elves in my head and out loud, the elf with the golden bow bowed deeply to us.
"..."
"Inspection complete. Please follow me to the reception room."
"By the way, what's your name?"
"Narsil."
"Narsil... Got it. Let's go, Ha-eun."
With that, we passed the checkpoint. Ha-eun let out a relieved sigh, maybe from the tension.
"Unnie, you okay?"
"Not thrilled, but they at least know when to back off?"
The elves I knew would've started with outright insults. This is progress.
"You held it together well too, Terra."
"...Because you told me to before, Goldie-nim."
"Good job."
She's come a long way too. Dragons over elves any day.
"Whoa... Unnie, look at that. Is that...?"
"Yeah. The World Tree."
As we entered the city proper, the World Tree—cloaked in concealment magic—slowly revealed itself. The overwhelming scent of treasure. Even peeling off a bit of that bark would count as loot, right?
"Unnie."
"Hm?"
"Wipe your drool. What on earth are you thinking...?"
"Got a question: I wonder what World Tree tastes like?"
"Whaaat?!"
Gems all have their unique flavors, you know. Not that I can actually eat them...
Smacking my lips oddly, we followed the guide through the castle gates next. A pristine white castle, elegant and refined. Not huge, but elven knights armed with longswords stood guard everywhere, adding to its majesty. How the hell did they build this in the Taebaek Mountains? Must've cost a fortune.
"Goldie-nim."
"Yeah?"
"Look at that."
On our way to the reception room, Terra pointed to a painting in the middle of the corridor.
"Hm."
I glanced over. An elf swordsman clashing with a red dragon.
"What's that?"
"Um..."
"Bothered? Eh... Other races love turning dragon-slaying tales into myths."
"...I see."
"Don't read too much into it. Means they fear us that much."
Terra gave a complicated look. Makes sense—it's hard for a newbie to human society to get it.
"It's a portrait of Hero Kairan. As you said, a scene from our elven myths—slaying a dragon."
A voice called out, and we turned. An elf in a flowing white dress approached with graceful steps. Narsil bowed deeply upon seeing her.
From the context, she must be...
"An honor to meet you. I am Queen Silvaria, the unworthy first child of my mother."
BountifulHarvest, huh. Hm, but...
Even so, proudly declaring they slew a dragon right to our faces... That's bold.