Chapter 127
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: The Way to Obtain Insulation Material (2)
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There were many.
People.
Crowded everywhere you looked.
All of them in rags.
“…….”
The sunset fading earlier than before.
Haviel cast his gaze down the hill amid it.
The empty field below the hill, once desolate, was now teeming with activity.
Tents packed densely.
People moving between them.
All recent refugees who had flowed into Frontera Territory.
“Sir Asrahan, preparations for meal distribution are complete.”
“…….”
Turning around, an elite guard soldier stood there.
Haviel nodded faintly.
“Start before nightfall.”
“Understood.”
He descended the hill with the soldier.
Dozens of large pots hung in various places.
The aroma of food rising in steamy clouds.
Refugees lined up in long queues before them.
Their eyes were starved, and equally desperate.
“Begin distribution.”
“Yes.”
The refugees' bowls were filled one by one.
The long line shortened as each bowl filled.
One person, then another.
Each time a refugee received food, Haviel asked without fail.
“Are you ill or in any discomfort?”
Most said they were fine.
If there was a patient, he noted it meticulously.
Patient's name, symptoms, temporary tent number, and so on.
“Understood. A doctor will visit tonight to check on you. Until then, don't skip meals and rest well.”
“Oh…… thank you……. How can such an upright knight care for an old wretch like me…….”
“No need. It's just doing what's right.”
And so he identified patients and oversaw distribution.
He spent the entire evening busy.
“But Sir Asrahan, won't you eat?”
“Later.”
After distribution, cleanup remained.
The soldiers said he didn't need to bother, but Haviel stayed until the end, working alongside them.
He saw it as his duty in overseeing the distribution.
It was during this evening cleanup.
“…….”
Refugee tents lined in rows.
A small child wandering between them caught his eye.
Age perhaps seven at most.
But the way the child wandered and moved was a bit off.
Holding a meal tray.
Peeking into this tent, then that one.
Head shaking restlessly side to side.
Casting anxious, aimless glances while hurrying along.
‘Lost track of which tent to return to?’
It seemed so.
Dozens of large tents aligned in formation.
All identical except for the numbers at the entrances.
Even adults could easily get confused.
“Hey, little one.”
He approached the child.
The startled child looked up.
Haviel tried his best to wear a warm smile.
“Don’t know the way back?”
“…….”
The child, eyes already tear-streaked, just nodded vigorously.
Haviel gently stroked the child's head.
“I can help. Want to find your tent together?”
“…….”
Another nod.
Haviel asked.
“But why haven’t you eaten? It’ll get cold. Aren’t you hungry?”
“Hun……gry.”
Words finally came.
But unexpected ones followed.
“Hungry, but don’t wanna eat.”
“Why?”
“Mom’s hungrier.”
“Mom is?”
“Yeah.”
“…….”
With a mom, why had such a young child come for rations alone?
Something must be up.
Haviel extended his hand.
“I’ll hold the tray for you.”
“…….”
“Won’t spill. Promise.”
“……Yeah.”
He took the tray.
With one arm, he embraced the child.
He called over a few soldiers in the midst of cleanup.
Also, a few influential refugee representatives from the tent village.
Fortunately, inquiries led them to the child's tent. And they learned why the child had come alone.
“Allen?”
A woman's voice as they entered the tent.
Haviel clearly heard it amid the many refugees inside.
The child called Allen seemed to as well.
“Mom!”
The child scampered over.
Buried in her embrace.
But her gaze was a bit odd.
‘Focus off when looking at the child. She’s blind.’
Blind.
Yet not accustomed to her disability.
Every gesture, every minor movement awkward.
He knew the reason at once.
‘Not congenital. Lost sight recently.’
Pity crossed Haviel's face.
Likely lost it fleeing a monster attack. Protected the child to the end, arriving here through hardship.
The child had gripped the tray with tiny hands to care for such a mom, prioritizing her over its own hunger.
His throat burned as he knelt on one knee.
Carefully offered the tray of cold food.
“Here.”
To the woman startled by his voice and presence.
“Rest easy. Haviel Asrahan, leading the guard unit. The child seemed lost, so I accompanied him.”
“I-is that true?”
“Yes. Brought evening meal too.”
“Such grace…….”
“It’s fine. Let me help. Slowly now.”
He picked up the spoon.
Out of compassion?
Perhaps.
Or because her chest was crusted with dried porridge.
Or maybe his own childhood suddenly flashed in his mind.
“Open wide.”
“Dare I…….”
“It’s fine. Plenty of food. Child’s too.”
“Ah…….”
Only then relief washed over the mother’s face at mention of the child’s share.
He fed her slowly.
One spoonful of food.
Two spoonfuls of memory.
After feeding her, he turned to the child.
“Little one? See this mark at the tent entrance?”
“Yeah, I see it.”
“That’s read as A-3.”
“A-3…….”
“Remember it. From tomorrow morning, return to the tent with this. Can you?”
“Yeah! I can.”
“Good boy.”
Haviel stroked the child’s head, thinking.
Realistically, this was the extent of help he could give.
So he hoped Lloyd would quickly solve the apartment piping insulation issue. Then this child and blind mother, all refugees, could live a bit more comfortably.
Perhaps lost in such sentiment.
That night, he nodded readily to Lloyd’s request for help finding a solution to the piping insulation— a foolish lapse in judgment.
♣
“So, you’re saying go to Everglow Forest where elves live and get sap from the ‘Elensia’ tree?”
“Yeah.”
“What nonsense…….”
Haviel shook his head.
He fixed a firm gaze on Lloyd, who’d come to sing a lullaby(?).
“I can’t help with that.”
“Wow. Why?”
“Why? It’s impossible.”
“But you nodded yes just now?”
“You hadn’t mentioned Everglow Forest then.”
“Ah. Nodded thinking it easy, now backing out seeing it’s not?”
“Not like that…….”
“Bull. It is.”
“…….”
“The great Haviel Asrahan’s tongue grown so long?”
“…….”
“Why? Did I say wrong?”
“…….”
Haviel clamped his mouth shut briefly.
Lloyd wasn’t wrong.
“But Lord Lloyd.”
“Yeah. Make your excuse.”
“It’s impossible from the start.”
“Harvesting Elensia sap from Everglow Forest?”
“Yes.”
“You really think so?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Elves make negotiation impossible from the outset. Your attempt wastes time and effort on the unattainable. Better find another way here and focus on caring for refugees, no?”
True.
At least 500 years.
No human interaction with elves—consensus in Lorasia Continent similar races academia.
“They’re stubborn. Reject human contact outright. Heard it possible in one place: fairy tales. For children.”
“…….”
“Believing that? Well, if mental age stuck at six, understandable.”
“Six? Basis?”
“I believed I could befriend elves until exactly six.”
“Hmm, so insulting my mental age now?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Straight ball.”
“Whoa. Open straight ball.”
“Truth.”
“But now using ‘straight ball’ too?”
“You’ve used it so often, I get the gist.”
“……Tch. But what to do. You’re wrong this time.”
“Wrong? What do you mean?”
“Way to get Elensia tree sap from that elf forest. Bullshit.”
“…….”
“What. Why the dead-fish eyes again.”
“Nothing. Just thinking if I should visit Liege Lord tomorrow morning.”
“Why?”
“To discuss sending you to capital for mental treatment or rest.”
“…….”
Tsk.
Lloyd smacked his lips.
Haviel refusing to believe throughout.
He knew why the guy acted so.
‘Psych treatment drip harsh, but not unreasonable.’
Truly not.
The Everglow Forest elves he mentioned.
No human interaction whatsoever.
No talk as baseline.
Intruders slaughtered outright.
So on Lorasia Continent, negotiating with elves?
Equivalent to declaring tap-dancing in African savanna in underwear and surviving—nonsense.
‘Indeed, no one succeeded in centuries. Not mighty lords, kings, emperors, nor swordmasters.’
All failed.
Swordmaster power useless.
Before elusive forest elves, swordmasters mere sluggish tag.
‘And Haviel the first to shatter that absolute view.’
Pioneer of Everglow Forest.
Haviel Asrahan.
The guy now denying elf negotiation outright would later befriend Everglow elves. Adventures, even flirtations.
‘Thinking that far, suddenly annoying.’
Iron-Blooded Knight.
Recalling the novel, Lloyd glared at Haviel with axe eyes.
‘Yeah, really. In novel, this guy flirts everywhere. What, real heartbreaker?’
Worse, Haviel iron-walls all women like Antarctic glacier.
Remembering irked more.
“So you can’t, man.”
“……Can’t? What do you mean.”
“You’re solo brigade’s nemesis…… no, use imagination.”
“Imagination?”
“Yeah.”
Lloyd shelved distractions.
Back to Everglow Forest memory.
“Everglow elves? No problem. Elensia sap? Can get. For real.”
If true.
If Elensia sap harvestable.
He was confident solving all piping insulation woes.
Elensia sap in Iron-Blooded Knight.
Hardened sap material showed top-tier heat blocking.
‘Obviously. Novel Haviel hardened it for special armor and helmet. Faced dragon with it.’
Opponent: fire dragon spewing hellfire.
But insane breath failed to melt Elensia-hardened armor. Blocked 99% heat transmission inside.
‘Took three consecutive breaths head-on. Then Haviel’s mutter legendary. “Ah, nice and toasty,” or such.’
Even drowsy, reminded of cozy winter blanket by stove.
Thus safe from fire dragon breath, Haviel severed horn after three-day night-and-day melee.
Iron-Blooded Knight.
Page of that great adventure.
“So go Everglow Forest, get Elensia sap. Coat insulation pipes, supply central heating room heat loss-free to all apartments. Guaranteed.”
Surplus sap stash for bigger bucks later.
Lloyd eyed Haviel with scheme and conviction.
Guy returned steely gaze.
“…….”
“…….”
How long stares locked?
Finally, he spoke first.
“You mean that seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Not naive fancy?”
“Of course not.”
“Fine. Then if really going Everglow Forest, how plan to persuade elves, negotiate for Elensia sap?”
“Promise cooperation, I’ll tell.”
“I promise?”
“Yeah. Secret not for anyone. So? Not going?”
“…….”
“Fine alone. But Elensia sap delayed big time. Refugees no apartments next year. Aww, sad. If heartless Sir Asrahan cooperated, less suffering next year.”
“…….”
“Apartments done, first snow: cozy day all. Kids roll snowmen, snowball fights, gleeful sledding. But impossible—sad future fantasy. Why? Heartless Sir Asrahan no cooperate.”
“…….”
“So refugee boy next winter’s biting cold: mutters ‘Ah, Parutsush……’ head droops. That all? Pitiful girl cries ‘Matches, matches……’ despairs, warms frail match flame, eyes close in chill. Why tragedy? Simple. Heartless Sir Asrahan no cooperate.”
“…….”
“Aah, yet countless tragedies crash mercilessly, our heartless Sir Asrahan…….”
“I’ll go. Going.”
Haviel finally gritted out.
Lloyd’s eyes sparkled alive.
“Going?”
“Yes.”
“With me?”
“……Yes.”
“Everglow Forest?”
“Sigh, yes.”
Should I punch him?
Haviel clenched then released fist, answering.
Satisfied smile bloomed on Lloyd’s lips.
“Knew you’d see reason.”
“Then tell me.”
“What? How to get Elensia sap from Everglow?”
“Yes.”
Curious.
What ingenious method this time?
What way to wrest sap from stubborn elves?
Haviel anticipated, waited.
And vowed.
That evening’s refugee child and blind mom.
Dedicate utmost for such unfortunates. Anything but honorless petty theft.
As Haviel reaffirmed resolve.
Lloyd’s lip curled subtly.
“Simple method.”
Recalling novel, he said.
“Just steal it.”