Nidhogg, the sharpest dragon.
But now, an elf was catching his breath on top of the halted dragon.
"…I have to go."
Two arrows protruded from the still very open eyes of the dragon.
From the tip of the arrow, which was deeply embedded up to the arrowhead, white brain fluid flowed.
If you don't have enough strength to dig, just shoot straight ahead.
Varadis got close enough to see each other's faces in their eyes and finally managed to shoot an arrow into the dragon's brain.
That's how I managed to stop a dragon.
"Everyone, get up!"
However, the glory of victory was short-lived, and Varadis's voice trembled as he shouted to his colleagues.
I killed the dragon
But you can't stop.
Because there wasn't just one dragon aiming at the World Tree.
"We have to go back right now!"
At Varadis's command, the warriors scattered everywhere began to rise with groans of pain.
They did their best to clear a path for a single arrow, but they still couldn't rest.
Nidhogg was climbing the World Tree.
It seemed as if the screams coming from the young World Tree in the distance could be heard all the way here.
'…Damn.'
Everyone's eyes were alive, but they were very exhausted.
The adult dragon was nothing short of a disaster, and the warriors had to give everything they had to stop its evil intentions.
Destruction was creeping towards the World Tree, but the warriors weren't where they should have been.
Roaaaaar!
At that moment, along with the dragon's roar, a bright light suddenly began to surge from the end of the World Tree's branches.
Although it was only for a short time, the light shone so brightly that everyone couldn't help but look at it.
"…!"
A powerful presence that forced even exhausted Varadis and the wounded warriors to lift their heads.
In the forest of the elves, at the highest point of Ausurin, shone a light that had never been seen before.
Like the light of the stars rising towards the sky.
Let the stars rise.
The dragon was falling.
***
The World Tree is something very valuable to the elves.
Therefore, even August, who was just a guest, was able to create the current situation.
Because he was the benefactor who protected the World Tree last night.
"Why did you want to see us? Knight of the humans."
Elder elves seated sporadically without uniform intervals.
Although the knight protecting the World Tree stood before them, the eyes of the elders, who had not yet escaped from the nightmare of Nidhogg, were still sharp.
"I have something urgent to tell you all, so I have requested your current position."
However, August seized this moment to demand a seat from the elders.
The former commander of the Imperial Guard knew well that there was no more vulnerable moment than one shaken by anxiety.
The elves' resentment against the empire was well established, so the only moment August could deepen their antipathy was now.
"Tell me."
"…Absilon, please stop the distribution of the tea called thujon here."
As August spoke, the lips of the elders tightened.
Because the old knight's words were not a request for compensation, but rather a declaration in a completely unexpected direction.
"…Why are you telling me not to sell a tea that is in good condition?"
"No matter how much you protected the World Tree, interfering in our internal affairs is going too far."
Resistance from the elders was rising here and there.
Selling Thujon leaves to humans is a newfound avenue and opportunity for the elves.
Even if Geronimo had been sitting here, he would not have readily acceded to this request.
"I guess I was too blunt."
However, August was a person who knew the behind-the-scenes stories that the elves had not yet told.
The eyes of the former commander of the Imperial Guard, who had devoted his entire life to uncovering the truth, shone brightly.
"What I'm saying is, please stop distributing drugs to the empire."
"…What did you say a moment ago?"
A red light began to flicker in the eyes of some elders as August's comments shot out like arrows.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about."
"The knight in front of me is so dangerous that I can no longer accept him as a guest."
August felt a clear change in the eyes of the elders looking at him and smiled gently.
After all, the elves knew that Absilon was a drug.
"Why are you trying to influence us with such clumsy lies? As expected of an arrogant knight from an empire…"
"If we sell more Absilon, the newly populated forest will not be safe."
The knight who finally revealed the truth could see beyond someone's dirty intentions.
As expected, the elves were not the starting point.
It began with Brigantes, the capital of the empire.
"…What are you saying now?"
The elder who had the most voice on behalf of Geronimo frowned.
"I thought you would notice it someday."
However, the following words of the old knight were completely inexplicable.
"It is evident that the empire is now trembling and the authority of the imperial family is collapsing. It's not that I don't understand your intention to seize that opportunity to release the resentment that has been building up for a long time."
The vast world called the Empire still stood upright on the corpses of countless worlds.
And the same goes for the world of the elves.
It was the most perfect dragon that burned the World Mother Tree, but it was the Empire that seized the forests of the elves in the west.
"…You're talking too much, human knight. No matter how much you draw your sword for the World Tree, your current statement has crossed the line."
Eyes as sharp as the cold autumn frost.
The strength is fierce, as if no more comments are allowed.
"By the grace you gave me, I will let you go with your life saved."
No matter what August said, the elves had no intention of stopping the forest's vengeance.
There was never a moment when the mighty empire was as shaken as it is now, so I thought that if I spread poison a little more and gathered strength, I could free myself from the empire's influence.
"You must not be mistaken, sirs. The empire is not weakened."
August is loyal to the Empire.
And it is the imperial family that forms the center of the empire.
"It's just that the power of the imperial family has weakened."
"…"
The nobles of the empire were increasing their power without a single major war.
And now their influence has become so strong that it cannot be controlled solely by the power of the imperial family.
"The nobles have long been looking for a reason to raise their own flag."
August knew this well.
There are people in the empire who believe that only a small crack can break down the sturdy walls and end the era of the Swordmaster.
"And it seems to me that here is a good cause and excuse for them to raise their flag."
They were biting the straps that bound them.
"…Who are you?"
As I was locked up for a long time, I couldn't see the wider area.
However, the knight in front of them was forcibly widening the elves' field of vision with a sharp warning.
"My name is August."
August removed the gray hood and raised his sword.
A black sheath extravagantly decorated, unlike his worn appearance.
The red gem embedded at the end of the handle, in the center, had a shining pattern engraved.
"I am the former commander of the Imperial Guard."
A fierce dragon.
And a sword holding the dragon.
August currently held the imperial emblem that only a few could wear.
"The sale of Absilon will eventually also become a fatal poison for you."
August, former commander of the Imperial Guard.
A knight who wants to complete his unfinished mission despite being the lowest of the low.
He was giving it his all for his final mission.
***
"…"
The morning sky gradually dispels the darkness with the increasing energy of spring.
Although last night was noisy, this morning was quiet.
However, Vlad woke up from his sleep due to the loud sound of birds in his ears.
The birdsong early in the morning is cheerful.
"It's very noisy."
Vlad had no choice but to open his eyes and wake up with a groan.
"Keueuung."
The bandages wrapped around everywhere were constricting Vlad's entire body.
It felt like the hands of the girl who had been crying and applying all sorts of medicines were still stuck to various places.
"…If I continue like this, I won't be able to die."
The body full of wounds caused by the sharpest malice.
However, for Vlad, it was harder to bear the emptiness he felt from within than the palpable pain everywhere.
'Have I used too much?'
Although not clearly visible, mental power is also a resource that is clearly consumed.
Last night, Vlad went beyond his limits and invoked a deep world, and the backlash against him now tormented his body beyond his mind.
It felt similar to when he used the power of the voice forcefully.
"Captain, why are you already awake?"
"Because it's noisy."
"Noisy?"
Goethe, who entered the room to serve, opened his eyes wide as if puzzled by Vlad's response.
"Is it really quiet now?"
Contrary to what Vlad said, it wasn't noisy, but a quiet and clear morning, typical of an elf forest.
Goethe began checking Vlad's hearing by snapping his fingers here and there, wondering if something had gone wrong as a result of yesterday's battle.
"Did you hurt your ear in yesterday's fight?"
"No."
He was checking, but Vlad knew very well that it wasn't that kind of problem.
'Children are noisy. Really.'
Even now, Vlad frowned at the chirping coming from above his head.
Goethe wouldn't know.
Right now, this room is filled with small chirps, whimpers, and purrs.
A young bird sitting on Vlad's head as if it were its own home flapped its tiny wings that couldn't even fly.
"Ha."
Vlad raised his hand and wiped his face in response to the commotion of the youngsters, which he could no longer see without closing his eyes.
The deep world that had been forcefully evoked had not yet sunk into Vlad's mental world, like a stirred pond at the bottom.
I probably won't be able to sleep for a few days because of the harassment from these guys.
"…"
Vlad, struggling to look away from the spirits, looked at the sword lying beside the bed between his fingers covering his face.
A silver sword surrounded by young spirits like him.
The appearance of the morning sun shining through is elegant.
"By the way, Captain. What is this sword? It's the first time I've seen it."
A sword that displays extraordinary strength to anyone who sees it.
Goethe's question about the sword he saw for the first time was natural, and Vlad honestly answered the question.
"The Sword of the Sword Master."
"Eh?"
"They say it's the Sword of the Sword Master. The elves said so."
The silver sword that was with him last night.
As soon as Vlad finished speaking, the Sword of the Sword Master glowed as if in response.
"Then… Master? Sword Master?"
"Don't make so much noise yourself. It's already quite noisy here anyway."
A legend and an honor.
A noble silver sword that will clearly show its brilliance even if it's hidden among all the treasures of the world.
However, Vlad's eyes were complex and sunken as he looked at the sword.
"I definitely need to ask about this."
A man who said he would kill a dragon.
A man who sees the now forgotten world of spirits.
And a man who wields the imperial sword.
Clearly, that man handed me this sword in a dream.
As if it were mine.
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