< Chapter 78 - Forest of Eternity #3 >
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The development of the second part of Heroes’ Chronicles can be largely divided into three parts.
Each person’s circumstances in the first half.
The eleven playable characters each have different starting points and situations, so each story unfolds differently, just like the saying, “Each one is different.”
At this time, it was actually better for characters whose routes did not overlap, because when routes overlapped, there were many cases where one of the characters was ruined, corrupted, or died within the story.
‘Like Cordelia and Lucas.’
Because it was impossible for two people to coexist in single mode.
If you proceed as Cordelia, Lucas becomes a mine, and if you proceed as Lucas, Cordelia becomes completely corrupted and becomes a demon.
‘In any case, the incidents in the North, Central, and South can be said to be in the early to mid-term.’
There were some characters whose stories began quite early, like Cordelia and Lucas, but most of them began their stories around the time of the three consecutive events that occurred in the Kingdom of Cailun.
‘Because the early story is about Kaiser escaping from Malekith’s attack.’
In the original, the South was completely devastated by Malekith and his dragonflight.
The story was about Caesar somehow leading his men and escaping the South in the midst of chaos.
‘The seven major disasters correspond to the middle period.’
Seven disaster-like entities that completely destroyed the Kingdom of Seilun, which was already on the verge of collapse due to a series of events, and further led to the downfall of the empire.
In the original, all seven disasters were eventually defeated, but the accumulated damage was so great that both great powers eventually perished.
‘If it had ended here, we could have talked about new hope, but······.’
Unfortunately, the second half of the story remained.
‘The final battle with the devil followers.’
This was the part where the devil followers who had been active during the Seven Great Disasters began to fully reveal themselves.
Demon followers attempting to cause a great summoning, and heroes engage in a final battle to stop it.
But in the end, it was the devil’s followers who won this fight.
As a result of the Great Summoning, Heaven and Hell descended on Earth, and the great monarchs of Hell and the archangels of Heaven used Earth as a battlefield to start the great war between good and evil – Armageddon.
‘And the world was roughly destroyed.’
It was not the destruction of hell and heaven.
It was the destruction of the earth that had become a battlefield.
All the nations established by humans collapsed, leaving behind none, and more than half of the remaining human population lost their lives in the aftermath of the war.
‘It’s terrifying just to think about it.’
Now it was not a story in a game, it was reality.
Not only was Uther’s own life at stake, but the thought of Cordeliana, Cordeliana, Cordelia, and even Gale and Adelia being caught up in the war and losing their lives was enough to make his hands and feet tremble.
‘In any case, the middle part is the fight against the seven great disasters.’
One of them, Manbyeon’s Javawalk, was a true to its name.
‘Man-byeon.’
Ten thousand transformations.
A monster that can transform into anything.
Javawalk was reborn as a true disaster by combining with the eponymous mine, Javawalk, the highest-level mine of the Devil’s Horn, and had the ability to transform into the being that was most feared by those who faced it.
‘Thanks to that, the boss battle format was different for each character, so it was popular.’
The difficulty also varies depending on the playable character.
Anyway, if it was really Javawork, this was an opportunity.
‘I haven’t merged with Javawork yet.’
It did not become one with the mine javawork of the same name.
It might have been possible to eliminate him early, like the Snow Queen who had been defeated in the wild lands.
‘It’s a re-kill, a re-kill.’
Kill before it becomes a disaster.
And perhaps this would save the Eternal Forest and all the elves.
‘Then it’s completely secure.’
Because before the disaster, there were no humans or elves.
It would certainly be a strong ally in the fight against the seven great disasters that would come in the future.
‘Moreover, now we can get help from the elves.’
It was a fight I absolutely could not refuse.
Of course, if Javawork is stronger than expected, we should retreat, reinforce our forces, and aim for a second match, but that is something we will have to fight to find out.
“Why is that? Do you know anything about Javawork?”
Cordelia pursed her lips in surprise at Princess Lyca’s question, and Yuder answered naturally as always.
“Yes, in fact, we are a member of the Holy Cross Guardians. I read the records of the forest monster, Jabbawock, at the Guardians’ headquarters before.”
“Oh, the Holy Cross Guardians are still alive and well.”
When Princess Lyca spoke with a very happy expression, Cordelia blinked and asked.
“Do you know the Order of the Holy Cross?”
“I know. Before the barrier of the Forest of Eternity was opened, back when we still interacted with humans, our ancestors helped form the Guardians of the Holy Cross.”
It was a story from at least 500 years ago.
So, Uder nodded appropriately and said.
“Yes, I still remember the grace of the elves. In fact, there are still elves who are active.”
“Really? Can I know your name?”
“This is Elsharion.”
“Oh… Elsharion. He is my great-uncle.”
As joy spread across Princess Lyca’s face, Cordelia gently tugged on Yuder’s sleeve.
[Yuder, Yuuder. What’s your uncle?]
[Grandfather’s brother.]
[ah.]
He’s from over 500 years ago, and he’s my grandfather’s brother.
It was truly a story worthy of a high elf who lived for a thousand years.
“If you are a member of the Holy Cross Guardians, then it would be even better. Of course, you would help me with this matter. If you do, I will forgive you for trespassing in the Forest of Eternity, and I will give you a proper reward for fighting alongside me. Oh, and of course, you will also be rewarded for helping me.”
As Princess Lyca smiled and spoke in a commanding voice, Cordelia tugged on Uther’s sleeve again.
[I think our crown princess is better.]
Princess Daphne seems to have more dignity.
Uther barely suppressed his laughter at Cordelia’s comment and responded with a nod.
“I will do so.”
First, you can fight among the elves, and if you feel like it’s not working out, you can just run away.
‘It won’t take that long either.’
Although the Forest of Eternity was large, it was still only as big as a small country.
Furthermore, the fact that they encountered the punitive force while still on the outskirts of the forest meant that Jabbawock also lived on the outskirts, so they would be able to face him in a day at most, or two days at most.
“I really like your refreshing answer.”
It was around the time when a smile spread across the face of the beautiful Princess Laika after Cordelia.
“■■■■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■!”
“■■■■ ■■■!”
The voices of the elves could be heard from beyond the bushes.
“■■■■ ■■■■!”
Judging from the relief that crossed Princess Lyca’s face as she shouted just as loudly, they seemed to be the knights of the punitive force.
‘But what are you saying?’
Even though the elven script was in the palace of memory, it did not mean that conversation was possible right away.
‘I feel uneasy.’
I was a little anxious because I couldn’t understand what they were saying.
But that was just then.
“●●●● ●●●.”
As Cordelia placed a hand on Uther’s shoulder and murmured softly, the elves’ speech began to change.
“■■■■······ ■■, Your Majesty.”
“But, Princess, who are these people… Huh? Humans?!”
“Do not be afraid. They are the ones who helped me. Moreover, they are connected to our Prime royal family.”
Princess Lyca spoke to the elf knights who had emerged from the bushes in a slightly overbearing tone.
And Uther looked back at Cordelia.
‘Wow, there was translation magic too?’
‘Oh, there it was.’
Cordelia shrugged her shoulders as if she was being polite and gave him a look.
‘It’s a spell that witches use to communicate with demons.’
‘Oh, indeed.’
Then it makes sense that it is an all-purpose translation magic.
‘Anyway, he’s competent. As expected of a wizard.’
‘Hehe, praise more. No, praise more.’
It was when Cordelia, who had become proud, raised her chin.
“Count August Bayer and Count August Chase?”
At Princess Lyca’s call, Cordelia quickly lowered her raised chin and looked embarrassed, and this time, Uder held back his laughter and answered calmly.
“You can call us Uther and Cordelia.”
“Yes, that would be better. Then, Uther and Cordelia, let’s go to my camp. We will discuss the details there.”
“I will obey your orders.”
Uder smiled faintly and showed his courtesy once again.
&
“Stay here and rest.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The Forest of Eternity was not a place filled with trees from beginning to end.
Rather, it would not be an exaggeration to say that, except for the outer part, the inside was practically an empty lot.
‘There’s a lake inside, and there’s also a meadow.’
The punitive force’s camp was also set up in an open space, but as expected from a small elf population, it was not that large.
‘Is the total number of punitive forces around twenty?’
It might be said that the punitive force led by the princess was shabby, but it was understandable if all of them were knights.
[Why? Just because they’re a minority doesn’t mean they’re elite.]
[No, but you’re an elf. Don’t you know what that means?]
[Sword Master in the house in front, Great Wizard in the house next door, Bow Master in the house behind?]
[Yes.]
Even ordinary villagers like A, without going as far as royalty, were elves who lived for five hundred years.
Five hundred years.
A whole five hundred years.
The skill of nature elves was incomparable to that of humans.
If you just chopped wood every day, after a hundred or two hundred years, you would have reached the level of a master, whether you had talent or not.
‘It’s bullshit that elves are slow.’
There were games and novels that sometimes introduced the setting that elves are slow learners because they live long lives, but in Yuder’s eyes, it was too far-fetched.
Does it make sense that elves, who aren’t some kind of idiot group, would learn swordsmanship for a hundred years, something that would take a human ten years to learn?
Even if we make a hundred concessions and say it took three times as long, it was still thirty years, so the level of skill was bound to be different from that of humans.
[Legolas was also amazing.]
[The kid from The Hobbit?]
[Oh, the one from The Lord of the Rings.]
[Hey, did you see The Lord of the Rings in the theater?]
[Oh, when it was re-released. Didn’t you see it?]
When it was released in theaters, I was living in a remote area and didn’t even know that The Lord of the Rings existed. Even if I were in Korea, I probably wouldn’t have been able to see it because of the age restriction.
[I didn’t watch it because it was too long.]
[Then why did you watch The Hobbit?]
[Because the dwarf is so handsome. Huh. Watson is here too.]
[Do you like Sherlock?]
[Yeah, I like it.]
Come to think of it, it was Cordelia who said she knew about the memory palace after seeing Sherlock.
[You seem to prefer English dramas.]
[Yeah, anyway, they’re looking at us.]
Uther, who came to his senses at Cordelia’s words, looked straight ahead again.
Princess Lyca entered a large tent erected in the center of the camp with what appeared to be knights who were her entourage, and a young female elf was looking in this direction with curious eyes.
“I am Talanda. Oh, let’s speak the Common Language. I am Talanda. Follow me. I will show you where to rest. I am the only one besides Lady Lyca who can speak the Common Language properly. So if you have anything to say, please go through me.”
Although the pronunciation was a bit awkward, there was no problem in understanding. There was also translation magic to begin with.
So, after answering appropriately, Uther followed Talanda into the small tent.
“Stay here. I’ll be outside.”
As Talanda went outside, Uther and Cordelia looked around the tent.
As expected of an elf tent, each piece of furniture was ornate.
‘You are a group of gentlemen who have too much time to waste.’
It was common to put a lot of effort into even a single piece of furniture.
“Hey, Yuder, should we talk about Sherlock? Which season is your favorite? I like the third season the best.”
Cordelia looked so cute when she was slightly excited, but Uder said with a finger between his lips.
“Shh, let’s listen to what’s being said outside.”
Cordelia blinked once at Uther’s words and then nodded. The elves’ story was heard by her ears, which were much more sensitive than Uther’s.
“Humans? You said those were humans just now?”
“Oh, is this your first time seeing this too? It’s my first time seeing this too.”
“But aren’t humans ugly? They’re pretty.”
“She is the most beautiful person.”
“I think so. My pig is really cute. That’s why it’s cute.”
“What are you talking about? Anyway, I think I’ll join this expedition.”
“Humans? How old are they? 40? 50? Aren’t they just babies?”
“Well? People say that humans age quickly. Maybe around thirty?”
“It’s a total lump of blood. So what good would it be?”
“You must have brought it because it’s there. And maybe the legend is true.”
“Only humans can defeat Javawalk?”
“Oh, that.”
That was right. The reason the elves of the Eternal Forest had been unable to catch Jabbawock for hundreds of years and were desperate to seal it away every time it woke up was because Jabbawock was born with the curse of ‘dying at the hands of humans.’
Die by human hands.
That is, it cannot die without human hands.
“But is it okay to talk so loudly like this?”
“It’s okay. My grandfather said that humans, unlike us, have poor hearing and can’t hear even when things are a little far away.”
“What a pitiful race. Their lifespan is short, their ears are bad, and their faces are ugly.”
“Instead, have lots of children. They grow up quickly.”
“Quantity over quality. They somehow resemble orcs.”
“That’s right. So let’s be nice to them. They are a poor species.”
“okay.”
“What the fuck are you guys talking about?”
The last one was, of course, Cordelia.
Although he spoke quietly so that only Yuder could hear, his face showed that he was very upset.
“What the fuck? Just fucking.”
As the six-letter words poured out of Cordelia’s mouth, Uther realized one thing again.
‘That’s right, Cordelia was a wild girl.’
A girl who lives with a dick in her mouth.
I had forgotten about it because I haven’t heard much swearing lately, but it was nice to hear it after a long time and it brought back old memories.
‘Well, I’m not normal either.’
What the fuck, you say it’s good.
But that was just then.
Cordelia noticed Uther’s gaze and flinched, then wiggled her fingers and said.
“That… Yudera.”
“Oh, Cordelia.”
“You don’t like people who swear?”
What the fuck, you little shit.
At the timid question, Yuder felt as if his heart had stopped for a moment.
Because I thought it was so cute that Cordelia was worried that I might hate being sworn at.
‘Could it be that the reason you’ve been cursing less lately is because of me?’
I thought it was because my memories of this life were stronger than my past life.
If it really is because of you, what a lovely creature you are.
“Yuderya?”
When Cordelia asked again, wiggling her fingers, Uther answered with a grin.
“No, it’s okay. Fuck is an exclamation.”
“really?”
“Oh, really.”
When Uther answered again, Cordelia smiled as if she had won the world.
“Right? Is ‘shit’ an exclamation?”
“Then, don’t be so exclamation-like.”
“Yeah, fuck.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Ugh, you son of a bitch.”
Uther and Cordelia, who were fucking around together, laughed bashfully, and Melissa in the moonlight thought that neither of them were normal.
And about twenty minutes later.
As Uther and Cordelia were arguing about the ending of Sherlock season 4, the tent door opened.
“Princess Leica is looking for you. Follow me.”
As I went outside following Talandha’s instructions, there were quite a few eyes looking this way.
Before I knew it, the rumor had spread throughout the city.
‘Even so, there are only about twenty people.’
Somehow, Uder and Cordelia arrived at Lyca’s barracks under the gaze of the knights and went inside after undergoing a light physical examination.
“Are you here?”
Princess Lyca was seated at the head of a long table in the center of the barracks, and two elf knights stood on either side of her, neither of whom was looking at her in a particularly pleasant way.
‘I don’t know your age.’
Because elves basically all age slowly.
However, the male knight on the right looked to be in his late 30s if he were human, so in elf age, he was likely a veteran of around four hundred years old.
‘The one on the left definitely looks younger.’
A female reporter who appears to be in her early to mid 20s.
However, in the case of elves, it was not easy to guess because they all maintained the appearance of those in their early to mid twenties from the age of one hundred to three hundred.
‘By the way, how old is Princess Leica?’
He looks to be in his late teens, so I’d guess he’s under a hundred years old.
“We will fight together from now on, so greet each other.”
When Princess Lyca gave the order, the male knight spoke with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.
“I am Midas Karlov, the princess’s advisor.”
It looks like Yuder and Cordelia’s appearance was not very welcome.
‘of course.’
Not only was it a foreign race, but it was also a situation where people I had never seen before suddenly joined the punitive force.
But the knight on the left smiled brightly and said, seeming to be enjoying the situation.
“This is Vanessa Fine, who serves the princess.”
“I am Count Juder August Bayer of the Kingdom of Seilun.”
“This is Countess Cordelia August Chase.”
As Judas and Cordelia each bowed, the male knight – Midas – narrowed his eyes even further, and the female knight – Vanessa silently pronounced their names.
“Both of us have learned the common language through education, so although we are not good at speaking, we can listen. So, let’s proceed with the conversation in the common language for now.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
There was no need to tell you that I could understand the elves’ language.
‘If you think you can’t speak Elvish, you’ll be more likely to be embarrassed.’
Although we joined hands out of necessity, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious for now since we didn’t know much about the elves.
“Since you said you already know about Javawork, let’s get straight to the point. First, let’s look at the map.”
The map spread out on the table was as detailed as one might expect from an elf’s item, to the point of being useless.
The shapes and sizes of the trees were all different, so much so that it felt like I was looking at a satellite photo.
“This is where we are now. Javawork is located north of here.”
Princess Lyca’s long, thin fingers ran across the map.
But that was just then.
Cordelia, who was looking at the map, suddenly opened her eyes wide and slightly raised her hand.
“Do you have any questions?”
“I… I have a question. Is this a lake?”
A small lake located not far from the ‘Cursed Land’ where Java Walk is located.
Princess Leica nodded and said.
“That’s the lake. It’s said to be where the Spring Fairies reside. I’ve never actually seen it, though.”
It was too close to the land of curses, and the elves did not always interact with fairies.
But regardless of that fact, Uther and Cordelia’s eyes began to sparkle.
‘Spring Fairy?
‘The protection of spring?’
The fairies of the Pleiades were broadly divided into eight types.
Seasonal fairies with the powers of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter, and the four elemental fairies with the powers of earth, fire, wind, and water.
Among the two fairies that Cordelia interacted with were the three fairies of summer, fall, and winter, and one fairy of the earth.
But if the Spring Fairy, which symbolizes spring, is added here, you can obtain the new protection of spring.
‘Protection of the four seasons.’
An S-rank protection that can only be completed by collecting all four seasons’ protections: spring, summer, fall, and winter!
A smile spread across Uther and Cordelia’s faces.
Princess Lyca tilted her head at the sudden reactions of the two people, but she couldn’t stop smiling.
In fact, it wasn’t just the protection of the four seasons.
‘Did you notice?’
‘Oh, I got it.’
Before and after destruction.
Of course it was different. A lot of things had changed. But even the terrain, such as lakes and hills, could not have changed much in terms of location.
Because of this, Uther and Cordelia were able to easily compare the map in their heads with the map in front of them, and they were able to realize one more thing.
A lake where the Spring Fairies reside.
Another treasure that lies peacefully asleep within it.
‘Hehe, hehehe.’
‘Hehehehe.’
Uther and Cordelia looked at each other and shared a dark smile.
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< Chapter 78 - Forest of Eternity #3 > End
