Chapter 114

At Leonardo’s words, “I know you’re there,” the Elf was flustered.

He might not have been talking to him, but since he said, ‘I know you’ve followed me from Foothill’s Rest,’ it was clear the words were meant for him.

‘For a Half-Elf to sense my presence… his senses might be better than most Elves. Since he’s my sister’s son, I suppose that’s possible.’

While the Elf was lost in thought, Leonardo spoke to Barut and Grondar, who were descending the mountain ahead.

“Lord Barut! I’m sorry, but please come back here! You too, Grondar!”

—…….

“You too, Lord Jereuth!”

At Leonardo’s call, everyone started to gather around him. Leonardo looked around the forest again and said.

“Are you not coming out?”

The Elf answered inwardly.

‘He’s definitely talking to me. But it seems he doesn’t know exactly where I am. I don’t want to show myself to the Giant or the other human for no reason, so let’s just stay hidden.’

The Elf had followed Leonardo for only one purpose. To find out what kind of person his sister’s son, Leonardo, was and report back to his father.

And if Leonardo was in danger in the Monster Mountains, he intended to save him.

‘I don’t care what happens to the other three. Let’s just watch.’

The Elf once again decided not to show himself, but.

Leonardo’s next words made his body move.

“Monsters are pursuing me. I don’t know how many of them there are, nor how strong they are. But I know that even if we run, we will eventually be caught.”

As Leonardo spoke to himself, Jereuth asked with a puzzled tone.

“Your Highness, who are you speaking to?”

“An Elf. I don’t know where he is, but he has been following us from Foothill’s Rest all the way here.”

“From Foothill’s Rest all the way here……?”

“Yes.”

At Leonardo’s words, Jereuth grasped the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment.

Then he scanned the surroundings thoroughly.

Jereuth had absolute trust in Leonardo, so he did not doubt Leonardo’s words about the presence of an Elf that he himself had not sensed.

‘I didn’t sense any presence at all… Did His Highness sense something?’

It wasn’t because Jereuth was incompetent that he didn’t notice the Elf’s presence in the forest. It was simply an impossible task.

As Barut and Grondar also came closer, Leonardo looked at the trees again and said.

“Rather than having these three die while being pursued during an escape, I will fight together with everyone here. Even if it means I might die from a stray arrow or sword in the chaos.”

“Y-Your Highness! What are you saying!”

“Brother! What’s with you all of a sudden?!”

“……You shouldn’t give up on life because of the sorrow of losing Philip. I understand, but.”

The other three were still flustered, not fully understanding what Leonardo was saying.

The Elf was the same.

‘……He’s going to fight the monsters here? In a chaotic battle?’

If a chaotic battle broke out, even as an Elf, he wasn't confident he could keep Leonardo safe. He could snipe monsters trying to attack Leonardo while hiding in the trees, but as Leonardo said, ‘stray arrows and swords’ were tricky for even an Elf to deal with.

That was truly a variable of the battlefield.

‘That kid… the way he speaks, it’s as if he knows I want to protect him. Is it because he knows he’s part of an Elf’s family, as he has Elven blood? Perhaps he instinctively learned that we Elves value family more than life itself.’

In any case, the Elf had only one option left.

‘I’ll have to help.’

Pat—.

Ultimately, the Elf came down from the tree. Then he slowly walked towards Leonardo from between the trees and said.

“To think you knew I was following… my nephew has good senses. Your name is Leonardo, right?”

The appearance of the Elf, walking lightly with a gentle smile.

At his appearance, the other three, except for Leonardo, were equally surprised.

‘……There really was an Elf? And he knew all along? How on earth?’

—they thought.

Jereuth was just as surprised, but soon a satisfied and relieved smile appeared on his face.

‘If His Highness can sense an Elf hiding… then he won’t fall for any assassination. I’ve always been worried because assassination is difficult for me to prepare against, so this is a relief.’

In the meantime, the Elf had approached Leonardo. His legs were so long that it took him only a few steps.

“My name is Paras. I am your mother Victoria’s younger brother.”

“…….”

“Is my sister doing well? Ah, before that… I should have offered my condolences for your father’s passing, I’m sorry. It seems your father decided to become a sacrifice in the Minotaur’s dungeon, am I right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“You’re quite calm. Since you also have Elven blood, your heart must be tearing apart at the death of a family member.”

Paras patted Leonardo’s head as if he was proud. Unlike his delicate appearance, Paras' hands were full of calluses, from which Leonardo could vaguely sense how skilled an archer Paras was.

“So, is my sister doing well? If she finds out her husband died, she’ll be very sad—.”

“My mother is—.”

As Leonardo was speaking.

“Your Highness, I apologize, but may I speak about Victoria?”

Jereuth interrupted the conversation between Paras and Leonardo.

***

I watched Jereuth, who was talking with Paras a little ways off, and thought.

‘They’re talking for quite a long time.’

That aside.

‘Based on the contents of the Future Diary, I thought an Elf might be near me, so I took a gamble and just said it out loud… I’m glad it worked. If the Elf hadn’t been nearby or hadn’t come out, it would have been quite troublesome.’

However, the crisis was still not resolved. Even if the Elf—Paras—helped us and fought the monsters with us, it wasn’t certain that we could defeat them.

‘I feel like I need to look at the diary again… but it’s a bit awkward with everyone together right now.’

While I was having these various thoughts.

As if their conversation had ended, Jereuth and Paras turned back towards me. Paras' steps were particularly fast.

Tak—.

“……Leonardo.”

I don’t know why, but Paras grabbed my shoulders with a moved voice, his eyes red.

“I heard from that human. That my sister… your mother, died several years ago.”

“Ah…… yes.”

I had no memory of it, but I had heard the stories. I had also vaguely heard from the King how the Queen died.

‘But why is he suddenly bringing up the Queen?’

“Why are you talking about my mother—.”

“Excellent.”

“Yes?”

“I said excellent. Jereuth told me that my sister died from a sickness of the heart because of the tyranny of the kingdom’s nobles. But he said you purged all of them?”

“……?”

“There must have been many reasons for purging the nobles. But surely, there was also a desire for revenge for your mother, right?”

I had no idea what Jereuth had told Paras. Revenge for the Queen? There was not a shred of such a reason in my purging of the nobles.

It was merely a struggle for my own survival.

But since I had ‘tact.’

I knew what the correct answer to give Paras was.

“That’s right. My purge also included a desire for revenge for my mother.”

“As I thought……! Yes, even if you are a Half-Elf, with Elven blood flowing in you, you couldn’t forgive those who harmed your family. You’ve gone through a lot at a young age.”

“…….”

“You are a member of the Elf family. My proud nephew.”

Paras patted my head with a moved expression.

I subtly glanced at Jereuth behind Paras. Jereuth nodded as if I had answered well.

“More importantly, Leonardo. You already know this, but as family, I will warn you. Monsters are coming this way. They are quite strong.”

At Paras speaking as if he had information about the monsters, my eyes widened.

“Lord Paras, do you know? What kind of monsters they are?”

“Call me uncle. Elves don’t use names among themselves.”

“Ah…… yes, uncle.”

I didn’t know for sure, but it seemed Elves cared a great deal about ‘family.’ Perhaps Jereuth knew this and told Paras a certain story.

“The trees and animals told me that a total of 82 monsters are coming this way. Even as a Half-Elf, since you’re an Elf, you know that much, right?”

“Well… I didn’t know in that much detail. I just knew that monsters were coming to attack me.”

“Hmm, is it because you’re still young? Anyway, they are all different species.”

“All different species?”

“Yes. From unremarkable ones like Goblins or Orcs to ones that wield considerable power like Gremlins, Black Orcs, and Twin-Head Ogres. It’s rare for monsters of such different species to move together.”

Jereuth, who had been quietly listening to Paras from behind, spoke in a cautious voice.

“That is indeed strange. Especially since Goblins are nothing more than food for Ogres, so there’s no way Goblins would travel with them. Paras, do you perhaps know their purpose as well?”

I knew their purpose. It was to eliminate us who had sealed the Minotaur.

Still, since that was knowledge I had gained through the Future Diary, I decided not to say anything.

“I don’t know their purpose. But what’s certain is… frankly speaking, the four of you will be no match for them.”

“……No match? Are you saying that I and Jereuth will lose to about 80 monsters? Are you looking down on Giants?!”

This time, Barut interjected, sounding a bit displeased, and Paras shrugged his shoulders and replied.

“A race as few in number as we Elves, and a race scattered across the continent like Elves, O Giant. Giants are certainly a race strong enough to be respected. And you, their elder, must be a very strong Giant.”

“Do you know me?”

“Of course. My sister used to write and send me letters, and you were mentioned in them. You went on an adventure with my sister, right? I didn’t recognize you at first, but I remembered while talking to Jereuth.”

“Then you should know mine and Jereuth’s skills well, right? We won’t be defeated by monsters of that number!”

Barut said, frowning.

He seemed genuinely offended by the Elf assessing him as weak.

But this time too, Paras' answer was the same.

“O Elder of the Giants, they are not ordinary monsters. Each and every one of them are powerful individuals at the level of a ‘chieftain’ of their respective monster species.”

“……All of them are at the level of a monster chieftain?”

“Well, the trees and animals told me they are that strong. Since the animals and trees of the Monster Mountains told me, it’s reliable information.”

“…….”

“In any case, it would be foolish to recklessly face such a large number of chieftain-level monsters. Even the Dwarves, who know nothing but burning trees and digging up the ground to pound on rocks, wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Barut kept frowning, as if he didn’t like what Paras said.

But for some reason, I sensed something akin to confidence in Paras' tone.

Like a confidence that said, ‘I can solve this.’

“Then Lord Paras…… no, uncle, do you perhaps have a way to deal with those monsters?”

“Haha! As expected, my cute nephew is quick-witted.”

“Ugh…….”

Paras messed up my hair again. Like a much older adult praising their nephew.

Paras had the appearance of someone in their early twenties at most, so his actions and tone didn’t quite match his looks.

With a confident smile, Paras readjusted his bow and said.

“I will go and intercept them. I can reduce their numbers by a third, no, by half, before they get here.”

“……So many, by yourself?”

As I asked back blankly, Paras messed up my hair again as if he couldn’t contain his affection for me. ……It was the first time I’d been treated like this, so it felt strange.

“I am of the Elven royal family, one of the nineteen Elder Elves. I have a mission and responsibility to protect Foothill's Rest and the other Elves, and for that, I have been training to fight in the forest since I was born.”

“…….”

“Do not worry. I will show you. That there is nothing an Elf, no, an ‘Elder Elf’ cannot protect in the forest.”