Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 479

Chapter 479

Following Trowel’s instructions, I arrived at the capital’s central plaza with a sense of urgency. As always, it teemed with people.

“Here.”

As I stood somewhat lost in front of the ornate fountain, clutching my sword, Ifrit offered me a skewer of strawberries dipped in sugar syrup. He had insisted on accompanying me and must have bought them while we were traveling. I gratefully accepted and devoured it, and he offered another skewer with an adoring look. I took my time enjoying the fruit skewers.

“So, what am I supposed to do here? He tells you to go, but doesn’t even come along himself.”

“Um, I don’t know. He just said if I waited, I’d know what to do.”

“That’s it?”

“He also said it’s something I absolutely need to do.”

“Ugh, I hate it when Trowel talks so vaguely. So what if he’s the Spirit King of Insight? He’s always so cryptic.”

“But reading the future is kind of mysterious, isn’t it?”

Honestly, being able to read people’s minds is also mysterious. And his appearance is pretty strange too. Isn’t he just naturally mysterious rather than acting mysterious? When I replied earnestly, Ifrit paused, then smiled. He suddenly stroked my head.

“Wh-what.”

“Because you’re cute.”

“Ugh, I just got goosebumps.”

“Well, maybe that’s not because of me?”

I was about to ask what he meant, but I stopped myself. I felt a chillingly cold sensation. I looked at Ifrit with a stiff expression, and he slowly nodded. Only then did I look up at the sky. The sky, which had been clear until just now, was cracking as if it were shattering. Dark, mist-like tendrils flickered through the widening gaps. A giant eye could be seen peering through the crack.

“M-monster!”

Someone screamed in terror. The surroundings instantly descended into chaos. It had been quiet for a while, but a rift had appeared again after almost a month. Moreover, this time it was a monster. Unlike magical beasts, which are closer to animals, monsters have no fixed form, making them more difficult to deal with. I felt like the danger level was escalating, and it didn’t seem to be just my imagination. Ifrit, who was staring at the monster with an expression as dumbfounded as mine, clicked his tongue.

“They’re raising these kids pretty tough. What are you going to do about that? Should I take care of it for you?”

“Hmm, I’ll try it alone first. Can you just make sure people don’t get hurt?”

“That’s not hard. But that’s a big one. You won’t be able to catch it unless you use your full power.”

“…I guess so.”

I nodded, feeling a bit deflated. I didn’t exactly relish the opportunity to play an active role in this way.

The monster was gradually emerging from the cracked sky. The sight of its long, writhing tentacles was simply disgusting. Already panic-stricken, people ran haphazardly, trying to escape. Merchants abandoned their wares. The chaotic scene resembled a disaster movie. But if the monster fully emerged, that movie would soon become reality.

‘It would be better to attack before it fully manifests, right?’

After swallowing a sigh, I gathered mana to summon Ciel. But just then…

“Everyone, this way!”

I heard someone shouting from behind. I turned and saw armed people running towards us. Among them were Ian Idris and the Soul Reliever Guild Master. Come to think of it, the Soul Reliever Guild building was nearby. They must have been dispatched quickly.

“True Summon!”

Ian Idris shouted loudly and raised a small staff high. A dazzlingly bright light burst from the jewel at the end, enveloping him entirely. Soon, the hem of a pure white robe, like that of a priest, fluttered dramatically, and a thick whirlwind began to rise from the ground, centered on him. It looked as if he were about to float, or perhaps had just descended from the heavens. Even in such a moment, it was a captivating sight.

The whirlwind that had been circling Ian Idris quickly soared into the sky and split into two branches, each forming a distinct shape. The figures of two pure white beings with translucent forms took their places majestically on either side.

“Spirits of the wind!”

“It’s Ian Idris!”

“Soul Reliever is here!”

Cheers erupted from all directions – a cry of relief and anticipation for Ian Idris’s unique abilities.

“Wow, I’ve met another annoying kid.”

Ifrit’s tone was harsh.

I shouldn’t feel relieved here, should I? It was obvious that Trowel had intended for this, including this meeting, so I couldn’t help but sigh.

“But what is that staff?”

“It’s an auxiliary tool that helps mana circulation. The magic stone inside supports the ability to manifest more easily. It’s convenient, but I don’t really recommend it. If you start relying on things like that, you won’t grow. Usually, those who don’t use anything are more skilled. Naive kids think that kind of appearance is flashy and amazing.”

It was definitely noticeable. The light flickered, drawing attention. But that also exposed your location, making it more dangerous, right? Besides, it was like announcing to the enemy that you were about to use your ability. The disadvantages seemed greater than the advantages, so no matter how convenient it was, I didn’t think I’d ever use one.

“Why don’t you summon spectacularly this time, Young Master? He’s set the stage, so if Ciel appears now, you’ll be the center of attention!”

“What’s the point of getting attention? This isn’t some kind of show.”

I replied, dumbfounded. Ifrit paused and smiled. For some reason, he seemed to be in a better mood than before.

“Well, our Young Master is better at summoning quietly. So quiet that he doesn’t even chant the incantation.”

“What, you said those who don’t do anything are more amazing.”

“That’s right, it’s a compliment.”

While we were having this meaningless conversation, the Soul Reliever Guild members got closer. One of them spotted us standing there and shouted.

“Hey! What are you doing? It’s dangerous, get out of here!”

“Ah, I’m a Hunter too. I’ll help deal with the monster.”

“A Hunter?”

The man looked at me and Ifrit (or rather, Lily) with suspicion. Then the Soul Reliever Guild Master approached.

“What are you doing? I told you to evacuate all civilians and control the area.”

“Ah, Master! These people say they are Hunters too. They say they will help with the monster?”

“What?”

The Soul Reliever Master frowned and turned around, then paused. Even though I was wearing a hood, he seemed to recognize me right away, perhaps because he had investigated me in the past.

“You are…”

“Elle?”

Ian Idris, who recognized me even without the hood, approached at the right time, and my identity was revealed. Unlike the Soul Reliever Master, whose face had hardened, Ian Idris was smiling happily.

“You were here too.”

“Yes, I just stopped by. It’s a coincidence.”

“I’m so glad. The more power we have in this kind of emergency, the better. The size of the monster is unusual, so the attack range seems to be considerable. Would you help people evacuate?”

Um, not to catch it together, but to cooperate with them? Well, Trowel said it was something I needed to do, but he didn’t say I had to solve the situation. Maybe he just wanted to create a point of contact with Ian Idris. Maybe he was envisioning a friendship between two spiritists that would blossom during a crisis. I didn’t feel like it, but the safety of the people was important, so I was about to nod when the Soul Reliever Master intervened.

“No. How about Elle takes care of the monster instead?”

“Yes? Elle, the monster?”

“She’s the one who turned tens of thousands of troops into ice, so wouldn’t that kind of monster be easy for her?”

The Soul Reliever Guild Master glanced at the monster wriggling in the sky and smiled meaningfully at me. I knew what he was up to, so I remained silent, and he quickly waved his hand.

“Haha, just kidding. I know that the rumors are exaggerated. I won’t ask you to prove it here, so you don’t have to be so nervous.”

“Who’s nervous…”

“Of course, a high-level spiritist wouldn’t be nervous about this kind of thing. But it’s better to leave the monster to Ian. Elle is good too, but there’s no need to go overboard and increase the damage when there’s a simpler and cleaner solution.”

Is the contractor of the Spirit King more amazing than a high-level spiritist? Besides, he made it seem like I was backing down because I was scared. When I turned slightly, I saw people focusing on our conversation. He had been playing to the crowd from the beginning, trying to undermine the rumors about me and highlight Ian Idris as the more impressive one. It was a childish trick. Ifrit next to me snorted.

“If you’re really thinking about minimizing damage, the priority is to deal with it quickly. Wouldn’t it be most efficient for the two of you to catch it together?”

That’s what I was thinking.

Of course, that obvious question was ignored. The Soul Reliever Master just smiled like he hadn’t heard anything.

“This is our territory. Our Soul Reliever Guild will be in charge of the on-site command. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything for Elle to do.”

He was telling me to just watch. He didn’t want to share the credit for dealing with the monster. Already, the Soul Reliever Guild members were controlling the surroundings in an orderly manner. The priority for subjugation, whether it’s a monster or a magical beast, is given to the one who takes the lead. If a large guild takes control in this way, it was difficult for individuals to intervene.

‘I’ll watch for now.’

I stepped back, signaling them to do as they pleased, and the full-scale subjugation began. While the Soul Reliever Guild members prepared bows and magic in the rear, Ian Idris, standing alone in the front, raised his staff again.

“Warriors of the wind! Attack!”

The Jins [spirits of wind], who had soared high, stretched out their arms and created a strong wind. The wind immediately wrapped around the monster’s body hanging in the sky. At the right time, the monster had fully emerged and was about to fall. Its revealed appearance was like a lump of filth, with eyes and tentacles randomly attached to the writhing black mass.

With a sound like crackling electricity, the monster, completely trapped in the wind, was fixed in the air. “Wow!” Exclamations erupted from some of the residents who had remained to watch, even though they had been told to evacuate. It was easily larger than a building. If that much mass had fallen to the ground, the impact alone would have caused significant damage. It was being contained, so things were going smoothly. However, Ian Idris, who was actively engaged, didn’t look very confident.

Unlike its initial writhing, the monster trapped in the whirlwind hardened. It seemed to have changed its composition to defend itself. It was so hard that even though the two high-level spirits were attacking, they only managed to create light scratches, failing to strike a decisive blow.

“Oh dear, it’s an unfavorable match for the wind.”

Ifrit muttered casually. Just as water and fire are opposite attributes, so are wind and earth. Just as the spirit of the earth is generally vulnerable to speed or aerial combat, the spirit of the wind tends to be more vulnerable to earth-based materials like rocks, metals, or trees. Still, a high-level spirit should be able to suppress it, but somehow both spirits seemed unable to exert their full power.

‘Is it because the monster itself has an attribute opposite to the spirit?’

Or maybe Ian Idris isn’t good at dealing with monsters. There are no vital spots, and no respiratory organs, so you can’t suffocate it. The size is also a factor, making it difficult in many ways. It seemed like it would be a boring, long-term battle.

But what was more worrying was something else. From the beginning, the sound of sparking electricity was unusual, and the sound gradually decreased as sparks continued to fly. It seemed that some part of the monster was causing a fire as it rubbed against the wind. At that moment, a strange dust was seen scattering from the body of the monster, which blinked slowly.

‘This!’

콰과광! [Sound of a massive explosion]

At the same time as recognizing the danger, a huge explosion occurred. A tremendous sound that vibrated all around rang out, and fireballs spread in all directions. Ian Idris, greatly pushed back by the shock wave, staggered, and one of the Jins disappeared. It seemed to have been reverse-summoned as it was too close to the explosion range.

“Ian!”

Ian Idris, kneeling, vomited blood. Everyone else was in the same situation, their formations broken.

“Ian! Are you okay!”

“Ah, no! The wind blockade!”

Ian Idris, in shock, shouted desperately. The people supporting him also raised their heads with pale faces, afraid to confirm the disaster about to unfold. Though their expressions soon changed.

“…Huh?”

The monster was slowly descending to the ground. The whirlwind that had been suppressing it was gone, but it wasn’t able to run wild as everyone feared, because it was now trapped in water.

“Wh-what?”

“What happened?”

The people who took a deep breath sent their eyes a little higher and took another breath. It was understandable. The water barrier spread above their heads was swaying, soon turning into a drizzle and pouring down.

“That was close.”

And I barely caught my breath. Fortunately, I had spread a barrier as soon as the explosion occurred and absorbed the sparks and impact, or a major disaster would have occurred. Everyone was soaked, but it was better than getting hurt.

I checked again just in case, but there were no injuries. As I was relieved, gazes poured in from all directions. The people who had been blankly getting wet stared at me, then turned to the monster trapped in the water – or rather, Ciel, who had finished his work and was descending gracefully onto its body.

“It’s the Spirit of Water…”

Someone muttered. Ciel looked every bit the Spirit of Water. After snorting, I walked to Ian Idris. He, who had been blank like the others, swallowed hard when he saw me.

“Are you okay?”

“Elle, what is this… Is this… did you do this?”

“I thought it would be dangerous if I left it alone. That monster can transform its body into metal and seems to be able to cause explosions using air friction. The compatibility wasn’t very good with you.”

“…”

He opened his mouth, then looked at the monster with a confused expression.