“… No… No… STO-!!” [Ryner]

Shouting so, Ryner abruptly woke up from his sleep, cold sweat hanging on his forehead. Breathing ragged, heart thumping, his eyes shot open and took in the morning sky. As his mind registered the sudden change in scenery, his senses were on high alert. He had detected someone.

It wasn’t Mi, the young puppy that was still fast asleep. On that small island of grass, rocks and crystals, there was a third individual. Their presence was what had woken him up if his dreams hadn’t already done so. Sensing no ill will, Ryner waited for whoever it was to show up while still on his back. The sound of footsteps approaching could be heard until they were right next to him.

“Ummm, are you okay?” [Meirith]

Entering his vision was Meirith’s worried face. The beloved daughter of Itham was, for some reason or another, kneeling next to Ryner and watching him anxiously, slightly teary-eyed. No longer a slave, her appearance had improved, or rather, returned to its original splendor. Her long hair was done in a half-up style and her skin seemed glossier than before. Having changed into elven clothing, the girl was wearing a light green robe made of spider silk. Falling down her back were two transparent strips of cloth fashioned after the wings of a dragonfly.

Seeing such a beautiful woman first thing in the morning was a pleasant event for many men, but the human she was fretting over really wasn’t in the mood for her company.

“… What are you doing here?” [Ryner]

“U-um, came, to get you.” [Meirith]

Being capable of sensing his feelings, she was well-aware of his displeasure, which was why she was having difficulty looking at him in the eyes.

“I was, looking, s-searching, for you.” [Meirith]

However, despite knowing that her presence wasn’t welcome, the elven maiden still chose to stick to the human as she explained herself slowly and hesitantly.

“Dad, wants to eat breakfast, together.” [Meirith]

Leisurely, the three left the small island and were crossing the big lake on a rectangular platform made of rock. Meirith, being the elf in control, made sure that their means of transport didn’t sink as currents of water pushed them forward. She was sitting with her legs folded to the side and stealing glances at the human next to her. His dog was curled up and sleeping, probably because it was still early morning.

“A-are you, fine?” [Meirith]

After hesitating a bit, Meirith asked Ryner in a worried voice. The human was sitting cross-legged while gazing at the lake, looking bored. He nodded offhandedly without averting his eyes from the scenery.

“The dream, was it, nightmare? [Meirith]

However, when he heard her second question, he shifted his gaze to the elven maiden, which startled her and made her lean back slightly. She had asked something that he really didn’t want to talk about.

Ryner pondered for a bit and considered the option of lying to her. But, the person he was speaking to could see through lies, so there was no point. Moreover, it would appear that she was aware he had a nightmare, something he had wished to avoid. Sadly, despite being careful for three days, it was found out, making him feel like hitting himself.

“… Yeah.” [Ryner]

Ultimately, he decided to just answer her honestly while keeping it vague to end the subject.

“It was a bad dream.” [Ryner]

The girl possessed empathic abilities, so he could just wordlessly convey to her his annoyance. As expected, Meirith felt his unwillingness to talk about it and flapped her mouth a few times. No word came out. But, in the end, she still asked after gathering her courage.

“What, was it about?” [Meirith]

“I, uhhh, I saw someone I know die.” [Ryner]

Ryner told her in a laidback tone as if he was remembering what he had for dinner last night. Regrettably, the storm of emotions that his carefree voice masked was picked up by the wide-eyed, fidgeting elf. As a consequence, in but a few seconds, her eyes had become teary.

“Oh, um… I, I’m sorry. But, talking about it, dad said it makes you feel better.” [Meirith]

“Is he a therapist?” [Ryner]

“T-therapist?” [Meirith]

“I don’t believe in therapy.” [Ryner]

“Oh…” [Meirith]

“Yyup…” [Ryner]

“… Um… N-nice weather today.” [Meirith]

“It sure is.” [Ryner]

On that floating platform, the mood that hung between the two was awkward. Only Mi witnessed their clumsy exchange, or she would have if she wasn’t asleep.

Even as Meirith felt that Ryner wanted to be alone, she did her best to talk with him as much as possible until they reached Hossylei Nac. Then, at the foot of the large tower, near the thundering waterfalls, she shot a bird of fire into the air where another that came from the city met it. The two birds danced together, letting those on lookout know that the High Elder’s daughter was back.

“My daughter made this breakfast! What do you think!? The cabbage rolls, the baked fish and the simmered slug are good, right?!” [Itham]

“Yyup.” [Ryner]

“It’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever had in your life, right?!” [Itham]

“It suure is.” [Ryner]

“Can’t you be more honest and show it on your face if you think it’s good?” [Itham]

“*Munch munch swallow* … It’s so good I could cry tears of joy.” [Ryner]

“That huge smile that’s splitting your face is scary.” [Itham]

“Honestly speaking, I was lying.” [Ryner]

“I know! You didn’t need to say it!” [Itham]

Having returned to Hossylei Nac, Ryner was eating breakfast with Itham and Meirith at their home. Surprisingly, while the rest of the elves would share the skyscraper-sized trees like residents in an apartment block, the two were living alone. As such, they basically had an entire skyscraper to themselves.

The father and daughter pair lived on different floors with Itham being on the first one while Meirith was on the highest. The three plus the red puppy were currently on Itham’s floor. There was no dedicated dining room since furniture popped out from the floor of branches at will. As such, a table and chairs simply grew out from the floor for the three of them.

“(Is this where he keeps his collection?)” [Ryner]

Ryner commented to himself as he looked around. There were various furniture and items that the High Elder had gathered over the years. There were chairs, tables and desks that were carved out from wood and adorned with soft cushions. Some paintings depicting seas, deserts or people in fine clothes leaned against the walls. A couple of bookshelves filled with books, plates, coins and other trinkets were also present. None of these appeared to be in use, but were rather displayed as a collection.

“(A piano… Been a while since I last saw one.)” [Ryner]

There was even a splendid black piano that stole Ryner’s eyes momentarily.

“I got that piano from trading with some humans. Do you want to try playing it?” [Itham]

“Maybe later.” [Ryner]

When Itham noticed Ryner’s interest in the musical instrument, the sleepy-looking human dodged the question. He then proceeded to ask Itham if it was because of his position that he could have a whole tree to himself. The chuckling elf said that wasn’t it. Although Elders received special treatment in the form of authority and respect, they wouldn’t get a tree all to themselves. It was just a waste of space.

The reason was because of his daughter, Meirith, who was eating her meal while occasionally glancing at Ryner.

“Her Sense is incredibly powerful, more so than anyone in Hossylei Nac. Even more than mine.” [Itham]

“Her sense of direction?” [Ryner]

“No! I’m talking about our ability to feel others’ emotions! It’s called ‘Sense’! Sometimes, Meirith’s Sense picks up others’ Pulses without her will and it can be overwhelming. So, it’s better for her to keep some distance from large groups of people. By the way, we call a person’s emotions ‘Pulse’.” [Itham]

“Sense and Pulse? Don’t you have more original names? You’re an elf. Don’t be lazy and come up with something cooler. Go forge a ring on an epic mountain for inspiration!” [Ryner]

“What am I, a dwarf?! Talk to them if you want anything forged and don’t make fun of our Sense! It’s an important part of our life. A gift from the spirits. Don’t say that to anyone or they’ll throw you in the water. Even I’m a little angry at you and I’m not a stout believer in the spirits.” [Itham]

“You’re angry at me? Me? The guy that saved your daughter that got enslaved and sold to a fat, old pervert to play with his frien-.” [Ryner]

“You have my most utmost gratitude for your role in saving my tomboyish daughter.” [Itham]

Itham immediately lowered his head and started acting servile.

“Do not worry. It was my pleasure. Treat me as if we are equals, even though I am evidently superior.” [Ryner]

On the other hand, Ryner, sitting in front of him, nodded magnanimously and took on a self-important attitude.

“No, no, I can’t possibly do something so rude. If I can be of help to your honorable self for anything, please, don’t hesitate to ask.” [Itham]

“In that case, tell me… Is this slug supposed to be eaten dead, because I think it just moved?” [Ryner]

“You ate one before. It’s dead.” [Itham]

Meirith, who was next to her father, watched the short skit being carried out at the breakfast table while blushing in embarrassment and sighing in disappointment. However, though she was embarrassed by her father, she was disappointed in herself. Since they began eating, she hadn’t been able to start a conversation with Ryner again. The most she managed to do was ask if Mi, who was next to him, was fine eating cabbage rolls like them. Ryner only said that kids should eat vegetables and dug in.

“(T-this is bad! I don’t know how to talk to him at all! Even though I did my best for the past three days… I desperately brushed up on my humankin language and even studied all we knew on humans… But… But…!)” [Meirith]

The young lady, who was stuck in a dilemma, glanced at her source of turmoil. The sleepy-looking human was still acting high and mighty with her father. However, thanks to their elven abilities, they both knew that he wasn’t actually looking down on them. Sadly, that also meant that they knew how he really felt about them. Especially Meirith.

“(How can I approach him when he’s like that…?!)” [Meirith]

Possessing the greatest power among all of her people, she could feel the most subtle of emotions in others.

“(He doesn’t like elves at all! I thought humans always chased after us!)” [Meirith]

So, she understood that Ryner basically refused to talk to her before she even tried.

“(Just what did you do while I was home studying, dad!? Ryner went from distrusting us to rejecting our kind! Does he really hate our Sense that much!? Ahhh~, his Pulse is telling me yes…)” [Meirith]

While the girl was inwardly holding her head and wallowing in shock from the utter rejection, her father was teaching their guest how to eat the slug.

“First, eat the slug in one bite so that the juices don’t spill out. Then, scoop up the eyeball with some of the broth and the parsley. And then, scoop up the remaining broth. There. That’s how you eat it in three easy steps.” [Itham]

“It tastes like chicken.” [Ryner]

While talking about mundane things, he was keeping an eye on his daughter. Although he wasn’t told why, Meirith deeply cared about Ryner, almost as if he was family. She looked like a mother bird protectively flying around her baby chick. Luckily, it wasn’t for romantic reasons. Otherwise, Itham wouldn’t know what he would do to the human. So, knowing that his daughter was doing her best to try and make their guest feel safe, but failing at the first step, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

“By the way, where did you hear about dark elves?” [Itham]

“Not telling.” [Ryner]

“Uhh, ok… Come to think of it, the Gatekeeper never showed up to the festival.” [Itham]

“Maybe she got lost.” [Ryner]

“That’s impossible… Also, the amazons are restless and have been asking about you.” [Itham]

“Pass.” [Ryner]

“Sure of that? You’re really popular right now.” [Itham]

“As a man or as a stud horse?” [Ryner]

“Uh, well…” [Itham]

“Thought so. Tell them I’ll come by if I ever become dumb or desperate.” [Ryner]

Itham sighed deeply at the human’s lack of interest in the topics he raised as well as his daughter’s inaction. Even now, Meirith kept fretting, unsure if she should join the conversation. He was trying to give her opportunities, but she kept opening and closing her mouth, afraid to speak. So, for the moment, the High Elder decided to focus on his guest.

“… Ryner, we won’t suddenly attack a guest. You can relax a bit around us.” [Itham]

“Peek into my head and tell me what I’m thinking.” [Ryner]

“I don’t peek into your head. I listen to your Pulse.” [Itham]

“Whatever. But, the name’s seriously not original. Change it. I’ll give you a cookie. Come on.” [Ryner]

“Is it just me or are you being really rude now?” [Itham]

“Well, last night, I’ve officially been told that everyone already knows that I don’t trust you, or like you, or want to be here, sooo… Yeah, I think there’s no harm in being a tiny bit honest.” [Ryner]

“Your bit of honesty’s going to shatter our hearts!” [Itham]

“Then invest in something harder, like a year-old cookie. They evolve over time and become terminator cookies.” [Ryner]

“Enough with the cookies!” [Itham]

Itham lowered his shoulders disappointedly. He decided to give up on entertaining his guest, who was speaking nonsense, and helping his fidgeting daughter. Then again, he didn’t really feel like helping Meirith get closer to a man in the first place, so there was no problem in that area.

“I guess I should just get down to business. Ryner, I got the other Elders to agree.” [Itham]

When the High Elder, leader of the elves, uttered those words, Ryner finally paid close attention.

“The Council of Elders grants you permission to enter the Forbidden Tomb.” [Itham]

The sleepy-looking human threw his arms in the air.

“… Finally!” [Ryner]

“UWAAAAH!!!” [???]

“Woof! Woof! Woof!” [Dog]

A man’s scream resounded in the street followed by a dog’s barking. The owner, a middle-aged woman, hurriedly restrained her brown-furred pet.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” [Dog owner]

“Oh, no, I-I’m fine…” [Man]

The dark grey-haired man, who was in his late thirties, got up and waved away the woman’s concerns amicably. Although his red eyes were friendly, the stubbles around his mouth made him look sloppy, especially as he patted the dirt off his butt with his back hunched.

“He’s normally a good boy! I don’t know what came over him!” [Owner]

“It’s fine, really. I’ve always been disliked by animals, so you don’t need to worr-.” [Man]

“MAAAASSSSTEEERRRR!!!” [???]

Suddenly, just as the woman finished apologizing, a loud, male voice, accompanied by loud running steps, approached at high speed. A sprinting figure, barely perceptible because of his inhuman speed, charged at the stunned pet owner and her pet. The glint of an unsheathed sword told of his intent.

“BUGAAAHHH!!” [???]

However, before the flash of shadow crashed into the pair, it was knocked back and rolled on the ground.

“H-huh?” [Dog owner]

“Ah, don’t worry about him. He means well, but is an overprotective idiotic kid that charges without thinking. Anyway, I’ll be going.” [Man]

Leaving behind the flustered woman who didn’t see what just happened and her growling dog, the man went to retrieve the idiot.

“HAM!!” [Man]

The idiot, Ham, shakily picked himself up as he rubbed his aching stomach. A sheathed sword was held in his left hand.

“Master, stop calling me that! My name’s Hames! HAMES!” [Hames]

The idiot, Hames, shouted with tears in his eyes.

“Did you have to swat me away like that!? I was just trying to protect you!” [Hames]

“From what?! Every rat and dragoon we come across!?” [Man]

“I will protect my master who’s scared of animals!” [Hames]

“I told you, I’m not scared! Just not good with them!” [Man]

The grey-haired man said, angrily and a bit embarrassedly, before eyeing the one that kept calling him “Master”. Black hair and green eyes, it was a young man that was nearing his twenties. Despite being recognized as a man by society, he was still acting childishly. Moreover, it was reckless childishness, fueled by his large mana pool, which basically made him a public menace whenever he got the wrong idea, like earlier.

“And call me Gerard when we’re in public! How many times do I have to tell you?!” [Gerard]

Hames’ master huffed one last time and slapped the back of the slightly shorter idiot’s head for good measure.

“Now let’s go. We’re attracting too much attention.” [Gerard]

The two then left under the scrutiny of the curious onlookers who were wondering what the commotion was about.

“Edwin, what are they doing?” [Mireille]

“Don’t look, Mireille.” [Edwin]

Among them was a handsome, blonde-haired man, giving a piggy-back ride to his younger sister.

Having relocated to an inn that they had reserved, Gerard and Hames were no longer being watched by bystanders. As such, they could act freely.

“Let’s go through what happened in Jadistro again, ok?” [Gerard]

That included interrogating someone.

“I told y-you!!! It! I-IT WAS HIIIM!!!” [???]

There were only three people inside the simple room. Sitting in front of Gerard at a round table was a crazed man that was shivering and clutching his hands together. His dark green hair was falling from his head, his blue eyes kept darting back and forth and spit flew from his mouth every time he talked.

“Hey, hey, buddy, calm down. It’s just us here. No one’s going to hurt you.” [Gerard]

“Unless you look at Master the wrong way.” [Hames]

“Ham, shut up.” [Gerard]

“It’s not Ha-.” [Hames]

“Shut up.” [Gerard]

“Yes, sir.” [Hames]

Hames, who was dutifully standing behind Gerard like a bodyguard, looked like a sad puppy as he hung his head, depressed. Gerard, ignoring the usually boisterous idiot behind him, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and put one in his mouth.

“Sorry. You mind if I smoke?” [Gerard]

He asked the crazed man sitting in front of him more as a formality before raising his index finger. Then, a fireball the size of a gold ball appeared silently over it and he use the magically-made flame to light the cigarette. He inhaled deeply and already a quarter of the cylindrical body was reduced to ash.

“From the top, tell me again about the criminal, Mindo Buzzness. You’re the only survivor and witness, so it’s importan-.” [Gerard]

“His v-voice came from nowhere, then boom! He moved, then splat! Thrusting, slashing, breaking…! Blood! Blood everywhere… So much blood…” [Witness]

The witness, interrupting the smoking interrogator, just started talking to himself. Holding his head in his hands, he was rocking back and forth as incoherent sentences spilled from his mouth.

“Oi.” [Gerard]

“No one left… Bern, Jack, Kurt, Tony… No one left. Just me. Only me. Only, only me.” [Witness]

Then, the traumatized survivor looked at Gerard and smiled crookedly.

“He left me alive and killed all my friends.” [Witness]

Afterwards, he stared at the table and, hugging his shoulders, rocked back and forth endlessly while deliriously muttering to himself.

“He left me alive, and everyone died. He left me alive, and everyone died. He left me alive, and everyone died.” [Witness]

“Master, this is a lost cause.” [Hames]

“The guy’s been through a lot. It was a bloody massacre. Give him some slack.” [Gerard]

“And that’s exactly why he’s done for. So far, all we know is the criminal’s name and that he has red hair, an eyepatch and a scar on his right cheek. Also, he’s got a magic spear and is possibly S rank.” [Hames]

“I know. I heard the boom and splat story too.” [Gerard]

“Sneaking him here wasn’t easy and this is all we can get out of him.” [Hames]

Ignoring the deranged man, the two spoke to each other. They had already asked him several times about Mindo Buzzness and the events that transpired when he attacked Earl Tenneb’s residence. However, the former soldier was in no shape to answer them properly. Having done their research, the two learned that he was a mercenary named Clayton Dam, formally under the deceased earl’s employ.

The man had racked up quite a few achievements after participating in various conflicts with his group and was a capable fighter. But, the one rocking on the chair before them was but a shell of his former self. Dark circles under bloodshot eyes, sickly complexion and sunken cheeks, the sole survivor of the incident looked more like a ghost than a warrior.

“My, my friends… W-w-we were sup-p-p-posed to go drink and p-pick up women after… We’d make them s-strip, k-kneel, make t-them beg. L-like always. It, it was supposed to be f-f-fun… An easy job…” [Clayton]

Still, neither Gerard nor Hames felt any pity for him since, according to reports, Clayton would abuse his authority as one of Tenneb’s soldiers and oppress the people in Jadistro, much like all of his comrades.

“They’d always obey… T-they always strip… They’d always obey… Obey… Obey us… H-how did this happen…?” [Clayton]

Clayton’s heartbroken voice only served to confirm the reports. He was not someone that they would ever sympathize with.

“… I think we should thank Mindo Buzzness for taking out the trash for us.” [Hames]

“You can’t say that, Ham. We’ve got orders to kill him and retrieve his magic spear.” [Gerard]

Gerard rebutted Hames while extinguishing the second cigarette butt on the table. Afterwards, he took out another one and started smoking again. As they spoke and wondered if they should end the interrogation since Clayton couldn’t provide any more useful information, the door to their room opened and an acquaintance entered.

“Lovel, we’re not done with the interrogation.” [Gerard]

It was a tanned-skinned woman in her late twenties with short blonde hair and sharp, blue eyes.

“That’s because he can’t speak coherently, isn’t it? I told you it’d be a waste of time.” [Lovel]

Lovel said bluntly as she adjusted her glasses.

“You can’t talk so rudely to Master like tha-.” [Hames]

“Shut it, Ham.” [Lovel]

“It’s Hames!” [Hames]

Ignoring the fuming Hames, Lovel reported to her superior.

“Everyone’s ready. It’s time to go. We can’t leave our forces in front of Jadistro as a merchant caravan forever. Some people are wondering what we’re idling around for. Moreover, the soldiers are getting suspicious and questioning my authority.” [Lovel]

“That’s because you don’t look like someone the emperor would send as his agent.” [Hames]

“Knock it off, Ham. How’s the state of the town?” [Gerard]

Gerard asked as he extinguished his second cigarette and took out a third one.

“The new forces posted here are doing a good job maintaining order. The governor’s running around trying to set things straight. There’s no chaos. I’d even go as far as say that, after their fear disappeared, people are actually happier now.” [Lovel]

“Well, they were being harassed before.” [Gerard]

Gerard, Hames and Lovel all turned their eyes to one of the perpetrators as well as the only survivor.

“What should we do, Gerard?” [Lovel]

“Personally, I’d like to leave him alone, but orders are clear. I hate these types of jobs.” [Gerard]

As the three talked, Clayton was still rocking back and forth, trapped in his nightmare.

“He left me alive, and everyone died. He left me alive, and everyone died. He left m-.” [Clayton]

But, as if sensing the change in the air, he looked up and stopped muttering to himself. The former soldier finally noticed Lovel’s presence and his vacant eyes regained a bit of focus.

The reason being that she was a beautiful woman with a slim figure.

“My, my friends… W-w-we were sup-p-p-posed to go drink and p-pick up women after…” [Clayton]

Mad by the ordeal he went through and faithful to his dark desires, Clayton rose from his seat and leaned over the table.

“We’d make them s-strip, k-kneel, make t-them beg. L-like always.” [Clayton]

A bit of strength returned to his shaking limbs as he remembered the faces of his friends he would never see again. Being a soldier of that fat earl was the best job he had ever gotten since he could order the people of Jadistro around.

“It, it was supposed to be f-f-fun… An easy job…” [Clayton]

Yet, because of a monster in human skin, his friends, acquaintances and comrades were all dead and he lost his dream job.

“I-IT WAS SUPPOOOSED T-TO BE FUUUUNNNNN!!!” [Clayton]

His mind, frail and broken, no longer worked correctly. Pushed to the edge and trying to escape from his hellish reality, the sole survivor obeyed his basic instincts, which, in the first place, always dominated him.

So, he did what he always did with his friends when they went out to town.

“WOMAN! STRIIIP!!! JACK, KURT, TONY WANT TO SEE!!!” [Clayton]

Clayton shouted madly and clambered over the table, trying to grope the tanned-skin beauty’s small chest.

However, before he could do anything, a right hand suddenly grabbed his face and stopped him in his tracks.

“Don’t touch one of my people.” [Gerard]

It was Gerard whose red eyes turned sharp and filled with hostility.

“Remember, we can’t leave behind any evidence. Officially, Clayton Dam escaped and was never seen again.” [Lovel]

Behind him, Lovel spoke calmly, unperturbed by the sudden outcome.

“I know, Lovel. The usual disappearing act.” [Gerard]

Holding the thrashing Clayton in place, Gerard’s hand was covered in a dull red light and gradually grew in size. After three seconds, it had become big enough to fully envelop the mad man’s head. Then, as the light faded, what was seen was a large hand made of molten magma and deformed steel plates like broken scales.

Clayton screamed and violently attempted to escape as his whole head burned from the slowly tightening hold. His muffled voice of pain couldn’t leave the walls of the room. Eventually, his body stopped moving entirely and fell. The inhuman hand had utterly crushed and incinerated the head of the corpse that was lying on the table. The blackened neck leaked no blood, but the smell of burnt meat began to fill the room. Even so, none of the perpetrators present batted an eye, their expressions cold as steel.

“Give me a second.” [Gerard]

Gerard put a fourth cigarette in his mouth and lit it with his left hand that had also turned into magma and steel. Then, he took a drag, finishing half of it in a breath, and blew the white smoke into the air.

“I’ll make him disappear soon.” [Gerard]

The man with hands of steel and magma declared as he got to work. When the three left the room, only cigarette butts and ashes remained.