Chapter 214: The dormant weapon, part 2
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
A full week had passed since the elf’s departure, yet she had not returned. There were no signs that she had visited at any point during the past week.
And I knew that her travelling time was effectively zero due to her ability to use ‘Gates’.
「What could that idiot elf be doing?」, I grumbled to myself without thinking.
I would have been fine even if she had come back empty-handed.
「Idiot elf?」
I looked up to see Orlando, the elf I had partied with for a day or so.
「Ah, it’s you, Orlando-san. What brings you here?」
「To meet you and Iris.」
「It must have been quit the journey.」
She stood out like a sore thumb — not only because of her unusually large sword, but also because it was rare to spot an elf in an out-of-the-way town like ours.
「Shall I get the chief?」
「Sure. What was that about an elf?」
「Will you recognise her by name?」
Maybe, replied Orlando with a nod.
「Her name’s Rodje Sandsong.」
It was the name she used while serving in the Demon King’s Army, so I wasn’t sure if it would ring a bell in Orlando’s head.
「Oh, San-chan.」
「San-chan?」
「We were friends… used to be friends.」
「You’re acquainted with her, I see?」
That means they’re no longer friends, huh?
「It never crossed my mind that she could still be alive.」
Though an elf by birth, it was the aspect of Rodje that she knew would be looked down upon by others. She had masqueraded as a dark elf to join the Demon King’s Army.
But I knew nothing of her life before that.
I realised that the female adventurers queueing up behind Orlando were eavesdropping on our conversation.
「Is that elf with the comically large sword an acquaintance of Argan-san’s?」
「Could that be… the S-ranked Orlando-san of the ‘Crazy Sword’?」
Our conversation was likely to get a little lengthy, so we agreed to meet at a bar after work. Leaving Orlando to her own business, I continued serving the adventurers that were patiently awaiting my service.
「San-chan and her sisters Marion and Aura… we were good friends」, recounted Orlando between gulps of wine. 「We lived in a very special forest. So many humans came to ravage it in search of the materials they wanted, whatever they were.」
Seated opposite to me, she seemed very nostalgic about her past.
「Such tales are rather common.」
Most forests in which elves resided were untouched by the outside world. They were populated by rare species of trees, and precious ores could be found buried underground. Their riches made them the target of greedy individuals, such that elves like Rodje were constantly at war with the humans.
「San-chan was the daughter of our chieftain. She fought with us. Marion, Aura too. But our efforts were futile… many of our kind were slaughtered. Not only the chief, but Marion as well…」
Rodje had told me that she had joined the army for revenge. Orlando, who had also survived, had instead chosen to make a living as an adventurer.
「Is San-chan doing well?」
「I believe so.」
I had tasked her with scouting the Kingdom of Jorvenssen. She had readily accepted because there was a chance that her beloved master was there. If Lyla had turned out to be elsewhere, Rodje should at least have told me something.
But so far, nothing. Not a peep from her.
If her goal had only been to search for her master, then it was understandable for her to go radio silent. Where she found her master, after all, would become her new home.
「Talking about San-chan brings back memories…」
Orlando had already spoken a lot, but she continued telling stories of her childhood. I wanted to facilitate a meet-up between her and Rodje on the basis that they were childhood friends. Unfortunately, though, the latter’s whereabouts were, at present, unknown.
If only I had sent Dee, I thought. The vampire had turned me down on the pretext that she had quest obligations.
We heard voices from the counter belonging to two men who looked like adventurers.
「It’s for real, I’m tellin’ ya!」
「No way… you have to be mistaken, no?」
「No, I’m serious. That was the former king. Honest to goodness.」
Orlando had overheard the conversation too. Having emptied her glass, she immediately asked for a refill.
「It’s a hot topic of late」, she said.
「People are talking about it?」
「Mhm. A place where you can meet those who have already passed.」
There was no dead person in particular that I wished to meet, but —
「Excuse me」, I said to the two men. 「About that conversation you were having… where did you see him?」
Recognising me as Argan-san the employee, they replied without questioning my motives.
「Near the Demon King’s territory. Though it doesn’t belong to them anymore, does it?」
The Demon King’s territory referred to the regions of Jorvenssen and Vadenhaag. I was, of course, familiar with what had happened to the latter.
In that case…
「So Lyla and Rodje…」
I thanked the two men and returned to our table, where Orlando had fallen asleep with her cheek resting on one hand.
「You’ll catch a cold」, I told the sleeping elf, helping her don a jacket and escorting her outside once I had footed the bill.
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