—————————————
[Then next time]
When there was no answer from the great man, the goblin The mask asked again.
[I asked who it was. Where is Goldmary?]
The moment he heard those words, the great man, who had carefully chosen his first greeting among the harshest curses he knew, paused.
‘You bastard. ‘You really don’t know who I am.’
If you think about it, it was natural.
Daein burned down everything at the Thieves Guild headquarters in Randol so that no evidence remained.
They even wore fake goblin masks at the border wall where they intentionally created a mess. Although Golkan and several of his knights saw the great man’s face, there was no fear of information being leaked from them.
In other words, the goblin mask beyond the crystal sphere did not yet know who it was.
‘Then…’
The great man’s head began to spin rapidly.
I thought of a better way than to provoke the opponent by swearing coolly.
After a while, the great man spoke in a trembling voice.
“Are you by any chance the ‘him’ that Goldmary was talking about?”
[…Did you hear me?]
Although the facial expression could not be read because of the mask, Daein could tell that the other person’s eyes had changed.
The great man spoke quickly with an urgent expression. In times like this, I had to push myself like crazy.
“I am Ansel, a member of Randol’s Thieves Guild! We’re chasing after the guys who devastated the guild under Goldmary’s orders! “They rode a steel carriage and passed the border wall…”
At that moment, the goblin mask put its face closer to the communication crystal sphere and said.
[Did I just say steel carriage?]
‘It seems like the fuss at the border wall had an effect.’
The great man answered seriously, forcing the corners of his mouth to twitch.
“yes! It is an unusual shape that is hard to find. A huge iron horse is pulling the steel chariot…”
As the great man let out information little by little, red light burst from the eyes of the goblin mask.
[It was them, after all.]
Goblin Mask, which had returned to the world after being trapped for a long time, immediately began investigating.
I traced back the path of those who had been wreaking havoc at the border wall and learned that Randol’s thieves’ guild had been completely burned down.
Landol is the last city you stop by when you leave the border wall of the Principality of Hicks.
‘The steel carriage did not stop at that city. However, if you calculate the date the thieves guild burned down and the date the wagon arrived at the border wall, there is a high probability that they passed by there.’
As I was doubting this, I tried contacting Goldmary using the emergency communication crystal tool I had previously given him, just in case.
The goblin mask muttered with a glint in its eyes.
[You’re lucky.]
‘Well. We’ll have to wait and see who gets lucky.’
The great man swallowed his heart and nodded.
“yes. I was lucky. That day, I was out, and when I returned to headquarters, Mr. Goldmary looked like he was about to pass away and entrusted me with this communication port… Ugh….”
Daein asks why he lives alone and tracks down the steel carriage. He explained it in detail and rubbed his eyes.
After a while, the great man shouted with red, bloodshot eyes.
“I can never forgive those who killed my brothers!”
Goblin Mask asked only what he was curious about, whether the angry thief’s acting was quite realistic or whether he was not even interested in such things.
[Have you checked the party in the carriage? How many people in total? What is the composition?]
The great man told the truth. That way, the other person will trust you.
“There are six in total. Three men and one woman. There are two little kids. We are still watching from afar. I can’t get close because I feel like I might get caught, but…”
[Is there a red-haired girl among them?]
Gulp. And the object of the goblin mask was seen moving.
‘I was looking for the kid as expected.’
The great man deliberately paused for a moment and then spoke.
“…there is. There is a young girl who uses flame freely. “I couldn’t see his face in detail because I was watching from afar, but…”
[That’s enough. Where are you now?]
If I told you the location, he seemed ready to come running with his men at any moment.
Daein did some pushing and pushing here. He was planning to throw some bait.
“I was in such a hurry that I couldn’t even bring a map and compass. It is certain that it entered the Central Mountains somewhere….”
The Central Mountains were a huge mountain range that divided the waist of the continent. Saying somewhere in the central mountains was similar to saying somewhere in the ocean.
The goblin mask growled beyond the crystal ball.
[What a fool!]
The great man shrugged his shoulders with a frightened look on his face.
“I’m sorry. But I personally heard them shouting at the border wall that their destination was Teru Kingdom.”
[I know that story.]
Goblin Mask thought of the military power that could be mobilized in the Kingdom of Teru.
Although he had quite a bit of power, he was uneasy about completely capturing the Fire Child.
Moreover, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t change their destination midway.
‘It’s suspicious that they even said their destination out loud… I guess I’ll have to chase them down myself.’
Goblin Mask said after making a decision.
[Ansel. You keep following them. I will go there. I will contact you every day at the same time as today.]
At that time, Daein said with a troubled expression.
“But there is one problem…”
Goblin Mask said in an annoyed voice.
[What’s the problem again?]
Daein put a little pressure on the communication crystal ball in his hand.
A crack
appeared in the communication crystal sphere, and the screen suddenly began to blur.
The great man lied calmly.
“The communication crystal port may have been damaged on the way, so the reception has been poor since a while ago. If this continues, I don’t know if I’ll be able to receive it starting tomorrow…”
Goblin Mask’s eyes widened.
[What-!!]
As of now, this guy named Ansel was the only clue and lead to tracking down the Fire Child.
If this rope were cut, he could have had to wander around the wide central mountain range alone.
[Is there any other crystal ball I can contact!?]
On the other hand, Daein, who knew the other person’s urgent mind, was relaxed.
The great man said with a very pitiful expression.
“There’s no way a mere thief could have such an expensive item… I’m out of money… I’m cold and hungry…”
Jijijik-.
Even at that moment, the picture quality of the communication crystal sphere was getting worse. The goblin mask inevitably gritted its teeth.
[Damn it…]
The great man asked politely, but with a somewhat sly look on his face.
“I’ll be fine. What should I do with this?”
[…….]
Goblin Mask was worried. The thought that he might lose the Fire Child if he lost contact with Ansel here, and the thought that it would really be the end, made him impatient.
‘What if the statement about going to Teru Kingdom is false? What if they climb the Central Mountain Range to another kingdom? What if the group gets torn in two along the way?’
My impatience narrowed my perspective and made me do things I normally would never have done.
‘Just this once. ‘It’s an emergency, so there’s nothing we can do.’
The goblin mask spoke in an eerie voice.
[listen carefully. Ansel. From now on, I will tell you how to contact our organization. Even if communication is cut off, keep chasing them. And if they enter any country, contact me there immediately. Do you understand?]
The great man nodded vigorously.
“yes! “Just leave it to me!”
The goblin mask’s eyes glowed coldly as it looked at that figure.
‘You can kill this guy as soon as the job is done.’
Then, the organization’s secrets will not be leaked.
[listen carefully. I’ll explain it only once…]
The Goblin Mask told Daein how to contact the organization. Daein, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head and said.
“If I contact the organization, can I say who sent it? “I don’t even know his name yet.”
[…….]
For some reason, the guy named Ansel’s tone seemed to be becoming more and more arrogant. But he will be killed soon anyway. Goblin Mask held back and said.
[Red Goblin. If you say that, you can do it.]
Sigh. A smile appeared on the great man’s lips.
“Red Goblin… I think it’s a name that goes well with blood.”
[What…?]
Before communication was cut off for the last time, Daein smiled brightly and said.
“Then I’ll contact you again later!”
Jijijik-.
Communication was lost.
*
*
*
That night.
A festival took place in the elf forest.
Colorful spirits flew between the trees, and young elves ran around and sang with the spirits.
There was one reason why this festival took place.
-The fog in the foggy forest has disappeared!
When it became known that Daein and his party had succeeded in completely eradicating the fog in the Fog Forest, the elves’ perspectives on them completely changed.
What greeted the three returning people was no longer wariness or suspicion, but gazes filled with gratitude and goodwill.
Numerous elves came to Daein and expressed their gratitude.
“Thank you! “My brother has finally found rest.”
“I found my son after 100 years.”
“Thanks to you, my husband….”
How many times have I said this already? The great man sighed and nodded.
Next to him was a pile of fresh fruit and spirit stones that the elves had brought as gifts.
“There are so many that I can’t even take them all.”
The elder next to him grinned at the great man’s grumbling.
“Because you deserve it.”
A misty forest that has been a nuisance to the elves for hundreds of years. It was forbidden for anyone who entered that place to return.
“I never thought I would come back after solving this in just one day…”
said the great man, drinking the fruit wine the elves had made like bottled beer.
“You said you would return the favor. “I saved the little boy, so I should do the same.”
‘As a bonus, I’d like to build a villa here.’
I was thinking of telling that story once the atmosphere has matured a little more.
When the great man turned his head to the side, he saw Alina talking to the heads of six elf families on one side.
I’m not sure what the story was about, but looking at the expressions on the elves’ faces, they seemed quite friendly.
“Looks like things are going well over there too.”
At the great man’s words, the great elder, who was looking in the same direction, smiled softly.
“Because you changed that child’s fate.”
The great man smiled mischievously and said.
“of course. “If it weren’t for me, you never would have come this far.”
“…yes. “That was that child’s fate.”
The great man was only half joking, but the elder’s expression was strangely serious.
The elder looked up at the night sky for a moment and quietly opened his mouth.
“In fact, I can read the fate of beings.”
“…….”
The great man was not surprised because he had heard it through rumors before. Although there were some questions there.
The elder continued speaking.
“It’s not as great an ability as you might think. I can only look into someone’s fate in an opaque way, but I cannot change or intervene in the fate I see. It is my destiny to just watch. But…”
The Grand Elder looked into the Great Man’s face with deep eyes. She thought for words for a moment and then continued.
“You are a person without destiny.”
It was a meaningful-sounding statement.
It seems like there is no fixed future, it is fate itself. In other words, it seemed to mean that there was no life.
“…That’s a strange thing to say.”
It would be a lie if I said it didn’t sting. The great man thought as he looked down at the watch on his left hand.
‘I think it’s because of this guy.’
Since I had returned, it was natural that my fate had changed.
The future that had been decided had already changed and was changing again.
“And because of you… all the fates I have seen are changing.”
“…….”
In the exciting atmosphere of the festival, only the space where the two people were was quiet. The great man realized that the great elder had used magic.
The conversation between the two from earlier was only heard by each other.
“With your appearance, the fate of this world is changing. “There are so many that I don’t dare read them all… and they are still constantly changing.”
The great man crossed his arms and looked at the great elder. His brow furrowed as if he was displeased.
“So what is the conclusion? “Are you telling me not to do anything from now on and just act like I’m dead?”
I couldn’t accept that kind of advice. Because a great man was a man whose own fate was more important than that of anyone else.
But the Great Elder shook his head.
“no.”
She smiled and continued speaking.
“Please change more. “I like the way you are changing the world.”
“what?”
“Because you are a good person.”
The answer was so unexpected that Daein was momentarily speechless.
“…What are you talking about? Anyway, it’s easy if that’s the case. “You just have to live your life the way you want.”
Daein, feeling embarrassed for no reason, got up from his seat. The elder’s eyes followed his movements.
“Are you going in already? Enjoy it some more.”
The great man asked back.
“You say you can see fate? “Do you even know where I’m going?”
“As I told you, you are unpredictable.”
The great man shrugged his shoulders, holding a large plate in each hand.
“I’m going to change the fate of a troubled kid. From a fate of being hungry to a fate of being full.”
The great man turned around and headed towards the place where the food was piled up.
The Great Elder quietly stared at the Great Man’s back, which was getting smaller and smaller.
I don’t know about him, but just now, the elder had done quite a bit of work for him.
All strength drained from my body due to sharing my senses with a being with a huge soul.
Phew.
She asked with a small sigh.
“Abraxas. What is it like to see it in person?”
After a while, an unfamiliar voice came from the air.
【Like you said, it’s interesting. I wouldn’t mind meeting you once.】
[Then next time] End
ⓒ Ganjjajang
