My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 124

§ 124 – Dark Elf (3)

As he heard the notification, Xian checked his smartphone.

The notification window popped up on the screen.

‘A story-linked quest?’

Xian was momentarily stunned.

Xian paused, about to tap the screen to check the updated quest.

After a moment’s thought, he put his smartphone back in his pocket.

Asrandiz, Osly, and Panat were all watching him.

He couldn’t just stare blankly at his smartphone screen while everyone was waiting for answers.

‘More importantly, wasn’t Insteez lost?’

That’s what Xian knew.

Not only Insteez, but all the weapons used by the Arnaise had disappeared.

Semir, the descendant of Morcru, didn’t have Adalard either.

Only Charlotte’s Zodiac Sword remained.

That was the only one left.

But apparently, Insteez was still around.

It seemed its existence had been unknown because the Dark Elves possessed it.

Dark Elves have been ostracized from the world.

Xian calmly organized his thoughts and said,

“Are you saying Insteez has been swallowed by darkness, tainted by madness?”

“That’s right. And this person ran away with Insteez, along with the Dark Elves who follow him.”

“What is…”

Xian’s mind was a mess.

Insteez being tainted by madness, too.

And someone stole it and ran away.

No, wait a minute.

Someone stole it and ran away?

As far as Xian knew, according to the stories passed down in mythology, Insteez wasn’t the kind of artifact that could be stolen.

There was a fundamental reason for this.

Elodie’s staff, Insteez, was made from the World Tree.

It wasn’t simply crafted by adding parts such as the trunk, branches, and leaves.

It was a staff made by carving directly from the World Tree itself.

Elodie’s staff, Insteez, could be considered a part of the World Tree itself.

Of course, the will of the World Tree was embedded within it.

Insteez was, in essence, the will of the World Tree.

Its power couldn’t be unleashed unless by someone chosen.

In the first place, you couldn’t even touch it without being chosen.

But steal it and run away?

Could it be because it was tainted by madness?

Even so, its power was not something to be wielded carelessly.

That means…

“Who the hell is he? This guy.”

The one who stole it and ran away was no ordinary person.

Asrandiz was silent at Xian’s question.

He lowered his gaze and stared at the floor without a word.

Xian waited for Asrandiz to speak.

After a short pause.

Asrandiz slowly spoke.

“His name is Dyson. My son and Sera’s brother.”

Xian was speechless.

The words ‘Asrandiz’s son’ and ‘Sera’s brother’ hung in the air.

“Ah…”

Only then did Xian realize what was going on.

In the end, the whole story boiled down to this:

Asrandiz’s son, Dyson, harbored considerable resentment towards the treatment the Dark Elves received.

As a result, he developed a deep hatred for humans.

He lived unaware that he was gradually being tainted by madness.

Then, at some point, Insteez was consumed by madness.

Dyson seized the opportunity, stole it, and fled.

And now, he is gathering the barbarians of the north and unleashing his hatred.

No wonder the barbarians of the north suddenly became stronger.

It would have been impossible even if they used dark mana alone.

But with the power of Insteez, it was possible.

Of course, no one knew the exact cause and effect.

Whether Dyson was tainted by madness first, or whether Insteez was swallowed by madness first.

Because of this, Dyson’s madness was amplified.

He didn’t know the cause and effect of this either.

It seemed that Asrandiz didn’t know either.

“We weren’t completely controlling the madness of darkness. We were just mistaken.”

That’s how the situation has unfolded.

And this means one thing.

“In the end, this means that this is something your Dark Elves have caused.”

The situation in the north was ultimately the fault of the Dark Elves.

Osly, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

At the same time, a terrible energy erupted from Osly’s entire body.

He had prioritized conversation at Xian’s request.

But after hearing the full story, he couldn’t contain his anger.

Asrandiz’s gaze turned to Osly.

And he replied in a low voice.

“I have no excuse.”

“No excuse? Is that all?”

There was a sharp edge to Osly’s words.

In the end, Osly drew his greatsword.

“Does saying ‘I have no excuse’ bring back the imperial citizens who died?”

A terrible murderous intent erupted along with the words.

“Do the children who were brutally slaughtered and chewed like mere meat come back to life? Does the wife, the daughter who was raped in front of their eyes, come back? And the screams of the head of the household who couldn’t do anything!”

Blue aura crackled around Osly’s greatsword.

At the same time, an aura blade materialized.

Osly continued.

“Does saying ‘I have no excuse’ bring them back?”

Osly’s murderous gaze locked onto Asrandiz.

A terrifying aura, like that of a hungry bear, filled the space.

A violent and grotesque power.

It was wriggling as if it would explode if touched even slightly.

Asrandiz quietly looked at Osly.

Even with the murderous intent emanating from Osly, a master-level expert, Asrandiz was not at all intimidated.

Asrandiz, the Forest Keeper of the Dark Elves.

He was an 8th Circle mage, comparable to Egret.

If you only considered skill, Osly couldn’t do anything to him.

Not only Osly, but also Panat and Xian.

Even if the two of them joined forces, they couldn’t defeat him.

Nevertheless, Asrandiz showed no reaction.

There was no emotion in his eyes.

It would be more accurate to say that he couldn’t contain his emotions.

And perhaps… Asrandiz seemed to have expected this reaction from Osly.

The reason why he insisted on sending Sera out was also for that reason.

Asrandiz slowly opened his mouth.

“…I have no excuse.”

“A mage is always a mage.”

Osly’s murderous intent intensified.

“That’s just a magic spell [a deceptive trick].”

At the same time, Osly’s greatsword flew towards Asrandiz like lightning.

A sharp aura aimed for Asrandiz’s neck.

Even at that moment, Asrandiz showed no reaction.

Osly’s greatsword was closing in.

At that very moment.

Clang!

A dull collision echoed.

A sound of metal clashing against metal, not the sound of flesh tearing, was heard.

Sure enough, Osly’s greatsword was blocked by something.

And Xian’s figure could be seen beyond.

Xian was blocking Osly’s attack.

“…!”

A strange light flashed in Osly’s eyes for a moment.

That’s because the blow Osly swung just now was intended to truly kill Asrandiz.

In short, it was a blow filled with all his power.

But Xian blocked it.

“Keuk…!”

Xian’s face was contorted in pain.

His trembling arms could barely withstand Osly’s strength.

But even this was almost impossible.

Originally, he should have been swept away by Osly’s power and cut in half.

But now…

“Get out of the way.”

Osly muttered to Xian.

The murderous intent contained within was full of intention to cut down even Xian if he didn’t move.

But Xian didn’t move.

Rather, he gathered his aura and confronted Osly.

Even so, he could barely withstand the terrible power emanating from the sword.

‘Ugh…! Is he really a bear or something?’

Even if he acts the part.

It felt like a real bear was pressing down on him, not a person.

If he stayed like this, he would be pushed back by the force.

Xian gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Please calm down… Your Excellency!”

“Calm down? Did you say calm down now?”

Osly’s momentum increased.

“I am the Margrave of the North. Not one of the nobles who only talk in the capital, but the Margrave of the North. Protecting the people of the North and defending the Empire. The Margrave whom the people of the North follow like their husbands!”

A bear-like roar echoed through the room.

The power emanating from the sword only grew stronger.

“Before my eyes is the one whose actions led to the massacre of the people of the North. The one who betrayed those who said they could live comfortably because there is a Margrave, the one who betrayed those who said they could cultivate their land thanks to the Margrave! The one who killed those people is before my eyes. But you’re telling me to calm down!!”

“It wasn’t the Forest Keeper… who did it…!”

“Shut up!”

Osly’s momentum exploded.

His whole body trembled, and a terrible pressure pressed down on everything.

Xian glared and looked to one side.

‘Panat, you bastard, really…!’

Don’t just watch, do something!

Xian shouted this in his heart.

Did he hear Xian’s cry?

“Your Excellency! Xian is right! It wasn’t this person who did it!”

Panat agreed with Xian’s words from the side.

But Osly still didn’t listen.

Xian gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Nothing will change by doing this…! Even if you kill the Forest Keeper, the forces that turned the North upside down are still intact! It’s just a meaningless tantrum!”

“I can soothe the resentment of the Northerners who died!”

“Then what about the remaining people? What are you going to do with the remaining Northerners!”

Osly’s momentum subsided slightly at Xian’s cry.

Xian continued to shout.

“Dyson stole Insteez and took it away. Unless Dyson is dealt with, the situation in the North will not change! The Northerners will have no choice but to suffer constantly!”

“What does that have to do with keeping this guy alive?”

“We can borrow the Forest Keeper’s power!”

Osly glared.

At the same time, the power he exuded was clearly weakening.

“As Your Excellency knows, the Forest Keeper is a mage of considerable skill. And… he also feels guilt and responsibility for this matter.”

Osly was silent.

Because Osly also knew the truth.

Of course, he couldn’t know whether Asrandiz really felt guilt and responsibility.

But Asrandiz’s current appearance spoke volumes.

Asrandiz didn’t respond to Osly’s greatsword at all.

He was a skilled person who could have fully defended and even counterattacked, but he didn’t respond.

If Xian hadn’t stepped in.

Asrandiz would have really been killed by Osly.

“First, you should join forces with the Forest Keeper to resolve the situation in the North. It’s not too late to demand responsibility after that. Isn’t that truly for the people of the North…?”

“Are you telling me to trust this guy now? Someone who might be tainted by madness and betray us again?”

Soon, Osly’s momentum grew stronger again.

The Dark Elves had already been tainted by madness and turned the North upside down.

Once tainted, they could be tainted twice.

This was the reason why Dark Elves were ostracized on the continent.

And it wasn’t just a misunderstanding, but a reality.

That’s why Xian calmly opened his mouth.

“I’ll bet my life on it.”

“What… did you say?”

“If the Forest Keeper betrays us, cut off my head.”

Osly’s gaze turned entirely to Xian.

And Osly’s momentum noticeably weakened at Xian’s more serious eyes than ever before.

“…Why?”

Soon, Osly opened his eyes in surprise and said.

And that was the same for Asrandiz.

Asrandiz was looking at Xian with surprised eyes.

Xian met the eyes of the two and said.

“Because I trust the Forest Keeper.”

*Is bullshit [a lie].*

It was because of the Mahon Jebeop [a method of handling source magic].

Elodie used this as a reference to establish a theory for handling dark mana.

In other words, Asrandiz was using a method derived from the Mahon Jebeop.

So Xian could control it.

Even if Asrandiz was tainted by madness, Xian could control it.

‘Maybe…?’

That would be the case.

“…”

Osly was silent.

In this way, a quiet silence fell once again.

Soon, Osly looked at Asrandiz.

And a word was uttered.

“You said you were the Forest Keeper in charge of the Dark Elves.”

Asrandiz calmly nodded.

The Margrave of the North and the Forest Keeper of the Dark Elves.

Although the names they have are different.

The role could be seen as similar.

Osly to humans.

Asrandiz to the Dark Elves.

“I heard that the main culprit is your son.”

Osly spoke again.

Many meanings were contained in those words.

As if he knew the meaning.

Asrandiz slowly opened his mouth.

“The Forest Keeper does not simply mean the guardian who protects the Dark Elves.”

“The Margrave of the North does not simply mean the guardian who protects the North.”

Osly and Asrandiz looked at each other.

And Osly’s one word followed.

“Can you do it [take responsibility]?”

“If that’s what must be done.”

Asrandiz continued the answer.

“I will deal with Dyson myself.”

#

That’s how the situation was settled for now.

Now, the current situation in the North and what to do in the future needed to be discussed in detail.

But the atmosphere was so heated that they decided to discuss it later.

That’s how Xian came out.

When he came out, the Dark Elves were doing their jobs or playing around.

It was a truly peaceful sight.

It seemed that they didn’t know what had happened inside.

It seemed that the World Tree had shielded them from Osly’s murderous intent.

‘It’s a good thing.’

Xian thought so and looked around.

He went to a place where a large leaf was shaped like a chair on one side of the square and took a seat.

And he immediately took out his smartphone and checked the story-linked quest that had popped up earlier.

『[Story-Linked Quest] – ‘In Search of Continuing Truth’

▶A thousand years ago, Kyle met Muriel.

He disappears again without a trace.

…That’s what I thought for a moment.

Kyle goes to Elodie.

And like Muriel.

Kyle has a long conversation with Elodie.

Elodie finishes talking with Kyle like that.

Elodie falls into deep thought.

And then she makes a decision.

Elodie goes to Kyle, who is about to leave.

And then she makes a request.

‘Can you… kill me?’

What the heck?!

What kind of ridiculous request is this!!

It’s a truly shocking request!

Oh my god!

Kyle ponders and ponders.

And in the end, he couldn’t grant that request.

In the end, Elodie decides to seal all her power.

And that was the World Tree’s staff, Insteez.

Elodie seals all her power in Insteez forever.

Now, a thousand years have passed.

Oh my god!

Someone is awakening and using Elodie’s power?!

W, what should we do!

Ha ha!

What else can we do!

Shouldn’t we go and stop it!

A thousand years of secrets intertwined with Insteez!

Why did Elodie ask Kyle to kill her?

And why couldn’t Kyle grant Elodie’s request?

Was it related to the reason why he couldn’t kill the people of the Papal States himself?

Was it related to the reason why he had to abandon his comrades and leave without a trace?

If Elodie really wanted to die, she could have killed herself like Muriel.

Why did she bother to seal her power in Insteez?

In Search of Continuing Truth!

Let’s go~!』

.

.

“…What is it?”

Xian really wondered what it was all about.