Chapter 264

Chapter 264

***

Not all fairy tales were very hopeful stories. Because even if the ending was good, reality will be waiting after that.

The story of the fairy who grew up eating human dreams and became a human ends here.

Whether Hushike was Caldebert's arrangement or whatever, what could be done in the face of death was only mourning, not regret or sighing.

But as she said when she was alive, if death was merely returning to one's hometown it wouldn't be something to be so sad about.

So let's not be sad. Let's not regret either. Because death doesn't mean absence. Let's just quietly reminisce. That innocence, the figure that was growing little by little.

Hushike's corpse had a complexion so good it was hard to believe it was a corpse. Looked like she would open her eyes at any moment if her name was called.

Moonlight fell on the World Tree that grew coiling to the end of the sky, and Hushike was sleeping peacefully under it.

Anyway should a tombstone be erected? What was a fairy's funeral like? Picking and offering flowers was also tricky, elves didn't like needlessly harming plants.

Rickart and the elves merely looked down at Hushike who slept quietly, and didn't offer silent prayers or hold ancestral rites or such.

"How do elves hold funerals?"

Rickart subtly asked Edex beside him. Not knowing well Edex looked back at Elline. Elline answered.

"When it's time to die one quietly walks deep into the forest alone. In a place where no one is, one dies alone. The flesh becomes nourishment, and the soul returns to the World Tree. The cycle is achieved like that."

It felt like a truly elf-like death. No, though he didn't know if the concept of death fit that in the first place.

Rickart thought he should guard Hushike's side for at least one night. Because what's important was the mourning heart, not things like funeral methods.

Raised his head and looked at the sky. A white round moon was softly looking down at this place. Then suddenly, grains of light fell *ususu* from a distant place like starlight falling.

Rickart watched it somewhat blankly, and naturally his head gradually lowered, and the light grains finally settled on Hushike's corpse.

Then Hushike's entire body was enveloped in light, and was absorbed into the roots of the new World Tree. After the light disappeared there was nothing left.

No, a single small sprout had sprung up from the root, grew rapidly then formed a bud and bloomed a flower. And, a single fairy was sleeping there.

"Ohh."

Even the elves who had almost no emotional fluctuation all looked fascinatingly at the birth of the fairy. The sleeping fairy suddenly opened its eyes, looked around the surroundings then surprised flapped *pareureu* its wings and flew away.

Somewhat vainly, with a regretful heart Rickart watched the fairy flying along the World Tree's trunk and hiding its figure. Seemed unfortunately it had no memories of Rickart.

Looking up with a slightly devastated expression, the newly born fairy slightly poked its head out and looked down at Rickart. The two's gazes met, but one side didn't recognize the other.

However thinking 'this was enough', a smile spread around Rickart's mouth. And the fairy also smiled.

And in the place full of ashes sprouts sprang up wildly, instantly formed buds and bloomed flowers. As expected fairies were born from there too, and soaring into the sky they embroidered the empty space like starlight.

Not only Rickart but everyone blankly watched the fantastic sight in a daze. If this was not a blessing what was a blessing.

All the things that passed by were like starlight. Sorrow and pain, betrayal and anger, friends and family, and Mother. All of it was like starlight.

Caldebert must also be shining like a star in that sky at some time, in some place.

So let's not be sad.

Rickart didn't know he would come here again, but came to come again. The elf kingdom that was.

Originally humans couldn't come and go as they pleased like entering their own house, but in the first place it was true a human's footstep had never reached here except for Rickart and Caldebert.

Naturally the high elves weren't pleased.

"What business brings you again?"

Alimantar who he felt like he would grow fond of if a little more time passed asked. Rickart answered brazenly.

"I wish to borrow a boat. I would be grateful if you dropped me anywhere humans live."

The reason Rickart came back here was because he heard from Elline and Edex that the kingdom had boats.

Since he had to return now, and since it was better to go quickly if he was going to go he intended to borrow a boat.

But would they lend it? When they were at the point where he even threatened to burn down the World Tree.

"Why should we?"

"There is no why. I just want to borrow it."

"Are you going to threaten again? Is that the human way?"

"The human way, it is a commonly used method but I will not threaten. Caldebert is gone now, and your Goddess is also gone. Just, the dragon threatening the World Tree is also gone. Because I defeated it."

"......"

Because he couldn't have known Rickart would really have killed the dragon, Alimantar looked back at the other high elves.

As Rickart saw it they were so expressionless it was impossible to know what they were thinking, but they seemed to communicate meaning just by looking at each other's eyes.

Alimantar looked at Rickart again and said.

"Humans are truly unpredictable with their endless changes. Becoming benefactors when one thinks they will become enemies. We will lend you a boat. Instead, I must go with you. I feel there is a need to study humans."

"An unexpected companionship but I am fine with it."

"Good. Wait a moment. I will get ready to leave and come."

Alimantar headed to his house. Though a high elf it didn't seem he lived in a special space, it was an ordinary house among ordinary elves.

Coming back outside he was wearing a dark green cloak, wearing an elf's uniquely curved sword strapped to his lower back, and slinging a bow. Didn't know how far he would follow but he was in a state fully prepared in his own way.

"Let's go."

"Before that, please give me some things like clothes or fabric, medicinal herbs or jewels."

"Why that?"

"During travel there are cases of getting hurt, and there are various other variables so I might have to raise money through trades. So I should pack what can be packed before going right."

So he said but the truth was he also subtly had personal greed. If he only had Ricky's personality he wouldn't even think of such things, but right now he had returned to being Rickart. Though not obsessed he didn't lack material desires in his own way.

Fortunately elves didn't seem to care much about such things. Because they didn't have the concept of money in the first place, and though they knew reciprocal transactions they were ignorant of commercial trade.

So Rickart packed loads of rare medicinal herbs, liquor, silk, ornaments, and pottery that humans had never even seen in their lifetimes.

Loaded those on the boat down the valley, and he himself also packed and wore an elf's uniquely unpatterned silk clothes.

The boat's size was slightly larger than a rowboat, looked somewhat peculiar, and had something odd-looking attached where oars should be.

"Anyway are there no separate oarsmen? Do I have to row?"

"Oarsman? What is that?"

"You know, one has to put long oars in the water and row for the boat to go forward or something right."

"I don't know what you're saying."

Saying so Alimantar dropped the sail *chwak*. And then, roused the wind to make the boat go forward. Found it fascinating Rickart's eyes widened.

The boat smoothly, quickly went forward without swaying. The thin waterfalls falling down from the elves' city fell like drizzling rain.

Passing through that in an instant and exiting the canyon, a river crossing the massive Taiga Forest appeared. Although the river was on the winding side the river width was very wide so there was no great difficulty in changing directions.

Just, he didn't know if this weather was right right now but the boat was going so fast that cold wind blew wildly making him feel cold. Rickart clutched his cloak tightly.

The sun was clear but felt somewhat piercingly cold for some reason. Did the seasons change? Don't know how much time had passed.

Unlike Rickart Alimantar who didn't feel cold continuously manipulated the wind. Didn't know if he was good or bad at it, but outwardly it looked skilled.

However there was one problem. Because from very far away, a sound *deudeudeu* like the sky collapsing or the ground collapsing was heard.

That sound got increasingly louder as the boat advanced, and at the end he realized that up ahead was a waterfall falling down.

"Wa, wait! Ali!"

"Ali? Who is that?"

"That's not the problem, ahead is a waterfall!"

"I know that."

"No! We must stop!"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why! Hey!"

As words that should naturally be understood as common sense went round and round, Rickart became urgent. Hesitating whether he should just jump into the river water, Alimantar was inconceivably nonchalant so to speak. That figure strangely inspired confidence.

Alimantar had high elves' uniquely softly glowing skin, and his long blonde hair fluttering in the wind shone like melted gold applied. Should one say it looked exceptionally more like a painting looking from the outside.

When Rickart was briefly distracted by his appearance, the rapidly advancing boat finally reached the massive waterfall. And went *hwing!* flying forward, then slowly fell downwards.

Rickart's heart sank *cheolleong* at the feeling of his body floating. But the boat didn't plummet all the way, and the bizarre device where oars should be spread wings *chwak*. Then it flew smoothly in the sky.

As an unbelievably surprising thing happened Rickart had a hard time accepting reality. A boat flying in the sky! I am flying in the sky?

Rickart looked below the boat and almost fainted. Because a truly bizarre yet fantastic sight unfolded. It was a deep blue sea, and the land was rapidly receding.

Rickart looked back at Alimantar. As if he had no interest in whatever reaction Rickart showed, naturally he wasn't surprised and was merely just doing his own task.

The boat continued to fly in the air, getting higher and higher then later even touched the clouds.

Rickart stood slightly spaced out then hurriedly reached out and grabbed the cloud. However it only scattered like fog. Thought it would be fluffy but it wasn't. Were clouds white illusions? Or just ephemerality?

He looked down again. Far below, pieces of ice were seen floating around. Since Rickart had also seen a desert vast enough to be called a sea of sand he thought there'd be nothing more to be surprised about, but seeing ice floating on the sea was dumbfounding.

"Ali, have you ever seen this before?"

"Of course. But it's been a long time for me too. About 500 years perhaps? Back then there was quite a lot of exchange with the elves beyond the ice land. But the exchanges ceased since the World Tree withered a lot."

"It seems elves live spread out widely as much as humans."

"Well, I heard humans have a hard time settling in one place so they always wander around. But we don't wander around centering on the World Tree. Just, we exist wherever the World Tree is."

"Fascinating. Anyway I don't know why it's so cold."

"Originally the sky is cold. That sun might perhaps be cold rather than hot. Use this."

Alimantar handed over a fist-sized stone. Receiving it it felt burning hot.

"It's volcanic stone. When the surroundings get cold it begins to produce heat. It will be helpful to a human."

"Thanks."

Rickart stroked the volcanic stone and rubbed his hands. However not long after the boat slowly began to descend again.

This time snowy mountains were seen. The sheer snowy mountains were high enough not to allow human approach, but were lower than Rickart. Passing the snowy mountains and continuing to descend lower it seemed to get a bit warmer again.

And at some point a forest appeared. Like in the Taiga Forest a river flowed, and the boat smoothly settled down there.

Slowly advancing along the river, something like a dock appeared. Seemed like a small city, and humans lived there and they were Nordians at a glance.

They watched blankly as the boat approached, then their eyes began to get bigger and bigger. Wondered why they were acting like that, but soon the reason could be known.

It was none other than because of Alimantar. When the boat finally reached the dock the Nordians there had their eyes widen so much they couldn't get any bigger.

"I think you should probably wear a hood around."

"Wear it if you want."

"No, you, not me."

"Why?"

"Anyway just wear it if I tell you to wear it."

Alimantar didn't know the reason but pulled up a hood to cover his face.

"Anyway where is this place?"

Rickart asked a Nordian kid nearby. Even though it was a boy having braided hair was cute.

"He, Hellangi Village."

"Hellangi?"

Rickart pondered for a moment at the word he heard somewhere, then soon recalled it. None other than the name of the tribe Gundar was chieftain of was Hellangi. Here was originally their tribe village, and he had led people down to Hellskald Island.

He wondered if there could be such a coincidence, but fortunately he came to a place he at least knew, and thinking of Gundar's end he also felt a bitter feeling.

Anyway, this time it was starting from the northern end. To the south he had seen the sea of sand, to the west he had gone all the way to Sinatria where ancient fortresses still stood intact, to the east beyond the Eastern Frontier to the Taiga Forest, and now the north where Nordians lived.

Anywhere in the world, there must be at least a road heading to his hometown.