Chapter 74

‘This is problematic.’

Gal and Palas faced each other without stepping back even a single step.

Gal, with a blank expression that only made him look more arrogant.

Palas, showing murderous intent beyond mere anger, yet exuding an aura that flowed like a calm stream.

‘If the two of them fight, it’ll be chaotic.’

This place was the Grand Temple, located in the very center of Pohelrn, the most prosperous city in humanity with the highest population density.

The symbolic significance of the Grand Temple, a center of faith, in the densely populated city, alongside the unstable battle zone known as Deus Ex Machina.

If these two truly began to fight, there were various variables that could lead to immense damage, regardless of who won or lost.

‘… It seems Palas has worked incredibly hard during this time.’

Before leaving the forest, Palas was not an opponent even worth comparing to Gal, even though he constrained himself by taking on the form of an elf rather than his original dragon shape.

However, even in his ample martial attire, his trained physique was palpable.

Without conscious thought, he was wrapped in defensive energy like armor.

Each step, breath, and gesture was of remarkable precision.

The flow of energy controlling his vital points was flawless from the hair on the tip of his fingers to the very essence within him.

This meant the spiritual energy originating from within himself had reached a harmonious stage, embodying the philosophy of the martial arts he revered.

This level was known as Harmony Realm.

It was a stage that could not simply be reached by relying on the strength of renowned families or merely understanding martial arts with one’s intellect.

Even considering his extraordinary lineage as a High Elf, achieving Harmony Realm at the age of 18 was no trivial feat.

He must have exerted excruciating effort over the long period we had not met.

Yet, despite having attained such a lofty realm, he showed no sense of disdain towards his opponent.

Unlike Saras, who, when taunted by Gal, found himself bewildered and distressed when his trump card was foiled, Palas outwardly displayed anger while coolly calculating how he could win.

He was the epitome of a perfected martial artist.

For someone like me who knew the times Palas had wandered, how could I not feel a surge of emotion?

However, aside from the pride I felt for my brother, who remembered my careless years, the situation was dire.

If Palas were to be instantly subdued by Gal, it would be regrettable for his pride, but considering Palas’s current state, Gal would not be able to easily overpower him without putting genuine effort into it, and the clash of these two titans would leave a substantial impact on the surroundings.

The problem was that neither of them were individuals who would understand each other.

Gal, who did not even listen to others’ words, as expected, and for some reason, Palas was in a state of rage enough to defy Saras, who had been entrusted with full authority by Demis.

Just as the previously relaxed atmosphere tightened again, all eyes were drawn to the movements of the two.

“… Araya…? What on earth is going on?”

A questioning voice that I hadn’t heard in a long time rang out.

Turning towards the source of the sound, Alia was looking at me with an expression as if she had seen a ghost, just like Duberv did when he first encountered me outside the city wall.

She seemed to have undergone some hardship, as traces of worry were visible on her beautiful face.

Had something difficult happened in my absence?

“Ah, Alia. I’m sorry for arriving late without any contact. But could you please wait a moment? There’s been a bit of a problem.”

Perhaps thanks to Alia’s sudden appearance and my apologies dispersing the critical gazes momentarily, the sharp air shifted slightly.

I couldn’t miss this opportunity, a gap in the flow created by Alia’s assistance, even if unintentional.

“Palas. Calm down. If the two of you fight here, everyone will get caught up in it.”

The change in the air around us, alongside my words pushing through, felt like it shattered Palas’s concentration.

Though Palas glared at Gal, he slowly began to step back.

Gal merely observed this without taking any particular action, yet Palas glared at Gal one last time before redirecting that gaze towards me.

… Why does he look like he’s angry at me too?

“Araya.”

“Uh… yes?”

“Everyone was worried about you.”

“… Yes.”

I could only quietly agree as I struggled to suppress the myriad of emotions welling up within me, unable to find a logically suitable response.

“No matter how formidable you are, you can’t solve everything. You understand that, right?”

“Yeah.”

“… Without being able to contact you, if you act in a place where we cannot assist, you need to be more cautious. Am I wrong?”

“… You’re right.”

Once dead, regrets serve no purpose.

I had thought that nothing in the world could threaten me, and without even the slightest safety measures, I had stepped into the unknown as if on a picnic, and it was undoubtedly a painful lesson learned.

Could it be that my expression had darkened a bit?

Perhaps sensing that I was barely holding back my anger, Palas’s expression softened slightly as he asked, his voice becoming gentler.

“So, what on earth happened during your absence? If you had been fine, why didn’t you return sooner? And why did you come back with your assailants? Depending on your answer, I may have to take you to the Elven Road.”

“Um… that’s…”

I glanced around.

Due to the sudden return and the standoff with Gal, not only were there elves but also priests, paladins, and others who had come to accompany Alia filling the area.

…And there was Duberv, eagerly observing in the corner.

Though he wasn’t exactly a gossip by nature, he definitely wasn’t one to keep secrets, that rascal.

Despite my efforts to quietly return to the Grand Temple, the brief commotion had already made enough noise.

While it might have been handled discreetly from the outside, I couldn’t hide the fact that I had been absent for over six months from those inside the Grand Temple.

Moreover, if the reason behind my absence became known, it could seriously tarnish the authority I had built up until now.

Considering that the people inside the Grand Temple rarely interacted with the outside, it was unlikely this would leak, but there’s no absolute in this world.

“… Let’s talk in a quieter place for now.”

◈ ◈ ◈

After clearing everyone out, I gathered with Palas, Saras, Anya, Gal, Alia, and Antrea in the Room of Worlds to converse.

Gal, seemingly uninterested in our discussion, began to examine the Room of Worlds in detail, perhaps feeling a great curiosity about the battle zone Deus Ex Machina that managed all of Pohelrn.

Saras, having directly experienced the mana control and power Gal had displayed earlier, watched him with a worried expression.

“… So, that’s how Gal and I ended up here.”

I skipped over what could be deemed controversial in the successive events, thinking of Gal’s antagonistic brothers and explained why we had returned to Pohelrn in a way that favored Gal as much as possible.

Though Gal’s arrogant actions up until now were infuriating, I couldn’t let emotions cloud my judgment in preparing for the future threats.

“… To think that a being of that magnitude would need to flee from something in the north.”

Sometimes prideful but undeniably intelligent, Saras seemed to understand just how remarkable Gal was through mere exchanges of glances.

It stood to reason, then, that just like me, he wouldn’t find it pleasant to think there were powerful beings whose intentions were unknown.

“Watch your words, elf. I did not flee from a great ape. I merely followed because Araya wished to come here.”

Even while inspecting Deus Ex Machina, the moment any words that touched on his pride came forth, Gal reacted defensively, correcting himself.

Saras merely shrugged at that.

Palas seemed to be deeply contemplating something with a serious expression.

Feeling a massive sense of responsibility towards protecting the elves, he appeared to take the existence of the giants capable of killing dragons very seriously.

‘… This is unexpected.’

Eight years certainly felt like a long time.

The previously urgent and unstable Palas now seemed to be evolving into a guardian of the elves.

I caught eyes with Anya, who seemed to be nervously observing the heavy atmosphere devoid of the liveliness I remembered from the forest.

Perhaps it was due to our long-awaited reunion or because I had returned unharmed when she thought I was lost.

Though neither of us spoke, Anya’s eyes glimmered with warmth and joy.

While it was expected for Saras and Palas to be here, it was surprising to see Anya, who had no connections to battle, but seeing my sister after so long made me greet her with a soft smile.

“And…”

I shifted slightly to face Alia and Antrea.

Though only half a year had passed, Alia appeared somewhat gaunt, and Antrea, once the head of the Harmony Knights, seemed to have lost part of her left shoulder.

“… It seems something happened while I was gone.”

Abnormally strong by nature, the succubus, who had lived hundreds of years in the world of the strong preying on the weak in the eastern continent, had been taught martial arts by me.

No matter how piercing arrows or blades might come from the battlefield, a mere modern human should not be able to sever Antrea’s arm, even by chance.

It would be akin to a newborn baby breaking the arm of a grown man.

Something had clearly gone wrong. Alia’s somber expression was likely due to that as well.

“What has transpired?”

“This time, the king embarked on a campaign beyond the southern desert.”

“That was decided. That’s why I did my best to return before spring passed.”

“We thank you for looking after us.”

“There’s no need for courtesy; it was a promise. But more importantly, what happened?”

“… The king was defeated in the campaign.”

The six members of the Harmony Knights always accompanied the king on his campaigns, serving as the goddesses of victory.

Antrea’s appearance had already hinted at some of what had transpired.

“But how? It shouldn’t be easy to lose even if he wanted to.”

This era was one where simply eating well and growing strong meant far more than humans who had suffered from starvation.

The fertile land of Pohelrn, blessed with the forces from the World Tree and the battle zone, would yield crops tenfold with a single seed sown.

The agriculture and commerce flourished, providing soldiers who were properly equipped due to the amassed wealth.

There were seasoned veterans who had experienced nearly a hundred battles through conquests, and though the military relied on short-term, simplistic, and immediate organic connections, they were soldiers who had formally learned martial arts, even if they were low-tier.

If we were in the environment of the western continent from ten years ago, even twenty soldiers from Pohelrn could demolish any village or town if the Roas chose not to intervene.

Those soldiers numbered 1,500.

Furthermore, my disciple, Priegoss, would be considered a capable warrior even in the middle plains, and there were also six Harmony Knights belonging to the apex realm.

When considering that typical armies or soldiers in various cities would merely receive leather armor and bronze swords, the difference in their combat strength was absolutely significant.

“… There were Alguls behind the humans in the south.”

“Algul? That sounds familiar.”

As I tilted my head at the familiar name, the answer came back swiftly.

“It’s the name of the Einherjar of Orcus from the eastern continent.”

“Ah, that miscreant.”

I recalled it was the same name that had been involved during the death of Ul Kanadiel.

“… But how did someone who should be in the east suddenly cross the sea?”

“The target seems to be the core of our father.”

I turned my gaze towards the statue at the center of the Room of Worlds, depicting the deity of the heavens, focusing on the core that resided within it.

“… How do you know this?”

“It seems he overcame the curse our father left behind and managed to forge a connection through that power.”

“… I see.”

Things seemed to be getting complicated here, even before resolving issues with Gal and Terato.

When inspecting the history of the eastern continent, it’s undeniable there are beings that cannot simply be left to the cycles of nature here.

Perhaps Alia had heard of Terato’s story in the past.

It seemed her judgment aligned similarly to mine.

“… Your visit to the Grand Temple indicates that you were not aware of my return, but you sought to borrow the strength of my brothers.”

“… Yes. I was indeed surprised to see you back, Araya.”

“That was a wise decision. If it were merely a war among humans, it would have been one thing, but beings related to the eastern continent must not be allowed to remain unchallenged from the perspective of the elves.”

With those words, I shifted my gaze from Alia to Antrea.

“… It seems a rough road lies ahead.”

“My younger siblings are fine, and I’m alive, so it’s all good.”

Antrea smiled, albeit bitterly.

However, for a martial artist, the fact that one does not use their arms is no trivial matter.

Aside from simply losing limbs, she had to adapt her way of wielding martial arts due to the distortion and reshaping of her energy channels caused by the loss of her limbs.

Everything she had learned with her once-perfect body had been rendered null.

“You fulfilled your duties as the head of the Harmony Knights perfectly. Take some time to recuperate; I will provide you with good medicine and help straighten out your distortions.”

Antrea bowed her head quietly.

I sighed softly.

It seems that more unfortunate news keeps coming.

While I worried about what Terato in the north might be plotting and what his objectives were, since I still had no real understanding of his movements, matters in the south would have to be addressed more urgently.

In fact, because Terato had yet to make any moves, I felt a pressing need to deal with the annoying issues at hand now.

“I’ll convince my brothers. Don’t worry.”

Perhaps feeling reassured by my words, Alia’s previously gaunt face showed a glimmer of vitality.

I returned to the place where my brothers were and prepared to bring up the discussion about Algul and the eastern continent.

“Araya.”

“… Hmm?”

“There’s something that has been bothering me and I want to ask.”

“… What is it?”

With a stiff expression, Palas took a serious tone, making me somewhat tense.

“What happened to Mother’s branch and Saras’s protective spirit?”

“They burned during the fight…”

“Then what about the clothes that Atira made?”

“… I think… they probably burned as well.”

“Probably? You must have changed into the clothes you are wearing now, you wouldn’t know the state of your clothes back then?”

Ah, I had made a slip of the tongue.

Just as I tried to redirect the conversation, Palas stubbornly pressed on.

I could feel the light fading from Palas’s eyes as he became increasingly lifeless.

“I thought it was strange. You wouldn’t wear something that looks so grotesque instead of wearing the clothes made by Atira. Besides, given its appearance, it would be hard to attribute it to your sense of fashion.”

“That’s…”

“Grotesque? I thought it was quite decent for a mere creature. So, after all, it seems to be just a creature with a poor aesthetic sense.”

“I didn’t ask you.”

“Gal! Let me just—”

“I merely wished to create garments that reflect the most theoretically beautiful form while gazing upon Araya’s beautiful body. Unlike me, who is perfect, you mere creatures are pitiable in how you attempt to hide your inherent flaws through clothing, and I did my utmost to create it for you.”

“By… looking at my body?”

“Of course. In truth, unlike other mere beings, Araya possesses an impressive completeness even in her original form, therefore, although I thought she didn’t truly need it, it still was my pleasure.”

“Gal! Please—”

“That’s enough.”

Palas’s words, devoid of any emotion.

In his eyes, a lifeless void remained.

“It was strange from the moment you treated Araya like your own possession or a mere object.”

As his neck turned sharply, Palas glared at Gal, who had been inspecting the Room.

“Gal Dragon. You are.”

A soft line extended toward Gal.

“You are a being that should not exist.”

Palas lost his composure in rage and lunged at Gal, and as a fight was about to erupt in the delicately balanced Room of Worlds, Saras, Alia, and I had to frantically intervene to restrain Palas.

Gal observed this farce with an indifferent gaze, as if it had nothing to do with him, before eventually shifting back to examine the Room again.

All of this occurred on my first day back after being away for six months in the north.

---