Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Party Met in the Forest (1)
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1.
"We have to take them out quick while the magic holds!"
The party I'd run into in the forest swiftly began cutting down the Minotaurs.
No matter the level gap, they weren't idiots enough to get pushed back by enemies that couldn't dodge, attack, or even block.
Still, what should I call it... it kinda pissed me off a little.
Seeing them run such a half-baked party setup...
'None of my business, though. These people have nothing to do with me.'
Once they guided me to the village, that'd be the end of it.
I'd been craving human company just a bit ago, but honestly, it wasn't the warm welcome like with Lee Se-eun.
There was a bit of a disconnect from the 'humans' I knew.
Plus, of the guys in front of me, only the swordsman and priest were human—the rest were other races, so that made sense.
Even the humans weren't from Earth; they were born and raised in this world. Kinda alien, honestly.
"God of Wisdom, forgive my killing..."
-Stab!
The priest thrust her staff into the Minotaur's nape.
A whistling sound escaped the hole in its throat a few times before the beast finally stopped breathing.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Priest 'Aria''s level has risen. ▶ (Lv. 35 → Lv. 38)
Level 35 taking down a 60... that's a straight three-level jump.
By the way, this stuff popping up in my vision... is this a status window?
I'd desperately called for one at the start and got nothing. Would've been nice if it'd shown up sooner.
'Most of those books in the tower... I couldn't read them.'
I could read the words written there.
[When the echo of the future resounds, the Transcendent shall lift the veil and resurrect the evil swallowed by the abyss.]
But understanding those sentences? Tough.
No game would stuff books full of cringey lines like that.
Abyss? My toes were curling so hard they might snap off.
"It's over... We took care of the Minotaurs."
The brown-haired swordsman slumped to the ground as he spoke.
He finally seemed to catch his breath.
If I hadn't shown up, the elf might've barely escaped alone at best, and the rest would've ended up like those 'kill the men, capture the women' tropes.
Minotaurs aren't that smart themselves, but their leaders have decent intelligence.
Some even contract with 'slavers.'
Every forest with a Minotaur habitat had a sub-quest like that. Clearing it gave Minotaur meat with a strength buff, so I'd done it plenty.
Early game, anyway.
'No desire to eat that muscle lump again.'
According to the description, it tasted awful.
The occasional motion sickness debuff on your character was minor risk.
-Step. Step. Step.
"Thank you for the help. You saved our lives."
Snapping out of old memories, the situation had wrapped up.
The swordsman, as the party's rep, came to thank me.
He seemed like the leader—late teens, I guessed.
I nodded in acknowledgment.
"Um, if it's okay... could I ask your name?"
"Cyan."
"Ah, Lady Cyan. Thank you again."
Polite, at least.
Forcing a smile through the thanks was kinda cute. Like looking at a neighborhood kid?
And he seemed pretty brave, too.
'...The rest are all scared of me.'
Everyone except the swordsman had stepped back, wary.
Even the elf, who looked highest level.
She seemed cool and rational on the surface, but why the hostility?
"Ah, please understand our elf friend. As you know, Forest Elves tend to shun 'High Elves'..."
High Elf?
She talking about me?
I'm not an elf—I'm a demon. Oh, right, I hid my horns.
[High Elf]
A rare existence said to be reachable only by the superior individuals of the elf race.
In lore, anyway. In Novel Online, it was an advanced class from a job change quest after level 150 on an elf character.
And lore-wise, High Elves had silver hair and stunning looks like me, so with my pointed ears, misunderstanding was natural.
Demons rarely descend to the human realm.
Actually, perfect.
'Easier to hide that I'm a demon.'
Such misconceptions helped conceal my identity.
"I understand. Don't worry about it."
I decided to play along as a High Elf.
Humanoid demons like me weren't much different from elves anyway, and distinguishing with mana would be hard.
Plus, the magic I'd just shown had plenty of credibility. High Elves mainly used magic unlike regular elves, so disguising as the mage Cyan was ideal.
"Anyway, doesn't matter. But I have one question."
"Yes? What is it?"
I stopped the swordsman as he turned to leave.
Couldn't forget why I'd saved these guys.
"What's the closest city from here?"
City.
Typically, a permanent settlement larger than a village, with thousands and its own government...
'In Novel Online, it means one more thing.'
'Neutral zone.'
Player or NPC fights happen, but monsters don't spawn inside under normal circumstances.
Events or story quests sometimes, but usually safe.
Plus inns and adventurer guilds for quests to earn cash.
"The closest is Asral City to the east. Even then, it's a four-day walk."
"Asral City, huh. No problem... Wait. Four days?"
"Yes."
Farther than expected.
Four days on foot—running would cut it, but still annoying.
Biggest issue: getting lost.
Blitz east and a slight deviation means wasted effort.
'My mistake. No teleports like in the game.'
Novel Online had stage portals. Not here.
This place felt too real, uncomfortably so, to call it a game world.
"...Um! L-Lady High Elf!"
"?"
As I pondered, the priest—who'd been wary—approached.
"If it's okay... would you travel with us?! We're heading to Asral City too...!"
2.
《 ~Field Stage~ Tebere Plains East Sector 》 Sunset before long.
Escaping the forest didn't take long.
The dwarf mage summoned an 'earth spirit' to find the exit.
Cyan inwardly envied it.
Demons had abysmal affinity for spirits, so even top magic users couldn't.
"I'm so relieved you're joining us!"
Priest Aria beamed from inside the carriage.
What she'd seen was overwhelmingly powerful and reliable.
A High Elf—rumored to disdain humans—agreeing to travel together? The temple folks wouldn't believe it back home.
But Cyan, sitting opposite, showed zero interest in her.
'Unpleasant.'
More like, it grated even stronger.
Aria was a priest. Holy power users were bad matchups for demons, like spirits.
One-sided on Cyan's end, of course.
"I'm relieved too. Our mercenary crew took heavy casualties... numbers are short."
-Clop! Clop!
Rain spoke amid the horse's steady hoofbeats.
He handled the reins expertly.
Behind Cyan's carriage—driven by elf Rasi el—came the dwarf mage Thomas's, loaded with wounded ex-Minotaur victims and corpses.
Rasi el couldn't ditch the carriage despite her unease with Cyan; Thomas needed his for preservation spells and treating injured.
This carriage felt relatively comfy.
Cyan gazed out the window from her seat.
"...So, escorting merchants? But this setup looks way too shabby for that."
"Ah, well... circumstances."
Aria bit her lip at Cyan's question.
Cyan probed further, curious.
No merchant goods visible—just camping supplies.
At best, a small solo trader. No sign of the merchant himself among wounded or dead.
And escort too thin.
Injured across carriages barely topped ten. Absurd for a large caravan.
Scale seemed small from the start.
"Unavoidable. We got hit by a Minotaur pack out of nowhere."
"No, Rain! With caravan support, no deaths...!"
Complicated situation.
Rain's group had taken a merchant escort quest, traveling with other mercs and traders through the forest.
Ten wagons of goods—a big operation. They'd guarded the front from beasts and bandits.
Doing great.
Caravan behind was sizable too; Minotaur raid should've been manageable...
Until total wipeout loomed, like earlier.
"So, the caravan that should've fought with you ditched you during the attack."
"Yes..."
Betrayed by fellow caravan members.
Injured and dead in other carriages were fellow quest-takers—adventurers like them.
No caravan staff among them.
"Tough break."
Cyan just stared west after hearing it out.
As if seeing something.
"?"
Nothing there, though.
Aria peered the same way, wondering what the esteemed High Elf saw—only their trail.
'This girl's been staring at me nonstop.'
Aria couldn't guess Cyan's thoughts.
High Elves read eras via stars, per tales. Probably that, Aria imagined wildly.
Still staring at Cyan in fascination.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Ditching the hired adventurers, huh...'
Common in Novel Online.
City merchant NPCs offered escort quests; some ditched low-level players during monster attacks.
Usually when player levels were too low vs. the threat.
'Lucky for them.'
Occasionally triggered hidden quests.
Rewards dwarfed regular escorts—dozens times cash, first-clear specials.
I'd teamed with this ragtag party not just for directions, but that quest too.
'Could snag travel funds in one go.'
Travel cost money.
No street camping for me—needed funds stockpiled.
Time to prep the hidden quest. If memory served, tomorrow-ish.
World not identical to Novel Story, but same framework meant same quests.
-Splashhhh!
How far had we gone?
Water flowing nearby.
《 ~Field Stage~ Tebere Plains River 》 Carriages halt.
Swordsman dismounts, scouts surroundings, chats briefly with his party, then elf and mage behind, finally me.
"Lady Cyan, it's getting late—camp tonight? That okay?"
Camping, huh.
No choice now.
No villages nearby, can't travel sleepless. Rest needed.
"Fine by me. Just need to reach the city."
"Great. We'll prep quick—you rest."
"I'll help too."
Priest followed swordsman, unloading gear.
All pros at this.
Swordsman on fire and gear; priest prepping dinner from rations.
Elf on watch with weapon; mage tending horses.
Despite low levels, adventuring seemed routine.
Camping barely implemented in-game—docs or vids at best. Novel sight for me.
-Crackle! Crackle!
Bonfire lights the night plain.
Savory smell wafts.
Stew-like.
Food scent after ages—oddly fresh.
But no real hunger.
Last half-year, just water. Food felt foreign now.
Makes sense.
"Lady Cyan! Lady Cyan!"
Gazing at stars blankly, priest's voice neared.
"Lady Cyan! Dinner if you're okay? Not sure if it'll suit your tastes, but..."
She brought steaming stew bowl.
Despite meaty smell, just veggies and milk—vegetarian.
Oh, right, elves are vegans.
Saw that elf making her share meatless.
"...Sure, thanks."
No need to fill belly.
Just wanted to feel food in mouth, down throat again.
I followed priest from carriage.