The Elf’s Savior, Cardi.
The only elf who remembers the ancient times, known as the Golden Age, and for the living elves today, he is a savior and a revered figure. No one in Igrdrasil is unaware of this silver-haired elf.
From a very young age, he was known through fairy tales, plays, and history books as the great savior. The current king, Orbel, praises this elf to the heavens.
This great savior has returned to the World Tree.
“Lowly speaker, I meet the great ancestor!”
As countless elves bow their heads toward him, Cardi smiles bitterly. It feels like just yesterday that he fled from the burning World Tree with the young elves.
‘How did it come to this?’
He had turned a once barren field into this thriving landscape. Cardi lightly patted Orbel’s shoulder, who was bowing before him.
“What are you doing with your head down for so long? You must maintain your dignity.”
“What do you mean?”
Orbel murmurs that his dignity means nothing in front of the great savior. But shortly, unable to resist Cardi’s urging to rise, Orbel finally lifts his head.
What he sees is the figure of the savior.
A thousand years ago, as a child, he would have to look up to meet that face, but… not anymore. Over the past thousand years, Orbel has also grown.
“You’ve grown well.”
Cardi blurted out.
As elves’ appearances stop aging in their youth, the height difference between Orbel and Cardi isn’t much.
“Well raised.”
Cardi cast a glance at the towering World Tree behind Orbel and at the many elves that followed him. Having once deeply doubted Orbel’s qualities as king and educator after seeing the poor archery, all doubts began to fade as he watched this scene.
“You’ve done well.”
“… I have only done what was necessary.”
Cardi felt sick at the sight of Orbel, who looked as if he might burst into tears, overwhelmed with emotion. Though he might be called a youngling, Cardi certainly didn’t want to see a thousand-year-old man blubbering.
“Let’s go discuss things inside. There are many eyes on us. If we stay here any longer, it’ll get even more chaotic.”
The elves continued to gather around them.
Orbel nodded vigorously at Cardi’s words and guided him to the royal residence at the heart of the World Tree.
*
Once alone with Cardi, Orbel launched into a long tale. He described the kind of life he had lived in the past thousand years and how he had tried to uphold the teachings Cardi left behind.
“It hasn’t been easy, really…”
It wasn’t just talk.
The grown World Tree and the flourishing elven city were proof that Orbel had been doing his part well.
“Everyone looks at me and calls me noble, dignified, the most elven-like… but… I know.”
Orbel smiled bitterly.
He wasn’t usually one to speak so comfortably or smile in front of others, but he made an exception in front of Cardi.
“Master, you are the true elf here. Everything is what you have taught me.”
In front of Cardi, Orbel is merely a disciple. He remembers the pride Cardi instilled in him as a child.
“Do you think I’m doing well?”
Orbel sullenly asked.
Cardi replied succinctly.
“If you weren’t doing well, I would have come much sooner.”
“Ah, you’re right about that.”
It wasn’t a compliment, but it was more heartening than one.
Orbel smiled contentedly and sipped his tea. The clear green potion was what the elves called their health drink, green tea.
“Hey, Cardi.”
“Those elves who learned under you seem to brew green tea just fine. Why are you making this weird imitation torture drink? Come on, admit it. You really can’t brew it, can you?”
The voice of Raniel echoed in his ears.
With his eyes narrowed, Cardi lifted the teacup in front of him. At that moment he took a sip. The moment the green tea touched his tongue, his eyebrows twitched.
“… Orbel. About this.”
“Oh, are you talking about the green tea?”
“Yeah. Did you brew this the way I taught you?”
Orbel grinned broadly and nodded.
“Of course! Green tea is a traditional drink of the elves. Preserving old culture is also part of the duties of the later generations.”
… Why does this taste good even though it’s made the same way I do?
“… You’ve preserved it well. The taste is ‘almost’ similar to how I make it.”
“That’s a relief.”
Feeling a little guilty, Cardi couldn’t say it was ‘exactly’ similar, so he emptied his teacup.
“Oh, speaking of which.”
While they were talking, Orbel clapped his hands suddenly, as if recalling something.
“Those two currently being healed at the roots of the World Tree? Your old acquaintance and their companion.”
“Yeah, what about them?”
“Those two were undoubtedly the heroes and saints of the previous generation, right? Now stripped of their divine power and starlight…”
Cardi nodded.
“They’ve lost their powers as heroes and saints. It has passed on to the next generation. Why, do you think there’s a problem?”
“Yes, that…”
Orbel trailed off and snapped his fingers.
An elf appeared from nowhere and placed a report on the table, then disappeared again.
“We manage the holy site periodically, and strange phenomena have been observed. Of course, it’s not harmful to the holy site, but…”
Orbel said.
“We can’t figure out what it is.”
He tapped the report with his finger.
It was about the sword hanging on the wall. A peculiar aura wafted above it.
“Isn’t that starlight? Not divine power, right? But then it resonates with magical tools that respond to divine power… It’s not a big problem but I felt I should mention it.”
Cardi took a glance at the report and muttered.
“That energy, is it ashen?”
“Oh. How did you know?”
“Just like a master would,” Orbel murmured, adding with a grin.
“According to the child who managed the holy site, it seemed like ash was swirling around. He said ash was floating in the room like snow. Do you happen to know anything about that?”
Ash, huh…
Cardi couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Well, it’s hard to explain, but… it should be harmless. No need to worry about it.”
“If you say so…”
Orbel nodded, while Cardi sighed as he gazed at the now-empty teacup. It was devoid of liquid, but residue from the green tea remained at the bottom.
The remnants left in the empty cup.
For a while, Cardi stared at it.
—
Kyle lay in the sarcophagus.
Leaning against the stone coffin, Raniel let out a long breath. It had already been three years since that day. A glance sideways revealed Kyle’s sword hanging on the wall.
It was no longer a holy sword.
Despite that, it was a blade that had absorbed starlight over many ages. A sword capable of devouring blades made from rare metals.
‘… but it absorbed more than just stars.’
It had absorbed both starlight and shadows.
Staring at that sword brought back memories, and Raniel rubbed her chest. The memory of her heart being pierced by that blade vividly resurfaced.
“Haah…”
Sighing, Raniel turned her head to look at Kyle, who lay there with a comfortably serene expression. His body was still riddled with cracks, but…
“Looks much better than before.”
When he had first collapsed, he seemed fragile enough that he would crumble at a touch. Raniel still remembered how it had made a ‘crunch’ sound when she playfully poked his side with her foot.
Glancing at Kyle, who was sprawled comfortably asleep, Raniel shifted her gaze to the side.
There, a woman with flower-petal-like hair was resting her eyes. The saint, Sara. She had played a significant role in saving Kyle, who had become the Sword of Yeocheon.
Half-submerged, with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face, Sara resembled a figure from a church mural.
“What’s the matter? Only after becoming a saint…”
She certainly holds the vibe of a saint.
The light pink hair swayed gently in the water, and her expression was extraordinarily benevolent. For some reason, that image made Raniel click her tongue in annoyance.
“………”
Despite the considerable distance between them, seeing the two entwined hands made her feel odd. Those dirty couple types. Someone’s rolling around on the battlefield.
While she claims to hold no interest in romance, Raniel, the ‘Lania’ who has lived alone for 30 years… no, ‘26 years’, found plenty to be annoyed about while watching this couple flaunt their affection.
“Hey, aren’t you two uncomfortable like that?”
Muttering, Raniel got up from her seat.
“It should be uncomfortable, right? Isn’t it?”
There was no chance the sleepers would respond to her questions.
Accepting the silence as affirmation, Raniel reached out. Determined to separate their clasped hands, she grabbed the fingers of Sara’s hand.
Slap!
The roots of the World Tree suddenly whipped like a whip, binding the hands of the two. It wasn’t overly strong, but it had enough force to make a slap sound.
“………”
Raniel rubbed her palm.
It didn’t hurt, but it felt unpleasant.
Glaring at the wriggling roots of the World Tree, it wiggled again as if warning her not to cause trouble. Or perhaps asking what the hell she was doing.
“Damn…”
Raniel muttered, wearing a pained expression.
“Damn couple types…”
She had no intention to pull them apart to begin with.
She had only intended to poke a little, right? With that thought, Raniel sighed. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she turned her back and sat on the sarcophagus.
“I’m planning to go hunt the Gletus soon.”
She said to herself.
“I’ll hold the Alkeia campaign in six months. I’m finally threading the first button. They say starting is half the battle, but in this case, it might genuinely be half.”
The moment she brings down the Gletus.
At that moment, a turning point will come.
“I think I’ll be busy for a while.”
Then she murmured.
“I’ve been keeping the promise I made to you. I’ve inherited the title of the strongest hero, as well as the ideal hero and the perfect hero.”
She was being referred to by a variety of names.
“It means I’m carrying out everything you entrusted to me.”
With the greetings concluded, Raniel stood up with a whoosh.
“What… should I say? Well, have a good life,” she thought to herself.
Looking at the incredibly comfortable faces of the two, Raniel couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.
“I suppose saying that would just lead to jealousy on my part.”
As she mumbled half as a joke and began to walk away, Raniel’s senses caught something. She quickly turned her head, and her gaze fell on Kyle’s sword.
The sword hanging on the wall.
From the sword, Raniel felt something strange.
‘… The starlight should have vanished?’
The sword had lost all its traits along with the starlight.
It should have been nothing but an exceptional sword, and she shouldn’t feel anything from it, but just moments ago, she sensed something.
“………”
After staring at the sword for a while, she didn’t feel anything more than that. Was it just a passing illusion? Raniel tilted her head and continued on her way.
