Chapter 31: The Trees Twisted in Unnatural Ways

The trees twisted in unnatural ways, locking together to form a labyrinth. The air was damp and didn’t feel very comfortable on the skin. These winds reached deep into the twisted web of branches, blowing across a small clearing. The branches extended over this open space like a dome. The thick layer of leaves hid the sky away, and the ground looked as if the sun hadn’t touched it for centuries.

A small child sat at the sloped center. The child couldn’t have been much older than five. Its black, drooping hair flowed over its shoulders and down its back, splaying over the ground around it. There was no way to tell if it was a boy or a girl. Its hollow eyes swam through space, never locking onto anything in particular. It swayed vaguely left and right, struggling to find its balance.

“Mm...mmm...”

The child seemed to be muttering something, but all that escaped its mouth were sounds without meaning. It seemed as though it had forgotten how to form words.

Eventually, the child timidly rose to its feet, unsteadily shambling around the clearing. The wind shook the branches, causing leaves to fall. One of them fell onto the child’s shoulder and stuck to its hair. It plucked it out and shoved it into its mouth, chewed, then swallowed. Then, it gathered up all the nearby fallen leaves and began gorging on those as well.

“Mm...”

In the midst of its meal, the hair draped over its face entered its mouth. The hair would not tear no matter how hard it tried, and while it tried chewing for a while, it eventually gave up and spat it out. For a while, the child walked around the clearing, but soon enough, it was back at the center. It squatted down, then lazily flopped onto the floor.

“Mmm...” It stuck a thumb into its mouth and closed its eyes. The only sounds it could hear were the whistling wind and the rustling branches.

○

“So you’re telling me she fights demons on her own?”

“Correct, though I don’t know how long that will last. They are far more powerful than standard fiends,” Graham said, taking another sip of tea.

According to him, the daughter of the king of the Western Forest was going around subjugating demons. It was a surprise to hear that demons were reviving all over the lands, but even more so to hear that the elven princess could defeat them without assistance.

Duncan let out a long breath of admiration. “What an incredible talent she must have... I heard it took a bunch of retired S-Ranks and the active high-ranking adventurers just to take down a single demon near Orphen.”

“It is a difference in mana, Sir Duncan. Only those well-versed in handling mana can take them on.”

“Then you have to be a magician or something?”

“Not exactly. If I were to break mana down to its essentials, it is simply internal strength given direction. We elves called it ‘ki’ in our ancient tongue. Have you ever wondered why those who aren’t magicians can inject mana into their weapons?”

Come to think of it, this was true. Neither Belgrieve nor Duncan had the ability to manifest mana as magic externally. At most, they could use enchanted tools that reacted to their own mana to take effect.

However, they were conscious of the flow of mana when it flowed directly into their weapons. In order to handle one’s weapon as an extension of the body, it was essential to use mana as an intermediary to connect one’s senses to the weapon. Both Belgrieve and Duncan could do this unconsciously, but it was clearly a peculiar thing once it was pointed out.

“Your skill with the blade is not determined by pure physical might, is it? A master swordsman hardly uses any strength, merely swinging his weapon with mana. The elves are far more versed in mana and its uses. She was especially talented, much to our chagrin. And then, she fled the forest...”

“I see... Meaning if you can put enough mana into your weapon, it is not difficult to hunt down a demon.”

“That depends. Some of them are stronger than others. It would be difficult to take on a powerful one alone. Furthermore, they are essentially immortal. You can deplete their power for a time, but it is impossible to eliminate them.”

Duncan made a dubious face. “I’m pretty thickheaded...but if you think the elf princess is gonna come here, then that must mean the outbreak in fiends in Turnera must be...”

Graham closed his eyes. “I can’t say for certain, but the possibility is high. That’s why I’ve come here.”

“Good gods...” Belgrieve scratched his head.

“To be clear, nothing is certain, Sir Belgrieve. The fiends you’ve faced were all low ranking, weren’t they?”

“Yes... But there’s a high possibility, right?”

“Indeed. The mana I feel here is similar, but not exactly the same. That’s what I don’t understand... I’ll need to look into it.”

Belgrieve nodded. They needed to find the source of the fiend outbreak sooner or later. Thus, he led the two of them out of the village to have a look at the forest.

As he walked between the trees, Graham honed his ears and narrowed his eyes.

“What is it, Graham?”

“I definitely feel something strange. However...” Graham frowned and cocked his head. “It is very strange indeed. If a demon’s mana were influencing the land, there would have been a large change to the forest itself.”

“Huh?”

From what they could see, the forest hadn’t undergone any particular transformations. Graham hadn’t noted anything either as he looked down over Turnera from the mountain. The three ventured farther in until the trees grew so thick there wasn’t a gap for light to filter through and a strangely chill air lingered about.

They could hear sheep bleating in the distance, and looking back, the peaceful grasslands beyond the trees from whence they came were still visible. A wave of white light reflected off the low grass each time the wind brushed over it.

“The influence is contained deep within the forest, it seems,” Graham muttered. “Few fiends venture out to the plains.”

“Yeah... Does that mean the forest has become a dungeon?”

“Not yet, but the mana lingers in the forest and the fiends are drawn to it. If it were the doing of one of those things, however, the trees would be twisted unnaturally, their life force distorted...”

“Then instead of a demon, could it be the influence of another high-ranking fiend?”

“Possibly...but the nature of this mana is very familiar. The troubling thing is how little we know about demons.”

Suddenly, there was a feeling of hostility emanating from farther in the woods. The three of them reached for their weapons in tandem as four grayhunds bounded through the trees. Duncan’s battle-axe cleaved through the head of the first one immediately, while Belgrieve used as small a movement as he could muster to decapitate the next. Seemingly a split second after Graham had drawn his weapon, the last two were bisected.

It all happened in an instant. The three of them tucked their weapons away and examined the corpses littering the ground.

“Splendid handiwork, both of you,” Graham said, with a hand on his chin.

“What are you talking about? We are mere infants compared to you.”

“I got a good eyeful of the Paladin’s sword—a sharp draw, despite the size of the blade! I heard your weapon was called a holy sword, but if I may be so rude, Sir Graham, could I take a look at it?”

“Hmm...” Graham hesitated for a moment before quickly drawing his sword.

It was an unrefined piece without any ornamentation, but the edge was certainly sharp and lacked even a single blemish. It let off an air so intimidating, it was almost as if they could hear the growling of a beast, and both Belgrieve and Duncan inadvertently held their breath.

“This weapon is alive,” Graham said, giving it a swing. He handled it lightly, as though he was completely disregarding its heft. The growling of the sword made the air tremble around it, and the blade flickered like a mirage. “There is a peculiar tree that grows at the ends of the east—steelwood, they call it. It extracts metals from the soil below, processes them within its trunk, and then hangs these refined metals from its branches like fruit. The steel it grows is of supremely high quality, but is difficult to process. Once you actually manage to make a weapon of it, the result is a sword that is greatly in tune with its wielder.”

“A living mineral... Astounding.”

“I see... Color me impressed. That really is no ordinary sword.”

Belgrieve and Duncan observed it closely. The sword glimmered menacingly, making it clear that anyone apart from Graham who even touched it would be torn asunder.

They called it quits there and returned to the village. Now that Graham was with them, it seemed possible to venture into the depths of the woods to pin down the source. However, Graham’s objective was to find the elf princess, who was apparently incredibly perceptive to mana. She would definitely sense the mana of the forest and come here eventually. Thus, he wanted to leave the forest in its abnormal state until then, and in exchange, he would protect Turnera as well.

It was a relief to have someone of his mastery with them, so Belgrieve and Duncan graciously accepted the offer. It was hard to deny that the childish desire to see a hero’s blade up close had played some part, though that was a trivial factor.

“I’m sorry for being so selfish. But if I don’t lay a trap like this, that tomboy will slip away again.”

“Ha ha ha! Well, if you’ve got so much free time on your hands, how about teaching me a thing or two? I’d love to spar with you one of these days, Sir Graham!”

“I don’t mind. I just hope there’s anything you can learn from these old bones.”

“What are you saying? I didn’t feel a hint of age in your swing! My, to be able to exchange blows with both the Paladin and the Red Ogre! I’m a lucky man!”

Belgrieve gave a tired smile. “Duncan, you can’t put me up there with Sir Graham. You’ve already figured it out after fighting me, right? I’m not as good of a swordsman as you make me out to be.”

“Not exactly, Bell. Perhaps you are my equal for now, but your sword is still developing. I am but a brazen intruder along the way. You don’t realize how much you’ve motivated me.”

“Urgh...”

You’re making a pretty big deal out of this, Belgrieve thought as he scratched his cheek. Then, he recalled something and turned to Graham.

“Sir Graham.”

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s not exactly related, but do you know of an elven woman called Satie?”

Graham furrowed his brow in thought. “Satie... No, I’m sorry. I do not remember anyone by that name.”

“I see... Thank you.”

“A friend of yours?”

“Yes, we got to know one another in Orphen. She was an elf, and an adventurer. It wasn’t for long, but we were in the same party.”

“Hmm... Did she return to elf territory?”

“I don’t know. We parted ways a long time ago...”

Graham folded his arms. “How long ago?”

“Roughly twenty-five or twenty-six years back.”

“I left the dukedom thirty years ago... I do not know anything that happened there after I was gone,” Graham said apologetically.

Belgrieve smiled. “Is that so... Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m sorry I can’t help.”

“Not at all... Okay, Duncan. It’s a bit late, but how about we cook up some lunch?”

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

“I hope it’s to your tastes, Sir Graham...”

“Much obliged.” Graham calmly closed his eyes in thought.

○

The wooden building was jam-packed with strange tools and scrap. These included a number of flasks connected with glass tubes, wooden contraptions, large iron spheres, and leather-bound grimoires. Perhaps it was too much of a pain to arrange them all, or their owner did not care as long as she remembered their placements. In any case, they formed a chaotic mess around the house.

It was in a small village a short distance from Orphen. The villagers grew vegetables and raised livestock, mainly making a living by selling them in the big city. However, it had also become the haunt of magicians after the former S-Rank adventurer, Maria the Ashen, had taken up residence.

The blood of the curse dragon had beset her with an incurable ailment, but even before that, Maria hated noisy and crowded places. However, the abundant goods in Orphen were convenient for her magic research, so it felt like too much of a pain to move out into the countryside.

Instead, Maria set up a hermitage in this small village, spending day and night immersed in her research. Magicians from all over rushed in with their grimoires and artifacts after hearing the rumors of her residency, and before she knew it, a large, white building had been erected right beside the hermitage. More and more often, students with their hearts set on the magic arts would knock on her door, presenting her with nominal tuition fees.

When Angeline dropped by, Maria was spacing out in her chair. The windows were shut, with heavy curtains drawn over them, making the room dim in spite of being the middle of the day. A strange blend of scents—half perfume, half herb—filled the room.

“Granny Maria,” Angeline called. Maria turned to her with a frown.

“Oh, Ange...”

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick...?”

“I always feel sick, you idiot. Hack...”

Miriam grimaced and began throwing open the windows. A gentle breeze puffed up the curtains, scattering dust into the air. “It’s your fault for holing up in this filthy house, stupid hag!”

“Shut up, you idiot disciple! Just when I thought you hadn’t stopped by in a while, the first thing you say is a complaint! Cough!”

“What’s wrong with calling out stupidity when I see it?! If you don’t go out and take in the sun more, you’ll shrivel up like fish jerky!” Miriam rolled up her sleeves and began tidying the table closest to her. Maria stood in a panic to stop her.

“Stop! If you move things, I won’t know where they are anymore!”

“Shut uuuup! I cleaned up the last time I was here! How is it already so messy? Books go on the bookshelf! Empty vials go on the rack if you’re not using them! Why can’t you do something so simple?!”

“No! Not that one, you imbecile! I was going to read that later! I was going to use that vial right away too! Can’t you tell I put them where I need them to be?! Hack, cough!” she said, falling into a coughing fit.

“Aw, can it, hag. You think it would have so much dust piled over it if you were going to use it right away?! Ange! Anne! Take the hag out, she’s getting in the way!”

Angeline and Anessa led Maria out with wry smiles on their faces. It seemed Maria was trying to wail about something over her coughing fit, but Miriam completely ignored her as she removed her hat, tied back her hair, and began cleaning like it was second nature to her.

The weather outside was delightful; the scent of fresh green grass wafted in on the wind. At times a strange medicinal scent would blend with this from the experiments running in the building next door. Squinting at the brilliant downpour of sunlight, Maria steadied her breathing and complained, “That blasted cat, she really knows how to get under my skin... She’s always such a busybody with me.”

Anessa giggled. “She’s not actually that tidy at our house. She leaves her clothes lying around everywhere.”

“It’s because Merry really cares for you, Maria. And you love her too, don’t you?”

“Silence. Hack... What are you here for? Did you come to play?”

“No, we came for this.”

Angeline produced something from her sack: a translucent, amber-colored mass, hard as stone. Maria took it and observed it closely.

“I see. Your party took the request.”

“Yeah, the sap of the ohma tree. Merry already had a look at it, so the purity should be first-class...”

“Hack... Well done, I guess. Good work.” Maria lowered herself onto a bench and sighed. Anessa circled around to rub her shoulders.

Angeline sat on the ground observing the old magician. She wore several layers of robes despite it being midsummer, with a scarf wrapped over that. Apparently, her illness made it so she could not maintain her body heat. While Angeline and Anessa were sweating profusely, she had not shed a single drop.

Her face was so youthful she looked to be in her twenties, but her back was curled, and seeing Anessa rub her shoulders, she was the spitting image of an old woman. Youth is not an issue of appearance, thought Angeline. But even taking that (and her foul mouth) into consideration, Maria was an appealing woman.

“Hey, Granny Maria. Why are you single?”

“Hmph. That was sudden... Hack.”

“I mean you’re beautiful, and you don’t age... I thought you would be popular.”

“’Course I am. You shoulda seen me, I had men at my beck and call.”

“But you never married?”

“You think there’s a man out there who could match me?”

“My dad...?” Ange suggested after a beat.

“Huh?”

“Now c’mon, Ange...” Anessa sighed.

Maria was frowning, not quite understanding what they were talking about.

Taking a break from her cleaning, Miriam came out and said, “No way, no how. This old hag isn’t fit for Mr. Bell. There must be a reason why she’s alone at her age, and I don’t mean that in a good sense. Pffft, hee hee...”

“Bite your tongue, stupid cat. How about you? Got any love stories of your own? Oh, and how young you are.”

“Grr... Well... I don’t.”

Maria sneered, proudly lording over Miriam.

“Hah, can’t even snare a man with those needlessly large tits of yours? Go handle your own affairs before you start nosing around others. This is why you’re so unpopular, stupid.”

“Sh-Shut up!” Miriam screamed, her face a bright red.

Anessa giggled. “You can’t win against the wisdom of the ages, Merry.”

“Grrrr... Now that it’s come to this, I’ll catch myself the best guy in the world! Just you watch, hag!”

“Ha, you do that. If you can. Cough, hack...”

“Goddammit!”

Miriam stamped her foot in frustration. Even as she coughed her lungs up, Maria smiled.

They really get along. If Maria becomes my mother, Miriam probably comes along as a set, Angeline reasoned. However, something felt off about calling Maria “mom” when she was already used to calling her “granny.”

In any case, what was Belgrieve’s type? Older or younger? Energetic or subdued? When she gave it some thought, she realized they had never talked about it before. A father and daughter did not usually talk about such things.

“What sort of woman does dad like anyways...?” Angeline muttered.

Maria narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “You’ve been going on about that for a while now. What, are you searching for a bride or something?”

“I am...and you’re a candidate, granny. An older woman would also be quite lovely...”

“Pfffft?! Cough, hack, gag...” Maria burst into a coughing fit, and Anessa hurriedly rubbed her on the back.

Miriam pursed her lips. “I’m telling you it won’t work out! With this hag, Bell will just be caring for the elderly!”

“But Merry. Didn’t you say Turnera’s air would be good for her...?”

“Whoa! Whoa!” Miriam waved her hands to cut Angeline off.

Having finally calmed down, Maria raised her face to glare at Angeline. She had coughed so much her eyes were teary. “Y-You say some outrageous things... Ange! Quit messing around with me!”

“You always have the right to be happy, no matter how old you are, granny...”

“Quit being a creep! Dammit, where does she get it from, this precocious brat... Stop calling me granny then!”

Angeline gave that a moment’s thought. “Can I take that as a provisional ‘yes’?”

“Like hell! Ah, you’re such a pain! Hack! Cough! Hack!”

“You need to stop shouting, Ms. Maria...” Anessa admonished. “Ange, cut it out already. You shouldn’t tease people too much.”

“Urk, but I was being serious...”

Maria, Yuri, and Rosetta—none of them had given very promising replies. It sure is hard to find a wife, thought Angeline.