N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 587
“What do you mean?”
Denier responded calmly, almost serenely, with a peaceful gaze.
“What do I mean? I mean what I'm saying to you.”
Aris leaned against the wall with a smirk.
“Karoon is a greedy man, if he can't have a treasure, he might as well destroy it. If he can't become the head of house, he might even burn Zieghart.”
“…….”
Denier didn’t say anything and stared at Aris.
“Balder is a simple but loyal fool. The family is important to him, so If Zieghart grows more than now, he will accept whoever becomes the head.”
Aris brushed her windblown hair back and continued.
“Sylvia is a brave coward. She made a choice even I couldn't make. I still think she's remarkable.”
She mentioned Sylvia’s name and then looked at Denier.
“Finally, you are a bystander. You don’t get involved in anything and you don’t waste your emotions on any situation. To be honest, I still don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“A bystander….”
Denier drew a thin smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Isn’t that right?”
"Yes. I think it's an appropriate title. You've been watching us more closely than I thought."
“Well, they're still my siblings."
Aris let out a voice that seemed to come from a far distance.
“So, do you think it's strange for a bystander to take care of the children?”
“Exactly.”
“People change. You know that better than anyone, sister.”
“That’s right. People change. I thought that when you adopted Martha.”
She nodded calmly.
“But even after you accepted Martha as your adopted daughter, you left her almost as if you were a bystander. You helped her behind the scenes, but it wasn’t really noticeable.”
Aris frowned as she looked at Denier’s clean hands.
“You didn’t teach Martha directly very often, did you?”
“No excuse for not having time, right?”
“Of course.”
She furrowed her brows, saying that was nonsense.
“This is amazing. I thought you were just focused on playing pirates.”
“I have more than just one eye.”
Aris pointed to her own eyes with her fingers.
“Indeed, you've always been different from the rest.”
“You’re noisy. What are you thinking? Why are you suddenly abandoning your position as a bystander and approaching the children?”
“As I mentioned, I'm also changing a bit. I just wanted to help those children who said they wanted to train as soon as they came back from their mission.”
Denier clasped his hands together, asking her not to misunderstand.
“If you do something useless and get caught, you’ll die.”
Aris grabbed Denier's collar with a chillingly cold voice, causing him to shiver. She exerted an entirely different aura than before, one that seemed to crush the space.
“Your words are harsh to your younger brother.”
“Do you think I can’t?”
"No, sister, if it were you, you would. However..."
Denier calmly brushed off Aris' imposing demeanor and offered a thin smile.
“Trust me a little. I wouldn’t do anything that would harm Zieghart, even though I look like this. It was me who found all three pieces of the family treasure.”
“That’s why I’m not throwing this fist right now.”
Aris clicked her tongue and shook her right fist.
“It reminds me of the old days. I got hit so many times.”
Denier smiled softly at Aris’ fist.
“Lady Aris!”
“We’re ready.”
Martha and Burren, fully equipped, called Aris.
“Aunt!”
“Aunt!”
Once again, it was Runaan who first shouted "Aunt."
“I don’t know if that kid is bright or crazy.”
Aris shook her head and turned her back on the wall.
“This is your last warning. Don’t touch the children and don’t do anything unnecessary.”
“It seems words don't get through.”
Denier sighed and shrugged.
“Hm.”
“Sister.”
As Aris snorted and walked towards Burren, Martha, and Runaan, Denier called her softly from behind.
“You didn’t evaluate yourself earlier. Big brother is a tyrant, Balder is a man of loyalty, and Sylvia is a coward.”
“So?”
“What are you then?”
“Me? I'm just a crazy b*tch.”
Aris raised her thumb and pointed at herself, raising her voice.
“If I were stronger than father, I would have taken his place as the head of family.”
"That seems likely. It fits you perfectly."
Denier chuckled coolly and nodded his head.
“Is that an insult or a compliment?”
“It’s a compliment.”
“I don’t even like the way you smile.”
“Sister.”
“What now!”
“You better not just focus on me.”
Denier shook his head, his voice filled with a hollow echo.
“What do you mean?”
“…….”
He didn’t answer and just stared at Aris quietly.
“Tsk.”
Aris glared at Denier, clicked her tongue, and turned her back. Her steps towards the captains of Light wind Division were slightly shaken.
“I really don’t like you.”
* * *
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“This child needs to be taught music!”
The elf with heavy eyes that seemed unmoved even if the world were to collapse, pointed at Yua with eyes wide open as if possessed by a ghost.
“She has the talent, the voice, and the skills! She is a child who must make music from the moment she is born!”
She shook her head, saying that Yua was not a warrior, but a musician.
“You said your name was Saira?”
Raon waved his hand to calm her down and called the female elf’s name.
“Yes!”
Saira nodded vigorously and raised her voice.
“I know Yua is talented.”
Since Eden had targeted her as the vessel of the Siren, he naturally knew that Yua had a special talent.
However, he did not know that she would be praised so highly by an elf who was even an outstanding musician among elves.
“No. You don’t know.”
Saira shook her head firmly.
“Among humans and even elves, there's no one to match her.”
“Even you, Saira-nim?”
“I’m not even as good as this child’s toenail!”
“Ah….”
She bit her lip, saying it was disrespectful to compare.
“Ehem!”
Yua seemed to be happy with such praise, and she snorted and coughed. It was cute how she scratched her head, feeling a little embarrassed.
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I must teach her here. I want to pass on everything I have.”
Saira clenched her fists, saying she wanted to make Yua the best musician.
“Hmm….”
Raon eyed Saira's clenched fist as if considering it.
‘I’m happy that you’re praising Yua’s talent, but….’
It’s too sudden to leave her here.
Since he was acting as her guardian instead of Yua’s grandfather, it was not something he could decide easily.
“Yua. What do you think?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. I like swords, and I also like singing and playing instruments.”
Yua shook her head, saying she wanted to do everything.
“We still have some time here. Let’s decide on that later.”
“Uh, but time is precious….”
Saira shrugged her shoulders as if she wanted to stay up all night and teach her.
“Then can I take her with me while you’re here?”
She begged for permission, her demeanor completely different from the first impression, which was even more surprising.
“It’s up to you, Yua.”
“Then, that’s great!”
Yua raised her hand, saying she wanted to learn more about how to play the pan flute.
“Then let’s go right away! I’ll even cook dinner for you!”
Saira ran off to her house with Yua without even giving him a chance to stop her.
"It seems like I'm looking at myself."
Rimmer smiled faintly as he came out of the kitchen with a tray, looking at the backs of Saira and Yua.
“Yes?”
"I also struggled quite a bit to convince you."
Rimmer raised his eyebrows slightly as he placed the food he brought on the table.
“Did you…?”
Although his efforts didn't come to mind at all, he decided to let it slide out of annoyance.
“What about me?”
Dorian raised his finger, asking how he was.
“You, I definitely wanted to catch you too. The Light Wind wouldn't exist without you, the Supply Officer!”
Rimmer forced a smile along with a lie that anyone could see through.
"As expected!"
However, Dorian nodded enthusiastically as if pleased with Rimmer’s words. Though he was the heir to the Seipia Company, it seemed like he shouldn't be involved in business.
Hweok!
Wrath stuck out his tongue as he looked at the food spread out on the table.
Ba, it's food! And it's all food I've never seen before!
The guy seemed to like the elves' cooking, as he gulped so hard that you could hear it.
'It's definitely all new.'
It was a fruit pie, but the color and smell didn't seem like it was made with flour.
It felt more like a fruit that had swollen up than a bread.
Hurry up and pick up the fork! Take a bite of that pie first!
'I know. Just wait a minute.'
He calmed Wrath, who was urging him more than usual, and picked up a fork. As he was about to pick up a piece of the pie and put it in his mouth, a chilling sensation ran down his spine.
“Hmm?”
Rimmer also felt it and stood up with his eyes wide open.
“What's wrong with you two?”
“Just a moment.”
Raon couldn't respond to Dorian's question and hastily slipped out of the room with Rimmer.
Crackle!
The night sky opens. The barrier of Seipia, protected by the power of the World Tree, shattered and scattered like a sheet of paper.
However, strangely enough, it didn't feel like someone had forcibly broken the barrier. It seemed as if the barrier had disappeared naturally over time.
“Dorian. Take care of Yua.”
Raon put on his black dragon coat and waved to Dorian.
“Division leader, go straight to the World Tree. You must protect the Protector.”
“What about you!”
“I….”
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the entrance of Seipia, which was clearly visible as if the barrier had never been there.
“I have to go there.”
Merlin told him to run away, but there are many elves guarding the Great Forest right now because of his request. He couldn't just leave them and run away.
Boom!
Raon stomped on the ground roughly, looking at the Great Forest that was starting to catch fire little by little.
This damn it! Why does trouble always break out whenever the King of Essence tries to eat! Oh, damn you, heaven! Stop messing around!
Using the sound of Wrath's screams as a springboard, he ran even faster and jumped into the Great Forest.
* * *
"I feel like I'm going to die if I keep guarding without resting."
A blue-haired elf sighed as he looked at the darkening forest.
"Why does Sir Erian believe that human's words so much?"
A green-haired elf with a small cut on his eye frowned.
"He's the contractor of the Spirit King."
"Does that make sense? If he was really the contractor of the Spirit King, he would have summoned the Spirit King when he saw the World Tree."
"I don't believe it either. But what can we do when the leader of the Guardians says so?"
The blue-haired elf clicked his tongue and expressed his annoyance.
"Ugh, maybe he's just doing this because he doesn't like us.”
"What?"
"I think he's just doing this to make us suffer. Why would the enemy suddenly attack?"
"Come to think of it. He seemed to be close to Lady Siyan..."
"That's right! He's taking revenge on us for making fun of Lady Siyan..."
"Is this the time to be gossiping?"
Reyran frowned as she looked at the Guardians standing at the entrance who had just returned from patrol.
"L, Lady Reyran."
"That's not it..."
"This mission is not the human's, but Sir Erian's order. If you don't want to follow it, then you can quit being a Guardian."
At her cold words, cold sweat dripped from the elves' foreheads.
"Oh, no!"
"No complaints!"
The elves shook their heads and stood up straight, looking only at the front.
Reyran sighed as she looked at the elves.
'It's understandable.'
Originally, they should have rested for at least half a day, but because of Raon's request, they had to go on guard right away, so it was understandable that the Guardians would react like this.
'I'm angry too.'
She would accept guarding, but she was angry that the whole thing started because of a human's words.
However, as she had told the other elves, it was Erian who made the decision, so she had no choice but to follow it.
'Hmm?'
As Reyran lowered her eyes and shook her head, she felt the presence of her kin at the fork in the road leading from the Great Forest to Seipia.
'Whose presence is it?'
It was definitely the presence of her kin, but it was a sinister mana that she felt like she was feeling for the first time.
Moreover, the place where the presence is felt now is the place she just patrolled.
There was definitely no one there, so she doesn’t know what happened.
Just as Reyran was about to raise her bow carefully, the barrier set up right in front of her snapped like a rubber band.
Paaaang!
It's not just the front. The entire first barrier surrounding Seipia was lifted, and the elven world that had been hidden in the Great Forest began to be revealed.
"What, what is this..."
"Why did the barrier suddenly..!"
The elves guarding the area trembled their lips in confusion.
"Wait here."
"Reyran. You wait here too."
As Reyran gulped and nocked an arrow on her bow, Erian stepped forward.
He kept his hand on his sword and looked at the bushes in front of him.
Sssssss!
With a gloomy sound like a ghost brushing against the ground, the bushes parted on their own, and people wearing black robes appeared.
"Who are you?"
Erian drew his sword in one breath and glared at the people in black robes.
"It hasn't been that long, but have you already forgotten?"
A slender figure in the center of the group discarded their robe. A female elf with bright golden (blonde) hair contrasting against her rain-soaked sky-like ashen skin.
The others also took off their robes, and all of them were elves with pointed ears and beautiful appearances, but their skin was strangely dark gray or black.
"C, Cassandra..."
Erian trembled his lips as he looked at the elf with ashen skin, as if he had seen something he shouldn't have seen.
"W, who are they?"
Erian turned his trembling gaze at Reyran's question.
"Defectors. They are the ones who left Seipia. But..."
He gulped, saying that it was the first time he had seen their skin change like that.
"De-defectors..."
Reyran trembled her fingertips as she looked at Cassandra.
'Are they the defectors…'
She had heard that there were elves who had left Seipia due to ideological conflicts before she was born.
She had heard that the Protector had sent them away peacefully, but she didn't know why they had suddenly appeared and broken the barrier.
"What are you thinking, suddenly appearing?"
Erian chewed his lip as he looked at Cassandra.
"You should know that you are alive thanks to the Protector! Why did you come back and break the barrier!"
"We came to express our gratitude to the Protector."
Cassandra waved her hand lightly and nodded.
"In this dangerous world, he's too kind. We need to send him away quickly."
She openly revealed that she was targeting the Protector.
"Do you think that's possible? The Protector will be here soon!"
"While he is performing the purification ritual?"
Cassandra curled the corners of her lips.
"I know everything. Erian. Have you forgotten that I used to be your superior?"
“…….”
Erian remained silent, chewing on his lip. It was clear they had come to take advantage of the Protector's absence during the ritual.
"It's different from before. I'll stop you!"
"That would be fun, but we don't have time..."
As Cassandra snapped her fingers, the ashen-skinned elves standing behind her shattered the round spheres.
Kyaaaang!
The moment the light that sprang from the spheres shot up into the sky, a huge magic circle appeared on the ground where the barrier had disappeared.
Kuwaaaaaaaa!
A wave of crimson flames from the magic circle spread like a wave and began to burn the forest.
"Come out!"
Erian stretched his hand forward and summoned the top-tier wind spirit. The spirit, spreading its wings as if flying, tried to suppress the flames using the strong wind, but was pushed back by the wave of flames and crashed to the ground.
"H-How...?"
Even though wind and fire are not compatible, it should be possible to suppress the flames for a short while by controlling the atmosphere, but the crimson flames spread, ignoring the wind itself.
The fire was so strong that the bushes and trees around Seipia were soon on fire.
"Do you think you can stop the Crimson Flame with that kind of wind?"
Along with the mocking voice, the soaring flames began to take on the shape of a human.
Gooooo!
A massive figure with a rock-like fist on a sturdy body is revealed.
The spiral horn in the center of the forehead and the piercing eyes flashed in the helmet carved like a lizard.
Kukukukuku!
The top-tier wind spirit, overwhelmed by the tremendous aura emanating from the lizard-helmeted monster, trembled its wings as if it had faced Raon.
"Crimson Flame...?"
Erian trembled as he looked at the man wearing the helmet.
'A lizard's face, one horn, and Crimson Flame....'
Among the three, if it were just one, he might not have recognized, but all three combined pointed to only one thing.
"...Could it be Ifrit?"
"Correct."
Cassandra snapped her fingers and nodded.
"The King of the Fire Spirits, whom you all have been longing for, has returned."
"Why is Ifrit in Eden!"
"Because this is where I belong."
The man wearing Ifrit's helmet stretched out his hand forward. Crimson flames, as if piercing through his palm, engulfed Erian and the elves.
"Ugh!"
Erian bit his lip as he watched the swirling flames.
'If I blocked it, I can fight more.'
Although he was wearing Ifrit's helmet, the aura he felt didn't seem to reach Transcendence. If he could avoid that attack and fight, he might be able to survive.
However, the moment he ran away, his younger sister and the elves would die, the entrance to Seipia would be blocked, and it would become a hell of fire. He had to stop it somehow.
Piyaaaaaang!
Erian stomped his trembling legs on the ground and thrust his sword forward.
"Get up!"
He reached out to the top-tier wind spirit, who was overwhelmed by the aura. Perhaps the desperate cry worked, the spirit struggled to its feet and raised a mighty wind.
Kwaaaaaaaaa!
The tremendous storm of flames stopped before the sword of wind. It was the power of will that endured the worst.
"Kyaaaaaak!"
"Ugh...."
However, the flames were too powerful, and two nearby elves were melted by the flames.
"Reyran...."
Erian called out Reyran's name as if she was spitting blood.
"Elders and Raon, call them, evacuate everyone..."
“Ah, brother….”
“It’s okay, so hurry up!”
He displayed a resolute gaze, as if already prepared for death.
“Ev, everyone retreat!”
Reyran turned her back while giving the guardians the order to retreat. She forced herself to run towards Seipia with her wobbly legs.
‘I….’
I’m the one who killed my brother.
If I had listened to Raon’s advice properly, if I had looked into all the situations until the end, if I had scouted to the edge of the forest, my brother wouldn’t have had to block the way like that.
She regretted it so much that she wanted to kill herself for disregarding Raon’s words just a few hours ago.
Hwaaahhhhh!
As Reyran ran towards Seipia with her blurry vision, a clear and warm wind blew from the opposite direction.
The wind that brushed past her spread its scent without losing it even in the heat that was burning everything around.
Reyran clasped her hands together as she looked at the back of the wind.
‘Please….’
* * *
Erian’s hands that were blocking the flames trembled.
‘This is terrible….’
His arms were already burnt enough to cause his flesh to rot from trying to block the crimson flames.
His head was so dizzy that it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed right away from the excruciating pain.
However, he couldn’t collapse just like this. He had to buy some time for the others to prepare.
“I’m sorry. Please hold on.”
Kkkiiieee.
He forced a smile as he met the eyes of the spirit that was getting smaller and smaller. The spirit seemed to be okay as it let out a low cry.
Peureureuk!
Summoning every last ounce of strength, just as he was enduring, arrows flew in from both left and right, piercing through his arms.
“Keughhh!”
Losing balance, Erian bent his waist. His arms wouldn't move as if paralyzed.
“You’re taking too long.”
Cassandra curled the corner of her lips and shook her head.
“We’re busy.”
She gestured to the Ifrit’s helmet to finish him off.
“Hmph. I didn’t need your help.”
As the monster wearing the Ifrit’s helmet flicked his wrist, Erian’s wind and swordsmanship were broken and flames engulfed him.
“Ha….”
Erian laughed in vain as he looked at the prison of flames that was blocking him from all sides.
‘Is this the end…’
Even so, it's okay.
Seipia will be saved by him.
As the contractor of the Spirit King, Raon, he must surely be able to save Seipia.
‘Please….’
As Erian looked at the only open space, believing in Raon, it was then.
The light that enveloped the Great Forest was starkly different from the engulfing flames. A shimmering silver radiance, as if the moon had melted, blanketed the sky.
Kwaaahhhhhhhh!
Amidst the frozen world where the charred trees, the gray smoke that once filled the night sky, and even the proud crimson flames were frozen, a black cloak with a dragon embroidered on it fluttered magnificently.
"You held on well. From here on…"
The red eyes that had been watching Erian turned their icy light forward.
"I'll take over."
