「…Stop.」
As they pushed through the dense underbrush, a voice suddenly called out from behind.
‘The Witches of Annihilation’ — the siblings, Rick and Noemi Ejetia, turned with puzzled expressions.
「Do you see the leaves over there? They’re covered in mud.」
Focusing intently, they scanned the grass that grew up to their knees. After careful observation, they finally understood.
「Ehto… is it this?」
「Exactly. Considering their height and stride, it’s likely a kind of running bird… probably a Kick Eagle.」
The Kick Eagle is a bird monster with a long neck and sturdy legs. Its head resembles that of an eagle, which is how it got its name, but it’s actually a completely different species, closer to a sub-dragon. With underdeveloped wings, it cannot fly; instead, it runs swiftly on the ground and attacks with its sharp beak.
Its threat level is rated as four. According to the book they read in the Elven nation of Alfheim, it is a dangerous monster that only those with considerable skill can hope to defeat.
However, in Sidera, the situation is somewhat different.
「It’s not a formidable monster. They don’t hunt in packs. But don’t let your guard down.」
Schnei explained to Rick and Noemi with a cynical gaze, yet his expression was earnest.
「When a Kick Eagle senses it’s being targeted, it will leap and hide in the trees, attacking from above. If the mud suddenly disappears from the leaves, that’s it. What about now?」
「…I think it continues further ahead.」
Noemi, crouching down, replied while examining the underbrush.
「Yeah, that’s right. But that doesn’t mean we can relax. This area is inhabited by the Great Lion Nemea. And those creatures have a fondness for Kick Eagle meat.」
「So, does that mean there’s a Great Lion Nemea ahead…?」
「No, that’s not it.」
Schnei shook his head at Rick’s guess and pointed at the leaves.
「Look at the stride; it’s quite wide. And the splatter of mud is intense. That means it was running in a hurry. So… the Kick Eagle fled that way, and whatever was chasing it is behind us.」
In that instant,
「GRAAAAHHHH!」
the roar of a beast shook the air.
「…!」
「Rick, your magic!」
A lion, large enough to bite off their heads in a single bite, leaped out of the underbrush. In that split second, Rick and Noemi hurriedly began to cast their spells, but it was too late.
Just as its sharp claws and teeth were about to tear them apart,
「RAAAAH!」
Berde, who had been silently standing at ease, swung his great axe in a reverse diagonal motion to intercept the Nemea’s attack. At the same moment, Schnei, having nocked an arrow without anyone noticing, fired immediately. The arrow struck true, embedding itself in the creature’s belly.
The claws and fangs were blocked by the great axe, and the fire-infused magic within the arrow ignited its insides, causing the lion to roar in agony.
「Quit dawdling!」
Berde’s shout was directed at Rick and Noemi.
「You two finish it off!」
「Y-yes!」
The twins stood side by side, channeling their magic. Rick’s left eye and Noemi’s right glowed with a deep navy blue as their combined ‘Magic Eye of Annihilation’ took form.
What emerged was a thread.
This adhesive strand, created with water as its base and a touch of earth, was stronger than spider silk and sharper than steel wire.
In an instant, the thread wove itself into a net, completely ensnaring the head of the Great Lion Nemea.
「‘The longitudinal weave is the womb of conception’…」
「…‘The transverse weave ties it together!’」
As they shouted the incantation in unison, the thread became infused with wind magic, turning into a razor-sharp blade that diced the lion’s head into dice-sized pieces.
Thud.
The massive body of the lion, now headless, collapsed before the four of them, its mane scattering like feathers.
With a sigh,
Rick and Noemi’s relief was abruptly interrupted by a harsh voice.
「Stay alert! The most dangerous moment is right after you’ve taken down your prey.」
「…!」
Berde, still holding his great axe, and Schnei, nervously scanning the surroundings, confirmed that there were no threats nearby before addressing the twins.
「Let’s get away from here quickly. Don’t let your guard down.」
「The male hunts alone, but there may be a family nearby.」
※※※
As the sun set—night fell.
The four of them set up camp at the edge of an open grassland, erecting a tent and gathering around a campfire for a meal.
Receiving a bowl of simmering stew, they listened to Berde and Schnei’s evaluations.
In other words, it was a debriefing.
「Impressive magic. As expected from ‘Witches’.」
「Yeah, taking it down in one strike was incredible. But if you had the chance, it would have been better to capture its head unharmed. The mane of a Great Lion Nemea sells for a high price.」
「Schnei, that’s asking too much. Besides, their goal isn’t to gather materials. It’s to learn how to survive in the forest.」
「…Well, that’s true.」
「Still, that’s a valuable point.」
「Yes, I’d like to hear more of that.」
Rick shook his head quietly, with Noemi following suit.
「I’ve come to realize this over the past few days. We are weak.」
「And you are… strong.」
Though the words were somber, their voices held strength.
「I understand now why the child of Quioy… Karen scolded us.」
「And why that child of darkness was so angry with us for mocking you.」
The elven twins smiled.
What they held was admiration for the two seasoned adventurers.
「Schnei-san, you miss nothing of the traces in the forest. You keenly discover even the smallest, most inconspicuous signs and anticipate everything that might happen. I can only admire your attention to detail and deep knowledge of the forest.」
「Berde-san trusts everything about Schnei-san. In times of crisis, you respond without exchanging words. It’s because you’re always there in the background that Schnei-san can focus on scouting with confidence.」
「Hey, this is…」
「Yeah, it’s a bit… embarrassing.」
The two burly men exchanged glances, scratching their heads awkwardly.
Rick cradled the bowl of stew in both hands, warming his fingertips with the heat, and looked up.
「As you all know, our homeland… the Elven nation of Alfheim floats in the sky.」
While it is recognized as part of the continent, the Elven nation is unique.
As Rick said— the nation itself floats through the air.
Slowly, there are small islands that traverse the skies above the continent.
On those islands, there are castles in the sky.
There exists a nation, the oldest in the world, that continues to float due to ancient grand magic.
That is the Elven nation of Alfheim.
However, the geographical peculiarities of that nation have led to a kind of isolation, distorting the values of the Elven race.
Living high above and looking down at the ground, they have— as Karen put it, become ‘a reclusive race as a whole’.
「The worst part about the Elves is that they hide away on their islands, looking down at the world and thinking they understand everything. Just like how we treated you. …It’s foolish. Even from high above, you can’t know that the leaves in the underbrush are covered in mud.」
Of course, they don’t completely lack international relations.
They traverse the continent and regularly trade with the nations below. They adhere to international laws. There are branches of trade guilds, and sometimes a ‘Witch’ like Rick is certified even while floating in the sky. So they are definitely not isolated.
However, while they have exchanges with all the countries on the continent, there are no particularly close allies. The Elves, as a race, are essentially oblivious to the world, hiding in the sky while gazing vaguely at the commotion below.
「Once we finish the investigation of the Athenak settlement, I think I’ll stay here for a while.」
「Yeah. I want to try making a living in the forest as an adventurer.」
Yet change was coming to the Ejetia twins, who epitomized ‘such Elves’.
Having descended to the ground and been scolded by their kin, Karen.
Encountering a boy who wielded a far deeper and more powerful magic power than they possessed.
And witnessing the impressive skills of Berde and Schnei firsthand.
「I want to learn your strengths. I want to understand the vastness and terror of the world.」
「…I believe that will help us grow even more.」
The twins’ demeanor and words no longer held the arrogance they had displayed upon their first meeting. Instead, they sparkled with the innocent excitement of children, eager for the undiscovered tomorrows ahead.
「I see.」
Berde nodded approvingly, a smile on his face.
「In that case, eat while it’s still warm. This stew is delicious. After all, it has a secret ingredient.」
The stew, simmered with milk based on consommé, had a rich flavor that the Elves had never tasted.
——————————————————
Berde and Schnei are exceptionally skilled, and their 0% death rate when leading the investigation team is no coincidence. They are top-class adventurers within the country.
The incident when they were surrounded by a herd of Bicorns, was due to a need for reckless heroics in the rescue and because of a mutant. Mutants have chaotic ecologies and behaviors, rendering Schnei’s knowledge ineffective. It’s frightening.
Leave a Reply