Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Half-Goblin Mass Production Plan (2)
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Nariel rose from her spot.
And desperately called out Isrin's name.
"Isrin...?"
No matter how much she called, only the leaves whispered in response. There was no sign of Isrin anywhere.
At her sudden disappearance, Nariel placed her hand on the tree she had been leaning against just moments before.
Perhaps nature itself would know something.
"...".
But there was no yield.
Not even the surrounding grass made a sound.
No, it wasn't silence.
Fear...?
Nature itself was trembling.
What in the world...?
This was a phenomenon even Nariel had never experienced before.
She quickly bent down at the waist.
She scooped up a handful of soil and closed her eyes.
This time, maybe something would come through.
Her grip tightened on the dirt.
The more strength she applied, the more the soil slipped from her fingers.
"Why!"
But it was futile this time as well.
As if they had all sworn a pact of secrecy, everything kept its mouth shut.
Silence.
An anxious, terrifying silence.
And then.
Nariel's vision plunged into darkness.
Someone had covered her eyes.
"!"
It happened so abruptly.
She tried to scream, but no voice came out.
She tried to resist, but her opponent's strength was overwhelming.
All she could do was surrender her body to them.
A moment later, she felt a strange sensation.
Her head spun, and her entire body twisted unnaturally.
It felt as if space itself was warping.
"Ugh..."
For an instant, nausea surged up.
Fortunately, the feeling didn't last long.
The binding force released her, and her darkened vision brightened slightly.
"...Huh?"
Seven people stood before her.
Torches burned in their hands.
"You all..."
The ones in front of her were undoubtedly adventurers.
Adventurers she had been with right up until they split into groups earlier.
Had they somehow escaped the forest?
Nariel hurriedly scanned her surroundings.
But no.
She was still deep in the woods.
It was slightly different from where she'd been moments ago, but she hadn't left the forest.
The silver lining was that she'd run into these adventurers.
Now she just needed to find Isrin and the others and get out.
"Um... where are the others-"
Nariel's mouth clamped shut mid-sentence.
Something was off.
The adventurers' armor was all stained bright red.
"Blood?"
Had they hunted monsters?
But their eyes held no life.
Each one wore a grotesque, frightening expression.
She could tell just by looking at them.
That blood was definitely not from monsters.
Realizing this, Nariel began to back away little by little.
With every step she took backward, the adventurers advanced one step forward.
"Ah..."
But soon, she bumped into something behind her.
"Oh my, what a cute young lady."
A voice whispered into Nariel's ear.
It was the most sweet and beautiful voice she'd ever heard.
Like soft silk in tone, it wrapped around her ear with a mystical allure.
A seductive, honeyed voice.
Nariel turned around to find the owner of the voice.
"Ah..."
A truly beautiful woman stood before her.
Her appearance transcended humanity.
Her snow-white hair seemed to emit a faint glow, exuding both purity and elegance.
And her skin?
It shimmered like glass, smoother than even Nariel's own elven complexion.
Her crimson eyes were deep and captivating.
"Ahh..."
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
But Nariel shook her head.
If she let her mind wander now, she'd be ensnared.
Desperately, she pinched her cheeks hard to snap herself out of it.
She knew the woman was beautiful.
But she also knew she was no ordinary being.
The horns protruding from her head proved it.
"Shadow, you've done well bringing her here. What luck we have today."
How was this lucky?
The woman before her spoke with joy.
At the same time, Nariel noticed.
The adventurers, who had been closing in until moments ago, had frozen in place the instant this woman appeared.
And the presences of monsters were multiplying between the trees around them.
"W-Who are you?"
Nariel addressed the being before her.
Instinct told her.
This entity was the true ruler of the forest.
I can't win.
And that she stood absolutely no chance.
She'd lose her life before her hand could even reach the bow on her back.
Even before that, the overwhelming pressure pinned her in place, rendering her immobile.
"W-Who the hell are you?!"
Her voice trembled.
This was a being that should never exist in the world.
Back in her childhood.
The power emanating from the World Tree, viewed from afar, was the same as what radiated from the woman before her.
What was the World Tree?
The mother of all things, cradling the elves' lives and nature while supporting the world itself.
Of course, this woman wasn't its equal.
Still, the similar aura left Nariel stunned.
She had never encountered a monster with such power before.
Perhaps.
Was this the resurgence of the demonic invasions from ancient times?
The woman spoke softly to the trembling Nariel.
"My name is Celia. I am merely a servant carrying out the will of the Great One."
"Celia...?"
Nariel racked her brain, but the name was unfamiliar.
And 'the Great One'?
Her thoughts were brief.
"Rather than words, it's better to show you directly."
Clap-
Celia clapped her hands once.
Goblins emerged from behind her, dragging collapsed adventurers.
Among them was the bound Isrin.
"I-Isrin!"
Nariel called out and rushed toward her.
"Rest assured. She's merely asleep."
Celia smiled sweetly.
True to her word, Isrin showed no signs of life-threatening injury.
She simply appeared to have fainted.
Celia approached Nariel step by step.
"A mage and an elf as friends—your bond must be truly deep."
Celia placed her hand on Nariel's shoulder.
"This one has remarkably abundant mana."
Nariel nodded slightly.
She was right.
No one knew Isrin better than she did.
Isrin was a mage.
Not just any mage, but one who had reached the 3rd circle.
A mage on the cusp of the 4th circle at just twenty-two years old.
It was overwhelming talent.
And now, such a prodigy lay helpless in this forest.
Even if she was alive for now, their fate rested solely in the hands of these monsters.
"What do you plan to do with us?"
Nariel was quick on the uptake.
Goblins were still dragging in fainted adventurers one by one.
Scattering them around.
Even some from the slime dungeon escape were among them.
Everyone except her was unconscious.
The implication was blatant.
"What do you want from me?"
Celia smiled at Nariel's words.
As if she'd hit the mark, her expression lit up with pleasure.
"I like how quick you are. I adore sharp-minded people. My Master feels the same about the perceptive ones."
Celia raised a single finger.
"As you said, Nariel—was it okay to call you that?—if you wish to leave these mountains with her, you must serve."
Nariel bit her lip.
These were Isrin's last words before she vanished.
In other words, they'd been under observation the entire time.
Since when?
Perhaps from the moment they entered the mountains.
Looking back, the oddities weren't few.
Even the orc letting me go was part of this...?
The realization sent chills down her spine.
They'd been dancing in the palm of this being's hand from the start.
The mountains were already under its dominion.
Did the Sail Kingdom's royals know?
Doubts swirled, but only briefly.
As Nariel stood silent without responding, Celia swiped her finger sideways.
Slash-
One of the fallen adventurers sprayed blood as his throat was slit.
It happened in an instant.
"Do you want this girl to die, Nariel?"
Celia raised her finger again as she spoke.
Nariel shook her head frantically.
Panic choked her voice; all she could do was shake her head desperately.
Satisfied with Nariel's gesture, Celia smiled.
"Good. That's the attitude. Normally, there'd be no mercy, but I'll make an exception."
Celia clapped once more.
"No worthwhile ones here. Keep only the women."
At her command, the goblins drew their rusted blades.
And plunged them into the necks of the fallen male adventurers.
"...".
In the dead of night, crimson blood erupted like fireworks.
Amid the gushing blood, a dismal darkness intertwined and descended under the moonlight.
Fear and despair hung heavy.
Was this a dream?
Yes, a cruel nightmare.
It was a horrific scene straight out of a nightmare.
All the adventurers were slain, save the women.
An absurd conclusion.
Celia glanced at the carnage, then caressed Isrin.
"Do you want to save your friend?"
Nariel nodded.
Barely, but she did.
Who would want to let someone die?
"Very well. Then straight to the point: serve me—and by extension, the Great One."
Celia whispered.
"If you do that faithfully, I'll guarantee this girl's life. You'll escape here someday, won't you?"
It was the devil's irresistible whisper.
Refusal meant not just Isrin's death, but her own as well.
There was no choice but to accept.
But that wasn't all.
Nariel looked at Isrin.
Though unconscious, Isrin appeared peaceful, unburdened by worry.
"Isrin..."
Isrin was a prodigious mage.
Not mere talent, but at twenty-two, on the verge of the 4th circle—an overwhelming gift.
Honestly, Isrin could have served under nobility instead of adventuring and lived comfortably.
She might have even become a royal court's exclusive mage.
But Isrin rejected all such honors.
And stuck with adventuring.
It wasn't for some grand reason.
Isrin simply continued to look after Nariel.
When Nariel first ventured into the human world, everything was bewildering.
So different from elven life, it was hard. Exhausting.
Isrin had taken care of her then.
Isrin's current state was Nariel's fault.
It would be too tragic for such talent to wither before blooming.
Nariel's choice was clear.
"I understand. I'll do as you say. What must I do?"
At Nariel's acceptance, Celia beckoned.
Something flew through the air toward her.
"A Banshee...?"
As Nariel said, it was a Banshee.
The Banshee approached and hovered near Isrin.
What would happen next was obvious.
"Th-This breaks our deal!"
Banshees fundamentally manipulated minds.
Of course, useless against higher ranks, but Isrin was unconscious now.
Utterly defenseless against the Banshee.
"This is mercy. Look at them."
Celia pointed to one side.
There were the seven adventurers from before.
Nariel had sensed something off about them—they were already under the Banshee's control.
As Nariel looked, a change occurred.
"Huh? Where...?"
One of the seven spoke up.
Life returned to his eyes.
"We were following the Holy Knight...?"
Slash-
Leaving those words, Celia slit his throat.
"See?"
Celia ignored it and turned back to Isrin.
"Mind control by a Banshee doesn't erase the personality entirely. I can release it anytime with a command."
She pointed at Isrin.
"In a way, this might be mercy for your friend. Oh, no pressure. This mercy applies only to her, for your sake."
Nariel nodded at Celia's words.
It made sense.
This place was one where blood sprayed casually and people died without warning.
Anyone enduring such sights would lose their mind.
For Isrin's sake, it was better this way.
"Pl-Please do it."
At Nariel's consent, the Banshee began entering Isrin's head.
Moments later, Isrin's eyes opened.
But Nariel knew.
This wasn't Isrin anymore.
Just a monster wearing her skin.
But it wouldn't be forever.
Someday, I'll save you...!
Nariel steeled herself.
Then she looked at Celia.
For now, she had to bow her head.
"Then, Nariel, follow this Shadow. Shadow, guide Nariel to Sector 3."
The Shadow behind Celia turned and began walking.
"Don't worry about your friend."
At Celia's words, Nariel finally followed the Shadow.
Staying here changed nothing anyway.
Once Nariel vanished completely, Celia spoke.
"Now, Goblin Lord."
At her call, the Goblin Lord nearby revealed itself.
"I'll give you this one. She's a mage with a promising future."
Celia handed Isrin to the Goblin Lord.
Currently under Banshee control, Isrin wouldn't remember anything that happened.
Whether it became despair or hope for her, no one knew.
Perhaps not even her.
"Do as you will with the remaining women. Better than nothing."
The goblin numbers in the dungeon had exploded.
In that sense, she gave all surviving adventurers to the Goblin Lord.
"With this, the plan advances another step."
Celia smiled in satisfaction.
In the distance, goblins carried bones.
Remains of adventurers slain by slimes.
Once gathered, the Arch-Lich would rebirth them as skeletons.
The fleshed corpses would feed the monsters.
Adventurers wasted nothing.
And unexpectedly, an elf too.
The elf would be useful ahead.
"Finally, we can develop Sector 3."
Sector 1 had the Death Knight as mid-boss.
Sector 2 had the Goblin Lord.
By comparison, Sector 3—filled only with plants—was too pathetic.
It had always worried her, but now an elf appeared.
"May it go according to Master's will-"
Celia murmured as she walked away.