Chapter 265

Chapter 265

***

While living one was bound to occasionally experience bizarre things. Just, depending on the region one lives in it could be a special event, or could just be an everyday occurrence.

But no matter where one lived seeing an elf was not a common occurrence. Because in the first place most people considered elves to exist only in myths or legends.

Therefore actually seeing an elf was a shock equivalent to the worldview one had believed in until now shattering.

The entire village's people were gathered around the Viking longhouse. Especially around the entrance more people flocked and peeked. Inside the longhouse was already filled with people.

Not even during important meetings or festivals did people gather to this extent, the reason this many flocked was because they received a shock of that worldview shattering.

One child who barely managed to poke his head out among the adults and look at the longhouse felt like he was seeing a holy painting he had seen before among the goods adults had plundered in reality.

The campfire blazing in the center of the longhouse, the people gathered around it, and, a single person was emitting a soft light from his face.

It was to the point of looking like there was a halo behind his head even without one. Somewhat sleepy-looking calm eyes, elongated ears, all of it was a beauty that transcended reality.

However among the people gathered around the campfire the person leading the conversation was a completely different person. He was a blond, upright-looking man, and gave off a feeling somewhat like an imperial.

Actually though all the same humans there was that unique feeling. People living in different regions or civilizations that was.

Rickart spoke to the village's influential figures composed of the chieftain's relatives.

"......The two friends also risked their lives to help Gundar. Gundar was brave until the end. Jumping into the fire pit with Edelrich he finally completed his revenge. It was something that happened far away, at the end of the world, near Lake Rus......"

Rickart explained to his kin about meeting Gundar at Hellskald Island, and going on a journey of revenge with him.

Since ancient times tales of northerners were meant to bloom at campfires, so sounds of firewood burning *tadak*, *tadak* were heard like keeping rhythm.

The entire village's people flocked because of the elf, but the kin of Gundar listening to the story had their moods sink deeply.

"Dismiss the people, Ingvar."

The oldest among the Hellangi kin said to a boy. The boy who was silently listening to Rickart's words got up from his seat, sent the people out, and closed the door of the longhouse.

The bustling longhouse became quiet, and only about fully ten of the Hellangi kin were at the campfire.

Of those ten or so half weren't even adults yet, and among the remaining half half were old people, and the rest were women.

Because Gundar took the personnel capable of fighting to Hellskald in reality there weren't many strong adult men capable of fighting left in the original village.

And Rickart intuitively knew that the boy who sent the people out was Gundar's son. His age looked to be about 14, 15 but his height was already as tall as an adult, it was such a body type where the bones and muscles hadn't fully ripened yet.

"Is it Ingvar Gundarsson?"

"Correct."

The elder of the kin answered.

"Then the next chieftain must be that child."

"No. He has to hold a coming-of-age ceremony, and to become a chieftain he needs to pass a test."

"What kind of test?"

"In the old days going up a mountain alone and hunting an orc, a werewolf, or a tiger was the test but it's not like that these days. Just, it has changed to executing a beast or person that is a threat to the kin. There is a man called 'Tooth Rich' Thorval. He leads a group of wandering warriors, and Gundar also once served under him in the military. As a man like a wolf, if there is a weakened tribe he demands women. But if we give the women we might be safe for now but isn't it no different from slowly dying in the end? He is demanding of us. Telling us to give him ten women capable of bearing healthy children."

Though the forms might differ slightly, wandering warrior groups existed wherever one went. The Empire also had mercenaries, and nomads also had groups of sturdy men who had broken away from their tribes.

Actually it wasn't much different for beasts. Seeing that when male lion cubs grow to a certain extent they break away from the pride and wander around to form a new pride.

Rickart looked back at Ingvar sitting in the very back among the gathered kin. The last words Edelrich said before dying flashed through his mind, but he didn't deliberately bring them up.

Because sometimes whatever the truth was that wasn't what was important.

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"I heard your father wandered the snowfields for revenge when he was ten."

"That is correct."

"I heard your father offered one molar when he left Thorval's command. Since that is the only remains right now shouldn't you as a son retrieve your father's remains?"

"......That is true but......"

The answer was somehow lackluster. Looking at the other people too seeing the shadows cast on their faces they seemed to have quite a lot of worries.

"I too left home at ten and grabbed a sword. When one becomes ten one should awaken as a man, and at fifteen one must protect their family as an adult. I will be heading south to return to my hometown, thinking of the loyalty with your father if the path overlaps I could help you."

Fifteen couldn't be seen as a young age in the current era. Because there were many cases of participating in battles even younger than fifteen.

However unlike his father Ingvar couldn't answer readily, and finding that frustrating his mother stepped forward. She looked at Rickart and said.

"Please take him and see if he has the qualities of a warrior. If he does not have the qualities please kill him on the spot."

"M, Mother."

"How old are you to seek your mother. It's been a long time since the milk to give you ran out. The Hellangi kin never lives leaving an enemy alone. Your father did so, your grandfather did so, and all the ancestors above him did so. Go and retrieve your father's remains. An elf visiting is an auspicious energy. If not now you will never become a man even if you die."

Unlike Rickart's mother Ingvar's mother and Gundar's wife was resolute. So looking at her Rickart was reminded of Marie rather than his own mother.

And seeming quite like a coward, it seemed Ingvar wasn't getting proper treatment among the kin in the first place. No matter if he was the chieftain's son, if he lacked the qualifications he couldn't become chieftain.

"When will you leave?"

The kin's elder asked.

"Well, I'd like to rest for a day or two before leaving."

"Then we will prepare Ingvar by then. Take him with you. As the child's mother said, if he does not have the qualities of a warrior just kill him."

Didn't know if there was a need to go that far, but the Nordians' way of life smelled strongly of blood.

But Rickart didn't affirm, nor deny through silence.

Anyway he was accepted by the Hellangi tribe as an important guest, and came to stay in one of the multiple rooms in the longhouse. Bathed in heated water, and was provided with greasy food and mead fermented with the saliva of beauties.

In the meantime the village people continued to show interest in the elf, but because he didn't show his face they scattered around evening.

Only then could Rickart and Alimantar have quiet time.

Feeling the sensation of the good quality fur blanket gently brushing his skin, Rickart looked at Alimantar half-sitting on the opposite bed and asked.

A faintly lit oil lamp illuminated his side profile reddishly. Never imagined there'd be a handsome man as much as Ice in the world but he was beyond that. Doesn't his skin glow in the first place. He wasn't just an elf but a high elf. Over 700 years old.

"How is it now that you have seen humans?"

"It's full of things I cannot understand from beginning to end."

"Like what?"

"The foundation of existence is rooted in emptiness. Revenge, enemies, threats, survival, bloodline, curiosity, anxiety, things like that."

Though it was something hard to understand at a glance, since Rickart had experienced both worlds he could understand.

Elves had clear foundations of existence or purposes of existence. Circulating centering on the World Tree was their reason and foundation of existence. As a result they even seemed to have transcended life and death.

Just, it didn't mean he thought humans were inferior to them.

"Isn't it because they have no foundation that they are existences that grow on their own. Humans I mean. The path they walk is a thorny path, and even if they are wrong they fall, get hurt, and advance into greater existences. I think life and death coexisting and tightly clashing shapes a single human. There is no good and evil in that. Just, there are only two things humans can choose. Flee, or confront. Even if the end of it is miserable."

"What about you? Ricky."

Alimantar looked back at Rickart and asked. It was his first time calling his name. Though there's no concept of nicknames to him, coincidentally right now for Rickart it was a name passing for a nickname.

So a smile spread on the mouth of Rickart lying on his side.

"There were times I fled, and times I confronted."

"I see......"

The existence living for over 700 years seemingly having very sharp insight yet was pure, and also had an innocent side.

Because he had lived only in his own world. There was no such thing as change in an elf's life. In contrast a human's life was ever-changing.

What to gain from observing that was Alimantar's share. Rickart left him be.

Because in the end he believed whether human or elf they could be reborn through their own choices.

The northern night wasn't as cold as expected.

Rickart and Alimantar stayed for two days as planned. While staying they exchanged the easily spoiling elf medicinal herbs for furs, and couldn't get money but received a little bit of jewels or gold, and silver nuggets.

In the meantime the Hellangi tribe people lived their daily lives, but whether an elf staying in their village was that special they erected a runestone like some monument and held a festival that wasn't quite a festival.

Decorated every house with flowers, almost died of joy if Alimantar even gave a glance, and were glad enough to faint if by chance he held their hand up close.

Alimantar merely dealt calmly with the series of events happening centering around him.

Anyway Rickart had a place to go, and after staying exactly just two days he got on the boat again. Of course heavily armed Ingvar too.

According to people's words if they go down the river there was a sea at the end, and Thorval's territory was roughly in the middle.

Then Rickart intended to have a little scuffle in the middle, head out to the sea and disembark in the north of the Empire at the end.

Thus the boat carrying two humans and one elf advanced without even an oarsman.

They couldn't advance coolly without blockage, because the Nordians used boats as main transportation there was a slight traffic jam of sorts.

They were puzzled seeing a boat carrying only three people without an oarsman. And the boat's shape was also unusual.

Still fortunately piracy or such didn't seem to occur in the mainland, so they didn't try to blindly board while pointing weapons.

Naturally since villages and cities were mostly adjacent to rivers, they could get off and supply at any time, and while doing so they discovered a flag with a white tooth shape drawn on a black background.

Unlike the Empire's flags drawn with elegant, sophisticated and neat pictures, it was such a flag that looked like some orcs would have drawn.

When he saw that flag Ingvar said.

"It's Thorval's flag."

"Really? Then let's go. Are you ready?"

"Th, the plan?"

"Do you need something like a plan to retrieve your father's remains? Go and say it confidently. I am Gundar's son Ingvar Gundarsson. I came to retrieve my father's molar. And tell him to withdraw the demand towards the kin."

"What if they try to capture or kill me?"

"That's why I said I would help you."

"......Y, you know, Thorval has many subordinates......"

"Edelrich's subordinates were also around dozens. There were also many personnel riding horses. But Gundar was exactly just four including two friends and me. Yet we attacked in and finally killed Edelrich. Are you just going to watch your mother fall into their hands?"

At Rickart's flawless point Ingvar deeply lowered his head. And barely spoke with an ant crawling voice.

"But unlike my father I am weak you see......"

Rickart thought this guy won't did, but Alimantar who was beside him was the exact opposite.

"How brave."

"What is? This kid?"

"Yes, until now he was scared and couldn't reveal it but now didn't he reveal that he himself is weak. If that is not courage what is?"

"......Does it work like that?"

"The answer is sufficient. Since he mustered courage we just need to help him."

Then he got off the boat first. Since he was wearing the hood pulled down deeply, attention wasn't focused on him.

Armed with a bow and sword the elf walked to where Thorval's flag was.

Rickart was flustered. In his life so far it was usually him acting recklessly and friends following along, but he didn't know an elf would just step forward like this.

So bewildered he grabbed Ingvar and hurriedly chased him. Perhaps there might actually be something to learn from an elf too.