Chapter 16
You all, kill him
The Lord of the commercial city Kal Desien, Gidric, cautiously opened his mouth while kneeling.
"A-Aren't you going around rescuing elf slaves, Tower Master…?"
"Well. Do I have a reason to answer that question? From the start, I spared your life to get information, not so you could ask questions."
"T-Then, where should I begin talking from…."
Franz Gilbert found Gidric's behavior a bit strange.
Is he hiding something?
Gidric tried to subtly drag out the conversation, watching Franz's mood.
As if he had something or someone to rely on.
Whether it was just a misunderstanding or a sharp instinct remained to be seen.
Honestly, even if he was scheming something behind the scenes, it didn't really matter.
Whoever came, whatever tricks they tried, he was confident he could crush them all.
In any case, extracting information came first.
Franz spoke calmly.
"Spill everything related to the elf slaves."
"T-Then I'll start by explaining how I came to acquire the elves. It's been a little less than a year. Someone came to my estate. They said they wanted to trade elves on a regular basis."
Whoever Gidric was talking about was probably one of the two that Hera had mentioned.
If not, then someone in league with that person.
It was both curious and disgusting that an elf would walk around selling their own kind.
To the point Franz wanted to rip their head open and peek inside.
"T-To be honest, it was tempting. As you know, Tower Master, elf slaves are extremely rare, aren't they…?"
Gidric glanced at Franz to gauge his reaction.
Sensing that gaze, Franz openly twisted his expression.
He was obviously trying to see if Franz had any interest in elf slaves.
If he sensed interest, he probably would've proposed a deal, offering elf slaves in exchange for his life.
Maybe he would've even gone so far as to ask for personal protection.
This guy really is an idiot.
It was understandable since his life was on the line.
But that didn't mean Franz could look at him favorably.
Franz spoke firmly.
"You keep asking questions. Do that one more time, and forget information, I'll send you to join that rat trap over there."
Franz pointed at the Rat Trap embedded in the wall.
At that, Gidric gulped.
He seemed to freely gamble with the lives of slaves, but was quite attached to his own.
"O-Once a month. That guy would set the time and place, and I'd send people to kidnap the elves."
He didn't sell them himself, but used human hands to do the work.
Then he probably shifted all the blame onto Hera.
After all, among the elves, Hera was the only one who had left the Great Forest and made contact with humans.
Such sneaky and petty bastards.
"Yeah, next. Next. Speak quickly."
"Those kidnapped elf slaves…"
Maybe the intimidation had worked well, because Gidric began to spill everything he knew.
From the route through which the kidnapped elves were traded, to the fact that he had a list of buyers.
If only he had done this from the beginning.
Not that Franz had any intention of sparing him anyway.
"Bring me that ledger you mentioned."
"I-I'll bring it right away."
Gidric shot up and headed to the drawer beside the bed.
As he pulled out the ledger from inside, he said,
"Ah, come to think of it, that elf gave me something as a token of trust."
"A token of trust?"
"Yes, it was like a strange pendant…"
"Bring that too."
Franz became interested in the item.
If it was something called a "token of trust," it wasn't likely something handed out to just anyone.
Perhaps—
It might allow us to identify its owner.
Of course, it could've just been a made-up item handed over, but there was no harm in keeping it.
Anyway, Hera could figure out the details.
Eventually, having gathered the items, Gidric turned around and approached Franz.
"H-Here it is."
As Gidric stretched out his hand to offer the items, and Franz reached to receive them—
Flash—
A gleaming blade caught the moonlight and sparkled.
Gidric gripped the dagger he had hidden under the ledger and thrust it forward.
But that dagger never reached Franz.
Thutuk—
With just a flick of his finger, Franz knocked the dagger to the floor.
Along with Gidric's wrist.
"U-Uaaaah-!"
A scream filled with pain broke the still silence, and blood gushed out from the severed wrist.
He had gotten enough information, and also secured the items he needed.
On top of that, he might've even obtained an important key to solving this issue, so frankly, whether Gidric lived or died now didn't matter in the slightest.
"F-Forgive me, hick, p-please, just spare me once…! Hick, huaa."
Gidric crawled toward Franz on his knees.
Franz stared blankly at him and hesitated.
Should I let him live?
This was, after all, Hera's problem.
So the decision to kill or spare him should be up to Hera.
She might still need him for something.
Having organized his thoughts, Franz snapped his fingers lightly.
At that, a brief flame erupted from Gidric's severed wrist.
"U-Uaaaagh-!!"
Overcome by the searing pain of burning flesh, Gidric rolled across the floor wildly.
It must have hurt quite a bit, but at least the bleeding was stopped now, so there was no need to worry about excessive blood loss.
Now then…
Franz used mana detection to scan the situation outside.
The large number of knights were now all cold corpses, and the elf who had been in the underground was now above ground.
It seemed Hera had succeeded in rescuing the elves.
Then I guess it's time to move.
Franz lightly flicked his fingers, lifting Gidric into the air.
Then he jumped out the window together with him.
Gidric's room was on the top floor of the mansion.
As Franz fell freely from there, the night view of the commercial city spread before his eyes.
It was beautiful, but didn't bring pleasant memories.
It reminded him of the late nights he used to work.
Besides, the night view from the top of the Magic Tower was much more spectacular.
As he fell rapidly toward the ground, a blue magic circle formed beneath Franz.
His speed gradually decreased, and by the time he reached the ground, he had almost completely stopped.
Having landed perfectly, Franz walked straight toward Hera.
Naturally, the bald pig came with him.
"Franz, is everything settled?"
"Yeah, it's all done."
Franz's gaze shifted to the elves hiding behind Hera.
The elves were huddled together, watching Franz nervously with frightened expressions.
Like small animals trembling in the cold.
Watching their long ears twitching up and down, he couldn't help but find it oddly fascinating.
Just then, Hera glanced at Gidric and asked,
"Franz, what about him?"
"Ah, this guy? I brought him alive just in case you needed him."
As he said that, Franz dropped Gidric, who had been floating in the air, onto the ground.
Seeing that, the elves flinched in unison and drooped their ears.
Ah, is that what it means?
Elven ears weren't for telepathy, but rather for expressing emotions.
It was a moment of great realization for Franz.
His gaze returned to Hera.
"He's the owner of this mansion, and seems to know a lot."
"You mean he knew a lot."
"Right. He had records of how the elf slaves were traded, and a ledger of past buyers. From what I heard, he was supplying elves to the human side? Sounds a bit off, but yeah. That kind of guy."
At Franz's words, Hera frowned.
Then she glared at Gidric, who was trembling on the ground, with lifeless eyes.
Seeing Hera like that made Franz flinch reflexively.
It brought back fresh memories of recent events.
No way. Surely not.
She wouldn't suddenly start talking about the end of the world or anything, right?
Just as Franz was rationalizing things to himself—
Hera's voice rang out.
It was cold as ice.
"Franz."
"Uh…?"
"Did you hear all the information?"
"I think so."
He was pretty sure he got everything.
Gidric had been threatened with his life, there was no way he'd kept anything hidden.
Come to think of it…
Suddenly recalling something he had forgotten, Franz quickly searched his pocket and pulled out a necklace.
Holding it up, he showed it to Hera.
"Hera, do you know what this is?"
Hera, seeing the necklace, froze and blinked in silence.
Then, slowly, she opened her mouth.
"Where did you get this…?"
"That bald pig said he got it as a token of trust from someone."
"I see… So that's what it was. In the end, my brother was the one who contacted this bastard directly…."
Hera muttered to herself.
Then she turned to the elves behind her and spoke.
"You all, kill him. In the most horrific and brutal way possible."
It was time for the elves, who had once been slaves, to claim their revenge.
Chapter 17
The Elves' Revenge (1)
Fpak–!
An elf slammed a stone with all their strength.
Puuk–!
An elf kicked with full force.
The revenge of the elves, who had been unjustly enslaved, was brutal.
They were elves who already hated humans to begin with.
It was as if they were releasing all the emotions they had bottled up inside.
But even that didn't last long.
Gidric, who had taken the full brunt of their rage, had long since stopped breathing.
Franz spoke to Hera.
"So in the end, that token of trust is real?"
"Yes. Only elves can recognize it, but this definitely belongs to my brother."
Hera's grip on the necklace tightened.
Her expression was colder than ever.
Franz could only feel sorry for her.
She had been driven to this point after being betrayed by both her family and her closest friend.
Still, they couldn't remain in the past forever. It was time to decide what came next.
"Hera, what do you plan to do now?"
"That's true…. For now, I'll return to the Great Forest and correct what's gone wrong. I have proof now, after all."
Indeed, as Hera said, the first step was to eliminate the root cause.
No matter how many elf slaves they rescued, if elves were still being sold off from the other side, it would be like pouring water into a bottomless jar.
But—
Will it really be that easy?
Hera's brother had likely already seized full power through incitement and falsehoods.
Meanwhile, Hera had been falsely accused, branded a traitor who had betrayed her own kind.
They had both decisive evidence and a witness now, but those only mattered if the other party was willing to listen.
If they blocked their ears and refused to hear, no amount of explaining would work.
That's just assuming the worst.
Logically, the evidence and testimony should be enough to restore order in the Great Forest.
But could they really be sure it wouldn't spiral into the worst-case scenario?
And if it did, what choice would Hera, driven to the edge, make?
Would she become the villainess who leads the world to ruin?
Franz opened his mouth, hoping the elves weren't complete fools.
"When are you leaving?"
"It's a bit much to go right now, so maybe once the sun rises."
"Then let's get some sleep."
"Hm? Aren't you going back?"
Hera tilted her head slightly.
Strictly speaking, he should go back.
The request letter only covered rescuing the elf slaves.
But if he left and Hera ended up becoming the villainess, things would become far more complicated.
So, well, what choice did he have?
"I've helped you this far, might as well help you to the end."
He wouldn't be able to sleep anyway if he left like this.
At Franz's words, Hera of course gave a stiff, predictable response.
"Franz, I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't be in your debt any further. The request only covered up to this point, so you can return now."
"It's fine. I'm seriously just doing this out of goodwill. I'd feel uneasy leaving you like this."
With those words, a short silence fell between them.
Then Hera sighed, breaking the stillness.
"Doesn't look like you're going to change your mind. Fine, do as you will."
In the end, she gave up and walked past Franz, heading toward the elves.
Murmuring softly, barely loud enough to hear—
"If only all humans were like you…"
At that, Franz shrugged and thought to himself,
If everyone were like me…
Didn't sound like such a great world, honestly.
* * *
Hera entered a suitable room in Gidric's mansion.
The other elves followed her.
She told them they could sleep separately, but they still seemed uneasy and didn't want to part from her.
So the room was filled with long ears, all gathered together.
Then, someone suddenly spoke.
It was a short, young elf.
"Miss Hera, why did you save us…?"
"Why, you ask…?"
"Well, a little while ago, Chief Heris said that you were… colluding with humans…"
Before the words could finish, someone covered the young elf's mouth.
"Ahaha–, sorry. They're still young, that's all…"
"Yes, of course…"
Hera gave a bitter smile.
The child had only spoken aloud what was still present in the eyes of the other elves, distrust.
No, maybe saying it outright was actually better.
At least then, she could respond and explain her side.
Where did things go wrong?
Was it when she left the Great Forest?
Or was it saving the world?
The question she had been struggling with since that day still had no answer.
Hera spoke to the elves.
"I don't know if you'll believe me, but this was all the work of my brother, Heris."
The elves only blinked in confusion.
Their ears twitched up and down, expressing their bewilderment.
"Let me show you this first."
Hera pulled a necklace from her pocket.
It was the token of trust she had received from Franz.
At the sight of it, the elves' ears began to twitch even more vigorously.
"Huh…, this is the Chief's…."
"It's something that bald pig who kidnapped you all had in his possession. You know what that means, don't you?"
"Then did the Chief really… betray us…?"
Hera slowly nodded and spoke.
"If what the Chief said is true, then I'm the one who sold you. But if that's the case, there'd be no reason for me to come here and rescue you, would there?"
"If you sell and rescue and sell again, you could make tons of mo–mph?"
"W-We're sorry…."
The elf who covered the young one's mouth bowed deeply in apology.
As expected, children were just children, innocent to a fault.
The real problem was that Hera couldn't even force a smile.
"In any case, that's the truth. I'll return to the Great Forest tomorrow and set things right. I intend to bring the traitor who sold out our people to justice on the spot."
At Hera's words, the elves exchanged glances with one another.
Then they all spoke up at once.
"U-Um, is there anything we can do to help?"
"Yes! We'll help!"
"I-I'm pretty good at throwing rocks…!"
It was the warmth of kinship she hadn't felt in a year.
A wave of emotion suddenly welled up in Hera, rising to her throat.
Tears seemed ready to fall at any moment.
But she held it all back and forced herself to speak.
"Stand by my side. If you do, I swear I'll make sure this never happens again."
It was time to return the pain to those traitors who had sold out their own people.
* * *
It was early dawn, before the sun had risen.
The sky was still dyed a deep navy blue.
Franz snapped his eyes open at the sensation of mana movement nearby.
Knew it.
The source of the mana was Hera and the elves.
He had expected Hera to leave earlier to avoid being a burden, and it turned out he was exactly right.
So typically old-elf-like. Rigid to the end.
Franz sat up from the bed at once.
Then he went outside and made his way toward the elves.
"Franz…?"
Hera, spotting him, shook her head as if exasperated.
Franz responded just as stubbornly.
"Seriously? You were really going to just leave me behind?"
"I already owe you far too much, you see."
"I told you it's not a debt. When someone does something out of kindness, you repay it with kindness, not turn it into a loan. If someone overheard you, they'd think I'm some shady moneylender."
Just then, a small elf came up to Franz.
"Moneylender! Bad person! Human! Bad! Don't hurt Miss Hera!"
"Franz, did you hear that? You're being called a bad person."
Hera burst into laughter with a "Puhp–."
Franz felt a flash of indignation.
After everything he'd done yesterday, this wasn't the treatment he expected.
But he decided to just laugh it off.
He had no idea how old the kid was, after all.
More than anything, Hera's expression was completely different from yesterday.
Yesterday, she looked like she was ready to die.
If her mood had improved, that was less reason to worry about her destroying the world, so all the better.
"Hey, but are we really just walking there? The Great Forest is pretty far, isn't it?"
"Well, what choice do we have? It's not like we have a wagon or anything."
"What's the point of having a mage then? This is exactly what I'm here for."
Franz snapped his fingers lightly.
A complex magic circle began to form beneath their feet.
Teleporting multiple people at once wasn't easy.
The mana cost was enormous, and the magic circle structure much more complicated.
But for Franz, it was a simple task.
"Alright—gather around, everyone. We're departing now."
The elves hesitantly stepped onto the circle, following Hera's lead.
Once everyone was in place, Franz snapped his fingers again, and their forms vanished on the spot.
The place they reappeared was none other than right before the Great Forest.
Towering trees seemed like they could reach the sky.
And in the distance, one tree really did seem to touch the heavens.
Still looks incredible, no matter how many times I see it.
Seeing the Great Forest again after so long, Franz let out a silent exclamation.
"Huh? T-This is the Great Forest."
"It really is…?"
"My eyes aren't playing tricks on me, right?"
The elves widened their eyes in amazement, each expressing their surprise.
Their ears twitched joyfully up and down.
It was at that moment—
"Who goes there!"
"If you touch the elves, you won't be spared!"
From the distance, the figures of more elves began to appear.
Chapter 18
The Elves' Revenge (2)
Unlike the surrounding woods, the Great Forest was packed with towering, massive trees.
From within, four elves swiftly approached Franz and his group.
Each of them had a bow on their back and a sharp blade in hand.
Understandable misunderstanding.
Franz could see why they reacted this way.
A robed man with a group of elves.
And with all the recent abductions of elves caused by humans, their vigilance must have been at its peak.
So suspecting a kidnapping scene wasn't exactly unreasonable.
But still, wasn't it a bit rash to fire without even hearing them out?
"W-Wait a moment–! You're misunderstanding–!"
Hera shouted loudly, but the arrows had already been fired.
They tore through the wind, flying straight at Franz.
Damn accurate.
Franz was genuinely impressed.
The distance between them was considerable.
The elves were so far that they looked no bigger than thumbnails.
The fact that the arrows flew straight instead of in an arc from that range was astounding in itself.
And to think they were aimed precisely between his eyebrows, through the gaps between the huddled elves.
If he brought these elves to the modern day, they could probably dominate archery tournaments for a century.
Maybe they'd even make a law banning elf participation.
In any case, the elves' archery was that good.
But for ordinary arrows, the wall of a 10th-circle mage was far too high.
If it had been a surprise attack, maybe, but from the front? They had no chance.
Ffft–.
Franz waved his hand, and the arrows fell harmlessly to the ground.
Let's see how this goes first.
The elves had let their arrows fly before Hera had even spoken.
So he could let the first offense slide.
But if it happened again…
Well, he'd have to subdue them with force.
Not kill, since Hera was watching.
Fortunately, it looked like he wouldn't have to take that step.
Hera dashed toward them like a streak of light.
The elves lowered their bows slowly as they recognized Hera running toward them.
Just as Franz began to relax—
"Hera! It's Hera of the Root Tribe!"
"The traitor who sold out her own kind!!"
Unfortunately, things didn't go so smoothly.
The elves raised their bows again and drew their strings.
Naturally so.
Among the elves, Hera was known as the arch-traitor who had sold out her people.
Even the rescued elves had been wary of her.
These ones were clearly indoctrinated by propaganda and lies.
Unbelievable.
He had prepared for the worst, but now that it was actually happening, it was still frustrating.
If he had just left her behind, she probably would've turned into the villainess by now.
Franz let out a sigh of relief and used teleportation.
A flash of light, and Franz vanished from his spot, reappearing beside Hera.
As Franz swiped the air with his hand, the arrows flying toward Hera dropped to the ground.
Hera looked at him.
Her gaze was a chaotic mix of shock, sorrow, and anger.
"…Franz."
"I'll take care of it."
"J-Just one more time. Please, let me try."
Franz nodded.
It wasn't really his business, after all.
"Everyone! You're mistaken! Please, can we talk this out?"
"There's no reason to speak with a traitor!"
"Just once, please, if we could just talk…"
Before Hera could finish, Franz patted her shoulder.
Whether it was lingering attachment, or simply unwillingness to believe the truth, he didn't know.
But they had done nothing wrong, there was no need to beg.
You talked to people who wanted to listen. Those who didn't, there was no point.
"I'll handle it."
"P-Please, just don't kill them… They've only been deceived."
Whether they were merely tricked, or traitors to the bone, they'd only find out once they were dealt with.
Still—
It wasn't a difficult request.
"I knew it! You are in league with the humans!"
"Where did you sell our people? Answer us, Hera!"
The elves shouted at Hera, their voices full of fury.
This is irritating.
He wouldn't kill them, as Hera asked, but he couldn't exactly feel any sympathy either.
If they were deceived, that was one thing. But if they chose Heris's side, then they were truly guilty.
Ttak–.
Franz snapped his fingers lightly in the air.
A transparent, spherical barrier formed around the elves.
With a flick of his fingers, the sphere lifted into the air, trapping them inside.
"W-What is this!?"
"Hera! Are you going to betray your people again?!"
The elves pounded on the transparent wall and shouted.
Franz, frowning, snapped his fingers once more, and the sound leaking outside was completely silenced.
It was a soundproofing spell that had been added.
"Franz, thank you…."
Hera bowed her head to Franz.
It was gratitude for honoring her request not to kill them.
"Don't mention it. It wasn't that hard. More importantly, you'd better steel yourself. They're practically brainwashed at this point."
"I just realized that myself. I didn't think it would come to this in just one year…."
"Well, things are going to start changing today, right?"
"Yes. That's why I'm here."
Hera nodded firmly, expressing her resolve.
Soon, Franz teleported and brought the former slave elves who had been far off.
The elves exchanged glances through the transparent wall.
The little elf spoke up.
"That looks–! So fun–mph?"
"S-Sorry. My little brother's still very young…."
To the child, it probably just looked fun to be floating in the air.
Franz decided to let it slide with generosity.
Since it seemed fun, maybe he'd even give them a ride later.
Just then, Hera looked toward the elves trapped in the magic and spoke.
"Franz, I'd like to try persuading them first. Is that alright?"
"Do as you like. I'm just here to help, but it's your problem to solve in the end."
Franz snapped his fingers, deactivating the soundproofing spell.
"How… How is this even…?"
"I have no idea either…."
The trapped elves looked confused.
Well, Hera, whom they had believed to be a traitor, had returned with the missing elves. No wonder they were shocked.
They assumed it was a kidnapping, when in fact they were brought back, without even checking.
"I'm sorry things turned out this way. But you were the ones who attacked first, so I hope you'll understand. For now, please look at this."
Hera pulled a necklace from her pocket.
At once, the elves' ears twitched up and down rapidly.
Then, as their ears stilled, one of them opened his mouth.
"That belongs to the Chief."
"Yes. I found it when I went to rescue the elves."
"B-But the Chief said that you… Hera…"
"If I truly sold our people, why would I go out of my way to bring them back? It was all, all the doing of Heris. He schemed it all to seize the Chief's seat and wealth. There are more elves I rescued within the tribe—you can ask them yourself."
Three of the four elves had confused expressions.
The Chief they had trusted and followed for a year, and Hera who now stood before them with proof.
They must be torn on who to believe.
But one elf wore a completely different expression.
"This is ridiculous! And how are we supposed to believe that?! What guarantee is there that a traitor won't betray us again?!"
He exploded with emotion.
As if he had stepped on a block lying on the floor, or stubbed his pinky toe on a doorframe.
A lackey.
Franz was convinced the elf was one of Heris's pawns.
Nothing else could explain that kind of reaction.
If left alone, he'd surely get in Hera's way.
As Franz moved his hand through the air, the round sphere split in two, isolating the elf into a separate barrier.
"W-What are you doing…?"
With the soundproof spell added, everything became peacefully silent.
A brief silence followed.
Then, the elves and Hera, who had paused their conversation due to Franz's action, resumed speaking.
"Alright, for now… Hera, we'll believe you. The rescued elves and the Chief's necklace are real. But, if this turns out to be a lie—we won't let it go."
"So be it. If it's a lie, I'll gladly offer you my head."
With the conversation concluded, Hera looked to Franz and gave him a nod.
It meant he could release the spell now.
Understanding her intent, Franz snapped his fingers in the air.
The transparent spheres vanished, and the trapped elves stepped out.
Of course, the lackey remained trapped.
The elves looked at Franz with curious eyes, then turned their attention back to Hera.
"Hera, what's the plan from here? Are we heading straight to the Chief?"
"Yes. We need to set things right."
"Will that human be joining us?"
"He's the one who helped with this whole situation. Even if it makes you uneasy, I hope you'll tolerate it."
At Hera's words, the elves turned back to Franz.
Then they bowed slightly.
Seeing their gentle gesture, Franz responded in kind.
He didn't have any intention of being hostile anyway.
Finally, with Hera at the lead, the elves, and one human, entered the Great Forest.
And at the center of the forest, they found him.
The true source of all this trouble, Heris.
"H-Hera…? How did you get here…?"
It was time to set things right.
Chapter 19
The Elves' Revenge (3)
Franz followed the elves, making his way through the towering trees of the Great Forest.
So this is what it's like.
The Great Forest was more than he had imagined.
Massive trees formed a dense canopy, and all kinds of flora and fauna coexisted in harmony within the forest.
The atmosphere felt mysterious and dreamlike, like something straight out of a documentary.
In fact, this was Franz's first time coming to the Great Forest.
It was a place forbidden to humans.
If a human wandered in carelessly, they'd be attacked by elves, just like what had nearly happened earlier.
Of course, with brute force, he could enter regardless. But the Great Forest was, in the end, a forest full of elves. He had no desire to charge in like that.
Still—
A documentary with elves as the natives would probably sell like crazy…
As Franz let his thoughts drift to such nonsense—
"Halt!"
Four elves appeared out of nowhere, blocking the path ahead.
Seeing them move in groups of four again, it seemed they operated in a fairly organized system.
At least this time, they weren't firing arrows on sight.
They simply watched with guarded eyes.
One of the elves at the front spoke.
"Hera, I'll go ahead and explain the situation."
"Please do."
He walked toward the elves blocking the path.
After exchanging a few words, he returned with them in tow to Hera's side.
From there, things proceeded much like before.
Hera pulled out the necklace from her pocket and began to explain—
There was even another lackey, just like last time.
"You fools! You believe the words of a traitor who sold out our kind…?"
Floating–Floating–
As soon as Franz trapped the guy in a floating sphere and silenced him with a soundproofing spell, the persuasion proceeded smoothly.
Indeed, there was no need to entertain those who refused to listen.
Just then, the little elf turned to Franz.
"I wanna float like that too!"
Now that the number of floating spheres had doubled, it seemed impossible to resist anymore.
Well, growing up in a forest like this, it made sense they didn't have much in the way of fun.
It was a little sad, in a way.
Hmm–.
After a moment of thought, Franz snapped his fingers, trapping the little one in a sphere and lifting him into the air.
The kid let out a pure giggle of joy, "Kkyaruk–!"
But the real problem was… the little one wasn't the only one who'd grown up without playthings.
"U-Um, can I try too…?"
"Me too–!"
"Maybe me as well…."
In the end, Franz had to trap all the former slave elves in floating spheres.
He had already done it once for the kid, so he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
So this was the importance of setting a precedent.
"Franz, let's head out now."
"Yeah, let's go."
With three more elves and one isolated lackey now added, Franz's group resumed their journey deeper into the Great Forest.
How much time passed, no one knew.
Eventually, the massive World Tree at the center of the forest came into close view.
The group had arrived at the elves' dwelling.
Their homes were carved into the middle of the giant trees, fitting for elves who loved nature.
That's amazing.
As Franz looked around in admiration—
Someone suddenly appeared in front of the group.
With a stiff expression, he spoke.
"H-Hera…? How did you…?"
"Brother—no, Heris."
"A traitor dares set foot in the Great Forest?! You there! What are you doing?! Seize her at once!!"
Heris trembled as he shouted orders at the surrounding elves.
This is absurd.
A dry laugh escaped Franz's lips.
Who was he calling a traitor?
The one who sold off even the youngest of their kind to line his own pockets, he had no right to speak.
Though, it made sense. That's just the kind of person Heris was.
"This is an order from your Chief! Seize her now!"
Heris shouted again, but the elves avoided his gaze.
"I see… So you're in league with the traitors as well! You think you can still walk the Great Forest after this?!"
His loud voice caused nearby elves to gather, one after another.
Some came armed with bows and blades.
He was trying, once again, to manipulate the crowd with lies and incitement.
But Hera, now armed with irrefutable evidence, did not run.
She stood firm.
"Heris, I've come to correct what is wrong."
"The wrong one here is you! You colluded with humans and sold out your own kind!!"
"I see. You really haven't changed."
Hera took the necklace from her pocket.
And then, with a flick of her hand, she tossed it at Heris's feet.
"You know best what that is."
"W-Why do you have this…?"
"A human noble had it. The same one you sold our people to."
At Hera's words, the surrounding elves began to stir.
Their twitching ears reflected their emotions.
They were surely deeply confused.
To think that the elf they had trusted and followed for a year was actually the traitor.
"N-No! I merely lost it! You're trying to frame me!"
"A false accusation? Then explain it in detail. Where exactly did you lose that necklace, and why was it in the possession of a human who had purchased elf slaves?"
"T-That's…"
Heris trailed off, unable to give an answer.
His eyes darted wildly, unable to focus on anything.
Then it happened.
"Chief! Don't be swayed by the words of a traitor!"
"Let's apprehend the traitor and punish her!"
Voices rose from among the elves in support of Heris.
Those ones are lackeys too.
They had clear evidence. They had witnesses.
Yet rather than stay silent, these elves were actively defending Heris, which made no sense from any rational point of view.
And they had spoken up precisely when Heris was unable to respond.
Chances were, they were his underlings. Even if not, they were poison to the elves.
No group needed seeds of discord.
Ttak–.
Franz snapped his fingers, lifting the elves who had sided with Heris into the air.
He then cast a soundproof spell so they could no longer spread agitation.
At that, Heris pointed a trembling finger at Franz.
"L-Look at that!! She came here with a human!! She's colluding with humans after all!!"
"He was my comrade during my time with the Hero's party. He played a major role in rescuing the kidnapped elves. If you're so curious, ask them yourself."
At Hera's words, Franz released the former slave elves from the transparent spheres.
The elves stepped forward and faced Heris beside Hera.
Hera spoke.
"Now then, tell us what happened."
"U-Um… Miss Hera and the human mage there saved us from slavery."
"Miss Hera isn't like that…! It was all a misunderstanding…!"
"The floating thing was fun–!"
The last remark by the little elf was a bit off-topic, but in the end, the elves clearly stood with Hera.
And it didn't stop there.
One by one, the elves Hera had saved over the past year began to step forward.
"M-Miss Hera saved me too…."
"Me as well!"
In fact, when Hera had sent them back to the Great Forest, she had given them one request.
To never speak of who had saved them.
Because if Heris, who held power at the time, found out, it could endanger them.
But now, things were different.
Their every word now became Hera's strength.
The beginning of a change that would correct what had gone wrong.
"T-This can't be…! Wh-Why…!"
"Heris, I have something to ask you."
"N-No…! Absolutely not…!"
"Why did you collude with humans and sell our people? Why did you frame me for it?"
Heris shook his head, slowly stepping backward.
As Hera took a step forward, roots burst up from the ground and bound Heris's legs.
Then it happened.
Sshwaaak–!
An arrow shot from somewhere, flying toward Hera.
Franz raised his hand to intercept it—
But slowly lowered it again.
Because Hera was already looking at the arrow.
Kwajjik–!
Hera caught the arrow with one hand and snapped it in two.
Then, glaring in the direction the arrow had come from, she shouted.
"Sera–!"
Hera's voice echoed through the Great Forest, and at the same time, tree branches shook violently.
Soon after, an elf fell from the trees.
Sera.
Hera's childhood friend, and the traitor who, along with Heris, had framed her.
Hera grabbed Sera from the ground and threw her down beside Heris.
Then, with a cold gaze, she looked down at the two and spoke.
"The crime of betraying our people is grave. Both of you will pay for it in blood. The same punishment shall be given to the five who sided with them."
All traitors, sentenced to death.
It was the judgment of the new Chief, Hera.
Chapter 20
The Elf's Revenge (4)
In front of countless elves, Hera pronounced the death sentence.
"If anyone has an objection, speak now. I will listen as much as needed."
Everyone wore confused expressions, but no one could open their mouth.
To betray the elves was the same as betraying the Great Forest and the World Tree.
It was to deny the elves' noble mission and their long-standing history.
So it was only natural that a traitor who had committed such a heinous crime would be sentenced to death.
"It seems there are no objections, so we will proceed as is."
At Hera's signal, a few elves rushed forward.
They were members of the patrol unit who had joined up along the way.
Each of them used the ropes they had brought to bind Chief Heris and Sera.
"It, it's all lies!! That traitor is trying to pin her crimes on me!!"
Chief Heris shouted something to the elves, but the elves only turned their heads away in silence.
At that moment, one elf suddenly stepped forward toward Chief Heris.
With a clenched fist.
The patrol elves tried to stop him, but he pushed through with all his strength and reached Heris.
To be exact, it would be more accurate to say the patrol elves subtly let him through.
Fpak—!
He struck Heris in the face with his fist.
"You, are you the one who sold my daughter?! Why on earth?!"
"Th-that's, it's all that woman's…."
"The evidence! The witnesses! Everything is clear!! Or do you still intend to mock my daughter, who was made a slave?! Even after selling her off with your own hands?!"
That was the beginning.
Elves who had hesitated at the word 'execution' began to move toward Chief Heris and Sera one by one.
What followed was a brutal revenge.
It was no longer a situation where anyone could stop it, so even the patrol unit merely stood back and watched.
At that moment, Hera approached Franz Gilbert and spoke.
"Franz, would you release the ones we've captured? I'll take it from here."
"Alright."
Franz released the minions who had been trapped inside transparent spheres.
They immediately tried to flee without even looking back.
But of course, Hera wasn't about to let that happen.
Roots rose from the ground and coiled around them, preventing their escape.
"I, I only did what Chief Heris told me to…!"
"Me too! It's all that guy's fault!"
When they realized escape was impossible, they began to spout pathetic excuses.
They were struggling to survive, no matter what.
Hera looked coldly at them and said,
"I already know everything."
"Th-then…."
"And what does that change? If someone orders you to commit a crime, does that absolve you? In the end, you chose to follow, didn't you?"
In the end, the judgment did not change.
Soon, Chief Heris, Sera, and the five minions were dragged before the World Tree.
And there, the execution began.
Hera drew her sword and cried out.
"To those who have lost the World Tree's noble will, I deliver judgment."
The reason elves performed executions before the World Tree was because of this tradition.
All life, upon death, returns to the embrace of the World Tree, and from there is reborn into nature, such was the belief.
"Death is not death, but a return to the arms of nature. Therefore, reflect on your sins in the arms of the World Tree, and may your soul become whole again."
After reciting what was essentially a prayer, Hera raised her sword high.
And then, thud—.
Thud—.
Thud—.
The heads of the convicts dropped one by one to the ground.
Red blood flowed and seeped into the earth.
Over time, even their bodies would become nourishment for the World Tree.
The elves bowed their heads and observed a silent moment.
As though it were a sacred ritual.
Franz simply watched it all silently.
Frankly, it was impossible for him to relate to their actions.
Eventually, all the executions came to an end, and Hera's speech began.
"My kin, to speak truthfully, I still clearly remember it all. The looks you gave me, the murmurs I heard. But I will forget all of it as of this moment. For you, too, are victims who were deceived."
Franz looked at Hera and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
It seemed she had managed to escape the path of becoming a villainess.
Still, I thought she might let her fury out at least once.
Hera must have been deeply hurt.
She was fated to become a villainess, he could only imagine how that must have felt.
Well…
In the end, it was Hera's matter, and the only thing he could do was respect her choice.
It was the answer she had come to.
"Lastly, about the position of Chief, I'll be taking it temporarily, for now."
Temporarily…?
A flood of question marks filled Franz's mind.
In this kind of situation, wouldn't it be natural for her to just assume the position permanently?
Other elves seemed to be thinking the same, and voices sprang up here and there.
To their remarks, Hera scratched her head awkwardly and replied.
"It's hard to explain, but there's something I must do."
Hera's gaze slowly turned to Franz.
In that moment, Franz realized.
The reason Hera had only taken the position temporarily was because of the promise, to become a slave.
I did make that promise, but…
Honestly, it wouldn't have mattered if she broke it.
No, in fact, Franz was hoping she would.
After all, elf slaves were illegal.
Even if it went unnoticed, he had no desire to keep a slave.
He had hands and feet, why on earth would he need one?
While Franz continued to sink into his serious thoughts, Hera's speech came to an end.
One by one, the many elves began to leave, each wearing a complicated expression.
In the meantime, a few elves approached Franz.
"Um… Thank you so much for saving our daughter."
"It's nothing. I only helped Hera, so please thank her instead."
"Still, we are grateful."
An elf may give, but never owes a debt, was it?
For some reason, Hera's words came to mind.
They were thanking a human they had once hated so much.
Soon, the elves left his side, and as if switching places, Hera approached.
"Franz, thank you for this. If not for you, I probably would have given up again."
"It's fine. Well, I'm just glad everything worked out."
The elves' issue, the villainess issue, everything had been resolved peacefully.
Only one important matter remained.
"Franz, about that promise… could you wait just a little, until the elves settle down?"
"You don't need to keep it. The elves need you. If you just stay on as Chief…"
"Franz, are you saying you don't even want an elf slave like me by your side?"
The light in Hera's eyes gradually faded.
At the same time, a familiar semi-transparent display appeared before Franz's eyes.
Why was this even a real thing…?
Franz stared blankly at the notification window before cautiously asking,
"Hera, why are you so obsessed with becoming a slave?"
"First, to repay the debt I owe you. Maybe not for an ordinary elf, but surely an elf contracted with the Spirit King has some value. And second…"
The second reason…?
Hera paused for a moment, then awkwardly scratched her head.
"I want to. Just like you showed me kindness, I want to do the same. But I have nothing to give you, so I'm offering this, at the very least."
"If it's about that, then just help me next time I need it—"
"If you truly, truly say you don't need it, I'll give up… reluctantly."
A shadow fell across Hera's face.
What on earth was this 'debt of kindness' that made her go this far?
Guess I'll have to accept it.
An elf slave versus the end of the world.
When weighed on a scale, the latter obviously weighed heavier.
"Do as you like. Just let me know if you ever change your mind."
"Truly…?! I'm so glad I can repay your kindness. Oh, right! It might be a little hectic now, but would you like a meal? If you're the one who made that meat and mushroom stew, I'm sure you'll enjoy our food too."
Hera's expression brightened instantly.
Just because he allowed her to become a slave.
This is insane…
An elf obsessed with slavery, he'd never even heard of such a thing.
* * *
Time passed, and before long, evening had arrived.
"Franz, are you sure it's okay to leave at this hour? You could stay a night if you want…"
"It's fine. The other elves feel uncomfortable."
"Mn…, alright. If you say so, I can't stop you. I'll write you a letter next time."
"Yeah, see you later."
After a short farewell with Hera, Franz departed toward the Magic Tower.
At last, the dispatch was over, and he was returning.
Using teleportation, Franz's figure flickered in and out of visibility.
After a brief moment, the towering Magic Tower appeared before his eyes.
Now then…
Franz checked the system window as he made his way toward the top floor of the tower.
A full 20 percent.
Twice as much as the Saintess.
Of course, he had done almost twice as much, but still, seeing it as a number brought unexpected satisfaction.
But what exactly is this, anyway?
Helping raised it, fighting lowered it.
But he still didn't understand what the percentage actually meant.
Well, it's probably a good thing.
Thinking lightly of it, Franz quickened his steps.
Soon, he arrived at the top floor of the tower.
But the Tower Master's Office was brightly lit.
As if someone was inside.
Could it be Ariana?
Then again, he'd recently hired an assistant, so Ariana should have less work now.
Feeling puzzled, Franz stepped forward carefully, and soon heard a strange sound.
"Franz, ah, no… Not anymore…!"
…?
It was definitely Ariana's voice.
But what in the world was happening in there…?