Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Chapter 38 - Plains of the Wind #2
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The group emerged from the submarine tunnel into the inland, and by then it was already deep into the night, long after sunset.
[It worked out better this way. We won't attract any unwanted attention.]
'Yeah, you're right.'
Luther, who had taken the lead to scout for any potential threats, checked the surrounding life signs before turning back to look at Black Tortoise and Mina hiding near the entrance.
Doju had fallen asleep again and was now slung across Mina's back.
"It should be safe to move now."
At Luther's quiet words, Black Tortoise nodded once before swiping his right hand through the empty air.
A black membrane-like barrier enveloped the heads of everyone in the group—it was clearly some kind of stealth field.
[Black Tortoise seems skilled in all sorts of mystical spells.]
Luther nodded again, touching the barrier that felt weightless and intangible, like a hologram, before heading toward the Crystal Palace.
"It won't be far."
Black Tortoise was right.
The place had originally been built by the previous Black Tortoise for travel via the submarine tunnel—the heavenly waterway—so they arrived at the Crystal Palace entrance after just over ten minutes.
[It feels similar to the Wind God Island shelter.]
Integra was spot on.
When Black Tortoise placed his palm on a large boulder, a pitch-black entrance appeared, just like at the Wind God Island shelter.
"Hoo... Let's head inside."
Black Tortoise let out a relieved breath, his tension finally easing, and led the way into the Crystal Palace. Luther gave the surroundings one last scan before following.
The next morning.
After resupplying and resting, Luther exchanged goodbyes with Black Tortoise, Mina, and the dozing Doju Yerang.
"Wish you good fortune."
"Good luck."
"Have a safe trip..."
They spoke in turn: Black Tortoise, Mina, then Doju Yerang, who—evidently not a morning person—bobbed halfway asleep in a clumsy bow.
Luther chuckled at Doju's antics and turned to Black Tortoise.
"If anything dangerous comes up, contact me immediately via communicator."
"Got it. You take care too."
Black Tortoise clutched the palm-sized communicator Luther had given him with both hands, took a deep breath, and looked up at him.
"Could you lower yourself a bit? It might be unnecessary for a heavenly being, but... I want to offer you the divine beast's blessing, humble as it is."
"Understood."
There was no reason to refuse, so Luther crouched down to eye level with Black Tortoise.
Black Tortoise then stood on tiptoe and lightly pressed his lips to Luther's forehead.
"The Black Tortoise's blessing will shield you from malign energies."
He spoke calmly with a gentle smile, though the slight flush at his ear tips betrayed his embarrassment.
[Suspicious.]
[ ulterior motives detected.]
As Integra narrowed her eyes and commented, Luther suppressed a laugh that threatened to escape and bowed to Black Tortoise once more.
"Thank you. I'll be off then."
"Safe travels."
Still crouched, Luther nodded, gave Mina and Doju a quick wave, then exited the Crystal Palace.
[Doju's waving with Mina.]
[What a cute kid.]
Turning at Integra's words, Luther instinctively flashed a bright smile.
Doju waving enthusiastically from her spot was just too adorable.
['And Black Tortoise waving a little beside her.']
But he knew better than to say that aloud. Instead, Luther waved back once before setting off on Schwarz.
[Master, it's quite a distance to the Plains of the Wind.]
[Flying straight there would be faster, but it'd draw too much attention. Better to mix land and air travel like we planned yesterday.]
"Right. Lead the way."
[You got it—trust me!]
Integra activated navigation mode while clinging to Luther's back as he rode.
[By the way, Master, Ashanta Continent seems sharply divided between east and west.]
She wasn't just talking about the terrain, with its plains and deserts more prevalent in the east.
Integra referred to the distribution of races and the Holy Empire's influence.
[The east is mostly centaurs and harpies forming their own tribal nations, while the west has settled elves and dwarves.]
[Must be because the Holy Empire's influence grows stronger the farther west you go.]
"Probably."
Geography played a role too, but the Holy Empire's presence was undoubtedly the biggest factor.
"The elves are essentially assimilated into the empire, but the western tribes aren't."
Luther remembered these details well because playing the eastern arc had been a headache due to these interspecies differences.
[In the original story, Radian was running back and forth east to west to minimize Wild Hunt casualties, right?]
"Yeah. The latter half of the eastern arc is all about evacuating races along the Wild Hunt's projected path."
Saying it aloud now, it really was a frustrating storyline.
Not fighting the Wild Hunt head-on, but just fleeing under that premise was suffocating enough—then piling on the sweet potatoes of stubborn tribes refusing to listen.
[Master, why'd you even play a game like that?]
[Especially one that split the DLC sales like that evil thing?]
"Yeah... why did I?"
He knew the reason already.
It was the prequel to Dragon Hunter 3, which he'd loved so much.
['And it... kinda tugged at the heartstrings.']
The heroes striving toward the light until the very last moment, refusing to yield to despair.
[Anyway, Master—while we're on the topic, where do you think Radian is right now?]
Integra couldn't help worrying about the eastern arc's protagonist.
Especially since this time it was the female lead!
Anne Rose for the west.
Ash for the south.
Their common thread? Both stunning beauties.
"No, that's not the only thing they have in common. They're both kind. Heroes."
[Anyway.]
"Hey?"
[Anyway, Master. Anne Rose and Ash didn't travel with you long, but they both helped resolve the incidents.]
Luther had to concede that point.
Anne Rose had controlled the ancient lizardmen's mud golems, playing a key role against the beast lord. Ash had made major contributions blocking the incomplete tsunami and the sky island debris.
[So wouldn't it help to get acquainted with Radian too?]
"Well... yeah, probably."
Among the four protagonists, Radian boasted the strongest DPS, no question.
Recruiting her as an ally would aid not just against the Wild Hunt, but even the Hecatoncheires.
"But... alright, honestly? I have no idea where she is."
[Pardon?]
"Well... the southern arc wrapped up sooner than expected, so we're way ahead of the original timeline for the east. I don't know what Radian's up to at this point."
He remembered the eastern arc's starting point fine, but not much about Radian's pre-arc backstory.
[Uh... was Radian's story not covered properly in the original?]
"No, it... kinda was. Like backstory flavor text."
[And?]
"I... wasn't that interested, so I didn't memorize it..."
Luther grinned sheepishly, and Integra narrowed her eyes. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat.
"Look, I couldn't have known I'd end up in a world exactly like the game."
[Sigh... fine, nothing to be done.]
[Master's just Master.]
As Integra slumped her shoulders with a sigh, Luther was tempted to ask what "Master is Master" meant but held back.
He could guess.
[Understood.]
[We'll shelve Radian for now and focus on the Yellow Dragon's Shrine Maiden.]
"Yeah. We should cross paths before the Wild Hunt hits."
Integra finally cracked a smile at Luther's words, nodded, and focused on guiding Schwarz.
The next evening,
Luther and Integra arrived at the Plains of the Wind.
* * *
The Plains of the Wind was a vast grassland in eastern Ashanta Continent, bordered above by the Hainsha Mountains and below by the Fertile Plains, known as the land flowing with milk and honey.
On the northern edge of those Plains of the Wind.
A young man sat atop a hill battered by especially fierce winds, gazing at the sunset, before shifting his eyes earthward.
A single horse was galloping across the distant plains.
A wild elf—known even among elves for their affinity with nature—Elio knew nearly every wild animal in the area.
To Elio, the black horse charging in was unmistakably from out of town.
Elio glanced back for agreement, and Elisha—the woman standing behind him, also watching the sunset—nodded slowly.
The wind blew again.
Instead of acting, Elio and Elisha resumed gazing at the sunset. Only when the black horse neared the hill did they steal a glance at it and its rider.
Integra narrowed her brow at their stares.
[Just as you said, Master.]
[Is it... starting?]
Probably.
Luther took a deep breath before slowly guiding Schwarz toward the wild elf pair.
Clop, clop, clop.
The moment the distance between Luther and the elves shrank to about ten meters.
"The wind... is restless today."
The elf youth—Elio—muttered lowly while facing the sunset. The elf woman—Elisha—slowly brushed back her hair.
"The wind... has brought a stranger."
It wasn't real conversation.
Nor directed at Luther.
Practically a soliloquy.
But the kind meant to be overheard.
Proof? Right after speaking, they glanced over while pretending not to look.
Luther swallowed dryly and turned to face the sunset as well.
Wild elves.
He already knew their culture. He'd anticipated this scenario, even prepared the lines.
He could do this.
He had to.
Steeling himself, Luther faced the sunset and delivered his line in a trembling, theatrical voice.
"I am... the wind's wanderer... who follows the wind."
[Pfft!]
Integra burst out laughing the instant he finished.
Luther understood.
['Fuck...']
Embarrassing.
Excruciatingly so.
Integra laughing outright beside him made it worse.
[Haha, but lololol M-Master as the w-wind's lol wanderehehe]
Integra was rolling on the ground, practically hyperventilating. Luther bit his lip, questioning himself.
Was this really necessary?
He knew wild elf customs well enough, but did he have to play along?
Fortunately, it seemed effective.
The elves watching the sunset reacted.
[Haa, haa, ha...]
[Congratulations, Master. They're eating it up.]
Indeed.
Pleased with Luther's response, the elves—fighting back grins to maintain cool expressions—finally turned to him.
Elisha spoke first.
"You have a fine sense of flair."
No mockery—sincere.
She even looked a tad moved.
[...An outsider who plays along with their chuuni culture? Natural reaction.]
Integra nailed it.
The seated youth—Elio—stood and extended a hand to Luther atop Schwarz.
"Welcome, wind's wanderer. I am Elio, watcher of the wind. This is Elisha, seer of the wind."
"Pleased to meet you, wind's wanderer."
When abroad, winning over locals was always advantageous.
In that sense, Luther's first encounter with the wild elves was a resounding success.
['But why does it feel like I'm about to cry?']
He knew why.
Suppressing it, Luther took a deep breath, dismounted Schwarz, and clasped Elio's hand.
"I am Yuno, from the west."
Using a pseudonym to dodge any Hecatoncheires eyes, Luther introduced himself. Elio nodded slowly.
"Wind's wanderer Yuno, welcome once more."
"Welcome."
Amid Elio and Elisha's warm reception—
Luther wished they'd drop the "wind's wanderer" bit, but he composed himself instead.
This was just the beginning.
"Come. To our village, where the wind lingers."
"The wind will guide us."
A wild elf village teeming with more like Elio and Elisha.
Luther managed an awkward smile in response and swallowed hard, steeling his resolve.