Love Letter From The Future

5. Bread and dagger(54)

The coniferous forest was vast and complex.

No matter where you go, there are only conifers standing, so unless you have been trained as a guide since childhood, you cannot even tell the direction. It was also the reason why I couldn’t leave the elven village carelessly.

Leaving the village alone like this would only make her a lost child.

At least my colleague, Avian, was learning the way, but I couldn’t bear to ask her to accompany me.

Because she still had work to do.

Avian was inquiring about his sister’s whereabouts.

Was her name Betty?

According to her, her sister was staying at a place called ‘Headquarters’. It was a place to make food by sacrificing handicapped or old elves.

It was also where that ‘Leoric’ lived.

The work of granting ‘blessings’ and making mines was also supposed to be done there.

I asked Avian.

“Why are the elves short on food?”

“… … ?”

Avian made a bewildered face as if he had heard the madman’s bullshit.

There was a faint reproach towards me in those eyes, so I had to ask again.

“Why is the food situation of the elves so poor? Is there any reason not to?”

“That’s all evil humans… This, no.”

Avian tried to raise his voice out of tears, but then looked at me and picked up the words. Then, after clearing his throat, he said a few words again.

“Because of humanity. They drove us into this cold, dark coniferous forest. And periodically burn food warehouses… Attack us, kill our own people!”

The sound of grinding teeth rang out.

The more the answer continued, the more intense the flame burning in Avian’s eyes. The anger and hatred seemed unbearable.

I just did that.

Until now, the mind was understood only as reason. It was the result of accumulated grudges over hundreds of years, but what about the scenery of the elven village I saw?

Are these demons?

Is it strong enough to be called an enemy of mankind?

In just a few days, I was suffering from a slight sense of skepticism. Inwardly, he shouted several times that they were enemies and that he had to fulfill his duty as a noble of the empire.

However, no matter how you think about it, fighting the elves was not a war.

The expression hunting or butchering was appropriate.

Then, what is the meaning of the village that was burnt down by the elves?

I forcibly cleared my confused mind. Anyway, this was also the truth I had to dig out.

If you stay with the elves, the path will open naturally.

Even so, there was no way to do anything about the question that immediately came to mind.

“No, I know that… Why don’t you use mines?”

Avian’s head tilted at the sudden question.

She was throwing up old feelings in the middle of the day, and she asked me.

“Are you Mine?”

“Didn’t you see? The monster resembling a snow leopard that I fought with, that’s Mine. And demons can dominate demons of the same kind.”

This was also proven during the battle with Guilford at the orphanage.

Guilford was manipulating the monkey masters. Wasn’t that why they surrounded the orphanage and forced me to decide between life and death?

So, at this point, I couldn’t help but have a question.

Why don’t Leoric and the demons use magic beasts?

It was the same when attacking the military camp, but this was a question. For example, the food situation could be easily improved by manipulating the monsters.

It was enough to call the magic beasts and slaughter them.

Monster meat was surprisingly nutritious. Even the taste was excellent depending on the cooking method, to the extent that restaurants specializing in monsters were set up in fashionable places such as institutions and academies.

But Leoric didn’t.

why the hell

There is no such thing as an effect without a cause. When I pointed out that point, Avian only put on a face that he had never heard of it.

“What are you talking about? Are they Mine?”

“Of course Mine… Okay, let’s not talk.”

At first glance, Avian didn’t seem to know anything about him.

Instead, I asked her how she was.

“So how are you today? Did you hear any news about that sister?”

“No, the number of people who can go to headquarters is limited. So, I’m going to deliver the letter when the head of this village goes to the headquarters. Of course, I could go if I wanted to, but… … .”

At the same time, blue eyes glancing at my face.

I said, “Huh,” and smiled.

“No. Headquarters is too dangerous.”

Not Avian, but me.

The choker around Avian’s neck explodes when I’m not around. Half a day to half a day wouldn’t affect it, but the headquarters didn’t look that close either.

And at the headquarters, Leoric and other elven leaders were supposed to be staying.

No matter how remote they were, they couldn’t ignore the Elves’ information network. By that time, there was a high possibility that I would have memorized my appearance.

I didn’t have to take the risk.

At most, he felt a little sorry for Avian, who had died.

My hand patted the girl’s shoulder.

“But today, aren’t you going out for a walk after a long time?”

“It’s not a walk, it’s a hunt… … .”

“That’s it, what.”

Avian gave me a dumbfounded look.

Perhaps thanks to the past few days, Avian seemed to have lessened his fear of me a little. If it’s enough to send such a cunning look.

It wasn’t a bad change.

He was a roommate who was supposed to stay together for a while anyway. Since humans and elves are hostile, there was no need to get closer than necessary, but there was no reason to be more distant than necessary.

I boasted to her.

“Don’t worry, I will protect you. Could there be something special in the forest?”

yes, it can’t be

**

there was.

I looked down at my wrist with a puzzled expression.

There were several layers of hard twine. My ankles were free, but just having my wrists tied made me feel dirty.

At this, Isha became proud and said.

“Did you tell me? We can’t believe you yet!”

“Uncle Dolph, Aunt Miera, and Ruggett said they believed in me.”

“That’s those elves!”

Isha shouted ferociously like a cat gnawing.

I just gasped and swallowed an empty laugh.

No matter how you go hunting, isn’t there a problem with restraining your hands?

However, it seemed that this dubious restraint had its own history and tradition.

“Focus on your feet, human.”

These were the words thrown by the elf, who at first glance looked like a young boy.

Contrary to his appearance, he was the only elf in the village to be called ‘the inspiration’. That meant he was older.

I shifted my gaze to him.

Old Pope didn’t even look at me. He only spoke in a blunt voice.

“All young elves tie their hands and learn to hunt. It means to focus on your feet and learn the way… After going hunting like that many times, by the time you find your way even with your eyes closed, you should let go and learn hunting.”

“I am not a young elf.”

“Hmph, you must be younger than that ‘little elf’.”

I had nothing to say.

Instead of refuting, I let out a sigh and declared surrender.

At that time, Yeong-gang seemed strangely young, but after talking to him, he showed a seasoned side.

I was an exemplary nobleman who respected time and tradition. I decided to follow the education method without further words.

Concentrate on your feet, step by step.

It was a very tedious process.

In the end, the decision to quietly follow the elf’s teaching method was soon broken.

“No, shouldn’t we learn the way with our eyes? Why do I have to do it with my feet?”

“Tsk tsk, ugly boy… … .”

Annoyed and contemptuous eyes turned to me.

It was unfair, but I didn’t bother to argue about it.

Old Pope hated me.

To be precise, he hated all of humanity who killed his family. Nevertheless, they brought me because they couldn’t overcome the pressure from the village elves including Ruggett.

If you were forced to, you had to accept the treatment corresponding to it.

Also, old Pope wasn’t saying anything very wrong.

“Be friendly with the land. Now, every time you step, it makes a crunching sound, so what if the prey is to run away!”

“If you step on the snow, of course it makes a sound.”

“No, it shouldn’t be me! It’s good if you go further and leave no footprints!”

After that, old Pope turned his head away.

It was a sign that he didn’t want to talk anymore.

I hmmm, swallowed my saliva, and glanced at Isha. Isha walked quietly and looked at me startled.

My eyes were fixed on Isha’s feet.

“What are you doing?”

“To make no noise. Also the footprints of both sides.”

Then, Isha cleared her throat, saying, “Kuh-hum,” as if she was nervous for no reason.

Then, her face blushed slightly, and she took a stiff step.

A faint, crackling sound passed through my ears.

I snorted and turned my head.

“… … no way.”

“Hey, hey! Hey, is this a mistake?! Because you keep staring at me… … !”

Isha’s face went red and she began to make excuses for me.

But the riverside didn’t last long.

“for a moment.”

Old Pope raised his hand and signaled to stop.

Isha’s mouth fell shut, and Avian’s and mine’s eyes turned to him with questions.

Old Pope quietly bent over, sniffing with his nose in the snow.

Then put your ears on and wait.

What are you doing?

He immediately closed his eyes and started walking slowly.

The rest of the party had no choice but to follow him with curious eyes.

And not long after, an unusual mark appeared in my eyes.

It was a campfire spot.

There wasn’t much garbage, but the melted snow centered on one point was proving it. And even the marks left here and there.

I narrowed my brows and asked.

“Is this where the other elves camped?”

When there was no reply from old Pope, Avian quietly moved to his side. And as I looked around, my eyes suddenly came across blurry footprints.

It was a particularly deep mark.

Avian also fell silent, and Isha, who couldn’t stand it, went to the side.

And saw.

Those footprints were all too familiar to me.

Only Isha was looking at me as if something was wrong.

“Hey, hey… Why is everyone like that! What is it?”

The answer came back from old Pope.

“… … They are humans.”

A voice frozen with fear.

Old Pope had a pale face before he knew it. Old Pope murmured, gasping for air, perhaps slightly out of breath.

“Humans came all the way here.”

It was only half a day’s drive from the village.