Chapter 450: The Chief Overseer Must Have Handled It Well (3)
Ereneth bit her lips and observed Dark closely. As she stared at him in silence, something seemed to come to mind, and her eyes widened. Her heartbeat gradually quickened.
‘No way… No, that doesn’t make any sense.’
There was one being she could think of, but that being was supposed to have been sealed along with ‘him.’ If it had reappeared, it should have been with ‘him’.
‘No, it can’t be. It’s just a similar aura.’
The being she was thinking of was neither as crude nor as childish as this. It was not some deranged spirit like this one.
Born from a storm of emotions so intense it felt as if it could tear the world apart, that being harbored nothing, but sorrow and gloom.
“Where did you get that spirit… or something similar to it?”
“I just picked it u—”
Before Ghislain could finish his reply, Dark cut in sharply.
“Don’t try to find out! Elf! Unless you want to be cursed by me!”
“……”
Dark simply didn’t want to reveal the wretched truth of his past.
Ereneth looked at Dark once again. The aura was so similar to what she knew, it confused her, yet it was still somewhat different.
It exuded an ominous feeling, but there was no real malice.
Unconsciously, she pressed her forehead with one hand and closed her eyes.
‘The world must have changed a lot while I was gone.’
It seemed she hadn’t fully adapted to the world after such a long absence. Perhaps something had risen during her years of confinement, something she could not know.
Even mana cultivation methods had advanced. Humans were beings who developed faster than any other race. She couldn’t possibly know everything.
The forces of divinity and the Salvation Church were polar opposites, and this was especially true for the Riftspawns. If Ghislain had any connections to the Salvation Church, he wouldn’t be accompanying a priest blessed by the gods. In fact, Count Fenris had been instrumental in halting the expansion of numerous rifts.
‘I made a mistake.’
The similarity between Count Fenris’ strength and the presence she remembered was likely nothing more than a coincidence layered upon coincidence. While the situation remained suspicious, for now, she would just observe.
Eventually, Ereneth released the enchantment on her armor and bowed her head slightly.
“I deeply apologize for my grave misunderstanding. Please forgive me.”
“……”
Those present wore slightly exasperated expressions.
‘Another misunderstanding, and she might as well kill everyone in an entire kingdom.’
‘Isn’t she just like Ascon with his anger issues?’
However, Ghislain accepted her apology without much concern. Having dealt with Ereneth in his previous life, he was well aware of her unyielding personality.
“Well, it happens. Let’s drop the formalities since we’re here. It’s annoying.”
“I understand… Very well.”
Ereneth acquiesced without complaint.
Ghislain turned toward where the command tent had been. The tent had long since been reduced to dust by the shockwaves of earlier events.
Ereneth followed his gaze, then, noticing the destruction, quietly commented.
“My apologies.”
“……Yeah. I’ll be sure to collect compensation.”
The two of them entered another tent, accompanied only by a few close aides, and began to discuss the main issue.
Ghislain spoke first.
“It seems you have some deep animosity toward the Salvation Church.”
“It’s more than animosity; I intend to eradicate them.”
“Would you mind telling me why?”
“Because they disrupt the world.”
It was a straightforward answer. Ghislain couldn’t shake the suspicion that there was a deeper reason behind it.
Of course, there was no need to press the matter now.
“Fair enough. Your skills are impressive. Did you come here to join us?”
“I wanted to see what kind of person you were before deciding.”
“If you want to fight against the denizens in the rift, it’s best to do it with us.”
“And why is that?”
“A coalition army has just been formed, centered on the Kingdom of Ritania. If you want to fight the Salvation Church, this is the place to do it.”
Although Ghislain knew a great deal about her, he acted as if they were meeting for the first time, pretending ignorance to gain her support.
Ereneth pondered for a moment before asking, “I’ve heard that the Kingdom of Ritania has successfully halted the majority of Rift expansions. What’s the next objective?”
“We’re going to target the Duke of Delfine next. They’re bound to make their move soon. Since they’ve allied with the Salvation Church, their forces will likely move together. I’ve also called for the coalition army to assemble here.”
“Here?”
“Yes. The coalition’s primary goal is to resolve the situation in the Kingdom of Ritania.”
“Is there a specific reason for that?”
“Clearing this region quickly will allow me to assist elsewhere. Doesn’t that make the most sense?”
“That does.”
Ereneth nodded, acknowledging the logic in his argument.
From what she had heard, the Northern forces were the most effective in combating the Riftspawn. The sooner they could deal with their internal matters, the sooner they could aid others.
‘Instead of dispersing strength and getting bogged down, it’s better to handle things one by one.’
Having reached her conclusion, Ereneth spoke.
“I’ll help you deal with the Duke of Delfine and the Salvation Church in your kingdom.”
“Good decision.”
Ghislain nodded with satisfaction.
He had no way of knowing how many priests of the Salvation Church, nearing superhuman levels of strength, were aligned with the Duke of Delfine’s household. However, with Ereneth now part of their group, they would be more than capable of dealing with those priests.
“Of course, I cannot stay here indefinitely. Once the internal reorganization of Ritania is complete, I will take my leave.”
“If dealing with the Rifts is your primary goal, wouldn’t it make sense to remain with us?”
“I cannot do that. There is something else I am looking for.”
“What is it?”
“…I cannot answer that yet.”
“I see.”
Ghislain, true to his nature, refrained from prying further. In his previous life, Ereneth had been the same—acting independently and keeping her intentions hidden from everyone.
As the two conversed, Claude, who had been jotting something down on a piece of paper, interjected.
“So, the elves will now be working alongside us people of Fenris? Does this mean we’ve formed an alliance? Ah, by the way, I’m Claude, the Chief Overseer of Fenris. I handle administrative affairs.”
Ereneth nodded.
“For the time being, yes.”
“In that case, is there something specific you desire from us?”
After a moment of consideration, she nodded again.
“Since this was something I intended to pursue anyway, I might as well mention it now. I would like for the kingdom of Ritania to abolish its enslavement of elves. Even if it takes time, can you ensure that this issue is addressed?”
In her previous life, Ereneth had made the same demand to the Allied Forces of Humanity. As the Guardian of the World Tree, she was effectively the representative of the elves.
“Hm, I see. That’s not an issue for us. Our domain already adheres to those principles, so there’s no real conflict there. And of course, our allied forces should do the same. I’ll ensure it’s implemented immediately.”
Ghislain watched Claude with an amused expression.
Ereneth, however, looked startled and asked, “Can it really be done that easily? Doesn’t this require a change in the kingdom’s laws?”
“In this kingdom, there’s nothing our lord cannot accomplish if he wishes. Besides, if he doesn’t act, the Great Chieftain will raise hell. I can already picture her charging in with that magnificent armor of hers. Oh, by the way, do you have any more of that armor? It’s absolutely stunning.”
“…”
Ereneth couldn’t find the words to reply and looked down.
She had never intended to use force to liberate the elves. Her plan had been to negotiate, however difficult, rather than making enemies of all the continent’s humans. After all, her goal was to fight the Salvation Church, not to alienate humanity entirely.
Realizing the extent of Ghislain’s power, Ereneth bowed her head and spoke.
“Understood. If possible, I would like to ask for that issue to be prioritized.”
There was a hint of guilt on her face, as though she felt personally responsible for the enslavement of her people. Perhaps, as the Great Chieftain, she had always carried the burden of having left the elves to their plight.
Ghislain nodded in response to her straightforward and sincere request. Ereneth bowing her head was a rare sight.
‘Come to think of it, even in my previous life, she had shown her strength first before requesting the improvement of the elves’ conditions.’
As a result, the elves had been freed from their status as slaves and had fought alongside humanity in the Allied Forces.
Ghislain had intended to amend the kingdom’s laws to achieve this regardless. It was part of his promise not only to the elves but also to the dwarves.
A sudden thought struck him, and he asked, “What about the dwarves?”
“That is for the dwarves’ king to decide.”
“So you’re just going to leave them as slaves?”
“That is for the dwarves’ king to decide.”
“…I see.”
Ereneth continued to feign ignorance, repeating the same response. It was common knowledge that relations between the elves and dwarves were strained, but Ghislain wondered if such a clear boundary was necessary.
There was something slightly skewed about Ereneth’s sense of justice.
But what did it matter? Her conviction to save the world was unwavering, and that was enough.
As their conversation concluded, Claude gathered the papers he had been scribbling on, pulling out a single sheet, and handed it to Ereneth.
“Well then, to formalize our alliance, please sign here.”
“A signature?”
“Yes, it’s a contract. We need evidence, after all.”
Ereneth spoke with a slightly displeased expression.
"I am the Great Chieftain of the elves. What makes you think it is appropriate to ask someone like me to sign such a document?"
"That's just how things work. Is there any task in the world that doesn't involve signing a contract?" Claude replied matter-of-factly.
"The words of a Great Chieftain carry weight. The promise I make with you will be heard by the heavens, the earth, the trees, the flowers, and the wind, spreading throughout the world. All you need to do is honor your end of the agreement."
Claude sighed, exasperated.
"Look, that's precisely why we need a contract—because those things can't actually serve as guarantees. What can trees and flowers even do?"
"I’m saying that nature itself will vouch—"
"Nature, shmature—oh, sorry. Look, why do you have to make it so complicated? If you just sign this, there’s no need for all these long explanations. Haven’t you heard that the more someone talks, the more likely they are to be a swindler?"
"..."
"Great Chieftain of the elves, just sign it, will you?"
With a sharp movement, Ereneth snatched the paper out of Claude's hand in frustration. In all her long years as the Great Chieftain of the elves, no human had ever dared demand that she sign a contract.
The people of Fenris were definitely peculiar.
‘Especially this Claude.’
For someone who had lived so long and developed immense composure, she found this man oddly unsettling. He was somehow chipping away at her patience. His very aura was unpleasant—like murky, sticky mud. No, more like a swamp. Either way, he made her feel uneasy.
As Ereneth picked up the pen to sign, her eyes caught a strange phrase written near the signature line.
"‘The World Tree is… just a big tree?’"
"Oh, oops! I must’ve scribbled that while waiting. My bad. Just check the other parts, and I’ll rewrite this for you immediately."
Claude hurriedly prepared a new contract on another sheet of paper.
"There we go. I’ve written it exactly the same. Take a look. This section states that you’ll assist us, Great Chieftain, and this one specifies that we’ll abolish elven slavery… and here—"
Claude meticulously pointed out various parts of the contract as he explained them.
Ereneth’s head began to ache. This man talked too much. It was just a simple promise—why did it have to be so convoluted?
"Fine, fine. Just give it here, and I’ll sign. The ways of humans are as complicated as ever. We elves handle things with integrity."
Growing increasingly flustered, she skimmed through the two new contracts and quickly signed them without thoroughly reading. She only checked for any other strange scribbles next to the signature line.
Claude, with a sly grin, promptly rolled up the contracts and handed them to Ghislain.
"My lord, please sign them as well."
Ghislain knew Claude well. A glance at Wendy, who was now staring intently at the ceiling, confirmed it—Claude had done something again.
Thus, Ghislain quickly noticed the mischief in the contracts.
‘This lunatic! He pulled off something like this in such a short time, just from listening to the conversation?’
Clearing his throat, Ghislain feigned ignorance and swiftly signed the papers.
“Cough, cough… well, I’m sure our Chief Overseer has drafted everything properly. I’ll just sign without reading. I’m glad we brought him along.”
Claude cheerfully rolled up the two signed contracts and tied them with string.
"All done! Looking forward to working together, Great Chieftain."
"Indeed. Elves always keep their promises, so you have nothing to worry about."
"Of course, promises must ‘always’ be kept. Now, should we hold on to both copies, or would you like to keep one?"
"Give them to me. I have a safe place to store them."
At Ereneth’s gesture, vines emerged from the ground, wrapping around the rolled contracts and pulling them back into the earth. It was a fascinating technique, but it ensured the contracts were unlikely to surface again.
Claude clapped in exaggerated admiration.
"Wow, our Great Chieftain really knows how to store things securely. That looks very safe indeed."
‘She’s like an old person oblivious to the ways of the world. Then again, who’d dare mess with an elf like her? A contract guaranteed by nature itself… how quaint.’
Claude smiled slyly.
He had intentionally distracted Ereneth with odd antics to keep her off-balance. Since she didn’t place much importance on the contract, she hadn’t paid close attention to its contents.
Even though she had lived for centuries and was well aware of how cunning humans could be, she never expected someone to con her right after meeting her.
Especially not the hero of Ritania and his Chief Overseer.
Thus, she failed to notice the small detail.
The duration of the contract, written in tiny text: “30 years.”