Chapter 218
Chapter 218
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Forest's Night
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Uh wait, emergency emergency.
Forest's Night sis.
I really hate her??
No, she called me fuck.
I used the silver bracelet first tho.
That thing—when forging Shallad's silver, it uses all sorts of reagents.
One reagent in that bracelet was an herb Forest's Night grew.
So you got kidnapped by her energy lol.
Reached an amicable agreement with Forest's Night lol
Said I wandered in by mistake, and she'll send me right back.
[Photo]
Can't do jack shit inside.
Gotta enter the dungeon with specific conditions met outside lol.
Forest's Night is a massive bitch baseline.
And since it's a space made from her lingering will, you can't beat her even if you die and respawn lol.
"Forest's Night..."
The moment Rishir uttered that name, as the entire forest stirred in response, a horrific sense of unreality gripped him.
It was—
The name of the being who had reigned as the worst existence in that distant past, the chaotic era before today's peace.
One of the seven supreme evils from which the name "Night" originated.
And the one occupying the first seat among those supreme evils was none other than "Forest's Night."
-From your reaction, it seems this name has served as an answer to your questions, in its own way. Very well, child. Now it's your turn.
The instant Rishir reacted to the name "Forest's Night."
-You there.
The voice, cold and dispassionate like addressing a harmless yet loathsome insect, now carried an overwhelming pressure.
It wasn't born of anger, nor from wariness.
Simply a mechanical response.
-Why. And how. Is a human like you here?
The voice's owner seemed to know exactly how to handle someone feeling shock and fear toward her.
Like a predator facing its prey.
In truth.
Right now, Rishir was caught in a single train of thought dictated by her intent.
'Forest's Night... can kill me anytime she wants.'
It was an intimidation so potent it numbed his thinking.
Amid that pressure, what allowed Rishir to keep his sanity were a few slender threads of possibility.
'Will my purification power work on Forest's Night too?'
The belief that his ability would aid him once more.
And—
'Forest's Night was... a Dark Elf, I think?'
The hope that his connections might help.
Hoo.
Hoo.
Rishir realized he was already resorting to deep blue breathing to barely maintain his composure.
In that state, he carefully—ever so carefully—chose his words before speaking.
"I will tell you everything about how I ended up here, without hiding a thing."
-Speak.
Rishir relayed the entire process in detail, as if overdoing it.
To leave no room for doubt!
"...-And so, while investigating spoils from the dungeon, I arrived here. I had no intent to invade your domain, and I knew nothing at all about the connection between that item and you."
-So, you're a victim too?
"Well—"
-No perpetrators, only victims. What an intriguing situation. No. Actually, by your account, I could be the perpetrator. From your perspective, I'm the villain unfairly blaming you in your unavoidable circumstances.
"..."
Rishir was at a loss for words.
Because Forest's Night's words were so flawlessly logical?
No.
'This...'
He vaguely realized rebutting it was pointless.
The intimidation in Forest's Night's voice felt contrived somehow.
As if she were forcibly acting enraged.
And as if forcibly suppressing her amusement.
For example.
Forest's Night was enjoying this situation.
An intruder breaching her domain.
And pondering how to deal with that intruder.
No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't picture Forest's Night being persuaded.
Conversely, he could all too easily imagine being toyed with as a plaything until his end.
Sarararak.
As if seeing through Rishir's inner thoughts, the forest burst into laughter.
The rustling of grass and leaves in the breeze naturally morphed into laughter in his mind.
-It just occurred to me.
It wasn't his imagination.
The voice carried even clearer delight than before.
-Didn't you all not care what was here? No—you didn't care what was here, period? Dungeon investigations are just conquests, and conquests are like that. What you cared about was one thing: the rewards of conquest—the spoils. In other words, you did intend to invade my domain. You only gave up because I, the obstacle, was in the way.
A rhetoric that seemed to manipulate and lead the opponent's mind.
Rishir grimaced, feeling like a foreign object had invaded his head.
-Even if I weren't enough of a threat, would you still be this polite? This peaceful?
Her tone was sharp, as if brooking no rebuttal.
However—
Rishir thought.
'I can't get swept up...'
She was pressuring him not to rebut, but at the same time, hoping he would.
Curious how he'd escape this.
It was like a riddle.
Thus, Rishir arduously opened his mouth.
"Your words...! They certainly have merit. However, there's one thing I'd ask you to consider even so."
-Let's hear it.
"Dungeons are legacies or ruins left by ancient figures from long ago! Thus, most are abandoned without owners!"
-So, you merely plundered abandoned property without an owner?
"Yes!"
-What a greedy sophistry. Do you think those who created those hidden lairs truly wished for ownership to pass to others after their death?
"Coveting the possessions of the dead—is that truly greed?"
-Then what is it?
"Refusing to let go of possessions even in death—that's true greed, and against reason, isn't it?"
Even as he spat his tirade, Rishir felt confused about what he was doing.
Why was he suddenly debating the nature of greed?
However.
Such doubts were quickly forgotten in the flow of events.
Sarararak.
The forest laughed once more.
Mocking the flailing intruder.
Indeed.
This was all to amuse the colossal forest that could devour him anytime.
What wouldn't one do to survive?
'That said, what happened to the others...!'
Once his thoughts cleared, he began worrying about his unseen companions.
No time to hesitate.
-Well reasoned. Quite verbose for one so young.
To satisfy her, Rishir tried to gauge the person behind the voice that moved the entire forest, escaping its pressure.
Her nature, making the deep forest her home and companion.
And her identity as a Dark Elf.
One face kept surfacing repeatedly, overlapping with the voice's owner.
'If only Master were here...'
Before he knew it, Rishir was approaching the problem from that angle.
Seeking common ground between Forest's Night and his master.
He knew it was reckless, but in this situation with nothing to rely on, even that was a foothold.
Thus.
Rishir recalled words she might want to hear.
"Don't grasses and trees do the same!?"
-Hm?
"They too feed on the corpses of dead animals and insects to bloom beautiful flowers!"
-...
At this point.
Even Rishir couldn't comprehend what he was saying.
What did dungeon delving, personal domain invasion, and natural ecology have to do with each other?
However.
Rishir firmly believed.
What she demanded from him wasn't flawless logic.
That was something you'd expect from an equal conversational partner.
If this transcendent being wanted anything from him, it was probably—
Entertainment?
Perfectly tailored to her tastes.
"..."
Before long, Rishir had completely escaped the pressure and tension.
Addressing the forest's master quite naturally.
As if facing his own master.
-...
A brief silence followed—
Sararararak!!!
The forest shook violently.
Grass and leaves surrendered to the fierce wind, fluttering wildly.
This time, Rishir didn't need to interpret the natural sounds' meaning.
-Hehehe.
The enchanting laughter transmitted clearly as a human voice.
-Do you even understand what you're saying?
The contrived intimidation in the voice faded.
The tone softened.
"Honestly, I have no idea."
Sararararak!!!
-So you spouted words you don't even comprehend?
"It might sound irresponsible, but... I thought this would amuse you."
-How intriguing. I'd love to hear why right now, but... better to hold back.
The forest's tumult subsided.
As if catching her breath after a hearty laugh.
-If I hear it, I might change my mind.
Clap clap.
Polite applause echoed from beyond the forest.
At the same time.
The grass and trees, which had grown denser as if to swallow Rishir, returned to their original state.
Moments later.
A path opened before Rishir's eyes.
"This is..."
-Follow that path straight ahead. You'll be able to leave this place.
Rishir couldn't purely rejoice at those words overflowing with mercy and tolerance.
Because a meaningful statement followed.
-I'll let you go, just like that. Call it payment for amusing me, as you said.
"You..."
As Rishir mulled those words, his pupils slowly dilated.
His barely stabilized breathing surged again.
He looked around for his still-hidden comrades.
"Master Meltas... Master Didoa...!"
In the forest's depths.
Amid the darkness, two figures lay unconscious, bound by vines.
Not just them.
Yellow Tower of Magic.
White Iron Adventurers' Guild.
All of them had been helplessly devoured by the forest.
"Wait—...!"
Rishir tried to plead with Forest's Night, revealing his ties to them and begging for mercy.
But a firm voice cut him off.
-Do you want to know how they entertained me before you?
"..."
-Hurry off, before my whim ends.
The forest moved, pushing Rishir onto the path.
Simultaneously dragging them deeper into its heart.
"Ri, Rishir...!"
Rishir's eyes widened.
A third voice echoed from somewhere.
"Ca, Carozen Gong...!?"
The grand mage's golden-patterned pigeon familiar hung from a vine, one wing broken.
Rishir followed the pigeon's gaze.
Rocad.
The golden divinity dangled upside down, bleeding.
Rishir swallowed hard, leaning in for Carozen's next words.
The grand mage must have prepared some scheme to save his disciple.
"Run away!"
"...!"
But the grand mage's words were shocking.
"Get out of here first! If at least you escape, we can plan for the future!"
Rishir couldn't believe it.
The golden star urging flight, the path of humiliation.
That unrealistic sight—
Thump!
Thump!
Paired with his madly pounding heart, created a sickening dissonance.
Meanwhile.
The forest relentlessly shoved Rishir toward the path.
Just as.
Rishir was about to be expelled from the forest.
"Pa, Pamon...!"
Screw it.
Rishir shouted her name.
"Do, do you perhaps know someone named Pamon!?"
At that moment.
Rishir realized how his companions had been ensnared by the forest.
A vibration like a heartbeat rippled through, and suddenly everything in the forest subdued him.
Vines bound his limbs, grass slithered up his skin like snakes.
-If you do, what then?
True fury entered the voice for the first time.
-Why would you utter that name?
It prodded for Rishir's response.
Amid the crushing pressure, Rishir barely answered.
"Lady Pamon... is my master...!"
Rishir's gaze fixed ahead.
The sharp branches hurtling toward his eyes—
A flower bud suddenly bloomed at their tips.
-Oh my.
Pamon.
That child took a human as disciple?
Normally, Forest's Night would never believe it.
She'd have snapped the neck uttering that name.
However. Their brief but memorable conversation.
She thought.
Maybe it was true.
-Pamon has a disciple?
Before he knew it, Rishir sat on a plush sofa woven from grass and adorned with flowers.
-My dear child. Tell me all about it?