Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Recap- 4
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She bowed her head.
The unbreakable warrior, the World Tree's Great Warrior who had been the most superior from birth, had lowered her head.
She realized it only after sniffing at the ground like a dog for a long while, chasing his scent buried in the earth.
Nerwen raised her head.
His clothes, which should always remain pristine amid nature, were now overwhelmed by a chaotic mix of scents and dirt.
Dust and smells like this could be swept away with a single wave of her hand, letting nature cleanse them naturally.
But fearing even that lingering scent on his clothes might dissipate, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
"I... can't accept this."
She had to go back. She couldn't cling to him any longer. She needed to be healed.
She had done everything possible. Bowing her head and begging had been an act of desperately casting aside her pride and self-respect.
He had no intention of compromising. In that case, she would have to take him by force.
Born from the World Tree, it would surely restore her to her original state, no matter the problem. She just needed to bring him there, if only for a short while.
She had even considered tearing off a part of his body, but it was the scent of his soul. A body severed from its owner wouldn't last long.
Her eyes wavered and her legs trembled, but tracking that scent was no difficult task.
Before she knew it, night had fallen, yet he kept moving. She pursued his trail like a beast.
"Ugh..."
Even if she succeeded, her future would be bleak.
This was kidnapping a baron. No matter how great the World Tree or superior the elves, humans were far too numerous.
Unlike the World Tree, which permitted only a fixed number of births, they had multiplied recklessly in pursuit of pleasure.
Even among the elf elders, few desired direct conflict with humans.
It was the Empire that had banned and regulated the enslavement of young elves who ventured outside the forest. If the incident escalated into war, they would face those mighty knights and mages who could incinerate the woods.
Still, it was better than staying put like this. Incredibly sluggishly for an elf, Nerwen tracked the baron.
In the distance, she spotted him walking with his guards and maid.
The scent grew stronger. Just the thought of approaching him set her usually unflappable elven heart pounding.
Her previous pursuits had been half-hearted, unconcerned if discovered. No one would notice this time, with her putting in genuine effort.
As she nocked an arrow to her bow as usual, the elf remembered her goal was capture, not killing.
She would have to act directly. Dive into that crowd of lesser beings, scoop up the porter—the lump of that scent—and flee.
It was agonizing and humiliating, but Nerwen had no choice.
After taking several deep breaths to steady herself, she charged at the porter.
"Wh-what the?!"
"An elf! Why is an elf here?!"
Elves were a rare sight even for citizens. A mere strolling elf might inspire admiration, but one lunging aggressively was terrifying.
Having been caught off guard three times before, the guard immediately drew his spear to shield the porter.
"Out of my way!"
But no matter how well-trained, he was just a soldier. If he had the skill to keep up with an elf, he wouldn't have settled for a guard position.
Nerwen's short sword traced an instantaneous arc. The guard faltered as his spear blade snapped, stepping back to draw his sword.
But it was futile resistance. Shoving the guard down, Nerwen reached to scoop up the porter.
Until the porter, with his fierce glare, gripped the guard's sword and stared her down.
"...So, this is how you've decided to play it?"
Facing his cold eyes head-on, she sensed something was wrong.
Some primal instinct screamed inside her.
She mustn't anger him. She mustn't earn his hatred. Even now, she should bow in humiliation and beg for mercy.
'I am... Nerwen, the World Tree's Great Warrior...'
Forcing herself to focus, Nerwen kicked the porter's hand away.
"Hngh!"
It was a strike powerful enough to shatter fingers, but the porter endured. His hand still clutched the sword.
More than that, everyone around stared at her with icy glares. The maid stepped forward, shouting.
"This will be reported to His Imperial Majesty! You've just assaulted an Imperial noble! No matter your race, you'll be behind bars by tomorrow!"
It wasn't always about doing clean, admirable deeds.
But even in the eyes filled with hatred for her, there had been undertones of fear, terror, and awe.
These people, however, looked at her like she was a filthy cockroach or vile criminal.
"Uwaaaaaah!!!"
She couldn't accept it. She hadn't joined the hero's party to receive such gazes from the likes of them. She hadn't endured countless brushes with death, hunting monsters and demons while clinging to his scent, just for this.
As Nerwen struck with full force, he finally dropped the sword.
But he showed no fear. He merely clenched his fists with a look of disgust.
"I-I'm not trying to kill you! I just need to borrow you for a bit. Just to the World Tree!"
"If that's the case, you should have asked nicely... preferably by letter. I don't want to see your face."
He cracked his neck once, then slammed his fists together hard.
"Anyway, I have nothing to say except 'no.' If you can, try taking me by force..."
His scent assaulted her senses. Sensing she couldn't delay any longer, Nerwen lunged at him savagely.
"Haaaaah!"
"Miss Nerwen. Care to explain this situation?"
But standing before her was not Baron Enel. With her black hair whipping about and a gleaming sword in hand stood Elenor, the Empire's finest knight and princess.
The knight lady, rushing over upon sensing the commotion during her return from the expedition, hadn't imagined the culprit would be her friend.
"...You're lucky."
Enel chuckled dryly as he turned away.
"You. What did you do to her?"
"That's what I'd like to ask. If I've done something, I'll undo it—just make sure I never have to see that archer's face again."
Elenor withdrew her sword from her body. No matter how agile she was, at this range, locking eyes with a swordmaster left no escape—especially for a hero.
"Nerwen, my friend. This is something even I cannot overlook. As a knight, I have a duty to detain anyone who harms an Imperial noble."
"Elenor..."
During their grueling journey, the scent of her steadfast and noble spirit had been a revitalizing tonic.
But now, it was merely a foul stench masking the porter's aroma.
"No. Please, please... just let me go like this..."
Elenor pointed her sword at her. Nerwen submitted meekly to the soldiers' restraints.
Behind Elenor's back, she caught sight of the porter heading back to the palace. Nerwen gazed at the scene endlessly.
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"Goddess of Vengeance... Nerwen's symptoms..."
Pashier tried to find common threads amid his erratic actions.
"Has the revenge already been exacted?"
Tampering with an elf's mind was exceedingly difficult and complex, but divine intervention changed everything.
She closed her eyes briefly, pondering how she would act if she were the hero.
"Gather allies... stay out of sight for now... Hm. This might be more dangerous than I thought..."
There were plenty of ways to gather information. Nerwen was currently imprisoned and unavailable for interrogation, but fortunately, one of the guards' friends spilled the details over drinks.
"If it's revenge making Nerwen obsess over scents, that could make sense."
Like the god who cursed a gluttonous king—who tormented others with his bingeing—to devour everything until consuming himself.
Whether magic, divine power, or curse, linking cause and effect was essential.
"Or... am I no longer needed?"
She had entertained hopeful delusions that his lukewarm attitude toward Imperial revenge meant it wasn't his goal.
But Nerwen's behavior was undeniably odd. Dismissing his involvement stretched beyond hopeful imagination.
The revenge was already in motion. Using orphanage volunteering as an excuse to visit Erinis's temple was too transparent.
"Worst case... I need to at least safeguard the research results."
She had never felt the need to name a successor.
No one else pursued her research with the same zeal, and she was already free from mortal lifespan limits.
She believed she could complete it alone, even if it took a millennium.
"Please, just go back home quietly."
Muttering to herself, Pashier sighed, realizing how implausible that fantasy was.
A man who had endured such humiliation wouldn't simply return without exacting revenge.