Chapter 89: Pebbles and Leaves Part 9

-…There is something I want to ask of you.

"What is it?"

-Please grant this child peace.

"…"

It was too terrible and cruel to be called a request. I looked down at Grizel without saying a word. His fingertips were twitching as if he wanted to live.

-Selrem, this child was only used.

"Selrem?"

-That is Grizel's true name…

Selrem took the elves' derogatory term for dark elves as his name, intending to bear the sins of all dark elves and seek vengeance on their behalf.

"Cough! Ugh…"

Along with a loud cough, he vomited a significant amount of black mud. A small dark purple flame flickered at his twitching fingertips.

"Dianta."

-Yes…

"I will grant your request. I will give Selrem peace."

-…Thank you.

"But there is a condition."

-…

"In the name of the queen, absolve the dark elves of their original sin."

They have suffered for far too long. That is why such a tragedy occurred.

"Grizel met you in the labyrinth of dreams. He tried to save the elves using the disaster that befell the dark elves as a stepping stone."

-…

"I know well that the labyrinth of dreams was designed for the peace and prosperity of the elves. However…"

-…

"Do not overlook their suffering."

-…

"Otherwise, another Grizel will just appear."

-…I promise.

"Thank you."

-No, thank you…

After securing the queen's promise, I picked up the bow once more. I aimed the arrowhead at the center of his heart and drew the bowstring back…

-Thwack!

I granted him peace and rest.

Grizel's twitching hand fell limp, and the flickering flame extinguished. When Grizel's life ended, I felt the queen's presence depart as well.

The bow I held shone brightly once again before slowly dimming. In the place where the light had vanished, the small bird Beepy lay. I cradled Beepy in my hands. His appearance had changed slightly. His short, stubby tail now had long, purple feathers. It was probably related to the "bead" just now.

What exactly was Beepy? And what was that bow?

Could it be related to the origin god…?

Was every encounter not a coincidence but destiny? I carefully placed Beepy back into my embrace. He made a soft, rhythmic breathing sound as if he were asleep.

I looked down at Grizel… no, Serlem's corpse. Black mud was scattered everywhere. When I used [Nature's Purification], the mud transformed into ordinary soil. I scattered a plane tree seed over it and used [Breath of the Forest]. The seed quickly sprouted and began to wrap its roots around Serlem's corpse, as if to embrace him. And in the place where Serlem's body had been, a huge plane tree stood tall.

I placed my hand on the trunk of the rapidly growing plane tree and bestowed my purification power through [Blessing of the Forest]. Now Serlem's soul would find peace and rest in the purified plane tree. After gazing up at the softly glowing tree, I started walking toward the village.

***

When I returned to the village with Ayla, it was somewhat organized thanks to the efforts of Lloyd, El, and the dark elves who had been freed from the underground prison.

After briefly explaining what had happened to my companions, I also explained the situation to the freed dark elves. The dark elves of the seventh village, who overheard my story, seemed quite shocked, especially Luisa. She burst into tears like a child.

After persuading the dark elves who had completely lost their will to fight upon hearing the news of Grizel's, or rather, Serlem's death, I freed them. I released most of the dark elves, and it was the moment I was about to release Luisa.

– Hiiiiiiing!!!

From somewhere, I heard the sound of thundering hooves and neighing. And when I looked towards the source of the sound…

"…Elves from the capital."

I could see green flags fluttering in the wind, coming closer from the distance. The characteristic clattering sound of armored riders was also approaching. The atmosphere immediately grew tense. Just as the elves had long despised the dark elves, the dark elves also despised the elves.

But I've already informed the queen…

It would be alright. I straightened my back, held my head high, and watched the elf soldiers enter the village. Their armor bore mysterious bloodstains, perhaps from monsters they had killed on the way here.

With Grizel's death, the seventh village was without a chief. I stepped forward on behalf of the bewildered dark elves.

"Thank you for coming. Are you soldiers of the Sylvanus family?"

"…"

An elf who seemed to be leading the soldiers stared at me coldly and without saying anything. Wait, this doesn't feel right. The atmosphere isn't good.

"Are you the druid?"

"…Yes, I am."

That look, that tone, that atmosphere, it felt familiar. Wasn't this déjà vu from when I was taken by the council as soon as I arrived in Lysette?

– Clang!

– Clang!

– Shlaang!

The elf soldiers each drew their long swords and pointed them at me. I calmly raised both hands.

"It seems there's a misunderstanding. I've already completed the ritual of proof under the council's supervision."

"I know."

"Then why are you doing this?"

The elf soldier gave a faint smile.

"Would you understand if I said additional charges have been added, druid?"

"…Well, let's hear them."

"The crime of kidnapping Darion Sylvanus."

"That brat followed me on his own."

"The crime of sending a false letter to the Sylvanus family."

"I only wrote the truth in that letter."

"The crime of attacking the dark elf village."

"You must have seen it on your way here: floods, earthquakes, meteors. A mere human like me couldn't have done that."

"The crime of inciting the dark elves."

"This is getting ridiculous."

I couldn't help but burst into laughter. I mean, how can "the crime of attacking the dark elf village" and "the crime of inciting the dark elves" exist together? If I really attacked the dark elf village, would the dark elves be incited by me?

It didn't make any sense, but more importantly, the atmosphere among the elves was far more hostile than when we had arrived in Lysette. It felt like they would execute us immediately if we didn't comply.

I used too much magical power. Not just me, but the others too. Escaping safely will be difficult. We can't just leave the dark elves like this…

After thinking for a while, I nodded my head.

Since Selrem is dead, the queen won't be trapped in the labyrinth of dreams anymore. She'll wake up. When that happens, the queen will clear my name.

For now, this seemed like the best course of action. There was no choice anyway. I cooperated with the elf soldiers as they placed the restraints on me. Though Lloyd and El looked displeased, they followed suit and allowed themselves to be restrained as well.

"Ayla, you stay here."

– Kiiiing, king. Kiiiing.

"Guard this village. Luisa will take care of you."

kiing…

Lloyd, El, and I boarded the prison carriage one by one. The heavy door reinforced with iron bars, closed with a thud.

Everything will be resolved once we meet the queen.

I naively believed that.

A carrier pigeon landed on Blanche's shoulder. He unwrapped the letter tied to its leg and read it.

[We have captured the druid.]

Everything was going smoothly, just as planned. He threw the letter into the fireplace with a satisfied smile. The flames flickering like tongues burned the paper in an instant.

He gazed at the breaking dawn with a pensive look. Just as a new day needed a new sun, the new Lysette needed a new leader.

The labyrinth of dreams.

Blanche and a few other elders were aware that the labyrinth of dreams had developed cracks. They also knew of the filthy traces left by a dark elf who had slipped in and out like a rat.

Is it because so many years have passed?

The queen had become excessively soft, almost as if she had grown weak. The World Tree was withering, and shadows of doom loomed over the continent, yet she wished to show mercy even to insignificant pes. Last year, when the scent of destruction was so strong that monsters roamed beyond the Dark Forest, she went to the labyrinth of dreams in search of answers. And there, she met the rat.

When they discovered that a young dark elf had mingled with the remnants of the dark elves in the labyrinth of dreams and somehow gained enough power to "capture" the queen,

Blanche and the elders took no action. They did not search for or rescue the queen.

It was because a new sun was needed.

And so, the queen fell asleep. It was just as they had hoped. However, an unforeseen problem arose. The sleeping queen grew increasingly weaker, while the young dark elf who was mingling with the remnants of the dark elves began eyeing Lysette.

They had left the dark elves alone because their presence was necessary to hunt the monsters of the Dark Forest. That was the dark elves' atonement. But…

Grizel chose "rebellion" over "atonement".

That wasn't all. As Grizel grew stronger, the queen grew weaker. They needed to maintain this situation without letting her fall into a death-like sleep. It was then that the druid appeared.

The "druid" who seemed to be an ordinary human, not only passed the ritual of proof with flying colors but also caused the Guardian Tree to bloom. Was it really as Darion Silvanus had said, that he carried the blood of the ancient elves? It was unclear. But one thing was certain.

Using the druid, whose pure and powerful magic could make the Guardian Tree bloom, they could ensure the queen's "safe" and "eternal" slumber. That was the plan of Blanche and the Council of Elders.

In the dark sky, a new sun rose beyond the horizon. Filled with the joy of having everything he needed, Blanche gazed at the rising sun with a calm smile.