Chapter 349: The Elves' City (4)
'Shit...'
"I will tell you again. I never intended something different."
"How can I trust you?"
"..."
"..."
"If I do this, can you trust me?"
As he stepped away from Kim Chang-ryul, I could see the guy raising his hands. He really expressed no willingness to fight.
'Am I overreacting?'
It would not be unreasonable for me to think this way. If he really wanted to do something to us, it would have been ideal taking Kim Chang-ryul hostage.
When I swallowed hard, Kim Chang-ryul got up and moved with an embarrassed expression.
He had bowed his head slightly to mean he was sorry, but I couldn't say it was his fault. I patted him on his shoulder to mean he did well, and he bowed his head again.
With the brief lull, all of the guild members' eyes were focused, and everyone was looking at me as if asking what to do. It would be a natural reaction because I had the final decision, but in this case, everyone's eyes felt a little burdensome.
'Sigh...'
In the end, I also had to step back and raise my hands. It was because I thought that there was no hostility in him and that it would not be bad to have a conversation.
Of course, there were minimal lines that could not be compromised.
"We won't give our weapons. Since the situation is like this, I hope you understand this much."
"If that's what you want... however, I want you to follow the control."
"What kind of control are you talking about...?"
"You just have to answer a few questions and wait until the conversation between my father and Kim Hyunsung is over. If you move in a way that doesn't make us feel threatened, I can be satisfied."
"Has anything happened inside?"
"I'll tell you after going inside. This is not something to be told here."
"Okay."
There seemed to be a reason why he couldn't say. His face that was biting the lips was the face that had all the worries of the world.
Anyway, this sudden happening ended futilely. I could see Jung Hayan and Cho Hyejin walking from the entrance, but they also recognized that there was no need to fight. It seemed to be Cho Hyejin's judgment rather than Jung Hayan's judgment. She watched the situation calmly.
"Oppa!"
After giving her a little hug, I began to walk immediately. It was a bit embarrassing to look back at the debris made by this side and the other side, but the feeling disappeared quickly because of the serious atmosphere.
Interestingly, the number of elves to control us was very small. Elios was here, but he could be dealt with Jung Hayan alone.
If the situation were to break, the advantage lay with us. Of course, other elves must be blocking the road outside, but we were advantageous if a battle occurred immediately.
It was obvious as to why they were in this position because we were not humans to trust.
'He said he had a question...'
It was security. It must be something that others should not hear.
What he wanted to ask us was likely to be what Kim Hyunsung was currently talking with the King of Eberia. I didn't know if I was right or wrong, but I would know in a moment anyway. After roughly taking a seat, I could see him opening his mouth.
"I want you to forgive the rudeness from just before."
"No. There were mistakes between each other. I'm glad to clear the misunderstanding even if it's now."
"No. I think I was too hasty. I sincerely apologize."
"I think there must have been a situation where you had to do that."
"..."
"..."
"Did you hear from Elena?"
"What?"
"N-No, brother. I..."
"I'm not asking you, Elena. I am now asking Honorary Cardinal Lee Kiyoung..."
"I don't know what you're talking about. What are you talking about?"
"I don't know, brother. I don't really understand why you are doing this. It's such rudeness to the heroes who prevented the continental crisis. It's not like us to behave like this."
At Elena's words, I could see Elios glancing at me. He seemed to be thinking about whether or not to tell us.
I also thought that frustration would be relieved if I knew something, but unfortunately, I had no information. I thought it would be better if he could at least tell me something.
It was then that Elios, who had a stiff face for a while, opened his mouth again after he touched his lips. There was a worried expression, but it seemed that he calculated that we would know anyway.
"The Blue Guild Master knew about the condition of the World Tree."
"What?"
"You really didn't say anything?"
"I swear I don't know about that. Why..."
"Swear to Elune?"
"Yes, brother. I really don't know. I've certainly never said anything about the World Tree."
"Then how..."
'Kim Hyunsung... This bastard...'
I didn't know what happened, but I think I could tell as much that Kim Hyunsung had made a mistake.
The conversation that he was having in the castle was a secret that only a few elves knew.
From the elves' point of view, it was natural that they were agitated since humans who visited the village suddenly talked about the subject of security.
'He thought he heard it from Elena.'
They, too, would have speculated on this issue, but it was impossible that he would have heard it from Elena. Kim Hyunsung just told about what happened in the first round.
"How could this bastard say just like that?"
From his point of view, it was because he thought he had no time to delay, but even so, it was impatient to talk immediately upon arrival.
If he knew the elves were hiding something, he should have done at least a bit of preliminary work.
From their perspective, it was not unreasonable to be flustered since a foreigner who suddenly came talked about a secret that only they knew.
'This frustrating bastard.'
In fact, Kim Hyunsung was not so stubborn. Seeing that even when releasing information from the first round, he only did it after creating an excuse, it was correct to judge that he moved after at least thinking about it.
Nevertheless, I was sure that he had gotten me in mind, by all accounts, for doing this kind of overkill.
He really was in a hurry.
'If it's really like this, he'll be willing to take any risk.'
It seemed that he didn't care about the question between us and the elves. I didn't even need to explain that it appeared that I was checking with my own eyes the driving force that made him be backstabbed in the first round.
It was true that it was a little uncomfortable, but as a result, it was an action taken for me, so I could not resent it.
Rather, it made me feel better, as he thought he had to save me by taking the risk of getting rumors.
'Okay, it's my role to fix this shit. Well...'
I was hoping that the expedition itself would fall apart, but it was correct to help him as much as it could be dealt with as an international problem.
This much was easy to be fixed. After getting a hint hearing about the World Tree, it took me an instant to organize my thoughts.
This was probably the most appropriate excuse. I opened my mouth a little, and immediately I could see Elios looking at me.
"He must have known something that outsiders should not know."
"Do you know about that, too?"
"No. I don't, but there is a point..."
"What are you...?"
"There is a foreigner in the State who can look into the future and the past. Of course, it's limited, but she can see what we don't see, just like Princess Elena."
"..."
"I don't know what it is about, but maybe you have heard of it. I don't know the details, but the Guild Master is close to the shaman of the State."
Actually, she was a little closer to me.
"That means..."
"You can rest assured. She's the type who doesn't talk about what she sees. I bet others don't know. Even with a few knowing, there will be no harm to Eberia."
"How... can you assert that?"
"For reference, the fact that a shaman of the State can see the future is also a secret that should not be told to other countries. There are fewer than ten people in the State who know this. I think you know what I mean, Elios-nim."
"I see."
This was because we were in the same boat now.
"Then, can I hear exactly what's going on?"
"Sigh..."
"If you are uncomfortable..."
"No. It's something you'll know anyway... I think I can get what the Honorary Cardinal means. That's right. It is no longer the same time as it used to be."
"..."
With a slight sigh, he began to speak up in earnest. It was roughly predictable, but I was also curious.
However, it felt different from when listening directly to him.
"Do you know how our elves could deter outside invasion for such a long time?"
"I don't know. If I think about what you just said to Elena..."
"Yes. It's because of the World Tree."
'I already heard it and knew it, bastard.'
"To be precise, it is because of the powerful magic that the World Tree emits. It is no exaggeration to say that our kingdom is maintained by it. Forests and water are affected, as well as in very minor areas. You can think that it is because of the World Tree that we have been able to continue to maintain a closed position. The Kingdom of Eberia does not have to worry about running out of resources."
'He seems to be talking in a too detailed manner...'
"The same is true of barriers that prevent outsiders from entering. The existence of the World Tree itself was able to avoid great dangers without large human resource consumption. Yes. Until now."
'So there was no separate wizard.'
Somehow I thought the level was too high.
"You're talking in the past tense."
"Yes."
'I smell something.'
It's something simple.
"When did it start?"
"It's been 42 years ago."
"..."
"Starting from 42 years ago, the roots of the World Tree continue to rot."
There was no room for denial. The fact was very simple.
No matter how much we were making a show, the elves wouldn't have reached out for us.
'You guys were also having a hard time.'
It was not only the State and Laios that were in danger.