Chapter 171
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: The Dark Elves of the Black Lake
"Do-jae!"
Sari ran happily toward Do-jae, who was approaching at a leisurely pace.
She looked just like a silver poodle dashing over.
"You look fine."
Do-jae reached out and tousled Sari’s hair as she stood before him.
Sari pouted as she fixed it.
"Hmph… What are you doing here?"
"I had some free time, so I came to see you. I happened to feel Mangol's mana nearby."
"Oh, I see…"
Sari’s expression fell with a hint of disappointment.
But her face bloomed into a wide grin at Do-jae’s next words.
"And I wanted to see you too, Sari."
"Really? Wow!"
Sari hopped up and down with joy.
Do-jae was reminded of the day they first met.
"But it looked like you were having an important conversation with Hamar."
Do-jae's eyes could count the acorns on a distant oak tree, and his ears could hear the footsteps of ants crawling on the ground.
Having overheard the conversation between Sari and Hamar, he asked casually.
"Um… a little farther from here, there’s a big lake. It’s called the Black Lake because its water is pitch-black. There’s an elf village nearby, and I was thinking we should stop by."
"Ah, the Black Lake Village. I think I heard Katania mention it before."
Do-jae recalled the elf who had worn a skull mask during the fighting tournament.
The gray elf warrior, Katania, had warned him to be careful, saying that the elf with the skull mask was from the Black Lake Village.
"Hehe. But the elves who live there don't get along with other elves. So Hamar was worried and said we should just go, but I insisted a little. Ouch!"
Sari grinned sheepishly.
Do-jae casually flicked her on the forehead.
"Listen to Hamar. All the elves here are going through a lot for you."
"That's true… but I still think the dark elves' power could be a great help."
"In what way?"
"Dark elves draw upon the power of the Demon King."
"The Demon King…"
Come to think of it, there were beings called Demon Kings here.
He had first learned of this through the Black Scale.
The description on the Black Scale read, ‘Sealed a Demon King.’
"It's said that many gods and Demon Kings perished after the 200-year war. If so, wouldn't the Demon Kings also want to get rid of the Apostates? I don't know if they'll lend their power willingly, but I thought it was worth a try."
"That's possible…"
Sari had a point.
As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
According to Altein, the Demon Kings' power was immense in the age before peace.
It was only after the Ascetics appeared and joined forces that they were able to contain the Demon Kings, who constantly coveted the continent, to the Demon Realm.
Gellahan was the one who had annihilated the most Demon Kings.
Now that the surviving Demon Kings were lying low and gradually trying to cross over to the continent, meeting the dark elves, as Sari suggested, wasn't a bad option.
"But there's also the chance the Demon Kings could backstab us, isn't there?"
"Hnnng…"
What would happen after they eliminated the Apostates and Gellahan?
Especially if they did it with the Demon Kings' power.
The future of the continent would be uncertain.
It could become a land filled with undead like skeletons and ghouls.
"So it's a no-go? Should we not go?"
Sari asked in a deflated voice.
But Do-jae just stroked her head again and smiled.
"No. I'm always on your side, Sari. Let's go. Your idea is a good one, as long as we prepare for the risks."
"Really? My idea was the right one, wasn't it?"
"I don't know about right or wrong, but I know exactly what your intentions are. I can clearly feel your desire to protect the continent."
"That's right!"
"Then let's promise not to worry Hamar and the villagers from now on. In the end, they're the ones who give the continent its meaning, right?"
"Okay!"
Sari replied, her spirits lifted.
Do-jae and Sari went over to the gray elves, opened the subspace, and handed out food.
There was plenty, including the supplies Harkes and Peneia had packed for them.
"I don't know if it'll suit your tastes."
"Everyone said it was delicious last time. Thank you, human."
Hamar approached Do-jae and offered her thanks.
Do-jae felt a pang of pity for her hardened personality, remembering her as a cheerful gray elf at first, likely changed by the pain she had endured.
"Hamar! You should call him Do-jae!"
"Yes… Thank you, Do-jae."
"It's nothing. I'm going to the Black Lake Village with Sari, so get plenty of rest."
"Understood. Please take good care of our chief."
Hamar left to eat, leaving only Mangol waiting for Do-jae's command.
"Mangol, you wait here too."
"Yes, sir."
He was concerned that Sari hadn't rested or eaten yet, but when their eyes met, she clenched her fists as if to say she was fine.
Then she looked at Do-jae intently and spoke.
"But Do-jae. You seem a little kinder than usual today… Did something happen?"
"No? Nothing happened."
"Really? Okay."
Sari watched Do-jae for a few more seconds.
Do-jae considered using the Eye of the Golem to read her intentions but decided against it.
It was better not to read the minds of those close to him, whether they were people or of another race.
***
"This is the Black Lake. The dark elves' territory should be a little farther. What do you think? It's really black, isn't it?"
The two walked side by side.
A large lake appeared before them.
"Can anything even live in there…?"
That was Do-jae's assessment as he gazed at the lake.
The water was so black that it was doubtful anything could survive in it.
However, it didn't seem viscous at all, and gentle ripples stirred its surface in the wind.
"It's clean enough to drink. Want to try some?"
The two moved a little closer.
Sari crouched by the water's edge and scooped some up with her small hands.
The water was still as black as ink.
It was clear the water's color wasn't due to the lake's depth or some optical illusion.
"I'll pass. That color really kills my appetite…"
"You can't say that in front of the dark elves! This water is an important source of drinking water for them!"
"Right…"
Do-jae and Sari walked along the shore.
The lake was so vast that the horizon was visible, and just circling it took quite a while.
Thanks to that, they took breaks for the weary Sari, and he even got to taste the stew she made for the first time in a long while.
"Their territory starts from over there."
Listening to Sari's cheerful chatter, they soon arrived at the dark elves' domain.
From the entrance, skulls hanging on trees of unknown meaning greeted Do-jae and Sari.
Almost all of them were not human-like skulls but appeared to be from monsters.
Also, the dark elves lived on a plain rather than in the mountains, which wasn't surprising since there were gray elves who entered human kingdoms and lived like humans.
"Something's coming."
Two skeletons approached warily from between the skulls.
Looking closely, they weren't skeletons but elves wearing skull masks and armor with bone patterns painted on them.
It was heavy armor, the kind knights would wear, and it was completely black, either from being painted or from using black metal. White bones were painted over the pitch-black plate.
*Schwing!*
Without a word, the two dark elves pointed their spear tips at Do-jae and Sari.
Like the gray elves, their eyes were entirely black, with no whites, which looked even more bizarre with the white skull masks.
"What business do you have in our village?"
One dark elf asked, thrusting his spear tip closer.
Do-jae took a step back, while Sari stepped forward and spoke.
"I am Sarieta, chief of the Nightingale Forest Village. I have come to see your chief on business."
"The chief of Nightingale Forest? What business could you have with our chief?"
"It's about what's happening on the continent. You're aware of it, aren't you?"
The dark elves looked at each other.
They too were aware of the sudden increase in monsters and their rampages.
Otherwise, why would they be so heavily armed even in normal times?
Sari had asked on the assumption that they knew.
"We are aware. But what does that have to do with meeting our chief? We have nothing to discuss with outsiders. Leave at once."
*Thrust—*
The dark elves lunged at Sari with their spears.
It was a threatening gesture, but Do-jae pulled Sari's arm, moving her behind him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I told you. Leave."
"Is this how you treat guests?"
"Guests? We did not invite you. You should be grateful we haven't killed you for trespassing on our territory."
"There's no talking to you…"
Do-jae wondered how he could meet their chief.
If he had his way, he'd brush past these fools, march deep into the village, and drag the chief out by the scruff of his neck.
But that would be causing a scene, not negotiating.
He had to think of a way to get them to guide him without resorting to force.
And then, something crossed Do-jae's mind.
*Sschk—*
"What are you doing! Are you looking for a fight—"
The two dark elves were about to thrust their spears.
But the moment they saw the Black Scale in Do-jae's hand, their expressions went hazy.
*Clang, clang—*
They dropped their spears.
"Well now… Hey, are you two okay?"
Do-jae waved a hand in front of the dark elves.
But their gazes were fixed solely on the Black Scale, and they didn't react at all.
"Do-jae, did you learn mind magic at some point?"
"Not a chance. It's probably because of this."
*Swoosh, swoosh—*
Do-jae swung the Black Scale.
The dark elves' heads followed the direction of the swinging sword.
As if possessed, they stared blankly at the sword and nothing else.
"Huh? They're following the sword!"
"I took it out on a hunch, but it's more effective than I thought. It's impossible to even have a conversation."
The Black Scale, in which a Demon King was sealed.
He had heard that there was a hierarchy among Demon Kings.
Lower-ranking Demon Kings were said to offer absolute loyalty to higher-ranking ones.
What if the Demon King sealed in the Black Scale was of a higher rank than the one these dark elves followed?
He had thought they might react to this demonic sword, which emanated demonic energy despite being sealed, and his guess had been spot on.
"Well, we need to talk, so…"
*Sschk—*
Do-jae put the Black Scale back into the subspace.
The dark elves instantly snapped back to their senses.
"This feeling…?"
"I lost consciousness for a moment…"
They both looked up at Do-jae.
Then, almost simultaneously, they removed their skull masks and knelt.
"We were unaware and have acted rudely."
"We will guide you to the chief."
Then, without another word, they stood up, turned around, and started walking.
Do-jae and Sari exchanged glances and shrugged.
"Let's follow them."
"Okay!"