46

“Id, don’t kill her. She is only ignorant of the world, preoccupied with studying magic, but she’s not a bad person by nature.”

Chiron shouted, approaching Id quickly, and Benjamin followed him. As he arrived at Id’s side, Benjamin said,

“I found out too late that they had come to you. I tried to inform you with the communication crystal belatedly, but I couldn’t reach you. I’m sorry.”

Chiron said to Helene, supporting her standing up.

“You will be submitted to a disciplinary measure of the Tower’s Senate. You should prepare yourself for severe punishment.”

Helene said nothing, avoiding Chiron’s gaze. All the people who came with her died, and only she survived. Her mind had gone blank, and she could not think of anything. In the meantime, Id and Benjamin went to Lara. Sasha wrapped the bandage around Blackanvil’s wound to stop his bleeding while his own thigh was still bleeding as well. Id asked his friend.

“How’s your wound?”

“It was just a slight scratch, but for some reason, it is still bleeding. It was probably due to that Knight’s Aura Blade. It was pretty powerful. After stopping Blackanvil’s bleeding, I’ll treat it myself. You should check on Lara.”

As Id put his hand on Lara’s wound on the back of her head, his manna wrapped around her inner wound. The injury was not severe, and she seemed to be temporarily unconscious due to shock. Then, Benjamin chanted an initiator, standing in front of Lara.

“Healing.”

Chiron, who had treated Blackanvil with Healing, recited another spell to treat Sasha. Selena appeared in front of Blackanvil as if she fell from the sky and spoke to him,

“Uncle Blackanvil, were you badly hurt?”

The dwarf artisan greeted the elven girl with a bright facial expression.

“I knew it was you from the arrows that shot those guys. How did you come out of nowhere?”

Selena briefed Blackanvil on how she met Id and had returned with him. Blackanvil said, looking back at Id.

“Thank you. You saved our lives. Your swordsmanship is much stronger than I thought. I was surprised to see Lara fighting neck-and-neck against Yuri Bunin for a while, and Sasha confronted him, not being inferior at all. Now, I don’t know what to say having seen you finish one of the Kingdom’s top swordsmen in a flash.”

Id responded as he checked on Blackanvil’s wound. As Yuri Bunin had not intended to hurt the dwarf seriously, his wound was not deep. The wound had already closed and healed for the most part, as Chiron had already treated him.

“I’m sorry to put you into trouble because of me. Training at your place for the past several days was fruitful, so my swordsmanship seems to have improved.”

When Blackanvil was about to say something again, Lara woke up.

“What happened? Oh, Id, you came back. Did you deal with them all?”

Id asked a question instead of answering her.

“How is your head? Do you have a headache?”

“No, not at all. That idiot body-slammed me, so I was pushed back. I think I need much harder training to improve my swordsmanship.”

Lara, who set her heart on training biting her lower lip, found Selena and asked with a curious look on her face.

“Who are you?”

Blackanvil replied to her instead of Selena.

“A young elf who visits me from time to time.”

Id thanked Selena.

“Thank you for your help.”

“I think I shot the arrows for nothing. You are the last person who needs my help. In all one hundred and twenty years of my life, I’ve never seen a human as strong as you.”

When Lara opened her eyes wide, surprised by Selena’s age, Blackanvil explained,

“Elves live much longer than dwarves. Selena’s age would be similar to yours in human terms.”

Even after Blackanvil’s remarks, Lara still looked surprised.

While they were talking, Chiron gathered the bodies with Sasha’s help and cremated them with Fireball. Chiron then returned to the party.

“I need to convene a Senate Meeting to get rid of those who have been actively involved in Torres’ scheme and to elect the next owner of the Wizard Tower, so I’ll get going. On behalf of the Wizard Tower, I’d like to apologize to you.”

“Today’s happening has nothing to do with you. You will be busy dealing with the Wizard Tower’s problems and issues for now. Later, I’ll visit Scandia Wizard Tower to see you again.”

Id added to Benjamin’s comments.

“I appreciate your help. I’ll have to return to Scandia someday. I’ll stop by your Wizard Tower to see you, then.”

When Chiron nodded to Id, Blackanvil said,

“Well, when you’re done with the urgent things, Chiron, stop by my workshop. Now that I believe you will be the next owner of the Wizard Tower, I’ll prepare a small present for the celebration.

Having said goodbye to the party, Chiron left Blackanvil’s house, taking Helene, who was still looking down at the ground standing next to him. Id checked the injuries of Blackanvil, Lara and Sasha once again and said,

“I’m glad that everyone’s all right. I haven’t eaten since yesterday, so I’m starving. I have to prepare some food.”

Id dissuaded Lara and Sasha from helping prepare the meal and went into the kitchen alone. In addition to borsch and the lamb steaks garnished with potatoes, mushrooms and onions, he prepared vegetable soup, fried vegetables and potatoes for Selena. While Id was setting the table in the dining room, Blackanvil went down to the basement and brought a few bottles of wine. Selena remarked when the party was all seated.

“Humans eat really big meals.”

Having tasted the stir-fried vegetables and potatoes with a curious look, she continued.

“It’s my first time eating it, but it’s really delicious. Elven food doesn’t taste good.”

Blackanvil said, pouring wine into Selena’s glass.

“It’s my first time eating with you. I know the elves love wine, but do you cook your food?”

“We cook some kinds of mushrooms, but usually we eat fresh without cooking or fermented food in an elven way. I’ve never thought about the taste of food in particular except for fruits, but today is an interesting experience for me.”

Selena asked Lara, sitting next to her.

“Can I try a small slice of your meat?”

Lara, who had never heard of an elf eating meat, was a little surprised but cut her steak and put a slice on top of Selena’s stir-fried vegetables.

“Do elves eat meat?”

“I don’t know if other elves eat meat, but this is my first time eating it.”

Selena, who carefully savored the taste of lamb steak in her mouth, said,

“It’s not inedible.”

Watching the meat-eating elf, Lara told Id and Sasha.

“Id, I think your swordsmanship has improved to another level. Can you use Aura Beam now?” Sasha, did you see his Aura Beam when he was fighting with the intruders?”

Sasha shook his head, and Id told Lara.

“I need some time to organize my thoughts on it. I’ll tell you later.”

Selena intervened in the conversation between the two.

“Is there meat in that red soup? Can I taste a little of it?”

Id put the remaining borsch in a bowl and handed it to Selena.

“I made the borsch by boiling beef bones, and there are some pieces of beef in it.”

After sniffing at the borsch, Selena scooped up a little soup with a spoon. She told Id, savoring the taste of borsch with her eyes closed.

“This is much more delicious than the lamb steak. Is it delicious food in itself, or are you good at cooking?”

As Id looked embarrassed, Lara replied instead.

“People may have different tastes, but I prefer Id’s dishes to those of restaurants.”

Benjamin and Sasha nodded in agreement, and Blackanvil said,

“He grilled the same meat, but it’s completely different from what I grilled. It’s amazing.”

Selena suddenly announced, looking at Id’s blushed face.

“I feel like seeing the human world. I’ll go with you.”

Although none of them responded to Selena’s comments, everyone acknowledged the addition of the elf to their party. Benjamin took the potions out of his bag and handed them three bottles of potion each. As if he admitted Selena as a member of the party, he gave her three potions, too.

“I could only afford to make seventeen bottles. I don’t think we need to go back to Scandia City to sell potions. I feel sorry for the manager of the magic item store, but I don’t have anything to sell to him. How much longer do you think you will need for your training here Id?”

Id answered, putting his potions into his pocket.

“I’ve already achieved unexpected achievements here and finished the check-up in the morning, so I can leave any time. Let’s leave early tomorrow morning.”