"What do you mean by that?"
Denier asked back with a calm, almost serene look in his eyes.
"What do you think? I'm talking to you."
Alice chuckled and leaned against the wall.
"Karoon is a greedy person who would rather destroy a treasure he can't have. If he doesn't become the head of the house, he might burn Zieghart to the ground."
"..."
Denier didn't say anything and just stared at Alice.
"Balder is a simple yet foolishly loyal man. He values the family so much that if Zieghart grows, he would accept anyone as the head."
Alice continued, brushing her hair back in the wind.
"Sylvia is a courageous coward. She made a choice even I couldn't. I still think it's impressive."
She looked at Denier after mentioning Sylvia's name.
"And finally, you are an observer. You don't get involved in anything or waste emotions in any situation. Honestly, I still don't know what you're thinking."
"An observer…"
Denier drew a thin smile on his lips.
"Isn't that right?"
"No, I think it's an appropriate title. You've been observing us better than I thought."
"They're still my siblings, after all."
Alice spoke in a voice that seemed to come from a distant place.
"So, you find it strange that the observer is taking care of the children?"
"Exactly."
"People change. You should know that better than anyone, sister."
"That's right. People do change. I thought so when you adopted Martha."
She nodded calmly.
"But you almost left Martha alone even after adopting her. It seemed like you were helping her behind the scenes, but it wasn't noticeable."
Alice frowned as she looked at Denier's clean hands.
"You've only taught Martha a few times, right?"
"The excuse that I didn't have time won't work, will it?"
"Of course not."
She frowned, telling him not to talk nonsense.
"I'm surprised. I thought you were focused on playing pirates."
"I don't only have my eyes on that."
Alice pointed to her eyes with her finger.
"Well, you've always been different from your appearance."
"Shut up. What are you thinking? Why are you suddenly abandoning your position as an observer and acting out?"
"I told you, I'm changing a little too. I just wanted to help those kids because they were admirable for training as soon as they returned from their mission."
Denier waved his hands, telling her not to misunderstand.
"If you get caught doing unnecessary things, you'll die."
Alice grabbed Denier's collar with a chilling voice. Her presence overwhelmed the space as if she had become a completely different person.
"You're harsh to your brother."
"You think I can't?"
"No, you would, sister. But…"
Denier calmly accepted Alice's heavy presence and gave a thin smile.
"Trust me a little. I may look like this, but I don't do anything that harms Zieghart. I was the one who found all the spies in the family."
"That's why I'm not punching you right now."
Alice clicked her tongue and shook her right fist.
"It reminds me of the old days. I got hit a lot."
Denier smiled softly at Alice's fist.
"Alice!"
"We're all set."
Martha and Burren, fully equipped, called out to Alice.
"Call me aunt!"
"Aunt!"
This time, Runaan was the first to call her aunt.
"I can't tell if that kid is bright or crazy."
Alice shook her head as she pulled away from the wall.
"This is your final warning. Don't mess with the kids, and don't cause unnecessary trouble."
"You're impossible to talk to."
Denier sighed and shrugged.
"Hmph."
"Sister."
"What now!"
"You should watch more than just me."
Denier shook his head with a voice that seemed to echo in emptiness.
"What do you mean?"
"..."
He quietly looked at Alice without answering.
"Tsk."
Alice glared at Denier, clicked her tongue, and turned around. Her steps towards the Light Wind division leaders wavered slightly.
"You really get on my nerves."
* * *
"This child must be trained in music!"
The elf with a heavy gaze that seemed unshakeable even if the world collapsed was gone, and an elf, trembling as if possessed, pointed at Yua.
"She has perfect pitch, a beautiful voice, and innate skills! She was born to do music!"
She shook her head, saying Yua's path should be that of a musician, not a martial artist.
"Your name is Saira, right?"
Raon waved his hand to calm her down and called the female elf's name.
"Yes!"
Saira nodded vigorously and raised her voice.
"I also know that Yua has talent."
It was clear Yua had a special talent, as Eden had aimed to make her the Siren's vessel.
However, he didn't expect that such a distinguished musician among the elves would praise her so highly.
"No, you don't understand."
Saira shook her head firmly.
"There's no one among humans or elves who can match her."
"Not even you, Saira?"
"I'm not even worthy of her toenail dirt!"
"Oh…"
She bit her lip, saying it was rude to compare.
"Ahem!"
Yua seemed pleased with the praise and raised her nose high, coughing slightly. It was cute how she scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"So, what do you suggest we do?"
"I must teach her here. I want to pass on everything I know."
Saira clenched her fist, expressing her desire to make Yua the best musician.
"Hmmm…"
Raon licked his lips, looking at Saira's fist, which was close enough to hit his chin.
'I'm happy that Yua's talent is being praised, but…'
Leaving her here all of a sudden is unexpected.
Since he was acting as her guardian in place of her grandfather, it wasn't an easy decision to make.
"Yua, what do you think?"
"Umm, I'm not sure. I like swords, but I also like singing and playing instruments."
Yua shook her head, saying she wanted to do everything.
"We still have some time here. Let's decide that later."
"Ugh, what a waste of time…"
Saira trembled as if she wanted to teach all night.
"Then, can I keep her with me while we're here?"
She bowed her head, pleading for permission. Her appearance was so different from the first impression that it was even more surprising.
"You decide."
"That's fine with me!"
Yua raised her hand, saying she wanted to learn more about playing the reed pipe.
"Then let's go right away! I'll even prepare food for you!"
Saira took Yua and ran to her house without giving anyone a chance to stop her.
"It's like looking at myself."
Rimmer, carrying a tray from the kitchen, smiled faintly as he looked at Saira and Yua's backs.
"Huh?"
"I had a hard time catching you too."
Rimmer raised his eyebrows slightly as he placed the food on the table.
"Did you…?"
He couldn't remember Rimmer making any effort, but he let it slide because it was bothersome.
"What about me?"
Dorian raised his finger, asking how he was.
"You, you too. I tried to catch you unconditionally. Without you, the supply officer, there wouldn't be a Light Wind division!"
Rimmer forced a smile with a lie anyone could see through.
"Of course!"
But Dorian nodded happily at Rimmer's words. He was the heir to the Sephia Company, but he shouldn't go into business.
-Gasp!
Wrath stuck out his tongue as he looked at the food spread out on the table.
-Food! And all new kinds of dishes!
He seemed to like the elves' cooking so much that he swallowed audibly.
'They're definitely all new.'
It was a pie with fruit in it, but the color and aroma didn't seem like it used flour.
It felt more like the fruit had puffed up rather than being bread.
-Pick up the fork quickly! Take a bite of that pie first!
'I got it. Just wait a moment.'
He picked up the fork, calming the usually impatient Wrath. As he was about to take a bite of the pie, a chilling sensation ran down his spine.
"Hm?"
Rimmer also felt it and stood up with his eyes wide open.
"Huh? What's wrong with you two?"
"Wait a moment."
Raon couldn't answer Dorian's question and dashed out of the lodging with Rimmer.
Zzzzt!
The night sky opened. The barrier of Sepia, protected by the power of the World Tree, was torn apart like a sheet of paper.
Strangely, it didn't feel like someone forcibly broke the barrier. It seemed as if a lot of time had passed, causing the barrier to naturally disappear.
"Dorian, take care of Yua."
Raon gestured to Dorian while putting on his Black Dragon Coat.
"Division Leader, please head straight to the World Tree. You need to protect the Guardian."
"What about you!"
"I…"
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the clearly visible entrance to Sepia, as if the barrier had never existed.
"I need to go there."
Merlin told him to run, but there were many elves guarding the Great Forest because of his request. He couldn't just run away and leave them.
Boom!
Raon harshly kicked off the ground, looking at the Great Forest where flames were beginning to spread.
-Damn it! Why does something always happen when I'm about to eat! Damn sky! Stop messing with me!
Using Wrath's scream as a springboard, he ran faster and jumped into the Great Forest.
* * *
"It's killing me to stand guard without any rest."
The blue-haired elf sighed as he looked at the darkening forest.
"Why does Erian believe that human's words so much?"
The green-haired elf with a small scar near his eye frowned.
"They say he's the Spirit King's Contractor."
"Does that even make sense? If he were really the Spirit King's Contractor, he would have summoned the Spirit King when he saw the World Tree."
"I don't believe it either. But what can we do when the head of the Guardians says so?"
The blue-haired elf clicked his tongue and showed his annoyance.
"Ha, maybe that human just doesn't like us?"
"What?"
"I'm saying maybe he's doing this just to make us suffer. Why would enemies suddenly invade?"
"Now that you mention it. He seemed close to Lady Siyana…"
"Then it's true! He's getting back at us for teasing Lady Siyana…"
"Is this the time for idle chatter?"
Leyran, returning from reconnaissance, frowned as she looked at the Guardians standing at the entrance.
"Lady Leyran."
"It's just that…"
"This mission isn't from that human, but from Erian. If you don't want to follow orders, you can quit being a Guardian."
Her cold words made sweat trickle down the elves' foreheads.
"No, we're fine!"
"No complaints!"
The elves shook their heads and straightened their backs, looking straight ahead.
Leyran sighed inwardly as she looked at the elves.
'It's understandable.'
Originally, they should have rested for at least half a day, but because of Raon's request, they had to stand guard immediately. It was understandable for the Guardians to react that way.
'I'm angry too.'
Standing guard was acceptable, but it made her angry that the cause of all this was a human's words.
But as she told the other elves, it was Erian who made the decision, so they had to follow it.
'Hm?'
As Leyran lowered her gaze and shook her head, she sensed the presence of her kin in the path leading from the Great Forest to Sepia.
'Whose presence is that?'
It was definitely the presence of her kin, but the mana was dark and unfamiliar.
Moreover, the place where the presence was felt was where she had just finished her reconnaissance.
There was definitely no one there, but she didn't know what had happened.
As Leyran cautiously raised her bow, the barrier in front of her snapped like a rubber band.
Fwoosh!
It wasn't just the front. All the primary barriers surrounding Sepia were lifted, revealing the world of the elves within the Great Forest.
"What, what's happening…?"
"Why is the barrier suddenly…!"
The elves standing guard trembled with confusion.
"Wait here."
"Leyran, you wait here too."
As Leyran swallowed dryly and nocked an arrow, Erian stepped forward.
He placed his hand on the sword hilt and stared at the bushes ahead.
Ssssss!
With a gloomy sound like a ghost brushing the ground, the bushes parted, and figures in black robes appeared.
"Who are you?"
Erian swiftly drew his sword and glared at the figures in black robes.
"It hasn't been that long, yet you've already forgotten."
A slender human in the center threw off their robe. A female elf with brilliant golden hair but ashen skin like a rain-soaked sky glared with bright yellow eyes.
The others also removed their robes, revealing elves with pointed ears and beautiful features, but their skin was an unusually dark gray or black.
"C-Cassandra…"
Erian trembled as he looked at the ashen-skinned elf, as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.
"W-Who are they?"
Erian turned his trembling gaze to Leyran's question.
"They are defectors. Those who left Sepia. But…"
He swallowed dryly, saying he had never seen their skin change like that.
"D-Defectors…"
Leyran's fingers trembled as she looked at Cassandra.
'Is it those defectors…'
She had heard of elves who left Sepia due to ideological conflicts before she was born.
She had heard that the Guardian sent them off kindly, but she didn't know why they suddenly appeared and broke the barrier.
"What are you thinking, suddenly appearing like this?"
Erian bit his lip as he looked at Cassandra.
"You should know that you're alive thanks to the Guardian! Why have you come back and broken the barrier?"
"We came to thank her."
Cassandra lightly waved her hand and nodded.
"She's too kind to live in this harsh world. We need to send her off quickly."
She openly revealed her intention to target the Guardian.
"Do you think that's possible? The Guardian will be here soon!"
"While performing the Purification Ceremony?"
Cassandra curled her lips into a long smile.
"We know everything. Erian, did you forget that I was your superior?"
"..."
Erian bit his lip without answering. As he initially expected, they had come targeting the time when the Guardian was performing the ceremony.
"It's different from before. I'll stop you!"
"That would be fun, but we don't have time…"
As Cassandra snapped her fingers, the ashen-skinned elves behind her shattered a round sphere.
Roar!
As the flash from the sphere soared into the sky, a giant magic circle appeared on the ground where the barrier had disappeared.
Roar!
The wave of crimson flames from the magic circle spread in all directions, setting the forest ablaze.
"Come forth!"
Erian stretched his hand forward and summoned the highest-grade wind spirit. The spirit spread its wings as if to soar and tried to suppress the flames with strong winds, but it was instead pushed back by the wave of flames and crashed to the ground.
"How is this…"
Even though wind and fire aren't a good match, the wind should have been able to control the air and suppress the flames for a moment, but the crimson flames ignored the wind and spread.
The flames were so intense that the bushes and trees around Sepia were already burning.
"Do you think you can stop the crimson flames with such wind?"
With a mocking voice, the rising flames began to take on a human shape.
Rumble!
A solid body with a mountainous build and fists as big as boulders emerged.
A spiral horn in the center of its forehead and a helmet that seemed to be carved like a lizard's face shone with a fiery red glow.
Rumble!
The highest-grade wind spirit trembled its wings, intimidated by the terrifying aura emitted by the monster in the lizard helmet, just like when it faced Raon.
"Crimson flames…?"
Erian's lips quivered as he looked at the helmet worn by the man.
'A lizard's face, a single horn, and crimson flames…'
If it were one of those three, it might be possible, but there was only one that combined all three.
"…Could it be Ifrit?"
"Correct."
Cassandra snapped her fingers and nodded.
"The Fire Spirit King you wanted so badly has returned."
"Why is Ifrit in Eden!"
"This is where I belong."
The monster wearing Ifrit's helmet extended its hand forward. Crimson flames burst from its grip and engulfed Erian and the elves.
"Grrr!"
Erian bit his lip as he watched the swirling flames rush towards him.
'If I dodge, I can fight more.'
Although the monster wore Ifrit's helmet, its aura didn't seem to reach transcendence. If he dodged and fought, he might be able to hold out.
But if he dodged, his sister and the elves would die, and the entrance to Sepia would be blocked, turning it into a fiery hell. He had to stop it somehow.
Fwoooosh!
Erian planted his trembling legs firmly on the ground and thrust his sword forward.
"Rise!"
He reached out to the highest-grade wind spirit, which was crushed by the aura. His desperate cry seemed to work as the spirit struggled to its feet and created a powerful wind.
Rooooar!
The enormous storm of flames stopped in front of the wind blade. It was the power of will enduring the worst situation.
"Aaaargh!"
"Ugh…"
But the flames were so intense that two elves standing nearby melted away.
"Leyran…"
Erian called Leyran's name as if coughing up blood.
"Go, call the Elder and Raon, and evacuate everyone…"
"B-Brother…"
"I'm fine, just go!"
He showed a determined gaze as if he had already accepted his death.
"Everyone, retreat!"
Leyran gave the retreat order to the Guardians and turned around. She forced strength into her staggering legs and ran towards Sepia.
'I…'
I killed my brother.
If I had heeded Raon's advice properly, if I had surveyed every situation thoroughly, if I had scouted outside the Great Forest, my brother wouldn't have had to block the path like that.
I regretted so much that I wanted to kill the me from a few hours ago who dismissed Raon because he was human.
Fwoooosh!
As Leyran ran towards Sepia with blurred vision, a clear yet warm wind blew from the opposite side.
The wind that brushed past her retained its scent even amidst the heat that scorched everything around.
Leyran clasped her hands as she watched the wind's back.
'Please…'
* * *
Erian's hands trembled as he blocked the flames.
'This is relentless…'
As he blocked the crimson flames, his arms were already so burned that his skin was starting to peel away.
The excruciating pain made his head spin to the point where it wouldn't be strange if he collapsed immediately.
But he couldn't collapse like this. He had to buy as much time as possible for others to prepare.
"I'm sorry. Hang in there."
Whimper.
He forced a smile as he met the eyes of the shrinking spirit. The spirit let out a low whimper, as if saying it was okay.
Thud!
As he was holding on with all his might, arrows flew in from the left and right, piercing through his arms.
"Grrr!"
Erian lost his balance and bent over. His arms wouldn't move, as if paralyzed by poison.
"You're taking too long."
Cassandra curled her lips and shook her head.
"We're busy."
She gestured to the monster wearing Ifrit's helmet to finish it.
"Hmph. I didn't need your help."
As the monster wearing Ifrit's helmet snapped its fingers, Erian's wind and sword strikes were crushed, and the flames engulfed him.
"Ha…"
Erian let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the fiery prison surrounding him.
'So, this is how it ends…'
It's still okay.
Because he will save Sepia.
If it's Raon, the Spirit King's Contractor, he will surely save Sepia.
'I'm counting on you…'
As Erian placed his trust in Raon and looked up at the only open space in the sky.
A light completely different from the flames engulfing the Great Forest. A silvery-white radiance, as if the moon had melted, covered the sky.
Roooar!
Even the blackened trees, the gray smoke that stained the night sky, and the boastful crimson flames all froze in the world as a black cloak with a dragon engraving fluttered majestically.
"You held on well. From here on…"
The red eyes that checked on Erian turned forward, surrounded by a blue gleam.
"I'll take it from here."