I Picked Up the Abandoned Hero

67. Elf’s Haven

Arsel was walking along the forest and found an old tree.

“Is this really the entrance?”

“Okay, if you don’t believe me, why don’t you ask that damn earl? “Maybe you’ve seen it somewhere before?”

“Just as that demon said, I don’t know why he’s more nervous about me, but it’s similar to the entrance to my hometown.”

An old, old tree growing in the forest.

There are brown and blue leaves hanging from the branches, and there is a cave-like hole in the ground large enough for people to enter.

“I heard this is the place my grandmother built in her old days. She said she doesn’t like flying away every time she goes home.”

“…”

Stella was silent after hearing the story about Zion.

Currently, Stella is planning to return to her hometown with Arcel to find the magic book about the curse.

But it was only for Arcel’s sake, and the pain that had formed on Sion still could not be resolved.

In the first place, it was so hard that it seemed impossible to loosen.

“Even if I go in, I won’t last long and will be kicked out, so I’ll be waiting here. Have a nice trip. “Don’t spend too long with the things inside.”

Alfred smiled broadly and waved his hand.

I want to follow along, but I guess I can’t because of the barrier of being in the land of the elves.

It is said that it is possible to destroy the barrier, but if you do that, you will blow away everything inside, so it is impossible.

Now is the time to watch from afar.

“…I understand. “Let’s go.”

Arcel said, holding her holy sword in her hand.

Although she can no longer fight like she did in the past, she can’t leave everything to Stella, so she prepares herself wearing armor similar to the one she used in the past.

I couldn’t move forward forever depending on others.

Even though I fell and fell and found it difficult to walk or even crawl on my own, it is time to get up again.

Even if my legs lose strength while I’m going, even if my breath catches in my throat and my heart feels like it’s going to explode, I won’t stop.

It was always like that before.

I fell several times while moving forward, but I did not give up and stood up.

No matter what awaits him, a warrior moves forward without giving up.

†††

“What on earth happened here-“

Arsel, who entered the elf’s hometown, could not help but be surprised at the devastation before his eyes.

Although it was a long time ago, I have seen this land with my own eyes in the past, so the feeling of disconnection from my memories is very severe.

It was once a place blessed with green forests and blue skies, the land of the elves, but now only the opposite landscape remains.

The sky is stained black, the forest is still burning, traces of various battles are scattered on the ground…

It is difficult to imagine that it is a place like that.

“The siege and defense continued here for five years, and we tried to stop the rebellion that started from the Leaf Tribe and somehow calm them down.”

Stella said as she stepped forward.

Every time she took a step, a crunching sound was heard in my ears.

It is the sound of burnt debris breaking apart.

“At first, it was a bit surprising but not dangerous, but the real disaster began after the Leaf tribes were subdued.”

It wasn’t anything special.

People who were family, friends, and colleagues until yesterday suddenly lost their senses and went on a rampage, eating their own people alive.

The problem is that such situations did not happen just once, and even healthy elves often lost their senses by the next day, with their entire bodies stained with black spots.

What they all have in common is that they all came into contact with elves who rebelled and showed abnormal symptoms.

“After facing the problem, it was already too late. Gradually, even the branch tribe and the pillar tribe were wiped out. In the end, the last remaining tribe of our roots had no choice but to abandon their hometown and make a plan to run away.”

Stella first headed to the Kingdom of Hermod to ask Arcel for help.

However, there was no Arsel in Hermod’s kingdom, and instead of Stella going to resolve Arsel’s matter, Hermod sent soldiers to help the elves.

…Of course, the way the soldiers helped did not mean that they would save the elves.

One fortunate thing is that Arcel, Alfred, and the elves met, and they were all barely able to evacuate to a safe place with the help of the nymphs from the danger of being burned to death.

“Looking at the location, it appears that this is the land where the Leaf Tribe lived. It will take a while to get to the place he mentioned.”

“…Is this a cache of knowledge said to have been left behind by the Root Tribe? Do you know where it is?”

“I don’t know because it’s my first time hearing this story. “To begin with, there was nothing left for our original tribe.”

Stella said, closing her eyes.

Of course, what Zion is talking about happened before Stella was even born, and since she did not inherit the knowledge of her ancestors, it is natural that she does not know.

“I gave you the map, so let’s move along. You said you definitely received it, right?”

“Yes, I think it is here in terms of location.”

Arcel points to the place marked with an x on the map.

A land of elves shaped like a giant tree.

There, the magic book that Arcel needs is stored in the location corresponding to the root.

“Ugh… We have to pass through dangerous places too. “I’m worried about whether I can make it back alive.”

Stella’s expression is not very good.

This is because there were still moving things left on this land.

In addition, the land where the Root Tribe lived was also a place where many infected elves were currently concentrated.

“If it gets dangerous, run away by yourself, but now I can take care of myself.”

“You idiot, how could I abandon you and run away?! “I heard that damned demon was next to you the whole time!”

“Oh, you mean Alfred?”

He said this because he didn’t want to rely on Stella for no reason, but it seems like he hurt her pride instead.

“Yes, that demon… He is a useless multi-talented guy whose hobby is often kidnapping women.”

“Alfred would probably think it was a compliment.”

“That makes me even more upset!”

Furthermore, I knew that Alfred had somehow stayed next to Arcel in the Forest of Nymphs in the past.

Was that something that Stella was particularly concerned about?

The reason Arcel went to the Nymph’s Forest in the first place was to treat Stella.

However, she also saved her compatriots who were in danger, so she could not have been unaware of it from Stella’s point of view.

Probably deep inside, I was still thankful to Arcel.

However, since Alfred was involved, he may have been reluctant to say thank you in person.

I’m equally grateful to Alfred, but I guess that’s because our usual relationship is a relationship.

Cow!

At that time, a sudden noise is heard from beyond.

“Oh, did I raise my voice too loud?”

Stella takes out her bow and looks towards the source of the sound.

Arcel, who knows what that sound is, holds her holy sword tightly and focuses on the place where the sound came from.

Until a little while ago, I didn’t feel like there was anyone in particular around me.

However, suddenly a presence appears, and the number gradually increases from one to several.

“Give me the porridge…”

A painful moan that seems to pass through your ears.

The cracking voice mixed with tears seems to be begging for an end to his suffering.

“…!”

Arsel couldn’t help but be shocked when he saw the owner of the voice.

Of course, the owner of the voice is an elf.

An elf famous for being beautiful and noble.

But now, his mouth and hands were covered in red blood, and most of his body was covered in black spots.

Actually, if that were all it was, it wouldn’t have been so terrible.

The elf, begging them to kill him, approaches Arcel and Stella, shedding black tears.

“If it’s a holy sword, that elf…”

When Arcel saw that, he tried to approach the elf.

“It’s already too late…! That demon said it! “Once it’s changed like that, it can’t be brought back!”

Phew!

Stella shot an arrow and hit the elf between the eyes.

The elf whose head was pierced seemed to smile for some reason, but then died.

“That child is already as good as dead. Even if you remove that strange spot with your holy sword, his body is too decayed and his heart has already stopped a long time ago.”

“…Is that so?”

Cleaning up the infection does not guarantee survival.

In Stella’s case, this was possible because her body had not been completely consumed by the black spots, and the situation for that elf now was a little different from then.

It may be possible to cleanse the spots.

However, the movement of that body now was due to the influence of an unidentified spot, and if the spot disappeared, it would immediately stop breathing and die.

“…I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”

Arsel said, looking at the elf who had left.

The skin was pale, as if it had died a long time ago, and traces of advanced decay remained in various places.

Even if you get rid of the spots, you will only suffer more pain and die.

I think I know why the elf begged me to kill him with barely any remaining consciousness.

“I know I can’t save everyone. Still, this is really-“

Arcel bit her lip and looked away.

If all this ends one day, the best thing I can do will be to deal with all the elves here and then build a tomb for them to rest in.

“It’s okay, no one will blame you. “The elves here, me, and our friends who left before us.”

Stella approached Arcel and smiled.

Stella herself may be the one who suffers the most, but she said that she does not need to carry the guilt on Arcel.

Arcel closed and opened his eyes with a sigh, and held the holy sword in his hand more firmly.

“I understand. Then, I’ll leave your back to you like in the old days. “I will take charge of the elves that approach you. Let’s avoid battle as much as possible, but bring rest to those who approach us.”

“Yeah, not a bad idea.”

And soon, the owners who had been felt a while ago fully revealed themselves.

Elves appearing from burned bushes and trees.

Everyone is running towards the two people, with more than half of their bodies engulfed in black spots, begging to be killed or losing their senses.

From Noble mtl dot com

This is truly a pity.

How does it feel to end the person you once tried to save with your own hands?

Furthermore, we cannot stop here just because it is painful.

In order to prevent this kind of pain from recurring, we must move forward and prevent similar tragedies from happening, even if it means trampling on them.

†††

“Please ask the hero. “The elves are no longer the comrades who fought alongside us in the past.”

The queen said, sitting on her throne with a worried look on her face.

“They fell under an unknown curse and became monsters that eat each other and even threaten us humans.”

In front of the queen, there is a girl warrior with blonde hair and blue eyes, and behind the warrior, the girl’s companions and subordinates holding holy swords kneel on one knee and follow her orders.

The queen’s guard knights watched them in silence, and Karkal remained silent with mixed feelings.

“It’s really heartbreaking, but I can’t help it. So, let me give you an order.”

The queen ordered, closing her eyes as if she was sad.

“Please grant them eternal rest and purify all the elves in the name of Hermod and the warrior.”

“Yes! “I understand, queen!”

The prosecutors bowed their heads and received orders.

“I will follow your orders. For peace. For the world. For Hermod.”

In front of them, the girl’s eyes shine blue.

A new sword, different from before, was prepared at the girl’s waist.

A sword used by a warrior who is said to have been the first to defeat the Demon King in the past.

It is a holy sword with invincible power that cuts down any evil and never falls in any battle.

It is said that one hero cut down the enemy’s demon lord as a result of persistently pushing with the power of the holy sword.

He finally won victory over the greatest demon king, who is said to have brought the demons to their peak.

“I wish you good luck.”

The queen smiled softly at her girl.

Perhaps it was because the girl looked very similar to a warrior whom she respected not only in the past but also in the present.

A warrior who did not give up and moved forward no matter what happened for the sake of peace.

Moreover, he is a human being who wants to save those he saved even though they are shunned by them.

Perhaps because of her influence, the queen was ready to do anything for peace.

If we can bring eternal peace to this world…

There was never anything that couldn’t be done.