MTM 174

With Harto’s recovery, the elementals also regained their vitality. Spi and Mir had already returned to their original sizes and were running around inside the Grunde. However, Krom was the exception. Since he remained in the form of a cold stone, Zed tried injecting him with holy power, but Krom did not react.

“…I think he is in a dormant state.”

“Dormant state?”

“Yes. Spirits and monsters sometimes enter forced hibernation to block out external stimuli when they receive a shock they cannot handle or when their power is depleted. But since Krom is an element… I’m not sure if the same rule applies.”

At Zed’s explanation, Harto stroked Krom with a look of pity, then held him close to his body and whispered softly.

“Perhaps Ser might know a way? Since he summoned Krom through alchemy, he might know how to wake him up.”

“That might be true.”

Zed replied with a bitter smile. Although he had left a note when leaving Silpirnoa, he hadn’t specifically asked them to follow him. They had their own lives, and he didn’t want to force them into the arduous journey of changing Harto’s fate.

‘Perhaps… they might be looking for us somewhere in the Forest of Life…’

He briefly entertained that hope, but soon changed his mind.

‘…Understood.’

His heart ached as he recalled Leon’s disappointed [unauthorized copy]face. Zed dismissed even such thoughts as his own greed and tried to pull himself together.

[Lord Hartia has woken up!]

Just then, the boisterous voices of the Rizos were heard from outside the Grunde.

[It’s true! Lord Hartia!]

[Ah, look at those jewel-like blue eyes! You are truly beautiful!]

Upon hearing the news that Harto had recovered, the Rizos swarmed into the Grunde. Harto, who was seeing the Rizos for the first time since regaining his sight, was just as surprised as they were.

“So… this is what you look like! You’re so cute!”

Although he had heard about them from Zed, the Rizos he saw with his own eyes were far more adorable. Faced with their charming, fairy-like appearances, amber eyes, and mysterious look, Harto’s eyes sparkled like a child’s.

[Lord Hartia.]

Upon seeing that Harto’s condition had stabilized, the Rizos closed the distance between them without hesitation. They held each other’s hands and circled around Harto’s head. Then, emitting light from their hair and entire bodies, they gently landed on the head of the bewildered Harto. They looked just like a crown.

“Wow… a crown…?!”

[Lord Hartia! We want to share our joy, even if it’s just in this way!]

As they shouted in unison, the remaining Rizos brought a mirror to Harto.

“Ah… Zed! How do I look?!”

Harto asked, his face flushed with excitement as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Zed wasn’t keen on the Rizos getting close to Harto, but when he saw Harto’s sparkling blue eyes gazing into the mirror and the black slime squirming with joy, he gave a gentle smile.

“It suits you well. You look great, Harto.”

“Hehe, thanks… Ah! Should I ask them to put a crown on you too? You should put one on Zed as well…”

“I’m fine, Harto.”

Before Harto could even ask the Rizos, Zed cut him off firmly but affectionately.

“Harto is the main character today. That crown suits you much better than me.”

As Zed whispered softly, Harto smiled, unable to take his eyes off his reflection in the mirror.

[Lord Hartia!]

It was around the time the singing of the Rizos celebrating Harto’s recovery had subsided. One of the group bowed respectfully to Harto and spoke.

[We, too, earnestly hoped for your ​unauthorized copy​safe recovery, Lord Hartia, but there is someone who has been counting down the days for this moment more than anyone else!]

“Me…?”

It happened the moment Harto asked in confusion. From beyond the damp tunnel passage, someone walked slowly toward them. At first, he thought it was one of the Rizos, but with every step he took, the passage turned blue and brightened up.

“Harto.”

Zed became wary and pulled Harto into his arms. The Rizos, who had been hovering above Harto’s head like a crown, scattered into the air.

Swoosh.

And finally, someone cut through the darkness of the tunnel. Zed and Harto’s eyes widened at the same time.

The figure standing before them took the form of a human man. His blue hair was curly, and his silver eyes held a mysterious depth like a deep abyss. Skin so white it was almost transparent, and his features were delicate. With a youthful face that could easily be mistaken for a young man, the man was draped in luxurious silk robes of a blue hue that matched his hair.

At a glance, it was obvious that the man was no ordinary being.

[Lord Elquir!]

At the man’s appearance, the Rizos welcomed him. He was none other than Elquir, the guardian of the river, whom the Rizos had spoken of incessantly.

Originally, he took the form of a colossal spirit beast guarding the river, the lifeline of the forest, but now he had compressed his power to the maximum and appeared in human form. However, the two could not help but be shocked by the his appearance, which was starkly different from his inherently majestic reputation. Furthermore, as soon as Elquir’s eyes met Harto’s, his pupils trembled, and he appeared at a loss for what to do.

“Ah… ah….”

His pale cheeks instantly flushed red, and moisture welled up in his silver eyes.

“L-Lord Hartia…”

With an expression like someone wandering through a dream, Elquir slowly extended his trembling hand. Then, like someone possessed, he began to approach Harto hesitantly.

“Oh….”

Harto was flustered by the desperate gaze of the man who had suddenly appeared, but he cautiously greeted him.

“Uh… Lord Elquir, hello…?”

At that, Elquir gasped loudly and barely managed to answer, his face turned even redder.

“Ah… ah, hello….”

Harto looked up at Zed, confused by Elquir’s attitude, which seemed far too shy for a guardian spirit. As expected, Zed was already frowning as he stared at Elquir. His golden eyes gleamed menacingly with displeasure and disgust.

“Ah…”

In the meantime, just as Elquir’s fingertips reached out to touch Harto…

“Don’t touch him.”

…Zed stepped back while embracing Harto. Then, he glared at Elquir.

“Are you Elquir?”

“…….”

“Why did you attack us when we crossed the River of Life?”

As a cold rebuke followed instead of a warm greeting, the Rizos around him were startled and began to murmur.

[An attack! Lord Elquir wouldn’t do such a thing…!]

[What, human! Did you have a strange dream or something?]

The Rizos each sided with Elquir, claiming that Zed was rude, but he didn’t even bat an eye.

“Oh… it’s a misunderstanding! I-I didn’t attack…!”

Overwhelmed by his intensity, Elquir shook his head vigorously in protest. However, Zed pointed at the elementals perched on his shoulder.

“You say you didn’t? You grabbed my leg and dragged me into the river, and forcibly took Harto away. It wasn’t just me; they saw it clearly too. Didn’t you?”

“Pippit!”

“Pyuput!”

At Zed’s question, Spi and Mir nodded vigorously. In particular, Mir glared at Elquir with his cheeks puffed out.

“Th-that, that… that. That…”

Elquir stammered, unable to continue his sentence amidst Zed’s interrogation and the squeaking of the elementals. Furthermore, upon feeling Harto’s questioning gaze, his face instantly turned pale and his lips trembled. His silver eyes wavered, and soon his slender shoulders heaved.

“‘Hic, hhic…!”

Eventually, tears he could no longer hold back began to drip from Elquir’s silver eyes.