Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Side Story, The Apostate (1)
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There is a race called elves.
'A race that lives in harmony with nature.'
That's how they're known to the world, but the reality of elves is a bit different. Rather than living in harmony with nature, it's more accurate to say they are blessed by it.
Elves are blessed by the forest from birth.
Through the blessing of the World Tree, they gain extraordinarily keen senses and superhuman physiques.
'It doesn't make sense, that blessing.'
The bodies blessed by it are different from human ones.
Elves have sharper eyesight than ordinary people. Their legs are swift, their movements agile. Young or old, every elf possesses the body of an excellent warrior.
The forest's blessing makes it possible.
Having such innately strong bodies is a huge advantage. Without much effort, elves become powerful warriors.
'Especially, the archers and scouts were completely dominated by elf rangers.'
Remia, that bitch was called the Divine Archer or whatever.
Setting aside her rotten personality, her skills were undeniably impressive.
Elves, anyway, elves in general.
The topic wandered a bit.
The reason I was suddenly talking about elves was... I had suddenly remembered the tea served by elves on the battlefield.
'The tea that the elf alchemists gifted us.'
Tea made by blending various herbs.
"What was it called?"
I muttered as I rummaged through my memories.
"Green tea, was it?"
A pale green liquid.
I remember that warm drink called green tea tasted pretty good.
'It calmed the mind and body.'
After suppressing those two crazy bitches rampaging, enjoying a cup of green tea was a pretty nice break. I had asked the elves for it occasionally.
"......"
Recalling those old days, I lowered my gaze. At the end of my lowered gaze was a cup of tea.
'Is this... green tea?'
Honestly, I had no idea.
It was green, at least. Green, but...
The color was oddly strange.
Not a soft pale green, but a thick, sticky green like some potion.
"Hmm..."
Wondering if the taste might be different, I took a sip.
It tasted exactly as expected. Disgustingly bad.
"Blech..."
I spat out the tea directly into the cup and set it down. My mouth felt sticky. I swallowed dryly and looked up.
"Hey."
"Why call me?"
"Are you really an elf?"
"Can't your eyes see these ears?"
"No, fuck, don't elves make good tea?
A nature-loving race.
Born and raised in the forest.
And an alchemist to boot—shouldn't you be able to brew tea properly?
As I stared at the elf in front of me with doubtful eyes, he smirked.
"That's a preconception, Raniel."
"No, fuck..."
"I just brewed green tea because you asked for it. No complaints. Want more?"
I shook my head without a word. I pushed the teacup to one side of the table and glanced around. Dust gathered in spots. Cobwebs hung limp, and the shop reeked of age.
A shop tucked deep in an alley.
There was a reason I had come all the way to this out-of-the-way place where few people tread.
'Something to ask.'
I turned my head and looked at the elf before me.
Silver-haired elf, Cardi.
An elf with beast-like yellowish eyes.
I sighed as I gazed at my old friend, who knew as much as he hid.
"Sometimes I doubt if you're really an elf."
"No elf is more elven than me."
"Beings who live with nature in the forest. Nimble warriors born with the forest's blessing. Isn't that what elves are?"
"Prejudice."
"No, fuck, you're saying you're an elven elf."
"The elves you're talking about are probably those after the cataclysm."
Cardi shrugged.
"Elves like me from hundreds of years ago weren't particularly close to the forest. Discussing 'elvenness' using examples of young sprouts who haven't even lived a millennium—it's just amusing to me."
"Uh, yeah..."
Can't argue with that.
I shook my head slowly.
'An elf over a thousand years old...'
Come to think of it, it was strange.
Even among the long-lived elves, those over a thousand were rare.
'Was there one?'
The elf king Orbel.
I remembered that old man was a bit over a thousand.
"Hey, Cardi, do you know Orbel?"
"Orbel? Of course. That young sprout playing king? Time has flown."
...Young sprout? That guy?
As I tilted my head, Cardi sighed and spoke.
"So, Raniel."
Tap, tap. He drummed his fingers on the table a couple of times.
"What brings you here this time? Your meds shouldn't be out yet."
"Does visiting a friend need a reason?"
"The guy who only shows up with a reason talks a lot."
"...Can't argue there."
I rested my chin on my hand and continued.
"Just had something to ask."
Cardi nodded as if to say go ahead.
"I'll hear it out."
"Um... Remember that thing we found in the underground waterway? I took down the bastard who set it up."
"Skeval?"
"Yeah, while beating that skeleton fucker, I learned a few things..."
I stretched both hands forward.
"Skeval called the curse on me 'the Shadow.' Said it was the larva of the Shadow. And..."
Clap. I slowly clapped my palms together, and ashen mana squirmed between them.
Cursed mana.
Devised to counter the Demon King's curse.
I pointed to it and said,
"He saw this and said it was what the Sword of Death uses. Something only those who entered the Shadow's domain can wield."
The Shadow.
"What the hell is the Shadow? Contextually, it seems to refer to a curse, but..."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Feels like it's not just that. And I had a hunch you might know."
I eyed Cardi with narrowed gaze.
He sighed in response.
"...I do know."
"Gonna tell me this time?"
"Even if I want to, I can't tell everything. Depends if the stars allow it."
"...What does that mean?"
"There's constraints on me. More than one or two."
Cardi smiled wryly and stood up.
Then he fetched a bottle of liquor and glasses from the display shelf.
"Like liquor?"
"...Sudden liquor?"
"Before answering your question, I have something I want to hear from you. And from experience, these talks go better with drinks."
He said as he set down the glasses.
"Heard you killed the Black Dragon Belial."
"Did. Was a pain since it wouldn't die easily."
"Any other calamities besides the Black Dragon?"
"Hey, Cardi."
I smiled wryly.
"Five years on the front lines. Met them all. Sword of Death only two or three times, though."
"You survived well."
"Came close to dying plenty."
Cardi filled the glasses generously.
One for me, one for himself.
"Then."
Cardi looked up.
"...Can you tell me their stories?"
"No reason not to. Who first?"
"Glerea."
"...What?"
"The Martyr, Glerea Bell Armias."
"You mean the Apostate, Gletus?"
The silver-haired elf nodded silently.
I shot him a glance.
'...Martyr?'
I'd reviewed all records on calamities to fight them, but Glerea the Martyr was a name I'd never heard before today.
'Curious, but... he'd dodge if I asked anyway.'
I sighed and opened my mouth.
"Fine. The Apostate Gletus."
Mad alchemist.
A summoner like a nightmare.
I recalled the moment I first met that lunatic.
"First met that crazy bitch right after subjugating the Black Dragon, I think."
Right after subjugating the black storm, Black Dragon Belial.
Our party's fame was at its peak when we joined an operation.
"The Rodimel Fortress reclamation operation."
An operation that ended in utter failure.
Recalling it, I began.
"It was there, in that fortress, that we met the Apostate Gletus."
2.
There is a fortress named Rodimel.
Named after the ancient Swordmaster, it borders the Black Plains on the western front.
The Black Plains, the gateway to the demon realm.
Rodimel Fortress's role is to detect the Demon King's army advancing from there early and report it.
The front-line watchtower.
The eyes of the Knight Order.
So-called Rodimel Fortress is a strategic stronghold. That's why countless knights are stationed there. Veterans who have survived countless battlefields.
Rodimel Fortress, guarded by them, never falls easily. Everyone thought so.
"Did I hear wrong?"
Thus.
"...Rodimel has fallen?"
Knight Commander Heinkel van Zickhardt couldn't properly comprehend what he'd just heard.
"Yes, all communications cut off overnight. Now... even approaching is difficult."
One night.
In just one night, Rodimel Fortress fell. Without a single report. It fell before they could even send one.
'...Does that make sense?'
Heinkel pressed his forehead.
A headache was coming on.
"No reports at all?"
"...There was exactly one."
The knight pulled out a letter.
The mana linking it was severed. This was a letter scribbled in haste just before it broke.
-Intruder one, Apostate Gle...
The letter cut off there.
With so many knights stationed, they couldn't even finish one letter? Does that make sense?
'It does.'
Ridiculously, the moment he saw the truncated name, Heinkel understood the situation.
"The Apostate, Gletus."
An enemy that appeared rarely on the front lines, but inflicted massive damage each time. A calamity.
"That summoner swallowed Rodimel Fortress whole."
Heinkel closed his eyes.
Rodimel Fortress is the wall guarding the western front. It can't be allowed to crumble.
'Can we muster the force to face a calamity?'
Ordinary knights won't do.
Calamities are beyond common sense. No matter how elite the knight, they can't face a calamity.
In the end, the answer was set.
"Call them."
Heinkel commanded curtly.
"Only they can face a calamity."
The Knight Order's greatest force.
If it's them, who severed the neck of the Black Dragon that reigned as a calamity in the east for centuries, it might be possible.
Divine Archer, Remia.
Saintess, Sara.
Sage, Raniel van Trias.
And.
Hero, Kyle Toben.
"Mobilize the Hero."
To face beings beyond common sense, we must field those who transcend humanity.