Chapter 170 – Perhaps (5)

Cale clenched his fist.
Crackle, crackle.
He could feel the electricity in his palm.

"Human, why are you trying to use the fiery thunderbolt? I will destroy whatever it is for you! Just tell me!"
"I'm not using it."

Cale lightly pushed away Raon's face and started to walk. He could feel the slightly slippery ice underneath his shoes.
At the same time, a warm breeze that followed the blue light from the token brushed by his face.

"Did something happen?"

Cale waved his hand toward Choi Han, who urgently arrived by his side.

"Not really."
"That's good."

Choi Han responded back before following Cale into the path.

"Do we have to walk far?"

Cale responded back to Paseton's cautious question.

"I heard that we have to walk for a bit."

Eruhaben had told him that the entrance was a bit of a distance from the lake.
Rosalyn looked around the path with curiosity. She could see the snowstorm still raging outside the transparent path. Of course, Hong was gulping while looking at the snowstorm outside the path.

"Young master Cale. It is interesting that a safe path like this appeared as soon as you used the token. I guess the World Tree heard the signal right away."

Rosalyn could not see Cale's face, as she was very excited. Cale played along.

"I'm not sure, but it does seem that way."

That reaction made Choi Han flinch.
However, Cale did not pay any attention to it as he was thinking about what Eruhaben had told him.

'This token will let the World Tree know that you are someone I sent, so a somewhat decent path will appear to prevent you from getting poisoned.'

Eruhaben had definitely said a decent path. However, this path seemed much better than, 'decent.'

'I have a bad feeling about this.'
Cale had a bad feeling, but he was not scared.
The reason for that was because the Super Rock's usual statement when danger approached was not present today.

In fact, the Super Rock asked if he planned on destroying it instead. It had even sounded very concerned when it asked.

Cale looked down at his palm.
The Fire of Destruction was still crackling in his palm. Cale did not return the power back into his body.

'Did he really try to burn up the World Tree?'

Cale recalled the owner of the ancient power that was extremely greedy for money. Furthermore, he also thought about the World Tree that had generously created this safe path for them.

'Maybe this-'

Cale started to smirk.
At that moment, Archie, who had been peeking at Cale, started to speak.

"Young master-nim, have you met Elves before?"
"I have."
"Then you should know how they are, young master-nim."

Archie's expression turned serious.

"Why?"
"The Elves of this lake are worse than any other Elves you've met before."

'Worse?'
Cale remembered how Shickler had said that the Elves here were, 'rude and arrogant.' Archie continued to speak after seeing that he had caught Cale's attention.

"We have met them a few times because they are the closest Elf Village to the Whale tribe and we each have items that the other side needs."
"And?"

Archie let out a sigh.

"They think that they are the chosen Elves."

Cale shared a thought that quickly passed through his mind.

"They think they were selected by the World Tree?"
"Something like that."

Archie snorted before adding on.

"These Elves are extremely arrogant because they are the only Elves who can see the World Tree as well as a Dragon quite frequently."

Paseton slowly commented as well.

"Mm, they definitely have a habit of ignoring and looking down on other races. It is probably the worst here than any other Elf Village. Although we are going at a Dragon-nim's order, but, mm."

Paseton could not finish his sentence.

"But?"

Archie responded back at Cale's urging.

"But they will probably ignore you because you are human. They look down on us Whales as idiots with strong bodies."

Archie seemed to be angry.
He would have whipped them with his tail if Whale King Shickler had not told him to let it go because of the World Tree.
Paseton, on the other hand, seemed to choose to take a solemn expression.

'…Captain Archie is pretty bad too.'

Paseton had seen Archie respond to rudeness with even more rudeness in the past.
Cale asked the two Whales a question at that time.

"Don't you know how Elves feel about Dragons?"
"We do. They apparently respect them."
"Have you ever seen the Elves meeting a Dragon?"
"I have not."

Archie answered while peeking toward Raon. He then cautiously added on.
"I suppose they may slightly lower those stiff necks of theirs because Raon-nim is with us this time."
"You really think that'll be the case?"
"Excuse me?"

Cale looked toward the two Whales with a serious expression, leading them to flinch.

Even if this was just a six-year-old Dragon, would the Elves be rude to them when they also had a person coming to deliver a message from an ancient Dragon?

However, the two Whales couldn't help but think that those arrogant pricks might just do that. Cale answered with a serious expression at that moment.

"They will cry."
"…Excuse me? Who will cry?"

Cale seriously answered the confused Archie's question.

"The Elves."
"…Excuse me?"
"They may get emotional and cry when they see Raon."

'They think that Elves respect Dragons? I wish it was just at that level.'

Archie and Paseton looked toward Raon. Raon puffed up his chest and stretched his wings out wide as he confidently started to speak.

"I am kind of great and popular!"

Raon was still wearing a white fur coat. It did not make him look majestic at all.
However, the two Whales chose to accept it as Cale's group all seemed confident.

Cale turned away from the confused Whales and continued to follow the blue light.

'Cale Henituse. We need to strengthen the defensive magic around the World Tree. The little kid and Rosalyn should be able to take care of it.
'Also, deliver this message to the World Tree.'

Eruhaben had called Cale over secretly in order to tell him these things before they left for the North.

'Don't tell the little kid.'

This was the message Eruhaben wanted Cale to deliver.

'I have less than two years to live. World Tree, I hope you can give your fruit to the Dragon I send in my place. That child would have learned everything I know.'

Eruhaben laughed as he added on.

'Cale Henituse. This is something only you should know.'

Cale responded back normally to the laughing ancient Dragon.

'Yes sir. I will not tell anybody else.'
'Yes. I knew that you would answer that way.'

Cale started to think even harder about whether there was a way to extend the ancient Dragon's life after seeing the satisfied expression on Eruhaben's face.

It was not that Eruhaben was sick, instead, he was just naturally facing death due to his old age.

'But Eruhaben-nim.'
'What is it?'
'Are you welcoming death?'
'…Is there anybody in the world that would welcome death? We don't want to be sick and we don't want to die. I think that should be the case for both Dragons and humans.'

The ancient Dragon casually responded back, but Cale could feel his desire to live.
Cale observed him and continued to think.

'There definitely has to be a way.'

Immortality was impossible due to the laws of nature, however, Cale felt like there must be an ancient power that slowed down your aging.
Cale continued to think about the ancient powers he read about until he stopped walking.

"We're here!"

Cale looked down after hearing Raon's excited shout.

Swooooooosh-
He could see a large hole in the center of the snowstorm.

"Human, Goldie gramps said that the World Tree would be down below!"
"Yes. Raon, turn invisible for now."
"Me? Alright!"

Cale felt Raon sticking to his back after becoming invisible and started to speak toward Archie and Choi Han.

"Archie, you go down first because you have met the Elves before. Choi Han, you come down last."
"I understand."

Choi Han responded back immediately while Archie was looking at the hole with a frown.
Pat.
Cale patted Archie's back and Archie sighed before jumping into the hole that seemed to be endless.

"Looks fun!"
"I want to jump in now!"

Cale was scared, but sighed at On and Hong's excited gazes as he jumped in with them.
It was similar to when he went to the underground city of the Dark Elves last time, however, this was a steeper slide, so it was more dynamic than last time.

– Wow! Human, this is fun!

Raon, who was on Cale's back, was excited.
Cale just ignored it and let gravity do its work. He could soon see the light at the end of the tunnel. Cale's body fell into the light.

Splash.

'Mm.'
Cale started to frown.
It was different then when they had landed on fluff in the Dark Elf city. He didn't like the splashing noise he just heard.
Cale could see houses that were wet by water.

"Haaaaa."

His fur coat was wet. Cale continued to frown as he stood up.

"Ahem, hem."

Cale could see beautiful Elves standing there while looking at him with odd expressions. He could see two guards, as well as three other Elves who seemed to have come to greet him. The middle-aged Elf in front was the one to let out those fake coughs.

Cale looked at this Elf before looking up.

– This is so amazing!

It was just as Raon had said.
He could see the lake.
The World Tree and Elf Village were underneath the lake.
There was a transparent barrier preventing the water from coming into the village. He could also see a tree branch.

"Ahem, hem."

Cale ignored the Elf that was continuing to let out those fake coughs and looked behind him.

"Wow, this was fun!"

He checked on On and Hong, as well as the rest of the group, before walking toward the middle-aged Elf.
Archie couldn't help but think after seeing the look on the Elves' faces.

'They haven't changed.'

Archie was thinking that the middle-aged Elf was having a hard time deciding how to treat Cale. They would normally treat the human Cale one way, but he was also someone who had come as a messenger for the ancient Dragon.
Paseton was also looking toward Cale with concern.

"Ahem, that-"

The middle-aged male Elf started to speak at that moment.

He seemed to hold a fairly high position in the village.
That was why Cale understood this response. He also understood why the Elves behind this middle-aged Elf were standing there with stiff expressions.

The middle-aged Elf was suppressing his excitement as he needed to maintain his demeanor while the other Elves were trying to calm themselves after seeing how the middle-aged Elf was reacting.

The middle-aged Elf continued to speak.

"That, are you the sir who has come to deliver Eruhaben-nim's message? Did the esteemed Dragon-nim c, come as well?"

'Hmm?'
Archie became anxious after seeing the middle-aged Elf's extremely respectful demeanor. He then focused his attention on this Elf.
The middle-aged Elf's shoulders were shaking.

'Why is he like this?'

This usually rude bastard that he had traded with many times in the past was acting weird.
He then saw Cale starting to speak.

"Raon."

Cale said just one word.

"Tada! I have appeared!"

Raon stopped being invisible.

"Ohhhhhhhh!"

Archie nervously turned his head back after hearing that shout. The middle-aged Elf was holding his chest in amazement. The Elves behind him were acting the same way.

"… What the?"

'Why are the Elves acting like this?'
The Whales who had never seen Elves meeting with a Dragon became anxious. However, Cale's group was calm, as they had become used to this already through Pendrick the Healer.

"I am the great and mighty Raon Miru!"

The Elves nodded their heads and continued to mutter Raon's name as if they were studying for a large exam. Cale stopped one Elf who seemed ready to kneel and helped him back up.

"Thank you very much."

Archie wanted to barf after seeing the Elf's grateful smile toward Cale. However, Cale was just slightly annoyed, as he had expected this response.

"Where do I need to go?"
"Ah, yes sir."

The middle-aged Elf wiped away some sweat as he continued to speak.

"You need to meet with the priestess-nim who takes care of the World Tree. She was originally supposed to come to greet you, but she could not do so as the World Tree suddenly called for her."
"Is that so? Then let's head to the priestess-nim right away."

Cale wanted to quickly take care of things and lay down by a fireplace.

"Yes sir. We will take you there right away! Huh?"

The middle-aged Elf turned toward the direction of the village before stopping in shock. Cale had a confused expression on his face as well.

A little girl was running toward them.
There were a couple of other Elves behind her as well.

"…Priestess-nim?"

'Priestess?'
Cale looked back at the little girl after hearing the middle-aged Elf's comment.

'Hmm?'

The two of them made eye contact at that moment.

'Is she looking at me?'

Cale's back felt chilly after seeing the little Elf who looked like a troublemaker rushing toward him.

'Isn't her face too pale?'

The little Elf seemed completely petrified.
The young priestess rushed toward Cale as if she had a very important mission. The middle-aged Elf quickly approached the priestess once she got close.

"Priestess-nim, what is going on?"

The priestess did not even pay any attention to the middle-aged Elf before pointing toward Cale.

"Red hair!"

Cale flinched.
The young priestess had a look of urgency on her freckled face as she walked in front of Cale.

Cale slowly took a step backward.
This priestess seemed to be a bit weird.

However, there was a noise that intrigued Cale at that moment.

Clang.

It was the sound of coins.
Cale looked down at the young priestess.
The priestess raised her head and tried to hand the bag in her hand to Cale.

Clang, clang.
It sounded like coins clanging against each other inside the bag.

The young Elf started to speak.

"It might be old human money, but please take it! Apparently, they are silver coins!"

'Hmm?'

"Here, here! Now!"

The priestess shoved the bag toward Cale and Cale accepted it for now. The priestess then rummaged through her wide sleeves and took out a flat rectangular item as well.

"Here is gold as well! There were no gold coins!"

The young Elf seemed to be panicking.

"…What the hell?"

Cale was shocked and swore without thinking about it. However, the young priestess did not even care about that.

In her ten years as a priestess, this was the first time that the World Tree was so scared. The priestess raised the bar of gold back toward Cale and started to speak.

"The World Tree told me to give money to the red-haired person! It told me to give you coins!"

Coins.
There seemed to be a reason she kept saying coins.
Cale opened up his left hand.
Crackle, crackle. The Fire of Destruction was still there.
The young priestess urgently started to speak after seeing Cale looking back at her.

"Please take it! Otherwise, the World Tree said everything will burn! There will be a sea of fire!"

Cale started to think.
'Just what did the owner of the Fire of Destruction do?'

The Elf priestess seemed concerned.

"It said you really like coins and that you would go crazy for it!"

'He wasn't just a greedy hero?'
Cale couldn't believe it, but accepted the Elf priestess's gold for now.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]