Chapter 8 (1/2)
Chapter 8
One of the black market entrances had collapsed
This was no natural phenouest, one so powerful that even the hidden guards in that pitch-black tunnel could not stop, had barged in
It should have been normal to be helplessly buried alive when a tunnel 5 floors underground collapsed, but the uninvited guest wasn’t one to be so easily dealt with
The tunnel ceased to fall apart as if had never collapsed to begin with
Squirm, squirm
It was all because the dirt, rock and such that were indiscriun tocreatures
‘An Earth Elemental’
It was a pure soul which existed within great nature
Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Heart—!
They were ethereal creatures of this fantasy world which were said to be capable of facing even the Deathered as one
Someone who had become intimate with these Elementals would be able to wield icians with but a simple request
Just like as happening now
Rumble—!
Instead of collapsing, the tunnel grew even wider than beforeThe tre down fro solidly hardened
It would be difficult to achieve this with just a couple of ElementalsThere had to be a dozen at the leastThis level of affinity wasn’t possible for just anyoneIf there was one race capable of so skillfully e Elementals—
“It must be an Elf!”
“An Elf Elementalist has broken in!”
“Stop that Elf! Guards! Guards!”
—it couldn’t be any other than the Elves ere considered as a higher form of humans
The guards ere hidden in various places throughout the black market moved in perfect unisonThey mobilized their entire force as the Dark Commerce would suffer a loss of reputation if their patrons either were injured or died
The average Level of the guards was 150, higher than domIt was a testimony to how h and as befitting of guards under the Dark Commerce, they were all the fiercest of the bunch
On the other hand
“Everyone attack!”
“Let us save our brethren!”
The intruders were a large number of Elves
They were donned in battle vests unique to Elves which boasted enhanced defensive capabilities, woven out of layers of layers of a silk spun from a special silkwor Elementals or their swords
Their average Level of 200 was higher than the black uardsBut this place was the center of enemy territory and they were decidedly at a nue
Yet despite it all, the Elves weren’t pushed back in the least
“Elementals—!”
The reason behind this was the presence of a certain woer ears than the other ElvesHer outfit was no different fro here was different
And it was only natural that was so
▷Race: Arch-Elf
▷Level: 284
▷Job: Sha=Elemental↑)
▷Skills: Ele(C)…
▷Status: Composed
An Elf royal had corace this filthy black market with her presenceAnd what’s more, she was a familiar face
That strange, nasty hobby of hers reh—in order to save her brethren, she would push even er
Elf Queen Silvia
Although she was no more than a princess at present, after the death of the current Elf King due to a coup d’état, she would give up her adventuring to return to her homeland and inherit the throne
So that made her the future Elf Queen
Her Level was still low as she had yet to set out on her adventures, but as soifted, the rank of her Skills were no inferior than they were in her prihIn particular, Elemental(S) was a total beast
“Uaargh?!”
“S, save me~!”
“It’s fire!”
Every time the Fire Eleuards would be frightened out of their wits as they screaht back, but the nuh
The Elves who had accoTheir skill in the boas superb, sniping the ene spells
“Sir Wolf-Mask! This way!”
The professional attitude of the black uests even in the ht tears to my eyes
The professional attitude of the black uests even in the ht tears to my eyes
While on the other hand…
“Hero-nimShall we also help out in the rescue?”
Lanuvel suggested this as iftheir efforts
Hum—
Lanuvel suicShe was using it to diligently block the fireballs shooting over from everywhere
Her expression wasn’t one of fright or of panicShe had an honest gaze that spoke of wanting to help the Elves who broke in and teach the blackuncos, and now it seemed she had finally exploded
I could understand that noble sense of justice very well
“You should just go and wait in the safety zone”
“Eh?! How come?!”
Even though I had said so many times not to talk back…
“Helping out in the rescue you say? Are you duo? Should we just leave him to die like this? Goodness! To think you’d abandon a co you, that’s not how you live life”
“Ah…”
All of the other patrons aside fronificant number of slaves whose lessly dying due to getting swept up in the ongoing battle
I gave Lanuvel a push from behind
“As the Hero, I’ll handle things onwith our new co”
“A… Okay”
Lanuvel was forced to go, and the mercenary who didn’t want to die obediently followed under her protection
And then there was just me
Just as planned
“Auctioneer!”
“Gasp! Sir! Why aren’t you runn-…”
“Just anshat I’ to askThat Elf is my possession, correct?”
The auctioneer gave an exact answer even in the midst of his panic
The auctioneer gave an exact answer even in the midst of his panic
“That is indeed soAlthough paying in advance is the basic rule, the Elf without doubt belongs to you, sir, as you have clearly won the bid in this situationFroht to decide the fate of this Elf lies with you, Sir Wolf-MaskAnd so, please come with me to the safety zoneThe Elf will not resist much as she has been fed anesthetic
The auctioneer was no foolOn the contrary, he belonged to the ranks of extremely clever elitesHe had realized the truth that this Elf slave was the objective of the Elf intruders, and had also figured out the battle wasn’t going in their favor
He had no tied and cursed—and that hy he decided to pass over this burden over to me, the patron
“I’ll say, you’re quite the able man”
His reply had been exactly the one I aiting to hear
“You overpraise me”
At the end of those words, the auctioneer drew the sword by his hipIt turned out that this e was all along the true hidden expert of this black marketOn the other hand, the blackthe patrons with poor protection over to the safety zone began to assemble one after another
I could guess ould happen in the future
The future Elf Queen would be captured alive here, and then be reduced to a slaveShe would be openly displayed for sale in this black market without so much as a scratch inflicted on her even despite this e such as being violated or being beaten
That would drop the value of the merchandise, after all
And afterthe sale, a part of the profit would be sent to the bereaved fauards who had been killed
Although that would be quite the interesting development in its oay…
“hello, Miss Elf”
I started talking to the Level 851 Elf as the origin of this incident
“You are…?”
She had ed to immediately size me up even in her clouded state of mindIt seemed she had instinctively realized I was no ordinary human
“I’ll get straight to the pointSilvia will surrender if you re?”
The future Elf Queen hadn’t been defeated in battleIn the situation where all the other Elves who fought alongside her had died and only she stood strong, the higher-ups of the black e
Overco driven her subordinates and friends to their deaths, she gave up on fighting and was caughtAnd then she was sold as slave
I had heard the gist of this story from the person involved herself
“… YesThat child is tender-hearted”
It seemed this Elf had properly understood what I ed and cursed, she could e to show an expression of composure that spoke of the resolve to die and be sacrificedIt was the kind of determination impossible for me, someone who feared death
She was like a fireworks going out in a final, beautiful blaze of glory
I roughly hugged the slender waist of the Elf with ht supported the back of her neck and held her head fixed
She was like a fireworks going out in a final, beautiful blaze of glory
I roughly hugged the slender waist of the Elf with ht supported the back of her neck and held her head fixed
And then I kissed her deeply
“Mm…”
“Mmph?!”
Thu her powerless fists, but lasted only a ently tickled the end of her pointy ear, as if by reflex, she hugged both her aran to respond to my kiss