Vol 4: Chapter 47
「—Please take care of Asha for me.」I said.
「Of course. I promise that the High Elf-sama will not be inconvenienced in our village.」the chieftain nodded encouragingly.
I actually wanted to return to Dragonewt City with Asha to get the “Dead or Alive” machine, but the entire dark elf village insisted on coming along. That would be too much of a hassle, so I decided to go alone.
I wondered if I was trusting the dark elves too much, but I’ve already done so with the dragonewts in Dragonewt City. And it’s unlikely that the dark elves are playing a trick to deceive us.
「It’s necessary, isn’t it?」Asha asked, worriedly.
Her golden hair shone beautifully under the morning sun.
「Yes.」
I don’t know what【World Alliance】is, but it is most likely related to the “Covenant” and the “Alliance” between the two worlds.
Knock-san and the dark elves promised to help me look for La-Fisa’s footprints in the meantime.
「Goodbye, then.」I said.
「Be careful.」Asha replied.
I then turned around and jumped off the branch.
I descended from branch to branch—finally, landing on the ground by slowing my fall with【Wind Magic】.
「–Take care!」
I heard Asha’s voice from above.
I looked up and waved to her.
…I haven’t talked to Asha about my ability to use skill orbs up to 16-stars. And she trusts me from the bottom of her heart. That weighs on my conscience a little.
「Alright. Let’s return as soon as possible to live up to Asha’s trust.」
I encouraged myself and started running.
My objective is Dragonewt City.
Though, it is a little awkward to return soon after all the goodbyes.
** Underground City **
「It’s a waste to even pour sake on you!」
「…………」
「You incompetent trash! Go find the 6-star skill orb quickly!!」
「Yes!」
The Marshal respectfully bowed before Sarume and took his leave.
An intruder appeared in the underground city more than half a month ago. The event shook the Underground City to its core.
The intruder, the dragonewts he broke out of prison, and Sumeria were missing.
They were probably in Dragonewt City, but the city’s location is unknown.
(That damn Sarume is in rough shape.)
The Underground city’s greatest strength was its “hidden location”. But now, it was exposed. Because of that, Sarume was in a delusion that the Dragonewts would attack at any moment.
(If you think calmly, there would be no reason for the dragonewts to attack this place. In the first place, why would they even start a war expedition when their city is far away from our scouting range?)
Recently, the Marshal thought that Sarume’s emotional instability had increased dramatically. The young men, who usually serve her, occasionally have bruises on their faces. Most likely Sarume’s doing.
(Even so, they don’t stop sucking up to Sarume. Because that is the only way to live…)
The Marshal arrived at the military headquarters while holding Sarume and the insects that swarmed around her in contempt. Present in the headquarters were the female staff officer and timid strategist.
「Oh, Marshal. I don’t smell sake on you today.」the staff officer said teasingly.
「I was told that it was a waste to even pour sake on me.」
「Ah, that’s tough… Is it about the 6-stars?」she asked.
The Marshal nodded.
It was the loss of【Insane Blade ★★★★★★】that caused Sarume’s emotional instability.
The Marshal received the skill orb, which other military staff also witnessed, and the Marshal stored it in the vault. However, the skill orb disappeared the next day.
Someone stole it, of course. Sarume suspected the Marshal at first, but he was completely oblivious of where the skill orb could be. A thorough search was conducted on him, but the skill orb was not found. Sarume did not completely trust the marshal, but he was declared innocent for the time being.
It was the staff officer talking to him who stole it.
「Well, who wouldn’t want that kind of power.」the staff officer said, with a smile.
She smiled like this at that time too — that time when she pulled out the skill orb out of her bosom all of a sudden. The Marshal’s body trembled and was about to collapse when he saw the skill orb.
While thinking “This woman did something outrageous,” he also thought “I can use this power.”
A skill orb with such devastating power. The coup that the Marshal envisioned can be accomplished with this skill.
The marshal has been hiding the skill orb ever since.
「Sarume is already at her limit. When the Hundredman Chief returns, we will carry out the plan.」the Marshal declared.
The staff officer, who is always easygoing, tightened her expression. The strategist trembled and became even more timid.
The Hundredman Chief was leading a unit into the dark elf’s territory. Sarume ordered him to collect more skill orbs. In preparation for her delusional dragonewt attack.
「Strategist. When will the Hundredman chief return?」the marshal asked.
「If it’s as usual, it should be the day after tomorrow.」
「Pick people you can trust. When the Hundredman Chief returns– even if he doesn’t, the operation will be carried out.」
「But the Hundredman Chief is supposed to use【Insane Blade】.」
「If he doesn’t return, I will use it.」
Both the staff officer and the strategist gasped. They understood the disadvantages of the skill orb.
The boy who trespassed into the city said:
——I definitely don’t recommend using【Insane Blade】. Because it causes a loss of memory. If this progresses, it will interfere with daily life and eventually lead to death.
Sumeria’s condition at the time confirmed his words.
「But Marshal, if you’re gone, who will lead the Underground city after Sarume’s death?」the strategist asked.
「I’ll be alive until I choose a successor.」the marshal smiled, and patted the man’s shoulder strongly.「Now, let’s finish up the plan. We have to corner Sarume and think of a route where she can’t escape from.」
