Chapter 241

241st Episode – The Elves of Albrheim 241 ? The Elves of Albrheim #1

A few days ago, I was lost in thought about how my childhood, along with summer, was coming to an end.

But posing thus, it felt awkward saying such a thing while sweltering in the unbearable heat.

Summer was far from over; it seemed like it would go on for an indeterminate length of time.

This summer just wouldn’t end.

Please, will it end already?

Grr, this uncivilized Gaia Continent’s summer—without air conditioners, no less—is so unbearably long.

You clueless summer brat.

There must surely be a God of Summer somewhere who, much like a supervisor unwilling to leave their desk, refuses to end their shift.

Thinking that saying something might marginally alleviate the heat, I opened my mouth.

“Luna, is the long summer due to the southern or northern hemisphere?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, on this round planet, the length of the seasons can vary based on whether you’re in the southern or northern hemisphere, you know.”

“Round planet? Hassan, ever since a few days ago, you’ve been spouting nonsense about becoming a new self. You’ve clearly been affected by the heat!”

Lying sprawled out on the second floor with me, Luna looked at me as though I were a sick person.

Is the fact that the Earth is round truly still an inconceivable story for those living in this world somewhere between ancient and medieval times?

Of course, we’re not even sure if this place is Earth, or even a planet, for that matter.

Still, I restrained myself from explaining gravity, the universal attraction between matter, or the principles behind the creation of round celestial bodies to Luna, simply because the heat had sapped all my energy.

Mmm-mmm-mmm.

Zzzzizzzjujizzzzz.

With insects clinging to trees and grass making a racket that made my eardrums throb, escaping the heat with a nap was impossible.

The summer in this world was nothing short of absurd.

In fact, on the Gaia Continent, summer is reportedly considered something akin to a natural disaster. Administrative offices mostly shut down during the summer, and even farmers who usually toil in the fields take a break during this season.

In Korea, summer is the prime farming season.

Regardless of debates over whether this planet is round or flat, there was definitely a significant difference between the knowledge I brought from my old world and the thoughts of this place.

“Luna, is there any Wildling Potion left? That refreshing drink kind of stuff.”

“That was all drunk by Paranoi yesterday because of the heat.”

“d*mn. Why does she keep taking all the important stuff?”

“Therefore, I asked her to catch another Wildling. She’s probably digging holes in the forest right about now!”

At Luna’s words, I pictured Paranoi, armed with a gardening spade, furiously digging up the soil in the lush, tree-filled forest.

It must be scorching hot there! Paranoi was definitely the weakest of us all when it came to the heat.

Drinking all the Wildling Potion we were trying to save was a grave offense. I decided it would be appropriate to consider her punishment: banishment to the forest for a temporary earth-digging exercise.

Indeed, there’s no punishment more meaningless than shoveling.

While thinking about this, I heard a sound.

Swoosh.

Perhaps attempting some exercise to lose her belly fat, Luna raised her feet towards the ceiling while lying down and said,

“It would be nice to have a Cloudring around.”

“Cloudring? What’s that?”

“It’s a rare species of Wildling. They’re these white, fluffy little creatures, shaped like clouds, hence the name Cloudring!”

“Okay, but what’s so great about having them?”

“If you have one around your home, it cools the air. I’ve only heard about them and never seen one, so I don’t know much. But they’re called treasures among treasures.”

“Ah, so they’re a rare species of Wildling.”

I recalled the round liquid monsters known as Wildlings.

They were incredibly expensive creatures, costing around 2 gold each, but were highly effective when consumed. Their rare breed, this Cloudring, would sky-rocket in price. Moreover, these creatures purportedly chilled the air around them—monsters acting like air conditioners in this summer hell. Could anything be more pleasing than that?

“Where do you have to go to catch these?”

“I’ve heard they occasionally appear near the sea around Delphi.”

Delphi.

I thought about the city of Delphi.

Delphi, surrounded by the ocean, mountains, large rivers, and streams, was the main headquarters of the followers of the God of the Sun and Light. Known as the City of Prophecies and the birthplace of heroes and warriors, it was also a place I intended to visit at some point.

“Would it be difficult to go to Delphi now and catch one of these supposed Cloudrings?”

At my words, Luna, swinging her legs in the air with a swish-swish sound, responded.

“To get to Delphi, even by carriage, it would take more than a month. A month-long journey in this sweltering weather? I can’t do that.”

“Don’t worry. I can’t either.”

That day, I recalled hearing a story that there was something awaiting me in Delphi. I couldn’t fathom what kind of reward awaited me there.

But after hearing Luna’s words, a wild thought crossed my mind—was it that Cloudring or something I was meant to receive? If I had that creature next year, I’d be able to enjoy a cool summer.

Next year.

The thought of next year made me suddenly feel as if lightning had struck my head.

Each day I pondered whether I would ever escape the Gaia Continent and return to Earth, but I never imagined there’d come a time when I’d be contemplating next year on this continent.

I’ve truly become one of this place’s people.

This is why bonds are scary.

Once you form them, they aren’t easily shaken off. It’s surprising how even people like Antiope and Paranoi, who were once our enemies, now feel like friends.

And in this world, being someone who forms strong bonds is generally a losing proposition. I knew this well, so I tried not to form attachments to various things.

But everyone—Luna, Hippolyte, the members of the Mars Guild, Paranoi, Antiope, even that Elpride—left such vivid impressions on me that I couldn’t shake them.

Speaking of which, what is Elpride up to these days?

Since leaving her unconscious in the care of a clinic, I haven’t heard any news. However, according to the newspaper that arrived the other day, lions had visited Sodomora from Albrheim.

As far as I know, Elpride is guilty of the major sin of setting fire to the World Tree.

There are many people pursuing her. This event has spread across the kingdom, and she has finally been caught.

It was only a matter of time before she faced consequences.

Sodomora was also where the ruthless killing machine Kalidur had set up his base. Moreover, Elpride, who didn’t even try hiding her identity, lived as an adventurer with a growing reputation.

Foolish girl.

Did she not realize that she was a major criminal?

“Hassan. Hassan, are you even listening to me?”

Lost in such thoughts, I snapped back to reality at the sound of Luna’s voice.

“No, I was just deep in thought for a moment. What did you say?”

“It’s about that Bone Wyvern we met at the valley. I was wondering if it’s doing okay, being there all alone.”

At the mention of the valley, I thought about Agumon who we had left behind there. It’s certainly doing fine with the Skeleton Knight around.

Since returning from the abyssal depths, I’ve been staying at home to keep away from public view while things quiet down, so I’ve been unable to head to the valley for training or meet with Hippolyte to practice.

I wonder what everyone else is up to.

*

I originally liked moving around during the day. I believed that working during the day and bathing and sleeping at night was the healthiest lifestyle, so I would sleep even if I wasn’t particularly tired.

However, lately, the days were just too scorching hot and filled with various disturbances, so I started taking evening and night walks around the city to escape the heat and the prying eyes of others.

Of course, when I say “walking around,” I mostly just meditate in a quiet, empty park.

“Hey, who told you to wander around in this back alley?”

Unfortunately, the nighttime in Sodomora was rife with troublemakers, and I occasionally encountered hoodlums like these.

“You! Hey you!”

With bandanas swathed around their faces, they gleefully wielded clubs and knives. Recently, there have been more such hoodlums in Sodomora.

This was one of the key news stories after the dissolution of the Thieves’ Guild and the collapse of the underground market, as crime organizations that had previously been underground began surfacing and threatening security.

“Didn’t you hear me? Who gives you the permission to walk through this alley? Do you think your size makes you immune to knives?”

“Wait, wait, hold on Pilgrim. That guy is a Samaritan, Hassan of Samaria!”

“Wha-wha? d*mn it, I couldn’t see clearly in this darkness. It’s really him! sh*t, I almost got myself in trouble. Sir, consider it a free pass. Go ahead, hehe-.”

It seemed that even such ruffians carefully chose their targets for troublemaking. I was relieved since a fight with five or six armed men would not have ended quietly, even for someone in my current condition.

On the other side, I felt a bit disappointed at missing the chance to release the energy pent up from being confined indoors during the day.

Disappointed, huh?

Thinking about it, if it were back in the day, I’d have been trembling and flustered, probably getting my wallet or other items snatched. Clearly, I’ve changed significantly over the recent period.

Maybe spending time around giants from Ulgart, Hippolyte, and Skeleton Knights has built up my courage—perhaps something related to the Anchoring Effect?

As I lost myself in thought, the thief who had been aiming a dagger at me earlier put it away casually and spoke up:

“Sir, have you heard you’re going to be upgraded to Silver Tier for your accomplishments?”

“What, you’ve heard that?”

“It’s a rumor that’s spread everywhere in the slums recently. People in the West Gate have been buzzing that, finally, we have someone to be proud of.”

It seems like the news that my merit count had surpassed the standards for promotion to the Silver Tier was already on people’s lips. As he said, I was nearing that promotion.

Moving beyond the ranks of Slave, Iron, and Bronze Tier to Silver Tier.

Veteran adventurer Hassan.

It felt like a rather cool title, but somehow I wasn’t overjoyed. I knew the reason: I understood that I was still lacking.

Even if I were on the same rank as Elpride, could I truly do the things she does? Probably not.

Let’s switch to talking about Hippolyte and Antiope, the sisters. Comparing myself to them was practically laughable.

I still lacked experience in many areas.

Not just experience, but overall preparation.

Now I finally understood what Hippolyte and the Skeleton Knight meant when they said numbers weren’t everything when it came to abilities.

“I still have a long way to go, really.”

“Nah, though I’m a punk doing shady stuff, I’m good at reading people. You, sir, seem like someone destined for even greater things. But no matter how high you climb, please don’t forget this west slum of yours.”

I inadvertently received encouragement from some hoodlums. It felt like what a soccer star born in the slums might experience.

“Just be careful not to get caught by me.”

“Hehe, will do my best.”

With that, the conversation with the hoodlums was over. I sat down beneath a street tree at the center of the empty park, leaning against its stiff, rough trunk.

Shaaaa-suss.

Crossing my legs as in a meditation stance and closing my eyes, I began noticing the soft breeze I had barely perceived before. The rustling of tree branches, the friction sound they made, the chirping of grasshoppers, and distant voices became louder and clearer.

However, my consciousness, which had previously been focused outward, must gradually turn inward. What I want to concentrate on now is this energy flowing within me.

Throb, throb.

Again, the familiar pain in my lower abdomen began.

There must be clues lying buried within this pain.

I can feel the hot bl**d coursing from the tips of my fingers and feet, all the way to my head, drawing energy from my heart, rushing down to my lower abdomen.

The more that flow intensified, the stronger the pain cutting through my belly became. Cold sweat seeped out on my forehead, yet I didn’t stop meditating.

Just then,

Whish!

Sensing something flying towards my head, I quickly moved my head to the left. Something brushed past my right ear.

A dagger? A blade?

Following the sharp sensation, I hastily turned my head but saw nothing approaching me. I must have hallucinated.

Did I meditate too deeply?

As I considered this, a figure emerged from the distant darkness.

“The degree to which this body’s energy could be evaded is remarkable. Young savage, you’ve certainly matured in many ways. That crude brute energy has refined to a degree where it might be called a wooden spear.”

In the moonlight, the shimmer was dazzling.

For a moment, I thought the moon had fallen to the ground, but it turned out to be the bald elf, Kalidur.

“Baldy? What brings you here? It’s been a while.”

“My name is not ‘baldy,’ but Kalidur. Anyway, hearing there was someone practicing meditation nightly, I came out of curiosity and see, we have this connection. So, has there been any progress in your meditation?”

“Something like that, I’m just trying to imitate it.”

“Patience is key when gathering one’s energy. Perhaps you might benefit from trying to be a little more at ease.”

“That’s true. So, did you come looking for me?”

“One might say so. You know that I came to this continent in search of that wretched one, Elpride, do you not?”

While cross-legged, I continued to gaze at Kalidur’s face. As he drew nearer, shadows from the moonlight obscured his features, making it impossible to read his expression.

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