## Chapter 1156 – Confrontation

A few days later.

I finally reached the border.

“So, this is where we truly part ways.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it was quite enjoyable talking with you. It was a short but very beneficial time, human. You are a human with much to learn from. And a very peculiar human, indeed.”

Saintel, with his arms crossed, nodded.

“Do you even know anything about humans?”
“Hmph, no. But I do know that you are peculiar.”

Is that so.

“Anyway, I hope we meet again sometime.”
“If I come again, I’ll ask you to be my guide.”
“I shall gladly accept.”

This guy had a cool personality, so I didn’t feel any particular discomfort while I was with him. He’s probably one of the nicest elves out there. If I ever come to the Elven Forest again, I’d like to ask him to be my guide again.

“May the blessing of the World Tree be with you.”
“Yeah. You take care too.”

I had to change carriages here. That top-of-the-line carriage led by the Elven Unicorn could only be used within the Elven Forest.

Fortunately, I was able to find a new carriage in a village near the border. It was just a regular baggage cart pulled by two ordinary horses. The speed would be much slower, but from now on, I had to ride this.

Damn, it would be so convenient if I had something like an inventory.

But there’s no way I’d have something like that.

“Ah, and if you ever come to the Divine Realm, you will have to have a rematch with us then.”
“Hehehe, hey. Tell your guardian warriors to improve their skills. It’s not even a contest.”
“You are excessively strong.”

Those bastards need to improve their skills.

The unit commander must have been a little upset that he was so thoroughly defeated by me.
But what was the unit commander’s name again?

He wanted to have a revenge match with me, so if I get the chance, I’ll have to beat him down again.

“Anyway, it was nice meeting you. Farewell, Saintel.”

At my words, Saintel nodded.

And I drove the carriage.

With that, I completely left the Elven Forest. This feels a bit like watching the last scene of Spirited Away, a cartoon I watched when I was young.

I wonder what happened to Chihiro after she went home?

There’s no way a girl who fought for her life in such a terrifying world of a ghostly night parade could grow into a proper adult… Anyway, in that last scene, they definitely said not to look back when returning.

I said screw it and just looked back.

“…”

Saintel was waving his hand.

—Papapap!

I waved back.
And then turned my head back and went forward.

“Ah, right.”

I didn’t properly teach him the Seniority Fist Technique.

Well, maybe there will be another chance.

“Go faster, you slowpoke bastards.”

I struck the horses with the whip I received when I bought the carriage.

—Heeheeheeing.
—Heeheeheeheeing.

* * *

My heart was impatient, but the speed was slow.

“Damn it.”

I feel like I haven’t even gone 25% yet.

Damn it, I received so much that I can’t help it. It would be a bit much to carry all those chests. Excessive gold and silver treasures sometimes bother people like this.

“Kuh… I certainly feel the pressure has lifted. When I was there, it felt like I was being crushed.”
“That’s probably because of the World Tree.”
“The World Tree… truly detestable gods.”

Andro, who was settled on my waist, said such words. Since I’m just riding the carriage alone, there’s nothing much to do except talk to this guy. Ah, I really want to go home quickly.

But detestable, huh.

“Do you know anything about gods?”
“Powerful beings. And like our demons, they are beings who crave human souls.”
“Craving souls?”

Come to think of it, some demons have said something similar. Did Hilde say something similar too? Well. It’s not that important. This must be the perspective that demons have.

It’s not like demons know the gods properly.

“That’s right. The gods also crave human souls. The reason they attack demons is purely because they are afraid of having their souls stolen.”

Is that why the two are enemies?

“That’s a pretty interesting interpretation. Where did you learn that?”
“I, Andromalius, am an existence that seeks great knowledge. There is nothing that I do not know, except for the things that I do not yet know.”
“Stop talking nonsense, you bastard. Where did you learn it?”
“While traversing the wastelands of Pandemonium, I captured and killed many demons. I learned it in the process.”

Bullshit.

The reliability of the information is too low.

“The beings that humans call gods…! Are merely beings from another world!!!”

According to Andro’s claim, the human world was originally the demons’ happy territory. But shoulder-gangsters from another dimension called gods came and wreaked havoc, making it impossible to leave Pandemonium.

First of all, the reliability of this information was extremely low, and Andro didn’t know anything about the Titan era or anything like that, so it wasn’t very useful information.

In fact, this guy was a very young archdemon, born after the Idol War.

Originally, many ancient archdemons were replaced by the Idol War, so, well. You could say he’s a 2nd generation archdemon.

Anyway, I was driving the carriage while chatting with Andro like that.

“Ugh, damn it.”

As expected, this is near the border, so these murdering robbers and bandits popped out intermittently and disturbed our journey. Every time I encountered them, I immediately slaughtered their boss with my bare hands, and then tied up the terrified remnants in a row and dragged them to a nearby city.

“Hehehe. Greetings. I am Paladin Kim Kat.”

After going to the city, I immediately looked for the City Guard office.

“I would like to meet the City Guard commander here.”
“Ah, yes! I will go report immediately!”

When I showed my seal and ID, the City Guard member immediately went to report, and soon the commander ran out to me.

“Wh, what brings you here?”
“Do you see them?”

I showed the murdering robbers and bandits tied up in ropes.

“The security is not very good on the way here. Bandits and murdering robbers.”
“Oh! So you arrested them…?”
“Well. You could say that. So, well. I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”

I immediately handed him an envelope with the address of the prison that was now my property. Inside the envelope was a letter I was sending to the warden of the Jabong Prison.

“Do you see the address on the letter? That place was originally a prison managed by the Brass Celestial Society, but now I am in charge of it. I will pay you, so please transport these prisoners to that prison.”

“Ah… the transportation of prisoners, you say.”

The City Guard commander looked at the envelope and replied.

“It’s a bit far. It seems like it will take some time.”
“That’s why I said I would pay. How much will it cost? I will add a fair price and a handling fee. I am a paladin of the Brass Celestial Society. You don’t have to worry about not getting paid.”
“Ah, I’m not doubting that.”

The first thought I had when I first encountered the murdering robbers was that I had hit the jackpot. I could catch them like this, drag them to the City Guard office in a nearby city, and then have them transported to my prison through the commander there.

It’s truly fantastic.

It’s a beautiful story that seems to come out of a fairy tale.

I beat up the bandits to strengthen the security of the area, make them pay for their crimes, and make money.

“Well… I can’t specify the unit price right now. But since it’s Paladin’s request, I will have them transported. Instead, I will record all the costs and…”
“Bill the prison.”
“Ah. I see. Then I will do that.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s okay. It’s not a difficult task.”

I’m relieved.

“You bastards!!! You will be living in prison from now on!!!”
“Ugh, ugh…!”

I immediately scolded the prisoners, handed them over to the City Guard members, and then drove the carriage again.

But I don’t know how much the transportation cost will be. I’m planning to give a fair price and a generous handling fee, but if they try to scam me with the money issue, I’ll have to run back here and carry out a slaughter operation again.

I hope that doesn’t happen.

Anyway, the journey home was roughly like that.

* * *

And.

I finally returned to the capital.

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!”

I roared while pulling the damn carriage back to the capital.

Damn it, I went through so many cities and changed horses so many times on the way here. It was really hard the whole time. But in the end, it wasn’t that late.

Honestly, I think I’ll get scolded a bit, but I have some gifts and stories, so if I ask for forgiveness with that, it’ll be okay.

I grabbed my pounding heart and pushed the key into the door of my house.

—Click.

And.

I violently reopened the door.

—Bang!

“I’m back!!!!!! Sorry I’m late!!! I missed you!!!!”

I opened the door and, by nature, prepared for the impact of Hilde, who would come out like a cannonball to welcome me. If they were owners of the sensory perception like them, they would have noticed when I came to the front of the house. First, Hilde will pop out, and then will it be Claudia?

Anyway, I thought that and looked ahead.

“Huh?”

No one was there.

Hilde doesn’t pop out.
No one welcomes me in the living room.

“…This.”

It’s not that there’s no presence.

Then.

—…

I heard footsteps from the stairs leading to the basement.

—Sabsabsab.

But the footsteps were a little light.
It was like a child walking up.

Soon.

The head of the owner began to appear.

Silver hair that looked like silver was melted and woven into threads… It was Risha.

“…”

Loli Risha, who had taken the form of a child, appeared on the stairs.

“Risha…?”

What is it…?

Why did she transform?
I immediately approached Risha.

“…”

Risha.

Was still silent, and somehow a little.

She had a very depressed face.

I stood in front of Risha and looked down at her face.

Then.

“Risha… the experiment went wrong.”

Risha.
Said so in a dark voice.

“Ri, Risha? What?”
“I can’t go back now.”
“Uh.”

—Thud.

At some point, I was sitting down.

This anxiety.

What the hell.

—Pooong.

At that moment, a small explosion occurred in front of my eyes, and black smoke swirled around.

“Ah, ah?!”

Uh.

“W, were you that surprised! A prank! It was a prank! Eiiiit! Karin! Come out quickly! Why did you want to play this prank!!!”

Risha, who had become a normal adult, grabbed my shoulders with a very embarrassed face and called Karin.

“Kuh… Keuheuheuk…!”

Karin popped out like a ghost from the stairs.

“Ah, no! Hey! Why are you so pale!”

She, who was laughing, was embarrassed and ran towards me… Ah, what is it! Ah! Damn it! I was tricked! Wow, damn it, what was that just now!!!

“Ah, now!”

Aww!

“I almost had a heart attack! Ah, I was really tricked, ah!!!”
“Haa… Were you very surprised? Karin wanted to play a prank.”

Risha stroked my cheek and said so.
To plan such a prank!

“My heart feels like it’s going to explode, Risha! How can you act so well! Are you an actress!”
“Th, that… I practiced a little…”
“I really thought my heart was going to stop! Ah!”
“I, I’m sorry! I didn’t know you would be this surprised!”

Risha didn’t know what to do and loosened the front of her chest, and then Risha’s demon princess big boob explosion, which I missed and missed, was revealed. I immediately buried my nose in the cleavage and rubbed my face, grabbing and kneading her breasts with both hands.

“Rehweeeeng.”
“That’s right, that’s right. It was all a prank, so don’t worry.”

I really thought my heart was going to stop, damn it.

How can you endure Risha suddenly walking up in a child’s form and saying such things with such a face.

“Kuh… Kyahheuk! No, well, why are you so surprised by such a prank. More than that, you bastard! Who told you to be so late!”
“Now you’re using Risha to play such a prank because I’m late!”
“It’s because you’re late, you bastard.”

Karin poked the back of my head.

“Katttniiiiiiiiiim!!!”

Soon, Hilde’s voice began to be heard.

“Hilde, I’m back!”
“KatttnimIreallymissedyouIthoughtIwasgoingcrazy!!!!”
“Me too!”

Ah. I’m finally back home now.

“Katt…! You’re too late!”
“Hehehe, sorry. Claudia.”

Claudia walked out, and as soon as I checked her face, I realized that the fatigue of the trip was being relieved. Yeah. What’s the point of pale-skinned elves? Dark elves are the best.