“The necklace needs to be remade again.”
Plop plop
I carefully detach the mana stone from the already broken necklace.
The mana stone still emits an ominous light, but something faintly bizarre can be seen within.
A few crystals are stained red.
Is that the place where Ifrit’s core is stored?
The spirit’s power comes from its spiritual body.
If the core is sealed inside, Ifrit can no longer wield its powers in a powerless state.
Until I free it, Ifrit can do nothing but remain trapped inside.
“Tsk. Feels a bit off.”
Well, given the improvisation so far, things have gone smoothly.
Since the Great Spirit is moving forward, ignoring the Priestess’s words, I judged that there’s no chance for conversation.
So, I hurriedly sealed it in the mana stone, but…
This is where the problem arises.
“Why the heck is that bastard making a fuss about burning down Elvenguard?”
I thought it must be Kali’s scheming since the spirit was going berserk.
But seeing it communicate just fine, it’s clearly not being controlled by a Druid’s power.
It was unambiguously trying to burn down Elvenguard and the World Tree with a clear mind.
If a Great Spirit is attempting to burn down Elvenguard, then that means there’s a valid reason behind it.
But I can’t fathom what that reason could be.
“What kind of variables are at play this time?”
In the 13th cycle, there were quite a few variables due to a differing course.
It’s likely that Ifrit’s rampage was caused by one of those many variables.
Here’s where possibilities diverge.
First, if the variables I created caused a butterfly effect.
Second, if the heroines regaining their memories created a variable.
I still have no clue which one it could be.
My head is pounding like it’s going to explode.
“Good job, huh?”
“What are you, really…?!”
Alicia stares at me wide-eyed.
Her legs still seem weak, as she’s trembling.
“I just happened to have a magical tool that fit the situation perfectly. You did well. Thanks to you, things were resolved smoothly.”
“I…?”
Sigh.
Suddenly, Mi Jeong bumps her forehead against my waist, having crept up beside me.
“You did well too, you brat.”
“…Hmph.”
When I pet her head, a smug little sound escapes her.
It was a tough situation where Ifrit’s firepower was extraordinarily strong, making it hard to get close.
But thanks to Mi Jeong spinning her body at an incredible speed and providing support, I was able to place the mana stone precisely.
“You’re not wetting yourself again, right?”
“Of course not! Who do you think I am?!”
Despite her rough retort, Alicia is still sitting and trembling terribly.
I extend my hand, and Alicia narrows her eyes slightly.
Then, carefully, she grabs my hand.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh? I thought you were going to help me up?”
“No, I want my ring back.”
“This guy! I was almost moved! How foolish of me!”
Thud.
Alicia, irritated, takes off the ring and places it in my palm.
A ring worn by a woman…
Thinking about putting my finger back through it feels kind of weird.
“This can’t be! The Great Spirit’s spiritual body has really disappeared?!”
At that moment, a group of elves rush toward us in a hurry.
They usually walk around leisurely, so this is quite a rare sight.
Pointy, long ears.
White hair.
A face so pale it’s almost alarming.
And elegant-looking clothing.
They appear to be high elves, each at least 800 years old.
They seem to be the elders of Elvenguard.
Elves usually live for over a thousand years and maintain their youthful appearance until just before they die.
So, I used to struggle distinguishing between old and young elves, but now I can see the ‘life force’ evident on their faces.
“Thank you for your grace. Without you, who knows what would have happened… Thanks to you, the lives of a hundred thousand elves and the World Tree have been preserved.”
“On behalf of the Elvenguard Council, I express our boundless gratitude.”
One by one, the elf elders approach, kneeling and placing their hands on their chests.
It’s the first time I’ve seen a high elf lower themselves to speak to a mortal being.
It feels quite different from the attitudes I observed during the previous 12 cycles.
After all, it would be outrageous to lack proper behavior toward those who prevented a catastrophe that could have engulfed Elvenguard.
‘Mia?’
Among the throng of elders, a girl in white attire faintly comes into view.
Just seeing the veil covering her face makes it clear.
The Priestess chosen by the World Tree. Mia.
But as soon as our eyes meet, Mia turns away and walks off.
Mia’s character doesn’t allow her to face another race, especially humanity.
However, I don’t know why.
The game’s storyline for Elvenguard fell apart before it could be expanded.
It’s easier to assume that the Priestess simply despises humans.
“Who cast that wind magic earlier?!”
“I did… but…?”
“Oh! I had no idea there was such a powerful mage among the beast-folk. May I ask your name?”
“Alicia Yebgenia.”
“Yebgenia! The only family that produced a great mage in the Northern Region! Are you perhaps related to the current head?”
“That’s my father. I’m his firstborn.”
“Wow. I heard you graduated safely from the Magic Tower. I never expected you’d grow into such a distinguished mage…”
“Hehe. It’s not that impressive.”
Compliments come pouring in from all sides, and Alicia almost loses her mental fortitude.
There aren’t many mage families to interact with in the North, so she tends to be close with the humans and elves of the South.
Looks like the conversation blossoms brilliantly.
Thank goodness the atmosphere doesn’t seem prone to suddenly turning hostile.
“But what was that magic earlier? I’ve never seen wind magic capable of subduing a Great Spirit. Could it be that Yebgenia has finally developed a 10th-tier wind spell?”
“Huh? What?”
“Oh! I apologize. Was that something you hadn’t intended to announce yet? In that case, I’ll keep quiet until it’s revealed at the conference. If this magic is made public, it would mean Yebgenia will produce its second great mage…”
“Wait a minute! Everyone seems to be misunderstanding something here!”
Just then, Alicia finally senses something odd and waves her hands, shouting.
“I honestly don’t even know what happened! I was just told to shoot some magic, and I did. It wasn’t me who subdued the Great Spirit; it was my companions!”
What a shame.
If Alicia had a bit more conscience, I could’ve shifted all the glory to her.
Now it can’t be helped, as there’s also interest in my side.
“Which family do you come from…?”
“I’m just an unnamed mercenary.”
“Ah.”
The excitement on the elf’s faces crumbles into hardened expressions.
While they try hard to maintain their etiquette, it’s obvious their interest has plummeted.
A mortal not belonging to nobility or capable of magic?
At that point, they’ve already deemed me unworthy of further consideration.
But this time, it should be an exception.
No matter how trivial a human may seem, it’s a fact that this human captured a Great Spirit.
“Then, if you don’t mind me asking, what ingenious strategy did you use to neutralize the Great Spirit?”
“Of course.”
I’ve been waiting for this moment.
With a faint smile, I show the elders the black mana stone.
The elders are perplexed and begin to take the mana stone, passing it around to examine it.
“Waaah! There’s a faint presence of Lord Ifrit coming from this!”
“What on earth is this?!”
“This is known as a Spirit Ball.”
“A Spirit Ball?”
“It’s a magical tool that can contain any spirit.”
“Ooooh…”
The elders listen attentively, surprised.
I didn’t lie.
Everything I’ve conveyed is the truth.
Of course, I carefully chose my words.
If I had said I ‘sealed’ the spirit, it would likely have stirred some resentment.
“What is the principle behind this?”
“It automatically makes a spirit contract.”
“Huh? A spirit contract?”
“That can’t be right. The Great Spirit of Fire never makes contracts with anyone.”
“Especially in an agitated state like before, it wouldn’t contract anyway…”
“If it had any complaints, wouldn’t it have rushed out of this magical tool long ago? A being as magnificent as the Great Spirit wouldn’t just sit still, would it?”
“What does that mean?”
“It means it found this place to be quite cozy and agreeable. That’s what a spirit contract is all about.”
“………”
A moment of silence envelops the area.
It seems they’ve lost their words in the face of my flawless logic.
Alicia also gasps in astonishment, staring at me wide-eyed.
I’ve succeeded in convincing them.
.
.
.
“A Spirit Ball?! Could it really be true?”
“That’s impossible! It must be a lie!”
“Even if it were a lie, the fact that this human mercenary possesses a means to subdue a Great Spirit is true.”
A lively discussion erupts among the elders surrounding the round table.
The Great Spirit has vanished, and Elvenguard has recovered from the brink of destruction.
However, the elders cannot afford to feel relieved just yet.
The origin of the unidentified weapon that subdued the Great Spirit.
Identifying its nature is the most pressing issue at hand.
“What was the name you mentioned?”
“My surname is Cheon. My name is Michael Jackson.”
“I’ll investigate your identity right away.”
No use.
Mia quietly shakes her head while watching the elders exchanging opinions.
Unlike the Rabbit Demihuman, this human man shows no desire to make a name for himself in his demeanor.
Someone like that wouldn’t likely use his real name.
It must be a pseudonym.
So there’s no way they’d find anything by searching the entire world.
“Where are our honored guests now?”
“They’re likely being guided to a resting place to settle in. You don’t need to worry; the Priestess will ensure they receive proper courtesy and hospitality.”
“That reassures me.”
Considering how endlessly rude high elves tend to be to mortals, I was concerned.
It seems they’re not planning to treat the heroes who saved Elvenguard that way, so Mia could breathe a sigh of relief.
“Then, how do you plan to reward this incident?”
“That’s quite a concern. Since this is unprecedented, it’s hard to determine the extent of the reward.”
They haven’t received aid from any faction or nation.
It’s the first time in the kingdom’s history that they’ve been saved by merely three individuals from the brink of destruction.
So they can’t quite figure out how they should express their gratitude.
The simplest solution would surely be monetary.
It would be insufficient to offer enough gold to buy a small principality for such an achievement.
But what if they refuse the gold and demand something else?
“It seems we should hold another meeting to decide on the reward.”
“Yes, let’s do that. It appears our guests intend to stay here for a while, so I believe we still have some time.”
It seems we’ll have to negotiate gradually.
Mia, exhausted after the lengthy meeting, stepped outside.
However, just as she was about to open the door herself,
The elders quickly blocked her path.
“We shall lead the way.”
“Please move to the back.”
“Ah, yes…”
Looking around, the elders encircle Mia.
Mia exits the conference room surrounded by the elders as if she were being escorted.
“With humans in Elvenguard, you mustn’t reveal yourselves.”
“That’s a bit excessive.”
“It won’t hurt to be cautious. The World Tree’s prophecies have never been wrong.”
“But still…”
Mia tries to argue but eventually keeps her mouth shut.
They had a point.
While the World Tree’s prophecies may be somewhat vague, they are absolute, so there’s no harm in being careful.
“Still, I want to have at least one conversation…”
The prophecy from a year ago.
– A lowborn human will take the Priestess as his own.
Since that prophecy was announced, Mia has been forbidden to face humanity.
