Chapter 115 - The Shattering Leash (1)

The sharpest dragon, Nidhogg.

But now, atop that halted dragon, a single elf was catching his breath.

"... I have to go."

Two arrows were lodged right above the dragon's still-glaring eyes.

White brain matter was seeping out from the ends of the arrows, which were deeply embedded all the way to their arrowheads.

If you lack the power to pierce through, you just need to shoot from right in front of it.

Approaching close enough that they could see each other's reflections in their meeting eyes, Varadis finally succeeded in shooting an arrow straight into the dragon's brain.

Like that, he was able to stop one dragon.

"Everyone, get up!"

However, the glory of victory was short-lived; Varadis's voice trembled as he shouted to his comrades.

They had killed the dragon.

But they could not stop.

Because there was not just one dragon aiming for the World Tree.

"We must return right now!"

At Varadis's command, the warriors who were sprawled out all over began to rise from their spots with groans.

They had done their utmost to pave the way for a single arrow, but they could not rest just yet.

Nidhogg, climbing the World Tree.

It felt as if the screams starting from the young World Tree visible in the distance could be heard all the way here.

'... Damn it.'

Everyone's eyes were still alive, but they were far too exhausted.

An adult dragon was no different from a disaster, and to block that malice, the warriors had to pour out everything they had.

Ruin was crawling up toward the World Tree, but the warriors could not stand where they needed to be.

ROAAAAR!

In that moment, along with the dragon's scream, an intense light sharply began to rise from the ends of the World Tree's branches.

It was only for a fleeting moment, but it was a light so brilliant that everyone had no choice but to look at it.

"...!"

It was an overwhelming presence that forced even the exhausted Varadis and the injured warriors to raise their heads.

At the highest point of the elves' forest, Aushrina, a single light they had never seen before was shining.

Like starlight rising toward the sky.

As the star rose.

The dragon was falling.

* * *

The World Tree was an incredibly precious existence to the elves.

Because of that, even someone like Auguste, who was merely a guest, was able to arrange this meeting.

After all, he was a benefactor who had protected the World Tree last night.

"What do you want that you asked to see us, human knight?"

The elf elders sat scattered here and there without any uniform spacing.

Even though they had the knight who protected the World Tree in front of them, the eyes of the elders, who had yet to escape Nidhogg's nightmare, were still sharp.

"I requested this meeting because I have something urgent to tell you all."

Yet Auguste specifically chose this time to demand a meeting with the elders.

The Empire's former Imperial Enforcer Commander knew very well that there were no openings greater than when people were shaken by anxiety.

The elves' resentment toward the Empire was solid, so this was the only time Auguste could dig into their animosity.

"Speak."

"... Epsilon, please stop the distribution of the tea called Tuzon here."

At Auguste's words, the elders' lips clamped tightly shut.

Because the words coming from the old knight were not a demand for a reward, but a statement leading in a completely unexpected direction.

"... Why are you telling us not to sell a tea that is being distributed perfectly fine?"

"No matter how much you protected the World Tree, interfering in our internal affairs crosses the line."

The elders' backlash erupted from all corners.

Selling Tuzon leaves to humans was a new lifeline and opportunity that the elves had found.

Even if Geronimo were sitting here, he would not have easily permitted this particular demand.

"It seems I beat around the bush too much."

But Auguste was a man who knew the underlying stories that the elves were still refusing to speak of.

The former Imperial Enforcer Commander, who had spent his entire life uncovering the truth, had a sharp glint in his eyes.

"What I mean is, please do not distribute drugs to the Empire anymore."

"... What did you just say?"

At Auguste's statement, which shot in like an arrow, a blazing red fire lit up in the eyes of several elders.

"I do not understand what you mean."

The knight before them was now too dangerous an existence to be accepted as a guest any longer.

Auguste let out a small chuckle, feeling the distinct change in the elders' gazes toward him.

Just as he thought, the elves knew that Epsilon was a drug.

"What is your reason for trying to shake us with such a clumsy lie? Truly fitting for an arrogant knight of the Empire..."

"If you continue to sell Epsilon, this newly settled forest will not be safe either."

The knight, having finally uncovered the truth, saw through someone's murky intentions.

Just as he suspected, the elves were not the starting point.

The start was from the Empire's capital, Brigantes.

"... Just what are you talking about?"

The elder who held the most speaking power in Geronimo's stead furrowed his brows.

They did expect that someone would catch on eventually.

But the old knight's subsequent words were completely baffling.

"Right now, the Empire is undoubtedly shaking, and the imperial family's authority is crumbling. I do not fail to understand your intentions of taking advantage of that opening to unleash the resentment that has built up for so long."

The massive world known as the Empire was currently standing on the corpses of numerous other worlds as its stepping stones.

And the elves' world was no different.

Because while it was the most perfect dragon that burned the Mother World Tree, it was the Empire that stole the elves' forest in the West.

"... You speak out of line, human knight. No matter how much you drew your sword for the World Tree, your current statement has crossed the line."

Their sharp gazes were like the cold frost of autumn.

A fierce momentum descended upon him, as if they would not permit him to speak any further.

"Because of the favor you have shown us, we will at least spare your life and let you leave."

No matter what Auguste said, the elves had no intention of stopping their green-colored revenge.

Because there had never been a time when the sturdy Empire was shaking as much as it was now, they thought that if they just spread the poison a little more and gathered their strength, they would be able to break free from the Empire's influence.

"You must not be mistaken, everyone. The Empire has not weakened."

Auguste was loyal to the Empire.

And the core of that Empire was the imperial family.

"It is just that the imperial family's strength has weakened."

"..."

The Empire's nobles had been swelling their power without a single major war all this time.

And now, their influence had grown so immense that it could no longer be controlled by the imperial family's strength alone.

"The nobles have long been searching for a justification to raise their own flags."

Auguste knew this well.

That there were those in the Empire who believed that if there was even the slightest crack, they could tear down the sturdy fortress walls and end the era of the Swordmaster.

"And from what I can see, an excellent justification and excuse for them to raise their flags can be found right here."

They were biting at the leash that had kept them bound.

"... Who are you?"

Having been cooped up for a long time, they had been unable to see the wider picture.

But the knight in front of them was forcibly widening the elves' field of vision with a sharp warning.

"My name is Auguste."

Throwing off his gray hood, Auguste raised his sword.

A beautifully decorated black scabbard, contrasting with his shabby appearance.

At its very end, right in the center of the hilt, an illuminated crest was engraved on an embedded red jewel.

"I was the Empire's former Imperial Enforcer Commander."

A fierce dragon.

And a single sword pressing down on that dragon.

Auguste was now holding up the imperial family's crest, which only a select few were permitted to use.

"Selling Epsilon will ultimately return to you as a fatal poison."

The Empire's former Imperial Enforcer Commander, Auguste.

A knight who wished to complete his unfinished mission despite stepping down to act as the lowest of the low.

And so, he was laying out everything for his final mission.

* * *

"..."

The morning sky gradually drove away the darkness along with the rising essence of spring.

Even though last night had been chaotic, today's morning was tranquil.

However, Vlad ended up waking from his sleep due to the noisy chirping of birds ringing in his ears.

The chirping of birds early in the morning was quite cheerful.

"It's so damn loud."

Left with no choice, Vlad opened his eyes and pushed his body up with a groan.

"Ugh."

Bandages wrapped everywhere were squeezing Vlad's entire body.

It felt as if the touch of the girl, who had plastered all sorts of medicine on him while wearing a tearful expression, was still clinging to every part of him.

"... At this rate, I won't get to die a natural death."

A body that ended up wounded all over due to the sharpest of malice.

Yet Vlad found the emptiness felt from within far harder to endure than the stinging pains all over his body.

'Did I draw out too much?'

Though it was not clearly visible, mental strength was definitely a consumable resource as well.

Last night, Vlad had surpassed his limits to summon the Deep World, and the backlash from it was currently tormenting not just his mind, but his body.

It felt similar to the times when he forcefully drew upon the power of the voices in the past.

"Captain, why are you up already?"

"Because it's loud."

"Loud?"

Got, who had entered the room to attend to him, opened his eyes wide as if puzzled by Vlad's response.

"It's super quiet right now, though?"

Contrary to Vlad's words, it wasn't loud in the slightest; it was a serene and clear morning, fitting for the elves' forest.

Wondering if something had gone wrong during yesterday's battle, Got began snapping his fingers here and there to check Vlad's hearing.

"Did you maybe hurt your ears during the fight yesterday?"

"No."

He was letting him check, but Vlad knew very well that wasn't the problem.

'These little brats are loud. Seriously.'

Hearing the chirping coming from right above his head even now, Vlad couldn't help but frown.

Got surely had no idea.

That this room was currently filled with young ones chirping, barking, and purring.

A little bird, acting as if this was its own home, was perched on Vlad's head and flapping its tiny, flightless wings.

"Haa."

At the commotion of the young ones that he could now see even without closing his eyes, Vlad simply raised his hand and wiped down his face.

The Deep World that he had summoned far too strongly had still not settled back into Vlad's imagery world, much like a pond whose bottom had been churned up.

He probably wouldn't be able to get any sleep for the next few days because of these guys pestering him.

"..."

Forcefully turning his gaze away from the spirits, Vlad looked at the sword placed next to the bed through the fingers covering his face.

A silver sword surrounded by young spirits, just as he was.

Its appearance reflecting the morning sunlight was noble and dignified.

"By the way, Captain. What's with this sword? It's one I've never seen before."

A sword giving off an extraordinary aura that anyone could recognize.

Got's question toward the unfamiliar sword was only natural, and Vlad answered it honestly.

"A Swordmaster's sword."

"Huh?"

"They said it's a Swordmaster's sword. The elves told me."

The silver sword that had been with him last night.