585 - The Leaf Village Hidden Between the Letters #3

Elfriede said.

She agreed to let the festival proceed as planned, but

she wasn't keen on meekly following the will of Fria, the village chief of the Leaf Village, and the high-ranking Elves who followed her lead.

"I don't want to do it because someone else asked or forced me. I want to burn the trees by my own will. So, where are the guys you brought?"

Elfriede seemed interested in the group of rebel Elves I had brought.

I briefly explained that they were currently crouching above, waiting for the opportune moment for their grand scheme.

Upon hearing that, Elfriede nodded slowly as if contemplating something, then finally spoke as if she had an idea.

"There's a good time. We'll raid the village's core then and seize control of the village. That way, I, the priestess, can solely be in charge of the festival."

Elfriede seemed determined to raid the village folks and seize the initiative.

It wasn't bad news for me, nor for the rebel Elves brooding in the shadows outside.

"When is that good time?"

"Tomorrow morning. There's a practice run of the festival tomorrow morning. Everyone will gather in the village's central square then. From Fria to all the high priests of the Radiant Society."

Elfriede slammed her palm with her fist, saying, "We'll wipe them all out there-."

Tomorrow morning.

It was quite a sudden development, but not so much that I couldn't keep up. My brain is currently spinning as fast as lightning striking with a hammer.

"Hassan, in exchange for me agreeing to continue the festival as you said, don't forget you have to grant my request."

"Alright."

However, I was more afraid of what kind of request Elfriede might make of me in the future.

"She wouldn't do anything unreasonable like wanting to make me a slave again, right?

"Well then, I'll go tell the others about our conversation here. They must be shivering in the cold in the darkness."

"Go ahead. When I shoot a fireball high into the sky, that's the signal."

Deureureuk-.

Opening the balcony window, I once again leaped over the village rooftops towards the high branches.

There, Elves, unable to even light torches and shivering in the cold, were waiting for my return.

Hippolyte, who was crouching on the floor, spotted me first and waved her hand.

"Ah, there you are. How did it go? Is the Elf you were looking for safe?"

"She's fine. More importantly, I have something to tell everyone. This time, we've got a chance to raid the village's core and wipe them all out."

I informed everyone that tomorrow morning, all the village elites would gather in the central square for the festival's practice run.

And that it was an opportunity to raid them at that time and seize control of the village and the festival.

Upon hearing that, the old elder Gartrut nodded and exclaimed.

"That's a very good idea. If it's a practice run for the festival, everyone from the Radiant Society elders to the Leaf Elves will be paying attention."

"Then-"

Zertas, the former captain of the guard, added a word next to her.

"Then I will deploy a detachment of archers and swordsmen to capture the signal tower. It is the guards' duty to light the signal in case of an external attack-"

It seems they plan to prevent the rangers who were out on patrol from joining the battle.

Not only the old elder and the guard captain, but all the Elves who had lived in the village offered their own good suggestions.

As they murmured amongst themselves, time smoothly progressed from evening to night, and from night towards dawn.

Kkikeueueu-.

Not long after, the strange cry of an Alfheim rooster announced the approaching dawn. As Elfriede had said, the day of the festival's practice run had arrived.

Since Elfriede was supposed to tell us the time of the raid, all we had to do was wait for it.

So, while hiding between the giant leaves and looking down upon everything-.

"The priestess of prophecy arrives! Everyone, make way-!"

"The day has come to open the gates of the underworld and resurrect the sleeping light and radiance in the west-!"

Suspicious figures, their faces covered with white cloth, appeared and densely filled the village's narrow streets.

On the cloth covering their faces were handprints like blood seals, making them look quite eerie.

"Can they even see with their faces covered like that?"

Of course, that didn't matter.

My eyes were busy searching for Elfriede among the Elves pouring into the street.

I thought it would be easy to find her, even among the Elves, if she stood out particularly.

Indeed, Elfriede's presence, standing out alone in the distance, caught my eye. Elfriede was seated on a large palanquin.

Her appearance, wearing a voluminous and fluffy white dress, made it clear to anyone that she was the star of this procession.

If the protagonist were here at this very moment,

it would undoubtedly be Elfriede.

I felt like I could understand a little why that woman named Fria was jealous of Elfriede yesterday.

Luna, who was watching this with me, murmured softly.

"She looks more like a new bride than a priestess. She's beautiful."

Hippolyte nodded at that.

"Originally, priestesses and shrine maidens also serve as brides of the gods. It's natural for her to be dressed like a new bride."

"More than that, the Elves-nim! There are really swarms of armed Elves-nim...!"

Paranoy grumbled indignantly about the large number of soldiers escorting the festival rehearsal.

I didn't think I would lose fighting against them, but

my goal wasn't just to survive myself, but to minimize any potential harm to our party.

Thinking that way, the elite troop of Elves, numbering close to two hundred, seemed like a considerably threatening and formidable enemy.

However, the opportunity is only now.

Because in a few days, during the real festival, the pilgrims of the Radiant Society who had gone on distant patrols or were dispatched to faraway continents would return, making it even harder to deal with them.

There's no other moment than now to capture the village.

I can't make a mistake.

With that feeling, I tensed my body further. The moment Elfriede shot flames into the sky from her hand was the signal for us to emerge from the shadows.

It was the chance to break the yoke of the Elf village that had bound Elfriede's neck.

Waiting for that moment, I scanned everything with my eyes.

Elfriede, having dismounted the palanquin, headed towards the trunk soaring high in the village's central square.

That trunk seemed thicker, older, and more imbued with the passage of time than the other World Tree trunks.

Standing before it, Elfriede finally grasped a small twig and a bundle of grain with ears of wheat in her hand.

She looked just like a woman holding a bouquet, but I don't know what everyone else thought.

Chwarara, chwarureu-.

Elfriede swayed the bundle of grain from left to right, and right to left.

She opened her mouth in a loud voice.

"Wanderers of long ages-Rejoice today-. Forsaken ones of the long winter-. Those who hid beneath desolate times like dark shadows-"

It sounded like a song.

Elfriede singing a song.

It didn't suit her at all, but hearing it like this, it wasn't that awkward.

I even felt like I had forgotten all the plans until just now and was completely captivated.

It seemed that not just me, but all the Elves felt the same.

The Radiant Society executives gathered in the square and the village's high elders watched this scene, some shedding tears.

Perhaps their emotions were overwhelmed by the thought that the winter they had endured for so long would soon end.

It was the same not only for the village elders but also for the exiled Elves who were waiting to attack them.

What was reflected in their eyes was not the priestess Elfriede, but the suffering of the past winter, and

I could clearly see that the warm spring day that was yet to come.

"By the ancient covenant, the sun that rose from beneath the earth shall soar high above the land for three days and nights. With its own light, it shall melt the world's snows-"

Hwarureureu-.

The bundle of wheat ears in Elfriede's hand ignited with magical flames.

Tsk- clicking her tongue at the sight was Fria, the village elder, who was watching this from a chair in the corner.

"Elfriede. Burning the wheat ears was supposed to be for the real festival, not the practice. It's a scarce bundle of grain, so couldn't you have cherished it?"

However, Elfriede, as if immersed in her role, didn't even reply to Fria.

"O spring, passed through long ages, come with my beloved-.

With that, the fireball burning in Elfriede's hand shot into the sky.

Hwarureureureu, ppeong-.

It was only for a moment that it exploded like the sun, brightly illuminating the winter dawn.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was lost in the spectacle of that beautiful radiance, I shouted.

"Now-!"

I leaped with all my might from the high branches and landed in the village square-.

Kwaaang-.

"Wha-! What is it-! What's happening-!"

The shockwave from my heavy landing sent several startled Elves flying.

Without missing the chance, I drew Mjolnir from my waist and smashed it into the Elves' heads.

Kung-.

"Gyaaaak-!"

"Ugh-! An attack, it's an attack-! Damn it-! Where did these guys come from-!"

"Arm yourselves-! Light the signal-!"

"Damn it-! The signal tower isn't catching fire-!"

The advantage of a surprise attack is that you can wipe them out before they regain their senses.

Before they could assess the situation and respond, I focused on taking down as many of the dangerous-looking ones as possible.

Elves with white cloth covering their faces.

Among them, the ones with handprints stamped on their cloth were the most troublesome high-ranking Elves, weren't they?

I was focusing on taking down the high-ranking Elves who could create variables.

"Th-this guy is Zertas-!"

"Miguni is here too-! They must be exiles-? The exiled Elves have started a rebellion-!"

Perhaps the village Elves weren't complete idiots, because as soon as they realized the identity of the enemies they were facing, they quickly regrouped and began to defend themselves.

"Then I will deploy a detachment of archers and swordsmen to capture the signal tower. It is the guards' duty to light the signal in case of an external attack-"

"Then I will deploy a detachment of archers and swordsmen to capture the signal tower. It is the guards' duty to light the signal in case of an external attack-"

"Protect the priestess and the elders primarily-! Protect the priestess with the utmost priority-!"

They built a wall with their own bodies to protect Elfriede, whom they considered most important, and put up a strenuous resistance.

What struck the back of their heads was none other than the fireball from the priestess Elfriede, whom they had tried to protect with their lives.

"Move aside-. I can't see."

"Gyaaaak-! Priestess-nim, wh-why-."

"It burns-! It burns-! Damn it, damn exiled Elf bastards-! How dare they burn the Leaf Elves, Gyaaaak-!"

"I am Gartrut, former elder of the Leaf Village-! I've come to collect the debts owed-!"

War, as I always feel, is like hell.

The smell of burning amidst screams. The pungent metallic scent of sharp objects slicing flesh and drawing blood.

"Elfriede-!"

Just then, someone let out a fierce scream. Turning my head, I saw an Elf with blonde hair and blue eyes glaring intensely at Elfriede, holding a fireball in her hand.

It was Fria.

Fria, the village elder.

"As expected, there's no way you'd be meek-!"

She shot the fireball towards Elfriede.

Hwarureureu-.

Elfriede quickly dodged the fireball that flew towards her by rolling sideways.

Thanks to that, the Radiant Society executives were engulfed in flames and struggling, but Fria's bloodshot eyes seemed to not care about that, pursuing Elfriede.

Tadadadad-.

"Tsk-"

"There-!"

Elfriede, clicking her tongue, fled somewhere, pursued by Fria.

And my eyes darted rapidly between the alley where Elfriede disappeared and the village where everyone was fighting and bleeding.

"What ridiculous pink hair-! An alien species-!"

"What's ridiculous about it-! You bald Elf bastard-!"

"Luna Smash-!"

Luna swung the Totem of Silence, sending several Elves flying.

"Hassan-! It's okay here-! Go help Elfriede-! Gloria and Hippolyte can handle things together-!"

"Why isn't my name, Paranoy, included...?"

"Paranoy is included too-!"

Although there were many Elves,

my companions were reliably strong.

Leaving Luna's voice behind, I quickly ran towards the alley where Elfriede had disappeared.