Chapter 695 – The Dragon Slayer’s Past

000

Jerk, jerk. When he heard the sound of tired footsteps, the elf wizard looked up from the books he was looking at and looked at a hunter approaching.

The wizard was known to be highly skilled even in the elf village, but the shadows under his eyes were dark, as if he had stayed up all night to make the items requested by the elders.

He drinks a potion with an awakening effect with a tired expression and talks to a female hunter who also looks tired.

“… You’re back, Kanan. “Did you bring all the ingredients the elder asked for?”

“Yes. Here.”

Black blood was seeping and dripping from the large pouch he was carrying.

It may have been a sight you didn’t want to imagine what was inside, but the wizard took it in silence and without hesitation opened the mouth of the pocket and looked inside.

Then, while nodding, he carefully laid it down on the seat next to him and looked up at Kanan.

“I brought everything without exception. After all, she is the former highest elder’s biological daughter.”

＂… Thank you.＂

“Then, I’m sorry, but I would like to ask for the next ingredient. Here.”

I wonder if this was what he meant by mixing it with a light compliment. Kanan didn’t show it on the outside, but since she couldn’t hide her fatigue, she accepted it with a slightly tired hand gesture.

It would be a little better if you order it all at once.

As she was thinking that, the wizard said to her with a small smile.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t order it all at once.”

“Oh, no… Nothing like that.”

Kanan shook her head in response, but the wizard sat down on his chair and spoke.

“I’m also fumbling around while interpreting ancient texts, so there’s nothing I can do about this. It will take several years to complete… But I am very fortunate that the Supreme Elder has appointed an excellent ‘watchman’ like you as my assistant.”

Even though she was a magician who spoke like that, Kanan had a shocked expression on her face and once again said ‘thank you’ and had no choice but to take her paper and go outside.

When he came outside, the elves passing by greeted him warmly, but Kanan’s heart was not very excited.

The wizard said he was an assistant, but in reality, he was just an errand boy who retrieved materials that could not be obtained in the elf village or territory on behalf of the wizard who did not go outside the village.

Her original role was as a sentinel, her mission was to protect the elven village and forest where she was born and raised, and she had no doubt that she would continue to do so until she was no longer able to hold a bow or spear.

It was many years ago that she became a subordinate of a magician instead of her original duty as a watchman.

It was an order from ‘Pitre’, a young elf who became the new supreme elder after her mother, the former supreme elder, died.

Compared to previous elders who basically did not interfere with the outside world, Pitre had a slightly different view on the conflict with the outside world that had continued even before he became the highest elder.

The number of humans is increasing, and the elves in other villages are decreasing in number because of these humans.

The forest they live in is still safe, but they never know when the elves will come here.

Pitre was thinking that he might go to war with those humans, and in order to prepare for that, he told the wizard to decipher the old books he had and make powerful magic tools.

Kanan knew very well that this was for the village, and Pitre’s concerns were understandable.

But even if something like that happens, Kanan believes that the village can be safe because they have the protection of the Thunder Dragon Letios.

Her own sister was driven out of her village for paying her strange tribute, but Rhetios was not angry and still protected the village and the elves.

‘Now that I think about it… Because of this mission, I haven’t been able to meet Mr. Letios recently…’

Originally, each family was supposed to take turns offering tribute, but recently, when it was their turn, they were exempted from paying tribute at Pitre’s order so that they could focus on their mission of traveling around the outside world.

They were thankful, but they also felt sorry for Letios, who protected them.

However, recently Kanan began to feel a little skeptical about his mission.

As her mission takes her outside, she inevitably encounters humans.

Kanan was wary at first, but the humans in the outside world were not that evil, and although they were interested in the elves, few showed hostility.

Some of the materials I had obtained so far were barely obtained with the help of those same humans.

Therefore, there was little hostility towards humans, and rather the thought that we might be able to live together with them grew.

In the midst of a mission to create objects to stop humans, it was a bit strange to become friendly with humans.

Perhaps, this mission itself was not very realistic for Kanan.

Of course, what the elf wizard was making – what the Supreme Elder had ordered him – was unknown to Kanan himself.

I just heard that it is a powerful magic tool – a relic-grade item, so it requires a variety of rare materials to make.

‘What if what I’m making is a magic tool that destroys humans?’

It was probably his younger sister who had the same absurd delusions, but that didn’t mean he could rest assured.

──Younger sister. ■■.

When he thinks about Letios, he can’t help but think about her.

When she was declared deported, she refused and went to live near the forest, saying that she would protect her.

What was left of her was the room she had been in, the clothes she did not take with her, and her gears and parts that she may have forgotten or left behind because they were not needed.

Since her mother had cut off her family’s ties, she lost two people and her family alive, but Kanan may have been relieved rather than sad. 〉

She knew very well that ■■ did not live well with her other elves, so if she could go out into the world and find someone who matched her hobbies, she might be able to change her personality a little. Because I don’t know.

It wasn’t like Kanan didn’t go around looking for her either.

She wanders outside, and has she never seen an elf that looks like her? ‘ She asked, but her answer was always a dejected shake of her head.

Then again, it would mean that she was extremely reluctant to connect with people even after coming out.

Thinking that she was a helpless child, she looked for a moment at her house, where her room was still intact.

Without saying a word, she stroked the mane of the horse that had run for her, mounted its back, and spurred her on.

001

It’s been a year since she last went back to the village.

‘A year feels like a month to an elf, right?’

There were people who asked, but is that possible? Even for elves, a year is just one year.

It would be a big mistake to think that all long-lived species have a strange sense of time.

With that thought in mind, Kanan parted ways with her co-worker and went to the inn with a bar she always visits to rest for the last time before returning to the village.

Considering the distance between the human realm and her village, this was also the closest base of activity.

The owner is a man with a blunt expression and a bushy beard.

When she opened the door and entered the tavern, the man recognized her by looking at the hood worn by Kanan, who did not want to reveal that he was basically an elf, and immediately prepared the things she always ordered when she came here and placed them on the seat where she sat.

She didn’t talk much with him, but she must have remembered.

As he always does, he pays his own travel expenses, gets a room, and Kanan sits down to enjoy a small drink before going to bed.

There were more people today than other times, so noisy voices could be heard.

“Hey, did you hear? A dragon’s body was found! You said the horns were cut off, and the heart was dug out, right? What kind of fearless guy would do something like that?”

“Don’t even talk. Because of that, the lord said he was forming soldiers who had neither horns nor hearts, but wanted scales and meat… And John was taken there. I heard that skeleton soldiers appear around the dragon’s corpse, but I’m glad no one got hurt…”

Contrary to what he had expected to hear, as always, the tired voices of humans lamenting their situation, when he heard her ugly voice, Kanan unconsciously turned his head towards her.

Dragon corpse? The dragon was killed?

I’ve never heard anything like that. Aren’t they immortal?

＂… Are you interested?＂

When the owner, who placed the prepared cup down in front of her, spoke first, which was rare, Kanan turned to him and spoke.

＂No, nothing like that in particular… But… I think it’s strange for a dragon to die, but it’s even stranger for the corpse to be left unattended.”

When Kanan said that, the man sighed and sighed anxiously.

“I see. In fact, a man who stopped by here not long ago was boasting that he had seen the corpse of a dragon. At that time, everyone treated him like a drunk guy’s nonsense… But maybe…”

＂…＂

At the storekeeper’s words, Kanan suddenly had an ominous vision of Retios and her heart and horns disappearing, but she quickly shook her head.

“… It has nothing to do with me. If you drink this, it will go up right away.”

When she says that, her store owner nods her head in understanding and hands her keys.

And as Kanan declared, once she had emptied all of her cup, he went up her stairs, entered the room given to him, and lay down on her bed.

When she returns to her hometown after a year, she wonders how it has changed…

Because elves are a race that never changes.

However, I just think that the new supreme elder may have done something.

What continues to bother me is that something outside my common sense, the death of a dragon, happened on the continent.

And if what the store owner says is true, twice-

Maybe, more than that.

… What should they do when the blessings of Letios disappear from their village?

When I thought about that, I couldn’t sleep even if I tried to rest.

In the end, I didn’t feel refreshed at all when I woke up in the morning because I had a hard time sleeping that night.

Whether she knows her master’s feelings or not, she climbs into the saddle of her revitalized horse and sets off on her way back to her hometown.

002

After running for about three days, the forest of her hometown had not changed at all compared to when she left.

Sighing with relief at that fact, she headed to his house again to hand the bloody bag to the wizard before returning to her house.

“I’ve been there, and I’ve also found the materials you asked for.”

“It took a little while this time. Still, it took the time I expected.”

As soon as I open the door and finish the report, a gaunt and tired-looking wizard looks back while sitting on a chair.

Seeing him lose so much weight that his skin stuck to his bones, Kanan unconsciously flinched and trembled, stopping in his tracks.

＂… Are you okay?＂

“Don’t worry. Because I’m just using my future physical strength at a premium.”

After hearing that story, at what point is it telling you not to worry?

Anyway, I brought the ingredients safely this time, so I will ask for other ingredients again.

While waiting in front of him with that thought in mind, the wizard slowly raised his head while examining the material Kanan had brought.

“I don’t plan on making you work right away this time, so go and get some rest. I heard you left right away last time without even taking a break.”

＂I… I’m fine. The faster the work is completed, the safer the village becomes.”

＂…＂

After hearing Kanan’s answer, the wizard scratched his head, and as if he had no choice, he looked through the note paper he had piled up to request the next item.

At that time─

＂It’s a big deal! Wizard—!”

Kanan, startled by the voice of a villager who opened the door and burst in loudly, turns around and makes eye contact with the villager.

“Kanan? You’re back! That’s good, did you happen to see Pitre?”

＂Pitre? No…”

“If you are Lord Pitre, you must be in your mansion or the elders’ meeting hall. Why are you looking here?”

When the wizard speaks as if it were absurd, the elf responds.

“That’s… Mr. Pitre hasn’t been seen since yesterday… Even though it was time for the elders’ meeting, he didn’t seem to be at the mansion, so I went to visit him, and it turns out he didn’t come back to the mansion yesterday.”

＂… I can’t help it. Kanan, come with that guy and help us find Pitre. It would be more relaxing than going outside.”

When the wizard said that to Kanan, Kanan nodded her head hesitantly.

And then she turned around and was about to leave the wizard’s house ─

Above her head, a huge shadow fell.

An ominous silence surrounds them.

The moment when I thought a flash of light flashed before my eyes.

Kwaang!!

An explosion occurred that shook the heavens and earth, and huge flames engulfed the entire village.

003

When I came to my senses, the surroundings were filled with the smell of something burning and screams.

When Kanan fumbled with her hands to somehow raise her body, she caught something hard in her hands and turned around.

Then, what was there was the dead body of the elf who had asked about Pitre’s whereabouts just a moment ago, with half of his body missing.

＂Ugh…!?＂

Holding back the almost involuntary scream, she hurriedly raised her head and saw

Not only did the house she walked out of collapse, but the entire village was engulfed in black flames.

Kanna was left dumbfounded for several seconds by the truly hell-like scene.

However, she quickly got up and headed to the bottom of the collapsed rubble.

The fact that the wizard was inside the building right before the explosion occurred meant that he must have been dragged under it.

The reason his body was relatively intact was probably because he didn’t completely leave the house that the wizard had placed a spell to protect.

Therefore, if Kanan, who hoped that he was alive even though he was trying to crush him under the rubble, somehow lifted the heavy rubble.

Clearly, there was a wizard there.

However, he is barely alive, with his lower body crushed by the rubble of a building.

＂Wow! Wow…!”

＂Are you okay!?＂

As soon as he emerges from the wreckage, he coughs and spits out blood from his mouth. When Kanan approaches him, he raises her hand and speaks to her.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think so… I already have no feeling below my waist.”

“Wait, I’ll take it out now.”

Kanan says that and tries to clean up the remaining debris, but then.

When they thought they heard the sound of giant wings flapping once again, they both looked up at the sky at the same time.

Then, there was something as big as those wings flying across the sky.

Tail, wings, and four legs.

It was in the shape of a huge lizard, with ugly horns sprouting from its head, and it could only be described as a monster with red eyes and black scales.

＂D-dragon…!?＂

And Kanan knew as soon as he saw it that it was a dragon, the same species as Letios, who protects them.

＂Why is the dragon in our village…!＂

＂No way-… Cough!＂

When Kanan said that, the wizard poured out blood from his mouth and spoke while holding Kanan’s arm.

＂Rather than saving me, quickly go to Lord Letios’ altar and light the sacred beacon…! Call on Letios, if you don’t stop that dragon, this village will end…!”

“But, wizard…!”

“I’m as good as dead already, so hurry up and run with this!”

At the same time, what he gave to Kanan was a protection unit with a powerful defensive magic.

Kanan was momentarily helpless and couldn’t get off his seat, but when he saw him crashing to the ground and not moving, he bit his lower lip and stood up.

When you infuse her magic into the protective part, a shield of her magic spreads around her body.

Then, he went straight across the burning village and headed towards the altar of Letios, which had been prepared to offer tribute.

Already on the way, several village residents had been reduced to charcoal or crushed by flying debris.

The dragon that attacked the village was flying leisurely in the sky, and seemed to be enjoying the sight.

＂… Kk…!＂

Kanan felt anger and fear at the same time as he watched the person who only saw them as someone who would trample on them.

That is not a being that I can deal with…!

Among the life forms on this continent, there is no life form that can stand up to that on its own…!

Only with a miracle or courage close to a miracle can you stand before the dragon.

Literally a warrior with a holy sword.

The protection left behind by her wizard protected her from flying fragments and flames, but were useless against the fear that consumed her mind.

Still, somehow, with a heart that seems to have stopped beating, she moves her legs and arrives at her altar, looking at the sacred beacon that stands firm even in the midst of her mess.

Kanan quickly picked up a piece of burning wood that was lying around and threw it into the beacon tower. Then, the firewood in the beacon tower caught fire quickly, sending smoke high into the sky.

However, it was strange that even though the village was already filled with smoke, Letios did not appear.

＂Haa… Haa…＂

Dozens of seconds of waiting for lightning to strike in the sky while calming down my breathing from non-stop running.

No matter how long he waited, when Letios did not appear, Kanan looked up at the sky and shouted.

“Letios! Please! The village, the village is burning! Please, help us…!”

It must have been that kind of contract.

They must have made a deal where they would pay tribute, and she would protect them.

Why doesn’t she show up?

“Please…! Please, please show up…!”

As she collapsed, clinging to her sacred beacon, the next moment the loud sound of her wings flapping echoed over her head.

She suddenly comes to her senses and raises her head in her bright hope-

[Kkkk…]

What was there was the black dragon, the very person who burned down their village.

[Did you say Letius…? Haha! The dragon that protects this insignificant realm will not appear.]

“That can’t be possible…! He is not someone who can ever abandon us…!”

Kanan grabbed the black dragon’s head as if denying his words, but what actually appeared before him was not him, but only a dragon trying to destroy the village.

[No, he can’t come. Shall I tell you the reason?]

The black dragon looks at Kanan with a sneer and then bursts into laughter.

[Khahaha!!! They were just scared! Letios is the weakest dragon among us dragons who are still treated like a child!]

[It is impossible to stop this Fafnir with such a young dragon!]

[All foolish dragons who protect humans and receive tribute and imitate gods will lose their territories in the future! And in that place, only corpses, death, and flames remain!]

To bring down Kanan in her despair, the black dragon continues to let out her voice taunting her.

[You have been abandoned… Betrayed! To that guy who hid because he feared for his life! Haha! Haha!!]

When the sound of passionate laughter covered the entire village, Kanan could not help but despair even more at the reality that did not change even if he wanted to deny it.

No matter how long I wait, Letios [Salvation] Does not appear.

What exists is a dance of fire and hell, death and despair.

When her heart broke amid the screams that continued without accompaniment, Fafnir opened his mouth wide.

And then, the flames of hell poured out and attacked her.

004

In her despair, when she opened her eyes once again, having accepted her death, it was all over.

The surrounding area was reduced to ashes, and both the foundation and the sacred beacon had melted away.

What was covering her was a pile of ashes as everything around her burned down.

If you had seen it from the outside, it would have looked like it had been reduced to ashes while retaining its human form.

However, the protection created by the magician’s powerful magic just before he died barely managed to protect Kanan’s body from the evil dragon’s breath.

In her half-asleep mind, she somehow woke up to what she saw.

The forest of her hometown has become a wilderness, with not a single living thing surviving.

Standing alone in a place where there were no trees, animals, or elves, she had no choice but to sit down once again from where she had stood.

There was nothing, nothing left.

＂Ah, ah… Ahhh…! Ahhhhh───!!!＂

Cried out, putting her head on the ground. On the first, second, and third days, my voice stopped coming out.

On the fourth day, no tears flowed, and on the fifth day, she could not move her body.

She survived on her own, with nothing left.

Despite this, Letios did not appear.

Why, why.

Why. Why. Why. Why. Why. Why. Why. Why!!!

＂I promised…!!＂

She had a voice that was close to screaming.

It would be better if she were dead, she said to herself.

If only I had to survive and endure this painful feeling.

However, when she thinks she hears a rattling sound, she looks at her gear that has rolled out of her pocket.

Now that even her own home is gone, she is the only link she has with her sister.

From there, she changed her mind.

Yes, no matter how desperate she was, she couldn’t end herself like this.

The reason for this was an evil dragon named Fafnir – and they also had to hold Retios responsible for breaking their contract.

No, beyond that, she hates all dragons.

As long as such non-standard beings exist on this continent, will all other races have to die at the whim of their whims?

There was absolutely no way something like that could be tolerated.

The very existence of dragons is a disaster for all other creatures on this continent.

So, only the obsession that she must avenge all those disasters as atonement for her survival began to move her body.

Kanan stood up and picked up the fallen gear.

When I met her one day, the reason she survived was to avenge everyone in her village –

So that I can say that I accomplished it.

She walks through the burned-out village like a corpse, without even tying up her bleached white hair.

And from then on, she began wandering the world as a dragon slayer.