ch28

The end of the fall from the high altitude ended with landing on a hillside slightly away from the original location.

Following the upper end of the hillside, there was a large mansion located at the top.

It was a place where quite a few people could reside, including the staff who managed it, but perhaps because it was night and a dark hillside, no one was visible except for Lamiya, who was pressing her wound and breathing roughly on the side of the road, and Rajin, who was circling around her as if protecting her.

Lamiya had lost her wings and fallen from a high position, but thanks to Rajin’s help, she didn’t seem to have any other injuries besides the wound I had made.

“Haa… Haa… The wound… won’t heal.”

Logically, it was obvious that the wound wouldn’t heal well since it hadn’t been long since the hole had been made, but considering the unique nature of the creatures in this world, I thought it wouldn’t be too strange if there was a being with regenerative abilities close to super-regeneration.

“It seems like we’re in a situation where we can have a conversation.”

“…Bullshit.”

I casually threw the broom on the side of the road and approached Lamiya.

Rajin was puffing up again with hostility, threatening me, but Lamiya, with her fighting spirit clearly broken, was sweating coldly and just looking up at me.

“It’s my first time interrogating someone, so now that I’m actually asking, I’m not sure what to ask.”

I scratched my head in embarrassment and opened my mouth.

“First of all, what was the reason for trying to monitor me?”

“…I was tracking the guy who broke the barrier of the gate. And as I followed the clues, you appeared.”

“Indeed, you’re capable. Finding me in less than a day. Did you create that barrier?”

“Maybe?”

“It seems someone else created it. Then what is the origin of the energy contained within you?”

“…If it’s the mana I have, nothing has changed since I was born except for its quantity.”

“You said you came from the east across the sea… Do you know the reason for the energy flowing in from the east? It seems similar to the energy you have.”

“……”

“What are you and your colleagues, or accomplices, who created the barrier plotting here?”

“……”

Lamiya closed her mouth without answering the important questions, fearing that she might reveal something.

‘I don’t really want to torture someone for a confession, except for a sparring match or a duel.’

While I was contemplating that, I sensed an approaching presence and smiled at Lamiya.

“Then I’ll just have to ask someone else.”

I jumped away to avoid the energies that were shooting towards the ground where I was standing, digging into the earth.

“Lamiya!”

“Kinble… How.”

“Aliyah discovered you falling from the sky and moved. Aliyah will be here soon too.”

A woman with the same kind of energy as Lamiya instantly fell from the sky and began to take care of the injured Lamiya.

In the air, women who were much more mature than Lamiya were flapping their large wings, surrounding us like a flock of magpies, checking our movements.

And then, a wave of energy that instantly overturned the entire road.

The energy connected with each other in geometric shapes, spreading out in a hemispherical shape, forming a domain.

Between the seams of the energy, things that were either patterns or letters floated around.

‘It’s not suppression, it’s just a spell to push us back.’

However, unlike its grand appearance, even though I felt a sense of rejection from the energy, it didn’t greatly affect my movement like a formation or barrier.

I could sense an intention to prevent entry into the area rather than for combat.

‘Are they trying to avoid making a fuss?’

I looked at Lamiya’s wound and focused on the presence slowly approaching from the top of the hillside, with a murderous intent that surpassed hostility, rather than the four people checking from the sky.

Unlike the surrounding women who revealed their true forms with bat wings, the woman stopped at a distance of about 6 Elte (6 m) in the form of an ordinary human.

These lewd bat-human sisters were all outstandingly beautiful in a different way from Elves, but the woman was even more exceptionally beautiful.

Moreover, since the attire of humans was still simple, her sensual figure was revealed as it was because of the attire that seemed to simply wrap clean cloth around her.

However, apart from that, I looked at the woman who appeared last, raising my energy and not taking my eyes off her.

‘Purely in terms of energy, she’s far above Saras.’

“This barrier… Is the barrier of the gate your work?”

“Yes, it is. Judging from Lamiya’s condition, you must be the one who broke the barrier and came in?”

“That doesn’t sound very good. I came to this city through formal procedures.”

The moment I put my hand into my pocket, I felt the four people in the air raise their vigilance so that they could immediately take action.

However, I replied by shaking the pouch I took out of my pocket once, making the sound of clinking coins.

“10 copper coins per person. I also passed through the gate guard’s inspection through formal procedures.”

“But you forcibly broke through the barrier.”

“It was self-defense. I couldn’t just not respond to a barrier that suddenly attacked me for no reason, could I? Besides, judging from the attitude of the gate guards, they didn’t even seem to know about the existence of the barrier?”

“It’s a barrier that selects beings other than humans. It’s a secret because it’s a secret technique.”

“Selects beings other than humans…”

I looked around and chuckled.

“Am I dreaming of the scene before my eyes?”

“We are exceptions as the managers of the barrier.”

The surroundings seemed to be taken aback, but the person in question answered with a smile, not caring about the sarcastic remark.

“That barrier was one of the contracts between us and King Prigos. It was to ensure safety from monsters from Poheln.”

“Is that a contract that King Prigos made in his right mind?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Your subordinate, or sister, seems to be using the Soul-Subjugating Art that governs the mind. I’m saying that you’re making King Prigos a puppet and turning him into a puppet ruler.”

“Ah.”

The woman smiled and replied.

“King Prigos’s mind is sound. However, he was very angry with me recently because someone broke a barrier that had been carefully created.”

“I shouldn’t judge by appearances, but that’s not a very trustworthy answer.”

“It seems we need a sincere conversation to add trust.”

The woman only smiled faintly and suddenly slowly bowed her head and introduced herself.

“I apologize for the late introduction due to the circumstances. I am Ul Aliyah, the fourth daughter of the great father Ul Kanadiel, and the aide to King Prigos of Poheln.”

“The seventh daughter of the earth mother El-Prigion, and El-Araya, who received the mission of Regulator from my mother. By the way, as you can see, I’m not human like you. I’m a species called Elf.”

“”…Einherjar?””

Everyone around me muttered an unknown word, but Lamiya briefly widened her eyes and then made a face as if she had understood something.

Einherjar seems to refer to me.

Are there species similar to Elves in the east?

No, if that were the case, they would have judged that way from the beginning.

It seemed like she was reacting to the introduction, not the word Elf.

“Thank you for the introduction, Araya. What reason did you visit Poheln for?”

“If I limit it to the reason for visiting Poheln, it’s to meet King Prigos.”

“The King…? Excuse me, but for what reason do you want to meet him?”

“Humans are one of the enemy species that have built a civilization on this land. Think of it as reconnaissance to see if a human who has the potential to lead that species is a threat to the Elves.”

“That’s an excessively honest statement.”

“There’s no reason to lie.”

Aliyah asked with a slightly serious face.

“If humans become a threat to the Elves, what will you do?”

“Well. Unless humans attack us first, I don’t think we’ll actively try to do anything to humans.”

“Does that mean…?”

“As a species, we were created with extreme aspects to balance the overall ecosystem. We don’t care much unless it’s something that disrupts the cycle of the ecosystem.”

“……”

“I introduced myself as a Regulator, but wouldn’t it be ridiculous to destroy a species just because it’s a little threatening to the Elves? There are plenty of things in the natural world that are threatening to the Elves, but in a different way from humans.”

“You’re saying it as if it’s possible if you wanted to.”

“Maybe not the humans of the future.”

I looked at the panoramic view of the city of Poheln stretched out below the hill and said.

“If it’s the humans of now, it wouldn’t be that difficult.”

I stated it lightly.

“Nature is so organic that we can’t even imagine it, so the extinction of one species creates unpredictable ripples in the ecosystem. Not to mention a species that is influencing it as much as humans. We wouldn’t create that ourselves.”

“…You said that was only the reason for visiting Poheln, do you have any other purposes?”

“The origin of the energy you have and the reason for the energy flying in from the east.”

“Can I see that as a similar reason to the previous explanation?”

“You can see it as similar. I need to know about the unidentified phenomenon, and if it becomes a threat, I need to prepare for it.”

With those words, Aliyah closed her mouth and quietly fell into thought.

The others were preparing for a battle that could break out at any moment, with Lamiya seriously injured, but since I and Aliyah didn’t show any particular fighting spirit, they didn’t know what to do.

I also crossed my arms and waited for Aliyah to finish her thoughts, as she was treating me with courtesy.

Soon, Aliyah opened her mouth after finishing her thoughts.

“Can I see Araya-nim as representing the Elf species?”

“You can see it that way.”

Aliyah nodded after hearing the answer.

“Okay. I will talk to you so that Araya-nim can have an audience with King Prigos.”

The surroundings looked at Aliyah in surprise, but Aliyah continued without paying attention.

“However, we can’t proceed with such a big matter at this late hour, so we need to prepare as well, and the King will be going to sleep soon. I will send someone early tomorrow morning, so how about we proceed with the story then?”

I had been wondering how to meet King Prigos since I arrived in the city and until this morning, but I nodded with a slightly embarrassed heart as the matter was suddenly resolved.

“What about the story about the energy…”

“This is not a story to be told lightly in a place like this. Let’s talk about that in a timely place as well.”

I agreed, feeling a little uncomfortable with the neat arrangement, and the unpleasant barrier that had been set up to block people’s approach was lifted in an instant.

“Can we take Lamiya with us?”

“Go ahead.”

As the barrier was lifted and there were no signs of a battle breaking out, the four people who had been surrounding us looked at each other and then landed towards Lamiya, helping to support her.

“Then goodbye. I will send someone to escort you tomorrow.”

Then I looked at Aliyah and the women who were quickly disappearing.

“But did I say where I was staying?”

I scratched the back of my neck, looking at the broom that had been left alone on the deserted hillside.

“…They came looking for me today, so they’ll find me somehow.”

It’s not something I need to worry about.

If anything, I’ll just go find them.

I looked down at the city below the hill and said.

“Shall we go back?”

◈ ◈ ◈

I quietly arrived at the inn I had booked, and Kyle was standing in front of the inn.

“Kyle? Were you out here?”

“Araya! You’re safe!”

Kyle ran over to hug me, so I pushed his face and body away before he could make contact and said.

“Things seem a bit noisy around here?”

“Ah… yeah… ah!”

I said, noticing people out and about despite it being night.

Kyle seemed a bit embarrassed by my reaction, then spoke as if something had just occurred to him.

“A witch appeared!”

“A witch?”

When I gave him a nonsensical look, Kyle protested, feeling wronged.

“No, no! I’m not just saying it, several people really witnessed it, okay?”

“Oh ho?”

When I showed a bit of interest, he began to explain with a delighted expression.

“After you disappeared, it became night a little later and got dark! Then someone pointed at the sky and shouted. It’s a witch! So people looked up at the sky, and wouldn’t you know it, a witch on a broom in the moon… Uh? Where are you going?”

“…To sleep.”

Kyle followed me into the lodging as I went in without even hearing the whole explanation, and continued to explain.

“Anyway, so the witch eats the flesh of young children to live young, so I was worried about you…”

“Kyle.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up a little.”