Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Land of the Other Races (1)
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“If the fairies made a scabbard for him, he’s no ordinary human.”
Fairies hid themselves from humans and rarely revealed their presence, so most humans regarded them as beings from myths or legends.
The other races, however, had maintained ongoing exchanges with the fairies, so they didn’t seem particularly skeptical of my story.
“The recently discovered temple is an ancient ruin built by the dwarves long ago.”
“How was that temple found?”
“It’s a complicated story.”
The dwarf paused for a moment before continuing.
“It started… well, when the demons came looking for us.”
“Demons?”
I couldn’t help but be startled by the unexpected mention.
Could the Madness Disaster be entangled with demons too?
“The demons told us a disaster had been born nearby and demanded our cooperation.”
“Is that true?”
Here’s what happened.
The demons had come to Lavanteira, revealed that a disaster existed in the vicinity, and requested assistance in dealing with it.
At first, they were half-doubting, but the disaster did indeed exist, so they decided to cooperate with the demons before the problem grew worse.
According to the demons, defeating the disaster required one of the Seven Heavenly Swords.
Fortunately, Lavanteira possessed one of the Seven Heavenly Swords, which they handed over to the demons in exchange for subjugating the disaster.
Of course, since the demons’ words might be lies, everything proceeded under a thorough magical contract.
“And the demons truly defeated the disaster and vanished.”
“Then the temple…”
“The battle between the disaster and the demons caused massive changes in the mountains. The temple was discovered in the process.”
“What was inside that temple?”
“A sword.”
He wore a grim expression, as if debating whether he should even say it. But he soon steeled himself and spoke.
“Long ago, when the gods sent down the Seven Heavenly Swords to the mortal world, the dwarves sought to forge a sword that surpassed even those divine blades. As you know, we dwarves take pride in being the finest craftsmen of any race…”
Of course, excluding special beings like the fairies.
In any case, the dwarves aimed to create a sword that outshone even the gods’ blades.
There was no issue up to that point, but the problem was their near-mad obsession with it.
“In that process, a single sword was born. But it wasn’t an ordinary sword.”
“Not ordinary? Then what?”
“A demonic sword—one with a particularly vicious curse.”
The dwarf who completed it was seized by madness the moment he grasped it. He began massacring the dwarves in the area and was eventually slain by arriving dwarf warriors.
“One of those warriors then picked up the sword, and the same tragedy repeated. After great sacrifices, the dwarves recovered the sword and sealed it away in a place unknown to any.”
“That place was the temple?”
“Exactly. We left no record of its location so that no one—not even us—could find where the sword was sealed… But to think it would be revealed like this.”
They had passed down the sword’s nature orally to warn of its danger, but never recorded its location.
And once the position was exposed, the dwarves must have tried to move the sword to reseal it elsewhere.
“That’s when they were ambushed.”
“Indeed.”
Having heard that much, I fell silent.
Too many things didn’t add up.
‘This is strange.’
The dwarves aside, this place was supposed to include many who had died due to the Madness Disaster in the original setting.
And demons?
‘No way…’
I considered the worst-case scenario.
Something I had altered so far had caused the future to change.
I recalled the variables that came to mind.
I separated out the more suspicious ones and organized my thoughts.
‘First, I need to find that sword.’
I could ponder the rest later.
But the sword was gone.
The demonic sword the dwarves were transporting—surely the humans who ambushed them had taken it.
I had to track it down as quickly as possible.
From the story so far, that sword was undoubtedly the “Madness Disaster.”
* * *
Four days until King Leogart’s birthday celebration.
I had originally planned to head to the Kezman Mountains after the celebration, but I changed my mind.
I needed to learn about the demonic sword’s power, and the dwarf had said this.
“Actually, Lavanteira has one more of the Seven Heavenly Swords.”
The one they had given the demons to face the disaster was the “Sealed Sword Sealpin,” guarded by the elves.
“And there’s one more sword guarded by us dwarves.”
The Extreme Sword Deltoid.
The moment I heard that name, I instinctively knew it was the key to countering the Madness Disaster.
“Four days isn’t too tight?”
After completing the procedures to head to the Kezman Mountains, Riya cautiously asked.
Even though the Kezman Mountains bordered the Talua Kingdom directly, four days wasn’t enough for a round trip.
“If we use the Magic Tower, we can reach near the mountains quickly. With help from the other races, four days should suffice.”
“That’s true, but if we’re late, we might miss the birthday celebration.”
“I’ve spoken to the Duke, so he’ll make it work somehow.”
Even if it was rushed and unreasonable, I had to go.
I needed to check the synopsis there as soon as possible to figure out what had gone wrong and what power the Madness Disaster held.
Moreover, since I judged the Extreme Sword Deltoid was necessary to confront the Madness Disaster, I had to obtain it.
‘I’ll leave tracking the demonic sword to Jade…’
There was a chance the disaster might appear while I was away, but I trusted “him” to hold it off for a while.
‘I have no choice but to trust Count Ribina.’
Count Ribina and his knight order had already arrived in Shioten for the birthday celebration.
With one of the Seven Heroes and the kingdom’s finest knights together, they should hold out until I returned.
But…
‘Just in case, I need to hurry.’
I glanced at Riya beside me and nodded.
“We’re heading to the Kezman Mountains now. Is there anyone who can guide us?”
“A-Are you really going to let us go?”
The distrust toward me had clearly faded since the beginning, but it hadn’t vanished entirely.
I nodded firmly to the elf girl, who asked in an anxious tone.
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
The one who stepped forward was the elf youth who had been thoroughly scolded by Riya yesterday.
“My name is Piorn. I was the village’s best hunter. I know the mountain paths like the back of my hand.”
Seeming to believe my words were true, he even gave his name, offering me his trust.
“There are humans like you after all. That must be why the sword chose you.”
With those words, he climbed onto the driver’s seat of the lead carriage.
There were quite a few other races, so nearly ten carriages in total.
‘The Kezman Mountains…’
I had hoped for a more leisurely trip, but I hadn’t expected this.
* * *
The carriage ride wasn’t long.
After passing through the Magic Tower to the closest point to the Kezman Mountains, we had to climb the range on foot.
The elf youth leading us, Piorn, looked at me upon reaching the mountain entrance.
“There’s a steep but fast path, or a gentle but slow one. Which way shall I guide you?”
“The fastest path, please.”
“Understood.”
Piorn bolted up the mountain without another word. The other elves and dwarves followed, and I ran after them.
‘If it were before, I would’ve lost them immediately.’
The other races were definitely different from humans. Their mountain climbing was astonishingly skilled and swift.
Even without apparent use of mana, their speed was impressive.
[They emulate nature.]
As if reading my thoughts, Gransesia spoke.
[Unlike humans, the other races are greatly influenced by nature. Elves by the forest, dwarves by the earth, beastkin by the air—depending on the influence.]
‘Is that important?’
[Very. Especially if you want to reach higher realms. To complete Flow Form, you must embrace nature.]
That was the completion of Flow Form, according to Gransesia.
‘Is Riya okay?’
As we kept climbing, I thought of Riya quietly following from behind.
Glancing back, I saw her floating leisurely in the air.
[Don’t worry about her. She could keep up even running—she just uses magic.]
‘…I see.’
About two hours passed as we scaled the mountains, and as we delved deep into them, a thick darkness began to settle.
That was when it happened.
‘It’s here.’
[What?]
‘The synopsis.’
The synopsis only appears for episodes tied to specific locations once entered.
Since the episode’s stage wasn’t the entire Kezman Mountains, I had been waiting while climbing.
‘This is…’
I squinted at the synopsis.
[What’s wrong? Missing the info you wanted?]
‘No.’
The information was there.
The problem was its sheer volume.
‘Two disasters entangled at once, maybe.’
There wasn’t time to examine the entire synopsis in detail.
I needed to focus on the urgent Madness Disaster info first.
Shiiik!
As I organized my thoughts, something sliced through the air toward me.
‘An arrow?’
Not just any arrow—it was coated in black paint.
I dodged it easily, but if I hadn’t mastered Flow Form, it could have been fatal.
“How dare you trespass here!”
A sharp voice rang out.
With the growing darkness and fog, it was hard to spot my attacker with the naked eye.
“W-Wait a moment! He’s not an enemy!”
“What?”
Noticing I’d just been attacked, Piorn rushed toward me.
“What nonsense is that, Piorn? Why are you following a human?”
“I’m not following him! We were captured by slave traders, but he helped us escape!”
“…You expect us to believe that?”
The voice from the darkness sounded incredulous. But its momentum had clearly waned.
“Huhuhu.”
At that moment, a small laugh echoed through the forest.
It was so out of place that all eyes turned instantly.
The source was Riya.
She approached me slowly, glancing briefly at where the arrow had grazed.
“How dare you.”
Her clothes were slightly torn at the edge.
Seeing it, Riya’s pupils narrowed into vertical slits like a reptile’s.