Iris Selena
Iris Selena. That was the name of the fairy. The surname Selena belonged to a prestigious fairy family. Even though the entire fairy race was racing toward extinction, many would still recognize the name Iris Selena. Equivalent to human nobility, but Iris's life was far from luxurious. She was an ascetic of the Great Forest. Living apart even from the World Tree, which was like the homeland of all fairies. Every day, she trained with her sword and honed her archery skills. If not for the news of finding traces of Pellelian, she wouldn't have returned here.
Iris kept running. Ever since hearing Pellelian's name, her left eye had been throbbing. But the pain in her eye was nothing compared to the hole in her heart. She had a younger sister. Sacrificed to a mad sorcerer. Her sister, who had been far too young.
Iris came to an abrupt halt while charging fiercely toward the World Tree. The deeper one went into the Great Forest, the closer to the World Tree, the trees grew enormously massive. The trees here were all over 100 meters tall. In the dim shadows of life, she sensed killing intent.
Iris swung her sword. Ting-ting-ting! Sparks flew continuously in the air before her. Something was flying at her, deflected by her blade. The sequence was so fast that only the sparks were visible.
Iris identified the attackers. A flock of parrots. But instead of feathers, they were covered in sharp, needle-like spines, marking them as dangerous magical beasts. Thornbone Parrots. Extremely hazardous creatures that traveled in packs.
A vividly colored one flapped its wings and charged. Astonishingly, several spines shot out from it. Iris didn't dodge—instead, she rushed forward.
Five Thornbone Parrots in total. Even high-grade magical beasts would avoid them. The parrots cackled as they swarmed her. The spines they scattered were coated in paralyzing poison, making them a real threat.
However.
The broadsword, forged with fairy craftsmanship, traced a path of light. Spines deflected in a shower of sparks. Finally, it sliced through the Thornbone Parrots.
Iris appeared to have simply passed through the flock unscathed. But the result was dramatic.
Plop-plop-plop! The parrots fell apart into dozens of pieces without even spilling blood. And yet, no sound of cutting was heard.
The two survivors at the rear fled in panic. Normally, she would have chased and exterminated them, but Iris merely shook the blood from her blade.
One of Iris's unique skills. The supreme sword art that shreds the enemy in an instant.
"Magical beasts this close to the World Tree...."
A fairy city lay right ahead. Normally, no magical beasts would dare operate here. This was proof of decline. Even Thornbone Parrot-level beasts no longer feared fairies.
"......"
Iris clicked her tongue and ran on. In the central part of the Great Forest, where the World Tree was visible, lay the city. She didn't visit often, but she knew where to go. The elder's residence. A temple-like house immaculately built of white stone.
Entering, she found the elder. Nearing a thousand years old, he didn't look wrinkled like a human elder. But he appeared faintly faded, like a plant.
"You've come, Iris."
"Have you found Pellelian?"
The question burst out immediately. The elder gave a wry smile. He had expected it.
"No, just a signal from one of the dungeons he left scattered about."
Before the elder sat something like a crystal orb. Pellelian's invention. An item left by that ugly mad sorcerer before his exile. Now, it was used to track his traces.
"......There's still a chance he might be there."
"Yes, there's a probability."
They had similar experiences several times before. Pellelian had built dungeons across the continent. He seemed to conduct all sorts of suspicious research there. The research data was transmitted to him wherever he hid, and each time, this crystal orb received the signal.
"Will you investigate?"
"I will."
And each time a signal appeared, Iris volunteered to check the site. Unfortunately, she had never encountered Pellelian himself.
"Very well. I grant you the authority of investigator."
The elder handed her a brooch. Crafted from World Tree leaves in gold.
"Iris Selena, you are now an envoy of Elvenwood and formally appointed as a Golden Leaf Investigator. Do not forget the dignity of the fairies. I trust you know the rest."
"Yes."
Not the first time, so the elder skipped the formalities. Iris pinned the brooch to her chest with familiarity.
"When do you plan to depart?"
"Now."
With that, Iris leaped out the door. The elder's home was built high in a tree, but he didn't worry about her. Sighing, he muttered,
"That one, always in such a hurry."
If only she could let go of the hatred building in her heart. Human hatred ends with death, lasting mere decades. But elven hatred endures centuries. Centuries-old hatred becomes something beyond mere hatred.
The elder pondered briefly.
'Why now?'
The newly discovered dungeon was none other than on the outskirts of the Great Forest. The last one found was over 20 years ago. Before that, all dungeons inside the Great Forest had been rooted out and burned.
Yet one remained hidden.
'He hid it because it was particularly important.'
Such suspicions arose. But pondering was pointless. None other than Iris Selena had stepped up. She would incinerate whatever Pellelian left behind.
The moment an elf set off with a golden brooch. The night before.
In Grayrim lord's castle, a dinner was prepared. With some alcohol in him, the lord's face was flushed. He stood with a pleased expression and tapped his silver goblet with a spoon. Ching-ching.
As eyes gathered, the lord said joyfully,
"To Knight Zain."
The lord raised his glass. Everyone at the dinner, even Lania the lord's daughter with her orange juice, followed suit.
"And to the hero Gunter."
All drank their wine. People chatted happily. Grayrim Territory bordered the Great Forest too closely to develop much. But for a land adjacent to one of the continent's five great demon realms, it was livable.
The 'mountains' swarmed with wyverns, the 'plains' with orc raiders. But the 'forest' rarely saw magical beasts emerge. Powerful named beasts lived deep within, but as long as one stayed out, it was fine. The lord just investigated occasional issues.
"We received great help this time. To subjugate the Medusa Serpent so easily."
Recently, when the Medusa Serpent appeared, other borderlands handled such threats with marquises and private armies. Grayrim lacked that, so the hero Gunter came from the capital.
"What did we do? It was all Sir Gunter."
Zain demurred humbly. And it was true. He drank and flushed red.
"Haha, so modest."
The lord patted Zain's shoulder. He seemed to like the young, earnest knight.
"When will Sir Gunter return?"
"Ah, that... I don't know exactly."
Gunter had left Zain and the retinue behind, saying he had brief business. He often acted so.
"He'll return soon, probably."
"Good. I hope he stays longer this time."
The lord seemed thoroughly drunk. Alcohol loosens tongues.
"What do you think of Grayrim Territory?"
"A good place. Safer than expected."
"Yes, it is... But you see."
The lord paused.
"The kingdom underestimates the Great Forest too much."
"......"
"Our family has a proverb passed down for generations. Do you know it?"
"What is it?"
"Fear the forest."
"Ah."
"The Great Forest is deep. More magical beasts than any demon realm. Known and unknown alike."
"Indeed."
"Our ancestors warned: The apocalyptic beast will one day be born from the Great Forest."
The lord spoke like he was recounting a terrifying legend. Zain listened with utmost seriousness. Not his first time hearing such tales. Those near demon realms all feared magical beasts. The 'apocalyptic beast' that would devour all and end the world was a continent-wide legend, not just Grayrim's.
"......You don't believe it. Your face says so."
"No! The Great Forest is the demon realm Sir Gunter warns about most."
"Hahaha. Enough, I spoiled a good mood with grim talk on a fine night. Rather than that......"
Zain waited, flustered, but the lord trailed off oddly. Offended? As Zain raised his head to apologize again,
"......There."
The lord wasn't looking at Zain. Staring blankly out the window. Beyond the balcony lay the territory. And beyond that, the Great Forest.
"Wh-what is that......"
Someone sighed. From the Great Forest rose a blue light. The thin line stood out sharply against the night sky.
"......An anomaly observed."
The lord paled. Sober now, he muttered gravely,
"Anomalies in demon realms must be investigated by duty."
All rushed to the windows, gazing at the rising light.
"Beyond Siza Forest, looks like. Damn, where's Oliver?"
Oliver was Grayrim's top hunter and Great Forest expert, trusted even by the lord. The butler awkwardly reported his absence from the territory.
"Call the Guard Captain first...... Hmm."
Zain raised his hand.
"I'll join the investigation team."
"Will you? That's a blessing."
As Gunter's squire, investigating demon realms was Zain's duty too. The lord muttered, watching the fading light,
"Ominous. Very ominous......"
You're making it more so, Zain thought but didn't show it.
And the basin. The day after escaping Pellelian's dungeon.
I began serious hunting. A swamp alligator covered in rotten-smelling aquatic plants crawled from the marsh.
That guy's strong. Probably around cockatrice level. No way a small, cute snake like me could win head-on. That's why it underestimated me and crawled out of the swamp.
Its reptilian slit pupils glared. Sorry, but I'm a reptile too—no fear here.
I stood still, and it crept closer slowly. Waddling looked sluggish, but only fools underestimate magical beasts. Sure enough.
It gaped wide and accelerated. Faster than my leap. But I have magic now. And Magic Snakes are invincible.
Beginner Elemental Magic: Earth lv3 activated.
⟨ Earth Wall ⟩
Earth magic, already leveled up. Just raising a dirt wall from bare ground, but used right, effective.
A dirt wall erupted under the charging alligator's jaw. Newton's law of inertia applied here too. Fast as it was, it took an uppercut from the wall.
Splat! Like a stunt car, it flipped in midair, tumbling.
Its pale belly exposed. Into that soft underbelly, I drove my belly vent—no, Poison Fang lv8.
Squish—injected venom. It thrashed wildly.
Ururur!
Peekaboo. I kept disrupting its flip with earth magic. Soon, it went limp.
Heh heh, easy. Too easy.
That's right. I'd grown stronger.
Muahaha.