Clearing the Game at the End of the World

Chapter 194: Wizard of Wizards (14)

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"Seeing everyone looking so despondent, it seems that I've conveyed my message well."

Following Professor, who seemed as if he was being dragged to a battlefield like a teenage boy, the Great Mother happily spoke as she looked at the group sighing deeply.

"Indeed, among the magicians, those who handle the wind are famous for their lightest actions. They are impulsive, unorthodox, and seek to break free from worldly norms."

"….Have you ever met them?"

"In the empire, due to an unusually high number of wind magicians. I do my best to avoid them, so I rarely encounter them."

"….What were they like?"

"It's hard to pinpoint a common trait as ‘such people.' Of the five I met most recently, two were walking around naked, one was causing a disturbance proposing marriage to a baroness who was already married with grown children, and another was taking a hot water bath in the middle of a tavern, drinking beer or chasing butterflies across the meadows. They each pursue freedom in their own way, so it's hard to specify ‘such people.'"

"….Damn it. I wanted to believe the rumors were exaggerated."

"Hohoho. As for the outrageous rumors about the wind magicians, you can believe them all to be true. Even Felix Driksiel, one of the four 8th-tier grand magicians who ever existed, went to find a dragon and blurted out something like ‘I heard dragon tail meat is delicious so I came to find out.'"

"….An 8th-tier magician?"

"Yes. Right in front of Atlarheba, without a moment's hesitation."

Crazy.

"So, how did he die? Being an 8th-tier, he must have been quite formidable. It would almost be a natural disaster if they fought, wouldn't it?"

"Surprisingly, nothing happened. Atlarheba traded the tip of his tail, and Felix traded his left arm and right eye. They both enjoyed a meal right there and then went their separate ways. While the authenticity of the rumor cannot be verified, Felix Driksiel returned exceedingly happy albeit crippled, and Atlarheba's tail tip was noticeably stubby and short, so it was probably not a lie. At that level, a magician's words carry weight, making it hard for them to lie easily."

"Wow. Crazy."

I should visit the empire's library sometime to look up the chronicles of these grand magicians. It seems like it would be more entertaining than most bestsellers.

The problem is, our group has to accompany these madmen in their mad antics, the stuff of stories.

"Idrasil."

"Yes, Great Mother."

"Go with them. They will probably need your help."

Upon the Great Mother's command, Idrasil approached the group without hesitation.

"Please take care of me."

"Uh… Great Mother? Why her?"

Ever since we first entered the village, I had a feeling that if we were to get a new companion, it would be this guy. She had been hanging around our group since the entrance of the village, helping us with this and that.

But if you say the forest elves' location is unknown, why attach someone specifically?

"Hm? Why do you ask?"

"Well, you told us to find the elves' residence on our own when we meet the magicians. Of course, it's good for us to have a skilled spirit master join, but… you know how the human world is."

It's certainly beneficial for us to have another spirit master. A spirit master, especially an elf, can turn a cold, uncomfortable campsite into something resembling a recreational forest, and a ranger is always a valuable asset.

But if you ask ‘do we absolutely need an elf?' I’d say ‘not really.' Especially this elf, Idrasil. She looks too much like you. Those amber eyes, akin to a wild animal, and her facial structure and features, they all exude an air that's too reminiscent of you.

They might formally address each other as ‘Great Mother,' ‘Idrasil,' but it feels like telling a conglomerate heir, ‘Call me Chairman at the office.' If this Idrasil elf really is your daughter, she seems more like someone to be protected than a companion. I can’t even fend for myself, let alone protect someone else.

Anyway, finding the path to the elf forest should be left to those damned wind tamers. And it’s bound to involve more than a couple of lousy incidents along the way. If something happens to the Great Mother's daughter, like getting killed or kidnapped….

‘I'm worried the Great Mother's real punch might scatter my internal organs like a family torn apart.'

Yeah. It’s still ambiguous. As a support combatant, she’s definitely useful, but that alone isn’t a strong reason to include her.

As I tactfully expressed my reluctance, the Great Mother nodded, understanding.

"Yes, I know. I know what most humans are like. How they view our race. The empire legally prohibits the trade of slaves, but it's a toothless law. If a non-human without a slave mark wanders around, that alone can be a reason for an attack. I fully understand your concerns. However, unfortunately, this child joining is not optional but essential. Not for our sake, but for yours."

"Essential… you say?"

"Yes. You seem to be under some misapprehension. Do you think you can just find the elf forest on your own, talk to them, and draw out cooperation? The true branches of the World Tree view humans with deep suspicion."

"If it's like what happened here, approaching unarmed, slowly, and awakening them to the importance of the issue with a handwritten letter from the Archbishop…"

"I guarantee you, the moment you reek of humanity, you won’t even have time to pull out that handwritten letter before you're turned into a beehive. Remember this: just as we can't forget our affection for humans, those elves can't forget their hatred for humans. Elves don’t change easily. Even if you want to correct past mistakes, it doesn’t erase history. To their eyes, we are nothing but insane beings who have senselessly murdered and oppressed our own kind. You don’t have the power to make them overlook that wound."

With the Great Mother's serious tone, I shut my mouth. Considering what the Ro Haram Order has done over the years… Indeed, humans have nothing to say in front of elves.

"So, you're assigning Idrasil to us? Because at least they’ll listen to her?"

"Hm? You're mistaken. Even if this child joins, there won’t be a dramatic change. Your party would still end up as corpses under a barrage of arrows filling the forest, and Idrasil would likely be executed alongside the insult of being a traitor who guided humans."

What then? If it's not even an elf village express pass, what's the essential reason for it?

Seeing my puzzled expression, the Great Mother pointed at me with a wrinkled finger.

"It's because of you. Hero."

"….Me?"

Why, again? Why is it always me when something goes wrong? What did I do now?

"Yes. Let's ask then. Do you know the most precious day of the year for the elves?"

"Um… no?"

"What about the types of sap they prefer and its uses?"

"That too, um…"

"Do you know why elves find it embarrassing to reveal their songs rather than their bodies? How much they cherish the World Tree? What makes them cry, what makes them laugh, and how they live as a race?"

"I don't… know."

That's when I realized what the Great Mother was getting at.

"Could it be? Is this about the ‘qualification' you’ve been asking about since day one?"

"Yes. Honestly, you… weren't bad. You exceeded my expectations. You have a strong will to continue your purpose without succumbing to external pressures, and enough strength to navigate through a rough world. However, you still fall short of the qualification. How can someone who knows nothing about the other party bring together two races that have harbored hatred for decades? It’s absurd. It would be more logical to expect fruit from a sprout."

The Great Mother reprimanded me in a serious and stern tone.

"Learn while you are with that child. She is only seventy years old, a pure elf who has not yet experienced the world. Through Idrasil, you will learn about elves, and Idrasil will learn about humans by being with you. As always, actions speak louder than a hundred words. If just the two of you come to understand each other, wouldn't that in itself be an act towards racial harmony? If you truly come to understand our race, perhaps your sincerity will penetrate their deep resentment and reach their hearts."

"….Thank you."

Instead of further questioning, I deeply bowed to the Great Mother in gratitude. Although I hadn’t achieved as much as I initially expected, I felt it was good that I visited this place.

Thinking about it, isn’t it incredibly presumptuous from the elves’ perspective? To draw an analogy, it’s like if the Nazis suddenly showed up in a Jewish autonomous area saying, ‘Hello? We’ve been thinking, and it seems we’ve gone too far. Let’s reconcile and get along again. To celebrate our reconciliation, it’d be great if you could stand at the very front for us. But there’s a rumor that you Jews worship the devil? That would be a problem.’ Isn’t that the level of ignorance? To request reconciliation without knowing anything about those you've tormented.

Although the past can’t be undone, understanding that party is the minimum qualification, as the Great Mother says.

"Idrasil, you too. I've always said this, but people cannot like what they do not know. If you truly want to fill your life with happiness, you must see more, feel more. Despite our natural abilities, our reclusive nature has led us to live hidden away. I hope you learn a lot on this journey."

"I understand, Great Mother."

"….Sigh. Idrasil."

"Yes, Great Mother."

"Idrasil?"

"….Yes."

"Id-ra?"

"….Yes, mothe…r."

"Yes. If luck is against us, this might be the last time we see each other, but at least say goodbye to your mother before you go."

The Great Mother, with arms made of wood and leaf, gently embraced the rigid Idrasil. Idrasil’s face, which had been stern throughout, softened at this moment, and she quietly closed her eyes, placing her hand on her mother’s shoulder.

"Farewell, my branch. May only dreams fill your closed eyes always."

"….Yes. I hope our subdued longing allows us to share stories again."

Despite having lived for centuries and experienced as many wounds and deep wrinkles, a mother was still a mother.

Elves don't usually beat around the bush, but when it comes to expressing genuine feelings, they tend to be shy and speak in circles.

Idrasil's farewell carried a hope for a future reunion, a chance to share their stories once more.

The Great Mother's farewell… carried a wish for survival, to return alive. For those who die cannot dream. Those brief words between mother and daughter spoke of a promise to return and a plea to simply stay alive, no matter where.

"The farewells of elves show the true nature of their relationships. They seem honest yet are a shy race. Even now, doesn't this interaction between mother and daughter show how different they can be?"

"Well, I guess. To my eyes, they don't seem that different."

The traditional elf farewell of touching foreheads and sharing words.

This ‘learning' the Great Mother spoke of lacking in me must refer to understanding such things.

****

After the brief farewell ceremony, the Great Mother, back to her macho grandmother persona, declared, ‘I’ve done what I needed to; now off to my own affairs,' and briskly left.

Those who need to go, go; those who remain, stay.

While doing a final check of our gear, Ottman suddenly seemed to remember something and voiced his doubt.

"Wait a minute. But does it make sense to ‘go to them'? I mean, the wind magicians of all people. Aren't they like feathers blown about by the autumn wind, endlessly moving?"

Squawk—

"Um… Now that you mention it, that's true. Hey Pathfinder, do you happen to know how to contact those unpredictable magicians?"

"I do."

Thud!

Idrasil, while busy loading her baggage onto the wagon amidst the bustling group, responded.

"Not exactly a way to contact them, but I know of a place they are sure to be."

"A sure place… Like what, some kind of wind magician hotspot? Stormy Hills or something?"

"Yes. You knew?"

"….Eh?"

What? That was just a joke. There's actually a place called Stormy Hills? Like Emily Bronte?

"Perhaps Heathcliff and Catherine appear there too?"

"Um, you seem to be confusing it with another place. Stormy Hills is a famous spot in the empire, known as a gathering place for the wind."

"Wait a minute. A famous spot in the empire… a famous spot, huh…"

I quickly interrupted Idrasil, flipping through the community documents Dana had posted.

‘It's strange. I checked the list of famous sites in the empire earlier, and there was nothing like Stormy Hills.'

Pondering for a moment, I decided to check not just for ‘famous spots' but also for ‘hazardous areas.'

[Empire / Hazardous Area / Stormy Hills]

"Ah, here it is. It really exists. Stormy Hills."

"I've never spoken falsely. You will likely meet the wind magicians there."

"Yeah… I guess so."

Professor listened to Idrasil's monotone voice while flipping through the information on Stormy Hills.

[Empire / Hazardous Area / Stormy Hills]

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Danger Level: ★★★★ (Regardless of player ability, extremely perilous.)

Features: The only structure in all of World 3 where wind magicians can ‘reside' permanently. At least 40 wind magicians constantly living there. The birthplace of wind magicians worldwide. The only place where they find stability.

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Wind magicians. 40 of them.

‘Ah. I miss my mom.'

Just reading the header made me want to throw the document away. Handling one was tough enough, let alone a swarm of them.

"It's like Sodom and Gomorrah for these folks…"

Professor imagined the chaotic mess of a place overrun by these crazy individuals while strapping the wagon to his waist.

Well, if I don’t plan to live here forever, I have to go there.

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