It was the moment I left the graveyard.
Rustle.
The leaves rustled. It was a night with no wind.
A chill ran down my spine. This sensation was familiar. It felt like someone was watching me, observing everything about me.
“Let’s stop now, Your Majesty.”
I spoke into the air. The surrounding leaves shook more violently.
Whoosh—
A long shadow stretched under the moonlight. Emerald-colored hair fluttered in the wind.
“Haru…”
Sylvia’s green eyes glistened under the moonlight. It was a voice entirely different from her usual cool tone—icy and cold.
The wind roared from all directions. Green spirits began to reveal themselves one by one.
Is there no way to escape…?
“Please answer me. Why did you leave me?”
Her long ears trembled slightly. Normally, she wouldn’t show much emotion, but now, she was struggling to hide the trembling in her voice.
Another step forward.
“That day… do you remember? You promised to become the king of the forest…”
The spirits around us swayed as if responding to her emotions.
“You said you’d even eat meat for me… you said you’d throw away all the traditions and rules of the elves!”
Tears gathered in Sylvia’s eyes.
“I’d really do anything for you…”
Sylvia’s long ears trembled more violently. Now, she didn’t even try to hide her emotions.
“Your Majesty…”
“Again, ‘Your Majesty’…! I don’t care about the World Tree’s blessing or the position of queen! I’m just Sylvia, who loves Haru!”
Her voice trembled.
“After meeting Haru… I realized for the first time. How beautiful the world outside the forest could be.”
Her gaze turned toward me. There was a deep obsession in her unstable eyes.
“So… please don’t run away anymore.”
The spirits spiraled more violently. They formed a perfect encirclement, even blocking out the moonlight.
It was the moment pure love twisted into madness.
‘This is bad.’
“Come back with me, to the forest.”
But I wasn’t truly cornered. In fact, everything was going according to plan.
‘Perfect.’
She couldn’t have missed the fact that the spirits were watching me. I had felt strange gazes since I arrived in the north.
And it was obvious who had been stalking me. I knew all too well how obsessive Sylvia was.
“If you refuse…”
Sylvia’s voice wavered.
“I’ll do it by force… No, it’s not force.”
She shook her head as if to calm herself.
“Haru would want to stay with me, so this… is helping Haru make a choice.”
Everything that led Sylvia here had been intentional.
The graveyard, filled with spirits and death energy, was the place where I could obtain the artifact to save Kyria, but it was also the perfect battlefield to face Sylvia.
“By force…?”
“Go ahead and try it, as you wish.”
Sylvia’s eyes sharpened at my words.
“But… the spirits might not like it. Will you be okay with that?”
The spirits around us trembled slightly. They seemed to be fading, overwhelmed by the energy of death.
“Heh, the arrogant golden dragon… and the saintess with a mind of flowers… I don’t care.”
A resolve flashed beneath her cold expression.
“Then, it’s enough to capture Haru.”
As she gestured with her hand, higher-level spirits appeared.
A lion made of flames roared. A hawk made of lightning shrieked as it cut through the sky. A rock snake formed from the earth slithered along the ground.
‘Indeed… spirits bound by contracts are different.’
Even in this graveyard filled with death energy, their power remained undisturbed. In fact, it resonated with Sylvia’s emotions and emitted an even stronger aura.
Sylvia’s hand moved to her back. An emerald-green bow appeared in her palm. It was an SSS-class artifact, Yggdrasil, made from the branches of the World Tree.
“The blessing of the World Tree works even in such dark places.”
As she plucked the string, dozens of spirit arrows rose into the air. Each arrow was imbued with nature’s blessing.
Whish—
The arrows rained down. I hurriedly drew the holy sword ‘Dawn’.
[Haru, let me show you my power!]
The divine energy bloomed along the sword. The brightly shining Dawn blocked the spirit arrows.
The battle had only just begun.
Boom—
The earth rumbled. The rock snake lunged at me.
Now it was the turn of the cursed sword ‘Twilight’. As the holy light faded, the energy of darkness surged.
[Oh? Is that all you’ve got? Let me show you true power.]
The sword wrapped in dark energy pierced the rock snake’s head. The rock body shattered into pieces.
“What’s that sword?”
Sylvia’s eyes wavered.
“Did you want to escape from me so badly that you had to wield such a dangerous weapon?”
She drew her bowstring again. This time, even more spirit arrows floated in the air.
The immortal lion aimed at my left, and the thunderbird at my right. It was a perfect encirclement from all sides.
[I’ll block it! With the light of Dawn!]
[No, I’ll handle it! Like a cursed sword should!]
The two swords alternated, knocking the arrows away. The light of the holy sword and the darkness of the cursed sword wove across the sky.
[We need to clear out all obstacles…]
[We’re enough together, right? It’d be even better if it’s just me!]
[What did you say?]
Switching between the holy sword and cursed sword, I blocked the spirits’ attacks. I absorbed the lightning with the holy power and snuffed out the flames with the darkness.
It was a refreshing experience. Despite the battlefield being in my favor, the fight with Sylvia was going far too smoothly.
The time spent growing stronger while fleeing from my party wasn’t wasted.
Boom—
“Alright. Then it seems there’s no way to stop this.”
The earth trembled. As Sylvia’s fingertips touched Yggdrasil, explosive vitality burst forth.
Life awakened in the graveyard, which had been filled with death energy. Vines shot up between the black marble tombs. Buds burst from the withered tree branches.
The entire graveyard was overflowing with life, as if it had welcomed spring.
The spirits’ forms became clearer. The spirits that had been fading from the death energy now regained their full substance, thanks to the power of the World Tree.
“Don’t worry.”
Sylvia’s green eyes glistened in the moonlight. A cold smile played on her lips.
“If you get hurt… I’ll nurse you back to health.”
The sound of a bowstring being drawn echoed.
“Forever…!”
An arrow flew. This time, it was different. Each arrow was infused with the power of the World Tree.
The first shot was absorbed by the Holy Sword. The second was cut with the Dark Sword. The third, again, was absorbed by the Holy Sword.
Sylvia’s attacks grew stronger. Each time she drew the bow, the power of nature exploded. The aura of death was pushed away, and the energy of life spread further.
[Haru, it’s starting to get serious….]
[Master, the opportunity has come~]
Her movements subtly faltered. Her breath quickened as she struggled to maintain the connection with the World Tree. The further she got from the Elven Forest, the more focus she needed.
‘This is it.’
I intentionally took the arrow with my body. Thanks to the durability enhanced by Dawn, I could easily withstand one shot.
“Haru!?”
Sylvia, flustered. Did she not expect me to actually take the hit?
I seized the moment and instantly switched to the Dark Sword. Gathering violet energy, I charged.
Swoosh!
The Dark Sword sliced through the air. At the moment it collided with the twilight and Yggdrasil, two opposing forces clashed.
Boom—!
The energy of darkness and life tangled together in a massive explosion. Sylvia’s bow left her hand, flying into the air.
Caught in the shockwave, Sylvia’s body tumbled across the ground. I pointed the Dark Sword at her throat.
[Hehe, it seems like the battle is over. A big victory for the Dark Sword!]
“It’s over.”
‘I did it…’
Joy blossomed deep inside me. A victory against a party member who had been obsessed with me.
Finally, I had gained the strength to oppose them. I now had the power to carve my own path as a fugitive.
“I’m sorry, Sylvia. But this is for the best.”
“Haru…”
Sylvia’s voice rang out coldly like moonlight.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited? Do you know how much I like you?”
Her long ears trembled violently. The spirits around us stirred uneasily.
Yggdrasil, fallen to the ground, vibrated like a heartbeat. Green mana spread throughout the area.
“Every day… I searched for your traces. My heart raced with every message the spirits brought me…”
[Haru, something’s wrong with that elf!]
[She’s finally showing her true nature!]
The World Tree’s bow conjured an illusion of a massive tree. Sylvia’s obsession was twisting even the laws of nature.
‘This is really dangerous…’
A chill ran down my spine. The moment Sylvia’s obsession reached its peak, the World Tree’s garden would unfold.
But then, at that very moment…
“…Hick.”
Sylvia’s shoulders trembled. Tears began to fall from her eyes, which had once shone with madness.
“Sob…”
Suddenly, Sylvia collapsed to the ground, her long elf ears drooping weakly.
“This is too much…”
Tears flowed from her green eyes. It was not madness or obsession, but pure sorrow.
“Haru… you hit me…”
Her voice trembled. The proud Elven Queen was nowhere to be seen.
“Did you… did you really hate me so much?”
The spirits around us seemed panicked, not knowing what to do. The Phoenix growled but then drooped its ears, and the Thunderhawk circled aimlessly, crying awkwardly.
‘What? What’s going on here?’
“Is it… is it because you don’t want to be with me? …You ran away, didn’t you?”
Thud—
Sylvia struck the ground. Her cold mask disappeared, and she cried like a discarded child.
“You said… we would live together in the forest…”
Her green eyes shimmered with tears.
“Haru… I want to live with you…”
Sylvia clung to my legs. The proud demeanor she usually had was nowhere to be found.
“Let’s go to the forest together. Okay? You’re mine, Haru…”
She began whining like a child. The spirits around us seemed confused, fluttering in circles.
“Is it because I’m an elf? Is that why you don’t like me?”
Sylvia touched her long ears with trembling hands.
“If it’s… if it’s these elf ears…”
A chilling aura brushed against me.
“Wait!”
I hurriedly grabbed her hand.
“Sob… Haru…”
Sylvia clung to me. Her cold tears soaked into my clothes.
“Don’t leave me… please…”
Wail.
Sylvia’s trembling voice echoed with a desperate plea, and the spirits around us responded with sad cries in unison.
‘This… I really didn’t expect this.’
My mind was in turmoil.
I could deal with Sylvia in her crazed state, but how was I supposed to handle this pure, tearful version of her?
“Haru…”
Sylvia lifted her head. Her tear-streaked face gazed up at me. Her long ears drooped.
‘This… this is a big problem.’
The spirits around me glared at me with contempt. ‘Ugh… trash…’
What is this? Did I do something wrong?