173 To the forest (1/2)

Dahak, Prince of Snakes

The Sea of Trees of Elyos is a vast forest.

Its perimeter is wide and to the northwest is a mountainous region.

This mountainous area is home to mines and dwarven settlements.

The dwarves dig holes and extract the ore.

In one of these disused tunnels we hide.

Inside the hole are the warriors of the serpent-man (Eag) and serpent-woman (Lamia) under our command.

It's a true snake pit.

There were other werewolves (wolfmen) as well, but they are not here as they are now entering the forest.

The angels occasionally pass by, but they have not been found.

'Young Master. Master Dahak.

As I'm holding the lamia in the hole to distract myself, the robed one calls out to me.

Like the two-legged race, they have legs.

But in true form, he is a snake from the waist down, just like the lamia.

Botis, the goddess of cunning.

Clad in the robes of a sorceress, she is the little goddess of your mother's first entourage, and the wisest of the men under her command.

She is good at scheming, and she is the one who betrayed her followers, the humans, and created the Order of the Serpent.

She gives grace to the most devout of them and reincarnates them as snake men.

I've heard rumors that the Elyos people call it the curse of Eeg.

This Botis came with me as my chaperone.

'What is it?　Botis?　You wanted to see me?　You're right, we're not fighting Alfos.

He answers grimly and glares.

'Are you still unhappy that you can't fight?'

'Of course!　Botis.

This Botis forbids me to fight Alfos.

This is why I am so frustrated.

I lost to Alfos before. But it shouldn't be possible for me to lose this time, either.

I am frustrated that I can't fight.

If it wasn't for my mother's insistence, I wouldn't have listened to Botis.

''Uh-huh, I'm sorry, young master. But we will have to be patient for a while longer. The snake venom has already entered their bodies. And we have the Fresh Blood Princess helping us. There's no way we can't succeed.

Botis laughs.

The fresh-blooded princess Zafarada has gone into the forest and is letting the trees die.

It's a ploy by Botis.

He plans to make us think that this one is going to break the seal on the Wesen by force.

”Hmm, is everything going according to your plan?　Botis?

Then I look at the one behind Botis.

It's small in stature. And the figure is deformed.

Its entire body is covered in rust-colored metal.

It is not wearing armor. More than half of its body is made of metal.

This hiding place was guided by this one to begin with.

It seems to be a collaborator of Botis, but I don't know its exact identity.

But I don't care.

”Yes, my young master. ”Yes, my dear boy, it will work out.

Then Botis laughed.

◆Chiyuki, the black-haired wise man

All of us are gathered in a room in Eldo's palace.

'Well, ....... I wonder what I'll do: ......

Kouki is taken away by the elves, and he wonders what to do.

Normally, the right thing to do is to get him back.

But I'm torn as to whether or not we should move.

On a sober note, Kouki is a child entrusted to the Temple of Raina. In other words, he is a child dedicated to the goddess Raina.

And the elf is a subordinate of the gods of Elyos.

It would be easiest for us to convince them to return him to Lena.

This way, we won't have to make a move either.

The priest Haurena should have already informed the temple of the St. Renaria Republic of this matter. From there, she will report it to Renna.

However, there is also the possibility that Renna will be silent about it.

Raina and the other gods of Elyos don't get directly involved unless there's something wrong with them.

It is possible that they don't care about one boy, even though he has been entrusted to their own temple.

It's not for us to say if Raina is going to keep quiet about it.

We can just leave her alone.

But I don't think that's going to happen.

”It's okay, Saana!　I'll bring you back, Kouki.　That's right, Chiyuki-san!

Cyrone, who has been fussing over Saana, looks at me.

Sirone is going to go get it back.

'Err... ......'

I stammer.

What should I say?

'Silone. If the elves have kidnapped you, you don't have to go and help them, do you?　Maybe you'll live happily ever after out there.

Rage says to Sirone.

Actually, Rage is right. The elves are always young and only female, and they are all beautiful.

There are many men who want to be kidnapped by the elves.

That's why it might be better for Kouki to grow up in the land of the elves.

However, as a rage, he might just not want to have a man attached to his daughter.

''Rei-kun, that would be a pity for Saana.

Sahoko is quick to protest.

Saana also seems to be in a bad mood, as if she understands the words.

It seems to be the same for Reno, Nao and Kyouka.

By the way, Kaya hasn't reacted in any way.

''I certainly feel sorry for Saana.

That's right. Poor little Saana.

'Yes, yes, you should take back the boy who will be good-looking in the future.

Only Reno seems to have a different reason to take it back.

Elves are face-eaters, by the way. They don't even look at the ugly ones.

So let's go get it back.

Cyrone says with pride.