Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Next Destination
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The Empire's investigation team mulled it over for a long time before finally admitting there was nothing left to salvage here and heading back.
It had been blatant interference in internal affairs from the start, and now that it was clear the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries had infiltrated their ranks and deliberately pitted them against the kingdom's team, they had no reason to stick around.
On top of that, after witnessing me unearth their hidden spies like ghosts and gruesomely dismember their grotesquely mutated bodies, their will to resort to force seemed to have vanished entirely.
The kingdom's side, on the other hand, resisted withdrawing more fiercely since it had happened on their own soil. We didn't have solid grounds to force their investigators out either, so we left them be for the time being.
However, even the kingdom's team soon realized that with their capabilities, there was nothing more to uncover in this ruined city. In the end, they had no choice but to leave, taking only the exposed spies with them.
Just before departing, the kingdom's investigation team spotted the thousands of elves we'd brought along and asked,
"You're Alvis, right? We have something to confirm before we go."
"Go ahead."
"Are all those elves over there traveling with you?"
"It's a bit ambiguous to call them companions. We just guided them here. They originally had business in this city, but now it's in this state..."
"For that many elves to leave Arborness and come all the way here... looks like the rumors are true after all."
"Rumors?"
"Word from various merchant caravans spread across the continent that the World Tree was completely incinerated and Arborness had fallen. The royals sent people to verify, but we haven't heard the results yet. For that many reclusive elves to show up like this..."
Even reclusive elves like those from Arborness didn't completely cut themselves off from the world.
Merchant caravans occasionally traded external goods like books with a handful of elves on the outskirts of Arborness, and it seemed one such group had arrived right on time, witnessed the World Tree fully burned and collapsed, and spread the rumors from there.
"Arborness hasn't fallen. But the World Tree did burn down—that much is true—and the elves who lost their homes scattered to find new places to live. These folks here are just some of them. Perfect timing, actually. This'll go up to the royals sooner or later anyway, so why don't you brief your captain all at once? And while you're at it, grant permission for the elves to settle here and start fresh."
"I'm not a decision-maker, and an empty report would only sow confusion at court. Unless an elf comes along to testify and make the request in person."
"In that case, may I take charge of that?"
Elder Eloise stepped forward, and the kingdom's investigation leader recognized him with a start.
"E-Elder of the elves?!"
Elves rarely mingled outside, but the face of Arborness's elder was quite well-known publicly, so it was only natural.
Humans treated elves as beings of higher stature, and as the pinnacle among them, the leader immediately bowed in respect.
"I suppose we can't just barge into someone else's country, occupy a city without permission, and ask to live there. Take me to the royal court. I'll speak to the king directly. And if you could cooperate as this young man Alvis described, I'd be most grateful. I stake my elder position on it—none of this is for personal gain."
"O-Of course! We'll escort you to the capital with all due respect."
Several elves decided to accompany the elder as escorts, and before heading to the court, Eloise patted his granddaughter Elfin's shoulder encouragingly.
"Elfin, you'll keep traveling from here on out, right?"
"Yes, Grandfather. I'll definitely find out who reduced our home to that state. And I'll uproot their conspiracy completely so it never happens again."
"I see. It'll be a tough journey. But don't give up. We'll learn to blend into human society without surrendering. Lean on those beside you when it's hard, open your hearts, and show the path forward. I have great expectations for you."
"Th-That's... not necessary..."
Elder Eloise received farewells from Elfin and the other elves, then departed north toward the capital with dozens of attendants and guards alongside the kingdom's team.
I reactivated the Eye that Pierces Truth to figure out exactly what had gone down in this city, scanning the surroundings.
Just like back in the Fresia Mountains, visions of past events manifested as illusions, revealing the truth to me.
Two executives from the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries who had infiltrated Aldebaran.
They wouldn't know me by sight, but I recognized them instantly: O'Brien and Sophia.
Pretending to drink at the Steel Wolf Mercenaries' outpost, they quietly eavesdropped on rumors about the "Mercenary King" before moving to dig up more intel on me.
The mercenary company I'd worked with for two weeks on various jobs refused to hand over my info, and I saw O'Brien and Sophia slaughter the entire group.
Right before the captain died, he spilled everything he knew about me, but beyond my name and companions, it wasn't particularly useful. After wiping out the mercenaries, the pair headed outside the village, massacred the civilians, and torched the whole city.
Just like with the elves from Arborness, black smoke rose from the slain Aldebaran citizens' bodies and was absorbed into the ground, sealing the city's doom.
The vision ended with the two heading toward the border between the Andras Empire and Carrot Duchy.
Fury boiled within me as I clenched my fists tight.
We weren't the closest of comrades, but they'd taken good care of me over those two weeks...
Seeing them not only wipe out the mercenaries but butcher innocent civilians too ignited a murderous rage—I absolutely could not let those two live.
Even the rank-and-file Ebony Shadow grunts showed slight mutations from Underground Vermin influence and convulsed like they'd been poisoned when hit by Light Saber. As top executives, those two had to be even more tainted, if not worse.
From the looks of it, they were definitely acting on Underground Vermin orders. It seemed those bastards were the ones pulling the strings behind all the chaos these guys stirred up across the game's scenario branches, even if they never appeared directly in it.
Ravi, Elfin, and Lenis noticed me fuming and panting with rage, glancing at me curiously. I gathered the three and told them what I'd seen.
Ravi and Elfin hadn't spent much time here at all, so they just offered standard condolences. But Lenis was different.
"Those scum... Those absolute scum dared not only waste time in this kingdom but slaughtered the entire Steel Wolf Mercenaries and Aldebaran's citizens? They were the ones moving to kill me back in Libertà, right? I won't forgive them! I'll make them regret ever being born! I'll kill them in the most agonizing way possible in this world!"
Lenis's face twisted into a demonic snarl, her rage surpassing even mine.
And understandably so—the Steel Wolf Mercenaries were the ones she'd longed for: people who recognized her purely for her skills, not her background.
Seeing her only as my attendant, they'd praised her combat prowess sincerely, helping sate her lifelong craving for validation to some degree.
For the first people to ever give her heartfelt praise that filled her heart to be murdered... Lenis's fury pierced the heavens.
And once she heard the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries were heading to Carrot Duchy's border to stir more trouble, Ravi grew visibly anxious, fidgeting restlessly.
"If they provoke an armed clash for real, it could spark all-out war with the Empire...! Alvis, can we head straight there? If not, at least let me go alone! I have to stop my country from being played by those bastards—"
"Don't worry, Ravi. We're heading that way too. We need to tail the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries to get solid intel on the Underground Vermin."
"...! Thank you. Really, thank you, Alvis."
"I'm all for it, of course! Those damn scum—I'll make them regret being alive, no matter what!"
"Then our next destination is set. Elfin, we're moving out right away. Let's give the elves here whatever spoils we got from Arborness that they need. They'll require supplies and funds to survive. And above all, a place to stay."
"Uh... R-Right."
Elfin had been spacing out, lost in thought, but she snapped to and approached the elves gathered near the city ruins.
As Elfin danced through the Aldebaran outskirts, her boots' power caused countless plant stems and vines to sprout from beneath the wreckage, rapidly forming a thicket.
It was nothing compared to the space under the World Tree, but the elves felt a wave of relief as the grove took shape. Other elves who could manipulate plants joined in, transforming the area into livable housing.
"This is all I can do for you. I have to go now too. Even without Grandfather or me, I believe you'll all manage."
"Yes, Lady Elfin! Don't worry about us—travel safely!"
I addressed the elves.
"Staying all together here makes you easy targets for curses and sorcery again, like last time. It's fine for now since you have nowhere else, but once things settle, spread out to different cities as far apart as possible and live in groups. That'd be best."
"Understood."
"Th-Thank you so much for saving us."
"Sorry for rejecting you outsiders outright."
The elves, their attitudes softened, thanked and apologized to me.
I had Ravi set down the gear she'd collected from the World Tree and said,
"These are the spoils from killing that black hound last time. We don't need most of it anymore, so use them to protect yourselves or sell them for funds."
"A-All of this?"
"We can't accept it all! You worked the hardest, Alvis..."
"Oh, not everything, of course. There's just one thing I'll take..."
I picked out a black pearl ring interwoven with gold and silver from the pile.
"Just this."
It would take several days at minimum to reach the Empire-Carrot Duchy border.
That gave me time to properly build affection with my defeated heroines, something I'd neglected lately.