Rishar's Binding Oath

"I'm glad I could be of help."

I responded politely, graciously accepting each and every thank-you from the elves one by one. Then, looking at Rishar, who still wore ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an expression of deep emotion, I continued.

"...Rishar, take the remaining elves and escape from here."

"Escape? What do you mean?"

Rishar threw ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the question at me with a face full of bewilderment. I put on a gravely serious expression in response.

"It probably won't happen... but there might be a situation where I can't recover the black stone."

"Ah... Th-then what happens to Lady Unpilea?"

Rishar asked again, her lips trembling. I swallowed a quiet groan.

"We'd have to give up on her."

"...."

Rishar fell silent at my words, then grabbed the hem of my clothes and pressed on.

"...Isn't there something I can do to help?"

I was about to say 'No, there's nothing,' but I swallowed the words.

'The mood here is like I have to ask her for something.'

If I said there was nothing right now, she'd cling to me endlessly until I did ask for something. So, racking my brain for a suitable request, I came up with a simple question about the black stone's location.

"Just tell me where the black stone is. That'll be enough."

"I can guide you there! Lady Unpilea should still be in the village..."

"No, that's too ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dangerous. Just tell me the location."

I replied firmly. And for good reason—no matter how many summons I could deploy, no one knew how many zombies might be swarming inside the village. If Rishar got caught by them even by some slim chance, it'd be a disaster. Plus, it was far easier for me to escape alone if things went south.

"The paths into the village are complicated. That's why I should..."

"I'm telling you, it's dangerous."

"But..."

"Rishar, please leave this place with the remaining elves."

As I tried to pull her away from me, a familiar woman's voice suddenly rang out from behind.

"I'll guide you."

Turning toward the voice, I saw Irene, who had come to her senses, rising to her feet.

"Lady Irene!"

With Irene regaining consciousness, the other elves couldn't hide their shock as they gathered around her. In response, Irene wore a gentle, maternal expression—completely unlike the cold one she'd shown me—and soothed them.

"I've caused you all trouble."

"No, Lady Irene. As long as you're safe..."

They sniffled and wept as they spoke. Irene's face clouded with sorrow for a moment at the sight, but she soon stood fully and approached me.

"This is all karma I brought upon myself. Yuhyun, was it? As you said, I'm regretting it now. If only I'd handed that black stone over to you back then... this tragedy wouldn't have happened. It's all my fault. So use me as your guide. I'll take you to my mother."

Irene declared firmly, staring straight at me. At the same moment, the elves around us cried out in horror.

"No, Lady Irene! Let me go instead!"

"Yes! We can't put you in danger!"

They desperately tried to stop her. But Irene, her resolve hardened, didn't spare them a single glance. Panicked, the elves turned to me, pleading to take the guide role themselves.

'What a mess.'

After glancing at the elves, I turned to Irene and spoke.

"It looks like I can't have you as my guide."

"But..."

"That's enough. It'll just tire us all out."

"...."

I cut her off sharply and looked at Rishar. Meeting my gaze, she tensed up and stared back.

"Rishar, I'll have you as my guide."

"Ah! Thank you, Yuhyun!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at Rishar's obvious joy, then opened my mouth again.

"But there's a condition."

"A condition? What is it?"

"Become my slave."

"S-slave...?"

Rishar stared at me in clear confusion. I explained calmly.

"I can summon entities like goblins or orcs."

"Ah... Like that twin-headed ogre from before?"

I nodded at her question and continued.

"Exactly. And they're all my slaves. In other words, if you become my slave, I can summon and unsummon you freely just like them."

"Ah...!"

Rishar let out an exclamation of realization. Seizing the moment, I raised my smartphone.

"If you become my slave, it'll be much easier to pull you out if things get dicey."

"...."

"That's my condition. Accept it, and I'll gladly have you as my guide."

I finished, locking eyes with her. Rishar glanced around once, then nodded firmly as if she'd made up her mind.

"I'll do it."

"Good. Then I'll ask: Rishar, will you become my slave?"

"Yes."

I immediately tapped Yes, making Rishar my slave.

With Rishar now my slave, I pocketed my smartphone.

"Alright, let's go."

"Okay."

Rishar nodded right away and positioned herself in front of me. At that moment, Irene blocked my path.

"I'll come too!"

"No."

"But..."

Irene stubbornly insisted on following me. I shook my head firmly.

"Take the elves and escape from here."

"It's about my mother! And it's my fault..."

"I told you before. I hope you don't regret this."

"That's..."

"I warned you clearly, and you ignored it."

"...."

"Stop being stubborn and go back. Let's go, Rishar."

I brushed past Irene and started walking with Rishar. Irene collapsed to the ground, her face utterly forlorn. She looked a bit pitiful, but I quickly decided to ignore it.

The reason I'd chosen this quest was Rishar in the first place. Now that I'd saved her, there was no need to worry about Irene too.

'Or maybe it was just venting.'

With a wry smile, I followed after Rishar. After walking some distance, she suddenly stopped and turned to me.

"Thank you, Yuhyun."

"Hm?"

"For stopping Lady Irene..."

She looked genuinely grateful. I just shrugged in response.

After that, we resumed walking and entered the elf village. At the same moment, the sound of footsteps crunching through the grass came from ahead.

At first, I thought it might be a zombie, but there was no sign of that distinctive phlegmy gurgle.

'Could it be... a surviving elf?'

On a hunch, I had the goblins fall back for now. Rishar, meanwhile, wore an incredulous expression and tried to move toward the sound. It made sense if she thought it was a surviving kin—she'd be overjoyed. But there was no guarantee those footsteps belonged to a survivor, so I quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to me.

"Yuhyun?"

"Calm down, Rishar."

"But..."

"They'll reveal themselves without us approaching."

The footsteps were getting closer anyway. Sure enough, moments later, a loud crunch through the grass rang out, and an elf with glowing red eyes... no, an undead elf zombie appeared.

"Eek!"

Rishar let out a sharp shriek despite herself.

'They turned an elf into a zombie.'

I steadied my breathing and gripped my jet-black staff upright.

"R-run... awa...y..."

"It can still talk?"

Did it still have some reason left? As I wondered, the elf zombie suddenly screeched "Kieeeek!!" and charged at us.

"Shadow Arrow!"

"Kraaak!"

With the incantation, a black arrow shot out at high speed, blasting through the elf zombie's torso. But it seemed tougher than regular zombies—despite losing a third of its body, it kept coming.

"Keruk!"

The goblins surged forward and piled on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the elf zombie.

"Kaaaak!"

Struck by clubs from five or six goblins, the elf zombie finally stopped moving, its breath fully cut off.

'An elf zombie with lingering reason...'

It was a shame, but unavoidable. I comforted Rishar, who stared down at the fallen elf in a daze, and we pressed on.