Tears of the Elf Queen
Despite the horrific scene we had witnessed, there was some success. From the second basement level, we managed to retrieve three items: the severely damaged corpse of a unicorn, its horn, and the tears of the Elf Queen. I was particularly keen to examine the tears of the Elf Queen in more detail, but both Go Yeon-ju and Lee Yoo-jung seemed eager to leave the place as soon as possible. So, we decided to gather what we could and head back up to the first floor via the stairs.
Our companions, who had been waiting for us on the first floor, recoiled in shock at the sight of the unicorn’s corpse I was carrying. Some of the more sensitive members of the group seemed to be reminded of the baby unicorn we had encountered earlier, and they couldn’t hide their sadness.
I had anticipated such reactions from the clan members. Nevertheless, I brought the corpse with us because I, too, couldn’t stop thinking about the baby unicorn. It seemed unlikely that we had just randomly encountered a unicorn in the canyon, given the unpredictable nature of the Hall Plain. I strongly suspected there was a connection with the unicorn I was holding. Unicorns are known for their strong sense of community, so perhaps they were searching for this missing one.
If my hunch was correct and we encountered them again, I intended to return the body to them. It seemed wiser to return it and possibly earn their gratitude, rather than risk animosity. Unicorns are known to repay kindness. Of course, if we didn’t meet them, I planned to keep it. Even a part of a unicorn’s corpse could fetch a high price, and if not sold, it would be a material that Vivian would be thrilled to have.
If she were here, she would have clung to my arm with her eyes sparkling. The thought made me chuckle inwardly as I calmly assessed the condition of the users who had collapsed. None of the rescued users had regained consciousness yet. However, it seemed that they had been cared for as much as possible in my absence, as most of them, except for one or two who seemed beyond hope, were breathing relatively steadily.
After spending some time checking on all the users, I declared the rescue operation complete to the clan members and instructed them to leave the area and return to the castle’s hall. The clan members, eager to leave this unsettling place, quickly hoisted one or two users each and formed a line behind me.
Seeing them, I felt that the most urgent matters were finally over. Now, all that remained was the exploration of the castle, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.
Once Go Yeon-ju had the last two women under her arms, I quickly headed towards the stairs leading to the castle’s hall. I was eager to begin the exploration.
After about 30 minutes, we managed to return to the castle’s hall through the fireplace. Since we had to be careful while carrying the users, it took a bit longer than when we first entered.
As soon as we emerged from the basement, most of the clan members wore awkward expressions. The hellish scenes and eerie atmosphere of the basement contrasted sharply with the quiet, somber ambiance of the castle.
If I were a user driven by a sense of justice, or if the users whose lives were hanging by a thread were my brother or Han So-young, I would have chosen to return to the city without hesitation. Unfortunately, these were strangers to us. And to be honest, our mission was not ‘rescue’ but ‘gathering traces.’ Rescuing them from the prison and providing as much treatment as possible was already beyond our original mission. Moreover, since this was a relic site, we had the right to prioritize ‘exploration.’
So, I placed the unicorn in the center of the hall and addressed the group.
“We’ll gather the users here for now. And…”
“Hyung, just a moment.”
Just as I was about to suggest we split up to explore each floor, Ahn Hyun spoke up cautiously. I looked at him questioningly, and he continued, glancing at the robust man he was holding.
“This guy seems to be in a strange condition.”
“Strange how?”
“He was quiet before, but as we were coming up the stairs, he started breathing heavily and groaning…”
“Really? Let’s take a look. Han Kyul, get out a potion. One for calming, one for healing. And Ahn Sol, I know it’s tough, but could you cast a healing spell again?”
“Oh, what should I do? Maybe I jostled him too much while coming up.”
Ahn Hyun’s voice was filled with concern as he laid the man down. I thought to myself that he still sounded like a rookie, and I slowly observed the man’s condition.
The man appeared to be in his mid to late thirties. He had been through a lot, as evidenced by the scratches all over him, but his overall features were sharp and sturdy. As Ahn Hyun had said, he was trembling and groaning with his eyelids fluttering.
”───. ───. ───. Cure!”
Just then, Ahn Sol finished her spell, and a white light enveloped the man’s body. His eyes, which had been trembling slightly, twitched noticeably. His breathing, though still labored, began to find a more even rhythm compared to his weak exhalations before.
“Hyung, do you think he might die like this?”
“I can’t say for sure. And unfortunately, if he does, there’s nothing we can do. But from what I see, he seems like he might wake up soon.”
“Really?”
“Anyway, let’s wait a bit longer.”
I urged Ahn Hyun, who was getting anxious, to be patient, and after a little more time, we saw the man slowly open his eyes. His eyelids rose halfway, then fell, rose again, and fell once more.
Perhaps it was the sudden exposure to light or his blurry focus, but the man blinked repeatedly. Finally, when his eyelids opened more than halfway and stayed open, his gaze, which had been wandering in confusion, gradually shifted towards us.
“Uh… uh…”
The man opened his mouth, but only a dry voice came out. I supported his neck and slowly poured a calming potion into his mouth. Realizing that we were trying to help him, the man’s face showed a sense of relief.
“Gulp. Cough… cough…”
“Are you feeling a bit more alert?”
“Uh, where… where am I…?”
“This is the first-floor hall of the castle. We are users sent by Istantel Low to rescue you. The wizard who captured you has been dealt with, so you can rest easy.”
“Then…”
Though still disoriented, the man accepted my words with a surprisingly calm demeanor. He seemed to be a seasoned user with a strong will. He closed his eyes again, as if to process what I had said. After about ten seconds, he opened his eyes with effort and spoke.
“Uh… thank you… for saving me…”
“Don’t mention it. For now, it’s best if you rest.”
“Yes. Am I… alone… are there others…?”
His voice was weak and halting, as if speaking was a struggle. I turned my head towards where the unicorn’s body lay. The rescued users had been laid out neatly, covered with robes to conceal parts of their bodies. Meeting his gaze again, I answered softly.
“We’ve rescued everyone we could. We’ve taken all possible measures for now.”
“Please… let me see them…”
As soon as he heard my words, the man groaned and tried to move. He seemed eager to see his fellow captives. I took off my coat of plate to cover his bare body, then supported his neck and helped him up. He leaned on me as I guided him, taking one step at a time.
Lee Yoo-jung moved quickly, turning the users lying on their sides so the man could see their faces more easily. He cast his gaze over each of them, sometimes frowning, sometimes showing relief. After he had seen all the faces, he turned to me and spoke.
“Is… Mi-hee… not here…?”
“Mi-hee? Who are you referring to?”
“A woman… with long hair down to her waist, slightly tanned skin… she was with me… but was taken away alone…”
His voice trembled as he spoke. Though his words were disjointed, I understood the gist. He had been imprisoned with a woman named Mi-hee, but she had been taken away, leaving him behind.
Long hair down to the waist, slightly tanned skin. The image of a body, torn in half and draped over a triangular horse, flashed through my mind. I was curious why Mi-hee had been taken alone, but answering him took priority. I slowly shook my head.
“Did she… die…?”
”…Based on the information you’ve given, I’m not sure who Mi-hee is. We are the second rescue team. The users who entered this place included ten members of the Yeoulgan Clan and fourteen from the first rescue team. Of those, only seven have been rescued.”
“Then…”
“You mentioned she was taken alone. When we went down to the second basement, we found many bodies. It’s likely… she perished there.”
If you’ve been around the field long enough, you’d probably get the gist of what I’m saying. But losing someone dear isn’t something anyone can take lightly. I know that better than anyone. And the look in the man’s eyes was starting to resemble the one I had when I lost my brother.
“No, it can’t be. Then, at least… the body… let me see it myself…”
“We can’t be sure. But the bodies we found on the second basement level were all severely damaged.”
“Ha…”
“I’m sorry we couldn’t save them sooner. We did everything we could.”
“Ha… ha… ha…”
He must have sensed the truth in my words because, as soon as I finished speaking, his face crumpled, and he collapsed to the floor. Tears streamed from eyes I thought were dry, and a mournful wail escaped his lips. He must have been very close to Mihee.
“Mihee… Mihee… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
”…”
The man lay on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. The other clan members watched him with sympathetic eyes. I, too, watched for a moment before speaking softly.
“Ansol, Baek Hangyeol. Stay on the first floor and look after him. Try to calm him down. Oh, and hand your bags over to Hyun and Yujeong.”
“Yes… understood.”
“Good. If anything happens, shout loudly. The floors are open, so anyone can hear you.”
Though it was unfortunate, lingering any longer would be a waste of time. We needed to start the exploration. Besides, we couldn’t leave the users exposed any longer. If they hadn’t been discarded, their equipment should be somewhere around here. If we weren’t heading back immediately, moving quickly was in everyone’s best interest.
I glanced up at the ceiling for a moment before continuing.
“Everyone else, except those two, will begin exploring the castle. The castle has four floors, including the first. Kim Hanbyeol?”
“Yes, brother.”
“Check the first floor. It doesn’t seem like there’s much, but examine the window frames and statues carefully. And see those decorations hanging from the ceiling? Cut them down with a cutter spell.”
“Got it, brother.”
Leaving Kim Hanbyeol’s compliant response behind, I assigned the exploration teams for each floor. Go Yeonju would take the second floor, and Lee Yujeong the third. The fourth floor, with the most doors, would be handled by Ahn Hyun and me.
“Mihee… I’m sorry… Mihee…”
“Please don’t cry, sir…”
The hall echoed with the man’s sobs, the shock of losing someone dear still overwhelming him. Watching Ansol and Baek Hangyeol comfort him, I quietly announced the start of our exploration.
“Brother, I’ll check the third floor.”
“Alright. Ahn Hyun and I will head to the fourth. Keep your magic detection active in case there’s a secret room.”
“Okay.”
Go Yeonju began her exploration on the second floor, and we reached the third. Lee Yujeong responded somberly and turned to leave. As I watched her retreating figure, Ahn Hyun spoke to me in a quiet voice.
“Hyung, what happened on the second basement level?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Yeonju and Yujeong have looked upset since they came up from there. Yujeong, who was so eager to explore, seems so drained…”
“Well, it was a gruesome sight. Yujeong was probably quite shocked. I’ll explain later, but we need to start our exploration. Did you get the bag?”
“Of course.”
Ahn Hyun patted the magic backpack slung over his right shoulder. We climbed another flight of stairs to the fourth floor, deciding to split up due to the many doors.
“I’ll start on the left, and you take the right.”
“Okay. Can I keep the bag?”
“Sure. Call me if you find anything.”
“Got it, hyung. See you in the center.”
Ahn Hyun agreed readily. We turned simultaneously, heading in our assigned directions.
I stopped after about ten steps, having turned around the railing. In front of me was a slightly worn but elegant wooden door. Sensing a hint of danger with my magic detection, I grasped the handle, turned it, and gently pushed the door open.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
In the next few chapters, we might finally return to the city. The heavy atmosphere is getting to me too. ㅜ.ㅠ It’s raining, and the Wi-Fi keeps cutting out, which is frustrating. I’ll try to write in a brighter tone after the exploration. :)
『 Reader Comments 』
Miwolya: Haha, congratulations on being first. :) I’ve been thinking a lot, and your comments have made me reconsider. I might need to change my approach. Honestly, I was a bit shocked. Even though I wrote it, I often thought, ‘Isn’t this too much?’ ㅜ.ㅠ
LumpOfSuger: Most of the equipment will appear in the next chapter. :) It’s going to be quite something. ㅎㅎ.
Repil: I want to embrace all my readers while maintaining my standards. It’s a challenging task, but it’s something I need to work on. ㅜ.ㅠ
HumanLife: Haha, I’m not a sister. I’m a guy. :)
juan: Wow, calling Mavolo de Ailight a novice? That’s impressive. ㅎㄷㄷㄷ. (Really?)
Parkasari: I saw what you posted. I’ve played LoL, but I’ve never used that ID. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ. I was surprised to see “Ro Yumi.” ㅋㅋ.
SleepingCat: In that case, the ‘subject’ who killed the unicorn would be cursed. :)
Kkoya: Suhyeon’s mental strength is beyond steel, so he’s holding on. Hahaha. And the “Unyielding” skill is active. He’ll probably need a good rest once we return to the city.
le.miser + HonestlyWhatToWrite: Thank you for the coupon. (__) What powers does the Fairy Queen’s Tear hold? Hehe. :)
HappyDay: In a way, you’re right. It’s a world where ‘strength’ is the top priority. Those who fall behind, whether male or female, face a grim path. ㅜ.ㅠ
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