“Have you heard of the end our Youngest met?”
In the Great Forest, the oldest of all woodlands, a low voice resonated.
“Our Youngest—still so young, so frail—was beheaded. That severed head was impaled upon a spear and displayed on the shores of the Six Free Cities. Our child could not even close their eyes in the moment of death. That face, smeared with blood and tears, was stained with terror, eyes wide and staring even though the light had long since faded. The spirits showed me the Youngest’s final moments. The child screamed until that sweet, beautiful voice went hoarse. Until the very moment the head fell, the Youngest cried out our names.”
“Ah…”
“Mother, Father. I am dying. It hurts so much. Please, help me. They are trying to kill me. They are hurting me.”
“Aaaah.”
“I can’t feel the pain anymore. Mother, Father, Elder. I’m sorry, everyone. I’m sorry for leaving first. I should never have left the forest. I should never have stepped out of the joyful lands. I love you, I love you.”
The forest dwellers—elves and spirits alike—wailed in grief.
Amidst their sobbing, an old elf sitting in the brush looked up at the sky. An ‘old’ elf was a contradiction in terms. Elves were a race of immortals, promised eternal life by the forest. Elves did not age—save for a very select few.
“I remember the Youngest’s name. Is that all? I remember when the Youngest was but a tiny, insignificant fairy, crawling through the Great Forest with a bright smile. The spirits danced, and the forest sang with joy. I know the moment that child first walked, the moment they first laughed, and I remember when they first called out our names.”
“We remember as well.”
“In the long life of this old man, the time that child spent with us was but a fleeting moment. But even if it was a mere instant, I cannot forget. The light that little one showed us was brilliant, and this old man loves his family too much—treasures the young ones too dearly—to ignore the plea for help that brilliance cried out.”
In the Great Forest, the old elf slowly stood up.
“Since the World Tree first took root in the First Land, all fairies have been connected by the same blood. Every elf is a child of the forest, and every elf is family, bound by a single lineage. You are my sons and daughters, my grandsons and granddaughters, my brothers and sisters. And so was that child. You were that child’s parents, brothers, and sisters. And so was I.”
“The forest shall be as well.”
“The child was innocent. In the final moment, the Youngest looked to the heavens and begged for forgiveness. But in my eyes, the Youngest had no sin to answer for, no fault to bear. Did the Youngest leave the forest for some frivolous love? No. That child left for the Island of Freedom to study, vowing to bring prosperity to the forest. Did the Youngest leave for money, fame, or glory? No. That child left with a joyful laugh, promising to see the wider world and return to tell us of it. Did the child abandon their race and flee our embrace? No. Eight letters, handwritten in crooked script, are piled in my shack. I will never be able to throw those letters away. Never.”
As the old elf planted both feet firmly on the ground, the greatest forest on the continent began to heave. This was the oldest elf on the continent. The first fairy to ever live, existing since the birth of the First Land. One who had lived through ages comparable to the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses; an eternal elf who had survived from the First Age, through the Age of War, and the Age of Peace, until now.
“I must make those who committed this wrong pay the price.”
“In the way of the oldest forest, Elder?”
“No.”
The world called him a High Elf.
“In my own way.”
* * *
A tavern located in the bustling district of Blade City. Because it was a time of preparation for war, the usual boisterous atmosphere was absent, but as the most popular pub, it was still crowded with patrons. The air in the tavern, the “Nest of Blades,” was sharp. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, sipping their beer while warily eyeing one another. They were watching to see if they could overhear useful information or if someone was eavesdropping on them. The patrons of the taverns in Chervil were diverse. Unlike other cities, there were nobles here, along with fixers who were considered commoners, mercenaries, and knights. It was a gathering of many different classes of humans.
People who, under normal circumstances, would never mix.
“Young Master, thanks to you, most of the complicated procedures have been resolved. I heard you received help from Sir Bermartin. That’s impressive; it’s not easy to become friends with Sir Bermartin of Steel.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. He is one of the longest-serving knights in Blade City, and he’s nearly the only non-noble knight invited to noble social gatherings. You can think of Sir Bermartin as both an excellent knight and an excellent nobleman. At the very least, he wields considerable influence within Blade City.”
Tom poured out the praise. Holding a glass of golden beer, he smiled.
With the whole party gathered, everyone except Audrey seemed to be in high spirits. Perhaps because of the city walls, Audrey was still clutching her head, complaining of dizziness.
“So, when are we leaving?”
“Please bear with it a little longer. We’ll be heading out soon.”
“As soon as the carriage is ready, right? Fine. I can endure that much. It’s much faster than we originally promised, anyway. Would it be alright if I went ahead and rested?”
“Ah, yes. We’ll take you there.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m going to rent a room on the second floor for a bit. No need to escort me.”
Audrey was unusually quiet instead of her usual grumbling. Seeing her like that made me more worried than relieved that she had ‘finally come to her senses.’ It was clear just how much she was suffering.
“We should get ready quickly.”
“It’s impressive she’s holding out this well. Within the city walls, all spiritual beings are subject to powerful restrictions. The more powerful the spiritual being, the more sensitive their senses, so the restrictions feel even more severe.”
“She’s been struggling for a while now. I don’t know how many times she’s vomited today alone.”
Seol-yoon and Tom explained just how bad Audrey’s condition was. It seemed unlikely we could expect her to function as a wizard within this city. We sat at the tavern table and discussed how far our preparations had come.
“For now, we’ve gathered all the necessary supplies. It’s thanks to the help of the Orc lady. She’s so resourceful, she could start a household right now.”
“I managed to get a decent sword. The edge on my old one was pretty battered,” Tom said, taking a swig of his beer.
“It’s going to be quite difficult from here on out. Even if we travel by carriage, the real struggle begins once we cross the border. The path leading to the Sky Empire can’t be traversed by carriage. The outskirts of the Empire border no less than two Forbidden Zones. Both the Great Forest and the Sky Mountain Range are located within the Sky Empire’s territory. It is a true natural fortress, incomparable to the Six Free Cities.”
“A natural fortress, huh.”
“So, we’ll be traveling along the trade routes used by merchants. We’ll bypass the Great Forest, pass through the entrance of the Sky Mountain Range, and then move through the border. After resting once more in the Sky Empire, we’ll gather information about the Sky Mountain Range before we begin the ascent. Audrey said the Sky Mountain Range changes several times a day, so we have to collect new information every single day. She said even witches like her don’t climb it recklessly.”
So, one more round of preparation was needed. It made sense. Climbing the Sky Mountain Range was no small feat; it would require thorough preparation. After discussing a few more things, I stepped outside for a moment to get some fresh air.
The brilliant sunlight had begun to fade. As I watched the people passing by on the street, taking a moment to catch my breath, my Master spoke.
「I heard the conversation you had with your other ancestors.」
“When were you eavesdropping?”
「The ‘Small Land of Swords’ they created is a mere imitation of my own domain. There is no way I wouldn’t know what happens there. Though those fools thought I wouldn’t be able to hear.」
Liam looked at me silently.
“They said it was a place even the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses could not see.”
「That is true. But I can.」
“…Are you saying you are superior to the Seven Chief Gods and the Nine Goddesses, Master?”
「At the very least, when it comes to the Sword, yes.」
Liam wore a strange smile.
「My young descendant, I didn’t know you thought so highly of me. The things they could have given you were more valuable than you might think. Yet you did not want them.」
“Because I have no intention of running away.”
「Their words weren’t entirely wrong. It is wise to seek a way to survive until the very end. As they say, it is not the strong who survive, but those who survive who are strong.」
I slowly turned my head to look at Liam. Instead of answering, I asked a different question.
“Master, there is something I want to ask.”
「What is it?」
“Is everything they said true?”
「That the Caravan was destroyed because of me?」
Destroyed.
Master smiled as he spoke the word.
「It is true. If I had yielded just a little, if I had compromised my will just a bit, the Caravan would still be thriving. My descendants likely wished for me to remain in this land forever, like the Swordmasters of the Black Archipelago. They probably wanted me to be their shield, protecting the Caravan for eternity.」
“……”
「But I did not. I created enemies and then I left. I did so because I believed that was the only way my descendants could become as great as I was. Because I did it, I judged that they could do it too. I believed in my sons and my descendants too much. I thought they were better than me.」
Liam’s face did not look arrogant. It was different from the image of being ‘Unrivaled Under Heaven’ that the ancestors had described.
「…Even though they were still young and weak.」
Master looked sad.
「I do not think my reasoning was wrong. I had to leave enemies for them; one becomes hard and strong through the ordeal of the Caravan. I also believe that survival gained by begging for one’s life, or peace obtained through dialogue, is meaningless. But I do have regrets. If only I had waited for them just a little, a little longer. If I had shared more time with them, if I had waited until he—until my son—had become a young man…」
“Your son?”
「…No, I’ve said too much.」
Liam fell silent for a moment. I asked.
“They said you turned the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods into enemies, that you turned the whole world against you. Did you do that out of arrogance? Is that why you were hostile to everyone?”
「No.」
“Then why?”
「I did it because I could.」
“……”
「Because I was stronger than the world.」
Stronger than the world.
That sentence resonated within me. It wasn’t that I was repulsed by Master’s arrogance. There wasn’t a hint of a lie in Liam’s voice, and the moment I felt his words were the absolute truth, I felt a thrill like a physical tremor. In this moment, there was no doubt. The greatest Swordmaster in history stood above the world. He was great enough to look down upon all races, all nations, and all gods. Perhaps even greater than the gods themselves.
「My young descendant.」
“Yes.”
「You can do it too.」
“Why is that?”
「Because I did it.」
“……”
「Because Steel Blood flows in your veins.」
The distant progenitor, who had already committed his mistakes, still believed in his descendant. He believed that a lowly, last Caravan could reclaim the Age of Iron once more. Because there was no doubt in that belief, I could not bring myself to look away from Liam.
And then.
“Master, there’s something else I want to ask.”
「Ask.」
“The last memory I saw in the ancestors’ book. I heard about the natural enemy of the Caravan in that forgotten history.”
「Natural enemy?」
“Yes. I want to ask about that. The name was definitely, the Sky’s…”
The conversation was cut short.
“Sword—”
“Excuse me.”
The moment I was about to speak, an old man wearing a silk hat tapped my shoulder from behind. The old man was dressed very gentlemanly, but his pointed ears revealed his race. An elf.
“You look busy, but may I ask one thing? Do you have a moment?”
An old man, an elf. It was an incongruous combination. Weren’t elves a race that enjoyed eternal youth? I suppressed my surging curiosity and gave a polite smile.
“Yes, please ask.”
“Thank you, you are very kind.”
The old elf spoke with a benevolent smile.
“Since the World Tree first took root in the First Land, fairies do not kill the innocent. There are those who do not follow the old rules, but I have always kept them. As I see it, you, your party, and those walking this street are without sin. Therefore, I intend to spare your lives.”
“…Excuse me?”
“But if you remain here, you might be caught up in it and die. So, I will ask you one thing.”
The old elf’s eyes flashed brilliantly.
“Mountains, forests, or the sea. Or perhaps the endless plains. If you were to go on a trip, where would you like to go?”
