Chapter 8 – First Encounter (1)
The first meeting after leaving the snowy wilderness.
The counterpart was an elf.
There were various problems, but it wasn’t bad.
Through conversations with the Elven Queen, he learned various things about the elves.
He wished to stay longer, but he had to leave since the elves feared him, but still, he was satisfied enough.
“I also received this.”
A red gem shook in his hand.
Inside, flames were flickering.
The Elven Sanctuary. Elfo Sagrado.
Where their god resided.
What kind of place would it be?
How many elves would be there?
Would the spirits of nature be roaming around?
Scenes from various fantasies he had seen came to mind.
Just imagining it made his heart flutter.
He wanted to run to Elfo Sagrado right now if he could.
But he restrained himself.
In a fantasy world , there was nothing to stop him anymore.
He could enjoy it leisurely and at ease.
“But first, I need to meet people.”
He heard of a place close to the Elven Queen’s domain.
If he left the forest and went west, there was a fairly large territory.
His heart was pounding.
His restless body couldn’t wait.
“I should go a little faster.”
Ketal tapped his foot.
The ground cracked, and trees overturned.
Ketal’s body turned into a dot and disappeared in an instant.
The guard at the outer gate yawned long.
He looked straight ahead with sleepy eyes.
There was no one as far as the eye could see in the empty wasteland.
The guard with a stern bearing replied.
“Can’t I go to sleep?”
“Oh, no, you can’t. It’s working hours.”
“If it’s working hours, so what. No one is coming anyway.”
“But whatever. Just keep quiet, and you’ll be fine. I’m going to sleep, so if you tell anyone, you’re dead.”
The youngest stuttered.
Just as the guard was about to stretch and go to his own shelter.
“You can sleep. If you want to get fired.”
The guard froze at the voice coming from behind.
He awkwardly turned his head, forcing a laugh.
“Le, Leader. Are you here?”
“Don’t bother the youngest for no reason and do your job.”
The guard leader slapped the guard’s head.
The guard rubbed his sore head and muttered.
“There’s only the snowy wilderness in the direction of the east gate. No one has come today. Is there any meaning in guarding here?”
“Keep quiet and do your guard duty properly. I’m considering giving you special training because I heard that the lord is not satisfied with your work.”
The guard’s face quickly fell.
The guard leader said solemnly.
“Events don’t happen according to our convenience, you know? We don’t know when dungeons or monster lairs might appear, so guard properly.”
“What are the chances of that happening….”
“It’s your job to check the possibility of that happening. Focus. Besides, there are already ominous rumors going around, and they’re quite bothersome.”
“Come to think of it, is that true? That demons and monsters are showing up in the world again.”
A long time ago, after the demon king was defeated by the heroes, demons and monsters were no longer able to interfere in the mortal realm.
After hiding their traces for thousands of years, they were revealing themselves again.
“There are rumors that the kingdom has fallen, but there’s no way to know here. Anyway, do your job first. The demon army might suddenly appear from beyond.”
“What are the chances of that happening….”
The guard grumbled but straightened up.
He didn’t want to be hit again.
He looked beyond the horizon.
Nothing could be seen or heard.
It was peacefulness itself.
Even if the world was noisy and chaotic, this place was a territory at the edge of the wilderness.
It was endlessly peaceful.
The guard started his watch, yawning.
After several tens of minutes passed.
The youngest frowned.
“…Do you hear something strange?”
“Something strange? I don’t know.”
“It’s faint. But… it seems to be getting closer.”
The guard focused his ears at the youngest’s words.
Then, even he could hear it.
A massive vibration, as if the world itself was trembling.
It was getting closer.
The guard’s face paled as he realized that something huge was rushing toward the territory.
“Hold! Wait a moment!”
The sound grew until everyone could hear it.
The guard captain, who was inside the territory to handle affairs, dashed out in alarm.
“What’s going on! What’s happening!”
“I, I don’t know! Something is approaching!”
The sound grew louder.
Something dangerous, though unknown, was getting closer.
The guard captain shouted urgently.
“Ring the bell! Gather all the guards!”
“Where is the knight?”
“T, the knight is not currently in the territory! He’s accompanying the lady to the castle….”
The guard captain cursed.
The guards were quickly mobilized.
They formed ranks and waited.
The sound was getting closer.
The sound spread throughout the entire territory, causing the citizens to cower in fear.
The sound reached the vicinity.
The dust piled up on the walls burst, covering everything around.
The guards’ bodies were slightly lifted off the ground.
A massive vibration struck their bodies.
The guards’ faces turned white.
They staggered, trying to flee.
The guard captain shouted fiercely.
“We are the guards of the Varkan territory! Sacrifice your lives to protect your family and friends!”
They shouted with determination.
The guards hesitated about their impending death.
The reverberations became so close that they couldn’t be any closer.
And then, it stopped.
The deafening noise, which had been approaching at regular intervals, was no longer audible.
The guards were perplexed.
The guard captain swallowed his saliva and gave the order.
Time passed in silence.
And then, beyond, someone’s figure appeared.
The hands gripping the spears tightened.
The figure gradually approached them.
The guard captain was momentarily bewildered.
Although the distance was still considerable, so they couldn’t be sure, the size was not much different from theirs.
It was a size that didn’t seem to belong to the owner of the immense roar.
The figure approached slowly.
The guards held their breath.
The guard captain forced his trembling body to calm down and stepped forward.
Footsteps could be heard.
The figure’s appearance began to come into view.
The guard captain’s pupils dilated.
The ashen-haired barbarian was there.
Fluent common language could be heard.
“Pleased to meet you.”