Despite its notorious reputation, the interior of the Crevelin Great Forest was peaceful—so much so that I wondered if this was truly one of the continent’s forbidden zones. Far from being menacing, it was actually beautiful. The forest, a perfect harmony of natural landscapes, radiated an atmosphere entirely different from the Sky Mountain Range.
It was exactly as I’d seen in the memories of “Ascension.” It looked just like this when the old adventurer and his son had come to bury Thunder. There had been no interference from the World Tree, which was said to strictly exclude intruders. The former master of Ascension and his son had entered the forest as if on a picnic and left just as quietly. Was one of them capable of magic, or perhaps beloved by spirits? No, that was impossible. The son, Icarus, was a man who had spent his life inventing, and his father was a retired imperial ranger with little formal education. What could have kept them safe?
The more I thought about it…
The more my hunch seemed correct.
“Hmm.”
As I walked through the forest, I felt a sense of dissonance.
It was a discrepancy I hadn’t felt in the memories of “Ascension.” Instinctively, I began to doubt the source of this feeling, and soon my instincts provided a conclusion.
“It seems strangely quiet.”
The Crevelin Great Forest was unnervingly silent. It wasn’t just quiet; not a single sound from a living creature could be heard. It was enough to make my skin crawl.
“That’s only natural,” Elizabeth replied.
“What do you mean, natural?”
Elizabeth answered my question.
“Things haven’t been good in the Crevelin Great Forest lately. Ever since High Elf Nadine attacked the Iron Kingdom, the forest has been singing of its wrath. The elves and beastfolk managed to stay safe, but the forest’s ecosystem was heavily damaged in the process. Mindless beasts and spirit beasts lacking divine power have returned to the earth. Since the creatures that served as sentries are all gone, it’s bound to be quiet.”
“Ah.”
“Furthermore, while you were holed up in the Sky Mountain Range, there were several raids on the Crevelin Great Forest. To be precise, they were raids targeting the elves and their land.”
“Raids?”
I hadn’t heard anything about that.
“Just as Ian Chervil seized a moment of vulnerability to occupy the Free City, other nations took advantage of the World Tree’s weakness after it sang its wrath. There will never be a time when the Crevelin Great Forest’s guard is as lax as it is now.”
“…”
“Besides, they had a pretext. There was the racial justification that the elves had encroached upon human territory, or the national justification from nations friendly with the Iron Kingdom claiming that ‘the elves crossed the line.’ Well, in the end, they’re all just excuses they slapped on. Nevertheless, a pretext is always important. Especially when presenting one to the ‘elves,’ it’s a very difficult task.”
“Is it because they are an isolationist race?”
“Exactly. Most elves spend their entire lives in the forest. You can’t just invade their land without any justification—unless you finish the job in an instant, like the Iron Kingdom did with the Free City.”
“…”
“They are a closed-off race that avoids conflict at all costs. Since they have no greed, they rarely do anything to earn a grudge. You could search high and low, but throughout their long history, the elves have almost never given anyone a reason to attack. Even if someone finds a small pretext, the Great Forest is a natural fortress protected by the World Tree… It’s a place everyone would rather avoid.”
She was right.
Elizabeth continued.
“That’s why everyone saw this moment as an opportunity. The forest’s wrath sung by the World Tree is terrifyingly powerful, but once the anger subsides, its guard relaxes. It’s like a firmly closed castle gate being flung wide open. On top of that, the elves even provided a pretext. Nadine’s attack on Cherny might have been justified revenge from the elves’ perspective, but to other races, it was ‘crossing the line.'”
“Crossing the line, huh.”
“The death of a single young life is tragic. But do orcs, humans, or beastfolk usually attack another country’s capital just because one young life was lost? They don’t. Because that would be an excessive measure. And it makes it look like a single elf is being flaunted as superior to dozens or hundreds of other lives.”
“…”
“The elves provoked them too much. And among those provoked, there were those who couldn’t suppress their greed. The elven lands are incredibly valuable if they can be occupied. The Great Forest is a land of abundant mana where you could become a wizard just by breathing; it’s a land of plenty where you can reap a massive harvest just by scattering seeds; and there are all sorts of rumors about the mystical World Tree. They say if you brew and drink a branch of the World Tree, you can enjoy eternal life like the elves, or that eating the fruit of the World Tree can make you a Great Mage… Moreover, if you occupy the elven lands and sell the captured elves into slavery? You’d make an enormous profit. Under the World Tree, elves have always been revered as noble beings and objects of admiration. Elves are exactly what many high-ranking people want most as slaves. In fact, there are many slave traders who cut the ears of beautiful people and use makeup to sell them as ‘elf-style’ products.”
Elizabeth laid bare the full extent of human desire. This naked side of the continent was, frankly, horrifying. I felt like I understood why the elves were so wary of outsiders and kept to themselves. A race living in a flawless land, possessing perfect beauty and eternal life. Everything they naturally had was what humans desperately craved. The beauty, the flawless land, and the eternal life—all of it.
“They say several city-states have invaded. There was no declaration of war, either. Since the Crevelin Great Forest isn’t recognized as a formal nation, there was no need for one. I even heard that various groups from the Sky Empire attempted independent infiltrations to kidnap young elves or break off branches of the World Tree while things were chaotic.”
“It’s a mess.”
“That’s why the outskirts of the Crevelin Great Forest are so quiet. Those who lived here would have hidden in the safest place—the deep forest protected by the World Tree.”
Now it made sense.
But a new question arose.
“Then, since they’ve been raided several times, wouldn’t they be in a very sensitive state? Won’t it be trouble if we’re caught sneaking in like this?”
“It would be trouble. But it’s fine as long as we aren’t caught.”
“Are you confident?”
“Hah! Of course I am. I don’t know how many times I have to say it. I am one of the finest mages in the Sky Empire. It’s impossible to see through my camouflage. Besides, no matter how great High Elf Nadine is, it’s impossible to thoroughly search and guard this entire Great Forest, which is larger than most countries, all the way to the outskirts.”
Elizabeth shrugged.
“My magic is perfect. That’s why I accompanied the Descendant of Steel. A Descendant of Steel who holds the memories of a legendary adventurer, and me, who wields flawless magic. No combination is more perfect than this. Normally, I would never have stepped forward personally… but that’s how important ‘Thunder’ is to us.”
Following behind me, Elizabeth said, “You don’t need to worry about us being caught. This Elizabeth’s magic is perfect. No matter what magic they use, they won’t be able to peel off the shell I’ve created.”
“Ah, right.”
“So, how much further? I believe Storm River is near the outskirts.”
“We’re almost there.”
As we talked, we arrived.
To begin with, “Storm River” in the northern part of the Crevelin Great Forest was located in an area considered the outskirts. The former master of Ascension wasn’t someone with a perverted taste for hiding things. He had simply been admiring the beautiful scenery of the forest with his son, discovered the mystical river, and stored Thunder there to commemorate the memory. Elizabeth had chosen this method because it was close to the entrance. With their identities hidden by magic, it was a distance they could cover in less than three hours without interference.
“It’s here.”
I pushed aside the thick undergrowth.
With that, the wide river that had been hidden by the plants was revealed. Crystal-clear water flowed vigorously, but surprisingly, the river didn’t run along the ground—it flowed through the air. It was as if it were traveling along an invisible path.
The water flowing through the air didn’t follow a single set path but moved in various directions and routes. Some streams flowed downward, while others surged toward the sky. It looked less like a part of nature and more like a well-crafted work of art. It almost seemed like magic cast by someone.
Beyond the branching streams of the river was a waterfall that poured upward toward the sky. The terrain around the gravity-defying water and waterfall also ignored gravity. Rocks floated in the air like clouds, and blades of grass drifted as if dancing like dandelion seeds. A mystical sight that felt like it didn’t belong to this world. A spectacle unique to the Crevelin Great Forest, different from the Sky Mountain Range.
This was the place.
“We’ve arrived.”
It was “Storm River.”
* * *
“Abundant and free mana, and a landscape composed of spirits dwelling in every natural object. The evaluation of an explorer who said it was ‘like catching a glimpse of the Spirit Realm’ is quite apt. It’s a magnificent sight, magically speaking. However, I’ll have to take back the claims that it’s a river carved by the gods or an eternal mystery of the continent. This isn’t a mythical phenomenon or a mystery; it’s simply a magical phenomenon.”
While I was savoring the fresh shock brought by Storm River, Elizabeth offered a rational response that utterly destroyed the sentiment. After that, she continued to babble things I didn’t want to hear—how the arrangement of spirits was lacking because it was an old region, or how the result would have been even more beautiful if the Father of the Sky had had a hand in it.
“So, where is Thunder? Please take it out quickly.”
“…Yes, yes.”
Then again, how long had she lived? Though her appearance and voice were those of a young woman, her inside was likely that of an old crone whose emotions had all worn away. Did she say she was the first witch? Then she wasn’t just an old lady; she was a grandmother’s grandmother, and beyond that, a grandmother’s grandmother’s grandm—
“You aren’t having any impure thoughts, are you? I feel strangely unpleasant.”
“Ah, no.”
Hmm.
She was quick-witted.
I stopped the strange thoughts and reached my hand into the flowing river. It wasn’t the former master of Ascension who had hidden Thunder here, but his son, Icarus. Applying the ‘Labyrinthos’ that hid the location of treasures, he had buried Thunder in the gaps of these free-spirited river streams. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say he had hidden it in the embrace of the spirits.
“But you know.”
A treasure that only the father and son adventurers of the past could find. In this moment, I became them and located the hidden treasure. As soon as my fingertips brushed against it, I grabbed it firmly and slowly pulled it out. As I did, I asked Elizabeth something I had been curious about.
“Earlier, you said no magic could pierce through your magic. That’s why you said it wouldn’t matter even if the elves were sensitive, because we would never be caught.”
“I did, didn’t I?”
There was something that made me uneasy.
Elizabeth was a brilliant mage, but she was also an arrogant one. She had reigned as one of the top mages for a long time and had lived among witches for ages without ever having to step out into the world. Even the city where the witches stayed in the Sky Empire was a magic city. The world surrounding Elizabeth would have been nothing but magic. So, it was only natural for her to perceive everything through the lens of ‘magic.’ No matter how experienced or long-lived a being was, it was difficult to break a habit once it became ‘natural.’
“Then…”
I had been slightly uneasy since our conversation earlier.
Why? Elizabeth had emphasized ‘magic’ excessively. Saying her magic wouldn’t be broken by other magic, that she was the best mage—as if she thought magic was the only means of identifying an intruder in this world. So, I had to check.
“If it’s not magic, is it possible for us to be caught?”
At my words, Elizabeth tilted her head.
“Is there anything as efficient and superior as magic for searching such a vast range and accurately identifying those with hostile intent? There’s no way they’d use any means other than magic.”
“If they did—if they used a means other than magic—could we be caught?”
A persistent question.
Elizabeth soon replied.
“The elves won’t find us. Even if they use the World Tree, they won’t be able to see through it. It’s the same even if they use spirits. Spirit arts and magic are ultimately similar. However—”
“However?”
“There is exactly one thing.”
Elizabeth said, “Hmm.”
“What is it?”
“Scent.”
Scent?
“Whether it’s highly advanced magic or a perfect spell formula that deceives even the eyes of a great being, their noses can never be fooled.”
“…”
“The scent of blood that beastmen pick up.”
Clutch. The witch’s treasure was fully within my grasp.
“Of course, it’s a variable not even worth considering. Most beastfolk raised in the Great Forest lack wildness, and their ability to see the ‘Path of Blood’ has mostly degenerated from mingling with elves. Furthermore, even beastfolk skilled in combat can only see the ‘Path of Blood’ during battle or just before danger strikes. Many beastfolk live in the Great Forest, but they won’t be able to find us.”
“…”
“Though, there is one special case.”
A special case. Those words stuck with me.
“What is that special case? Couldn’t it appear here? I think it would be better to be prepared.”
“That won’t happen. The probability is lower than being struck by lightning. There’s a reason I didn’t consider it in the first place. What I told the Descendant of Steel was merely a ‘possibility.’ You asked if there was not a single means under heaven that could find us, so I mentioned it in the sense that there is one under heaven. How can you live if you consider things like that?”
“I live while considering them. I’m the kind of person who walks around considering the possibility of being struck by lightning on a rainy day.”
“Isn’t that a mental illness?”
“I hear that often. So, please tell me.”
I slowly pulled the treasure I had grabbed.
“Among beastfolk, there are occasionally special individuals. Instead of being a half-and-half mix of human and beast, they are those in whom beastly characteristics manifest strongly. They are born with very, very powerful strength. At the same time, they are all born with very sensitive noses.”
“If they have sensitive noses…”
“They can sense ‘crisis’ even in normal times, not just in combat. They hone their own weapons through training, and it’s said that beastfolk who overcome extreme training can perceive even a ‘change in daily life’ as a crisis, allowing them to predict all variables in advance. They can designate an incredibly vast range as their territory and identify every kind of intruder.”
“…”
“Of course, you can just let it go in one ear and out the other. They aren’t from the Great Forest; they are beings from a place called ‘Sirion,’ which belongs to the Armand Alliance. They are the Alliance’s warriors, raised solely for war. Why would they ever visit this forest?”
Right.
Elizabeth’s words were logical.
But my misfortune didn’t care about ‘logic.’
“You’re right.”
Splash!
Water splashed as I yanked my hand out. Amidst the scattering droplets, “Thunder” was held in my hand. The witch’s treasure. A worn, withered wooden staff that didn’t match its grand name emerged from the water.
“But I’m uneasy, so let’s get out of here quickly. If you want to test just how unlucky and jinxed I am, you’re welcome to move at your leisure.”
Elizabeth, who had been staring at Thunder in ecstasy, stiffened her expression upon hearing my words.
“It would be best to leave as quickly as possible.”
“…”
Well.
It went as I wanted, but…
‘She didn’t even hesitate.’
It was a bit annoying.
* * *
“Descendant of Steel.”
As soon as we found Thunder, we moved toward the exit with all our might. We moved without a single break.
“You are the best.”
And then.
“Your misfortune has surpassed the probability of being struck by lightning. Misfortune that defies such extreme odds—isn’t that a miracle in itself? The legend passed down through the bloodline of Steel, the phrase about being a being who makes the impossible possible… perhaps it symbolizes your ill luck in being hit head-on by every single ordeal.”
My unease had become reality.
“Caravan.”
We were surrounded.
An encirclement without a single gap. Countless elves were aiming their bows at us, their strings drawn taut, and among the fierce elves was a familiar face. The only old elf among the young and beautiful ones. High Elf Nadine was staring at me with a dry expression.
“I didn’t expect to meet again so soon.”
Standing next to High Elf Nadine was a man who resembled a wolf. Lustrous hair, ears poking out from between the strands, and a bushy tail. A sharp-looking beastman stood beside Nadine. And on the beastman’s chest was a shining emblem. The emblem symbolizing the Armand Alliance.
“Seeing as you walked in here so boldly… I suppose you’ve grown much stronger since we last met?”
Refined killing intent was pouring out.
An unpleasant pressure weighed down on my body.
A desperate crisis.
But fortunately…
‘I’m glad I thought ahead.’
My habit of always doubting had proven its worth once again.
“Elizabeth. Think of a way to escape.”
“We can’t escape. Unless someone buys us some time—”
“I’ll buy the time.”
“…You’re joking, right? There are countless elves, a beastman from the Armand Alliance’s ‘Sirion,’ and even High Elf Nadine. You, the Descendant of Steel, are going to buy time alone?”
“I’m not joking.”
It did look a bit difficult.
Even so.
“It’s worth a try.”
It was possible.
If my theory wasn’t wrong.
