Chapter 30
Translator: RoblagEditor: H . K . Glenstid
A tall figure dressed in a black gabardine is travelling down the mountain slope . Strapped to his back is a sword almost as tall as he is . His silvery silky like hair naturally falls out from within his large hood, covering his face protectively . His hands are calloused from years of using the blade .
The figure descends the mountain at a steady pace, casually observing his surroundings . A gentle breeze begins to blow and his trenchcoat flutters .
“That rebellious girl . Where the hell did she go?” the figure growls, tired and irritated .
As he gets closer to the foot of the mountain, the forest clearing begins to concave around him . Surrounding the figure is a field of warm grass dancing to the gentle breeze .
His gaze is unobstructed as his eyes hone in on the visible small village nearby . He can see flocks of sheep being herded, with the occasional dogs barking .
The figure thinks carefully for a moment and once he finally comes to a conclusion, begins to walk towards the village .
The greyhound-like magic beast roars and leaps at the nearest man, only for a swinging blade to meet it halfway . The young man stumbles from the weight of his swing and falls back on his rear .
Another magic beast leaps from behind the greyhound, only for a spear to suddenly appear and embed itself into the beast’s side .
“Don’t get too far apart!” Belgriff shouts from afar . “Focus on taking down one beast at a time!”
Belgriff instructs the village youngsters from a close distance, hand on his blade and ready to intervene if need be . They are at the foot of a hillside near the forest, fighting a pack of greyhounds that suddenly appeared in the vicinity .
There are only ten abled men in the whole village . The tactic was simple but extremely effective . A row of frontlines with shields to hold back any attacks, while those in the rear attack with spears from a safe distance .
Belgriff and Duncan watch everything unfold from nearby, ready to react if anything goes wrong . After an hour of combat, the men finally emerged victorious . A couple of them suffered from minor injuries, but none were seriously injured .
Overall, a very good result .
“Well done . All of you,” Belgriff says as walks towards the group . “Now go get something to drink, you all deserved it . ”
“Hehe . Do you think I could be a future S Rank adventurer in the making, Mr . Bel?”
“Anything is possible if you put your heart into it . But if you leave the village, won’t Angas be sad…”
“Umm…yeah, but…”
“And the reality is much harsher than this . Right now, Duncan and I are here in case something goes wrong . But out there…that’s where the real danger resides, and you’re going to have to put your lives on the line every day . And even if you don’t lose your life, you could lose one of your legs, just like me . ”
Belgriff kicks the floor with his artificial leg and the young man looks down at the ground, unable to meet his eyes .
“Yes, I understand…”
Belgriff offers a sad smile, before placing his hand gently on the teenager’s shoulder . “But…I think you all did a very good job today . ”
After that, Belgriff tells the youth that it’s time to go back to the village .
Fighting the magic beasts is a good experience for the young men of the village, but it is also a big change for them since until now they were only used to a quiet and carefree life .
No matter how beautiful and peaceful Tornela was, there wasn’t much to actually do in this village . At first, most of the young men had a desire to learn to fight and become adventurers, and by fighting real magic beasts, they were finally able to experience a little of reality . In some families, not only does the third or second child want to become an adventurer, but also the first child . This situation has caused some displeasure among the adults in the village .
Belgriff had his reservations, too . He became an adventurer and for this reason, he does not want to dismiss the dreams of the young, but he also understands the displeasure of the parents .
In addition, the village would face problems if all the first-born and heirs of the families left in search of adventure . That’s why Belgriff is somewhat reluctant to show the life of an adventurer to the young people of the village despite the plight they have in their hands with the outbreak of magical beasts .
“Things can’t remain unchanged forever, though…”
‘What should I do when things start to change? I’ve been alive for over 40 years and there are still so many things I don’t understand . The more I learn, the more I realise I am so small in this very large world . ’
Belgriff shakes his head . There was a time for thought, and it wasn’t now .
A few days ago, a caravan arrived in Tornela . The village radiates with festive energy, the air filled with non-stop gypsy music . Rows of exotic objects are displayed in a line across the several tents in the center of the village plaza .
Belgriff smiles wryly and asks the young men to clean and store their weapons properly before dispersing the group to do their own thing .
As the young men leave, Belgriff thinks of the training they had today . Both he and Duncan plan to leave these young men in charge of defending the village from the magical beasts as they head into the forest to investigate . But even though the youngsters are getting used to fighting, Belgriff can’t help feeling anxious about the situation .
They are not adventurers . They are the children of the village, whom he had seen grow up since they first opened their eyes . If they got hurt or worse…
Duncan slaps Belgriff’s back, before giving a massive grin and heaving his axe onto his shoulder . “The boys in this village have very good instincts . If we train them well, they will become good adventurers . ”
Belgriff smiles slightly, watching each of the young men disappear over the distance . “Yeah, you’re right . But if they all leave, Tornela could simply cease to exist . ”
“Hmmm,” Duncan rubs his chin in thought . “It is complicated, isn’t it? But I think I understand where the kids are coming from . I left my home behind to become an adventurer . ”
“I can relate . I really do . But I-I…Once you have kids Duncan, you will also understand the feelings of the adults in the village . I’ve spent more time in this village than I ever spent as an adventurer…”
“And yet you managed to become as strong as you are,” says Duncan with a thunderous laugh, slapping Belgriff’s back once more . “I thought the only way to get stronger was through the thrill of the hunt, the rush of a fight to the death… But when I met you, Bel… Well, I simply realise that everyone is different . Not everyone will be like me or you, and will grow in their own way . I mean, look at you . You overcame the loss of your foot and grew into a splendid warrior . ”
“Well… I don’t know . I guess I didn’t want my daughter to grow up any more than I did…”
‘I have to admit that at times… Angeline’s seemed like she was born to be an adventurer…it made me a little jealous . What if I had continued as an adventurer? Would I have trained my swordsmanship to this extent? I don’t know, maybe by now, I would have lost more than just one foot . ’
“In the end, there’s no choice but to keep growing…” Belgriff mutters .
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“No… Nothing important . Just talking to myself,” Belgriff says with a wry smile .
“Well then, I’m down for some lunch . I’m starving!” says Duncan in a thunderous voice .
But when Duncan turns around to walk away, a loud fuss is suddenly heard in the square . Belgriff glances suspiciously at the place, before reaching out to grab Duncan’s shoulder .
“Duncan, you can head back first . I’ll catch up to you later . ”
“Huh? Did something happen?”
“Not really, I’ll be quick . ”
“Huh… Maybe it’s a minor thing…” Duncan mentions as he tilts his head, but in the end, he leaves .
When Belgriff arrives at the plaza he can see a conspicuous stranger standing in the middle of the square . The stranger does not seem to belong to the caravan and he immediately attracted the gaze and murmurs of the villagers .
The man wears a grey trench coat covering his figure well . His silver hair is long like fine silk, his facial features are refined and overly beautiful . Strapped to his back is a massive sword almost as tall as he is . But what stands out are his pointy ears .
“Oh? Is he an elf?”
“His hair is silver and his ears are pointed… There is no doubt…”
“But… What’s an elf doing in a place like this…?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you…” says the elf as he looks around with a sheepish expression . His voice is deep, but behind it is a tone of soothing elegance .
The villagers look at each other, not sure what to do now . They all seem nervous about approaching the elf and start muttering amongst themselves .
Tornela is in the northernmost part of the duchy . On the other side of the mountain range, even further north than Tornela, lies the territory of the elves . Humans rarely visit Elven Territory not only because of its difficult location but also because it is much colder than Tornela and is surrounded by thick forests .
In addition, elves do not frequently visit the duchy, so there isn’t much interaction between the two territories . Occasionally, a merchant would visit the Elven Territory to sell or exchange goods, but there is not much more interaction than that .
Elves are much more akin to the arcane compared to humans, able to remain youthful and live far longer . Maria, the former S Rank adventurer known as the “Dragon Slayer”, has also stopped aging thanks to her magical prowess, but even she is not at the same level as the elves .
All elves are extremely beautiful . They are accustomed to a quiet life, focused more on spirituality than wealth or material objects . The distinguished behavior and mannerisms of the elves make it difficult to see eye to eye with humans now and then .
But this is not the case with Belgriff . In the past, a young elf had been part of Belgriff’s adventurer party . For this reason, the old adventurer feels a little nostalgic to see that elf .
“Welcome to Tornela Sir Elf . My name is Belgriff . If you don’t mind me asking, what brings you here?”
Sponsored Content
The elf smiles when he sees Belgriff . The elf’s face has some deep wrinkles and the passage of time is reflected in his features, even though his magical power is supposed to help him preserve eternal youth .
“A pleasure to meet you, Belgriff . I am merely a traveller, but I do apologise about the commotion I seem to have caused . ”
“No, please don’t be offended . Elves are quite a rare sight these days, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was their first . ”
“Is that so? I apologize for the lack of consideration,” the elf says while bowing .
Feeling the gazes of the townsfolk on him Belgriff sheepishly invites the elf to his house to keep him away from prying eyes .
Duncan was quite surprised with the elf’s arrival, but he didn’t complain about the sudden visit . “Hahaha! You always manage to surprise me, Bel!”
“I’m sorry for making you wait, Duncan… Sorry about the mess Sir Elf, but please come in and make yourself comfortable . ”
“Thank you . ”
The elf brings a chair to one of the walls and sits on it . Belgriff prepares some tea and offers the elf a cup .
“The tea might not be to your standards, but I hope you like it . ”
“Thank you very much…”
The old elf quietly sips at the hot tea . Seeing the elf drink the tea, Belgriff lets out a sigh and slumps onto a chair .
Duncan stares at the elf and then at the big sword on the wall, squints his eyes and caresses his beard . Apparently, Duncan can feel the warrior aura that emanates from the elf .
“Hmmm… that sword looks very well balanced, spectacular craftsmanship . ”
The elf’s eyes narrow in when he hears Duncan’s words . “Ho… you seem to know your stuff mister…”
“Duncan . I was a wandering warrior like yourself, but I’ve been crashing at Bel’s for a while now . If it’s no bother, I’d like to hear your name . ”
“Oh I’m terribly sorry, where are my manners? My name is Graham . ”
As soon as they heard that name, both Belgriff and Duncan freeze .
“Graham? As in… Lord Graham, the Elven ‘Paladin’?”
Graham laughs at Belgriff’s question .
“Well, I suppose some people have called me that . ”
Duncan’s gaped open and closed like a fish . “I never thought I’d get to meet one of the greatest heroes of all time… I’m honoured to meet you, Lord Graham . ”
“That’s all in the past Duncan,” Graham says casually, waving him off and taking another sip from his tea . “I’m just an old elf now, far beyond my prime . And I’d like to keep it that way if it’s not too much trouble . ”
He smiles cheekily .
The Elven ‘Paladin’ Graham . He is practically a living legend among adventurers . He is such a powerful warrior that he earned the nickname of ‘PaladinHoly Knight‘ after the heroic story of his conquest against many Demon Kings from all over the continent .
He was the first elf to ever be an adventurer, well known to both Elven and Humans alike . Even children would grow up hearing stories of The Elven Paladin .
‘But… What’s a hero like him doing in Tornela?’
“So, what are you doing in a place like this, Lord Graham?” Belgriff asks . “If you don’t mind me asking . ”
“Hmm, to tell you the truth, I’m looking for someone . ”
“And is that person here?” Duncan asks as he strokes his beard in thought .
“Well, I cannot say for sure . I’ve been tracking her for some time now before I came across this area . I saw this village from the mountainside, so I decided that this would be a good place to rest for the time being . ”
“She? So you’re looking for a woman?”
Sponsored Content
Graham nods and takes a sip of tea once more .
“That girl is very immature, nothing like what someone of her status should be acting like . ”
“Is she an Elvish noble?”
“Well, I dare say she’s more important than that,” says Graham with a sigh . “She is the only daughter of Oberon, the Elven King of the Western Forest . ”
Angeline places her chin on the table and observes the drops of water that form outside the glass . The drops start small but become large each time they absorb the condensed liquid around them until they finally slide down the glass .
The cheerful voices of children playing are heard in the garden .
A cool breeze blows through the open window and shakes the faded curtains . Outside the summer sun shines intensely, the room remaining dim and hidden from its painful heat .
She is in the orphanage, adjacent to the church located in the center of Orphen . The orphanage is a two-story building made of wood and stone .
Thanks to the vegetables that Anessa brings with her on each occasion, the Sisters have managed to create a small vegetable garden in the yard .
Anessa and Miriam always try to bring Angeline when they visit the orphanage to see how everything is doing . From the beginning, the children and Sisters gave Angeline a warm welcome, and she gratefully brought them sweets and souvenirs .
This morning, the three girls also visited the orphanage and helped clean the rooms and take care of the garden .
However, despite Angeline’s insistence, she is always treated like a special guest . Seeing her friends interact so intimately with the Sisters, Angeline can’t help but feel alienated, even though she knows they don’t do it on purpose . While it’s not an unpleasant feeling, she would be lying if she said it doesn’t affect her a little .
Even now, she is resting in the kitchen doing nothing as her help wasn’t needed .
It’s as if Angeline came to play or rest instead of helping the orphanage, but as she always brings souvenirs, no one reproaches her . This makes her feel a little uncomfortable .
At that moment Anessa opens the door and enters the kitchen . She brings a basket of vegetables with her . All the vegetables look freshly harvested and a bright array of green shines healthily .
Anessa places the basket on the table and looks at Angeline, concern written all over her face .
“What are you doing?”
“I’m wasting my time, slowly wasting away into the inevitable doom that is boredom…you?”
“Harvesting vegetables . You know, I know you’re feeling down and everything, but Mr . Bel would be disappointed if he saw you shriveling now . ”
“He wouldn’t be disappointed…my Daddy is very kind,” Angeline says while pouting .
“Geez,” Anessa sighs and facepalms . She takes the vegetables out of the basket . “Come on then, help me make lunch . ”
“Thank the gods, I thought you’ll never ask,” Angeline says, leaping to her feet .
Suddenly, several children walk through the door screaming and running . These children learn to do everything in the orphanage, from reading and writing to housework . And one of these tasks is cooking .
“Everybody! Wash your hands first!” A young Sister appears behind the children and begins to give instructions to the children who try to take the pots and cookware .
The Sisters of the church always do their best to educate the children who come to their doors . The director of the orphanage, who raised Anessa and Miriam, is an older woman, but the Sister in charge of the kitchen is still young .
Her name is Rosetta, she is cheerful and kind . The children adore her and she gets along very well with Angeline .
“What are we going to prepare today, Miss Rosetta?”
“Mmm, we have lots of vegetables, and Angie brought us some dough . Why don’t we boil the vegetables and make some pasta? Ane, could you get a pot full of water?”
Sister Rosetta wears an apron, an ultramarine blue habit . Her beautiful, shiny brown hair is hidden under the habit . She rolls up her sleeves and starts cutting the vegetables with incredible skill and lights the fire in the oven as she instructs the children .
Angeline starts kneading the dough for the pasta as she watches Rosetta from behind . Even underneath the habit, one can see that Rosetta’s figure is delicate but firm . She has a beautiful hourglass figure .
‘A mother doesn’t necessarily need to have a voluptuous body, but she does need some finesse,’ Angeline thinks to herself .
Sponsored Content
Anessa also has a delicate and firm figure, but she’s not ready to be a mother yet . In those respects, Rosetta seems more than ready . She is only twenty-nine years old . But she is always active and happy when she has to take care of the children . She has some freckles on her cheeks and although she is not a beauty, she has a charming face . But curiously, she doesn’t have an aura of ‘mother’, but more of a… ‘big sister’ kind of feel .
‘If I want my Daddy to get married, I’ll have to keep supporting him from the shadows,’ Angeline thinks, her eyes showing her aflamed determination .
Angeline kneads the dough, lost in thought about Rosetta’s qualities as a mother .
“Uh…Miss Angeline, don’t you think that’s enough?” asks Rosetta with a smile “The dough should be ready by now…maybe a tad overly done…”
“Call me Angie . ”
“I…beg your pardon?”
“You can call me Angie . ”
“Ah… o-okay . ”
“Tell me, Sister Rosetta,” Angeline says, passing the dough casually to the nun . She brings her face close and stares deeply into the nun’s eyes . “Do you ever plan to get married?”
Upon hearing Angeline’s question, a surprised expression appears on Rosetta’s face .
“Oh… Why do you ask that so suddenly?”
“I think you’d make a very good bride…”
“W-what are you saying, Miss Angeli…Angie! You shouldn’t joke like that with grown-ups . ” Rosetta’s cheeks blush in embarrassment and she prods Angeline’s forehead .
“I’m not kidding,” says Angeline frowning, “Wouldn’t you like to meet my Daddy?”
“Huh?! What are you saying?!”
“My Daddy is a little older than you, but I guarantee that he is a good person . ”
“Angie! I think your little joke has gone too far . ”
“I’m serious… I think you’d be a good mother, Sister Rosetta…”
“T-That’s not the problem…”
“You’re cute, hardworking, and I’m sure you’d make a good wife . ”
“I-I… Uuuh…”
Angeline stares at Rosetta with a serious expression, which makes the Sister feel more and more embarrassed and steam starts rising from her head . In addition, the children continue to run around Rosetta .
At that moment, Anessa hits Angeline lightly on the head .
“Stop talking nonsense, dummy . ”
“It’s not nonsense… I really mean it . ”
“Mr . Bel is the one who has to decide who will be his wife . You can’ t go around asking anyone you meet . ”
“I’m just talking about a marriage interview… It’s an opportunity for them to get to know each other . ”
“Well… I suppose that’s up to Sister Rosetta . ”
Angeline smiles triumphantly . “Just think about it, Sister Rosetta… My Daddy really is a good man . ”
“Hahahaha… C-Come along now, w-we have to prepare the food . T-There’s still a lot of things to do!” Rosetta says without giving an exact answer to Angeline’s request, and then she rushes to the sink .
At that moment, Miriam enters the kitchen with a bag full of groceries .
“I’m back with the groceries! Let’s do this thing… Miss Rosetta, why is your face red~?”
“It’s nothing!” Rosetta screams .