Chapter 22
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 22. This Humble Servant Saw It Clearly!
“Nice to meet ya. Ah'm called Kuhata. Here, it ain't much but have some water.”
Mm.
What is it.
I don't know why he speaks with something like a dialect.
Elise carefully asked Kuhata.
“Excuse me. I apologize but why is your way of speaking like that.”
“Ah. Because I couldn't learn the continental common language properly when I was young. This got stuck in my way of speaking.”
“Aha.”
Was it that reason.
While Elise nodded, Kuhata continued speaking.
“By the way, why did ya come visiting? Do ya happen to have a place to go this time too?”
“Ah. Actually.”
Elise told him she is looking for the Five Darknesses handed down in the North.
Then.
“Ah ah. Ya mean that? It is a story that Empire people inevitably wouldn't know. Ya came to the right place. I roughly know the locations where those legends are said to be.”
“Oh.”
This is favorable news.
While Elise nodded, Kuhata spoke.
“But why are ya lookin' for that? That's no joke. Even in our Blue Tree Tribe, it's a place strictly forbidden to go.”
“…Blue Tree?”
Elise tilted her head.
What is it. It's a tribe I'm hearing for the first time.
From what Elise knows, the name of the barbarian tribe continuously knocking on the Empire right now is the Blue Fang Tribe.
What is it?
Meanwhile, Kuhata, who heard Elise's words, spoke calmly.
“Ah. Ya must not have known. Empire people might not know. Before the great unification of tribes into the Blue Fang Tribe was achieved, there were various tribes.”
“Ah.”
“Did ya notice? The Blue Fang Tribe absorbed everything, so only the current Blue Fang Tribe remains. Other tribes had to die or join. I just naturalized to the Empire. Because I know the geography of the North quite in detail. I guess they judged it would be helpful.”
Kuhata frowned.
“The Blue Fang Tribe possessed overwhelming power throughout all tribes. So other tribes died or submitted without a chance to resist. In the midst of that, I somehow ran away and naturalized.”
“Mm. If I needlessly touched a painful memory….”
“Nah. It's fine. Because it's an old matter.”
Kuhata, who waved his hands in denial, looked at Elise and Ravia and asked.
“So. Why are ya lookin' for those Five Darknesses? Even if this humble servant roughly knows, that place is too dangerous. It's too dangerous a place for a Young Lady who seems to have a high status to go.”
“Mm?”
“How did I know? Even I recognize the person next to ya. It's the Grand Duke's daughter. If ya came with such a person, I thought ya must be an extraordinary person.”
Mm. He roughly noticed.
Elise just decided to reveal her purpose honestly.
“Among them, I am looking for the Dragon of Eternity.”
“…Mm? That?”
“Yes. The heart of the Dragon of Eternity. I heard a story that if one eats that, they will gain immense vitality.”
“Ah. Ah ah. Even I know that story. The Dragon of Eternity is on the more known side compared to the other darknesses. But even so, there is no information. Because it is no exaggeration to call them the 5 Great Forbidden Areas of the North. Barbarians don't go there either.”
“But I definitely need that heart.”
“Mm…. It will take a long time. Ya will probably have to search all the 5 Great Forbidden Areas. I only know the locations, but I don't know what's inside. Ya will have to search all five areas. Above all….”
Kuhata asked Elise carefully.
“Miss. That is a truly dangerous place. I will ask straightforwardly. Because it's a matter of life. Miss, are ya strong?”
At that question, Elise answered without a second word.
“Yes. I am strong. Because there is also an escort attached by His Highness the Grand Duke, do not worry.”
“…Good. I will guide ya. However, the point that it takes considerable time. Be aware of it.”
Kuhata nodded.
And then he stood up, rummaged through one side of the house, and soon brought a single scroll.
“Excuse me.”
Kuhata, who moved the water cup away for a moment and unrolled the scroll.
What he unrolled was none other than a map of the North.
“The Five Darknesses of the North. The places those legends are, are here. Razor Wind Forest. Frost Mountain. Glacier Cliff. Highland Where the Dragon Alighted. Fog River. These five.”
“Oh.”
“Among them, the darkness called the Dragon of Eternity…. One might think it is the Highland Where the Dragon Alighted, but…. What is certain is unknown. So we need to search them all.”
While Kuhata spoke like that, Elise looked at the map.
Razor Wind Forest. Frost Mountain. Glacier Cliff. Highland Where the Dragon Alighted. Fog River….
Among these 5, there is a region where the Dragon of Eternity is.
Where was it again.
Elise groped her thoughts.
Where was it. Where was it….
‘In the description of the work, it was only described like this. Around the Great Warrior who ate the heart possessed by the Dragon of Eternity, rough winds and leaves fluttered. That means….’
Ah.
I know.
“What do you think about here?”
“…Razor Wind Forest? You mean here?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm. Mmm mmm…. It's a place where trees stretch out densely, so I don't know if there would be something called a dragon…. You want to see here first?”
“If possible, I actually want to see all five places.”
Actually, Elise wanted to catch all the darknesses of the five regions if possible.
Because there was a description that every time the Great Warrior killed one darkness, he became stronger as if eating some restorative food.
From that part, Elise guessed.
These Five Darknesses….
Perhaps they might be restorative food, that is, spiritual medicines.
‘I should eat restorative food solidly.’
Above all, this restorative food….
No, if I finish off these Five Darknesses, I can also eliminate the pretext for the Great Warrior to become stronger.
The Great Warrior who finished off all Five Darknesses ends up defeating all the Seven Wild Monsters too, takes them as subordinates, and invades the North of the Empire….
To twist this predestined future, I had to stop the Great Warrior from finishing off the Five Darknesses.
If I finish them all off one step ahead….
Perhaps I might be able to eliminate the future of that guy with blonde hair mixed with ash color I saw back then, who becomes the Great Warrior later.
The outline of Elise's future plan is gradually taking shape.
‘Good. If so, it would be good to look around the places where the Five Darknesses are for the time being….’
The route was decided.
Perhaps, I will be searching these five places for the time being.
“Good. Kuhata. Then…. My favor is this. I want to examine the regions where these Five Darknesses are said to be lurking.”
“Mm….”
“The reward will be properly given by His Highness the Grand Duke. So just guide me properly.”
“It will probably take beyond weeks and into months, though?”
“It's fine. His Highness the Grand Duke must have expected about that much too. I also expected it.”
Kuhata pondered in silence for a moment, then finally brought out one question.
“By the way, Miss. What is the reason you want to find this so much? No matter how I think about it, it's too dangerous a job.”
“…There are two purposes.”
Elise spoke while spreading her index and middle fingers.
“One is for my life that doesn't have much left. The other is to wipe out the barbarians who will become a threat to the Empire in the future.”
“….”
“It is for these things. Kuhata. Can you help me?”
“I suppose the first reason is the Miss's personal circumstances…. Mm, I like the second reason very much.”
Kuhata raised his index finger and looked at Elise.
“There is something this foolish Kuhata wants from the Miss. By any chance, if the Miss wipes out the barbarians…. And if you wipe out the Seven Wild Monsters among them.”
Kuhata was silent as if recalling something, and soon opened his mouth.
“Please be sure to call me. It's a favor. I definitely want to see those bastards dying.”
“…It seems there is a story.”
“It's a common story, but to me it's everything. I ask of ya.”
“Do not worry. Because you will be going with me from now on. I will definitely call you.”
“…Thank ya.”
Good. With this, I succeeded in recruiting the guide Kuhata.
What remains is something time will resolve.
***
The frozen earth harbors a chill.
However, it cannot harbor a deep chill all year round.
As the continent's summer season arrived, the chill of winter was lifted even a little, and the North also greeted slight warmth.
Even so, the chill of the North was almost unchanged though.
“Phew—.”
The time half a year passed.
Elise became an age older by a whopping half year from 14 years old.
“I am supposed to die before 20. But I am still living.”
“Yes? What did ya say? Miss?”
“It's nothing. Kuhata.”
For half a year, Elise roamed the regions where the Five Darknesses are supposed to be.
Razor Wind Forest. Frost Mountain. Glacier Cliff. Highland Where the Dragon Alighted. Fog River.
There were hardships with many monsters, but there was a harvest in her own way.
“We roughly revealed the entire internal map, didn't we?”
“That's right. Since we revealed it a bit, we just need to narrow down the expected range and go in. We passed a big mountain, didn't we?”
“Good. Let's finish trying.”
The moment the two muttered.
“…Miss.”
“Yes. Dame Ereka.”
“It seems those guys have come again.”
“Mm.”
The communication orb, the so-called artifact Ereka is holding, rings wildly.
As expected, it seems those guys came just like her words.
“Barbarian bastards. Aren't they even tired of it.”
“Well, it must be because crossing the North is the greatest task for those guys too. The cold of the North is hard even for barbarians to endure occasionally.”
“That is true. Kuhata. The cold of the North is not ordinary.”
Elise's gaze looks at the distance, the wall of the North.
“Then, shall we slowly go back.”
The figures of the three people slowly begin to move.
***
“Nagagor of the Seven Wild Monsters has appeared!!!”
“Block Nagagor!!!”
“It's Twin Thunder Axes Nagagor! Hurry and block him!”
Kuhahahahaha————!!!
Nagagor, who even built an alias in half a year, ravages the Northern warriors while holding two axes.
Every time the blades of his two axes flash, the limbs and necks of Northern warriors fly off.
The ones to block him were only the Seven Wolves even among the Northern warriors.
“You bastaaaard! Nagagor!”
Lord Hugo.
He, called Frost Sword Hugo even among the Seven Wolves, stepped up and clashed with Nagagor in an instant.
At that time when Hugo's two-handed sword and Nagagor's two axe blades clashed in an instant.
Bang!
An eerie roar rings out and the gazes of the two people meet each other.
“Ha! Hugo! It's been a while! How is it, are you ready to have your neck fly off by my axe blades today?”
“You're acting up. While being the youngest even among the Seven Wild Monsters. I spent a long time facing other Seven Wild Monsters besides you, you bastard!”
“This goddamn bastard!”
As if his reverse scale was pressed, Nagagor rushing in seething with rage.
His two axe blades head towards Hugo harboring an eerie sharpness.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
While several angry roars and sword fighting went back and forth.
Bang!
Along with a rupture sound, the two people retreat at the same time.
And the conversation between the two people continuing for a moment.
“Heh. Nagagor. Are you not running away with your tail between your legs this time. To think the sight of you running away fearing Lady Elise's might. It was quite funny.”
“What? This goddamn bastard!”
“Heh. As expected, a fight isn't a fight of Rank. Isn't that right? Nagagor? Since Lady Elise's skill is getting more amazing as days go by. Good grief.”
“The reason I hurriedly backed out back then was because you and that woman were about to rush in as a pair! If it's 1 on 1, there's no way I would lose to you guys!”
At that time when Nagagor was yelling at Hugo for a long time.
“Really?”
At the same time a clear red linear shape headed towards Nagagor revealed its appearance.
“Then. Want to try not losing?”
Elise reaching close proximity to Nagagor before he knew it.
The moment Nagagor heard the voice and turned his head.
“Nagagor?”
Along with Elise's expression drawing an arc on her lips, her blade flew towards Nagagor.
And Kuhata, who was following behind, proudly spoke.
“This humble servant saw it clearly! Dame Ereka! The sight of the Miss matching that Seven Wild Monster equally!”
“I have seen it a lot too.”
“Good grief! I've seen it a few times, but the excitement doesn't disappear! Good heavens. Against that Seven Wild Monster! To think she shows such an appearance!”
In the place where Kuhata, who couldn't hide his excitement, was pointing his finger.
“This goddamn bitch!”
There was Elise facing Nagagor who was continuously moving his giant twin axes.
Without letting go of the arc placed on her lips.
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