Chapter 208: The Elf's Journey Rides the Wind (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 208: The Elf's Journey Rides the Wind (4)
Snap.
Snap.
Alfia caressed her wrist.
She had broken the restraints without any effort.
It was thanks to her Servant.
The restraints only suppressed mana. Spirits were not affected by them. She had known this from the start, which was why she had allowed herself to be bound so obediently.
She could break free whenever she wanted.
‘Though I never considered what I’d do if they could restrain spirits, too.’
She had never seen such an item, but if, by some chance, that were to happen… well, Karami would probably come to rescue her.
Yes. She was sure of it.
There was no basis for this belief, but Alfia didn't doubt it for a second.
Walking forward, Alfia glanced at the charred husk that was once Hugo. She felt not a shred of pity.
She was Karami's slave.
This body belonged to Karami.
He was the only one allowed to touch her.
This was the punishment for daring to scar her body with his filthy hands.
Of course, from Hugo's perspective, it might seem unfair since it had been consensual.
“If you have a problem with it, you should have been born an elf.”
The world was an absurd place, after all.
Besides, he had his own dark intentions, so he got what he deserved.
Alfia walked past him nonchalantly and went up the stairs, leaving the basement. When she opened the basement door, the slave maids who had been leaning against it tumbled inside with a clatter.
“Kyaa?”
The tangled maids groaned as they picked themselves up. Terrified, they couldn't look at Alfia, keeping their heads bowed and their eyes fixed on the floor.
“What are you doing?”
“W-we heard a scream, so we were worried…”
“About your master?”
“N-no! A-about you… Lady Elf.”
The slaves answered cautiously, glancing toward the basement. It wasn't hard to guess who they were really worried about.
“Your master is dead.”
“What?”
“He hit me first. How dare he strike an elf. It was self-defense. Right?”
Alfia stated the situation calmly. The bewildered women quickly began nodding their heads so fast they left afterimages.
“O-of course! Of course, you're right…”
Alfia’s lips curled into a slight smile. She waved her fingers in the air as if drawing a picture.
Shing—.
A blade of wind blew from nowhere, and the shackles on the maids were sliced cleanly off.
The maids looked down at their lightened bodies in confusion.
“Huh?”
“They looked too heavy. You don’t need them? Ah, did I carelessly destroy your precious mark of slavery? What should I do? Should I try to put them back on?”
Alfia herself would be furious if someone else damaged her brand. She looked genuinely sorry.
The maids waved their hands frantically, horrified.
“N-no! Precious? Not at all! Thank you!”
“Hmm… I don't know why you're thanking me, but if you're okay with it, then I guess it's fine. I'll at least make up for my mistake, though.”
Bubbles of water appeared in the air and enveloped the women's wounds.
The parts of their bodies that had festered or rotted from harsh abuse were restored to their original state.
“My wounds…?”
“Wow…”
“It doesn't hurt anymore.”
“My foot…! My foot is back!”
The healing ability of water spirits was comparable to a priest's blessing. Alfia's Servant, a far superior version, could perfectly heal any injury as long as the person wasn't dead.
The women's bruises and scars vanished without a trace. Alfia also erased the wounds from Hugo's whip.
The women burst into tears and bowed deeply.
“Thank you! Thank you!”
“How can we ever repay this kindness…”
“It's fine. It wasn't difficult. This is about all I can do.”
What would Karami have done in this situation?
He would have surely helped them get back on their feet.
But she was not Karami.
She couldn't do things like liberating slaves.
“I'm sorry I can't liberate you.”
“What? Aren't we liberated?”
“You've just stopped being slaves, that's all.”
“Isn't that what liberation is?”
“?”
Their conversation wasn't connecting.
They tilted their heads, not understanding each other.
This was because Alfia and the women had different concepts of ‘liberation.’
It didn't really matter.
The women considered themselves liberated thanks to Alfia.
“Well, I should get go—Ugh.”
Alfia suddenly staggered.
She leaned against the wall to stay upright.
“A-are you all right?!”
“Yes… I'm fine.”
“But you're covered in a cold sweat…! And your hands are shaking so much. Is it an aftereffect of being hit by our master… by that man?”
Alfia's hands trembled like an aspen leaf.
It wasn't because Hugo had hit her. Alfia knew the cause of these symptoms all too well.
“I'm really fine. It's nothing. I'm in a hurry, so I have to go. Take care, everyone. If you need money, take whatever you can from this mansion.”
“Goodbye!”
“Thank you, pretty elf!”
Alfia left the mansion, seen off by the women. She hurried toward the inn as if being chased by something. With every step, impatience and anxiety spread through her.
“Welcome.”
Alfia entered her room without a moment to reply. She collapsed onto the floor.
Her mouth was dry, and her hands trembled uncontrollably. They were withdrawal symptoms.
Alfia opened a pocket on her thigh and fumbled to take out her belongings.
A bottle containing ether resin.
Lachnia pollen.
These were all materials for cigarettes, things Alfia had secretly acquired when buying supplies for the merchant group, without Narsha knowing.
Alfia had started smoking out of simple curiosity. She had seen the humans who came to deliver goods to the merchant group smoking.
According to them, smoking made you feel good, like you were being liberated from a suffocating life.
The word ‘liberation’ had stuck in Alfia's ear. She started smoking, wondering if it would let her feel that sensation again.
At first, it was just ordinary cigarettes.
They were just harsh and made her throat sore.
She couldn't understand why anyone would do this.
But there was a strange addictiveness that was hard to quit.
The feeling of her body growing languid was certainly a novel sensation.
It was like watering a parched flower.
However, due to the elven trait of purifying toxins that entered the body, she didn't feel much of an effect.
The more she did it, the more her body adapted, purifying the toxins before she could even feel the sensation. Already deeply addicted, Alfia couldn't stop. She began to need stronger and stronger drugs.
Alfia unfolded a single leaf.
A leaf from the World Tree.
She had secretly plucked it before leaving on her journey.
She held the leaf to her nose and inhaled. A long time had passed since she'd picked it, but the forest's energy hadn't faded. The fragrant energy tickled the inside of her nose.
She often used high-quality papers available on the market, but Alfia preferred this.
It was soft and rolled well, and above all, the fragrance when it burned was beyond compare.
To dare use a leaf of the World Tree as a cigarette ingredient. The other elves would have been horrified if they saw, but no one knew the truth.
She finely chopped and trimmed the leaf's veins. Then she picked up a pouch. Careful not to let it scatter, she pinched some with her fingertips and sprinkled it over the leaf.
Just a tiny amount. Too much would overwhelm even an elf's purification ability.
Finally, she opened the glass bottle. Ether resin. A material commonly used to burn mana herbs. When a drop fell onto her hand, the sticky liquid held a bluish tint.
She rubbed her fingers together to spread the resin thinly and mixed it evenly with the shredded leaf veins. She rolled the leaf, twisted one end to seal it, and it was complete.
With a trembling hand, she placed the cylindrical leaf in her mouth and lit the tip with a spirit.
As the small flame touched the leaf, bluish smoke began to rise. The burning World Tree leaf spread the fragrant scent of the forest.
Slowly, very slowly, Alfia inhaled the smoke.
The first taste was bitter.
The taste of the crisply dried, burning leaf filled her mouth.
But soon, a sweetness lingered on the tip of her tongue.
The fragrance of pollen filled her mouth.
A pleasant warmth traveled down her throat.
Finally, as the smoke that had pushed deep into her lungs spread, her heart began to beat as if it were dancing.
“Huuu…”
She breathed out.
The smoke slipped past her lips.
Her whole body grew languid.
The weight pressing down on her mind disappeared.
Inside her head, it felt like something was melting away.
Something that felt like it should never disappear.
The feeling of becoming an idiot.
The moment she sank into the smoke that filled the room, Alfia found herself lying in a field of flowers.
Soft flowers enveloped her.
A blue sky.
A gentle breeze rustled.
The sensation of the air on her skin was vivid.
A shiver ran through her every time the light breeze touched her.
Her mind went blank, and in its place, colors flooded in.
Golden light.
Red light.
Blue light.
When she closed her eyes, everything shone brightly.
Petals rode the wind, scattering like a melody.
Then the light began to melt.
Golden waves shimmered as if breaking.
Even the air was filled with a sweet, floral scent.
With every breath, it felt like pollen was seeping into her lungs.
It felt as if flowers were growing from her entire body.
“Puhuhu.”
A small smile appeared on her lips.
A reasonless laugh escaped her.
And then.
Drip.
She heard the sound of a droplet falling.
Amidst the colorful flowers, the color red began to spread.
At first, it was a small dot.
But it soon spread as if seeping into them.
As if an invisible hand had dropped ink onto the petals.
A strange metallic smell mixed with the sweet floral scent. A hot, thick, and vivid smell.
A sharp sensation brushed against her skin, but it didn't matter.
Because it felt good.
She wished she could stay like this forever.
She inhaled the smoke again.
Deeper.
Slower.
Her senses grew duller.
The floor receded as her body floated up.
She surrendered her body to the wind.
And just like that, she sank.
Anywhere.
It didn't matter where.
Just… she hoped he would be there when she opened her eyes.
The elf flies away on the wind.