Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: In Search of the Queen (2)
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"Good, Darion. I get what you're saying."
"Then...!"
"But no."
"Wha...!"
Darion stared at me with obvious disappointment on his face.
But no meant no. I looked at him with a face so cold it bordered on icy, filled with the intent to completely shatter this young master's immaturity today.
"This is me saying it because I think of you like a brother."
I'd thought I'd left my old-man tendencies back in reality, but here I was, strapping them back on. I'm saying this because you feel like a little brother to me, kid. Like a little brother.
"Honestly speaking."
"......"
"Even if you offered to pay, I wouldn't take you along."
"What?"
"You're a good person, Darion. But you're not a good 'mercenary.'"
Elf noble young master—that was about the size of it.
My words must have hit him hard, because Darion just gaped, unable to say a word.
I couldn't stop now.
I had to crush his spirit completely.
"Think about it, Darion. Sure, you've dueled, but have you ever been in a real 'battle'? Have you ever faced a monster? Killed even a goblin with your own hands? Seen a troll?"
"......"
Darion had nothing to say.
"Your swordsmanship is probably excellent. I can tell without seeing it. It must follow perfect, beautiful rules."
"O-Of course."
"But that alone is useless. Perfection doesn't exist in battle, and beauty is pointless."
"......!"
"You going to the Dark Forest wouldn't help Her Majesty the Queen at all."
Darion's face, flushed with a bit of hope and excitement, darkened in an instant. Yeah, a noble elf like you probably never heard such blunt, cold criticism before.
But what could be done? This was reality.
I couldn't drag him to the Dark Forest just to spare his feelings.
Not when his life might be on the line.
'Monsters aren't the only problem. Dark Elves aren't friendly to elves either, so taking him along... who knows what could happen.'
I looked at Darion's dejected face and lightly patted his shoulder.
"This is all for your sake, Darion."
"......"
"Don't take it too hard. Mercenaries have their own jobs, and nobles have theirs."
It wasn't wrong, no matter how you sliced it.
If I took Darion along for no good reason, I'd end up babysitting him instead of doing the mission, and who knows what could go wrong. And if he got hurt or killed? How would I explain that to the Silvanus family? "Your son was too stupid and died..."? That wouldn't fly. They'd blame me for sure.
'He's already a handful as it is...'
But honestly, I was just softening it because I knew it'd hurt his feelings.
"You've helped me plenty already."
"I-Is that so......"
"Thanks, Darion."
So go home already... I comforted him enough and sent him off. Do his parents even know he wanders around like this?
"Whew."
What a bother. I watched Darion head back to the mansion, then went to the dining hall.
* * *
The next day.
We rode the carriage provided by the Silvanus family toward the Dark Forest. They offered elf soldiers too, but I turned them down. I figured the Dark Elves wouldn't react well.
The map Lady Silvanus gave me marked the locations of Dark Elf villages. Most were scattered along the border between Lüset's outskirts and the Dark Forest.
'Except for one...'
The Dark Elf village deep inside the Dark Forest looked dangerous even at a glance.
I wondered if we could make it that far...
Dark Elves weren't the only issue. The Dark Forest was a monster hotspot, with high-risk beasts appearing in large numbers.
'Good thing I recruited Lloyd.'
His monstrous stamina that never tired and swordsmanship so perfect it was scary. If it had just been me and El, this job would've been way harder. We'd have hired other mercenaries to push through, or if that was impossible...
'Might've even dragged Darion along.'
Borrow a cat's paw when you're busy, right?
Anyway, with Lloyd, El, and Ayla...
'And I've got [Sun Light] now too.'
Everything lined up perfectly.
I spread out the old book and the map from Lady Silvanus. Comparing the [??? Map] in the old book with her map revealed something odd.
"This is..."
The position of the EArte fragment on the [??? Map] matched the Dark Elf village deep in the Dark Forest.
Too many coincidences to dismiss as chance.
'Maybe someone's using the EArte fragment to trap the Elf Queen in the Dream Maze.'
I wouldn't know until I checked, but I couldn't ignore it now.
It would take about half a month to visit the Dark Elf villages and reach the heart of the Dark Forest.
Could the Elf Queen hold out that long?
'I'll hurry as much as I can...'
We spurred the horses and quickly left Lüset's outskirts.
Even reaching the nearest Dark Elf village would take three days.
"Whew, one more day and we're there."
As the sun set and Lloyd and El set up camp, I checked the map. We'd reach the Dark Elf village by tomorrow evening.
There was some exchange between that village and Lüset, so it probably wasn't outright hostile.
Well, until tomorrow, it was all unknown.
"I'll prepare dinner. El, gather firewood. Lloyd, fetch water."
"Yes!"
"Got it."
I assigned Ayla to keep watch around us.
"It's been ages since we camped."
We'd stayed in inns the whole time in the Ekaitz Alliance, and even in Lüset at Darion's mansion, so yeah, actual camping felt like forever. Cooking our own food too.
I skinned the brush goat I'd caught earlier and prepped it for cooking. The arrow had pierced its head clean, so the hide was perfect—could tan it or sell it.
Legs first for roasting. Mix the fatty, sweet parts with the tough ones for stew, and smoke the lean bits.
While El built the fire with firewood, I gathered cool-scented pine needles nearby for smoking. I picked cedar branches for the fire, layered on pine needles, added the seasoned meat, and covered it with a basket woven from water vine stems that wouldn't catch easily. The smoke already smelled unique and good.
Come to think of it, first time smoking meat. If it turns out well, maybe do it regularly?
I set the stew pot over El's fire, poured in Lloyd's water, added hefty ribs and big chunks of meat for broth, then our spices, potatoes, and fresh tomatoes. Good wind, good fire—the pot bubbled quickly.
Roast was simple. Salt, pepper, grill. Turn occasionally. Done.
Cooking like this after so long had me sweating, but it felt great. As the delicious smells rose, I couldn't resist and pulled out some wine.
"Lloyd, wine?"
"I'll have a glass."
"M-Me too!"
"No, El. Drink the goat milk."
"Ugh......"
Lloyd and I shared wine as an aperitif. Ah, hits the spot! Need to make more soon and bury it in the Dimensional Garden!
-Crackle, crackle.
With the firewood popping as background, we each grabbed a roasted brush goat leg and tore in. Wine went down smooth. Man, this world's crap in a lot of ways, but the food? Top-tier. Without this, I'd have...
-Rustle.
...Huh?
What was that? The three of us exchanged glances instantly. Not just me, then. Ayla, gnawing busily on a leg bone, perked her ears toward the sound.
"......"
"......"
"......"
I pressed a finger to my lips and shushed softly. Amid the chirps of crickets—rustle, swish, unfamiliar footsteps. Prancing far off... horse's snort?
Too sloppy for an ambush. Dark Elves wary of us approaching? Monsters? Or...
-Snap!
The dry branch I'd scattered for alerts broke. Intruder was close. I went straight for the dagger at my waist. Ready to slit a throat depending on who showed.
-Crack!
"Huh!"
Someone stepped on a particularly loud branch, startling themselves with a gasp and stumbling back. I lunged before they could flee, dodging trees lightly, leaping rocks, tackling from behind, dagger to throat. The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Gasp, huff! W-W-Wait!"
The panicked voice and cold steel made them flail and yell. Wait, what the—pointy ears? Elf...?
"R-Release me! Let go!"
...That voice sounded familiar now.
No way...
"Theodor!"
The man yelled my name desperately. I finally recognized the intruder and sheathed my dagger. As I pulled it away, he frantically threw off his hood. Golden blond hair spilled out.
What the hell was going on?
"...Darion, why are you out here?"