The winter night was long. The moon and stars glittered on the clear black sky, showing off their presence.
Ruon suddenly woke up from his sleep. He got up from his bed, folding the thin blanket, and saw the fireplace that had lost much of its heat.
He threw some of the dry firewood stacked next to the fireplace, and the dying flames greedily licked the new prey.
Ruon poked the firewood a few times with a poker and turned his head.
He felt his dry mouth and gulped down the water in the glass, when he saw Amella’s side profile looking at the sky from the balcony.
Ruon carefully opened the balcony door, avoiding stepping on Kyle and Colin, who were snoring on the floor. The cool night air kissed his neck.
“Can’t you sleep either?”
“I woke up. The fireplace was out.”
Ruon answered and leaned his elbow on the railing, breathing through his nose. The cold air entering his lungs seemed to wake up his drowsy body. It was not a bad feeling.
Amella quietly blinked her eyes and looked at him.
His large body, his well-balanced and solid muscles, his rough hands and the numerous scars on them. Finally, she found his black eyes that looked lonely somehow. She asked abruptly.
“Is your story being completed?”
Ruon thought for a while and answered.
“I don’t know.”
Despite his hesitant and weak answer, Amella nodded quietly.
“There is a being called the Revelator.”
She threw a brief topic and stretched her index finger to connect the stars in the sky.
“He is the author who wants to plunge the high heavens into the abyss and cause the chaos of the world.”
As expected, he was involved.
Ruon laughed coldly and said.
“I’ve heard of him.”
“You know?”
“It seems like he’s doing all the evil deeds that are rampant in the world.”
Amella’s eyes widened slightly.
“I’m glad you know. You killed two great demons, so it’s not strange that you noticed his existence.”
“What is he dissatisfied with that he can’t turn the world upside down?”
Amella lowered her hand and clenched the railing.
“I didn’t receive the revelation, so I don’t know his thoughts and intentions exactly. But what’s certain is, there are quite a few people who are fascinated by the new world he promised, and everything that’s happening now has been planned for a long time.”
Ruon snorted at that.
He had seen such people before he came into the game. They were the kind who spouted nonsense that they couldn’t be saved unless they believed in someone right away when the new sky opened.
The Revelator was just like that.
Of course, it didn’t make sense to put the guys who lured the shabby people and took their money and the madman who wanted to destroy the world on the same line.
Meanwhile, Amella’s story continued.
“There is a tree in the north that has been revered as a god for a long time. But recently, it started to die as it reached the end of its life… The barbarian chieftain silenced the opposition of the other elders and joined hands with the great demon Beolun under the pretext of reviving the sacred tree. The Revelator was the one who tied those two together.”
She sighed heavily.
“The senile great demon transformed the barbarian army into berserkers on the condition of merging with the sacred tree, and the chieftain, who only pretended to care about the sacred tree, took this opportunity to trample the kingdom and rise to the throne of the new king.”
The breath that came out of her thick lips spread white.
“And Quinn is the one who the Revelator put in charge of mediating the fight between the great demon and the chieftain. As they use each other, a mediator was essential.”
The story went on like that.
Quintuanus, the corrupted fairy who had been on the same side with the Revelator for a long time, moved to the north according to the Revelator’s will, and summoned Amella with a blood oath.
She was looking for a way to get out of the oath, but she was dragged to the north without being able to resist properly due to the earlier than expected call. That was the real reason why she disappeared from the tower without anyone knowing.
After that, Amella, who became Quinn’s puppet, weakened the sacred tree that resisted against her will, and swept the battlefield with the barbarians who became monsters, in places where no one could see.
She lived every day in hell like that, and the last chance she got was when she received the order to capture El Tigre, who was stubbornly defending the wall.
There, she met her old friend who had become the great demon slayer, and she challenged him to a reckless fight, hoping that they would stop her rampage. And she finally achieved her wish.
It was an unexpected result that her collapsing body was restored by the power of Tivela and Duermur.
As the period was marked at the end of the not-so-short story, silence filled the space between the two. Amella exhaled white breath and looked up at the sky, and Ruon crossed his arms and thought deeply.
He was the first to open his mouth.
“What happens when the sacred tree merges with the great demon?”
Amella sniffed and answered.
“Quinn said that. The sacred tree is a tree that rooted itself in the body of a god a long time ago. So it has its own divinity.”
She shivered from the cold.
“When the sacred tree is mixed with the great demon’s will… It will become a terrible monster. A being that can stand alone against the Grand Church or the army may be born.”
Ruon nodded.
***
“Such destruction would surely bring us face to face with an unpredictable foe. One who would not sit idly by after their efforts have failed,” Ruon mused.
Amela whipped her head around, her wide eyes asking, ‘What?’
“Did you actually listen to what I said?”
Ruon nodded silently, his calm demeanor leaving the mage fumbling for words.
“You mean to say you killed Belthucias and Fleur in this manner? Just went up to them and struck them down? What kind of—”
Ruon turned to the stuttering Amela with a complex expression and smiled faintly.
“It seems I’ve lost my touch after such a long time, but this has always been my way.”
***
The next morning, a soldier arrived at the guest room.
“The lord has regained consciousness.”
“That’s good to hear.”
After a brief reply, Ruon gulped down cold water as the soldier added,
“His lordship wishes to see the three of you. There’s no need to hurry.”
Colin, who was rebandaging a wound with clean bandages, looked troubled.
“Why me…”
Despite his words, his hands moved faster, indicating he intended to go.
Soon, the group, having finished their preparations, followed the soldier. They arrived not at the office where they first met the lord but at his bedroom.
“Ah, the heroes have arrived.”
Lord Kemark, looking gaunt, sat up in bed, supported by a middle-aged woman—likely his wife.
“I’m ashamed to show myself in such a state. Please forgive me for not being able to greet you standing.”
The woman added politely,
“He’s injured his back.”
“Oh, my lady, that’s hardly something to boast about,” Kemark chided her gently. Then he addressed the group.
“While everyone was fighting for their lives, I was shamefully lying in a comfortable bed, dreaming.”
Knowing when to lighten the mood, Ruon replied,
“Not at all. It showed how well the soldiers of Eltigre are trained. They all did their best without faltering.”
The lord laughed heartily, clearly pleased.
“Even if it’s just flattery, I appreciate it. Truly.”
He then became serious.
“I’ve spoken with Aslan. He says that thanks to your efforts outside the walls, the defense was much easier.”
Was it?
Though it felt a bit ambiguous, Ruon saw no reason to dampen the warm atmosphere and remained silent, as did Kyle and Colin.
“The scouts report that the retreating barbarians have moved far away. I’m keeping it quiet so the soldiers don’t get overexcited… but we’ve truly won. We’ve protected Eltigre.”
Tears rimmed the lord’s eyes as he suppressed his emotions with a cough and continued.
“That’s not the only good news. Even if we were on the brink of collapse, the kingdom’s army stationed in Briten is coming here. They’re regrouping and establishing a defensive line.”
The group’s spirits lifted slightly. If true, Eltigre would no longer face the barbarians alone.
“That’s indeed good news.”
“Thank you, Kyle.”
After a moment to catch his breath, Kemark said,
“I called you here to fulfill the promise I made on the first day. A life-risking endeavor deserves a fitting reward. I couldn’t attend to it then, but now I can.”
Ruon noticed Colin clenching his fist, a sign he was ready to make a request.
Kyle spoke first.
“My armor is in shambles after the battles. If possible, I’d like a skilled blacksmith to craft a new one. Is that feasible?”
The lord was taken aback by the modest request but nodded.
“Of course. Eltigre boasts many skilled blacksmiths, comparable even to the dwarves of Roburduke. I’ll order them to prepare the finest armor for you. Choose one to your liking, or place a custom order.”
Remembering the lord’s wealth and mines, Ruon realized the confidence in his offer.
Colin then spoke up.
“Ahem, I would like… a sturdy armor and a fine sword. Engraved, if possible…”
***
Even though his last words sounded a bit rushed, it was still an unexpected answer, so Ruon and Kyle tilted their heads in confusion. Colin scratched his head.
“I said we’d go all the way, didn’t I? It’s not good for a man to say one thing and do another.”
When Seongju gladly agreed to his request, the only one left was Ruon.
Maybe I should ask for some armor.
He was wondering if he should go along with the group’s opinion, since his leather armor had been torn to shreds by Amella’s spell, when he suddenly opened his mouth with a thought that crossed his mind.
“I have a land certificate that I got by chance. But it’s hard to use it right away, so I’d appreciate it if you could write me a guarantee. It sounds grand, but a seal that guarantees my identity would be enough, I think.”
At his words, Colin gasped and drew in a breath. His trembling hands showed that he had caught on to what Ruon was saying.
Then Seongju laughed loudly.
“Hahaha, of course. My authority in the kingdom is not inferior to anyone. I’ll stamp any seal you want. It’s a request from a hero, so it’s no trouble.”
Ruon smiled back at him.
“Thank you.”
Soon after, the group left Seongju’s bedroom. There was nothing left to do, but Seongju’s face was dripping with cold sweat, so he didn’t look like he was in a mood to talk.
As soon as they turned the corner, Colin grabbed Ruon’s arm and said.
“Are we going to swallow that pig… I mean, the count’s mine?”
Ruon replied calmly.
“Why are we?”
“No! Don’t say such hurtful things. I said I’d fight with you, and I refused the money and asked for equipment.”
Colin made a sad face, and Ruon answered with a faint smile.
“I might share some with you, depending on how it goes.”
“Oh!”
He immediately started to dance with joy, and Kyle, who had been watching the deserter with a blank stare, changed the subject.
“I hope the blacksmith’s skill is as good as Seongju said. Considering the future battles.”
Even then, he was more worried about the equipment than the money, and he looked like a true knight of mercy. Ah, he really was the champion of Tivella.
Ruon nodded and said.
“It would be nice if I could dispose of the materials I’ve been saving.”
“Materials?”
Kyle looked at him with a curious expression, and Ruon said.
“I have scales that I peeled off from Hella’s skin.”
The winter night was long. The moon and stars glittered on the clear black sky, showing off their presence.
Ruon suddenly woke up from his sleep. He got up from his bed, folding the thin blanket, and saw the fireplace that had lost much of its heat.
He threw some of the dry firewood stacked next to the fireplace, and the dying flames greedily licked the new prey.
Ruon poked the firewood a few times with a poker and turned his head.
He felt his dry mouth and gulped down the water in the glass, when he saw Amella’s side profile looking at the sky from the balcony.
Ruon carefully opened the balcony door, avoiding stepping on Kyle and Colin, who were snoring on the floor. The cool night air kissed his neck.
“Can’t you sleep either?”
“I woke up. The fireplace was out.”
Ruon answered and leaned his elbow on the railing, breathing through his nose. The cold air entering his lungs seemed to wake up his drowsy body. It was not a bad feeling.
Amella quietly blinked her eyes and looked at him.
His large body, his well-balanced and solid muscles, his rough hands and the numerous scars on them. Finally, she found his black eyes that looked lonely somehow. She asked abruptly.
“Is your story being completed?”
Ruon thought for a while and answered.
“I don’t know.”
Despite his hesitant and weak answer, Amella nodded quietly.
“There is a being called the Revelator.”
She threw a brief topic and stretched her index finger to connect the stars in the sky.
“He is the author who wants to plunge the high heavens into the abyss and cause the chaos of the world.”
As expected, he was involved.
Ruon laughed coldly and said.
“I’ve heard of him.”
“You know?”
“It seems like he’s doing all the evil deeds that are rampant in the world.”
Amella’s eyes widened slightly.
“I’m glad you know. You killed two great demons, so it’s not strange that you noticed his existence.”
“What is he dissatisfied with that he can’t turn the world upside down?”
Amella lowered her hand and clenched the railing.
“I didn’t receive the revelation, so I don’t know his thoughts and intentions exactly. But what’s certain is, there are quite a few people who are fascinated by the new world he promised, and everything that’s happening now has been planned for a long time.”
Ruon snorted at that.
He had seen such people before he came into the game. They were the kind who spouted nonsense that they couldn’t be saved unless they believed in someone right away when the new sky opened.
The Revelator was just like that.
Of course, it didn’t make sense to put the guys who lured the shabby people and took their money and the madman who wanted to destroy the world on the same line.
Meanwhile, Amella’s story continued.
“There is a tree in the north that has been revered as a god for a long time. But recently, it started to die as it reached the end of its life… The barbarian chieftain silenced the opposition of the other elders and joined hands with the great demon Beolun under the pretext of reviving the sacred tree. The Revelator was the one who tied those two together.”
She sighed heavily.
“The senile great demon transformed the barbarian army into berserkers on the condition of merging with the sacred tree, and the chieftain, who only pretended to care about the sacred tree, took this opportunity to trample the kingdom and rise to the throne of the new king.”
The breath that came out of her thick lips spread white.
“And Quinn is the one who the Revelator put in charge of mediating the fight between the great demon and the chieftain. As they use each other, a mediator was essential.”
The story went on like that.
Quintuanus, the corrupted fairy who had been on the same side with the Revelator for a long time, moved to the north according to the Revelator’s will, and summoned Amella with a blood oath.
She was looking for a way to get out of the oath, but she was dragged to the north without being able to resist properly due to the earlier than expected call. That was the real reason why she disappeared from the tower without anyone knowing.
After that, Amella, who became Quinn’s puppet, weakened the sacred tree that resisted against her will, and swept the battlefield with the barbarians who became monsters, in places where no one could see.
She lived every day in hell like that, and the last chance she got was when she received the order to capture El Tigre, who was stubbornly defending the wall.
There, she met her old friend who had become the great demon slayer, and she challenged him to a reckless fight, hoping that they would stop her rampage. And she finally achieved her wish.
It was an unexpected result that her collapsing body was restored by the power of Tivela and Duermur.
As the period was marked at the end of the not-so-short story, silence filled the space between the two. Amella exhaled white breath and looked up at the sky, and Ruon crossed his arms and thought deeply.
He was the first to open his mouth.
“What happens when the sacred tree merges with the great demon?”
Amella sniffed and answered.
“Quinn said that. The sacred tree is a tree that rooted itself in the body of a god a long time ago. So it has its own divinity.”
She shivered from the cold.
“When the sacred tree is mixed with the great demon’s will… It will become a terrible monster. A being that can stand alone against the Grand Church or the army may be born.”
Ruon nodded.
***
“Such destruction would surely bring us face to face with an unpredictable foe. One who would not sit idly by after their efforts have failed,” Ruon mused.
Amela whipped her head around, her wide eyes asking, ‘What?’
“Did you actually listen to what I said?”
Ruon nodded silently, his calm demeanor leaving the mage fumbling for words.
“You mean to say you killed Belthucias and Fleur in this manner? Just went up to them and struck them down? What kind of—”
Ruon turned to the stuttering Amela with a complex expression and smiled faintly.
“It seems I’ve lost my touch after such a long time, but this has always been my way.”
***
The next morning, a soldier arrived at the guest room.
“The lord has regained consciousness.”
“That’s good to hear.”
After a brief reply, Ruon gulped down cold water as the soldier added,
“His lordship wishes to see the three of you. There’s no need to hurry.”
Colin, who was rebandaging a wound with clean bandages, looked troubled.
“Why me…”
Despite his words, his hands moved faster, indicating he intended to go.
Soon, the group, having finished their preparations, followed the soldier. They arrived not at the office where they first met the lord but at his bedroom.
“Ah, the heroes have arrived.”
Lord Kemark, looking gaunt, sat up in bed, supported by a middle-aged woman—likely his wife.
“I’m ashamed to show myself in such a state. Please forgive me for not being able to greet you standing.”
The woman added politely,
“He’s injured his back.”
“Oh, my lady, that’s hardly something to boast about,” Kemark chided her gently. Then he addressed the group.
“While everyone was fighting for their lives, I was shamefully lying in a comfortable bed, dreaming.”
Knowing when to lighten the mood, Ruon replied,
“Not at all. It showed how well the soldiers of Eltigre are trained. They all did their best without faltering.”
The lord laughed heartily, clearly pleased.
“Even if it’s just flattery, I appreciate it. Truly.”
He then became serious.
“I’ve spoken with Aslan. He says that thanks to your efforts outside the walls, the defense was much easier.”
Was it?
Though it felt a bit ambiguous, Ruon saw no reason to dampen the warm atmosphere and remained silent, as did Kyle and Colin.
“The scouts report that the retreating barbarians have moved far away. I’m keeping it quiet so the soldiers don’t get overexcited… but we’ve truly won. We’ve protected Eltigre.”
Tears rimmed the lord’s eyes as he suppressed his emotions with a cough and continued.
“That’s not the only good news. Even if we were on the brink of collapse, the kingdom’s army stationed in Briten is coming here. They’re regrouping and establishing a defensive line.”
The group’s spirits lifted slightly. If true, Eltigre would no longer face the barbarians alone.
“That’s indeed good news.”
“Thank you, Kyle.”
After a moment to catch his breath, Kemark said,
“I called you here to fulfill the promise I made on the first day. A life-risking endeavor deserves a fitting reward. I couldn’t attend to it then, but now I can.”
Ruon noticed Colin clenching his fist, a sign he was ready to make a request.
Kyle spoke first.
“My armor is in shambles after the battles. If possible, I’d like a skilled blacksmith to craft a new one. Is that feasible?”
The lord was taken aback by the modest request but nodded.
“Of course. Eltigre boasts many skilled blacksmiths, comparable even to the dwarves of Roburduke. I’ll order them to prepare the finest armor for you. Choose one to your liking, or place a custom order.”
Remembering the lord’s wealth and mines, Ruon realized the confidence in his offer.
Colin then spoke up.
“Ahem, I would like… a sturdy armor and a fine sword. Engraved, if possible…”
***
Even though his last words sounded a bit rushed, it was still an unexpected answer, so Ruon and Kyle tilted their heads in confusion. Colin scratched his head.
“I said we’d go all the way, didn’t I? It’s not good for a man to say one thing and do another.”
When Seongju gladly agreed to his request, the only one left was Ruon.
Maybe I should ask for some armor.
He was wondering if he should go along with the group’s opinion, since his leather armor had been torn to shreds by Amella’s spell, when he suddenly opened his mouth with a thought that crossed his mind.
“I have a land certificate that I got by chance. But it’s hard to use it right away, so I’d appreciate it if you could write me a guarantee. It sounds grand, but a seal that guarantees my identity would be enough, I think.”
At his words, Colin gasped and drew in a breath. His trembling hands showed that he had caught on to what Ruon was saying.
Then Seongju laughed loudly.
“Hahaha, of course. My authority in the kingdom is not inferior to anyone. I’ll stamp any seal you want. It’s a request from a hero, so it’s no trouble.”
Ruon smiled back at him.
“Thank you.”
Soon after, the group left Seongju’s bedroom. There was nothing left to do, but Seongju’s face was dripping with cold sweat, so he didn’t look like he was in a mood to talk.
As soon as they turned the corner, Colin grabbed Ruon’s arm and said.
“Are we going to swallow that pig… I mean, the count’s mine?”
Ruon replied calmly.
“Why are we?”
“No! Don’t say such hurtful things. I said I’d fight with you, and I refused the money and asked for equipment.”
Colin made a sad face, and Ruon answered with a faint smile.
“I might share some with you, depending on how it goes.”
“Oh!”
He immediately started to dance with joy, and Kyle, who had been watching the deserter with a blank stare, changed the subject.
“I hope the blacksmith’s skill is as good as Seongju said. Considering the future battles.”
Even then, he was more worried about the equipment than the money, and he looked like a true knight of mercy. Ah, he really was the champion of Tivella.
Ruon nodded and said.
“It would be nice if I could dispose of the materials I’ve been saving.”
“Materials?”
Kyle looked at him with a curious expression, and Ruon said.
“I have scales that I peeled off from Hella’s skin.”
