Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: There Are No Good High Elves in the World (2)
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It's said that a pair of mysterious sisters live in the land of the elves.
They are known to possess the greatest abilities among the already rare High Elves...
Rumor has it they were the first High Elves, and it was they who first revealed the existence of High Elves to the world.
Of course, it's impossible to prove they were truly the first, but one thing is certain: they are the oldest living elves today.
Even elves age eventually.
In fact, ordinary elves rarely live beyond 1,500 years, and while those who reach the High Elf stage live even longer, they do grow old.
However, that aging process is incomparably slower than a human's, with little change even after thousands or tens of thousands of years.
But that's just a story.
And most High Elves end up committing suicide long before they reach such an age or die gambling on dangerous pleasures.
Thus, only they themselves know the truth.
Those very protagonists of the tale—the Great Sages.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 1.
"Haa."
A deep sigh escaped her lips.
Time was already 8 a.m.
Without any raids, patrols started at 10, but it was too short to relieve her fatigue.
'I didn't get a wink of sleep.'
Even as she tried to rest, the little brat kept groping her body.
Not just her chest, but her buttocks and thighs too—and she even licked them, making sleep impossible.
It felt like a tiny tentacle had latched onto her.
In the end, she pulled out a cushion and slept on the sofa, but somehow the girl had clung to her side again.
Was her fatigue dulling her senses so much she hadn't noticed her approach?
Or was there another reason?
Either way, it wasn't a pleasant experience.
-Rustle
'Still asleep, huh.'
Glancing beside her, the elf girl was out cold—a perfect time for a bath, but she wasn't in the mood. She slipped outside quietly.
Just to get some fresh air.
Nothing more.
-Creak
Stepping out of the cabin, she saw the crew and Turk Trading Company staff already up and about, each at their tasks.
'They start early.'
They bowed and greeted her simply; she returned the gesture.
For a world with dragons and demon kings, these folks weren't much different from Earth humans.
'No, maybe even kinder.'
Of course, they were civilians, not combatants—just the airship Mires' crew.
Unlike mercenaries, who felt like common bandits when she met that adventurer party. The ones giving off that vibe now were all on the escort ships, so things were different aboard this vessel, at least.
'...Breakfast at 9, right?'
-Whoosh!
Warm morning sunlight and a gentle breeze.
The airship had a wind barrier blessing, turning fierce gales into a soft spring wind.
Without it, everyone on deck would've been swept away by now—they couldn't even stand in such winds.
'A world where magic replaces science... but this surpasses modern tech by far.'
Of course, conveniences still lagged behind.
There were vending machine-like devices, but most required magic to use.
Plus, most human nations clung to class systems, making it hell for non-mages.
Couldn't call it all good. Cultural differences varied by world, after all—she just saw it that way.
Above all, no internet here...
If there were, she'd search how to use the Great Sage's magic.
The internet brimmed with vast, obscure knowledge, accessible via simple search.
But this world had none.
The closest thing? Among what she knew, only the Great Sage.
A being who knew all the world's knowledge, speaking only truth—unlike the internet.
Not free, though; conditions for answers were strict. Still, knowing any knowledge in full was its greatest strength.
'In Novel Online, you had to meet her for max level expansion and mage job change.'
And she was one of the must-meet NPCs for level cap breaks.
The Great Sage gave quests based on player race; completing them unlocked a second class.
A frequent encounter for mages like her.
'No idea how they'll be in this non-game world, but I hope they're different.'
She'd know once she met this world's Great Sage.
-Step, step, step
"High Elf big sis."
A small girl had snuck up and naturally hugged her leg.
"......"
"I'm hungry. I wanna eat breakfast."
"...Alright, let's head to the dining hall."
Of course, first she had to deal with this pesky brat.
How had she woken and followed without notice? And now she was stroking her leg creepily again.
Normally, she'd kick her off, but...
Well then...
-Thwack!
Reluctantly, she bonked the girl's head.
A satisfying sound—it felt good.
"Ow?!"
"Touch my body again, and it'll be worse. Know your limits while I'm being lenient."
So, they'd leave it at that.
The brat clutched her head, tears dripping, but even an innocent child needed discipline to learn right from wrong.
Who knew what she'd do if ignored?
"Got it?"
"Y-Yeah..."
Good. Now she was getting the hang of handling kids.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
Cyan finished a simple breakfast and returned to the deck to scan the surroundings.
Now they were in 'Green Dragon' territory.
Unlike the prior wyverns, real dragons appeared here—mess up, and the airship could be destroyed even if she survived.
She could teleport out, but as an adventurer on a commission, she had to see it through. Plus, many others were aboard Mires.
She couldn't let it be destroyed.
"...Is that your daughter?"
"As if!"
That's how Cyan answered the question.
"Got it, got it. But she's not your daughter—why's she clinging like that? The dragon kid too. You into little girls or something?"
The voice beside Cyan, peppering questions, belonged to none other than Demon King Silmarion.
They took turns on watch by schedule, so running into each other was inevitable.
Chatting was natural.
"Say that again if you wanna die."
"Ah, haha. Pass. Not ready to die yet."
Silmarion forced a laugh in reply.
At first meeting, he'd never imagined being intimidated by this High Elf, but now just approaching made his body tremble faintly.
And it grew oddly hot overall.
Sensitive, strange sensations—reason unknown, so he brushed it off.
Like tentacles teasing his whole body?
But no such memory existed, so surely just his imagination.
Probably.
"So why keep her around so preciously?"
"No clue. Try separating her or leaving her with crew—she ends up stuck to me again. What can I do?"
The elf girl currently slept soundly, head on Cyan's lap.
Rubbing her face on the leg with a smile—cute on the surface, but deeply unsettling otherwise.
Cyan chalked it up to sleep-talking for now.
"...Hmm. So what's the plan? Go to the Great Sages just to solve some riddle on a note? Frost Elf script?"
Silmarion watched silently, then after a pause, removed his robe, letting red hair flutter in the wind as he asked.
"......"
Cyan gave no answer.
Just closed her eyes briefly, thinking.
"Checked the floating island's dragon bloodstone late—someone already took it. You, right? So you've met the Great Sage too."
"Who knows. But sounds like you have."
Cyan only confirmed established facts.
Then turned the question back.
Have you met the Great Sage?
Hearing that, Silmarion looked slightly surprised but smirked and spoke.
"Yeah. Funny—never thought a Great Sage would be such a pathetic human."
-Grind!
"...? That's not the point."
The sleeping girl on her lap seemed to grind her teeth, but Cyan dismissed it and pressed on.
Meeting the Great Sage wasn't key.
What mattered was what 'question' the Demon King asked her.
That one question from Demon King Silmarion to the Great Sage.
In Novel Online, it remained a MacGuffin even at the ending—pure speculation among gamers.
'He might know.'
It surfaced only after Silmarion was killed by the player; no way to uncover it then.
The Great Sage didn't answer everything in-game anyway.
Only the story writer knew.
But she gave no comment on player queries.
Just 'figure it out.'
"Hmm, you know your stuff. Getting tastier by the minute?"
"Shut up and answer."
"Jeez, mouth like a sailor despite the looks. Fine—the question I asked was..."
Cyan listened impassively, ears perked.
She was curious too.
She'd hunted related quests once, found nothing.
No one did.
Thus, the intrigue.
Answers any question with truth, no matter what—sparking wild community fantasies, but that's what made the setting appealing.
Irresistibly attractive.
So, what did Silmarion ask the alluring Great Sage?
One eternal Novel Online mystery, solvable here.
Cyan brimmed with anticipation...
-Boom!
A mysterious roar and sudden violent shaking of Mires.
"What?!"
"...!"
A barrage slammed into Mires out of nowhere.
The ship's barrier held once, but the impact rocked the entire vessel.
"...From quite a distance."
Cyan gently laid the girl down and stood.
That was a long-range snipe to down the airship.
And not just Mires—escorts too.
-Rumble...
'Right, Demon King said he cast protective magic on the escorts. Saved us once.'
At least 100km out.
Cyan looked toward the origin.
Still far from elf lands, Arke.
Yet there, massive 'ballistae' aimed their way.
"Elves. That's their weapon."
The attackers: elves.
Not random—Arke's border defense system activated.
"...Why are the elves attacking? This was officially permitted trade."
"No idea. But we'll be shot down before finding out."
-Swoosh!
Second volley.
Another 'giant arrow' hurtled at Mires.
Pure mana bolt, easily over 10m long.
Supersonic, slicing skyward to pierce the barrier and hull.
"...Tch, annoying."
It'd shatter in one hit.
-Flash!
Thus, Cyan teleported right before the arrow.
-Grab!
Caught it mid-flight with her hand, hurling it groundward.
-Boom!
A massive explosion followed.
Like a meteor, it cratered the earth to match its size.
"Stran... When I get back, you'll regret botching this."