CHAPTER 108

Burning buildings.

Toppling statues.

As if in the midst of a war, there were tumultuous sounds of crumbling all around, but the shouts of the people actually destroying it were not heard.

There was only a stifled silence.

The faces of the dwarves darting through the city were obscured by layers of soot, so thick that their original skin color could not be discerned.

Their proud beards were scorched by the heat, and the equipment they had honed their entire lives was now being used to destroy the shining legacy of their ancestors.

With each strike of the hammer, an unbearable sorrow flowed from their eyes.

If one possesses something precious, they must know how to protect it.

But the dwarves had failed in that regard.

All that remained was a grim collapse, and now they must embark on an uncertain and endless journey just to survive.

Tears mixed with the blackened ashes flowed down the dwarves' cheeks.

"...The fires of this place haven't been extinguished yet."

At this moment when everything was tragically falling apart, there was still one furnace that had not lost its shine.

Along with the gaze of an old man, steadfast like a statue, fixed upon the furnace.

"Someone has to witness the end."

The old dwarf's words about witnessing the end were not simply about the furnace.

An era of brilliance was coming to an end, and the old man was there to witness its final moments.

"Is that so?"

As he watched the end of a once splendid civilization, the man thought to himself.

Still, it's fortunate.

That I'm not too late.

"I've come for a commission."

"...Right now?"

Clang!

Mines collapsing with a loud noise in the distance.

Tears mixed with the sounds of hammering, breaking everything in the city that had been lifelong companions.

In this tragic moment of destroying everything that their ancestors had built, the only people who did not shed tears were the unknown man and the owner of the last furnace. 

"I've brought a metal that only eternal flames can control."

With these words, the man took something out of his old backpack and showed it to the old dwarf.

"...That is."

As the man uncovered it, a silver ingot emitting a faint light lay there.

The metal, which did not lose its shine even in the face of the red-burning flames of the furnace, was enough to attract the old dwarf's attention even in this situation.

"Please make it."

The man's hand, glimpsed through his torn clothes, was filled with new wounds.

Perhaps it was because of these times.

Though the dwarf was usually excited about rare metals, the old man found his attention drawn more to the man's hands, now covered in wounds, than to the silver ingot before him.

"What do you want me to make?"

Having finally heard the answer he had been waiting for, the man straightened up and looked at the old dwarf.

The man who came all the way here to say this was finally able to smile a little.

"I need a sword that can kill a dragon."

I will kill the most perfect dragon in this world.

Even for the worlds that are crying at the bottom, like the collapsing dwarf city.

The man's eyes looking at the owner of the last blast furnace were hotter than the eternal flames.

※※※※

In the dim dawn, in front of the stables at the lord's residence.

"... "

There, Vlad was chewing on a piece of meat with a troubled expression.

While Noir wore a puzzled expression, watching Vlad chew, wondering why humans chew meat, Vlad, who actually had to answer, was looking elsewhere.

"...Captain?"

"Huh?"

Gott came out early in the morning, rubbing his sleepy eyes, and was surprised to see Vlad in front of him.

"Why are you up so early?"

"I had trouble sleeping."

Gott rubbed his hands happily and leaned against the wall, seeing that Vlad had already done all his work.

"Well, it's no wonder you had trouble sleeping, seeing a troll for the first time. Even the lord here was greatly surprised at the mention of troll."

The powerful roar of the troll that echoed last night was enough to chill the hearts of the residents.

Though it was a sound that echoed from a distant and deep forest, the troll's roar, evoking thoughts of death, was enough to prompt even the Baron Dalmatia to call up nearly all his soldiers.

"It's a bit of a shame we didn't have any corpses. It would have been more perfect. Troll blood sells for a high price, you know."

Upon hearing Gott's words, Vlad clicked his tongue in disappointment.

Indeed, not having secured the troll's body was a regrettable aspect.

"I didn't expect it to burn up like that."

The body of the troll Vlad killed last night was burned in an instant without any time to do anything.

No matter how high the firewood is piled, it is impossible to burn it so cleanly and without traces.

The clean-up was so blatant that anyone could see that the intention was not to leave any traces.

"...I think I need to report this to Lord Josef."

Looking at the troll's traces, which were nothing but pitch-black ash, Vlad was reminded of what happened in Baron Utman territory.

The suspicious and fiery incident involving the headless troll in Dobrechti, which felt familiar, was undoubtedly an event that should be reported to Josef.

"But there are no mages here. Should we send Pavlo?"

"No."

Pavlo won't do.

Considering the difficult winter and the highly suspicious nature of the situation, it's best to inform as quickly as possible.

"Which is the nearest city to the east?"

"A city... Let's see."

Taking into account Vlad's thoughts, Gott unfolded the map received from Baron Dalmatia and quickly began to find the next destination.

"The closest city where there might be a mage is Tanoboya. It's the city of Count Bitskaya. If you just look at the map, it will take a week."

"Good."

Mages are those who handle the mysteries of the world.

Although they are a group of people not favored by the church, they have often provided advice to lords through various miscellaneous knowledge or quickly conveyed news through messengers, making them desirable companions for nobles.

"Let's make Tanoboya our next destination. See if you can find the way."

"Got it."

The Dalmatian Baron was a poor lord who could not invite even a decent priest to certify the pilgrim's certificate, let alone a mage.

Thus, Vlad planned to leave this place and seek a mage from a larger city's lord.

Although he belonged to a different family, Vlad was a knight of certain status, so if he had to, he could just help out with something like he did now.

With Gott leaving the stables after saying he'll find the way, Vlad once again started gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

He had come to the stables this early not only to tend to Noir, who had helped yesterday, but also because he had had such a vivid dream that he couldn't easily fall back asleep.

"...But I can't seem to remember it well."

However, the intense dream that kept him tossing and turning was strangely elusive in his memory.

All he could recall were faint echoes of hammering and swirling ashes. And the determined last words of the man.

"Slay the dragon."

Vlad closed his eyes, pondering.

The man's final words in the dream were unmistakably spoken in a voice he had long been familiar with.

Perhaps the dream he had was not a dream at all, but rather a fragment of memory left by the remnants of the voice.

As the dark winter dawned, the sun was rising from behind the mountains in the distance.

The tip of Vlad's sword begins to shine as bright as the morning.

Unlike before, there were now flashes of white lightning swirling around Vlad's aura.

They were all remnants of the voice that had wandered around Vlad's world.

That day, the voice had asked Vlad to meet again in a deeper world, and Vlad had agreed to do so through today's aura.

The knight closed his left eye toward a deeper world.

※※※※

"Why leave so soon? Why not wait until the snow stops?"

Despite the cold weather, the Baron Dalmatia, who had personally come to see Vlad off in front of the lord's mansion, looked at Vlad with a subtle expression.

Although he hoped Vlad would stay for a while longer after the ominous incident, mixed emotions of wanting Vlad to leave quickly also flickered across the Baron's face.

Especially when he saw Gott grinning mischievously from behind.

"I've done everything I needed to do, so it's time for me to leave, Lord Baron."

Vlad knew that the Baron's face had darkened as much as the coin that had slipped from his hand.

But a former pickpocket and swindler didn't hesitate to claim rightful payment for their labor.

Bandit suppression, barley thief hunts, troll hunts, and even finding missing girls.

Still, Vlad hadn't been excessively harsh, so he must be receiving the same kind of send-off now.

"Please remember what I said yesterday."

"Sure, I'll keep it in mind."

"Consider this my gratitude towards them."

While Vlad didn't mention the glowing mole, he did leave several instructions for the lord.

"As you said, I will not burn the forest or cut down trees carelessly to expand the barley field."

It was a difficult time to openly talk about the existence of spirits or the sacred oak tree, no matter how remote the estate was in the corner of the countryside.

Because now it was a world where only one God could be the truth.

"And occasionally offering small tributes to the forest would be good too. I'm sure last night I felt their will flowing through the forest."

So Vlad had shown consideration for the mole by invoking the existence of God instead of spirits.

It was to prevent hungry mole from stealing barley seeds.

"I see! If I can keep the barley fields safe like that!"

"This is my offering to God who blessed my victory."

Vlad said, handing the Baron a glittering gold coin.

Since he had shown such sincerity, the Baron wouldn't ignore his words.

"Ah, a knight from the north is indeed faithful!"

The face of the poor Baron, who had just received a little money back, brightened a bit.

It was as bright as the glitter of the gold coin.

Looking at the nodding Baron, Vlad gazed at the forest of Dobrechti, visible in the distance.

That should be enough.

A small flag was waving behind Vlad's saddle as he left with greetings from the villagers.

There, the emblem of the Dalmatia family was now engraved.

※※※※

In the quiet forest with nobody around.

The oak tree that the troll had hit with the axe was still full of scars, but it wasn't as devastating as it had been that night.

This is because someone had sloppily applied green moss to every wound.

While it was uncertain if this method was effective for the wounded tree, the oak seemed content, swaying its branches gently in the breeze as if in approval.

Kyu!

Underneath the quietly swaying oak tree, a mole was poking its head into a small basket, its hind legs twitching.

The basket was filled with ripe red raspberries.

The raspberries in the basket were prepared by the girl for the mole who saved her.

Since spirits lacked physical bodies, they didn't need to eat to survive.

But what they needed to exist was presence - someone's memory of them or emotions like affection.

Thus, today, the mole could fill its long-forgotten sense of presence thanks to the raspberries.

The girl's emotions contained within the raspberries were truly warm.

Kyu?

The mole, who had been preoccupied with raspberries for a while, sensed a presence in the distance and wrinkled his nose.

Unlike usual, people come carrying small baskets rather than axes or pickaxes.

They came bearing offerings for God, but just believing in something in the forest would be a great help to the glowing mole.

Because the emotions, memories, and beliefs contained within were important.

Kyu!

Now, it didn't have to be forgotten.

Realizing this fact, the mole smiled and raised its tiny finger as if in celebration.

The direction pointed by its finger.

That was the direction where Vlad was leaving.

The first thing the land spirit did after regaining some of his strength through today's offering was to bestow a small blessing on the knight leaving the forest.

Today, a shining yellow star forgotten in the name of God returned to the forest of Dobrechti.

Like the lemon tree in Hainal, the oak tree of Dobrechti seemed to regain a hint of green.