Chapter 207
Chapter 207
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 207
Chapter Title: Souls, and Souls (7)
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-Kyung!
Argos, who had arrived before me, let out a fierce bark. He was chasing away the dark shadows emanating from the Crows. The shadows that had been clinging to Lewis's body scattered as soon as Argos bared his sharp fangs and snarled savagely, vanishing completely moments later.
Around Lewis lay the corpses of Crows that had been pierced by the arrows I fired and fallen. I scattered Black Ivy seeds over the Crow bodies rolling on the ground and activated [Breath of the Forest]. In an instant, Black Ivy vines sprouted, wrapping around and devouring the Crow corpses. As a plant that grows from monster remains and feeds on 'mana' as nourishment, the Black Ivy quickly dissolved the Crow bodies into the vines.
"Lewis!"
I examined the fallen Lewis. His mouth was smeared with the blood he had vomited, and the massive wound piercing his abdomen looked extremely grave. This was beyond what my [Wound Healing] or [Forest Healing] could handle. Potions wouldn't help either. Even if we rushed him to a temple right now, I wasn't sure he could be saved.
'......The important thing is that he's still alive.'
Placing my hand under his nose, I could feel faint breathing. Surviving such a wound was impressive in itself. I moved my hand from under his nose to his pierced abdomen.
Was it because of the unexpected turn of events? My hand trembled uncontrollably, pathetically so.
'Stay calm, Theodor. What's done is done.'
The fist-sized puncture wound in Lewis's stomach was irreversible. Panicking in shock would do nothing in this situation.
'I'll do what I can.'
First, I cast [Wound Healing] and [Forest Healing] on Lewis. [Forest Healing] drew vitality from surrounding lifeforms to maximize healing power, making it especially effective in a place like this 'forest.' As the Sequoia trees' vitality flowed into Lewis's body, I rummaged through my pouch, pulled out gray clawweed, crushed it, and applied it to the wound. Then I wrapped it with royju leaves and cast a simple healing ritual.
By the time I finished the ritual, the sound of hooves and a charging carriage reached us. The carriage barreled into the clearing like a bulldozer, ignoring bushes and all, and came to a stop. Lloyd and El jumped out right away.
"Master!"
"Theodor!"
They called out to me in urgent voices. El in particular looked horrified, probably thinking the blood splattered on me was mine. Unfortunately, there was no time to hug the rushing El. I shouted at her immediately.
"Open the carriage door and prepare the bed!"
Good thing we'd modified the carriage into a bedroom. While El ran back and unfolded the seats into a bed, Lloyd and I carried Lewis to the carriage. Blood dripped down—plop, plop—but there was no helping it. We loaded Lewis into the carriage and secured him with blankets so he wouldn't shift. Then, I forcibly pulled Ppippi from my inner pocket, where it was clinging stubbornly, and placed it near Lewis's shoulder.
"Ppippi. I don't know exactly how or when your power manifests. It might not even be something you can control at will. But this time, I hope you'll help in any way you can."
-Ppii......
"Just keep him from dying."
Whether it understood my words or not, Ppippi didn't fuss as usual. I shut the carriage door right away and yelled at El.
"Head to the temple now!"
"B-But......!"
"I don't care what happens. Just get Lewis to the temple immediately."
"O-Okay, Master."
El looked worried something might go wrong, but now wasn't the time for that. Of course, with Lewis and El out, parts of the plan would change......
"Hurry, El!"
Right now, Lewis's survival was what mattered. As I shouted, El whipped the carriage into motion. Fortunately, Storm showed no signs of fatigue and exited the forest even faster than when we'd arrived.
"Isla. Escort that carriage."
-Kyung kyung!
Isla glanced at me, barked twice sharply, and chased after the carriage. If anything followed, she'd deal with it.
"Lloyd."
"......"
Lloyd didn't respond. He seemed pretty shocked too.
"He said he'd go ahead first, but looks like someone was lying in ambush here. He must've been ambushed."
"Whoever did that to Lewis has to be one of the top experts on the continent."
"......I don't think so."
It was far more convincing that Lewis had let his guard down than some top-tier expert sneaking into Corin.
And if there was someone Lewis would let his guard down around, naturally......
"Dawood. Lewis must've run into Dawood here."
Unlike Lewis, Dawood didn't wield a sword. If Lewis was the brawny type, Dawood was the brains. The pampered young master raised on estate management lessons, without a single callus on his hands......
Of course, it wasn't just because Dawood was weak that he'd let his guard down.
'......But they are brothers, so he wanted to trust him.'
That sentiment must've made Lewis careless. Rather than killing Dawood, he probably wanted to convince him and save their father. The emotions he occasionally let slip were closer to sorrow than hatred.
The one who struck the careless Lewis was probably someone with Dawood.
'That crow named Fabio.'
Damn. Should've kept Callisto by Dawood's side. I knew it was impossible, but regret kept surging.
"......"
But now wasn't the time to fume.
It hadn't been long since they took down Lewis. It would take time for them to return to the heart of the Sequoia Forest. Even with El and Lewis out, Lloyd and I had to hurry into the Sequoia Forest.
'Callisto will join us there......'
I had to hope for the best. El would hand Lewis over at the temple and return straight to the Sequoia Forest.
"Argos."
-Kyung!
I pointed to the trampled grass and said.
"Track this scent. They're definitely still in the forest."
-Kyung kyung!
Argos sniffed the flattened grass and shot into the forest like an arrow.
"Lloyd. We need to move now too."
Lloyd, who had been silent, nodded and let out a long whistle. Moments later, his horse galloped up from afar. Mounting it, Lloyd looked at me briefly.
"I'll travel by tree. It's faster, and better for any surprises."
"Got it."
Leaving the sound of Lloyd riding off, I climbed a Sequoia tree and activated [Call of the Forest]. The forest spirit appeared much faster than before.
-Sha sha.
"I wasn't planning to call you yet, but I'm in a hurry."
-Sha sha sha.
The Sequoia Forest spirit circled me briefly before landing on my shoulder. With it here, the forest was like my own palm. I leaped to the next tree. As if expecting me, the branch bent softly to catch me.
-Sha sha?
"Yeah, perfect. Thanks."
Branch to branch, following the wind through the trees, I crossed the forest far faster than Lloyd on horseback. Like a beast that had lived in this forest its whole life. I could feel every branch and leaf moving for me. The sensation of the forest accepting me as a brother.
-Whiiik!
Another whistle. Lloyd. He'd spotted something. I climbed to the top of the tallest tree and scanned ahead. As Callisto had described, soldiers blocked the path to the forest's heart. The tall, lightly armed figure standing prominently in the center must be Callisto.
-Whiiik!
I whistled back in confirmation, exchanged a glance with Lloyd, and leaped through the trees again.
* * *
"Halt!"
Lloyd obediently stopped his horse and looked at the soldier yelling at him. The soldier, wearing armor stamped with Corin's emblem—a bull on the chest—shouted again in a stern voice.
"You cannot proceed beyond this point!"
"......"
"Turn around and get out now!"
They hadn't made a move yet, but the soldiers had already drawn swords and spears aimed at Lloyd. The only one not on alert was a single elf standing slightly back in the center. Unlike the disciplined soldiers, the elf toyed with leaves boredly, not hiding his boredom.
'......That's the one.'
The 'elf' Theodor mentioned.
Corin's soldiers were among the best-trained in the Empire, thanks to the lord's strict standards. Even for Lloyd, it wouldn't be easy. Not just their skill, but their numbers too...... So the soldiers were brimming with confidence.
"......"
Yet Lloyd spurred his horse forward despite the swords and spears pointed at him. The horse advanced slowly, step by step.
The soldier who had first shouted at Lloyd closed his helmet visor and drew his sword.
-Skreeek!
The well-honed blade slid from its sheath with a chilling sound. Not an amateur. Lloyd drew his own sword in response. The heavy blade emerged, emitting its own ominous ring.
Even up to that moment, the elf fiddled with the leaves. Seemingly making a leaf flute, occasionally blowing into it.
"......Kill him!"
With a fierce shout, the soldiers charged at Lloyd. The raised swords flashed like lightning. Lloyd plunged toward that lightning.
-Whiiiissssh!!!!!
And at the same instant, a single arrow sliced through that lightning.