Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Chapter 26 Time Attack
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Dezhar.
The elven lord renowned for his radiant beauty. Rumors of that beauty had spread not just across the Payud Empire but to every corner of the continent...
But he's a man.
"Not to my liking... None of it is to my liking..."
Dezhar glared at the mirror with a sulky expression. Then he tilted his head and spoke obliquely.
"Come out. You there, thief."
He can see me?
I'm in stealth mode right now? How did he spot me? Is he just fishing?
"What an impudent thief. If you've entered a lord's chambers, reveal yourself first. You're short, so are you a dwarf? Though you seem too small even for one."
Tch. He really caught me.
"Sorry, but I'm human."
I dropped stealth and pointed at him. And now facing him directly...
Phew.
Fine. I'll admit what deserves admitting.
This is what it means to feast one's eyes. What's with that skin—did he slather on some kind of glow serum? And those seductive yet sharp eyes... One green, the other gold?
Doesn't change that he's a traitor to humanity, sold out to the sponsor.
No, not humanity—an elven traitor? Traitor to the world? To the dimension?
Anyway, Dezhar is a being who never leaves the lord's castle deep in the Eternal Forest.
Because he refuses to meet outsiders, this is the first time I've seen his face despite repeating regressions.
The lord's castle is protected by tree spirits—dryads—at every entrance, even the windows, so physically breaking in gets you caught immediately.
On top of that, over a hundred elite elven guards patrol the perimeter in shifts, twenty-four hours a day.
That's why infiltration was impossible until now.
But right now, there's not a single guard around the castle, and for some reason, a window usually covered by tree roots was wide open. That's how I got in.
"You should be grateful the window was open. Otherwise, I would've just blown up the whole castle from outside."
"Your name?"
"Huh?"
"Your name, human."
He's asking for my name in this situation? When your neck could be on the line any second?
"...Claude."
"So not just some sneaking thief. The empire's youngest prince, huh. I've heard the rumors..."
He narrowed his eyes and smirked provocatively.
"Wonder if you're as impressive as the rumors say. Here to kill me? Go on, try it."
This guy?
You think I can't kill you if I wanted to?
Of course, up through the ninth regression, I'd never killed this elven lord with my own hands.
Not for lack of trying. But he'd vanish without a trace the moment I approached the castle, and even blowing the whole thing up from afar yielded no body in the rubble later.
In short, a master of escape. That's the elven lord Dezhar.
"Killing you is something I can do anytime. Anyway, you actually stuck around without running this time."
"Running? Why would I run?"
Dezhar shot back with a look of disbelief. No, you've always run off without a trace before? What's different now that you're acting so bold?
Thinking back to the original plan...
At this point in time, killing the elven lord wasn't even on my mind.
Blasting the lord's castle outright would make contracting with the tree spirits impossible afterward.
So first, butter up a reasonable dwarf to build a connection, get a recommendation from the dwarf lord Gelli, and enter the elven stronghold together.
Then proclaim, 'I don't want to fight other races. Proof: I've built a good relationship with this dwarf here. If you can't trust that, I'll get approval from the tree spirit dryad right here.'
That would prompt the elven lord to send a message via guards: 'Who the hell are you? Get lost if you don't want to die!' But at the same time, the tree spirit steps in: 'I cannot block one who seeks a contract,' and the contract test begins.
That's the standard 'interspecies alliance' route.
So why not follow it?
Because the eclipse two hours ago shattered the line between normal and abnormal.
"A reason to run? You poisoned the elves, didn't you? Even as their lord. Do you have any idea how many elves died while you holed up here playing house?"
"No idea. Don't care to know."
"What?"
"It's all pointless. The rise and fall of elves or whatever. You seem to be in a hurry yourself. Want to extract info from me?"
"..."
Spot on.
From the looks of it, this elven lord was the last one to meet the sponsor right before the Eclipse Gate.
I've already heard testimony that the lord ordered them to drink the water laced with corruption poison.
So yeah, I'm desperate to squeeze info out of him.
What did you discuss with that sponsor?
What deal did you make that threw your people into the fire?
Did you know the Eclipse Gate would open in advance?
Are you insane? If not, why the hell would you do this?
And so on.
Failing that, at least cut him off before he makes things worse. That's why I mustered every ounce of energy to fly here...
Race: Elf
Current Strength: A
Current Magic: S
Current Enchantment Magic: S
Current Spirit Magic: C
Potential Spirit Magic: S
Damn, those are solid stats.
A-rank strength matches Knight Master Dabi.
S-rank magic is barely below my own S+.
No need to dwell on his enchantment or spirit magic. With power like that, why did he always bolt or vanish whenever a fight loomed? Shouldn't he be brimming with confidence?
Phew, facing him for real feels unnerving.
Normally, I'd just charge in. No matter how strong, could he top an otherworld wave rush? Against a mage, I could use Pure Magic.
But the battle two hours ago drained my mana too much.
Used up all my spirits too, so my available power's way down. Should've eaten a few more sugar bars.
And if this guy wished to the sponsor too?
What if he turns into a monster the moment I attack?
"...Just one question."
I need time right now. Internally piecing together a battle plan from scraps, while tossing out a question.
"Hey. What wish did you ask the sponsor for?"
"Wish?"
"Yeah. Wish."
"Interesting. To think you know exactly how things work with the sponsor."
Dezhar lifted the corner of his mouth, looking intrigued.
"Did you wish to the sponsor too? Is flying around on that tiny body the payoff? To destroy the world?"
As if.
And stop emphasizing how small I am! You think you're ogre-sized yourself?
Phew...
But judging the mood, if I bluff a bit, I might pry more info. Stay calm, probe gently.
"You think so? What wish do you figure I asked for?"
"To make you taller?"
Screw it, just die. Reverse Gravity.
Wooong!
Dezhar's body floated into the air at once.
Of course, Reverse Gravity can't kill an Arch Wizard-level mage.
I meant to gauge his reaction and follow with a finisher...
Chalak!
Suddenly, the entire log floor turned to tree roots and rose up.
They grabbed and fixed Dezhar's legs as he shot upward. Tch, spirit magic? Didn't expect that defense.
But then.
Chalak!
Chalak!
New roots shot from all sides, binding his arms too.
Hmm... What's this?
Counter to Reverse Gravity? But no need to bind that tight.
Hard to see it as a defensive spell either. It's only wrapping limbs? Hello? Torso's wide open?
"Hmm..."
Just in case, I flung wind blades at his stomach.
A spell so weak it'd be blocked by a basic shield—purely a test.
Yet it sliced right through, cleaving the enemy in half without resistance!
Slash!
"Guh..."
A groan escaped Dezhar.
The roots binding his limbs released, dropping him to the floor.
Huh? That's it?
What are you doing, Dezhar? Where'd those insane stats go?
"Dryad... Of all times, to revoke your blessing and bind me then..."
With his waist severed, Dezhar gasped, reaching toward the high ceiling.
"Just once more... Just once more, that city... I wanted to see it..."
Then his outstretched hand fell limply.
What is this? Such an anticlimactic end.
I'd racked my brain desperately for a plan with my remaining mana, only for it to be pointless. Fine by me, easier that way.
Anyway, what just happened? Something about the dryad?
Did the tree spirit outside intervene?
"This whole area is a tree spirit sanctuary, after all..."
Then, from the wide-eyed corpse's eyes, a green round orb floated up.
Looked exactly like a human eyeball.
But it's not an actual eyeball popping out. Instead, his right eye—which was green—turned gold like the left?
"This must be..."
Grabbing the orb, it oxidized into green mist and scattered.
"Huh?"
The spreading mist enveloped and absorbed into me.
Just like the lich lord's Emotion Imprint in the past.
"My eye..."
Suddenly, my right eye throbbed, heat flushing my face. Ugh, yeah, same as before.
At once, I felt someone's gaze intensely.
"Who's there!"
Whipping around, I saw a woman in green and brown standing outside the window I'd flown through.
"..."
She gazed sadly at Dezhar's corpse.
Oh right, this is the third floor. Miss, you must be about ten meters tall?
Of course, joking. I already know this woman—no, this spirit.
"Pleased to meet you."
The spirit turned to me and slowly spoke.
"I am the guardian deity of the elves, the spirit of forest and trees, Dryad. Please come outside. Claude. It seems we have much to discuss."
* * *
"What a tough day, truly?"
Dryad personally plucked a pink fruit from her branches and handed it to me.
"You must be exhausted, so have this at least. It's a fruit good for recovering fatigue."
"Uh... Thanks."
I took it without suspicion. Yeah, pure honey flavor. I've eaten it plenty before.
Meanwhile, as I exited the lord's castle, the few elves nearby freaked out and rushed over.
"A human! How is a human here...!"
"Seize him! We can't let a human defile the sanctuary!"
"Quiet."
Dryad extended long branches to hold back the elves.
"Everyone, be silent. This one is my guest and a benefactor to the elves."
"Sp-Spirit!"
The elves belatedly noticed Dryad and knelt on the spot.
But why are these guys acting like this? Dryad's been right by the lord's castle in tree form from the start, right? Why didn't they recognize her?
"It's no surprise. I just temporarily revoked the blessing I placed on the elves."