The Hero’s Brother Is Bound To Be Depressed - Chapter 374



375 – Seed of the World Tree

It is a dense forest. The trees, whose roots were intertwined with each other, were growing densely and blocking the sky. The sunlight streaming through the thin gaps scatters to various places like jewels, illuminating the beauty of nature.

The sound of birds chirping, small animals running, and even trees talking with the wind. The great forest welcomed us with its pristine nature, completely untouched by humans. There were no huge structures, and there were no roads for people or animals to travel.

As Luna and I were staring blankly at the forest, Canyon spoke.

“Are you planning on going any further inside? In fact, there is no road and there are a lot of monsters and beasts, so I usually just stop here and turn around. “The further you go inside, the less sunlight there is, and there are more poisonous insects that can be life-threatening.”

Canyon thought we had come simply to see the forest. The reason he volunteered to be a guide was because he was worried that if something happened to a great nobleman from the East and a stupid couple with a golden status card wandering around the forest without knowing about the dangers, he would be the target of sparks.

“You don’t have to follow me. “We have places to go.”

“… You had a destination. “Can you tell me where?”

I thought about Canyon’s question for a moment. Actually, I didn’t know where the elf village was in the forest. So I was wondering how to explain it. Canyon sighed and muttered, wondering how he had accepted that moment of silence.

“… Damn it, high-ranking people always don’t talk.”

Canyon grumbled a little and scratched the horse’s head.

“But it would be more convenient to have a guide. After staying here for a few months, I have become somewhat of a person who fits into the forest. “If it’s not inconvenient, I’ll do it together.”

After exchanging glances with Luna, I answered with a smile.

“great.”

***

Because there was no road, we tied up our horses at the entrance and walked. As we entered the forest, like the canyon’s warning, the densely grown trees blocked the sky, making it dark and humid.

Canyon, who was walking ahead, stopped and raised his hand to warn us.

“Do you see the floor next to you?”

“yes.”

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The place Canyon pointed to was a floor piled with old fallen leaves that can be found anywhere in the great forest. I looked closely to see if there was anything different, but I didn’t feel anything special. But Luna figured out her answer before Canyon could explain it.

“… “Is it a swamp?”

“Oh, that’s right. “It’s not easy to distinguish it from the floor, so even the soldiers get confused, but they’re amazing.”

Canyon gave Luna a thumbs up and picked up a rolling stone and threw it. Then, ripples appeared in what looked like the floor, and a swampy area disguised as an ordinary floor appeared. At that moment, I felt a strong stench and heat. It was hiding the stench and heat until something fell into the swamp.

“It looks like a normal floor, but if you accidentally stick your foot out… “It will be like that.”

At the place Canyon pointed to, there was the body of a huge monster that had fallen into the swamp. Almost nothing remained but the bones, and all sorts of things were gathered around the body. It appears to be a swamp cleaner.

Canyon looked around, picked up a broken tree branch, dipped it deep into the swamp, shook it back and forth, and pulled it out.

“Swamp mud has the effect of repelling poisonous insects. Of course, if it touches bare skin, it will cause hives and inflammation, but if you apply an appropriate amount on clothes, there is no problem. “The downside is that it smells bad, but it’s better than being bitten by a poisonous insect.”

I glanced sideways at Luna at the familiar sight of Canyon getting mud from tree branches on his armor. I was worried that she might have brought me to the forest and put me through a hard time for no reason, but Luna smiled brightly, as if she had guessed what I was thinking.

“I’m glad I came to the Great Forest. “It’s better because I’m with Ross.”

I smiled and nodded at Luna’s pretty words and waited for Canyon to cover herself with mud. Once she had applied all the mud, she realized that poisonous insects would definitely hate this smell. The body odor was worse than the smell of a rotting corpse.

We continued heading forward. I told Canyon that the elf village was my destination, but Canyon didn’t seem to know exactly where the elf village was in the forest. Canyon, who was swinging a branch to cut off the invisible insect’s thread, spoke as if making an excuse.

“Originally, when you enter the forest, the elves approach first, shooting arrows. They say that humans have dared to set foot in the sacred forest. Even after the misunderstanding is resolved, they hide in the trees and continue to monitor their actions. But even after coming all the way inside, it doesn’t show up… “It looks like the elves are busy today.”

“I guess the reason I’m so busy is because of the general.”

Canyon groaned, rubbing his chin in response to the thoughtless answer.

“Hmm… Maybe so. Still, since he is a general, the elves will not neglect entertaining him.”

While I was paying a close attention to Canyon’s words, praising her for being amazing and saying that she hadn’t even thought of that, Luna suddenly opened her mouth.

“I see something like smoke in the distance.”

Canyon and I followed Luna’s gaze and our heads turned. Indeed, in the distance, a small cloud of black smoke rose into the sky. It looks like they started a fire to eat food.

“Let’s go over there.”

Even if the place you arrive is not an elf village, you will be able to head to the elf village with Ian’s help. With that in mind, we walked forward and soon found what appeared to be an elf village.

In a place full of rose vines that seemed to be the entrance to the village, instead of elves with pointed ears, I saw soldiers armed with iron swords and armor. I quickly checked the situation, but there were no traces of battle.

As we got closer, the driver approached us. The driver, who seemed to know Canyon and greeted me with a quick glance, turned his head to me and said,

“Are you Ross?”

For some reason, it seemed like they were waiting for me to arrive in town. I answered, feeling a strange sense of foreboding in my heart.

“you’re right.”

When I took out the identification card from my pocket and showed it to him, the driver who had finished checking nodded his head and turned to open the way.

“The general is waiting inside.”

We headed inside under the guidance of the driver. Canyon also seemed to be curious and followed us. As I went around the huge tree that was blocking the entrance, the elf village came into view.

It is a village created in a way that does not harm nature as much as possible. There was something that looked like a house under the huge vines connecting the trees and the roots rising through the ground. The most accurate metaphor would be to say that it is fantasy-like.

As I was following the driver and looking around the village, Luna suddenly stopped, groaned softly, and hid behind me.

“are you okay?”

When I looked over my shoulder, Luna’s expression was dark. Her face was full of anxiety. Luna pursed her lips and she did not respond. The sight of her worried her, and as she was about to turn her body, she heard Canyon mumbling.

“This is… “Is it a statue?”

I followed Canyon’s gaze and looked at the house at the base of the tree. And it just froze. Where my eyes landed, there was an elaborate elf statue that seemed as if it could come to life at any moment. Not one. There were several elf statues throughout the village. Even on the street and on the trees.

It was a very foreign sight to see an elaborate sculpture made of stone in a village of elves living in harmony with nature. I feel uncomfortable. The strong sense of discomfort adds to my conviction of ominousness.

“no way… .”

Luna spoke with difficulty to me, who was speechless.

“how much… “It hasn’t passed.”

I realized what Luna said. This is not just a statue. It was an elf who was petrified and turned into a statue. I know someone who can do this. Because I personally handed over the data on the Stonethorn Soldiers to be used as weapons.

I chewed my lips and swallowed my emotions. As she held Luna’s hand and silently followed her knight, Canyon suddenly noticed that the atmosphere around her had become heavier and she pursed her lips.

I saw Ian sitting on a tree and resting. The sight of her wearing red armor reminded me of her previous title as a red paladin. Ian, who discovered us, got up and gave orders to the soldiers who were resting nearby.

“Once the carriage is finished, load it with the selected statues. “Once we’re ready, we’ll go straight back to the capital.”

After finishing speaking, Ian motioned for us to follow him and entered an elf’s house. Canyon smiled slightly and quietly fell next to her with the knight.

Together with Luna, I pushed the half-closed door and went inside. The elf’s house was bigger and neater than I thought. In particular, the design that used a lot of curves caught my eye. Should I say that it gives comfort to the viewer?

Ian, who was fiddling with a box smaller than the palm of his hand that did not match his large body, spread his magic and checked to make sure no one was eavesdropping around, then spoke.

“Your Majesty ordered me. “They said that when you come to visit, I can hand you this.”

Ian held the box out to me, telling me to take it as if it were a heavy burden. I took the box and opened it, turning slightly so that Luna could see it.

Inside the box was the seed of the World Tree, beating like a living heart.