Chapter 142: Walking Realm
———Karra———
<3: 28 pm>
“That thing looks… nightmarish.” I commented, looking through the multiple photos taken of the fight itself that was put in the group chat, then back at the corpse that was left behind. “At least it does explain the weird power spike we all felt.”
“So what were all of you doing while Emmie was doing her thing? Most of us had been spectating.” Jennla asked. Did she notice the same thing Kenni did and just ignored it? Or was she caught up in something else and didn’t? But to answer her question first…
“Rico will explain after our time here is over and we’re back on the ship. It’s a bit of a lengthy story.” I replied with somewhat of a non-answer. It is still best to not explain it here and now during our time here. “What about you? Have you just been watching the fight the entire time?”
“Not really. I did fight a few monsters on my own, but that hulking thing scared everything else away once Emmie aggro’d it.” Then I guess not a lot happened with her in particular. “Looking back at it. It’s not like there’s much else for the others nearby to do. Either get out of the way or possibly get caught in the crossfire. Those monsters sure aren’t friends with each other.”
“It’d be weird if they are… or not? From what we know, they shouldn’t have any reason to be in conflict, right?” They and demons have somewhat similar traits, so it’s not like they have any real reason to go after themselves aside from the occasional conflict of interest.
“I mean, the monsters in the dungeon don’t really fight each other, but back during… however long ago that was, they definitely were killing each other.” She gave me some insight. I never did fully read up on monsters, maybe Orrel or Gregori know something?
“Weird. I guess we’re still lacking some knowledge on that. Not that it’s very important. The most important fact of those things is that they’re trying to kill us.” The deeper intricacies in their behavior and such, I’d better leave that to the really nerdy ones. I already have a lot to think about as is. “I assume Emmie told everyone to back off?”
“Yeah. So even if we wanted to help out, it’s not like we would be welcomed. If anything she’d probably hunt those who dare to interrupt.” Just typical Emmie, basically.
“So it’s about the same as always. Obviously the whole magic business makes her a lot more bold. The same could be said with Kenni… Those two are quite a different breed, they have bites to match their barks.” I have Wiina to help out while Jennla got a wholly different adventure to herself, but these two already surpassed us in strength. It’s kinda wild to think about, and kinda embarrassing on my end. I really should egg Wiina into whipping me into shape… To get stronger, and tougher. Anyway! Let’s shift the topic! “You… didn’t run into any problem with your current strength, right? Is it like one of those stories that you just end up breaking random stuff?”
“No? Why would I? It’s not like I am on-guard all the time and constantly in combat mode.” She said, looking quite confused. I was just trying to pivot to a different topic, maybe I should’ve started with a different question.
“I mean… in more like physically exerting stuff like sparring and such. Have you been doing that with anyone recently? I know you haven’t been back for long, but I’m just asking, in case you need to vent.” I think that’s a good enough save? I don’t want things to get awkward already.
“Not really. Just catching up for the most part.” She said, sounding slightly melancholic.
“I see… Also, let’s just take a slow walk to somewhere else. I don’t think either of us want to stand near this corpse for long.” Let’s get a change of scenery going. It’d be a waste to do nothing but talk when we have the entire place as our playground, so to speak. There is a risk of monsters interrupting, but those shouldn’t be a problem, even if we ran into one of these beasts somehow the two of us should be enough.
“Alright.” She said with a nod and we walked past the corpse and into a direction that doesn’t seem to have a lot of monsters roaming around. I can’t sense anything big in that direction so we should be good. No idea where the others are going or what their plans are.
“So… What do you think about the ship? You didn’t seem to have a big reaction to it.” She missed the first two times we were on it, which I don’t think everyone quite realized.
“It’s quite grand, alright. I just… Maybe if I didn’t get yanked out from this time period, I would’ve had a bigger reaction.” She said with a sign of slight regret on her face.
“Don’t worry about it.” I said, not really sure how to deal with her. She’s just so different from how she normally acted that it’s kinda jarring. “...You didn’t really give any specifics when you recounted the story back in the group chat. You got anything in your mind from that time that you wanna talk about?”
“That I wanna talk about? I guess… Hmm… Well…” She mulled over it as we continued the walk, the landscape remained rather stagnant as all we saw was a bunch of hills and mountains, some tall rock formations sticking out of the ground, and only a few patches of greenery to be seen. “I guess if it’s about the whole adventure… I guess it’s a bit odd. There were elves during that time. Where did they all go?”
“Wasn’t there some rumors about elves sighting?” It was a long time ago and people just sorta assume one of those had to exist. I mean Wers had elf-like ears, if you pluck the scales out… Scratch that. Maybe that’s not the best example.
“Really? I don’t remember any of that stuff.” She replied. Considering that she had been there for what she described as ‘a year’, I would’ve imagined that her memories about the previous events in this time period might’ve already evaporated away.
“It’s just some small rumors on the internet. I don’t think most people think they’re impossible to exist or whatever. Not that there had been any famous or infamous figure who could be called an elf.” Now that I think about it, what most people turned into are demi-humans, just some animal characteristics tacked on. It’s not super impressive in the grand scheme of things.
…Well Wiina is an entirely different story, but no way in hell I’m bringing that up now.
“Huh… Well. The elves were kinda… not very impressive? They have all the characteristics you’d think about like almost always looking pristine, long-living, sharp ears, all that. But when I actually get to see their society, they are kinda… small. Like the humans greatly outnumbered them in terms of everything.” She recounted. Well aren’t elves in story usually known for being a small isolationist group that aren’t too keen on expanding? Seems like all the assumptions were spot on then.
“Kinda sounds like how they are in many stories.” I pointed out. Surprisingly there doesn’t seem to be a lot of difference? “What about their attitude towards nature? Is that for real?”
“Yeah. You couldn’t walk around in their kingdom without seeing multiple trees sprouting up high. It’s quite a nice place, not that I was there for long. I still live in the woods during that time.” She said, sounding slightly nostalgic. “The main building of the rulers is… kinda weird though.”
“What does that mean?” I would’ve imagined a giant tree for one, or maybe just a typical medieval castle? “Does it look too normal or something?”
“No. It resembles one of those ‘world tree’ you’d see in a story involving elves or something similar.” Wait, in that case there shouldn’t be anything weird about it, right? It’s kinda what we should’ve expected. “Inside looks more like a modern building. You know, smooth floor and walls, like one of those fancy pure white buildings or whatever. The outside looks perfectly natural but the inside is like stepping… forward in time? I guess that’s the word for it.”
*Dash* *Grab* *Slice*
“Rather annoying that monsters don’t know basic manners.” I remarked after I intercepted and killed the monster charging at us. This thing look like some sort of feline? Kinda long and ugly. “Also, did you say that it looks modern? Did I hear that right?”
“Yeah. Very sleek interior. Not all parts of it look like that though, some parts still looked like it had been carved into or around the giant tree.” She explained further. Hmm…
“Well there are some books detailing how there are things like advanced old tech in ancient times and things that are comparable to today’s technology. Not that I’ve read much on that later. Maybe ask Orrel and Gregori about it.” I’m definitely not a massive nerd like either, and I doubt even Wiina has this kind of knowledge in the back of her head. “...But enough about you for a sec. Is there anything you need filling in that you haven’t asked the others about yet? I think you’ve at least heard about the snakes.”
“I don’t really feel like I miss a lot, and the school already contacted me saying that I don’t need to do any assignments to catch up, so that’s nice.” She said, not having any desire for more elaboration on the current state of things. “But there is one thing I want to ask. How did the world go so long without mana? Does anyone actually know the reason for that yet? I can’t imagine what those nutjobs who might still be around now might think…”
“No freaking clue… Say, what kind of kooky characters did you actually encounter? You’ve talked about elves and demons before, but what about your companions? I know you were dragged into fighting this demon lord or king or whatever, but surely you get to talk to them or something.” I feel like this should be one thing she probably has a clear recollection of. If it was me, I’d probably try my best to memorize their faces. They are heroes, after all.
“Them? I don’t even speak the same language as most of them. I don’t get whatever translator thing isekai protagonists got, unfortunately. Botched summoning or something.” She said, sounding slightly bitter. “Sounds kinda… I don’t really know, it’s definitely not some old English, maybe like one of those ancient languages that most people know about? Like Old Norse or something…”
“If it’s elves we’re talking about it’s probably… Wait.” Let me do a quick search here… “If the result I’m searching for is correct, it probably is Old Norse? Or maybe something way older than that.”
“I see…” She doesn’t seem all that interested in the whole language thing.
“...So who are the people you can talk to?” I think that part is a lot more interesting. She never said who it was, but I can’t imagine it being someone who isn’t involved in the summoning shenanigans.
“A human with violet hair. She is from a different world than mine, and seems to be a Brit based on her accent.” She answered, sounding slightly… paranoid? “Kind of a hard case. I don’t really know what is really going on with her. She only really tells me what I needed to know and that’s about it. With the others I can’t even really converse with them, and I had to hide my ears and tail with more clothing, at least when it comes to normal human locals. They are definitely not ones to be welcoming and accepting.”
“That’s rough.” I remarked. Guess it is to be expected that people in the past are even worse than today… Scratch that, just as bad as today. “So, what are your companions like? Got any that really catch your eyes?”
“Hmm… A white-haired elves with heterochromia who is also a princess, that woman with violet hair I just talked about who is very well-versed in reality-altering magic, a girl with green hair and red eyes wearing a cape while wielding two swords, a one-eyed woman known as the Thunder Snake who use a giant jagged blade, and a True Ancestor vampire. Others are kinda whatever or are just elves accompanying their princess.” That’s… quite a list. At least it’s not a plain-looking guy leading the charge from the sounds of it. Wiina always complains about those whenever we start discussing these types of stories. “Honestly they all are so out there that it really does remind me of how… mundane everything in this time and place still is.”
“I really wouldn’t call-
*Roar*
-the time and place we are in to be mundane. Also watch out!” Of all the times we’re running into one of these!
*Rush* **Leap**
“So there was more than one of these things running around.” I said while both of us are now high up on a nearby hill. “Looks like we need to save the talking for later! Let’s kill this thing!”
“Right!” Thankfully she is still quite responsive during a time of crisis.
We could also run away, but with the two of us here, this thing will go down in no time!