Episode 171
A sorceress of the Blue Tower, a figure who could connect with the mountain assassins.
The revelation that she was a Snow Elf was hardly surprising.
“Who would’ve thought I’d meet the Shadow Lord like this,” Erje remarked as they traversed the city’s night streets, causing Master Baro to frown.
“Ah, there you go again with that shadow nonsense.”
“Is that something the Blade of the Shadow Court should be saying?” Erje retorted, freezing Baro’s expression momentarily. The Blue Tower’s sorceress and their information network were beyond doubt.
“That’s enough, Baro,” Dale interjected, turning to Erje. “Are we heading straight to the Desert of the Sun?”
“If we enter the desert like this, we’ll be sand ghosts in no time,” Baro interrupted, and Erje nodded.
“But the Shadow Lord wishes to speak directly with the ‘Old Woman of the Mountain.’”
“Indeed,” Dale confirmed.
“It seems there’s more on his mind than just Lady Sepia,” Erje observed, but Dale remained silent.
“Fortunately, the Old Woman of the Mountain seems quite interested in the Shadow Lord’s presence.”
”…”
“That is, if you can reach the summit of the mountain where she resides.”
The mention of the leader of the mountain assassins made Dale swallow quietly, and Baro chimed in.
“Is that old hag still alive?”
“She’s an elf,” Erje replied nonchalantly.
“Well, I’ll be,” Baro scratched his head awkwardly.
“What’s the matter?”
“I just don’t have the face to meet my old master again.”
“Your old master is the leader of the Dark Elf organization?”
“That was a long time ago, before I even knew what I was doing. It just happened.”
“Don’t worry, Blade. The Old Woman of the Mountain is quite pleased with your reputation that echoes through the world,” Erje said, freezing Baro’s expression once more.
“How do you know all this?”
“From the whispers of birds and mice,” Erje replied with a knowing smile.
“Even the tale of a noble knight who remains loyal to the Saintess blessed by the Shadow Goddess is no exception.”
Srrng.
Before she could finish, Baro’s blade was at her throat.
“Oh, such rudeness and vulgarity don’t suit a noble knight, do they?”
“Haha, one must be careful with words in front of a rude and vulgar person,” Erje laughed, unfazed. In the icy atmosphere, Dale spoke again.
“That’s enough, Erje of the Blue Tower. There’s nothing to gain from further talk.”
“As you wish, my lord,” Erje bowed with a smile. Baro sheathed his blade, and silence fell in the tense air.
“Why is there never a moment of peace?” Dale thought incredulously in the ensuing quiet. Just then—
“Ah, I sense a killing intent,” Baro muttered, turning his head. Dale, too, sensed something and turned.
A chill rode the wind, wrapping around their necks.
But Erje merely smiled quietly, as if she had expected it all along, gazing beyond the alley leading to the city’s slums.
“Nothing unusual about something happening in the back alleys,” Baro said nonchalantly, and Erje replied.
“This is one of the cities closest to the Desert of the Sun. Encounters with them here aren’t exactly rare.”
“Did you know this would happen from the start?”
“The timing just happened to be quite convenient,” Erje said with a meaningful smile.
At her words, Dale sprang into action, heading toward the moonlit alley without a moment’s hesitation.
There was a chance that the person he sought was there… and the mountain assassins might be pointing their blades at her.
Under the pale night sky, a hooded woman stood. The moonlight scattered, revealing her bronze skin beneath the hood.
Before her was another elf with bronze skin. Not Sepia. Judging by her unfinished physical growth, she didn’t seem very old.
Her body was covered in severe wounds.
Sensing Dale’s presence, the hooded assassin turned. A woman with bronze skin, her identity was clear from the weapon in her hand.
A mountain assassin (Hashishin), an executor of Dark Elves purging exiled elves from the world.
“P-please, spare me!” cried the young elf, also a Dark Elf, but her situation was dire.
“Step back, human of the Empire,” the mountain assassin snapped at Dale.
“Interfere further, and I can’t guarantee your life.”
“Has she committed a crime worthy of death?” Dale asked calmly.
“That’s not for me to decide, nor is it the concern of an imperial human,” the assassin replied, and Dale shook his head.
“No, that’s not true.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not an ‘imperial human,’” Dale said.
“I am here as the Shadow Lord, to speak with your leader who serves the Shadow Goddess.”
For a moment, the Dark Elf’s expression hardened with hostility.
“How dare you speak of shadows.”
“If necessary, proving it won’t be difficult,” Dale replied.
As he spoke, the black blood within him surged, enveloping him in the armor of shadows.
The Avatar of the Shadow Lord.
Five circles wrapped around Dale’s heart, emanating dark magic.
”…!”
The Dark Elf lunged at Dale, ignoring the bloodied young elf before her.
She was fast, but not beyond the capabilities of Dale, who had reached the fifth circle.
The Dark Elf’s weapon was enveloped in a familiar blood-red aura.
It was the same as the blood-red sword Master Baro wielded.
“Orelia,” Dale called to his knight in the shadows, a sudden idea striking him.
”…!”
From the shadows emerged the jet-black Valkyrie, her blade wrapped in the same blood-red aura as the Dark Elf’s.
Lady Shadow, honed into a perfect assassin’s blade by the Blade.
If Master Baro had indeed trained under the mountain assassins, then Lady Shadow, his disciple, had inherited their sword techniques.
Clang!
The clash of blades revealed the truth to the opponent.
“How do you know our sword style…!”
Orelia’s blood sword blocked the Dark Elf, and Dale spoke.
“Her aura and sword are undeniable proof, aren’t they?”
“He’s right, mountain assassin,” Erje said, stepping from the shadows of the alley, as if she had been waiting all along.
“Erje, has the lineage of the Crystal Queen succumbed to gold…?”
“Oh, hardly,” Erje replied, her blue magic flaring as the sorceress of the Blue Tower.
“As I said, we serve as the riders of the shadow, loyal only to the lord we must serve. The ancient pact binds even the mountain assassins.”
“Do you truly believe that northern monster deserves the title of Shadow Lord?”
“No,” Dale answered immediately, without hesitation.
The Dark Elf swallowed quietly at his words.
“At least, there’s no reason for you all to pledge loyalty to such a monster.”
”…”
“But by ancient rules, I have rightfully claimed the title of ‘Shadow Lord,’ and I have no intention of forcing that title upon anyone.”
“Then how do you intend to persuade us?” the Dark Elf asked coldly, and Dale replied.
“The Old Woman of the Mountain will judge my worth and make her decision.”
”…!”
“I swear on the honor of my kin.”
Erje supported Dale, standing by his side, while Orelia wielded her blood-red aura blade in silence.
“Since you vouch for him so strongly, I have no choice,” the Dark Elf said, sheathing her sword. She turned to the trembling young elf before her.
“But do not interfere with my duty.”
As she spun her sword hilt, the blade pointed at the young elf. Just as it was about to strike without hesitation—
Clang!
Once again, someone stood in the way of her sword.
”…!”
This person wielded a blood-red aura blade, exuding an even more overwhelming presence than Lady Shadow.
He was known as the Sword of Death, the continent’s most feared assassin.
“Step aside and put away your sword. If you don’t, you’ll never get to meet the Elder.”
“Well, there’s nothing quite as unsettling as a young lady dying, is there?”
Master Baro shrugged as he replied.
“Honestly, can’t I just bow out now? I have a feeling the old hag’s going to try to kill me.”
”…”
A brief silence fell.
“No, that’s not an option.”
“Ah, damn it. I knew it.”
Dale cut in coldly after the silence.
“Let me ask again, assassin of the mountains.”
He continued, blocking the path.
“Why are you trying to kill this child?”
“This is the last mercy we can offer her.”
“That’s a rather cruel form of mercy.”
“Do you know the fate of the powerless elves under the vile Golden Empire?”
The dark elf asked icily.
“This is the only mercy we can grant them before they are tainted by disgrace.”
The dark elf spoke, and Dale couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
“Then why not just drive them away from the start?”