Chapter 298: HODL Elves (2)
The next morning.
“W-what the-? What the hell did you do last night?”
While Kajsa persistently tried to find out the truth behind the markings left on Cordelia’s clavicle, the Royal Knight Sarah was preparing to leave.
“Be careful and come back safely.”
At Leon’s words, Sarah grinned and nodded her head.
“If you’re worried, you can also leave some markings.”
“Huh?”
Marking?
Leon blinked his eyes, not understanding what she meant, and Sarah smiled again before checking her equipment one last time.
Sarah was now dressed more like a hunter than a knight.
As the empress dowager said last night, the current Imperial Family desperately needed the help of the elves.
Because they had to pass through the territory of the elves to get to the northwestern region ruled by Marquis Buckingham, the leader of the pro-Imperial Family faction and the empress dowager’s father.
Of course, the enormous wealth and influence of the elves in the empire could not be ignored in the long run.
Or rather, it was just incredibly important.
The help of the elves was essential in driving out the demon followers who were trying to take control of the empire.
“Elves don’t like pink hair. So don’t worry.”
Leon had a bitter smile at Sarah’s joke, and he eventually put the helmet on Sarah and said.
“Yes, make sure to cover your face. Don’t let those weird b*stards drool over you.”
(T/N: Joke explanation. Koreans have this trope/meme(?) that pink haired characters in anime have deceptive appearances. Pink-haired characters are innocent-looking on the outside, but are actually lewd on the inside. If you think about it, this perfectly describes those erofu, hahaha.
As for why elves don’t like pink hair, perhaps it’s because it’s an accurate description of them? Or someone called them that and they got offended so it’s an offensive word for them. I’m not sure actually. Anyway, Sarah also seems to fit this trope since she’s innocent-looking but wanted Leon to leave a ‘marking’ on her. And it also applies to our dear Cordelia.)
Sarah laughed and nodded before lightly tapping Leon’s chest. Afterwards, she headed to the place where the empress dowager and the emperor were.
It was to courteously greet them one last time before leaving.
They needed an emissary to send to the elves.
They needed to know if the elves would help or let the emperor and empress dowager pass through.
And if they were clearly aware of what was happening in the empire.
The emperor couldn’t just enter the elves’ territory without notifying them in advance.
Therefore, Sarah, who was the fastest among the Royal Knights and had more mobility than the elves in the forest, was chosen as the emissary.
“I shall be going then.”
“Have a safe trip.”
“May the blessing of the gods be with you, my loyal subject.”
After receiving the emperor and empress dowager’s words, Sarah politely bowed and left the cabin.
And Cordelia who was watching the scene said to Kajsa.
“It smells.”
“What smell? The smell of Jude whom you hugged all night?”
“Of course, that’s a nice smell but it’s a different smell.”
“Wow, look at how shameless you are now.”
“If you’re envious, you can also hug Lucas in your sleep.”
Cordelia spoke with a teasing giggle, and Kajsa was flustered at that moment. Her face turned red and she stuttered, which was unlike her.
“W-why are you bringing up Lucas here?”
“Huh?”
I just poked you by chance. But it went as expected?
[Why do all your topics go that way?]
Anyway, she thought that Sarah and Leon smelled like a couple or something like that.
Cordelia was embarrassed by Melissa’s remark and laughed ‘ehehe’ before speaking again.
“Moving on, we can’t stay here for a long time. We’re leaving after breakfast. We’ve already agreed to meet Sarah at a certain place.”
“I know. But who are you explaining that to?”
“I don’t know!”
Cordelia thoughtlessly answered and looked in the direction where Sarah had gone.
T/N: I actually don’t get this scene. I’m not sure if Cordelia is breaking the fourth wall by explaining their plans to us, the audience, or she was talking to Melissa.
Sarah was supposed to become a bounty hunter but became a Royal Knight instead. It didn’t seem like her specialty, Spirit Rush, had changed. There were traces of blue spirit aura on the places she passed.
‘What changed and what did not change.’
Even though the butterfly effect had occurred and several variables had been added, there were still things that did not change. Things that could never be changed.
Events that happened as if they were a must.
Cordelia shook her head.
She drove out the strange thoughts she suddenly had and widely smiled again.
“Anyway, let’s go. Jude’s meals are very delicious, so look forward to it.”
“Hey, I’ve been traveling with you two for a while now, right?”
“You know it well then.”
Cordelia giggled as she boasted and took the lead, while Kajsa unknowingly turned to Lucas.
***
Two days later, around later afternoon.
The group’s movement speed had noticeably slowed down because the emperor, empress dowager, and the young members of the Imperial Family had joined their group.
They also lacked horses, but since the Imperial Family members had a lower stamina than ordinary people, riding on horses for a long time would be hard for them too.
But being in a hurry wasn’t a wise move.
After all, there was a limit to the places where they could move until Sarah who was sent as an emissary would return, though they had already eluded the pursuit of the Chancellor. Therefore, the group calmed their impatience and proceeded to the west at a slow but steady pace.
‘We’re back to Asain Pass, huh?’
The western part of the empire was a barren land close to the wild lands, but perhaps because it was close to the elves’ territory, the influence of the Imperial Family and the Chancellor was weak here.
For this reason, the western region of the empire was often treated as a dangerous place outside the territorial jurisdiction of any political faction, but it was a safe land for the current Imperial Family who were being pursued by the Chancellor.
Thus, the further west they went, the brighter the face of the emperor became, and the empress dowager was able to relax a bit too.
But there was one person.
A person in the group who became more anxious as they headed west.
“Kirara, are you okay?”
“HIIIIE?!”
Kirara was startled at Cordelia’s question as her tail stood up, but she nodded her head with an awkward expression.
“I-I’m okay.”
I’m not scared at all.
It’s not like Mountain King controls the entire Asain Pass… no, he does. Asain Pass belongs to Mountain King!
‘I-I’m going to be killed.’
I’ll be captured by Mountain King and be tortured to death.
Because Mountain King is such a guy!
Because he’s the vicious demon of the west!
He’ll beat to death anyone who betrayed him! He might lash at me with a whip. Or he might tear off all my nails and sprinkle salted water!
“K-Kirara?”
“Hic… Huhu… It was a short… huhu.. time… but it was nice meeting Master.”
“Eh, uh… Kirara?”
When Kirara began to sniff, the flustered Cordelia tightly hugged her, and Kirara buried her face in Cordelia’s chest as she tried to forget reality.
Jude and Cordelia were very strong according to what she had heard so far, but she was not present at that time. She had only heard about it.
But Mountain King was different.
She realized how strong and cruel he was several times when she worked for him.
Even now when she closed her eyes, she could still see Mountain King tearing off the limbs of the traitor alive, saying that the only price of betrayal was a painful death.
‘I-I won’t betray them!’
I won’t betray Master this time.
I’ll be with Master until the end.
For real.
Until it gets really, really, really dangerous!
‘N-no. What am I thinking?’
Kirara continued to struggle between her instinct and reason for a long time.
It was the moment when the group entered a dark and unpopulated place that was the Asain Pass.
“Here they come.”
Jude suddenly raised his head and said. Leon who was at the front also shouted urgently.
“Enemy attack!”
“UOOOOOH!”
The shouts of several people drowned Leon’s voice.
So Leon was startled.
Because the number of enemies was too large despite them being on full alert.
There were at least 30 people.
Does that mean I didn’t notice that many people preparing for an ambush?
“They’re Mountain King’s men!”
Kirara cried out just then.
All of the enemies who appeared were beastkin, but one could tell them apart by their unique color. Mountain King’s men also had a black cloth tied around their right arms.
“Kirara! You traitor!”
“HIIIIIE!”
When one of Mountain King’s subordinates called out her name, Kirara had a tearful face and trembled.
As expected of Mountain King.
He was tenacious.
Perhaps it was because of Kirara that so many people had appeared now.
And it was half true.
Traitors must be punished – that was Mountain King’s creed.
“Beat them up!”
“Catch Kirara!”
“Tear them apart!”
Not only the beastkin from the front but also those in the left and right began to rush after shouting loudly.
“Protect the nobles!”
“Everyone! Defensive formation!”
The emperor’s name could not be openly shouted in a place like this.
Therefore, the Royal Knights and squires addressed the emperor as a nobleman, pulling out their swords at the same time as they gathered near the emperor.
And in the meantime, Kajsa declared the start of the fight.
“Let’s wipe them out!”
She was famous as a pirate hunter in the south. From Kajsa’s perspective, pirates and bandits were similar in that they were groups that had to be eradicated, so she did not hold back.
“Awooooo!”
Kajsa howled like a beast but did not solidify her defense. Rather, she leapt in the middle of the attacking horde and wildly swung her chains, knocking down several men in an instant.
The strength of the divine chains that sealed the Demon Prince was added to Kajsa’s strength, so even the strongest beastkin could not withstand it.
Those who were struck by the chain that swept low on the ground collapsed, and they could not even stand up due to a broken leg or a muscle injury from the blow.
The situation on the other side was not much different. Lucas raised the unique white Aura Blade of the Holy King’s Cross Sword, and was like a wolf who jumped into a flock of sheep.
The bandits who were subordinates of Mountain King had maintained their ranks due to their strong discipline, but they were unable to keep a proper formation because of the two’s actions.
The fight quickly turned into a melee, and as a result, the battle began to tilt sharply towards the group with superior individual combat power.
“UOOOOOH!”
Leon and the Royal Knights also gained courage.
After all, they were also geniuses selected from all over the empire. They were not inferior to the bandit beastkins who never received proper training in swordsmanship.
And around five minutes later.
More than 40 people fought in the battle, but it was almost settled by that time.
Most of the beastkins were wallowing on the ground, and a few in the back began to escape without looking back.
Leon let out his breath and wiped the blood off his sword before shouting.
“Let’s run before more people come!”
Their numbers were small, but their opponents numbered many.
Moreover, they were not dealing with an ordinary bandit now.
Leon had heard of Mountain King of Asain Pass before.
The king of Asain Pass was said to have hundreds of subordinates.
Furthermore, he was a formidable powerhouse comparable to a Sword Master according to rumors.
So it wouldn’t just end here.
If he stepped back from here, his reputation as the king of Asain Pass would plummet to the ground.
The emperor who was frightened by the battle in front of him quickly nodded, and the empress dowager also agreed with a nervous expression.
They had to quickly cross Asain Pass.
If not, they had to look for a completely different route.
But it was then.
“Um…”
It was Lucas.
Raising his hand slightly, he narrowed his brows and said as the Royal Knights looked at him.
“Why do we have to run away?”
“Eh?”
“I mean, we have them.”
Lucas said as he glanced in one direction, and the Royal Knights followed his gaze. They all stared at the same place and showed a similar reaction.
“Oh.”
“That’s right.”
“I see.”
Hundreds of subordinates?
A formidable powerhouse comparable to a Sword Master?
So what?
It’s not a big problem.
There were two people who did not participate in the fight.
Jude and Cordelia who were just protecting the emperor instead of fighting and stealing the experience of ‘low level players.’
Jude awkwardly smiled at everyone’s gaze while Cordelia coughed and shrugged before turning to Jude.
“Jude, Jude.”
“Yes, Cordelia.”
“Shall we settle this?”
“That’ll be good.”
Let’s settle all the events related to Mountain King that we’ve put on hold for a while. At the same time, let’s relieve Kirara’s anxiety. We’ll have to cross the Asain Pass anyway. It’ll be better for the emperor and empress dowager to rest in a proper house, right?
“M-master?”
Kirara blinked in confusion, and Cordelia had a gentle smile as she stroked Kirara’s head.
“Then let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Jude and Cordelia had dark smiles as they headed to one direction.
Deep inside Asain Pass.
They went towards Mountain King’s hideout.
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