Chapter 860
“What was that! That really was a dragon that just disappeared, right?”
Martha frowned as she looked up at the clear sky.
“Why is there a dragon in Sephia?”
She bit her lip, as if she felt uneasy.
“Dragon…”
Burren clenched his fist, a fierce hostility in his eyes. He still seemed to harbor anger toward the dragons who had destroyed Zieghart’s walls.
“A Gold Dragon. It was even bigger than an adult dragon…”
Runaan nodded, saying it was an ancient-class Gold Dragon.
“Th-then, isn’t that a Dragon Lord?”
Dorian gasped, his eyes trembling.
“A Dragon Lord is a Gold Dragon and also the biggest, right?”
“It’s not the Lord.”
Raon lowered his gaze and shook his chin.
“The Dragon Lord is even bigger than that Gold Dragon.”
He had encountered the true form of the Dragon Lord several times and knew its size.
The Gold Dragon that disappeared a moment ago was ancient-class, but not the Lord.
-That’s right.
Wrath nodded quickly.
-Unlike that old guy, this one looked fresh. Hrrk!
‘Why are you drooling all of a sudden?’
Raon looked at Wrath, who was wiping his mouth, tilting his head.
-The flesh of that lizard looked so tender that I started drooling without realizing it. Sluuurp!
Wrath was already daydreaming about roast dragon meat, drooling continuously.
‘Sorry, but it’s already gone.’
Raon sighed coldly.
‘Give it up.’
There were actually many things he needed to ask the dragons.
Why did they destroy Zieghart’s walls? Why did they side with the Five Demons? What were they really hiding?
He needed to get revenge and find answers, but there was no way to chase after a dragon that had already vanished.
Just like Karoon’s warning, there was no guarantee of victory, either.
-I just feel like I’ll get to eat—no, meet it again. Sluuurp.
Wrath blinked drowsily, longing for roast dragon.
‘This glutton…’
Raon shook his head and looked back.
“Let’s go. We’ll find out once we get inside.”
He beckoned to the Light Wind Division and entered the path that had opened among the trees and brush.
Remembering the last time he came with Rimmer, he headed toward where Sephia was.
“Stop.”
About thirty minutes into the forest, Raon stopped walking.
“What is it?”
Burren’s hand went to his sword as he quickly scanned their surroundings.
“Someone’s coming.”
Raon lowered his hand and relaxed his fingers.
Though still far away, he could sense the faintest presence approaching from ahead.
It was the movement of elves, able to blend with nature like wild animals.
As they stood waiting, the thick brush on the opposite side parted, and elves bearing bows and swords appeared.
They were the guardians who protected Sephia.
Their beautiful faces, always enough to leave anyone speechless, looked even more striking as the sunlight filtered softly through the forest.
“Greetings to our benefactor.”
The blue-haired elf leading the guardians bowed his head to Raon.
It was Errian, Rimmer’s friend and the chief of the guardians.
Ever since Raon summoned Ifrit and saved Sephia, Errian had called him a benefactor.
“Greetings to our benefactor!”
The other guardians bowed their heads to Raon following Errian’s lead.
“Hello.”
“How have you all been?”
Dorian and Yua waved as they greeted familiar faces, though neither looked cheerful since they had come to deliver sad news.
“It’s been a while.”
Raon bowed in return to Errian and the guardians.
“And I apologize. We waited outside the forest, but no one came, so we ended up entering on our own.”
Even if they were invited, it felt like they’d forced their way in, so Raon apologized first.
“No, we should have come. We were late because something happened.”
Unlike last time with Rimmer, Errian shook his head politely.
“Was it something to do with the dragon?”
Raon asked, seeing the irritation in Errian’s eyes.
“…So you saw it.”
Errian let out a short sigh, sounding awkward.
“That’s right. We had an unexpected visitor.”
He admitted the dragon’s presence since there was no point in hiding it after being seen.
“Could I ask what happened?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Errian firmly shook his head.
“No matter how much you’ve done for us, there are some things that are too personal for us to share.”
He clasped his hands, apologizing for not being able to say more.
“No, I shouldn’t have asked.”
Raon waved it off to Errian.
“…I heard what happened.”
Errian’s lips trembled slightly as he looked at Rimmer’s sword at Raon’s waist.
“So there’s one thing I want to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“Rimmer. Is it true he’s really dead?”
“Yes. It’s true.”
Raon took a deep breath and said he’d personally sent Rimmer off.
“I see. Then, as expected…”
Errian’s face darkened as if he were under a shadow, and the guardians’ mood grew heavy as well.
‘Something’s strange…’
Raon furrowed his brow at the sudden heaviness in the air.
It was nothing like what Rimmer had said about elves accepting death naturally.
-Definitely strange.
Wrath nodded in agreement.
-When that fire demon appeared and the elves died, it wasn’t like this.
He was talking about the time of the Crimson Flame Demon’s attack, narrowing his eyes.
‘So our teacher really was a special existence to them.’
From the look in Errian’s and the guardians’ eyes, it seemed Rimmer had been special to all of them as well.
“I’ll guide you to Sephia. Ah, but before that, may I ask just one more thing?”
Errian turned, as if to lead the way, but then stopped.
“What was his last moment like?”
He looked back, as if he desperately needed to hear it.
“He was smiling. As if he’d let go of every regret.”
Raon recalled the last look on Rimmer’s face and gave a bittersweet smile.
“I see. Thank you for telling me.”
Errian’s eyes lightened just a little as he nodded and moved forward.
‘This is frustrating.’
Watching Errian’s back, Raon bit his lip. If someone as “elf-like” as Errian was in this state, he worried how Siyan, who was even more influenced by people, might react.
Sigh…
Raon gripped Rimmer’s sword and let out a long breath.
‘What should I do, Master?’
—
Sephia’s true sanctuary, where the World Tree puts down its roots.
“No.”
An elf who shone gold as if wrapped in sunlight slammed her hand down.
“That is something we absolutely must not accept!”
She shook her head, saying it was unthinkable.
“Siyan.”
Stehrin, the Guardian of Sephia, called the golden-haired elf and let out a brief sigh.
He looked as if he’d reached the end of his years—muscle gone, wrinkles etched deep into his face.
“The situation isn’t good. If there’s a sudden attack, there’s nothing we can do right now.”
“But Grandfather!”
Siyan stomped her foot, biting her lip.
“Don’t just get angry—think calmly.”
Stehrin shook his head gently.
“I’m getting weaker even as we speak, and you can’t summon Elraim anymore, right?”
“That’s…”
Siyan bit her lip, unable to argue.
“Since the last war, Elraim and Ifrit descended while the Spirit Realm was still unstable, so the two Spirit Kings haven’t been able to answer your calls. Right now, Sephia has lost both its sword and its shield.”
Stehrin shook his head, clenching his trembling fist.
“Then we should ask for help—like from Zieghart. There are others from the Five Kings as well.”
Siyan balled her fists, suggesting they reach out elsewhere.
“For how long?”
Stehrin let out a short sigh.
“To protect this place, you’d at least need a Transcendent. But no one can keep sending Transcendents here with war possibly breaking out at any time. And Zieghart isn’t in a good place either.”
He sighed, saying they’d heard about Zieghart’s situation.
“Siyan. You have to protect your own tree with your own hands. If you keep borrowing someone else’s strength, the land itself will wither.”
Stehrin shook his head, saying there’s a limit to what you can borrow from others.
“For now, we should try to think from multiple angles—”
Just as he was about to continue, Reiran approached and bowed.
“Guardian, excuse me for interrupting, but Sir Raon is on his way.”
“Sir Raon?”
Siyan’s head shot up in surprise.
“He’s already here?”
“Yes. While you two were talking, Errian went out to greet him.”
Reiran nodded, saying they’d arrive soon.
“I see…”
Stehrin nodded and slowly rose to his feet.
“We’ll finish this talk later.”
He told them to go meet Raon and opened the door to head for Sephia.
“…Alright.”
Siyan bit her lip and nodded. She looked up at the World Tree and then stepped outside.
—
It wasn’t a village built in the forest, but a forest itself turned into a village—a mysterious sight.
Raon gave a slight smile as he saw the unchanged Sephia.
‘It’s still the same here.’
Though there were places burnt in the battle with the Crimson Flame Demon, it seemed the power of nature had restored everything.
‘Actually, not everything is the same.’
Unlike before, the energy of nature seemed to seep right into his skin. It felt like a new sense he could only feel now that he’d reached Transcendence.
‘Just standing still makes it feel like my aura is rising.’
Perhaps because of the World Tree, dense mana naturally melted into his body.
Pure mana filled the circuits throughout his body.
But he couldn’t be happy. The one who would have been happiest for him was no longer by his side.
“Greetings, Benefactor.”
The elves at the village entrance bowed their heads to Raon. Their faces, like Errian’s, didn’t look bright.
“It’s been a while.”
Raon pressed his lips together and bowed to the elves.
“Hello!”
“How have you been?”
Dorian and Yua, who had come here before, greeted the elves as well.
“Good to see you.”
“It’s a different feeling from when he was with us.”
“H-hello.”
Burren, Martha, and Runaan also nodded at the elves who blended into nature.
The Light Wind Division, not forgetting why they’d come to deliver news of Rimmer’s death, kept a solemn air and didn’t let their gazes wander.
As Raon nodded in satisfaction at the Light Wind Division, the elves at the front of the village stepped back, and Stehrin and Siyan walked forward.
Siyan’s eyes were red, as if she was suppressing her sorrow, and her shoulders trembled. Stehrin looked as if he’d aged decades in the time they hadn’t seen each other.
Their emotions came through so clearly, it made Raon’s heart ache.
“Greetings, Guardian.”
Raon bit his lip and bowed deeply to Stehrin with the Light Wind Division.
“Rise.”
Stehrin spoke gently, shaking his chin.
“I was going to call for you anyway, so thank you for coming.”
He waved his wrinkled hand as if pleased.
“Sir Raon.”
Siyan gave a small nod, her sleeves tucked in. The fact that she didn’t call him handsome this time made Rimmer’s death feel even more real.
“Come with me.”
Stehrin gestured lightly and turned. The strength in his steps had faded, and it made Raon’s chest tighten.
“…Yes.”
Unable to say all he wanted, Raon simply followed Stehrin.
He stopped in front of a small house that didn’t fit the image of a guardian’s residence.
“Alright.”
Leaning against a tree that seemed to reach the sky, Stehrin nodded.
“I heard that he died, but the cause wasn’t written clearly. You’ve been through a lot. Can you tell me what happened?”
He seemed to have already sensed Raon’s level and nodded, asking him to explain.
“Yes. I’ll start from the beginning…”
Raon nodded, his lips trembling slightly.
Having comforted the others on the way here, now that he had to bring up what happened again, the words wouldn’t come out.
As he tried to steady his breathing, he felt a warm presence on his back. Runaan, as if she sensed his emotions, gently placed her hand on him.
“It’s okay.”
Runaan nodded, as if telling him to take his time.
“Thank you.”
With a small smile, Raon pushed down his emotions.
“I’ll start from the beginning. In the last war…”
Raon explained everything that had happened so that Siyan and Stehrin could understand the whole situation.
“Ah…”
Siyan’s jaw trembled, as if she’d never imagined something like that could have happened.
“I see. So he really did die…”
Stehrin let out a short sigh.
“But why did it end up like that?”
Errian narrowed his eyes, looking like he didn’t understand.
“…I’m sorry.”
Raon knelt down before Stehrin.
“If I had been a little more composed, a little stronger, this wouldn’t have happened. I’m truly sorry.”
He bowed his head, his lips trembling.
Delivering the news of his master’s death to his master’s family was nothing like simply realizing it himself.
A stabbing pain filled his chest, his hands and feet trembling.
“It’s alright. He died protecting all of you, so I’m sure he was satisfied. That’s why he left with a smile.”
Stehrin reached out softly and placed his hand on Raon’s shoulder.
“And as you’ve heard before, elves become one with nature in death. It’s not an end, but a new beginning.”
He shook his head gently, telling Raon not to worry.
“That’s not why we’re so worried.”
Errian sighed heavily, as if frustrated.
“Huh? Then…”
“When an elf dies anywhere, their soul returns to the World Tree, is purified, and then merges with nature. But…”
Siyan bit her lip and shook her head.
“My brother’s soul still hasn’t come back.”
That’s why everyone was so worried, she explained.
“That damned fool. He makes us worry, both alive and dead.”
Stehrin furrowed his brow deeply.
“……”
Raon looked at the troubled faces and placed his hand on the Requiem Sword, swallowing dryly.
‘Wait, does that mean…’
Is the elf really still stuck in here?
(T/N: Soooooo, does that mean we can still expect some cameo from Rimmer from time to time?)
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(T/N: Still not back to a regular upload schedule, but I’ll be uploading at least 5 chapters per series every week, in order based on the most recent series I picked up. No fixed days yet, but I’ll keep the bulk uploads coming as best as I can!)
