Chapter 81

“Just stick this on, it’ll be better that way.”

The most beautiful race among the indigenous tribes of the Eastern Continent: the Elves.

They rarely ventured outside their sacred World Tree, making them a rare sight indeed.

And there, an Elven woman was applying herbs to the long wound on a human man’s chest—a sight that was incredibly hard to come by.

“This should heal on its own….”

Was it because of the fierce expression that looked more annoyed than concerned while treating the man’s wound?

He felt awkward and tried to make excuses, but the woman’s gaze only sharpened further.

“Don’t ever do something reckless like that again.”

“I can’t promise that. I didn’t become a member of the Crimson Warden to abandon my comrades.”

Always playful and joking more than serious, he now replied with an unmatched solemnity.

“Until I kill Sataniel, I can’t go home.”

“Richard… that’s not your fault. Don’t carry that guilt.”

“No, it’s my fault. If it weren’t for me, Master wouldn’t have suffered like that.”

Despite the woman’s words urging him not to blame himself, Richard’s face was suffused with malice as the memories of that day resurfaced, making him look almost demonic.

“The creation of Sataniel is our Elven tribe’s original sin. You’re just an unfortunate human caught up in it.”

“Cypris, that’s not your fault.”

Both trying to avoid blaming each other ended up in an argument about whose fault it was, which suddenly turned into laughter.

“One way or another, thanks to you breaking through their encirclement, I could acquire this material.”

In Cypris’s hand was a bundle of documents containing the image of a plant.

“If ‘this’ falls into Sataniel’s hands, the continent might really plunge into darkness.”

‘Lucian Sataniel’

He was known as the noble amongst elves, the leader of the guardians, and yet no elf could have imagined he would become one of the night’s followers.

– Elves are not a great race, I truly wish to become an immortal being.

Recalling the tragedy that Sataniel caused hundreds of years ago when he sought to become one of the night’s followers, Cypris felt rage bubbling inside her.

On that day, thousands of elves bled, and even now, those wounds have yet to heal completely.

The night’s followers.

A tribe that was already wiped out thousands of years ago; they could not die even when cut by swords and could transform into bats or wolves.

While elves also had long lifespans compared to other races, these were the ones truly deserving of the title of immortals.

However, as a price for their immense power, they carried a curse that compelled them to thirst for the blood of living beings—especially the strong.

All the races of the continent united to fight against them.

In the end, the night’s followers were exterminated except for one, thanks to the Continental Alliance.

But they could never kill their leader, the Blood Lord, Karis, so the elves sealed him within the World Tree—this was the beginning of all tragedy.

Those who protected the seal were called guardians, a heavy responsibility only entrusted to the most exceptional of elves.

Until Sataniel, the leader of the guardians, laid hands on the seal and was reborn as one of the night’s followers.

The night’s followers, who had been eradicated, were a destiny the elven tribe had to fulfill—to eliminate the corrupted elves known as Dark Elves.

Sataniel and his followers were nothing more than the blemish created by the elves.

Thus, the elves’ leaders gathered secretly across the continent, creating an organization to eradicate the Dark Elves, birthing the Blood Protectors known as the ‘Crimson Warden.’

“We must find the Blue Flower by any means necessary.”

The Crimson Warden’s goal was to discover Sataniel, who had been evading them for centuries, and finally erase the night’s followers from the continent.

Through the battle that had spanned centuries, they had gathered clues about where Sataniel was hiding and learned he was certainly up to something.

‘Blue Flower’

Known as the flower of illusion, now that they had confirmed Sataniel was desperately searching for it, they had to acquire it first at all costs.

*

“Aida, what did you pick up this time?”

She was sent out in clean clothes, but now she returned to the mansion covered in dirt and grime, alongside Rach.

‘Aida is setting off on an adventure!’

Immediately after finishing her breakfast, Aida declared her adventure and asked for a packed lunch.

Naturally, she couldn’t be sent alone, so Knight Oun and a few soldiers accompanied her, but even they found it challenging to keep up with Aida’s escapades.

‘Does she not breathe?’

Although Oun hadn’t reached expert level yet, he was still a knight who trained in the Mana Training Method.

Yet, he never expected he’d be completely worn out just following Aida as she danced through the forest.

When Aida was engrossed in playing “A Dog of Flanders,” they only had to guard the village outskirts.

But now, with Aida immersed in “Pinocchio,” her adventures took them racing through forests, mountains, and fields—she was like an unstoppable runaway train!

Seeing Oun panting from trying to keep up, Rach gave him a look that seemed to say he was outmatched.

Watching Aida frolicking through the forest, Oun started to suspect she might be an expert-level knight herself.

Even if kids had great stamina, Aida was on another level entirely—a superhuman!

“This is a fruit Aida brought! Daddy and big brother will eat it.”

Aida rummaged through her bag, pulling out various items—mostly fruits, strangely-shaped stones, or twigs.

“What’s that?!”

As Aida delightedly boasted about her treasures, Rupert’s eyes popped open when he saw the jelly-like mass in her hand.

“This is Aida’s toy!”

“Oh, that’s just the remains of a Slime.”

As Aida giddily fiddled with the bouncy jelly, Oun casually explained it.

“A slime… isn’t that a magical beast?!”

Rupert was the only one panicking.

Though slimes were indeed low-level beasts, bringing back residue from one was a bit much.

As Rupert freaked out and tried to snatch the Slime remains from Aida’s hand, she interjected,

“It’s alright! The body of a Slime with its core removed is just regular gelatin, so it’s harmless.”

After hearing Oun’s explanation, Rupert finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Oun, you caught the slime, I see.”

“No, that slime was all Rach.”

In response to Rupert’s question, Oun shook his head and pointed at Rach standing next to Aida.

When Aida unhesitatingly approached the slime in the forest, Rach leaped in, swiftly crushing the slime’s core with his claws.

The whole exchange was so quick that even Oun almost missed it!

‘Do I even need to be here?’

Realizing that the rumors about Rach defeating a Dark Wizard solo weren’t exaggerations, Oun mused over whether he was even needed in the situation.

“By the way, it’s fascinating that Slimes are made of gelatin… wait, gelatin?”

“Yes, while slimes are corrosive when they have their core, once the core is gone, they simply become gelatin. I learned that at the Imperial Academy.”

After hearing Oun’s explanation, Rupert’s eyes widened, and he dashed straight to the workshop, prompting Aida to frown and ask where he was going.

“Hey! That’s Aida’s treasure she rescued!”

Still feeling disappointed for not being able to showcase all her adventure spoils yet, Aida held a single blue flower in her hand.

Deep in the territory’s forest, Aida and Rach had a secret spot only they knew about.

A cave-like area had an opening in the ceiling, letting light stream in.

Inside the cave, a small pond soaked in sunlight was surrounded by an abundance of beautiful blue flowers.

Bark!

Rach barked as if he understood human speech, but only Aida could interpret his sounds.

‘You want me to eat this?’

Nodding in response to Aida’s question, Rach encouraged her.

Since Rach always notified Aida whenever something tasty was in the forest, she trustingly picked the blue flower and popped it into her mouth.

What is this, yuck!

Hoping for sweetness, Aida made a face at the bitter flavor in her mouth, but Rach kept urging her to eat with his whines.

After munching on a few flower petals, Aida wanted to show off this pretty flower, so she carefully packed it away in her bag.

Seeing her brother ignore it and walk off left her feeling quite disappointed.

“I should give this to Daddy!”

Thanks to Aida’s fib, the Count was yet again caught off guard.

But when Aida handed a flower to him, he instantly scooped her up and spun her around with a beaming smile.

“My princess’s flower will be a decoration for life!”

The Count received a glass vase from Alain, placed it on his desk, and filled it with water, adding the flower Aida had given him as a charming centerpiece.

*

“Why didn’t we think of that before! Yes, slimes, it’s all about slimes!”

Rushing into the workshop, Rupert immediately relayed the story of the slimes he had heard to Kroon, who was busy making film.

Kroon exclaimed, shouting like he had just discovered gravity!

To think that a problem he had been pondering for film production could unravel so easily!

Slimes, especially the low-tier ones, were weak and posed little threat to humans.

Of course, there were dangerous slimes, but the acid they exuded would barely burn clothes and would just sting on human skin.

Thus, villagers could subdue them with nothing but clubs, yet their numbers seemed to multiply endlessly!

“If we say we’ll buy slime remains for money, I bet there will be tons of people willing to bring them for just 1 Silver or even 1 Copper!”

Meanwhile, the Mage Tower was nearing the completion of prototype items they had requested.

The cooperating alchemists were also making progress in completing the necessary cellulose for film production, making it truly perfect timing.

As the first step toward the start of animation was nearing completion, Rupert gleefully brainstormed with Kroon about what their first animation should be!

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