Chapter 54
“This way, my lord.”
Tina, leading the group, raised her sword and gestured to one side. She stood confidently on the back of Mukhyang, a creature now the size of a small dog, radiating a dignified presence reminiscent of a general at the head of an army.
“To escort my lord is the duty of a knight. In the name of Radiance, I shall see you safely through.”
“Kyuu!”
“Mukhyang insists on joining as well.”
“All right, I’m counting on both of you.”
The creature’s small size gave it a more endearing than imposing look, but that hardly mattered—what was important was the joy it brought to the eyes.
Carpe had successfully crafted the Spell Breaker at the workshop (after one failed attempt) and was now on his way to the Forgotten Forest. Their current location was deep within the forest, eastward from the sea-laden grove.
Occasionally, he glimpsed other players passing through, which sparked some doubt as to whether elves were truly hidden in such a place. But Tina, undeterred, continued deeper into the woods.
After a while, the presence of monsters ceased, and consequently, the players had also vanished from sight.
“This is the spot.”
“Here?”
Carpe looked around, noting nothing but the familiar scenery and a large, ancient tree. Perhaps a concealment barrier was in place…
“My lord, it’s below.”
Tina pointed at the base of the tree in front of them, where a small space was visible beneath one of the roots that had jutted out of the ground.
“We need to pass through here.”
“…You’re saying I need to crawl into that tiny space?”
“Indeed. The former Archmage could easily enter by using a miniaturization spell, but, unfortunately, you’ve not yet learned it. That is my oversight.”
“Well, it’s hardly something to apologize for…”
Still, it wasn’t an impossibly tight hole. With some effort, Carpe figured he could manage to squeeze through in a crawling position.
“Please bear with the discomfort briefly. I’ll scout the area ahead with Mukhyang to ensure it’s safe.”
With that, Tina darted into the hole with Mukhyang. Being small certainly had its advantages.
“Guess I have no choice.”
Resigned, Carpe got down on all fours and pushed his head into the hole.
“Ugh, tight… cough”
The smell of damp earth hit him, triggering a reflexive cough.
“Did they really need to go this far with realism?”
-Some people enjoy such minute details. Anyway, let’s get moving.
“Easy for you to say; as a ghost, you just glide right in. Meanwhile, here I am, rolling in the dirt.”
-If you’re so envious, you could always die and become a ghost yourself.
“…I’ll keep crawling quietly.”
After wriggling his shoulders in, the rest was more manageable. Surprisingly, the tree’s interior was an elongated tunnel. Considering the size of the tree, this was impossible without some form of magical intervention.
“This actually feels like a real adventure.”
-Interesting spot in the grove. No wonder other players haven’t discovered it.
Once Carpe was halfway through, he dusted himself off. Though the area was more spacious than the entrance, it was still narrow, forcing him to walk with a slight hunch.
“My lord! This way.”
Tina’s voice echoed from up ahead, and Carpe began to move in her direction.
“I expected pitch darkness, but I can see fine.”
Tiny fireflies flitted within the tunnel, casting a soft glow that allowed them to find their way.
About three minutes later, a distant light marked the tunnel’s end.
Once they fully emerged from the tunnel, a new world spread before them.
A sunlit forest as vast as a large room, filled with trees distinctly different from those of the sea grove.
“So this is the Forgotten Forest?”
A quick glance at the minimap showed no markers at all, as if they’d stepped outside the boundaries.
“My lord, it’s just up ahead.”
Tina and Mukhyang waited not far from the tunnel exit.
“There’s a barrier right beside me here.”
“Really? I don’t see anything.”
Moving closer to Tina, Carpe reached his hand into the air.
Thud.
His hand hit something invisible, creating ripples in the empty air.
“Seems like entry is restricted from here on.”
From the hidden tunnel to the forest-encompassing barrier, it was clear how much the elves avoided visitors.
“Well, we have our reasons, too.”
Carpe placed his hand on the barrier and began to utter the command “Unseal…” but then hesitated.
Based on his experience, the Unsealing technique had a mind of its own—often unpredictable in range and effect. If he attempted to unseal this barrier and shattered the vast protective magic covering the forest…
…he’d certainly lose any goodwill from the elves. If he was lucky, he might avoid becoming their eternal enemy.
-Yeah, I’d bet on a disaster. Let’s just go the standard route here.
“Agreed.”
Carpe abandoned the idea of using Unseal and instead took out the Spell Breaker from his inventory.
[Spell Breaker]
[Grade: Unique]
[Requirement: Must possess the skill “Arcane Engineering”]
[Physical Attack: 1]
[A dagger that dispels all magical effects on a target. Cannot dispel 9-star skills. Breaks after three uses.]
He slid the blade of Spell Breaker through the barrier, creating an opening just large enough for him to pass through.
“Perfect!”
Finally, they had breached the barrier. Inside, the air somehow felt fresher.
“Now, we just need to locate the elven village. Tina, do you know the way?”
“Apologies, my lord. Within the Forgotten Forest, it’s difficult to maintain direction…”
Apparently, the forest’s chaotic mana disrupted the senses of magical beings like homunculi, hindering their spatial awareness.
“That sounds tricky. Even in a fight, it’ll be an issue, right?”
“Not significantly. I may be slightly hindered, but I can still fight any visible enemy.”
However, she admitted that her response time would be slower when ambushed or while leading the way.
“My apologies for not being of more help, my lord.”
“No, you’ve done plenty. Thank you.”
“You are most kind.”
Despite now being in the proverbial needle-in-a-haystack situation, Carpe was unfazed.
“This isn’t something we need to actively search for.”
-What are you getting at? You sound confident.
“You’ll see. This should be the right direction.”
Carpe headed into a denser area of the forest.
“It’s a classic trope. A classic.”
An isolated elven enclave, cut off from human society. The elves, wary of humans, would inevitably react when they sensed one wandering their territory.
Roughly five minutes after he ventured further, his hunch proved correct.
Thunk!
Three arrows embedded themselves right before his feet.
Just what Carpe had anticipated.
[Halt, human. I know not how you breached the barrier, but take another step, and the next arrow will target your head. Turn back now.]
A voice resonated, seeming to echo inside his head.
Carpe couldn’t help but express his admiration.
“Ah, this is exactly how elves are supposed to be!”
[What nonsense are you muttering? If you’re stalling for time, I will show no mercy.]
“Oh, my apologies. But I mean you no harm.”
[Your intent is irrelevant. Leave now if you wish to avoid conflict.]
“Hmm…”
Predictable, yet firm in their resolve.
‘But turning back isn’t an option.’
-True. We didn’t come here to leave empty-handed.
‘Perhaps some persuasion…’
While Carpe pondered how to win the elves’ favor, Tina stepped forward in her true form.
“It has been a long time, Croje.”
[Wha—?!]
The elf’s stunned voice echoed in the forest, followed by the rustling of leaves as three elves leapt down from nearby trees—two women and one man, each as breathtakingly beautiful as legend portrayed.
The female elf, seemingly their leader, stepped forward.
“Could it be… Lady Tistania?”
“Indeed. It has been 800 years. You’ve grown much since we last met.”
“In 800 years, even elves age… but, wait, is it possible that this human is…?”
“Yes. He is my lord, inheritor of the previous Archmage’s legacy.”
“Forgive my rudeness!”
Croje bowed deeply toward Carpe, visibly embarrassed.
“I failed to recognize our benefactor. My deepest apologies.”
“Oh, it’s all right. But… a benefactor?”
“It appears Lady Tina has not mentioned it. 800 years ago, the Archmage resolved a significant problem for our tribe. Many still remember his kindness.”
“Is that so?”
“I, too, had nearly forgotten until I heard Croje’s voice, my lord.”
This was turning out better than expected. Perhaps retrieving the artifact would be simpler than anticipated.
“Then… might you be able to guide us to the artifact left by the Archmage?”
“Certainly! Her Majesty will be overjoyed!”
The elven scouts began to escort Carpe’s party toward the elven village.
-Wait, is it really going this smoothly?
‘I know! I was prepared for a long, arduous negotiation.’
Elves who guard themselves from outsiders, and the hero’s relentless efforts to befriend them… Normally, it would be a grand saga, ending with the hero earning the title “Friend of the Elves” and receiving a keepsake made of the World Tree’s branches.
-…Are you writing a novel?
‘Ah, the fantasy ideal… Reduced to this. Elves yielding so easily…’
-Easy’s good. Why complain?
‘True. Can’t refuse what’s given.’
Yet, Carpe and his spirit’s assumptions proved overly optimistic.
“No, I refuse.”
The elven queen, “Altaire Woodguard,” was indeed a breathtaking beauty.
…That is, if you ignored her nonchalantly cleaning her ear as she spoke.
“Sure, the Archmage left an artifact with us about 780 years ago. But why should I return it now?”
Was she making them jump through hoops just for the fun of it? Suspicious, Carpe tried a rational argument…
“If someone leaves an item, isn’t it only right to return it when they come to reclaim it?”
“Left it here, you say…?”
Grit.
Altaire gritted her teeth with a bitterness that made Carpe flinch.
“Are humans in the habit of equating ‘dumping’ with ‘entrusting’? That man showed up after twenty years, shattered the barrier, and tossed the item over saying, ‘Hey! Keep this safe for me!’ before vanishing. And I’m expected to safeguard it for an unknown heir 800 years later? Surely!”
“…”
“Moreover, that artifact is a mass of magical energy. Its presence has drawn endless monsters to our village. Do you know how much our defense budget has grown over the past 800 years?”
“…”
-Wow. So he dumped it and fled?
Carpe glanced at Tina, who quietly avoided his gaze, a cold sweat forming on her pale neck.
“…It’s true.”
Ding.
[The Second Artifact of the Archmage (2)]
[Category: Class Scenario Quest]
[Queen Altaire Woodguard is deeply upset with you—or rather, with the former Archmage. You, his heir, must pacify her justified anger.]
[Quest Clear Reward: Progression to Next Quest]
[Quest Failure: Maximum Disfavor with Altaire, Failure to Retrieve the Second Artifact]
Enjoying the story? Don't forget to rate 5 stars and review in NovelUpdte!