Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: Alfheim's Elves #1
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A few days ago, I'd mused that summer was drawing to a close alongside my childhood.
Damn, I'd tried to sound cool saying that, but it was just too fucking hot.
Summer was still a long way from ending.
This summer refused to end no matter what.
Please, just end already.
Fuck, this uncivilized summer on the Gaia continent dragged on forever without even air conditioning.
Oblivious bastard of a summer.
If there was a god of summer, it had to be like that boss who wouldn't leave the office even after quitting time.
It was so hot that I figured venting might help a bit, so I opened my mouth.
"Luna, if summer's this long, are we in the southern or northern hemisphere?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You know, on round planets, seasons vary in length depending on whether you're in the southern or northern hemisphere."
"Round planets? Hatsu, you've been spouting nonsense ever since you claimed to have a new sense of self a few days ago. The heat must've gotten to you!"
Luna, sprawled out on the second floor with me, stared at me like I was some poor sick bastard.
Was the idea that the Earth is round still too hard for the people in this bizarre ancient-medieval world to swallow?
Of course, this wasn't Earth, and whether this place was even a planet was debatable.
"The world is flat! Because our feet are flat. And like you said, Hatsu, if we lived on something round, we'd fall off the bottom!"
At least it was clear this wasn't the flat world Luna imagined.
I held back from explaining gravity and universal attraction to her, or how round stars form.
No energy for that in this heat.
Mmm-mmm-mmm.
Zzz-zzz-jjj-zzz-zzz.
The bugs on the trees and grass screamed loud enough to pierce eardrums, making even a nap to escape the heat impossible.
This world's summer was utterly absurd.
They even treated summer like a disaster here on Gaia continent. Government offices mostly shut down, and even farmers skipped fieldwork.
Back in Korea, summer meant peak farming season.
No need to debate if the planet was round or flat—there were tons of differences between the knowledge from my world and the thinking here.
"Luna, got any Wildling potions left? You know, that cool drink-like stuff."
"Paranoya drank them all yesterday 'cause she was hot."
"Fuck. Why does she always snag the important shit?"
"So I told her to go catch another Wildling. She's probably digging up the forest floor right now!"
I pictured Paranoya hacking away at the dense, tree-packed woods with a trowel.
It's fucking hot...!
It had to be brutal. She was the weakest with heat out of all of us.
But chugging the Wildling potions I'd been saving was a serious crime. I'd consider it exile—temporarily banished to dig in the woods.
Nothing as pointless as digging.
As I thought that,
Swish.
Luna, maybe trying to slim her belly with some exercise, lifted her bare feet toward the ceiling while lying down.
"Wouldn't it be nice to have a Cloudling?"
"Cloudling? What's that?"
"A rare breed of Wildling. You know those white, fluffy ones? They look like clouds, so Cloudling!"
"Oh yeah? What good are they?"
"If you keep one at home, the air gets cooler. I've only heard stories—never seen one. They're called treasures among treasures."
"I see. A rare Wildling breed, huh."
I recalled the round, liquid blobs called Wildlings.
They cost 2 gold each, insanely pricey, and the effects from consuming them were top-notch.
A rare breed like that? Price would skyrocket.
And it cooled the air just by being in the house? Insane performance. A monster with AC powers. In this summer hell, could anything top that?
No wonder they called it a treasure among treasures.
"Where do you catch those things?"
"Heard they pop up occasionally near the sea by Delphi."
The sea near Delphi.
I thought of the city of Delphi.
Surrounded by sea, mountains, big rivers, and streams. The main headquarters of the Church of Light, worshippers of the sun and light gods.
The city of prophecy.
Where heroes and champions were born. A place I had to visit someday.
"Going to Delphi now to catch one would be tough, right? This Cloudling thing."
Luna, swinging her legs in the air swish-swish, answered.
"Even by carriage, it'd take over a month to get to Delphi. Traveling a month in this stifling heat? No way."
"Don't worry. I couldn't either."
That day in the little room, I'd heard I should go to Delphi. Something about a reward waiting for me?
I couldn't imagine what reward.
But after Luna's words, I idly wondered if it was a Cloudling. With one, next summer would be cool.
Next summer.
Next summer?
Lightning jolted through my brain for a second.
I'd agonized daily over escaping Gaia back to Earth, yet here I was planning for next year on this continent.
I'd really become a local.
That's why attachments are scary.
Once I got attached, I couldn't shake it easily. Even Antiope and Paranoya, who once turned against us, now felt like friends.
Having so many attachments in this world usually meant losses. Knowing that, I'd tried not to get attached.
But Luna, Hippolyte, the Mars Guild folks, Paranoya, Antiope—even that Elfride—had left deep impressions.
Come to think of it, what was Elfride up to?
No word since I left the fainted girl at the clinic. Newspaper said envoys from Alfheim had come to Sodmora.
As far as I knew, Elfride was a great sinner for setting fire to the World Tree.
Plenty of pursuers after her. News spread kingdom-wide, so they finally caught her tail.
Just a matter of time, early or late.
Cold-blooded killer machine Calidur had holed up in Sodmora, and Elfride herself lived as a famous adventurer without hiding her identity.
Idiot.
No self-awareness as a major criminal?
"-tsu. Hatsu, are you even listening?"
Lost in thoughts, Luna's voice snapped me back.
"Nah, zoned out a bit. What'd you say?"
"That bone wyvern we met in the valley last time. Probably lonely on its own. Hope it's okay."
I pictured the Agumon we'd left in the valley. With the skeleton knight there, it was fine.
A few days since returning from the abyss.
Staying home to let public interest die down meant no valley training or meeting Hippolyte for workouts.
Wonder what everyone's doing.
*
*
*
I used to prefer moving during the day. Work by day, wash and sleep by night.
That seemed the healthiest pattern to me, so I'd force sleep even if it wouldn't come.
Lately, though, days were too hot, and too many noisy events, so I wandered cool evenings and nights to avoid heat and eyes.
Wandering meant meditating in empty, quiet parks.
"Hey, you. Who gave you permission to stroll this back alley?"
Nighttime Sodmora wasn't the safest, so I ran into these thugs sometimes.
"You little shit, you!"
Faces wrapped in masks, twirling clubs and knives. Lately, Sodmora was full of these lowlifes.
Papers said after the thieves' guild disbanded and underground market collapsed, crime syndicates surfaced, threatening security again.
"Can't you hear me? Who said you could pass through this alley! Think a big guy like you can't get stabbed in the gut!?"
"W-wait, Pilgrim. That's a Samaritan. Hatsu of Samaria."
"Wha—what? Fuck, too dark to see. It is him. Nearly fucked up. You're free to go, sir. Pass on through. Heh heh."
Even thugs picked their targets.
Fighting six knife-wielding guys? Even now, it wouldn't end quietly. Lucky for me.
On the flip side, disappointing—no chance to vent the pent-up energy from holing up all day.
Disappointing?
Old me would've trembled in panic, getting robbed blind. Thinking that, I'd changed a lot lately.
Hanging with Ulgart giants, Hippolyte, skeleton knights—must've toughened my nerves. Anchoring theory or whatever.
As I pondered, the bandit tucked away his dagger and spoke.
"Sir, heard you're getting promoted to silver rank for your feats this time. That true?"
"Heard that, huh?"
"Rumor's all over the slums. Even our west gate crew's buzzing—finally got a big shot from here."
My merit points had broken silver tier threshold already. As he said, silver promotion ahead.
From slave, iron, bronze—to silver.
Veteran adventurer Hatsu.
Sounded cool, but eh. Couldn't be purely happy—knew I was still lacking.
Same rank as Elfride, but could I pull off what she did? No way.
Hippolyte or the Antiope sisters? Laughable to compare.
Lacked experience.
Not just experience—tons unprepared.
Hippolyte and skeleton knight's words about stats being just numbers finally clicked.
"Still a long way."
"Nah, I may be a street rat, but I got an eye for people. You're headed big. When you climb high, don't forget us west side slums."
Unexpected cheer from thugs. Like a slum-born soccer star.
"Just don't get caught by me."
"Heh heh, we'll try."
That ended the thug chat. I sat under a street tree in the empty park's center, back against the rough trunk.
Swoosh.
Cross-legged, eyes closed—wind that seemed faint grew louder, clearer: rustling branches, bug chirps, distant voices.
But my outward awareness sank inward, to the blood flowing inside.
Throb, throb.
And this pain reigniting in my lower belly.
The key lay in this pain.
Felt hot blood from fingertips, toes to scalp rushing from heart to lower belly in surges.
Pain twisting my gut intensified; cold sweat beaded on my forehead, but I didn't quit the meditation.
Right then—
Fsssh.
Something flying at my head—I jerked left. Something grazed my right ear.
Dagger? Blade?
Sharp metal presence—I whipped around. Nothing incoming. Just my imagination.
Too deep in meditation?
As I thought that, a figure emerged from distant dark.
"To dodge this body's aura. Brother of the wilds, you've refined in many ways. That blunt club-like energy now sharpened to a spear's edge."
Moonlit bald head gleamed bright.
Thought the moon fell to earth—no, bald elf Calidur.
"Baldy? What's up? Long time."
"This humble one's name is Calidur, not Baldy. Heard a strange fellow meditates here nightly, came to see. Fate brings us together. Progress in meditation?"
"Just fumbling through."
"No rush in gathering aura—that's key. Perhaps more patience?"
"I see. Here to meet me?"
"You could say that. You know I came to this continent hunting the witch, Elfride."
"..."
Still cross-legged, I stared at Calidur's face. As he neared, moon shadows hid his expression.