Chapter 60: The Dryads

"Heh," he scoffed with melancholy. "Rather than an attendant, aren't I just a scum? For me, an adult, to expect her to grow this strong out of nowhere, just like it were nothing impossible, I really have to be a huge asshole. Nobody ever truly took care of the girl if not her father the King. We didn't try to make her strong. And I, as the huge asshole—sorry for the depravity of my words, but they are fitting—gladly welcomed such a transformation and change in her personality, since that very change was convenient… and I could be proud of her. …Most certainly, I cannot be considered the girl's protector. I was being complacent thinking all of it was true. It had to be true. Plus there was this ominous aura leaking off of your... did you call her a Receptacle? ...This ominous aura leaking off of your Receptacle, sir, and I thought… Damn, what was I thinking? I thought as strong as she was, now, even being held against her will by the True Demon Lord, maybe she could be strong enough to earn herself the respect and awe from the demons, her new people! …I but digress again! What is it with me?!" The elf started to grow more excited by the minute, now. Minutely shaking his head, he sighed deeply, exasperated by himself, and bowed his head deep. "You won't allow me to kowtow, but let me at least bow my head this deep! I humbly beg of you, O Noble Spirit! Please…! I shan't ask for anything else. I shan't. Will you give us the princess back? Please."

I was left to my own thoughts. What does the elf think I'll do with the princess anyway? Should the Noble Spirit just keep her to himself for no reason, just like this? Honestly, I should just tell him I'll give her back. Mumbling my thoughts out loud, the elf was troubled to not hear me. "I know," I told him. "I'm just thinking about your proposal—"

"Absolutely, sir!" the elf stood up in a blink. "I shall wait. Thank you for your consideration, O Noble Spirit. Really, it is my honor you only deign to listen to my confused, inappropriate speech." I had my answer already. It was a clear yes.

What else was there for me to tell the man? After all, it would be a lie—the kind ma'am said lies are no good—but it was all I had. I would give the elf his princess back, he would see her dead and cold, with my quest accomplished, I'd run off on my own without a need for inhabiting a Receptacle 'to ensure survival', and that would be the end of it. As I thought about it all, being an indecisive, weak-willed person, I left the elf to his own devices. By himself, he was speaking to himself, observing the results of what he had done, how powerful his attack had been, and what was left of the other elf.

When he met his sword, he smiled and spoke to it as I had talked to the Weapon Assembly not so long ago. "No use in you anymore… hm." Not too far away from the cold hilt of the sword whose blade had been utterly pulverized, he stared at the black ashes which had dispersed in the winds. "And look in what pitiful state you are too… heh, shall I call you hideous, too, now that you're dead and gone?"

Seeing him wander on his own, my feet brought me up. I trusted he wouldn't try to attack me, now that I knew a little about his intention and story. I joined him and spoke. "You did a great job back then. That sacrifice. It was necessary. You couldn't help it—"

"I don't pity this man," he coldly stopped me. I was about to say it couldn't be helped, but the elf was stronger than that. I liked his spirit. "Thank you for your consideration, sir, but…" Still looking down at the ashes, he repeated. "I don't pity this man." Then there was a blank. I thought of telling him my answer.

Namely, I would let him have the princess back. The timing wasn't especially great, however, so I took a bit of a long time to tell him—but then he went on speaking again on his own. "You certainly don't have to pity him, too." I didn't. "He at least served a purpose in death. Partly thanks to him, (he kept the enemies occupied so they didn't run) with but one attack, they were all dealt with. People will remember him not as the scum who insulted them, but as the soldier who fought for them."

"I can see I underestimated you. You hardly need comfort."

"...He deserved to die. And yet, he lived. Hah… Isn't that the essence of existence anyway? We all somehow merit death… yet, we all last and live. Heh… maybe that's why we all die in the end…? This man, the hideous elf, wouldn't agree with me. That might be exactly how that rule was truer for him. And hence exactly why I know he deserved to turn to dust and fade away. Aaah, good grief. Never mind me, Noble Spirit, I'm just talking to myself. The bottom line is, you don't have to pity either elves."

"I'll give her back."

"...Thank you, sir."

I was safe. What would come after being safe? Adventuring, of course. Heading towards the forest's core again, but this time on foot. That was our task. Both he and I intended to get it dealt with the sooner we could. Giving directions the elf set off. I followed behind him. Asking him whether he needed some rest before we departed, he thanked me and refused.

We shouldn't rest, he said. So we definitely left. Just like both he and I wished. After I waved bye-bye to the chariot, and funnily enough the elf did the same, we departed. We didn't follow up with the carriage's path, though. Rather, we directly cut through the forest. My companion told me it would be faster that way. And a new world was ahead.

In the same dense forest I had been wandering in, here and there, sometimes with an old man, and some other times with two annoying elves, we marched great distances. Such was my journey. Sometimes the forest was too thick with branches. Sometimes it wasn't. Silence reigned in these parts of the woods. Despite the elf's warning, this time, it was safe. Using Mana Perception, it seemed so to me. And for that reason, in the harmless silence, we had time to talk.

"Can she hear me?" the elf asked. Without thinking too much of it, I said she definitely could. Receiving my answer, he sighed, still marching on. Eventually, the elf told 'me' he was sorry. For once he didn't apologize to me personally but to the real princess. He told 'me' my life was precious. And a responsible man has to know not to follow his heart in their situation. Thus he had to follow what logic demanded of him. Rational facts and priorities effectively outdid emotions. One life in exchange for the safety of thousands of others was a meager price to pay. He told the princess he couldn't protect her from suffering the unimaginable.

Even though, as he believed, it was in fact very unlikely the demons would not go back on their promises and still burn the whole forest down in their rage and thirst for blood, even though he only was sacrificing the life of the King's daughter, the only remaining royalty, the only elf who still had Benelloan's benediction running through her blood—he still had to make the cold decision of sacrificing her.

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She was the only girl who was of value to the Demon Lords—so he still had to make the cold decision of sacrificing her.

They couldn't fight as she wished. They couldn't follow the late King's legacy as she wished. Would they run? They wouldn't either. As a matter of fact, they could, but very few were the elves who even considered a retreat out of their sacred forest a solution. They were afraid of novelty and would stick to the tradition.

The elf knew all that was too cruel for her, but it was the state of things. He told the princess he couldn't protect her. That he was so sorry for it. That, if it were only for him to decide, he would rather he was the sacrifice. Too many tears, regrets, and self-resentment filled his eyes, so the tears trailed down and he spoke no more. I made no comment.

After about half an hour, when he had calmed down, he turned to me and proposed to run. I didn't refuse his eagerness to be quick and gladly ran with him.

❮ Character's Creation Quest — With the elf, head to the Inner Forest. 0/1 ❯

It had been days since the instructions attached to the quest hadn't changed. Now that I thought about it, the quest never mentioned two elves but only one elf. Right from the get-go, the System knew.

At last, very soon, the instructions would change. With each running step we took, we were getting closer and closer. Not stopping to run, we did that for quite a long time. I had to be astounded by the pale elf's vigor. Switching from running to walking and walking to running, a lot of time passed. It was now nighttime. We walked.

The elf was tired to no end, but he suggested we didn't stop yet. "We already are near your destination. I suggest we continue for now." As usual, going with any propositions he made… I would nod my agreement to him— This time I didn't. He was obviously too tired and I couldn't have the elf break down on me. That's why I knocked him out right on the spot. He spent the night here. I was feeling my fatigue weighing down on me too. Climbing up a tree, I slept there.

In the morning, I yawned. The chirping birds woke me up, and I climbed down my branch. Going to see the elf lying down on the grass still asleep, I saw his face gain colors back. Physically, he was better, but emotionally, maybe he wasn't so great. Looking up from above, his face was contorted in anguish and pain. He kept mumbling his princess' name. Lightly kicking his stomach, I brought him back.

"Uh, oh… Princess…!"

"Yeah, right. 'Princess'."

"Oh," the elf stood up, embarrassed. "H-How much have I slept, sir? I couldn't possibly have just… fainted?"

"Yeah you did. You slept for the night. I needed to sleep too, so don't feel bad about it."

In order to get the quest done, as usual, I would sniff around in the air and pick the guiding fragrance up. White-haired asked me about what purpose he guided me through the forest for, by the way. I kept it vague, telling him I still needed him as insurance. Also, who would properly introduce me to the dryads in case there were any problems if not him? Also, my 'noble quest', as he himself said, mentioned the elf as a guide to the Dryads, so he was probably needed.

After another day of walking, we slept again. After another night of sleeping, we walked again. And soon, we reached the 'Inner Forest'. Finally done. After all these days. To my discontentment, new instructions appeared right away, and they urged me and my party to now meet with the Dryads.

After half a day of walking anyway—'she' appeared to us. She was the most charming babe I had so far seen. Adorned by a most beautiful kimono, she graciously bowed to us, welcoming me as the Player she awaited for so long.

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