Chapter 359: Bread and Dagger (57)
Chapter 359: Bread and Dagger (57)
The elf village was buzzing with life.
This was a rare sight in the cold, dry North. Usually, the elves minimized their movements to conserve calories, as food was always scarce.
Days where they gathered to make such a ruckus were few and far between.
If the elves were gathered and making a stir, it usually meant one of two things.
First, a grave crisis threatening the village's survival had occurred.
Or second, something so joyful had happened that they forgot all about their lack of food.
Today’s gathering satisfied both conditions.
Traces of humans had been discovered just half a day's journey away. This news alone was enough to instantly dampen the village's mood.
They were in a position where they might have to abandon the village they called home.
About a dozen residents were engaged in a sluggish debate, each offering their own opinions. Despite their efforts, no clear solution emerged.
To the elves, a human invasion was akin to a natural disaster.
It wasn't the kind of calamity one could resist simply by worrying in advance. At most, they could report it to headquarters and hope for reinforcements.
Of course, the chances of that hope being answered were slim.
The elves were always suffering from a shortage of military strength. They didn't have the luxury to look after every single small village.
In the end, the village elves decided to put the sad news out of their minds for the moment.
Brooding over it wouldn't improve the situation, and more importantly, a wonderful gift had arrived to distract them from their troubles.
At the edge of the village, animal carcasses were piled up like a mountain.
One look at their massive frames and ferocious fangs told the story. They were snow leopards, the creatures that reigned as the "white terror" of the coniferous forest.
Some elves still looked on with disbelief in their eyes.
Snow leopards were strong and cunning.
Hunting even one was enough for an elf to be recognized as a veteran hunter. Even Old Man Pope had only become a respected hunter in the village after successfully hunting a snow leopard.
Furthermore, snow leopards were famous for their excellent taste. Their soft yet springy muscles provided a unique texture.
And what about the insulation of their fur?
The elves who had migrated from the South were particularly vulnerable to the cold. They usually walked around bundled up from head to toe, but with snow leopard fur, that wouldn't be necessary.
A single layer was enough to keep one warm.
Thus, a single snow leopard was as valuable as a treasure. With over a dozen of these precious catches now in their possession, the elves couldn't hide their bewilderment.
What’s more, the person who had hunted them wasn't even an elf.
It was the stranger with black hair and golden eyes who claimed to have lost his memory.
According to the testimony, he had taken down all these snow leopards single-handedly.
Yet, the man showed no sign of being caught up in his own achievement.
He simply helped the elves dismantle the snow leopards in silence. Every time his hand axe swung down, the snow leopards' bodies were sliced apart with ease.
It was terrifying strength.
If even the sturdy bones of a snow leopard couldn't withstand it, what would happen if an elf’s fragile body met that axe?
It was a chilling thought. A few elves closed their eyes tight and shuddered.
It was because they couldn't yet fully trust this unfamiliar stranger.
Fortunately, there were outliers like Luguet, Dolph, and Miera. They sincerely welcomed the new resident's contribution.
A faint sense of pride even radiated from their faces.
Of course, they weren't the only excited elves.
Isha, who had gone hunting with the man, was more animated than ever. She was delivering a passionate speech to the elves huddled around her.
"I’m telling you, while I was just standing there dazed, three snow leopards died in an instant! I’ve never seen an elf handle a hand axe like that!"
"That’s because he’s a human, not an elf," Old Man Pope pointed out grumpily, but Isha ignored him completely. Her heated tone was thick with bravado.
It was the pride of someone who had witnessed a historic scene.
"I think that human must have been someone incredible before he lost his memory... Maybe he was a hero of humanity or something?"
"Give it a rest, will you?"
However, Isha’s hypothesis was soon shot down.
It was due to Dolph’s counterargument.
"Why would such a renowned human come all the way here just to save a single elf? Maybe if he were a wandering ronin living with his skills hidden, but a hero?"
"O-oh, is that so?"
Isha immediately scratched her cheek and nodded in agreement.
In truth, Isha was ignorant of human society.
Actually, it wasn't just Isha; every elf in the village was the same. It was impossible for them to deduce the man's past with the knowledge they possessed.
They were merely building a tower of imagination atop flimsy guesses.
Naturally, the arrow of inquiry turned toward someone else.
The only elf here who had lived among humans and had traveled with the man in the past.
Avian.
The grey-haired elf girl still had a dazed look on her face. Her blue eyes stared blankly at the man's back.
Seeing this, Miera let out a snickering laugh.
"My, my... that’s the look of a girl head-over-heels for a man."
"N-no, it’s not!"
Avian jumped up and denied Miera’s words on the spot.
An indignant voice leaked through her small teeth.
"Who would ever feel that way about a violent, inferior human...!"
"Violent?"
Luguet tilted his head and asked.
Avian realized her slip of the tongue and clamped her mouth shut. When the elves continued to blink at her, she had to scramble for an excuse with an awkward smile.
"I-I mean... you saw it, didn't you? How he changes the moment a battle starts."
"Ah, that’s true. It was really scary... Covered in blood like that, he looked like a vengeful demon."
Fortunately, the group's attention shifted back to Isha.
It was because the man's tale of heroism had begun again. Every time her excited voice rose, exclamations erupted among the elves.
Avian let out a secret, heavy sigh.
She found it hard to pin down her own feelings.
The man was Avian’s enemy. That fact remained unchanged.
Even if he had used a scam, what he ultimately used to subdue Avian was violence. There was no reason for someone forced into submission to feel goodwill toward their aggressor.
Yes, that’s how it should be.
But lately, Avian felt confused every time she saw him.
He was a human who once spoke of killing elves as if it were nothing. Yet lately, he was going out of his way to endure all sorts of hardships for the sake of the elves.
Hunting the snow leopards was the same.
He had plenty of food left in his pouch, so why did he go out to hunt them? Even though doing so only increased the risk of his identity being discovered.
He also shared his emergency rations without a second thought.
She had heard from Luguet recently. On the day he was invited by Dolph, he had served them a wonderful meal.
And today, he had sacrificed his own arm to save Avian.
He could have found the elf girl pathetic for collapsing because her legs gave out, but he didn't utter a single word of reproach. Instead, he even helped her up when she couldn't stand.
He was such a contradictory man.
It was while Avian was lost in thought for a long time.
"...Avian."
At that low call, the girl’s eyes instinctively turned back.
And then, a fishy smell overwhelmed her.
Avian’s vision was instantly dyed in darkness.
"Ah, eek! W-what is this...!"
Avian had no choice but to scream and flail. The object that had suddenly covered her was thick and warm.
It was also heavy enough that it was hard to escape.
The mischievous prank didn't last long. After a few seconds, Avian’s vision brightened again.
Standing against the dazzling light was the man.
He wore a playful smirk.
"It’s a snow leopard pelt. Do you like it?"
"Who likes a pelt that's just been skinned!"
Avian couldn't hold back her indignation and shouted.
She felt strangely sorrowful and wronged.
While she was agonizing over him, he was playing such lighthearted pranks.
But the man only let out a chuckle.
"That’s the pelt from the smallest one. I thought it would fit you perfectly."
"Hmph, I don't want it."
"I’ll tell Aunt Miera, so get yourself a winter coat made. It’s useless to me anyway."
Avian pouted and turned her head away.
Her attitude was far more rebellious than before. Regardless, the man didn't seem particularly bothered.
As the man walked away, the elves who had been silently watching the two crowded around again.
Miera had a look of certainty.
"See? You’re the only one getting special treatment."
"I am not. He was just, you know, playing a prank..."
Snorting, the girl’s voice trailed off.
However, contrary to her prickly tone, her hands were gripping the snow leopard pelt tightly. As if she wouldn't let anyone take it.
Watching this, Miera wore a bittersweet smile.
Ah, to be young.
That night’s banquet was filled with nothing but joyful sounds.
The atmosphere grew even more heated after the man brought out some alcohol. Though he himself ended up caught by a 'drunk Dolph' and had to listen to his drunken ramblings all night.
Avian watched the elves, who were full of laughter, and thought.
It was a truly unfamiliar sight.
The kin she knew always wore gloomy faces. Their pale, hollow eyes were closer to those of dying corpses.
Could they really make such clear sounds of laughter?
No matter how much they ate until their stomachs were bursting, the meat didn't seem to decrease. The roaring fire gifted them with warm heat.
And at the center of it all stood a single man.
Avian stared blankly at the flickering orange shadow. The man's face, flushed as if the alcohol was finally kicking in, suddenly caught her eye.
That night, the girl wondered.
Could they continue to live like this?
Together with her kin, this happily.
If only her younger sister could be part of this banquet.
The girl watched the man all night, and Old Man Pope turned away after sipping his drink.
His gaze lingered on the man one last time before dropping.
The hearts of the two elves were swaying in the night wind.
It was proof that the man was steadily adapting to the elf village.
*
Thud.
The tip of a blade plunged into the ground.
It was a relentless momentum, as if piercing through soft mud. The blue flames flickering on the blade illuminated the nighttime scenery.
A dark forest, a tent lit only by a few torches.
An elf held his breath, unable to even let out a scream.
The blade was embedded right next to him. His eyes shook violently as he felt the cold sharpness.
He looked as if he might burst into tears at any moment.
Of course, the girl standing before him showed no intention of allowing that.
She was a woman with grey hair and blue eyes that resembled aquamarine.
Her appearance, standing sorrowfully against the moonlight, was incredibly beautiful. She was a rare beauty even among the elves, who were known as a race of beauty.
It was just that her sunken eyes were far more terrifying than her beauty.
The girl’s lips parted.
"Answer only what you are asked. If you utter even a single word of nonsense, I will take your fingers off one by one."
The elf forced back a sob and nodded.
The woman’s question followed immediately.
"Is there a human in your village?"
At that short question, the elf’s trembling body froze for a moment.
A dull gaze turned toward the woman. It was a look that seemed to ask how she could possibly know that.
The girl bit her lip.
Her grip on the sword tightened.
"Answer me! Is there a human?! If so, what is his name?!"
"T-t-that is..."
The elf couldn't easily bring himself to answer. This only made the girl more anxious.
Shink.
The sword was pulled out and now pointed at his Adam's apple. The elf let out a shriek and dragged his backside along the ground.
But there was nowhere for him to run.
The surrounding area had long since been sealed off. In particular, the aura of the women standing silently in their positions was terrifying.
The elf could not escape on his own.
In the end, he cried out.
"I-I don't know! I can't betray the village!"
"...Ha."
As if it were absurd, the girl swallowed a hollow laugh.
And then, the sword was raised. The pale moonlight flowed down the blade.
Soon, it would become a thin line tearing through the night, erupting in blood.
Just before the girl swung the sword down.
"He lost his memory!"
Gasp.
The girl’s breathing stopped.
It wasn't just her. Every woman watching the elf froze.
While the girl failed to find the words to ask another question, the elf wailed and shouted.
"That friend lost his memory! If you came here chasing a traitor who fled with an elf, then stop tormenting him!"
"What... are you talking..."
"That friend is our neighbor!"
It was a cry like a convulsion.
The elf shouted as if venting all the resentment he had been harboring.
"So don't torment him anymore! W-we didn't do anything... We’re living happily with that friend! We haven't even touched a human!"
However, the elf’s tearful plea failed to move the girl’s heart.
It was because she had stopped listening long ago.
The girl simply muttered in a daze.
"...He lost his memory?"
And immediately after.
"It’s a raid! Someone set fire to the camp!"
Sudden flames shot up into the air.