Chapter 30 - A Blast from the Past

The previous hero, named Ryuutaro, has a very Japanese sounding name. At least the way Nele pronounced the name made it sound like that. If the hero summoned was a Japanese person, then it’s a very cliché trope. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a young high school student too.

I'm curious if this hero did in fact come from my old world, for it opens many possibilities. An administrator can open a link to other worlds, at least that is what I’m hoping. I might even get internet access, which is a big bonus. However, before imagining such things, I first need to find out more about this hero from Nele.

Who knows, it might help me in the fight against the bitch Goddess. Collecting intel on the enemy is a common military tactic. Knowing is half the battle and all that. I look to the blue-haired elf Nele, who has a somber expression on, after mentioning the previous hero.

“Nele, can you tell me more about this hero? I wish to know more about him. It might be useful for dealing with the bitch goddess.” –Dasas

The spirit priestess changed her expression into a very serious one. After gazing around at everyone, Nele nods her head.

“It will be a long story. This place is not suitable, let us go back up to my home.” –Nele

“Fumu, let’s go then.” –Dasas

Nodding my head in agreement, we all make our way to the teleport circle. Once we teleport back to the previous room, we made our way to the room with the cushions and sat ourselves down again. The priestess Nele then made a gesture of hitting her fist on her palm as she appears to be reminded of something.

“Where are my manners? I didn’t think to make some tea for my guests. Let me get right to it.” –Nele

I was about to decline the offer, but my crew might be thirsty, so I kept quiet. Nele gets up hurriedly from her cushion and moves to the side of her room. She is searching through the room looking for something to make tea probably, among all her clutter. Truly, she is a pack rat, as I wonder why she was collecting so much junk.

“Here we are, finally found it! Been collecting dust, as it been so long since I last had foreign guests.” -Nele

After flinging a few items around, she found what she was looking for. A small red earthen pot of some sort. She brings it back to us on a tray with some cups of the same make as the pot, and places it inbetween us.

Nele then added some leaves into the red pot, and casted water spirit magic to fill it. She has a very delighted expression on while doing this process. My crew and I can only stare at this in wonder as to why this is such an exciting thing for her.

“This tea set was something created by humans. It can boil water with a simple command. Ahh... The outside world is filled with so many wonderful things.” –Nele

The priestess seemed to have lost herself in a daydream, while staring off into space. She has a dazed look in her eyes. It took a while for her to snap out of it, and I almost lost my patience.

“Pardon me, where are my manners? That sometime happens when I get too excited.” –Nele

She starts to pour the tea that finished brewing, and hands us each a cup. Everyone took a sip of the tea and they all had various reactions to it. I took a liking to it, as it gave a spicy and sweet taste going down my throat. It must be some sort of herbal tea.

“Not bad. At least you inferior elves can do something right.” –Saber

“Wooo! Tasty. My tongue is all tingly.” –Archer

“…mmm.” –Lancer

“As expected of our spirit priestess. Delicious!” –Byron

“I’m honored to have tasted such fine brewed tea, my priestess.” –Calista

I only nod in approval, with not much to say that the others hadn't already. The tea was delicious, and that's coming from someone that usually does not drink it.

“About the hero?” –Dasas

I want to get us back on topic as it is urgent. War will be coming soon to my Mount Tai. I don’t have the time to keep lounging around, even if I wanted to. The atmosphere of drinking tea with a bunch of pretty ladies was not bad after all. Minus the rude Byron fellow, but he can be easily ignored.

“Oh right, where should I begin? I first met Ryuutaro over 300 years ago. It was at a dungeon…” –Nele

The story about how the priestess and the hero met took place over 300 years ago. They met at some dungeon, as Nele was out exploring the world. Apparently she was young at the time, and rebellious. She didn’t like the isolationist policy of the wood elves.

One day Nele decided to escape from the great forest, and to travel the world to sate her curios and adventurous spirit. She learned of the existence of a dungeon and made way for it. Discovering and trying to enter it without any success, she met the hero.

Usually Nele tried to avoid any contact with humans. The chance meeting with the hero should not have been possible. However, Nele with her keen sense, was unable to detect the presence of the hero before it was too late. Apparently the hero had a very different scent compared to other humans, causing Nele to mistake him for something she had never sensed before.

The hero was the first human Nele met face to face. There were hostilities and wariness between the two at the start, but they ended teaming up to take on the dungeon. Relying on each other’s back to defeat the enemies within, they started to bond after conquering the many floors of the dungeon, and becoming very strong.

They learned much about each other during that time. The hero claims he came from a country called Japan, specifically, a city called Edo. He said a snow woman Youkai spirited him away and brought him to this strange land. He was presented with a mission to defeat the demon king and save mankind.

Ryuutaro refused at first, for helping western foreigners was against his ideals. He hated how foreigners invaded his land and brought about unnecessary change. Later Nele learned that half of Ryuutaro’s blood belonged to a foreigner, something that he despised, as it made his life harsh.

In the end Ryuutaro accepted the mission, becoming a hero to defeat the demon king. The snow woman Youkai, calling herself the Goddess Lana, claimed she could send him back to his home as a reward. Thus, he was first sent to this dungeon to get stronger before battling the demons.

At the time, Nele thought the hero Ryuutaro was lying in order to trick and capture her. She knew humans desired female elven slaves, for they were rare, beautiful, and lived long lives without growing old. A highly prized treasure.

Nele had never heard of the country called Japan, and it took her a while before believing it. Ryuutaro wore strange clothing, with a jacket colored blue and white. Black colored shirt, and long grey pants that could be mistaken for a very long dress. Thinly woven sandals made of some wood-type material, with dark brown socks covering the feet.

Never having met any humans before this, Nele didn’t pay much mind to it. Ryuutaro also sported long scruffy long brown hair tied in a ponytail. He tended to wear a disgruntled expression most times, with his thin sharp black eyes. If she had to say, he was average in looks, but his eyes gave him a handsome look.

Ryuutaro carried with him a white sword, which emanated great power just by being near it. He said the sword was named the holy sword Éclair, and will always shine white light when cutting down strong foes. An impressive sword, as it can bypass any defense and cut flesh with ease.

After the two finished conquering the dungeon, they traveled together around Zorya, experiencing many things together which fostered a stronger bond between the two. Eventually they made it to where the demon king and his army were invading.

The demons were close to invading the great forest of Elfheim. Having learned of this, Nele now considered she had a personal interest in defeating the demons. Together they were able to defeat the demon king and drive back the demon army to Volos.

However the defeat of the demons was not the end of their struggles. A servant of the detestable woman named Lana came with many knights. The servant was named Anita Sarkeesian, and she tried to coerce Ryuutaro to have Nele give them access to the great forest.

Ryuutaro and Nele, having a deep bond due to their time together refused the demand. As a result, they were both captured and teleported to where Lana awaited them. Bringing them back to the holy empire of Lanaria, they were to be judged by the Goddess Lana.

The holy empire of Lanaria was a human nation located in the central part of the Zorya continent. Sandwiched between the kingdoms of Fori and Korin, it acted as a buffer zone against invasion between human nations. This was possible as Lanaria was a holy empire, with direct line to the Goddess Lana.

Many great cathedrals were scattered around the empire worshipping the Goddess. The Emperor also carried the title of Pope. The knights are considered holy warriors in the service of the church and the goddess Lana. Therefore, the empire Lanaria was a place that humans revered and not dare incite violence against it. Receiving the wrath of a Goddess is scary after all.

The hero Ryuutaro and the elf woman Nele were both teleported to the capital city of Lanaria, also known as the holy sanctuary, where the hero was summoned before. Once there, they were greeted with the presence of the Goddess Lana, standing before them.

She demanded Ryuutaro use Nele to enter the great forest. Once inside, he was to use the holy sword Éclair as a means to break the barrier surrounding Elfheim. She claimed the elves took something that belonged to her, and she wanted it back. In return, she would reward Ryuutaro by sending him back home, and would even let him retain the power he acquired here.

It was then that Nele learned Ryuutaro came from another world. Sadness overtook her as she was unsure what to do. Her strong feelings for Ryuutaro wanted to let him do as the goddess says, so he could return home. Another part of her denied it, as the thing in the great forest must be protected at all costs. Not to mention, Ryuutaro would be forced to stay in her world.

In the end, Nele decided to refuse to let them enter the great forest, even at the cost of her life. The Goddess Lana in her rage, was about to kill Nele, until Ryuutaro tried to intervene. Lana was able to prevent the attack by using some magic to force the hero to the ground.

Ryuutaro mustered all he had to force himself into a sitting position with the heavy magic bearing down on him. The Goddess, thinking that he was unable to do anything, focused on Nele once more. However, the hero was able to unleash a desperate attack with his sword Éclair from his sitting position.

The attack was able to greatly injure the Goddess and defeat her, but was paid at a great price. Ryuutaro died and took the holy empire of Lanaria with him to the grave. A massive explosion took place, destroying everything in the vicinity. Miraculously, Nele was somehow left unharmed and alive after the incident.

Nele believes that it was Ryuutaro that used the last of his power in order to protect her. In her grief, Nele cried for many days mourning the loss. Now she always wore the colors of white and blue representing the colors of him, to honor him for saving her and the great forest Elfheim.

“And that is the story of the past, of how the hero saved the world.” -Nele

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Author's note: TheCrabPpl assisted in PRing this chapter. My thanks go out to him.