As the sky gradually brightened, the carriage finally arrived at the Blackwood City’s border with the Blackwood Forest.
Carrying her luggage, Gallolei walked down the carriage.
This place was the only stage station outside the Blackwood Forest. It has been maintained since hundreds of years ago when Gallolei’s family reached an agreement with the elves of the Blackwood Forest.
Gradually, the stage station outside the Blackwood Forest has developed into a small exchange. The elves would use special medicinal herbs and ores to trade with humans arcanotech devices and other novel items.
It was currently very early in the morning, so early that there was barely any light. Yet, one could still see some humans and blackwood elves at the stage station.
“You can return to the manor. You don’t have to follow me.”
Gallolei said to the carriage driver. Then, carrying her suitcase, she entered the Blackwood Forest.
The reason why this forest was called ‘Blackwood’ was not because of the color of its trees. Instead, it was due to the size of the trees. The trees in the forest were enormous. Every single truck resembled a giant’s thick leg that reached over a hundred meters tall.
Entering the Blackwood Forest in this early in the morning was a mistake. The forest does not possess any lightning facilities and the enormous trees had blocked the small amount of light from the sky. Because of that, Gallolei could only rely on her memories and walk in the darkness following the road established by the elves.
Soon, the fungi growing in the forest started to emit glimmering light. Some firefly-like elemental creatures also started to glimmer with light. The light they emitted allowed Gallolei to barely see the road ahead.
“Stop...human.”
A voice sounded before Gallolei. Three blackwood elves holding bows and arrows walked out from the shadows. Two of the elves aimed their arrows at Gallolei. Their bow strings were pulled and their arrows could fly toward to pierce through Gallolei’s body at any moment.
Gallolei was extremely surprised by the hostility shown by these Blackwood Elves. Even though the Blackwood Elves prohibit humans from entering their forest, they will only advise for the humans to leave. Only when the humans refused to heed their advice would they aim their arrows at them.
Gallolei’s elven bodyguard wanted to show herself and demand for her three rude fellow elves to withdraw their bows and arrows. But, before she could do so that, a faint tremble came from the ground.
“Calm yourselves. She is the daughter of the human that serves Narushi...”
An aged and unflustered voice sounded from behind the three elves. An enormous brown bear appeared behind them. An elderly Blackwood elf also appeared together with that brown bear.
“But, Elder Safran, we shouldn’t allow a human to enter the forest with how things are right now.”
“The Holy Tree Narushi had admitted that human’s daughter. She is Narushi’s priestess. As such, she is one of us.”
The elf elder called Safran patted one of the young elf’s shoulder. With that, the elves withdrew their bows, arrows and hostility.
As for Elder Safran, he walked over to Gallolei with the enormous brown bear.
“Esteemed teacher Safran.”
Gallolei bowed to the aged Blackwood elf. Safran could be said to be the wisest and more farsighted elder in the history of the Blackwood Elves. He was the person who led the Blackwood Elves to sign a pact with the humans.
“Gallolei, you’ve grown up... The last time I saw you, you’re small enough to hide in Ayte’s fur.”
The aged elven elder examined the Black Swan. To the elves, the speed at which humans grew was simply unimaginable.
“Get on Ayte’s back. Flay, if you’re tired, you can get on top too.”
Elder Safran gently stroked the brown bear’s fur. The enormous brown bear was a magic beast that inhabits the Blackwood Forest. Safran and the brown bear became companions in their youth. Even now, their relationship remained unchanged.
“Mn!”
Gallolei extended her hand and gently caressed the brown bear’s moist nose. Then, together with her elven bodyguard, she climbed up the brown bear’s back.
With this brown bear called Ayte as her ride, Gallolei felt like she was on a soft bed...
After traveling for roughly a dozen minutes, the darkness started to disappear. More and more different kinds of brightly shining vegetations began to appear in the forest. Insects that glimmered with light were also flying in the sky.
Whenever Gallolei visited the territory of the elves, she would feel like she had arrived at a paradise...
After arriving at the dwelling place of the Blackwood Elves, the brown bear leaned forward to allow Gallolei and Flay to dismount from its back. Together with her luggage, Gallolei landed on the slightly damp ground.
Unfortunately, the paradise experience did not persist for long.
A roar enough to pierce through anyone’s eardrum suddenly echoed through the entire Blackwood Forest. The terrifying sound wave swept through the forest with substantial impact.
The brown bear called Ayte immediately extended its furry claws to block Gallolei and Flay... A vast amount of leaves were knocked off the trees from the shockwave.
Gallolei was covering her ears. She felt suffocated like her heart was being grabbed by something.
Dragon... this was the only thought in Gallolei’s mind. Only a creature as terrifying as a giant dragon would be able to let out such a roar.
Fortunately, the brown bear blocked most of the impact from the roar for Gallolei. Else, Gallolei might’ve lost her sense of hearing after just arriving at the Blackwood Forest.
After the roar stopped, the brown bear used its moisty nose to rub against Gallolei who was hiding in its bosom. It seemed to be confirming Gallolei’s condition.
“I’m alright...”
In order to express her gratitude, Gallolei took out some candy and snacks to feed the bear. The brown bear ate her snacks without even bothering to remove the packaging.
“Elder Safran, the Brass Dragon... what is going on with it?”
Gallolei’s bodyguard walked out from the brown bear’s protection and arrived beside the elven elder. She has lived in the Blackwood Forest for all her life but has never experienced such a terrifying roar from the Brass Dragon.
That roar also contained an extremely berserk aura.
“The Protector of the World Tree has been inflicted with some sort of strange ailment.”
Elder Safran took a glance around. The Blackwood Elves nearby all seemed endlessly worried from the roar of the Brass Dragon.
“The ailment is gradually eroding its senses... We are attempting to find a way to treat it. But, our efforts did not produce a favorable outcome. Because of that, we can only attempt to communicate with it now. We can only hope that our communication will help it maintain its senses. But, even our communication is becoming less and less effective.”
“Less effective? Isn’t that Brass Dragon especially fond of talking?”
Gallolei’s bodyguard Flay had met the Brass Dragon before. Her evaluation of it was that it was a creature so fond of talking that it would die if it stopped talking with others. Whenever it encounters a new human, or any intelligent creature, it will start jabbering on and on about all kinds of strange topics.
“The Elven Elders’ words are unable to arouse the Protector’s interest.”
Elder Safran sighed. The Blackwood Elves live in the forest year-round. Very rarely would young elves leave the forest to explore the outside world. As for the old elves, their knowledge were limited to the world around the Blackwood Forest and the books they received from trading with humans.
Their knowledge and experience were already all known to the Protector of the World Tree, the Brass Dragon, a being far older than the elves. As such, it was only natural that their topics of conversations would not be able to arouse the Brass Dragon’s interest.
“Elder Safran, I believe I will be able to have a pleasant conversation with the Brass Dragon.”
At this moment, Gallolei, using fitting language and etiquette, voiced her request to Elder Safran. But, her elven bodyguard Flay still managed to notice the ‘camera’ Gallolei was hiding behind her back.