She Finds the Device

Robin nodded. "Humans are short-lived and forgetful, in contrast to the long-lived elves. Thus, every few generations, in order to generate a healthy sense of fear and justice, it is necessary to punish a greatly evil man harshly in front of them, as an example. Otherwise, there might be more blind folk like this merchant in the future."

"So you kill someone who is greatly evil every decade?" the elf asked.

"Considering what I've seen, it isn't necessary to wait that long. It is enough to just deal with them as they come." Robin sighed. "But death is not something to be handed out easily. We are not in times of war, anymore."

"I personally have never killed a man. Goblins? Orcs? Magic beasts? Sure. But as for humans...I come from a peaceful place. So even I'm not sure if I have it in me to kill my own kind." Robin admitted, watching as the elf child which Jasmine freed was finally able to eat some food. She smiled to herself as she saw the child eating hungrily.

"Even with that sword upon your own waist?" the elf asked, surprised.

"Well? Could you?" Robin asked, looking at him. "What if what the merchant ordered wasn't for these elves to kill themselves, but to kill you? What would you do if you had to fight against women, children, elderly...family?"

The elf paused. "You're right." He sighed. "It is difficult to kill your own kind so easily...Tyrstle."

"Hmm?" Robin didn't quite understand what his last word meant.

"...My name." Tyrstle said in explanation.

"Ah. A pleasure to meet you, Tyrstle." Robin nodded politely. Then she pointed to Skye, who was seated on her shoulder. "I can have Skye here, send you a message once we're ready to hand that merchant over to you. What you do with him after that is your business."

"You're willing to do so?" Tyrstle asked.

"Justice is a funny thing." Robin grumbled. "It has its own conditions for fulfillment. That merchant has created a debt to these elves, and to the lives of those who have perished under his command. Thus, for him to pay it back, his debtors ought to decide his fate."

"You speak well. Are you sure that you don't have elvish blood in your ancestry?" Tyrstle asked, impressed.

"I don't know. My mother never really talked about her family." Robin shrugged. "I'd have to ask my uncle about that. But...if so, then I would hope it was out of mutual affection. I don't like the idea of any elvish ancestry coming from something brutal like this."

"In that, we are the same." Tyrstle agreed. "I really must thank you for your aid this time, Robin. Is there anything you would like or need?"

At this point, all of the elf children had been released. Robin considered Tyrstle's offer.

"I'm a bit busy now, so how about the next time I return, you can show me around the elven city? I promised Dewtre and Dirk that I'd visit when I could, after all." Robin nodded decisively.

"What, that's it?" Tyrstle asked, feeling like it was nothing in comparison. Weren't most humans greedy, and unscrupulous?

"Yes that's it." Robin grinned. "I'm looking forward to hearing about your city and seeing the beautiful sights. But the next time I come, the company will be a bit larger."

"That is to be expected. We can't let the hero enter the great elven city with such a small group." Tyrstle nodded.

"Oh, so you knew?" Robin asked.

"As soon as she returned, Dewtre made public that she gave her token of friendship to you. Every elf knows this now." Tyrstle admitted. "If you were not the hero, I would not have brought you here, leaf or no leaf. As for your request of guidance about our city, you have my word."

Robin scratched at her cheek, feeling a bit awkward. She hadn't worn a mask tonight to show her expression of goodwill. She blinked as she thought of something, then looked up at Tyrstle.

"If possible, please don't keep any recordings of my face in the public records for the time being. I generally cover up my face when I'm out in public, so if they knew, you might get a lot of unexpected night time visitors."

Tyrstle blinked. "I can do that. But why must you wear a mask?"

Robin chuckled. "Sometimes having people know your face isn't necessarily a good thing. The bad guys turtle up, the places I go will be crowded: it's far too inefficient otherwise."

"I can somewhat understand now why Dewtre wanted to befriend you." Tyrstle said, with a faint smile.

At this point, Jasmine had to take a break. She had finished freeing the children and the elderly. But her mana wasn't infinite. And it took a lot of concentration to crack the seal, despite her growing familiarity with the process. Jasmine took out a mana potion and gulped it down, hoping to finish as soon as possible.

Chelsea finished helping to heal the cuts and abrasions that the elves got while struggling within the tree. Her study of the King Slimes was now beginning to show its value. Her healing was now just as fast as the healing spells that used light mana.

Chelsea smiled and joked with the little elf children, prodding them to begin to smile again. Soon enough, after finally eating a good meal the children fell asleep, exhausted by their ordeal. Liam stood silently nearby, watching over Chelsea. The sleeping elf children were handed over to the elder elves to watch over.

Robin watched as the little elf girl from before cried aloud as she hugged her mother, who had finally opened her eyes again. She was happy for the child. She had done what she would have wanted someone to do, were her own mother in such a position.

Robin's smile dimmed a bit. She had always cried silently to herself, making sure no one could hear her. She would not give others the satisfaction of knowing that she had felt hurt. If her own mother had been saved like this, would Robin have been able to wail like the little elf girl?

----

Soon enough, the last slave crest was deciphered and unlocked. The rescued elves could now be safely moved to a more permanent dwelling.

"Well, looks like the night is no longer young. We'd best head back before dawn." Robin said. Although they had all rested before they came, it was now the early hours of the morning. It would be best to get back to the inn before they were missed.

"I will have one of us wait here for your correspondence." Tyrstle informed as his people startled packing up the hastily constructed camp. And with that, the two groups parted ways.

By the time they arrived back at the inn, the sky in the east was beginning to lighten. Robin was just about to enter her own room when she paused. The thin string that she had strung across the doorway had been broken. Someone had been inside her room that night...but who?

"What's wrong?" Skye asked.

"Hey Skye...can you help me go in and look around to see if anyone is inside?" Robin asked, feeling a bit apprehensive.

"Sure!" The cat agreed. Robin opened the door, and let Skye in. Skye peeked his nose into the room, and quietly crept in, peering about. There weren't many blind spots in such a room, so a once-over was quick enough.

"I can definitely smell that someone's been here, but it looks like he isn't here anymore." Skye called back to Robin. "Oh, but it looks like he left something here!"

Skye went over to a small curious gadget.

"Don't touch it!" Robin said anxiously.

"Ah, too late!" Skye, who had already batted a paw at it, suddenly froze. Through their link, a freezing cold energy flowed, trying to encompass the both of them. Robin found she couldn't move. However, at that moment, Hikaru, the hero's blade acted up, shining with a great light.

Robin saw a glowing ghostlike image of Hikaru come out of the sword, brush past Robin into the room, and strike at the object. The attack cleaved it into two pieces. After that, the cold energy was fully extinguished.

"I guess we found out where the device went." Robin noted. Unseen by Skye and Robin, a partially constructed slave crest on the backs of their necks disentigrated into motes of mana, which vanished back into the air.