◈ Episode 182. The Thumping Elf's Hometown, Sisle.
Nature in Sisle was untarnished by time.
Only elves dwelled in Sisle. In the era when the blessing of the World Tree existed, elves were flawless beings who needed nothing. Thus, the flowers, trees, and fruits of Sisle always emitted a rich fragrance. "To a degree that uncivilized continents could not even hope to witness." It was proof that their smugness whenever they brought up Sisle was not without merit.
That was precisely why Elsidore could not readily accept the situation.
A mere four days.
How could those worthless flowers.
Be emitting an aura akin to the flowers of Sisle, which had lived for near-eternity?
Elsidore's expression darkened sharply.
'What trick has he pulled?'
Hoyeol.
For this to be the handiwork of that insolent human.
He had done nothing but water the flowers with an arrogant air.
If forced to name one more reason...
—"No masterpiece could hope to compare to your hues."
He had spoken to the flowers.
At the time, it had seemed like utter nonsense.
Elsidore flinched.
'......Could it be that even that had a reason?'
Whatever the reason.
Elsidore's face was slowly contorting.
For he could no longer bring up Sisle and act smug.
It was just then, as a crack formed once more in his barely patched-together pride, that a voice spoke from behind.
"Elsidore."
"......!"
It was the voice of that insolent human, Hoyeol.
Clack—silence.
Elsidore promptly shut his mouth.
Nothing good could come of speaking, so he was better off holding his tongue.
A simple yes or no.
The humiliation of being forced to answer was already shameful enough.
"How does it appear to you?"
"......."
When no answer came, Hoyeol spoke to the flowers.
"Thank you all for growing so splendidly."
Then he turned his head back to gaze at Elsidore.
"It seems they have borne fruit thanks to your care."
"......?"...
What did he just say?
That they grew this way thanks to my care?
Elsidore pondered in earnest.
'As if I weren't already lacking the blessing.'
Surely you have not taken my hearing as well, Mother?
But he had not misheard.
For Hoyeol had spoken clearly.
"I know of that toil, Elsidore.
Tonight, I shall remain in the garden."
At Hoyeol's following words, Elsidore returned to his side chamber.
He would normally have shut the door irritably as always. ...
Thud.
Lost in thought, Elsidore failed to do so.
Toil? What have I done to deserve such a word?
Bewildered, Elsidore looked back over the past four days.
"Mocking them as pathetic, dismissing them as trivial......"
Acting smug that they were incomparably shoddy next to Sisle.
All I did was grumble...
As Elsidore agonized, he flinched.
"Could it be?"
Is he speaking of the magic circle?
Mana and magic are separate.
Even for Elsidore, born with vast mana as an elf. It was impossible to decipher a magic circle—one created by humans, no less. Therefore, Elsidore could not help but be mistaken.
"Simply because I illuminated the garden?"
It was a high-tier healing magic circle that consumed enormous mana.
To Elsidore, it was no different from Light, a basic spell.
For it had not made a dent in his mana.
"Is that so?"
Does that mean I played a major role?
Well, I did chase away the bothersome insects.
Soon, Elsidore's face returned to its original state.
Meaning his nose was in the air once more.
"Well, it is something a mere human could never accomplish."
Is guarding the garden through the night an easy task?
Unlike frail humans, elves did not even require sleep.
There was no risk of dozing off or succumbing to fatigue.
Elsidore let out a laugh.
"Still, you know gratitude."
If he is grateful.
Next time, have him hand over that "Pride."
Then I might receive the blessing back from Mother.
Thump-thump—With a fluttering heart, Elsidore lay upon the bed.
"Do bear this in mind: I am the only one who can guard this garden."
Perhaps because of that twisted disposition.
With a strangely misguided resolve......
*Early morning.
The Kingdom of Yusra.
I was still awake.
Since dawn, I had been spouting lines in a solemn voice.
"I shall not forget your sacrifice."
......
Stop spewing lines trying to look cool, Granfel.
It's not a line you deliver just for plucking a few miracle herbs!
That was right.
After sending Elsidore off to his side chamber, I had combed through the miracle herb field. To pick out the "Spirit Medicines" from among the lushly grown miracle herbs.
Spirit Medicine (靈藥).
Judging by the legendary effects passed down in tales.
They were precious existences that could only be [Epic]-grade items.
To be honest, without a discerning eye, it would be difficult to pick out Spirit Medicines from miracle herbs.
Miracle herbs were treated as weeds among players to begin with.
They had not received proper recognition for their value.
But that did not apply to me, who had acquired knowledge of all plants on the Arcana Continent.
As you can see, I had returned to the office with both hands full of miracle herbs worthy of being called Spirit Medicines...!
'What would I have done without Haiel?'
Water imbued with the blessing of the unique elemental spirit, Haiel.
There was merit in sprinkling the watering can with an upright posture.
No, it was beyond a matter of merit.
This was an unimaginable harvest.
'I had expected I'd be lucky to get even one.'
Three Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Flowers exuding a cold aura.
And in contrast, two sunflowers radiating heat.
Five stalks of the incomparably precious Spirit Medicine, said to have completely vanished from the Arcana Continent, were resting atop the office desk.
'So it wasn't a hellish ordeal for nothing.'
If I had simply relied on Haiel's blessing alone, this harvest would have been impossible.
The miracle herb cultivation method must have played a large role as well.
As expected, there was merit in struggling without cease.
And lastly.
"I hope you too have realized the value of labor."
Even Elsidore, who had a knack for rolling with it.
Above all, I had done well putting Elsidore to work.
From what I heard, Elsidore had regained his smile as well, hadn't he?
Yes, how nice it is when his expression isn't sour.
I too feel as if I've done a good deed in the process.
'Though for some reason it feels like I'm being excessively kind.'
Since the result is good, I shall generously overlook it just this once. I.
'There is no time to hold grudges.'
Time on the Arcana Continent flows several times faster than reality.
Even at this moment, Antonium must be suffering under an offensive.
I immediately picked up a Spirit Medicine.
There are various ways to consume a Spirit Medicine.
But more important than that is the condition of the body receiving the effects.
'Honestly, it's burdensome.'
Two Spirit Medicines with diametrically opposite effects.
I had boldly declared that I would consume them simultaneously to neutralize the side effects.
Now that the Spirit Medicine was in my hands, it was too much to completely erase my worries.
'The question is whether I can endure the Spirit Medicine's effects.'
My pounding heart.
And my insufficient vessel.
In that sense, I had made the best preparations possible.
[Name: Granfel Claudi Arpheus Romeo]
[Title: The Last Adventurer, The Sublime, The Transcendent]
[Class: Devil Hunter]
[Level: 595]
[Stats]
Strength: 112 / Dexterity: 124 / Mana: 467 / Luck: 12 / Aesthetics: Mid
[Available Points: 45]
Absorbed the experience accumulated in the Quernberg Machine Tower.
Thanks to that, the level increase was 45 levels.
Probably because the machine tower was destroyed midway.
'I've gained one more thing to settle with Syegwin.'
My precious experience...!
Above all, the Circle was the transcendent realm of a sorcerer.
To unleash that ability, I naturally needed to expand my vessel as a sorcerer. Since even a little would help. This time, I invested all acquired level-up points into Mana.
[Mana: 512]
With that, the preparations I could make at this point were finished.
What remained was to consume the Spirit Medicine.
And pray that the side effects would not be severe.
As I said, there were many ways to consume a Spirit Medicine.
But they were not worth considering.
The method I, Granfel, would choose was ever constant.
Click—that's right.
I plucked petals and floated them in a teapot.
Needless to say, it was teatime.
*Swish—the valiant lion's blade split the air.
Hair drenched in sweat.
To the point where even his trained body screamed.
Swish—the lion did not leave his body idle for even a moment.
The reason for abusing his body was simple.
Because only then could he endure.
Grip—Harkon held his sword even tighter.
'Impurely, I doubted.'
Smoke rose over the capital city, Antonium.
When he had first received that news, Harkon had assumed the worst.
Perhaps Antonium had already fallen.
But he had been mistaken.
"You have grown, Your Majesty."
Swish—perhaps I had been overestimating myself.
Thinking that Your Majesty could not endure without me.
Impiously, I may have underestimated my liege.
As if scolding that self of his, Antonium had not fallen.
It had endured steadfastly through the raids of countless demons.
Yes, now that the Demon King Contest had returned to nothingness.
It was the opportunity for the Empire to rise and counterattack.
Harkon's gaze soon sank heavily.
'I hope you know what you have done.'
To think they would raise a banner of revolt under the pretext of demon raids.
They must have witnessed it as they advanced on Antonium.
The people of the Empire groaning in pain.
And yet, they turned a blind eye to the people and marched on Antonium.
Meaning they pulled the reins looking only at the crown.
It was Hoyeol who had delivered that shocking news.
"......I am beyond ashamed as the captain of the Empire's knights."
The world of adventurers and Arcana are different worlds.
It meant that Lord Hoyeol, who had fought demons head-on risking his life and burning his pride, watched their unsightly conduct as if his own world had fallen into demonic clutches.
Swhaaaack!
"I am saying I cannot raise my head from shame!"
Fwiiiiing!
The fierce whirlwind of sword wind seemed to speak for Harkon's heart.
Grit—his teeth clenched of their own accord.
"......How could they do such a thing, my Lord."
Even I would grow sick of human pettiness.
Even after watching their unsightly spectacle.
Why is it that you.
—"Will you believe in me?"
How can you say such words?
Harkon had seen countless strong individuals as the captain of the Empire's knights.
『The Child of Lightning』, 『The Witch of the Southern Sea』, 『Urs』, 『The Warrior of Sunrise』......
And one could not leave out 『The Sword Saint, Syegwin』, who surrounded Antonium.
Yes.
Their martial might was beyond what his own insight could fathom.
Therefore, he could not directly compare Hoyeol's superiority to theirs.
But.
'My Lord is different from them.'
Because he has risen to too high a realm?
The strong ones of the continent scorned everything.
But Hoyeol was different.
Because in Harkon's memory, the sight Hoyeol showed in Frost was still vividly engraved.
That sublime figure collecting the people's remains even before the Demon King.
'To my Lord, every life must be equally precious.'
Harkon asked himself.
'Can I equate the life of my liege and a third party?'
The answer was, of course, 'I cannot.'
Yet there was no compromise for Hoyeol.
Had he not witnessed it during the Demon King Contest as well?
—"We will not have a single casualty."
Hoyeol, who made those words a reality.
But Harkon knew.
In the end, it was Hoyeol who accomplished the impossible.
Entering the rift alone, facing a high-ranking Demon King alone.
Because he succeeded in that reckless plan.
Harkon spoke in a low voice.
"But in all of them, my Lord, you never included yourself."
Harkon could not forget.
That day, the sight of Hoyeol collapsed while standing.
He recalled the words of the adventurer Nam Tae-min.
—"I don't know if you are aware, but in our world, Mr. Hoyeol is no different from a symbol of peace. Because if Mr. Hoyeol wavers, the world wavers."
For the sake of the world.
He must have had no choice but to stand tall even after losing consciousness.
However, from that day, he and everyone else came to know.
That my Lord simply did not show it.
"Does my Lord know?"
After you decided to rest.
Not a single one of us, including me, rested for even a moment.
To share the heavy burden called Pride that you bear.
And so Harkon steeled his resolve.
'Since you have spoken thus, I will believe in my Lord as always.'
I believe you will bring me to my liege's side.
What such a one as I can do is cross swords and stop Syegwin. Though I know not how much this old man can accomplish against the Sword Saint......
Goooooooo—Harkon's sword aura faintly glowed.
"I shall stop him, even if I must burn this life away."
Does my Lord not know as well?
That sword qi deepens at the crossroads of life and death.
From this moment forth, I shall stake my heart every single moment.
The heart of a lion that does not retreat before anyone.
*It was a Pride that knew not how to hide a single thing.
After conveying Antonium's situation to Harkon.
—"Will you believe in me?"
When I spouted such words at the very end.
I felt my vision go dark.
No, seriously, does putting on airs solve everything!
It couldn't be helped.
Because up until then, I hadn't even been able to fathom a plan. [Man.
Tong.
Ji]
Now that its effects were lost, it meant I knew no way to approach the Arcana Continent.
So by this point, I couldn't help but flinch.
『Humility was an emotion that did not exist in Granfel. To underestimation, he offered proof. And overestimation, he inevitably made into reality.』
Like words becoming seeds. ...
It meant that his overestimation of himself had become reality.
I slowly opened my eyes.
How long had they been closed?
Only the teacup fallen and shattered on the floor told of the agony that even the Granfel of all under heaven had endured.
But it was not a hellish ordeal for nothing.
Among the countless messages floating before my eyes.
Because I could hear it loud and clear. ...
Thump!
My heartbeat.
[The effect of the Title 'Transcendent' activates.]