Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Komora
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Saf's voice reached him faintly.
Jade opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a ceiling that looked like it was made of leather, but upon closer inspection, it was tree bark. It wasn't pieced together from multiple pieces of bark; it was a single sheet. And it even formed a round dome shape.
A small oil lamp hung from the ceiling. But looking closely, it wasn't oil burning; powder-like particles floated inside a glass bottle, emitting an orange glow.
The bed he lay on was softer than any he'd ever experienced. Wondering what kind of straw could be piled to make it this plush, he touched it and found it was just a rectangular wooden plank. The wood itself was soft and yielding.
Jade sat up. It hurt so much that he wanted to collapse back down, but he endured it, fearing that if he fell here, he'd never rise again.
Saf heard Jade's groan and opened the door shaped like a leaf.
"You're awake?"
Saf wore clean white cloth garments with a headscarf that covered only the top of her head. The clothes were a bit loose, but they fit her body perfectly without any strings or buttons—an unusual and luxurious outfit.
In contrast, Jade had on brown pants and a brown shirt. They looked like clothes someone had made in bulk to dress rag dolls.
"Where...?"
"The home of Sage, the wise one of the Dark Forest."
"Sage?"
As Jade muttered, a young woman's voice came from beyond the door.
"If you can walk, come out. We've been talking about you."
Jade mustered his strength and stood.
Saf supported him.
"How long was I out?"
"About an hour."
"Only that? It felt like ten days..."
Jade checked the bandage wrapped around his side. It was a leaf. But tougher and tighter than the linen bandages he knew.
"You'll have to stick to thin gruel for a while. It'll hurt every time you walk. Your internals were damaged, and that's the best we could do for now."
Saf spoke as if it were her fault.
"How long is 'a while'?"
Jade asked.
"Well, about three days?"
"That's enough? The moment that branch pierced my gut, I thought even if I survived, I'd be on gruel for at least three years."
The living room had three more lamps than the bedroom, making it three times brighter. Though it was night outside, this place was lit like daytime.
At the wooden table in the living room sat an orc man with black skin and an elf woman with white skin. Sitting next to the massive orc made the elf look as thin as a stick. And she seemed incredibly distant.
"Without Saf's treatment, it might not have been three years but a lifetime."
Sage smiled and pointed to the seat beside her.
"Sit. You have a lot to tell us."
Jade staggered over and sat, startled by the sensation under his buttocks. He'd thought it was a round wooden chair, but it was as soft as the bed.
"What is this?"
"A chair."
Sage replied as if asking why he'd question something so obvious.
"It feels like it's stuffed with cotton."
"It's carved from the branches of the Lubong tree. Only branches from trees that died of old age give this texture. Lucky, huh? If young Lubong trees had this feel, even elves who cherish forest trees would have driven them to extinction."
Sage poured tea from a brown pot into a brown cup and offered it to Jade.
"Drink. It'll settle your stomach."
Jade took a cautious sip and marveled.
"Good aroma."
"It's good for the body too. Removes poison."
At the word "poison," Jade thought of Ruby.
"Is Ruby okay?"
"We treated her. But whether she'll wake up... who knows."
At Sage's response, Saf added,
"Hohom has stabilized. But Dukuboa poison can worsen suddenly even when things seem calm. So we can't relax yet."
Jade wanted to check on Ruby immediately, but Sage spoke first.
"Now, shall we get to the story? They're still marching on Heldra the Taymon even now."
"What story?"
Jade asked, a bit guarded.
"We were talking about what happened in the Kuman Plains up to now."
Saf said.
Without realizing it, Jade's tone sharpened.
"How far did you get?"
When Saf hesitated, Sage quickly interjected.
"Saf said you're a Kaitelic priest who can use Light of Annihilation, Ruby's an angel imprisoned in the Red Desert for 500 years, and she's a priest who can use Light of Healing. And that while heading 'somewhere' for 'something,' you eliminated a demon named Ramatus nicknamed Goatking in the Kuman Plains, then chased the Tyrant into the Dark Forest—but she wouldn't say why you're going 'somewhere.'"
Jade nodded.
"I got sharp. Forgive me. It's not something to boast about."
Meruld spoke in a thick, steady voice.
"Doesn't matter where you're going or what for."
Meruld had been silently drinking tea since Jade entered the living room. His hands were so large that his cup looked twice the size of Jade's, yet it seemed like a child's plaything in his grip.
"We need your power, Jade. Help me out."
"I want details on the situation—what we're jumping into."
"Did saving your life not suffice?"
Meruld said coldly, and Sage shot him a smiling glare.
"Are you trying to order him, 'I saved you, so blindly jump into this death trap'?"
Sage refilled Meruld's empty cup as she continued.
"Intimidation doesn't get true help. And mages don't wield real power without heartfelt will."
"I'm not a mage."
Jade said.
"Then let's call you a warrior bearing weapons of light."
Sage chuckled softly, then pressured Meruld with another smile.
"Meruld. Explain."
"Fine."
Meruld grumbled, took a sip of tea first. The way he drank was elegant, like a Rom noble sipping wine. All the more ridiculous.
"No time, so I'll explain quickly. The Dark Forest has been peaceful for the last few centuries."
"What about the Rom Empire invasion three hundred years ago?"
Jade asked.
Meruld snorted.
"That didn't even reach Elf Forest. Old Sage here and I handled it alone."
"I barely did anything. Don't lump me in."
Sage waved it off like swatting a fly, adding,
"And Elf Forest elves aren't entirely unaware. After that, humans feared the Dark Forest, trade stopped. But elves liked it. Humans were annoying, always trading junk for valuables."
Jade wanted to ask more about the trade, but Meruld moved on.
"The peace broke three years ago when Buffalord appeared. At first, just thought it was some weirdo. To check, I lightly shot two arrows into its leg and arm."
Meruld slammed his hand down as if to crush the teacup, but set it down silently.
"It fled in that state. I had no choice but to arrow its nape—and it still didn't die. Looking back, that was my last chance to kill it. Since then, it never faced me head-on. Not once in three years!"
His massive build and fierce looks belied gentle gestures. He raised his voice occasionally but soon calmed to a low tone.
It had been at least three years since Jade last heard ancient tongue—Elven—from Father Danel. Digesting a long tale suddenly wasn't easy.
But Meruld's pronunciation was as clear as a linguist's, grammar textbook-perfect, making it easy for Jade.
Saf seemed to think the same, praising mid-speech.
"Your voice and pronunciation are a pleasure, Meruld."
"Thanks."
Meruld replied casually.
Sage giggled.
"Careful. Meruld shook the hearts of many elf maidens—a real charmer. Human girls probably same. Especially young ones. Once close, he's so tender."
"Not arguing the many points, but no time."
Meruld glared briefly at Sage before continuing.
"After that, those monsters you saw started appearing everywhere. They rampaged, destroying forest, killing beasts indiscriminately. I don't interfere in Dark Forest incidents as long as the ecosystem self-regulates. Carnivores eating herbivores, sick animals eaten by rats, corpses fertilizing soil—all natural law. Today's dead beast purifies its soul and reincarnates—herbivore to carnivore, carnivore to insect..."
As Meruld waxed philosophical, Sage cut in.
"No time to rebut my truths, but time for your boring philosophy?"
Meruld returned to the point.
"...But these things killed beasts without eating, smashed trees meaninglessly, muddied ponds. They weren't part of the forest. I started hunting them. But problem."
"They don't die?"
Jade asked.
"Yes. I experimented various ways. Decapitation killed some, not others. Arrow-riddled like porcupines survived some, others died from choking..."
Meruld crossed his arms. His thick forearms' movement intimidated Jade.
"One or two, fine—but too many for individual tests. Needed common kill method. So I asked Old Sage for help."
Meruld passed to Sage.
"Taymon elves gradually realized severity, came to me. They called these monsters 'Komora,' asked how to fight."
Sage spoke frustratingly slowly.
"Oh, Taymon's an elf city about 90 'shifon' from here. Just in case, shifon is 12 'dufon.' Dufon is 12 'fon.'"
Meruld chided.
"Meaningless to humans, old lady."
"You try."
"One shifon is how far a kampion runs in an hour."
"That confuses more? They rode kampion once—how'd they know the distance? Plus first time in Dark Forest, no sense of scale."
"No need for exact units!"
As they bickered, Jade intervened.
"Better if I ask."
Sage crossed arms, nodded at Meruld.
"Ask him. He'll nitpick if I explain."
"Nit'pick'!"
Meruld narrowed eyes, glaring. Scary just from expression, but Sage smirked.
Jade said,
"First, Komora."
Meruld answered.
"Not my name. I called 'em those monsters. Taymon mages said existing beasts transformed, named Komora. Now I use it too."
"Beasts transformed...? Like Kuman Plains wildlife."
"Feed 'em some orb, turn normal animals to monsters. Found and destroyed Komora factory in forest corner a month ago. Too late. Heldra completed by then. Factory was Heldra experiment lab from start."
Jade nodded, continued.
"Shifon unit?"
"Reach of shifon tree roots. Ancient tree north of Elf Forest, mythic from dawn of time."
Meruld scratched chin.
"Human terms: about a third of a mile. Yes. One shifon is one-third mile."
"Then dufon?"
"Shifon trunk diameter. 12 dufon one shifon."
"One fon one-twelfth dufon?"
"Right."
Meruld nodded emphatically.
Sage interjected.
"Anciently, one shifon was shifon height—about 4 dufon. But mathematicians found diameter exactly one-twelfth root reach, unit changed."
Meruld quietly fumed.
"Too much for newbie. Old lady always expands!"
"No exact measures in world. And shifon stopped growing? Still changes slightly, bigger or smaller."
"Units are social convention—stick to it. Jade hasn't lived in elf society years; half-day in Dark Forest, nitpick like you, he'll quit before learning. Like grammar before listening practice."
"Hey, listen—mention shifon ecology and myth, now you'll choke me!"
Sage turned away in a huff. Jade asked again.
"Kampion 'one-hour run' means time units same as ours? Base-12 and base-60?"
"Of course? Ancient human merchants used base-12 with elves. Time: day two 12-hours, hour 60 parts—like currency. You base-10 still use base-12 time? Weird."
"Social convention, as you said. Got it."
Jade nodded to continue.
Meruld momentarily puzzled.
"Where was I?"
"Asking Sage about killing Komora."
Jade prompted.
Meruld recalled.
"...Old Sage found nothing either."
Sage burst.
"Summarizing my efforts like that! You detailed every arrow at Buffalord!"
Meruld fired back.
"What? Detail my blood-soaked experiments severing rabbit heads that wriggled separately?"
"At least say other Taymon mages failed, came to me—if I don't know, no elf does. They'll think I did nothing!"
"You did nothing."
"Not true! Can't kill them—that's key result. Not normal lifeforms! Useless to fight-only brute like you."
Jade sided with Sage.
"Human thinking: simple. Demons, so not normal lifeforms. Like that."
Sage beamed.
"Yes! That's it."
Meruld ignored, concluded.
"Demon, Komora—naming difference. One conclusion: burn them. Complete combustion kills all Komora. No revivals from ashes yet."
"Poison works too."
Sage pointed to Ruby's room.
"Dunk in Dukuboa poison like hit Ruby—one hour melts Komora frog."
"Problem: size. Rabbit or wolf size, my magic arrows can burn. But rhino-sized like you saw— one arrow not enough."
Jade asked Meruld.
"Burned the Tyrant?"
"Needs multiple arrows. Limited carry, long to make. And rhino Komora not one or two. Needed other weapons."
Sage took over.
"After realizing Komora 'demons,' found method. Ancient docs: demon weapons kill demons."
Saf cautiously.
"Demon weapons... like Buffalord's scythe?"
"Dunno. Had chain-sickle and more—not all seem demon weapons."
Meruld continued.
"Can't confirm till I take and test one."
"Told you then, now: don't use demon weapons. Records abound of elves corrupted, becoming enemies. Rabbit gains demon power, kills ten soldiers? You fall, Elf Forest ends."
"Won't happen. Just need fighting method."
During their talk, Jade realized their conclusion.
"So you need my Demon Annihilation Light?"
Sage instantly.
"Yes. Light magic only rare chosen humans use. But modern humans abandoned magic choosing Kaitelic faith—couldn't find mage."
Saf tremulously.
"Because of Kaitelic?"
"Your faith rejects all worldly. As angels taught."
Sage sneered.
Jade steered from religion.
"You need my Annihilation for battle. Size mention for Heldra?"
Meruld agreed, immediate.
"Can you help? Won't deny dangerous."
"Will."
Jade shook head after.
"No—I'm here for more."
"More?"
"If you know the demon name I'm thinking, speeds things."
Jade tested.
"I do. But urgent—Heldra first. Then..."
Meruld narrowed eyes at Jade—not anger.
"...talk Kaoking together."