Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Chapter 11. The Mage of Mages (6)
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Kwaaaak-!
Who am I? What is this? Where am I?
Here? The village of exiled elves located at the center of the Blue Line Mountains.
Me? The official hero of the Great Ro-Haram Church, who commands prestige as humanity's most legitimate guardian.
Whisper whisper—
“....Hero, more savagely! Like a monster harboring uncontrollable ferocity! Graaang! Wooowaang!”
“No, Lucilla. I'm on my way to negotiate something that'll go down in this race's history with their matriarch or whatever....”
“Every time you grimace, silver coins pour in by the bundle—what does it matter! Come on, pretend you're a clown or a bard, graaang!”
So then, what the hell is this?
Thanks to my efforts emptying my head out in the village outskirts, I managed to free myself somewhat from the harsh allure of the water spirit, but the price was equally brutal.
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“This violates our agreement.... but let's add one more condition.”
“A condition?”
“Bind this beast.”
“Hmm. More lenient than I expected. That won't be hard. We have good rope in our luggage anyway—”
“No. That won't be enough. The forest's branches will handle the binding themselves.”
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And that's how I ended up like this.
My body wrapped like a mummy in thin, tough threads of gold, silver, or clear blue mimicking the forest.
The elves, shocked by my appearance in front of the village, had bound me with their very 'hair.'
My cracked skull had healed, but the dried blood still stained my face and clothes, reeking of iron. I couldn't even wash it off with magic, lest I accidentally reignite the 'mage-like' aura I'd barely suppressed.
Thanks to that, I looked just like the monster mothers warn about at bedtime: 'If you're bad, this scary monster will snatch you away!' My large frame, blood-soaked and intense, plus that bizarre scene at the village entrance, led the elves—overwhelmed—to the ridiculous conclusion of binding me with their toughest, most elastic rope: elf hair.
“It's a human.”
“Wow! First human I've ever seen!”
“Looks so hideous. Did Lady Narim catch it?”
“Maybe it's some kind of evil beast threatening the village.”
And so, entering the village like that resulted in.... as you can see.
I became a total spectacle. Lucilla was thrilled with the bundles of pricey elf hair pouring in, but I'm the one who needs to win these people's hearts and foster friendship between elves and humans. Evil beast threatening the village? Isn't that treating me like those primitive ancient undead outside the barrier?
“....Kids? Uncle's not a bad guy—”
Pababak!
“Control yourself, human! They're just young elves barely over 25! We'll apologize for the insult on their behalf!”
“Imagine the tender sprouts of spring, the dew at dawn, the fresh floral scent carried on the spring breeze! I am at peace, I am at peace, breathe in, breathe out....”
“If you must kill, face us first! Even a messenger of the human god can't slaughter young elves while we just watch....”
No. I just looked. Just looked! And 25 is older than me, you brats!
The elves freaked out like their kids had been exposed to a child serial killer, then started braiding and slicing off their hair to bind me tight.
“Calm the frenzy—don't give in to yourself!”
“No faith, but I'll pray to your god for you, human!”
Around me, elves bustled about like they were handling nuclear fuel rods. Lucilla jotted notes with the world's happiest grin amid the piling hair. The trailing party members pretended not to know me, sightseeing the elf village from afar.
“....A good start is half the battle, they say.”
This mess from the outset promised a rough road ahead.
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“Wait here. I'll inform the matriarch.”
“Just a moment, really just a moment—keep your composure! If you cause trouble here too, we'll have no choice but to kill you....”
“Ah, I won't! I won't! When have I ever caused trouble!”
Yggdrasil left with suspicion-filled eyes to the end, and only then did the party members—who'd been feigning ignorance from a distance—approach me.
“Hmm. An elf village. Quite the sight. Right?”
“Indeed. Many differences from the rumors. Not as hostile to outsiders as thought. Using that precious elf hair as mere tough cord was a shock. They weave it into roofs with leaves or hang little fireflies from it. Isn't elf hair famous as top-grade bowstring? I figured you, Aldrich, as a mage, would be keen on rare materials like that.”
“I asked out of curiosity too—they say freshly cut hair has no real value beyond toughness. Turns out elf bows gain true worth over ages, passing through many hands, constantly exposed to spirits and mana on the string until perfected.”
“Then the human tales of elf-hair bowstrings?”
“Myths. Precisely, it takes an elf using such a bow for 200+ years to make it great, but since stolen bows are made from elf-nurtured trees and hair, people chalked it up to materials. Valuable knowledge. Worth the hard trek.”
“Their food culture talk was fun too! Elves just prefer natural flavors—they eat meat fine. Hunters take only what's needed, return souls to the earth's embrace per rite, then butcher. They knew my spice berries well, so demand exists!
“Pointy-ears generous. Few two-legged things don't scream first seeing Notum. Good pointy-ears. Pretty pointy-ears.”
Damn it. Jealous. I was blocked by savage elf walls, couldn't chat or sightsee, dragged here like this. They toured every corner, talked to elves?
I wanted to see too! Elves! First fantasy race that comes to mind! Those houses like whole trees puffed up, humble stalls on huge branches with little fireflies, especially that village waterway clearly flowing bottom to top just from the sound! Not dragged like a monster!
“Damn. Some get treated like hazardous material and escorted, and you lot had fun?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah. No choice. Heavy mission and all. If you got on their bad side, we'd have to negotiate, so distance was necessary.”
“Gruk. Not useless. Very sacrificially got us into village. Big little human, crazy. Crazy but works well.”
“Right! Proven no magical value, but outsiders don't know? Still rare elf hair—you got us heaps, so hero's innocent. Absolutely!”
“Ugh.”
“....Mark this: if the matriarch frowns at you, scream like a monster and let the elves drag you out. I'll apologize and negotiate for you. Something like, 'Had to borrow even that monster's power to break through this hellhole.' Buys sympathy—could work in our favor. Hmm.... Got any negotiation strategies? You'd have some prepped—share before facing her.”
At Aldrich's question, the professor pondered.
Negotiation. Obviously, I'd planned since departure.
Basic, textbook: Build rapport, offer irresistible terms.
‘Don't know what they want without village details. But I've got a cheat item, right?’
The precious paper scrap still tucked safely in my bosom.
The archbishop's massive-stamped personal apology letter.
These aren't just elves—they're 'exiled' ones. Kicked from safe elf forests, endured human-world hardships, settled here with descendants.
Natural grudge against humans, so tailor to that. If forest elves accept apology, clear past with humans—I'll round up all slave hunters, give them big safe forest land instead of this harsh range, etc.
Party shows it too: half-mute me, werewolf, black mage, troll—all persecuted like elves. Prove we're for racial harmony, not human side. Seemed easiest path....
But crucial [image] for this shattered.
Wanted: 'Good hero crying out for all races to unite against world crisis, belonging nowhere—not fully human or monster.'
Elves see me as: 'Monster afflicted with frenzy, kneeling only under light god's power.'
Already dicey past-history talks, now this.
Worse: Wisest, calmest backup 'Otman Bodler' downed by fatal weakness—water spirit—so only black mage Aldrich for talks.
“For now.... hear what they want first. Hard to decide now.”
“Will that work? What if they want nothing from us?”
“Then what. Kidnap some knowledgeable-looking one.”
If talks fail? No choice. Support troops essential against mutant horde; can't go back empty-handed or game's over.
“....Peace talks?”
“Nah. Exiles, right? Not making them do bad stuff—just guide us. Good deed? Chance for forest-exiled elf to do proud elf work—labor reform or something.”
“No, that's.... inhumane....”
“No better options?”
“Kidnapping's not sharp—it's gouging flesh!”
Mid their nutrient-free bickering, that Yggdrasil elf emerged from a tree-top hut toward us.
“....Follow. Matriarch wishes to receive the guests.”
“Who. Whole party?”
“Yes. Hero's full party, she said. Including.... you.”
Yggdrasil frowned slightly at me, still repulsed. Didn't like a dangerous creature nearing the 'matriarch.'
Following her up vine-twined stairs, squeezing into a gourd-like tree hollow shaded by tendril awning revealed a cozy room lit by warm glow.
“Human envoys.... Rare guests indeed.”
“Uh.... um.... Th-thank you for the welcome....?”
“Spare empty words you don't mean. If you think that's welcome seeing your state, I'll reconsider your barbaric human customs. Sit, hero sent by light's followers.”
The matriarch gestured Yggdrasil to unbind me.
I'd planned to go strong from start, but switched to deference instantly at her sight.
In the old tree hollow, reclining on a protruding branch like one with the tree—Carnel's matriarch.
Her severed arms and legs, long-unremoved eyepatch screamed louder than words.
Of her exile from elf forest, human-world ordeals. Thoughts formed thereby.
“Well? Child blinded by light. Dare say before me that humans and elves can live in harmony?”
Her one remaining eye gleamed with ages-deep light.
....Crunch.
Amid fireflies' chirps, tense elf's bark-chewing echoed in silence.
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