Volume 4 Chapter 14: An Old Friend

(Walson)

"Good job, Rifle, you've earned yourself a treat," I exclaimed with a satisfied grin, patting the furry head of my faithful companion. Rifle responded with enthusiastic barks of joy. I reached into my inventory and pulled out a sizeable piece of cured meat, rewarding the fluffy creature

"Alright, Rifle, you can stick around here or go off on your own adventure. Maybe find your wolf pal," I said, giving Rifle a final pat on the back. With a wagging tail, Rifle bounded away

As I turned my body, my gaze ascended towards the towering walls constructed with cobble and stone. It had been nearly a year since my last visit to this place before I embarked on my journey to the Capital.

The effects of the Wither had mostly healed along the way, but something caught my attention—the abundance of monsters lurking around. It seemed like there was an unusual surplus of creatures in the vicinity.

"Hehe. . . . Hehehe." At this moment, Barella wobbles and walks up to me.

Ah, speaking of her, this elf girl sure really loves to make things difficult for herself.. I initially said she could just go together with Grace, but she insisted on following us all by herself, she could catch up with us at first, but at some point, she ended up being left behind.

In the end, Rifle became her trusty steed. Worried about her safety, I ended up holding her tightly throughout the ride.

"Hehehe..." Looking at her face full of excitement, I can't really understand what she's thinking.

I know that Rifle is moving really fast, but can it make someone dizzy to such an extent? It looks as if her brain is malfunctioning or something!?

"Barrela." I speak up.

"Hmm?"

"When we return, you really should see a doctor. And maybe cut back on the wine, you know. Downing barrels of it every day can't be good for your brain,"

"What!? How dare you, Walson!" Barella's body convulsed as if she had sustained a severe blow, and the impact was evident. She retreated into herself, curling up like a Pokémon in its Poké Ball.

Just then, I detected movement in the nearby bushes, and according to my trusty [Mini-map], it was none other than Grace. Emerging from the foliage, she pouted, "I'm so jealous. I want a ride with you next time, Walson."

Ah, Grace, stop it, the way you are gazing at me makes my body physically twitched in pain.

"Master, are we going in?" Melon appears by our side, seemingly out of nowhere, and the three of us look at the steep mountain wall together, except for the confused Poké Ball.

Alright, there are many things to figure out at once.

...

...

...

# Um - so that's basically what happened - Huh? No! - Don't! - Dear benefactor - you're picking up the carving knife again — No! Don't carve me - Aaahhhhh!!!! #

And thus, it evolved into this situation.

Inside Miss Nakula's barrier, an uncategorized farce is taking place.

Melon and Grace are tightly holding both of my hands... Otherwise, I would have charged over to Miss Nakula in the next second.

That damn tree! How dare it deceive me!

While the change in race does extend my lifespan, but it also slows down the growth rate of my body, I have to maintain this shota appearance for at least another twenty years, aaahhhhhh!!!!!!

"Mas... Master, this is very unwise!"

"...Even if Walson keeps this appearance forever, it's okay."

Sob, sob, sob... Thank you for your consolation... Since that's the case, I should engrave all three of our names on that damn tree trunk! And add a big heart surrounding our name too!

"Don't stop me! I just need to carve all our names, and it will symbolize eternity!"

"Eter... eternity with Master..."

"...I see. Then... I'm sorry, Miss Tree..."

# Waaah! - Aah! - Fairy Kirin - aren't you my guardians? - Come and protect me!#

However, no matter how violently that tree sways, the three enormous beasts around it, each over three meters long, show no intention of intervening.

When we first came here, we encountered three miraculous mythical beasts.

...Yes, that's right. They have grown quite a bit since then. Apart from their horse-like appearance, their long fangs protrude from their mouths, and they now possess a fierce and beastly demeanor.

Later, Miss Nakula explained that the original adults passed away shortly after our first arrival... Well, if we had fought against the adults, maybe I wouldn't be standing here now...

Or perhaps, if the adults were there, the Withering event might not have occurred.

The main purpose of coming to find Miss Nakula this time is to inquire about more information regarding the Withering.

After I shared the information from Miss Teigitan, Miss Nakula suddenly realized and told me more things she hadn't mentioned before... It would've been great if she had said it earlier! She's such a natural airhead!" In the testimonies of Miss Teigitan and Miss Nakula, there is one common element: an elusive figure associated with the taint of death.

...When the blessings of the seven elemental guardians are contaminated, the rules that maintain the balance of the world will disappear, and something will be able to descend... or so they say.

So, is that figure trying to bring about something by contaminating the blessings? But where did that person obtain the Wither Skull?

Currently, two blessings have already been contaminated. Upon inquiry, while the environmental effects of the contamination can be reversed, it may take several years to completely eliminate the pollution from the blessings themselves.

Moreover, there are still many unclear aspects of the information.

Firstly, regarding the contamination of the seven elemental attributes, Miss Nakula only knows that it is a basic condition to break the "rules," but she doesn't know the specific method because it has never happened before.

Therefore... even if the contamination's effects have almost disappeared now... the worst-case scenario is that the other party has already achieved their goal, rendering purification futile.

Furthermore, and this is the worst part... the seven guardians hardly have any communication with each other, so I cannot learn about the condition of the other guardians.

Oh heavens... spare me, please.

# Wait! - Don't cut me yet! - I've thought of something! #

"Hmm?"

# If you want to know the whereabouts of Lumin - Um… #

"Who is Lumin?" I asked Miss Dryan in confusion.

# Ah - I forgot - it's not Lumin anymore right? - I think the outsider calls her Vantinom now - After becoming a guardian - Lumin - or Vantinom - Seems to be worshipped by the outside world as a goddess in some religion with her name in it #

Upon hearing that, I pause.

Isn't that the most widely spread religion at present!? The Goddess Vantinom religion!?

# ...But - Why would a girl like Lumin # Cause religious wars in the outside world? - Ah - anyway - if you want to know where Lumin is - you should be able to find her by finding the Hero first #

"The Hero!?"

# Just like how you - Dear benefactor - are chosen as the Vassal of The Forest - The Hero has always been chosen as Lumin's Vassal of The Light #

"Even if you say that, I don't know where to find the Hero! I can't go to the Western Nations!"

#... # Miss Nakula is speechless upon hearing that.

"Here's another question, does the growth of the Hero's body get affected?"

# No - Only the growth of the Vassal of The Forest - which is you = gets delayed - ... Oops #

"Come to think of it, I always wondered if fairy-roasted meat tastes good?" I take out a Minecraft axe from my inventory, enchanted with Efficiency IV!

# Hold on! - Oh - I - I know now! - Fifty years ago - one of the Flame Guardian Vassals of The Flame visited me! - I should know where to find the Flame Guardian! #

"Where?"

"It's called... Chesaatla..."

Upon hearing that, I can't help but be speechless. Are these guardians all fond of living in mazes!?

Chesaatla... it's the labyrinthine city located on the border of Mahamatra.

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