584 - Leaf Village Hidden Between the Letters # 2

We climbed onto a high branch and looked down.

Although I say "branch," its size was comparable to a large bridge, sturdy enough for all of us to stand on, considering it was part of the World Tree.

"Everyone, let's put out the fires for now."

Swoosh, swish-.

At my suggestion, everyone extinguished the torches they were holding.

And so, the only light sources visible around us were the Milky Way, twinkling as if within reach, and the village lights sparkling below.

Could that be the village of the Brightness Society and the Leaf Elves?

Thinking that Elfriede was down there amidst those flames, my heart pounded with excitement.

However, the sight of them raising flames and holding some kind of festival was met with displeasure by the abandoned and exiled elves.

Beneath the pointed roofs, roaring hearths with potatoes and meat being roasted, and elves passed out next to them-.

"To be using firewood and oil so carelessly."

"The food is burning black by the hearth. We had to lick our eyes for food..."

"They're living in peace by sucking our very blood."

I worried that their anger and murderous intent might be detected, but Zertas, the blind swordsman leading the rebel elves, skillfully calmed them.

"It is not yet time. Brothers, let us crouch down a little longer for the future. Just a moment. Compared to the suffering we've endured, it's truly a fleeting instant."

His calm explanation visibly softened the elves' attitudes.

Taking advantage of the moment when everything had calmed down in the darkness, I spoke to everyone.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll go down and check the situation."

I'm used to infiltration.

Although I was acting like a barbarian warrior, my true calling since being Elfriede's slave was that of a rogue. A rogue who disarms traps, infiltrates, and tells lies.

Now, I've evolved into a ninja who uses wood-style jutsu.

"Hassan, take this with you! It's a robe imbued with the veil of night!"

Putting on the black robe Luna handed me, I climbed down the tree and leaped into the village.

Even though I landed softly on the tip of a pointed roof, not a sound was made.

Swoosh-.

Taking advantage of the darkness and chaos, I ran swiftly across the village rooftops.

The first thing I wanted to confirm was Elfriede's whereabouts.

And whether she was safe.

Finding Elfriede in this village, which seemed to house hundreds of people, wouldn't be easy.

However, as if drawn by something, I continued to move forward.

I stopped at the tallest and most magnificent building, landed on the third-floor balcony, and peered through the window.

And there, I saw silvery-white hair.

It was the Flame Witch, wearing a red dress, sitting by the hearth and turning the pages of a book.

It was Elfriede.

Overjoyed, I knocked on the window.

Elfriede turned her head, and our eyes met as I, wearing a deeply pulled-down robe, looked in-.

"..."

"..."

We didn't say a word to each other.

Was it a month, or two months?

There was a time when I desperately wanted to escape from her, but I never imagined I'd cross the sea just to see her.

Swish.

Elfriede, who had a complex expression, soon relaxed her face with a scoff and slowly approached me. Then, she slowly opened the window upwards.

"Come in first. Idiot, if anyone sees, it'll cause a huge commotion."

"Alright."

I entered Elfriede's room through the open window.

"Is this your room? The one you've lived in since you were young?"

"No, my original room burned down a long time ago when I left the village. This is a temporary lodging. More importantly, Hassan, you..."

The hearth fire reflected in Elfriede's red eyes.

She twitched her lips a few times as if about to say something.

I beat her to it.

"I missed you. I crossed this vast ocean to see you. I came all this way. You're going to say you missed me too, right?"

Elfriede's face instantly turned as red as if it would explode. She then turned her head and let out a small scoff.

"What are you talking about? After meeting for the first time in so long, you say such cheesy things."

"For someone who says that, your ears are twitching."

"Be quiet."

"Anyway, a lot happened on the way here. If I were to explain it all, it would take a whole night."

I wanted to tell her about escaping the Realm of Reincarnation, meeting the gods of Hypnos, the kingdom's rebellion, the wedding, and then sailing here.

But Elfriede shook her head.

"No need to explain. You're here. That's enough. But you didn't come alone, did you? Where are the others?"

Elfriede looked around, wondering how they got past the tight security.

"They're waiting on those high branches. We came through a secret passage. The exiled elves are with them too. A war might break out in this village soon."

"War? That has nothing to do with me. Meeting you is enough. Now, this village is no longer my concern. Let's get out of here. Back to the Gaia continent, to our home."

Elfriede, from Alfheim.

Hearing her refer to the cabin on the Gaia continent as her home, I felt a slight pang in my heart.

It felt like a chick stirring in a pocket of my chest.

However, I couldn't leave yet.

While Elfriede was my primary objective for coming here, there was still something else left.

I said,

"Elfriede, I overheard on the way. They say you're holding some kind of festival here. As the shrine maiden, you'll burn the World Tree and open the gates to the underworld."

"Yes. But now that I know you're alive, there's no need for that. I don't have to cooperate with those foolish villagers."

"So, about that gate to the underworld. Can I enter it?"

"What?"

"My father, and the things I absolutely must do, are all at the end of that. I have to go to the end of chaos, beyond the underworld."

"..."

Elfriede didn't answer.

With a serene expression, she gazed out the window at the moon and stars shining beyond, her red eyes twinkling.

This alone wouldn't be enough explanation.

As I pondered how to explain it in a way she would understand, she slowly spoke.

"You're asking me to obediently follow the villagers. I don't like that."

"Is there any way?"

"Then, I'll grant your request. You grant me one wish. I'll think of the wish later."

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"Of course."

Just as I was about to answer with joy.

Thump, thump, thump-.

The sound of something walking down the corridor of this grand mansion could be heard.

Elfriede's ears perked up.

"Hassan, hide for now!"

"Hide? Where?"

"Under the bed! Or the ceiling!"

With the sound of the door being opened, I flattened myself and hid under Elfriede's bed.

I felt like a mouse or a cockroach, but once I hid, it was surprisingly cozy and nice.

After all, rogues and ninjas lurk in such darkness, under lamps, and under beds.

Click, creak-. Clack, clack-.

I heard the sound of someone opening the door and entering Elfriede's room.

As I slightly turned my head, I saw a slim, slender ankle wrapped in something like high heels through the gap in the open door.

A woman?

The visitor spoke.

"Elfriede, I heard you talking to someone?"

"Friga. How many times do I have to tell you not to barge in uninvited?"

"This is my mansion, and my village. I have the right to do whatever I want with anything in my village. I am your queen!"

"Hmph, what's the point of boasting about being the queen of this toy village?"

"Watch your mouth! More importantly, who were you talking to? The festival is soon. Didn't you hear the prophecy that you shouldn't speak to anyone until the festival?"

This elf woman named Friga and Elfriede didn't seem to get along well.

From their conversation, it seemed Friga, who had entered uninvited, was the owner of this mansion and the woman in charge of this Leaf Village.

The Hokage?

Then, I heard Friga rummaging around.

"Who are you hiding?"

"Hiding? I was just reciting the sacred music (神樂) to be sung at the festival. My role is important."

"Yes, Elfriede. Your role is a glorious one that not just anyone can perform. Practicing for the festival, have you finally decided to cooperate with us?"

"..."

"Don't make that face. I want to poke those red eyes out. I wish I were you. If I were you, if I were the girl of flame, if I were the shrine maiden..."

Clack, clack-. Thud.

The woman named Friga sat on the bed where I was hiding.

Her slender ankles were visible right in front of me, so I had to hold my breath.

"There are reports of abandoned people acting suspiciously around the village. You should be careful, Elfriede."

"What can those abandoned and sick people do that's suspicious? Friga. You didn't come here to warn me about that, did you?"

"That's right. Actually, I've always been curious. I'm asking now, but why is it you and not me, Elfriede? Why does the World Tree choose only you, who burned it and even ran away?"

"What do I know?"

"It's important to me! Does it make sense that the daughter of an exiled elf is loved more by the World Tree than me, who has lived in this high class?"

"..."

"To be chosen as the shrine maiden, I've trained myself to the point of spitting blood every day since I was young. I've trained my mana until my head felt like it would split. But what is this? What about my decades of effort?"

"Friga, please leave now. As you said, I, the shrine maiden, shouldn't speak to anyone until the festival. That's the prophecy written in the World Tree."

"Hmph, prophecy. Fine. Good luck. And if you try to run away again or pull any tricks, I'll get rid of what I've hidden under this bed."

"The bed-?"

"Don't play dumb, Elfriede. I know everything about you. How you blink, how you speak, how you eat, how you sleep. I've studied and imitated you. There's something under here, isn't there?"

"..."

Caught off guard, Elfriede couldn't answer.

Friga, the woman, became even more excited and pressed Elfriede.

"What did you hide that made the Witch of Fire so flustered? Huh?"

At Friga's urging, Elfriede seemed to let out a small sigh.

"Friga, I can't win against you. I hid a hellhound, a hellhound."

"A hellhound? A hellhound? A minion of Garm? How dare you bring such a low-class creature into my mansion, my village?"

"Yes, I picked it up outside because I felt sorry for it. There's no other reason."

"How dare you bring in a low-class monster! Normally, you'd be banished with your magic circuits burned. Even if you're the shrine maiden, if you act too recklessly, you'll be whipped."

"..."

"More importantly, a hellhound. You've always liked stray dogs."

"..."

"You like abandoned beasts in the snow. You see yourself in them, don't you?"

Swish-.

I felt the visitor bow their head.

Elfriede's voice, clearly flustered, followed.

"It's a fierce one! If you bow your head like that, it'll bite you!"

"Fierce?"

"Yes. Very."

At Elfriede's signal of tapping her foot, I decided to act like a fierce dog. For the ninja Hassan, the art of imitation is simple.

"Grrr, growl, snarl, growl-."

Yelp.

The visitor's presence trembled with my heartfelt performance.

"Whoa. That's really fierce. It really sounds like a dog. Alright, if I get bitten for no reason, nothing will get done. Elfriede, I'll consider today a debt."

Then, the visitor closed the door and left, saying, "Practice your role for the festival."

After a while, when I realized all signs of presence had vanished, I was able to crawl out from under the bed.

I asked casually,

"I don't know who that was, but you didn't seem to get along well."

"That's Friga. She's like the village's intended queen. We have a deep, bad connection."

"Yeah, it looked like it."

I understood why Elfriede had been reluctant to accept my request to continue the festival.

She probably didn't like the idea of following Friga's will.

Indeed, Elfriede's face was contorted as if she had been deeply insulted.

"It doesn't look good to follow Friga's will. Even if I become the festival's shrine maiden, I want to do it by my own will. So, what are those people you brought doing?"