Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 314

314.

Tamia Village was a remote village accessible only by traversing treacherous, layered mountains. Even the lord in charge excluded it from his inspection routes, making outsiders as rare as exotic animals. This village was welcoming visitors from afar for the first time in a long while. The group, consisting of several men and women, introduced themselves as the Champagne Mercenaries. From the leader of the group, a man named Huesen, a voice filled with bewilderment burst out.

“Excuse me? Where exactly is this?”

The man, with a dazed expression, asked the same question repeatedly until the residents became annoyed and he finally backed down. The rest of the Champagne Mercenaries flocked to him, their shoulders slumped with exhaustion.

“What’s up, Captain? Where is this?”

“It’s a village called Tamia.”

“What? Never heard of it. It’s not even on the map. Which territory does it belong to?”

“They said it’s under Stealth Territory.”

“Stealth Territory? There’s a place like this in Stealth? Where did we go wrong?”

Huesen stared intently at the map, comparing it to the paths he knew, his face contorting in dismay. They had been having a run of bad luck for the past few days. It started when they began climbing the mountain. The route they usually took seemed too slow, so they chose a shortcut they didn’t normally use. At first, it was definitely a familiar place, a familiar path. But at some point, unfamiliar scenery began to appear more and more, and when they came to their senses, they were in a place they had never seen before, not even knowing where they were. After searching the vicinity all day, they finally found a house, but it was a village not on the map. After roughly estimating the distance, they concluded that they had come in the completely opposite direction from the path they originally intended to take. It felt like they were bewitched by something.

“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what happened or how……”

Huesen felt a deep sense of responsibility as the leader for this absurd situation. Matthew comforted him in a gentle tone as he apologized with a gloomy face.

“How could this be your fault alone, Captain? We all got lost together.”

“That’s right, Captain. At least we found a village before the sun went down. Let’s think positively.”

“Yeah. Let’s stay here tonight and find our way again tomorrow.”

The other members also rushed to comfort him. In a situation that had already gone wrong, blaming each other would only make things worse. Now that it had come to this, it wouldn’t be bad to take a break and have a few days of exotic experience. However, a more practical task fell before them. Tamia Village was a small village with less than a hundred residents. Even the mercenaries, who prided themselves on having been to all sorts of remote places, had never heard of the name, as it was an environment isolated from the outside world. Naturally, there was no lodging or restaurant for guests.

“I’m sorry, Priest. I’ll go find out if there’s a place where we can stay for the night.”

As soon as he assessed the situation, Huesen asked for understanding from the man standing behind him. The blonde priest, who had silently followed the harsh schedule of wandering through the mountains all day, nodded without saying anything this time as well. The mercenaries, who had been very nervous, were greatly relieved by his nod.

‘……I really can’t figure out what he’s thinking.’

Even as he muttered that, Huesen knew very well that it was just an excuse. In fact, the priest was not a difficult companion. He was a bit taciturn, but he didn’t have any other requirements or complaints. He was quite used to his strikingly beautiful appearance now, so it was okay. He would heal the party if they got hurt, and he would provide financial assistance if needed. In terms of conditions, there couldn’t be a more perfect companion than him. Yet, strangely enough, he was always overly nervous when dealing with him. If he even made eye contact, he was seized with the feeling that he was the most insignificant being in the world. If it was just a creepy feeling, it would have been fine, but it was the opposite that was the problem. An odd feeling of wanting to kneel down and worship him was rising.

It was such an embarrassing feeling that he couldn’t stand it. They quickly scattered into the village as if avoiding an uncomfortable situation. Matthew was the only member who stayed with the priest without leaving. He was also the one who knew exactly why his companions were rushing away. “It’s not a common experience to constantly enjoy the grace of God right next to you. They’ll all convert soon.” The priest—Eluien’s cold gaze turned towards the dark-skinned boy who was muttering with a grin.

“What are you thinking?”

“What?”

“To get lost with you around. Even a bug clinging to a rotten tree would laugh.”

The answer was as unyielding as the questioning. Instead of engaging in a pointless war of nerves, Eluien immediately came to a conclusion.

“You’re hindering me.”

“Well, you caught me.”

There was no tension in the returned answer. A cold gaze poured down once again on the boy who was only being nonchalant even though his intentions had been discovered. Trowell gave a refreshing smile.

“Sorry.”

“……You’ve lived about half of your average lifespan, Trowell. Do you already want to end your term as a Spirit King? Still, it would have been more beneficial for you not to use this method.”

Eluien, who had been approaching ominously, stopped at those words and nodded lightly. It meant that he would at least grant him the generosity to leave a will. If he said he had become generous, there would never be peace in this relationship again. Trowell, who had no intention of kicking away the opportunity himself, let out a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t want to do this either. I really had no choice.”

“Had no choice?”

“I just felt like I shouldn’t let you meet El.”

“……Insight?”

The murderous aura that seemed like it would never change faded. If the purpose was just to cause trouble, it was not something that could be tolerated, but if Insight was involved, the situation was a little different. Trowell’s ability to foresee the future is as powerful as that of the goddess of fate. Within Arkhadon [the world they inhabit], it often had a greater effect than her.

“Similar. I can’t see anything exactly, but I just have a bad feeling. I think something pretty bad is going to happen.”

“Me or El?”

“If you said it was you, you’d threaten me without hesitation and tell me to guide you properly, right?”

“It’s me, then.”

He knew Trowell’s way of speaking, turning the conversation to another topic the closer he got to the truth, all too well. It wasn’t like he had no idea about this issue at all. As he asserted without hesitation, it was Trowell who became embarrassed.

“Well, I don’t think you can necessarily see it that way.”

“What?”

“If something happens to you, how could El be okay? Of course, the opposite is also true. In the end, whichever side’s problem it is, both are involved.”

“……”

The eyes that had been looking at him with doubt calmed down. The fact that there was no agitation meant that he had already guessed that far. Trowell judged that the moment to say what he had been holding back was now.

“Stop here and return to the Divine Realm, Eluien. El is not as weak a child as you think. He is the king who governs this world, and the other Spirit Kings, who are his companions and family, are by his side. There’s no need for you to be so reckless.”

However, all that came back in response to the sincere advice was a light sneer.

“What are you worried about? It can’t be that you’re concerned about me. Are you worried that El will be hurt because of me?”

“That’s……”

“You seem to be treating El like a child. Anyone who is involved in the world, as long as they live, cannot avoid being hurt. You of all people should know best that hiding and concealing things is not always the best solution. Didn’t that painful experience remain as a lesson?”

“……There’s no need to deliberately create the worst situation.”

“It may not be the worst, but the best. The future you see is just a fragment of information, not the whole picture, right? You say that bad things will happen if we meet, but for me, that only makes the reason to meet El more certain.”

“What……”

“At least I can’t call myself a father if I’m just standing by and watching my child in a dangerous situation.”

“……”

“Everyone seems to dismiss the relationship between me and El as child’s play. I’m tired of being seen as a fool, so I hope you’ll wake up from your delusion. I didn’t adopt that child as my son to be a mere ornament.”

So stop with the nonsense and guide me properly. Trowell was speechless for a moment at the overbearing words that followed, before bursting into a hollow laugh.

“You’re really being yourself. Don’t you think you’re being too confident in your request?”

“Why? Do you want me to beg politely?”

“No. Thanks, but I’ll pass. I don’t think the aftermath would be good.”

“Wise.”

For the first time, a smile flickered across his expressionless face. Why did he feel a chill even though he was clearly smiling? Trowell shook his head, imagining the series of events that would have unfolded if he had said yes. When he was Elquines in the past, he was like a fragment of a bomb that could go anywhere if he set his mind to being mean. He didn’t read other people’s minds like him, but he knew the methods that the other person hated and avoided the most to a chilling degree. To compromise with him when he was in a bad mood, he literally had to use any means possible. That’s why he even had to act cute, something he had never done in his life. Thinking about that time still made him feel cold sweat running down his back. No matter how generous he had become, his basic nature would not have changed.

“Anyway, this is unexpected, Eluien. You were a more wonderful father than I thought. I didn’t know you were so sincere about El.”

“I’m more surprised by you.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Spirit Kings who are companions and family……. Since when have you considered the Spirit Kings as family? I don’t think I’ve ever received such affectionate treatment when I was Elquines.”

“……Um.”

“Well, you’ve changed a lot besides that. A guy who once hated even brushing past humans is now openly playing around with a decent identity among them. He even made a colleague he treats specially.”

That was a part that they had deliberately avoided mentioning to each other until now. He ended up being questioned instead because he brought up an unnecessary topic. He gave a 되 [doe] and received a 말 [mal – both are Korean counters]. Trowell deeply regretted it, but outwardly maintained a calm demeanor as if nothing was wrong.

“Has the desire to kill all humans disappeared now?”

“……”

Of course, he didn’t maintain that state for very long. The expression quickly disappeared from Trowell’s face, which had been smiling like a painting. His eyes cooled and a cold aura rose, but Eluien didn’t care at all. Rather, this side was more familiar to him now. Trowell also did not protest against the rude remarks that came straight to the point. Because that was an undeniable fact.

Swaaa—

His ability to read the past scattered a thick afterimage before his eyes just by recalling his memories. A group of giant wyverns cutting through the sky. Smoke rising black on the earth burning red. Humans writhing in agony and a feast of numerous spirits devouring their bodies. There was a boy standing in the middle, laughing happily. Golden eyes scattering a chilling coldness between his disheveled black hair. The same appearance as now, but never the same. It was his past self.

Humans are ugly and dirty. Such things are not needed in this beautiful world. I want them all to disappear from my eyes.

The low voice leaking from his twisted lips was also his own. Trowell paused for a moment, his breath stopping at the memory that came to mind so vividly that he had not looked back on it for a while.

‘Ah, yes. There was a time like that.’

A time when he only harbored hostility towards humans. There was a time when he tried to stain this land with blood, even instigating other races. He didn’t feel guilty about what happened at that time. No, rather, it was something he could still repeat as much as he wanted. It’s just that he didn’t feel like it anymore. Like the air had been let out of a swollen ball, everything just became trivial and meaningless. Trowell thought it was a little strange that he felt that way. Because it was not an emotion that could easily fade.

‘Has a lot of time passed? Have I come to the point where I don’t even feel the value of hating anymore? No, more than that…… Why did I stop back then? Why did I leave the humans alone?’

At that time, he was clearly thinking of completely erasing the human race from the world. Even if he left them alone, they were scheduled to embark on the path of self-destruction, but he was disgusted by even enduring that short period of time. Moreover, even if they were destroyed like that, humans were destined to re-prosper anyway. What he wanted was not such a brief destruction, but the complete annihilation of their existence. Arkhadon without the human race. He wanted such a world.

Most of the races cooperated with the work he was promoting. The gods had no authority to stop him, and the other Spirit Kings didn’t care whether he did or not, so the result was the same as if it had been decided from the moment he started implementing it. Nevertheless, the plan was never completed. It was because he changed his mind in the middle. The reason for reversing the decision was not clear, but thanks to that, humans were still the majority race occupying this land.

Why did I stop back then?

A belated sense of incongruity began to take over his mind. He couldn’t understand why he was having such a question now. Everything ended vaguely in an unclear state. Nevertheless, he had never thought deeply about that point until now. As if it had never happened from the beginning.