Chapter 144 : Chapter 144

Chapter 144

‘Strong.’

The moment Killian saw the elf who identified himself as Rundel, that was the first thought that came to his mind.

‘To the point where I can't guarantee victory even if I fight at full strength.’

Even if Serena and Id joined in, the result would not be different.

“You were having an interesting conversation. The hearing of elves is incomparably superior to that of humans. I thought you would know that much.”

It seemed he had heard all of their conversation.

“So? I don’t remember saying anything I shouldn't have.”

“You are still confident in front of your interrogator. You must have felt the difference in class.”

To speak of class.

It was not simply a statement to overwhelm them.

He was subtly reminding them that he was a being over 400 years old.

“It seems you look down on the Annihilation Squad. When it comes to interrogation, we’re the experts, more so than you.”

The biggest reason that distinguished the Annihilation Squad from the knight orders.

That was that they carried out their missions by any means necessary.

Although their methods differed, they all had their own ways of interrogation.

In that respect.

“I am the one who wants to ask.”

As if telling him to speak, Rundel quietly stroked the wood that made up the hut.

“What is the reason for locking us up in one room like this?”

The hut was serving as a prison, but that was all.

If they had intended to find something out from them, there would have been a more practical place.

“It seems you had no intention of interrogating us from the beginning. Am I wrong?”

“Indeed. You seem to be of the caliber to carry out Yggdrasil's prophecy.”

“Entrusting the future of a species to a single tree is a bit ridiculous.”

“It may seem so to you. There are cultural differences even among humans, are there not? I do not expect you to fully understand the affairs of another race.”

Rundel’s expression was serious.

“So. What is it that you want?”

He smiled at Killian’s question and took a step forward.

“Before that.”

Click.

He took out a key and personally unlocked the handcuffs of the three.

“There is something I must test.”

The mana that had been blocked by the Bongsinseok regained its flow.

And.

“Don't hold back. Try to defend with all your might.”

“……?”

Before he could even ask a question.

Kugugugugu.

A tremendous energy poured out from Rundel’s body.

An energy that surpassed 7-star.

‘8-star……!!’

The emission of class that existence itself possessed, different from a knight’s Haki.

An energy that was not lacking even when compared to the queen’s.

“Serena! Id!”

At the command, two green manas enveloped their master’s bodies.

Kugugugung.

The Haki that Killian released defended against Rundel’s momentum.

“Violet Magic Tower.”

Sareureureureu.

The violet mana dwelling in the pendant formed a Carpe Illusion.

“To create a Carpe Illusion without a sword. Your ability to manifest mind images is quite impressive.”

Green, blue, violet.

Rundel commented as if savoring the three manas that were resisting his momentum.

‘There was a monster among the fairy race.’

Even without an Aether, Killian was resisting with all his might using Cornelia's pendant.

And yet, Rundel did not even blink an eye and was engaged in an equal exchange with just his momentum.

“It would have been an interesting picture if you had a sword.”

“You should have said that after returning my sword.”

“Good. You are beyond my expectations.”

Rundel dismissed Killian’s sarcasm and nodded to himself.

“With you, it might be worth a try.”

Deudeudeudeudeu.

The pressure that had been weighing down on them like a great mountain disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“The interrogation is over.”

“What are you doing?”

“It is as I said.”

Rundel smiled lightly and continued.

“I was the one who taught Serena Constantine’s great-grandfather the Mana Heart refinement method.”

“……!!”

After confirming Serena’s surprised face, he made eye contact with Id.

“And I was also the one who trained your father, Lindelof.”

“……!!”

Id also had a reaction of not having expected it.

“What a surprising coincidence.”

“Relationships begin with coincidences.”

“No.”

That alone was not enough.

“You handle two colors of mana as if they were your own. In my long life, it was the first time I had seen such a skill.”

Rundel looked at the pendant around Killian’s neck.

“It must be your personal ‘trait’.”

He held up his index finger.

Sreuk.

Green mana enveloped his index finger and rose up.

“It is a mystery why you have awakened a ‘trait’ at the 7-star level.”

Trait.

It was a word he hadn't heard in quite some time.

“I too have awakened a trait. As one who has refined an 8-star Mana Heart, I can ‘savor’ the opponent's mana training level by maximizing the highly developed sensory perception unique to the fairy race.”

He said that just by touching the opponent’s mana, he could feel what path they had walked to train it.

He said it nonchalantly.

‘Did he awaken an ability similar to the Pope’s Insight? That's quite something.’

If the realm of 7-star was the stage of overcoming a wall as a human, the realm of 8-star was the stage of achieving new possibilities as a mana user.

Rundel had awakened an ability specialized in detection without using divine power.

Killian was beginning to like him more and more.

“So what was the result of your savoring?”

“Upright and solid.”

He must have trained his body by swinging a sword every day and devoted everything to the expansion of his Mana Heart.

“It is not a disposition easily seen even among those who walk the right path. The half-elf of the clan is one thing, but you two are different from other humans.”

“Other humans?”

“The knights and mages who follow the Empire, Heinrich.”

‘Has the Empire extended its reach this far?’

Considering their range of activity, it was not surprising.

‘The problem is if Elvenheim has colluded with the Empire.’

If so, he could understand the queen’s actions.

“Have you joined hands with the Empire?”

Rundel shrugged.

“Let me say this in advance, there are three 8-stars in Elvenheim. There are at least ten 7-star level superhumans as well.”

At the greater-than-expected military strength, the corners of Killian’s mouth twitched.

It was because he was pleased with the result that the reclusive people had achieved.

“The queen’s attitude has nothing to do with the Empire?”

“There is no reason for us to join hands with the Empire now. Even so, waging a war with Elvenheim would not be good for them either.”

“Then, it is time to hear about the queen’s attitude.”

“The prophecy is true. The Queen is not lying.”

It couldn't be helped.

Rundel defended the queen’s choice.

“But unlike the queen, you are not hostile to us.”

If so, Rundel must want something from the party.

And that point would be the point of contact to obtain the Nectar.

Tak.

When Rundel snapped his fingers, the tree branches that made up the floor took the form of a chair.

If that was a skill, it was also a skill.

“Sit. It seems this will be a long story.”

Although it had been a bit of a roundabout way, proper negotiations were now possible.

The moment he thought so and sat in the chair.

“Do you all know about Grotesquery?”

At the unexpected question.

“Ha.”

Killian let out a hollow laugh.

***

Rundel’s brief explanation followed.

The position of king of Elvenheim is passed down to the royal family.

Synchronizing with the divine tree, Yggdrasil, which was said to have been personally planted by Silvana, the God of the Forest, symbolized the legitimacy of the throne, and the forest race did not recognize a king who could not synchronize with the divine tree.

One day, the king of the fairy race realized that his connection with the God had been severed.

He belatedly realized that Yggdrasil had been contaminated, and its influence was spreading to the forest where it was rooted.

“A Piece of Grotesquery.”

“……”

“His Majesty referred to the object that was contaminating Yggdrasil as such.”

“The reason the Piece was there?”

“We could not find out. Around that time, an envoy from the Empire visited.”

As if recalling that time, Rundel’s brow furrowed.

“They seemed to already know about Yggdrasil’s condition. They said they would stop the contamination.”

He continued his explanation calmly.

“The White Magic Tower and the Black Magic Tower. They said it was possible with the two magic towers that symbolize the Empire and two 8-star mages.”

An offer to solve the problem by mobilizing the Empire’s resources.

There was, of course, a price to pay.

“They said they wanted to build a new magic tower in Elvenheim.”

That if they used Yggdrasil, they could build a more powerful magic tower than ever before.

“It essentially meant they wanted to make us a vassal state.”

Right after that, the guardians and keepers of the forest gathered and began to discuss this issue.

While the lengthy meeting continued, a tenth of the territory became uninhabitable due to Yggdrasil’s contamination.

“The former king, who had synchronized with such a Yggdrasil, was also not in good condition. He began to show increasingly strange symptoms.”

From a certain point, it seemed as if he had synchronized with Yggdrasil and was accelerating the erosion of the territory.

“It was obvious that soon the entirety of Elvenheim would be tainted by the contamination.”

Someone had to make a decision.

“At that time, the Queen herself stepped forward.”

The one who inherited the blood of the royal family.

The former king’s daughter and a 7-star Arch Mage.

“She personally took the former king’s life and sealed Yggdrasil’s contamination.”

However, Ashirian de Silvana, who was newly crowned as queen, did not receive Yggdrasil’s recognition.

“It’s not a matter of legitimacy, but our elves are a very reclusive race.”

Elvenheim, formed by the gathering of ten fairy villages.

Among them, there were those who did not recognize the queen’s legitimacy.

“At this rate, a war will break out.”

“I see.”

“Now that communication with the God Silvana has been cut off, we elves are facing an unprecedented crisis.”

Killian listened to Rundel’s words and gradually realized the seriousness of the situation.

“Before His Majesty passed away, Yggdrasil said so. That a knight of Eurasia would sever the bonds of the Elves.”

In a state where the meaning of Yggdrasil’s words was not clearly understood, the Holy Nation incident and the banquet incident happened in succession.

‘Was Id also planted by Elvenheim?’

The timing of his enlistment was coincidental.

But it was not an important matter.

Killian had accepted him based on his abilities alone.

“It is a situation where legitimacy is lost without Yggdrasil’s recognition. If things go wrong by supporting you in such a situation, the Queen will face a rebellion.”

“So you want me to synchronize with the divine tree and ascertain the truth of the prophecy?”

“Yes. I heard the story of you and the Piece of Grotesquery from the Saintess Lan de Styx. You also synchronized with the Pope’s Divine Object?”

“The delinquent Saintess has wide connections.”

While saying so, Killian quietly nodded his head.

He could investigate the Piece of Grotesquery and the Nectar at the same time.

For Killian, it was an offer he had no reason to refuse.

Serena, who had been listening to the conversation, narrowed her brow.

“If we solve the problem, can we obtain the Nectar?”

“Of course. Nectar is water blessed by the God Silvana. It is deeply connected to all living things in this forest.”

“And if we can’t stop the contamination?”

“Without reclaiming Yggdrasil, you cannot obtain the Nectar.”

“……”

Serena looked at Killian as if wanting an answer.

“It’s a dangerous job just to get the Nectar.”

“Captain……?”

“If a reflux happens, it’s a dog’s death.”

“……”

Serena’s face hardened.

“Seeing that even the king of the elves couldn’t withstand it, it must not be an ordinary curse. The Head Apothecary told me to get the Nectar, but she didn’t tell me to risk my life.”

“They say humans like to negotiate. If there is something you want, say it.”

“Hmm. If you put it that way, a word in your ear.”

“……?”

Killian whispered in Rundel’s ear for a moment.

“……”

A look of bewilderment appeared on his face.

“Killian Eurasia. That is an act that deviates from the values that Elvenheim has protected until now.”

“The times are changing. You must know what happened in the Holy Nation, right?”

The Holy Nation, which professes to be a neutral country, has been undergoing major reforms recently.

“If the country of priests is like that, there is no reason for the reclusive kingdom of fairies to be different.”

“……”

“Or you could join hands with the Empire right now and build a magic tower. The emperor would be very pleased to have swallowed up the southern frontier while sitting still.”

“……”

“But.”

Heuk.

Killian showed his characteristic harmless smile.

“If you accept, I will put the name of Eurasia on the line and do my best to complete the mission.”

Rundel was lost in thought for a moment.

“The Queen cannot help you on the surface. All of this is my own decision as the guardian of Elvenheim.”

If they fail, it is Rundel and Eurasia’s fault.

If they succeed, they can regain the queen’s legitimacy and seek stability for Elvenheim.

“Good. The contract is established. If we’re going to do it, we should do it properly.”

“……?”

“Serena.”

“Yes.”

As if ready to be commanded at any time, she made eye contact with Killian.

It was a look that only someone with absolute trust in their superior could show.

“You’ll have to be the bait.”

“Bait, you say.”

For the Annihilation Squad, which carries out missions risking their lives, it was not a special mission.

‘The high level of the elves is a variable. But if we move in a pincer movement with Id, it won’t be a big problem.’

Since they have a collaborator named Rundel, they can make use of their mobility.

‘As expected of the Captain. It’s worth a try.’

So he thought.

“You will have to cut down Yggdrasil.”

“……”

To think that it would be to become the sworn enemy of the elves with his own hands.