Chapter 391: Please, Just Listen to Me. (END)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 391: Please, Just Listen to Me. (END)
The Fairy Forest.
It was known as one of the “Three Hells” for superhuman criminals. Since the other two locations had been utterly destroyed, it had now simply become the hell for superhuman criminals.
Bordering the Elf Forest, it could be seen as a fortress firmly guarding the rear of the elven territory. However, the most terrifying aspect of this dungeon was the “lack of information.”
Aside from the fact that it was protected by the World Tree Barrier and that the fairies inhabiting it would play pranks the moment one entered the forest, very little had been accurately uncovered.
The only known pattern was that the more wicked a person was, the less likely they were to come out alive. Those who hadn’t committed great sins would be subjected to all sorts of pranks, but they would eventually make it out.
…Though, in that process, some lost all their mana and became ordinary people, while others emerged as elderly folk. Most notably, almost everyone who returned suffered from memory impairment.
Fortunately, these effects weren’t permanent. They would vanish, and the victims would return to normal, whenever the fairies felt like it or if the fairies’ mana was cut off.
…Conversely, that meant if a fairy decided never to let you go, you might have to live in that dungeon forever with your memory compromised.
Anyway, it was a fairly terrifying place.
“It’s been a while since I’ve traveled abroad.”
“I never knew a cadet ID could replace a passport. This is a first for me.”
“You should read the school regulations more carefully, Ga-eul.”
Perhaps because my friends had grown accustomed to all sorts of crises, they all seemed to treat this as if they were just going on an overseas trip.
“Guys, we’re going into a pretty dangerous dungeon, you know? You shouldn’t let your guard down too much.”
“He’s right. It’s natural to be excited, but please keep basic safety in mind.”
…Wait, Cathy Noona, is that really the right tone?
Shouldn’t you be saying that with a bit more gravity, rather than sounding like someone telling people to ‘do some warm-up stretches before entering the pool’?
Well, regardless of my concerns, seeing how everyone was busy with their own thing, it seemed they would maintain this upbeat energy until they experienced the forest’s terrors firsthand.
Even as we boarded Cheon Mu-jin’s private jet, the smiles never left my friends’ faces.
…The Fairy Forest is a truly terrifying place. I wonder how long they’ll keep smiling.
* * *
Arriving at the entrance of her long-lost home, Leilan Claudia felt a strange sense of comfort as the familiar air washed over her.
She had thought so much time had passed, but seeing as she still felt a pang of nostalgia, she wondered if a homeland was something that could never be easily forgotten.
It would have been better if I hadn’t returned like this, though.
The moment she reached the entrance, the elves who had been waiting near the trees revealed themselves.
Their gazes were a mix of hostility and goodwill.
The goodwill was directed at her, while the hostility was aimed at the people who had escorted her here.
“Thank you for escorting her this far. This is elven territory from here on, so we will take over.”
Well, at least they didn’t seem intent on hurling insults or firing arrows immediately, which was a relief.
Amusingly, both the elven youths and her escorts were worried about her.
Even though she had come here essentially as a criminal.
“Very well. I’ll leave it to you.”
She had worried they might put her in restraints, but fortunately, they seemed to have no such intention as she passed through the entrance of the Elf Forest.
She could feel eyes watching her from all over the woods.
Some things never changed.
Some looked at her with admiration, some with envy, and some with a sense of betrayal.
She had spent so much time outside, yet it felt as if nothing had truly changed since her days living in the forest.
It couldn’t be helped, as elves were a race slow to change in both good and bad ways, but she couldn’t help the bitter taste in her mouth.
Perhaps if they were a race that embraced change a bit faster, they could have moved past their old pains more quickly.
“Teacher.”
Perhaps because she was back in her hometown, she had become somewhat emotional. However, the moment she reached the elven palace, a familiar voice reached her ears, and that mood instantly evaporated.
“It has been a long time. Do you recognize me?”
He had brilliant blonde hair, green eyes befitting elven royalty, a tall stature, and long, pointed ears.
His appearance had certainly matured and changed, but he possessed all the traits she remembered from the past.
That young boy has become a man.
“It has been a long time, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, no! Please, lift your head. Someone like me doesn’t deserve a bow from you, Teacher. I’m still a pathetic man who can’t even fulfill his role as King properly.”
…For someone saying that, his skill at cornering political opponents was quite impressive.
Seeing the elven prince, who used to burst into tears frequently while being tutored by her, grown into such a fine man brought a strange sense of pride.
“More importantly, are we not to become husband and wife soon?”
…But she didn’t want to think that he had grown up so well only to point his blade at her.
This was the worst.
If his intention had been to use her politically, she would have tried to reason with him or offer help.
To think that the goodwill and affection she thought were just a boy’s passing fancy had persisted into his adulthood…
No, she had actually suspected this might be the case.
She had simply been in denial, hoping it wasn’t true.
Elves were not a race that could easily let go of a feeling once it took root.
In a way, they were a tragic race that had not been granted the blessing of forgetting.
It was a chronic problem for most long-lived species, but since elves lacked the ‘escapes’ other races had, they were perhaps the race where the problems of longevity manifested most severely.
“Teacher?”
Despite having lived a long time, she still found such matters uncomfortable.
Whether she tried to reject him indirectly or spoke plainly, trouble was inevitable.
“Your Majesty. I am no longer your teacher.”
“No, Teacher. No matter if I have become King, to the one I served as my mentor…”
“Furthermore, I have neither the intention nor the qualification to marry Your Majesty. I am an elf who has already left the forest.”
“…That part is fine. Are you not one of the few remaining High Elves? Even if everyone objects, I will persuade them.”
“Your Majesty. Do not pretend you didn’t hear me. I said I have no intention, as well as no qualification. Furthermore, I have no reason to do so.”
If she were still a High Elf reigning over the forest, it might be different, but since an elf who had gone to the outside world had spoken so bluntly to royalty, he would surely give up now.
It wasn’t a pleasant sight for other elves to witness, and she hoped the conversation would end here.
However, he was still smiling.
“Teacher—no, since you told me not to call you that anymore, I shall call you by your name. Lady Leilan Claudia.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I do not know what you are thinking, but I am very sincere toward you. Both in terms of my position and the feelings I harbor, I am quite serious.”
…In terms of his position?
Come to think of it, this was the point where someone should have shouted about her being rude, but it was strangely quiet.
What were the elders thinking?
“Therefore, even if I must use somewhat coercive methods, I must have you.”
The moment she grew wary, he and the knights surrounding him lunged at her simultaneously.
It would have been absurd if they were attacking her with brute force, but seeing as they were all holding hypnosis-type artifacts, it seemed they had no intention of engaging in a direct battle.
In the past, she might have fallen for such a scheme due to carelessness, but unfortunately, such tactics no longer worked on her.
— Chairperson, you have more weaknesses than you think, so you must be well-prepared, okay?
— You’re wearing the accessory I gave you, right? Huh? I don’t see it.
— You mustn’t take it off just because it’s uncomfortable. You have to keep wearing it. I told you, I see the future.
— This is a medicine that increases resistance. I found it in a dungeon recently, so make sure to take it every day.
“…It’s as if he knew this would happen.”
Thanks to the almost frightening level of kindness from a cadet who knew the future, her resistance—which was already high—had reached an absurd level.
Consequently, hypnosis or status-effect artifacts were practically useless against her now.
“Your Majesty. Doing this changes nothing.”
“As expected of a High Elf. I thought there was a possibility it wouldn’t work, but experiencing it firsthand is quite moving. However, this isn’t the only card I’ve prepared.”
“…Sigh. So, what’s next?”
“What if I were to take the humans you cherish so much as hostages?”
…What the hell is this stupid brat talking about? Take them hostage? Who’s taking whom?
“The elves have changed more than you think. It has been a long time, after all. If a war breaks out with the weapons secretly developed by our Reformist Faction and the elven army, even the humans you care for won’t escape harm.”
…What would happen if Cadet Kang So-hyun were here right now?
The mere thought was horrifying.
I’m so glad I left him behind.
“I don’t prefer such aggressive methods either, but I have my reasons! Now, only you can stop this war. What will you do?”
Aggressive, indeed.
To think he was making a threat while essentially holding his own life hostage.
She didn’t know what kind of “great weapon” the elves had developed, but she couldn’t imagine it being scarier than an angry Kang So-hyun.
Running a simulation in her head, she couldn’t see any outcome other than the elves being utterly devastated a hundred times out of a hundred, screaming for mercy.
“Please, calm down.”
“Yes, no matter how strong you are, you cannot stop all the elves alone…”
“I assume you don’t intend to bury the entire elven race.”
“…Hmm? Anyway, do not resist. First, take her to the private chambers!”
As if he didn’t understand what she meant, he gave orders to the knights.
The knights began to approach her, looking somewhat apologetic.
…She thought he had grown up well, but was he actually the seed that would bring ruin to the elves?
He had been quite a bright boy when he was young.
…Since she couldn’t let the elves be destroyed, she decided to follow them quietly for now.
* * *
At the entrance of the Fairy Forest, the group was lightly checking their status after defeating the monsters that had appeared.
“Hmm, it’s not bad, but it’ll take some time to get used to.”
In the end, among the special weaponry, I had managed to get Ha-ni a sword that most closely resembled the one she used before. However, it seemed a week wasn’t enough to get fully accustomed to it, as Ha-ni tilted her head in thought.
“Hmm, what? This is easier than I thought. The slimes are stronger than expected, but they’re easy enough to handle with magic. And no fairies have shown up yet?”
“That’s because we’re just at the entrance, Ga-eul. Strictly speaking, we should consider ourselves still outside the dungeon.”
“Well, it still feels weaker than I expected.”
I mean, the monsters appearing at the entrance were just Goblins, Goblin Riders, and Slimes.
There were some stronger ones, but they weren’t common.
The fact that only these simple creatures appeared until one entered the area designated as the Fairy Forest was part of this place’s malicious nature.
People usually let their guard down in easy spots like this and then get wiped out in an instant.
“Everyone, stop.”
Fortunately, our group wasn’t that careless. When I gave the signal to stop, everyone halted immediately and maintained a defensive posture.
“Alright. About ten steps ahead of us is the inside of the World Tree Barrier—the Fairy Forest.”
I had already given them a brief explanation, but a quick briefing was still necessary.
“Once we enter the dungeon, fairies will play ‘pranks’ on us depending on our luck. These are pranks from a fairy’s perspective, but some can be extremely threatening to humans, so never let your guard down.”
This was why I wanted to build up their resistance before tackling this place. Because of the World Tree Barrier, you couldn’t resist the fairies’ pranks unless your resistance was incredibly high.
“You might all be very flustered, but there’s a solution. No matter what kind of prank you’re subjected to, do not panic. Stop moving and assess your condition. Got it?”
Everyone nodded.
“Alright, let’s head in.”
One step, two steps… the Fairy Forest drew closer, and the powerful energy of the World Tree Barrier began to be felt.
And as we entered the dungeon…
[Giggle!]
[Oh? Guests!]
An energy more powerful than I had anticipated began to envelop us.
[Let’s play! Let’s play! Let’s play!]
[Will they break if we play with them?]
What? It wasn’t this intense before…? The atmosphere wasn’t this cheerful, either.
…Ah, right. Back then, the World Tree was corrupted and weakened. Naturally, the fairies would have been affected too.
Wait. Did I just screw up?