"We're falling!"
"Uaaaah!"
Thud—Crash—
Rustle. Thump.
The tal structure and the elevator platform struck the forest simultaneously.
The elevator platform smashed into a large tree, and after that, I could barely think clearly.
The sky and ground flipped wildly. We collided and bounced around everywhere, then, with a heavy thud, the fall stopped.
When I finally ca to my senses, I was lying in the grass. Above, I could see the elevator platform overturned and hanging from a tree.
Donnie and a few other mbers had sohow managed to cling to the branches, but the rest were nowhere to be seen.
"Is everyone okay?"
"We're safe!"
"We're fine, too!"
Cries from the Berserkers echoed from all directions.
As I raised my torso and looked around, I saw that the rest, like , had fallen to the ground.
No one could get up imdiately due to the shock, but it didn't seem like anyone was seriously hurt.
The trees had absorbed much of the impact, and everyone was wearing armor.
"Urendo!"
"I'm here!"
Urendo stood up amid the grass. From the way he scratched his head, it seed he was amazed he had survived, too.
We all looked up at the long, overturned structure stuck in the treetops.
Everyone wore a look of disbelief. Who would have thought a Dran structure would end up like that?
Urendo glanced at my expression and spoke.
"Um... I'm just saying this so you don't get the wrong idea. That elevator hasn't been used in ages. We haven't had any reason to go over that mountain."
"Which way is the entrance?"
"Over there, that way."
"Let's go right away."
"Y- Yeah."
I gathered my belongings and sword again, then walked after Urendo. I was thankful no one had hurt their back.
Even thinking back, it was absurd. I must have had too much faith in the perfection of Dran construction and technology.
Truth be told, unless the elevator fell dangerously quickly, I never thought we would die.
anwhile, the air in the forest was warm. The fog covering the woods was also because this area was warr than its surroundings.
"This forest isn't the village, is it?"
"Of course not. Dran villages are always underground, anywhere you go. This forest is where we cultivate food."
"Is there a volcano underground?"
"We couldn't live here if there was a volcano. We enchanted it with magic long ago."
"Do the Dran study magic, too?"
"Our tribe has been close to the Elin since ancient tis. In fact, that's where all our magic knowledge cos from. We don't have elentals to help us create magic."
"What kinds of magic do you have?"
"The symbols of Eternal Fla and the Weight Reduction enchantnt, more or less. Anything beyond that is confidential."
"What's the Eternal Fla?"
Urendo clamped his mouth shut, looking like he'd said too much. Maybe he thought we already knew that much.
Donnie answered instead.
"From what I've heard, it's an undying ancient fla. It can lt any mineral in the world, but it's sohow not hot at all."
"Is that right?"
Urendo didn't reply this ti, either.
Anyway, with such magical tools, it was only natural that the Dran were different from human blacksmiths.
"Shh."
Urendo, who was leading us, stopped.
We stopped, too, keeping a vigilant watch ahead.
Tall bushes rustled in front of us, and Dran warriors began to erge one by one.
There were nine of them, all carrying huge hamrs and shields. One of them glanced at the bent structure behind us and spoke.
"Urendo. What happened?"
Urendo gave a sheepish grin.
"It looked sturdy, so I rode it with these folks... but it bent like nothing."
"That aside, didn't you know bringing outsiders here is forbidden?"
"I do. These people are custors who will buy Racrom. We won't go all the way to the entrance, so please summon the elders."
The Dran warrior who had spoken glanced over us, then whispered sothing to another Dran standing next to him.
That Dran imdiately disappeared into the bush.
So we waited, though it was hardly a standoff.
The Dran seed quite interested in our armor and weapons—it must have been a while since they'd seen human warriors.
About ten minutes passed.
It was a ti when everyone simply stared at each other in silence. One Dran narrowed his eyes and looked toward the mountain peak.
So everyone looked in the sa direction, but due to the dense forest, we couldn't see the top of the mountain.
Urendo asked,
"What's wrong?"
The Dran warrior just kept looking at the peak.
Sothing felt off.
"What's the matter, zyke?"
Finally, the warrior called Zyke spoke.
"They've co."
"They? Who?"
All the other warriors, except Urendo, had grave looks on their faces.
Then, Urendo seed to realize who "they" were and looked at the mountain again.
"Really? Why did they co?"
"It's the first ti in 24 years that they've co this far. There's no way they'll co down here... right?"
"If they do, it will be a disaster."
The Dran warriors stared up at the mountain, silent. Maybe there was a monster habitat in this range.
At that mont, the Dran commander glared at us.
"Humans have called them."
"These people?"
"If only one happened to co, that'd be another story. But if several co, it ans humans have brought sothing ominous."
"No one among us is sick. We have no reason to harm you."
I finally stepped forward as well.
"What exactly has appeared?"
The commander didn't answer.
So I looked back at the peak, but I still saw nothing.
"Urendo, do you see anything?"
"I can't see anything, either."
Again, silence, only exchanging glances. There was a strange tense mood—like the eve before the arrival of a cold wave in thirty years.
After a while, no one spoke.
A group of Dran erged from the bush. This ti, about ten Dran with three elders at the lead.
As the elders arrived, all the Dran warriors bowed their heads. The approaching elders gave us a cursory glance, then stared at the mountain.
The elders, too, watched it in silence.
"This is no ordinary situation."
"Is an earthquake or a fissure happening?"
"I wonder. There weren't any signs."
Only then did the elder with the longest beard turn to us.
He looked over our armor, gauging our magic power, and seed to recognize our weapons, too.
"Those are made by our people."
"That's correct."
The elder nodded.
He seed less wary than the warriors.
"So, who is it among our kin?"
"It is Urald."
"Urald?"
The elders knew, but the warriors did not.
Another elder asked,
"How is that fellow doing?"
"He's doing well. He asked
to send his regards and said he would visit soon."
"We thought he'd never co again, but it seems he still misses his holand."
The oldest elder spoke.
"If you're with Urald... are you perhaps from the Hader house?"
"That's correct."
"Oh!"
"So that's it!"
There were exclamations all around.
They looked surprised, but also happy. I had no idea why their reception changed so much.
"Hahaha! We feared disaster might co, but instead, it seems we've received a blessing. Now that I look closer, you do resemble Lord Hader. Is he well?"
"He has passed away."
This ti, sighs could be heard.
"We're sorry. We didn't know."
"It's all right, elder."
The elders conversed quietly. It looked like sothing that had puzzled them was finally solved.
Now, they seed to welco us sincerely.
"Did you know my father well?"
"He visited our village several tis. He'd always bring gifts, saying Urald had been a great help. I never expected his child would co here."
"Thank you for welcoming us."
"If you're from House Hader, of course we're glad. Ah, did you say you wanted to buy sothing?"
"Yes. We'd like to buy so Racrom this ti, and hope to trade regularly in the future, too."
The elders exchanged joyous smiles. It wasn't just happiness about selling minerals.
There was sothing more.
"In truth, the only house we trust is the Hader house, so there's nothing better than selling to your family."
"Can we buy so now?"
"Why? Isn't it better to stay a few days first? There's a place in the forest for you to rest."
"We're short on ti because we need to procure supplies and search for sothing else."
"Is that so?"
The elder looked at the mountain and nodded.
"I should have considered that. Then let's make the trade here and now. What do you need?"
"We'd like as much Racrom as we can carry. We also need so materials for Weight Reduction enchantnts."
"Weight Reduction materials aren't usually traded... did Urald tell you to get them?"
"He did."
"Is that all?"
"And if you could prepare a transport device and build a path to the start of the mountain range, we'd reimburse you with what we have now and settle up the rest later."
The elder nodded gladly.
"Since I can confirm you're of the Hader bloodline, that's enough. Everyone, bring out the supplies he ntioned. And fetch the red talisman from my quarters."
"Yes, elder!"
The accompanying Dran disappeared back into the bush. The elders smiled kindly at .
I truly hadn't expected things to go this smoothly. I hadn't known they were familiar with my house. Or that Father had co here.
The elders approached us. Their curiosity was evident—they finally started asking questions.
"Urald must have forged that sword?"
"Yes."
"May I take a look?"
"Please do."
I handed the greatsword that had been strapped to my back to the elder. The three elders each gasped softly in wonder.
"Amazing. Not just that the sword is huge, but also the unique properties of the material hidden within. The reinforcent stones embedded here are no ordinary substance, either."
"Where did you get these reinforcent stones?"
"I can't say just yet. If you want the material, we can procure it for you."
The elders nodded.
Then another elder asked,
"You seem to be accompanied by an elental, which is quite astonishing. In my entire life, I've never heard of a human alongside an elental."
"We are together because of a special bond."
"There might be sothing even deeper than that. Elentals never join with anyone except the Elin, after all."
Is there so hidden aning behind those words?
The eldest elder changed the subject.
"Well then, if we're to trade regularly, we'll need to make a road. Where should we open the road?"
"We'd like a road from here to the eastern start of the southern mountain range. The best would be if we could load carts and go directly."
"The east side of the range? Wouldn't it be better to connect to the west if you want to reach your house directly?"
"In fact, we've moved to the eastern edge of the continent. Another house occupies our original territory."
"Ah, so sothing happened."
"That's right."
While we conversed, the Dran warriors brought the supplies we'd requested.
It was enough to fill the nine backpacks we each carried.
What we were offering for trade were gems.
We'd prepared these in case we ended up heading west—twenty ruby rough stones, and one large diamond.
When they saw the rubies, the Dran just nodded, but when they saw the diamond, their eyes and mouths widened at once. After all, it was the finest gem here, too.
"For now, please accept these. We'll pay separately for the road once it's made. Is that all right?"
"Of course. For a transparent gem of this size, it'd be fair to say we're giving you even more in return."
We exchanged the goods right away.
We handed over the gems, and the Dran filled our nine backpacks with Racrom.
On top of that, we received thirty Weight Reduction stones.
After we collected everything, the eldest elder handed
sothing like a tal talisman, inscribed with a red symbol.
"Always keep this talisman on you. No one has been able to use it for ages, but I thought you just might be able to, which is why I brought it out specially."
"What kind of talisman is it?"
"It's sothing originally crafted for the Elin. You'll naturally discover its purpose in ti."
"Thank you very much. I accept it with gratitude."
With the deal done, we left imdiately.
One objective of this journey to the west had been fulfilled.
I wondered if I could achieve the other as well.
Though it seed overwhelming.
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