Episode 176
EPISODE.88
It was a sight as if a part of the world had been ripped off.
Or it felt like a monster of unfathomable size had its mouth wide open.
“Huh-!”
“Suck!”
The fairies all shut their mouths at the hideous sight.
“Oh my God…”
“How can the beautiful Great Forest look like that…”
Arain muttered in astonishment, and another Meneur who had joined a while ago answered it.
It was Meneur who looked much more frail than Arain, as if he had lived for a long time.
Eitri, the representative of the dwarves, shook her head with a stiff complexion.
“her. We have lived our lives touching only rocks and iron, but this is the first time in my life that the forest has turned into something like that.”
As the saying goes, the scenery of the central part of the Great Forest revealed in the video is unlike any other in the world, and it is also hideous.
Even beyond the screen, you can feel the ominousness of the bottomless pit.
perhaps.
‘The ominous feeling I felt might be because of that.’
Thinking so, Russell frowned and opened his mouth.
“Anyway…”
It was obviously a terrible sight, but he was a wizard. Rather than being surprised, it was more appropriate to bring out rational and reasonable words.
“I think it’s the pit that reminds me of that abyss.”
“If that’s the case…”
Russell nodded, fearful that the eyes of the wizards gathered at the table could make a difference.
“The cause of this situation is the source of the pouring out of the monsters.”
As I said before, the number of monsters pouring out now clearly exceeded the number of monsters that existed in the Great Forest.
In addition, there were many species that did not live in the Great Forest.
However, the situation was understood if all of those entities had poured out from within that abyss.
“Certainly, considering the size alone, it can easily accommodate 100,000 monsters.”
“The possibility of a sudden change following the monster is high.”
Vermilion and Alan exchanged words.
A sleepy voice continued.
“…requires an investigation team.”
The king was Amelia Merwin, the lord of the White Tower.
While the wizards were exchanging words one by one, the fairies, who had calmed the commotion, widened their eyes and tilted their heads slightly to the side.
It was because I couldn’t keep up with the content of the conversation going on.
In the midst of this and that, Io spoke first.
“I… benefactor.”
I asked, holding on to the hem of Russell’s robe.
“If you don’t mind, may I ask what you are talking about?”
“Ah-.”
Only then did Russell nod his head, realizing that he hadn’t given detailed explanations to the fairies.
After taking half a breath from him, he confirmed that all the fairies’ eyes were focused on him and began to explain carefully.
“Actually…”
A story that has no reason to go on for a long time as long as the main points are explained.
When the not-so-long story is over and all the stories are over.
The two meneurs in their seats no longer looked surprised. They only exchanged meaningful glances with each other.
“Maybe…”
Arain opened her mouth after a short sigh.
“That might have something to do with the old birth story of the Great Forest.”
“You mean the story of the Great Forest’s birth?”
Russell was familiar with that story.
‘The old days-.’
As the story of the gods came to an end, Gaia, who is said to be the earth mother and the mother of life, personally gave her blessings, making the greenery lush and making the great forest grow.
It is a story that seems to come out of an old children’s book that is not clear whether it is true or not.
But what does that story have to do with that abyss?
Io asked him if he was conscious of Russell’s gaze.
“Does your benefactor know why the mother of the earth has bestowed blessings on this place and made the forest lush?”
“That’s…”
This is a story that is not written in children’s books or history books. I am speechless.
The answer came from Nicolo in a completely different place.
“To hide something here. Is that correct?”
Speaking of magic archaeology, it was also an organ of the Yellow Pagoda, which is closely related to the land.
“…exactly so.”
“You seem to think that Meneur is something that Gaia the Abyss wanted to hide from the world.”
To some extent, it’s a valid argument. It was Russell who raised the question.
“Isn’t that a bit strange to see?”
Tens of thousands of monsters.
This was obviously quite catastrophic. But if you were to ask if it was something that the Earth Mother had to do, it wasn’t.
Moreover, at that time, it was the end of the myth. Wasn’t it the time when not only the Grand Master but also the Transcendentalists were walking the land?
At such a time, at most tens of thousands of monsters were afraid to seal it and hide the seal.
“The priest’s words…”
said Russell, half convinced, behind Hubert’s quivering voice.
“…Maybe what Gaia wanted to hide wasn’t the army of monsters.”
One word shocking.
At those words, the atmosphere in the audience sank as if cold water had been poured on them.
Probably because everyone present thought there was a possibility. Meanwhile, Nicolo spat out a word heavily.
“—As the lord of the white pagoda said, an investigation team would be needed.”
.
.
It didn’t take long for the number of members of the investigation team to be decided.
It was because they were dispatched with the plan to set up an investigation team from the beginning, assuming that there would be something that caused it in the first place.
Just one thing.
If there’s something you didn’t expect…
‘—I didn’t know that the scale would go back to the age of mythology.’
While Russell laughed bitterly, Nicolo opened his mouth.
“As originally planned, all members of the capital will be included in the investigation team.”
Nicolo and Amelia Merwin.
It was an investigation team composed of a total of 11 mages, including two superhumans, and master level Aura practitioners.
The reason the investigation team consisted of such a small number was simple.
It wasn’t that the ominous mist was poisonous, but there was no need to drive the entire legion there.
As the number increased, it was only cumbersome.
In that case, it would have been better to organize an investigation team with a small number of reliable people.
“Then Count Kruger.”
At Nicolo’s call, Count Kruger, commander of the 7th Corps, laughed heartily.
He thumped his chest and said.
“Do not worry. Commander-in-Chief. If the 5th Corps and 7th Corps surround it from both inside and outside and begin to annihilate it, the monsters will probably not come to their senses.”
“As I said, I believe he will do well in his role outside.”
Endymion’s personnel organization is over with that.
Having finished their work, the members turned to the fairies and three of them stepped forward.
Arain and Io were hairy dwarves with shaggy red-brown beards.
No matter how long that hair had grown, it looked ridiculous with limbs protruding from the thick hair.
However, the presence felt in his body was never light. ‘Are they at the same level
as Aura practitioners who use sword skills?
It is a skill that does not reach the level of a master.
However, it was clear that he was a Mencius who would not be ignored anywhere.
“Sniff.”
Kung-.
The ground vibrated lightly and he introduced himself as he put down a hammer that was bigger than his body, which could only be used for siege.
“I am Gyor. Even though I am lacking in body, I have participated in the investigation team, so please take good care of me in the future.”
Introduce yourself in a heavy yet crude manner like a dwarf. Facing the three who stepped forward, Russell nodded.
‘There is one more Meneur among the Elves, so it won’t be a problem even if Arain-nim participates in the investigation team.’
Dwarves, on the other hand, had a slightly different situation.
If Eitri, who could be said to be the strongest, joined the investigation team, there would be no one else who could lead the dwarves.
‘The Feathers and Fairies… are a race with no noticeable strength.’
Pretty reasonable selection of people.
After the number of people was decided, a total of 14 investigation teams moved the new model.
I moved toward the forest full of darkness.
.
.
“Hey, it’s a forest where you can’t even feel the vitality.”
“It’s not like life activities have completely stopped, so it’s a curious thing.”
The curious words of the magicians continued, and beyond the fog, the endless forest spread out in front.
Great Tree Forest.
It was a forest that was literally called the Great. Its area alone is more than tens of thousands of square kilometers (km2).
In order to reach the center, it was necessary to break through a distance of hundreds of kilometers.
“Let’s prepare for a break soon.”
Nicolo, who confirmed that the darkness was falling, raised his hand. Along with the horse, he sent a hand signal to the party.
“It’s okay.”
“Then let me set up the tent and let the priest cook?”
With him, preparations for camping are made in an instant.
A number of tents were built in an instant, and stew simmered at the same time.
It was a protein-filled stew with plenty of beans instead of beef jerky in consideration of Io and Arain.
“…delicious.”
Io widened his eyes as he tasted the stew Russell had made.
It didn’t seem like they had added any special ingredients, but the taste of the stew with vegetables and soybean oil was quite delectable.
“Can I get you another bowl?”
Looking at her bowl, which was quickly empty, Russell asked, and Io, whose cheeks turned red, nodded.
“…yes. Benefactor…”
Was it an illusion that somehow her voice seemed to have gotten smaller? Russell asked, pouring another ladle of stew over her bowl.
“By the way, what is Arain-nim doing right now?”
After emptying the bowl before I knew it, I quietly closed my eyes and looked at Arain, who was muttering something, and asked.
I could feel the swirling flow of magic power, but the way it was so unique and heterogeneous.
‘Rather than magic, it feels similar to what I use to open the door to the spirit realm…’
But it’s not exactly the same either.
“ah. Now my mother is communicating with the forest. To be precise, it looks like you’re trying to talk to the spirits of the forest…”
“The spirit of the forest…”
Russell muttered quietly to the fairly unfamiliar spirit.
It seems that the other wizards are also curious about the spirits, and their ears are pricked up.
He himself was quite curious, so Russell asked him about it.
“hmm.”
After a brief silence, an explanation follows.
“Your benefactor knows very well that there are many other spirits besides the four elements.”
“yes. of course.”
The typical ones were lightning, ice, or spirits of light and darkness.
“The spirit of the forest is one of them. However, it is a little different from normal spirits.”
“a little bit different? Can you tell how it is different?”
“Mmm.”
After thinking about it, Io quietly closed his eyes. As if she thought it would be better to show her in person rather than explain in words, the magic around her began to wriggle.
“her-?”
Hubert, who had overheard the conversation between the two, opened his eyes in surprise at the scene that followed.
Same with other wizards. Alan was so surprised that he even dropped the spoon he was holding.
‘This is…’
Russell’s eyebrows trembled.
Things like kudzu roots and leaves around them gather and then begin to form a single shape.
It was something the size of a dwarf that was too dainty to be seen as a human being.
‘Should I call it a doll made up of roots and leaves…?’
It was quite cute that the shape was also round.
While Russell was puzzled, he carefully opened his eyes.
She met Russell’s eyes and pursed his lips.
「How is it? Benefactor?」
“Io-sama?!”
dragon-swallowed wizard
