Chapter 379

Chapter 379

The Dark Elves and human Awakened looked up at the sky with tense expressions.

Over the past few days, they had worked to prepare the great barrier.

After burying the sacred objects in the mountains Zeon had created, they made magic circles connecting each sacred object.

The Dark Elves and human Awakened were worn down creating nearly ten magic circles. Even so, not one of them showed a tired expression.

They willingly poured everything they had into making the magic circles.

While they were preparing to unfold the great barrier, there had been several monster attacks.

The flying monsters were the problem.

Wyverns and griffins had returned.

They still had not given up on the spirit.

The one who stepped forward then was Gaia.

―Beeep!

Gaia flew up with its distinctive cry.

At first, the wyverns and griffins looked down on Gaia.

That was understandable, since Gaia’s appearance was far too gentle. But the wyverns and griffins had to taste hell.

Black light suddenly burst from Gaia’s entire body.

The wyverns and griffins exposed to the black light lost their lives without even managing a proper resistance.

The sight of monsters falling in heaps like flies drugged with poison was still vivid in their minds.

Gaia had used the authority that had been in the Reaper’s Scythe.

Monsters of a low grade, or those weaker than Gaia, could not escape this authority.

Gaia had not merely grown larger, but had gained the majesty befitting a descendant of Moby Dick.

Now Gaia was no longer a fragile existence in need of protection.

It possessed power so strong that most monsters could not be its match.

Beside Gaia, the spirit flew together and protected the forest.

Thanks to that, the village residents could concentrate on the work of setting up the great barrier.

“It’s done.”

“It’s complete.”

In the end, they finished the work each of them had been assigned.

Everyone gathered in one place.

Because this was the day they would unfold the great barrier they had worked so hard on.

Teriuden said to everyone,

“Once the great barrier is unfolded, the Black Forest, no, the Primordial Forest, will be completely cut off from the outside.”

After a meeting, the village residents had decided to call this place the “Primordial Forest.”

The first forest to begin on Earth.

They had given it that name with the wish that it would become the origin and resting place of all living beings.

For now, they would close it off because they did not have the strength to protect it, but once they had the power to protect the Primordial Forest in the future, they decided they would open it.

“Once the great barrier is unfolded, those without a sacred object won’t be able to see this place or enter it. So everyone, please keep your sacred objects safe.”

The sacred object Teriuden spoke of was a wooden tablet made from Cloud Tree.

Cloud Tree wooden tablets had been used since Kurayan to prove the identity of elves.

This, too, was something Teriuden had preserved since Kurayan, and almost no other clans possessed them.

Simply possessing a Cloud Tree wooden tablet did not mean one could enter and leave the great barrier. Each clan had its own unique recognition method.

The Dark Elf clan that had settled in the Primordial Forest also had its own unique recognition method.

A wooden tablet holder who could not pass this recognition procedure would never be able to pass through the great barrier.

Teriuden also gifted Cloud Tree wooden tablets to Zeon, Levin, and Briel.

They had been given the right to enter the Primordial Forest at any time.

“You three are the benefactors of our village. Whenever you feel inclined, please come visit and stay as long as you wish.”

“Thank you.”

“I will now activate the great barrier.”

Teriuden looked at the Dark Elves and nodded. Then the Dark Elves who had been waiting began injecting mana into the magic circles.

Whoooom!

The magic circles shone and let out resonance hums.

Zeon, Briel, and Levin watched the scene while holding their breath.

The magic circles spread around the Primordial Forest activated in succession, and the sacred objects emitted huge pillars of light.

Everyone’s mouths fell open at the four pillars of light piercing up into the sky.

“Waaah!”

“Wow!”

The children raised both arms and burst into cheers.

The four pillars of light that had shot upward as if they would pierce holes in the sky soon spread out in all directions like a net.

The light intertwined and wove together, creating a light curtain.

The light curtain completely covered the wide Primordial Forest.

Zeon muttered,

“What a sight.”

“It’s really amazing. A great barrier covering the entire forest......”

Levin, too, could not close his open mouth as he marveled.

Briel stared at the light curtain without blinking even once.

The light curtain, which had shone as if it would set the sky ablaze, soon grew faint and vanished completely.

At a glance, it looked as if the great barrier had failed. But everyone inside could feel the existence of the great barrier.

It simply could not be seen, but it truly existed.

The work of unfolding the great barrier was a great success.

Only those inside could feel the great barrier. Those outside could neither see nor feel it until they drew very close.

Even if they sensed the great barrier, they would not be able to discover that such a vast forest existed inside.

The great barrier also possessed tremendous defensive power.

It could easily defend against ordinary monster attacks.

Now this place was safer.

As if something had suddenly occurred to her, Briel murmured,

“It would have been nice if Mother were here too......”

High Elves needed a forest too.

Thinking of her mother and the people of her village, who were even now surely struggling to live on dry land, tears came to her eyes.

Until now, she had not dared think of returning to the village because she had no qualifications, but seeing the people rejoicing in this green forest covered by the great barrier made her think of her mother.

Large tears streamed endlessly down Briel’s cheeks.

It was then.

―Beeep!

Gaia, which had been swimming freely through the air, read Briel’s emotions and flew to her.

As if to comfort her, Gaia gently circled around Briel. Then Yuri also flew around Briel’s face, comforting her together.

As the thread follows the needle, Gaia and Yuri were exactly like that now.

“Thanks, you two.”

Briel stroked Gaia and Yuri with her hand.

Just touching them gave Briel no small comfort.

It was then.

Briel felt a strange sensation.

It was a ticklish feeling rising from deep within her chest.

The ticklish feeling reached even her heart.

Thump! Thump!

Briel’s small heart began beating quickly.

At the unfamiliar reaction of her body, Briel looked at Zeon with an expression on the verge of tears.

“Ze......on?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Something feels strange.”

Briel clutched her chest and knelt.

At her unusual state, the people nearby could not hide their confusion.

At that moment, Har walked out from among the people.

Har looked at Briel for a moment, then said,

“Congratulations!”

“Huh?”

“That’s a sign that a spirit is trying to connect with you.”

Har had held the Spirit Egg for a full eight years.

In a way, Yuri was a spirit born from nothingness.

Without Har’s pure and devoted love and unconditional sacrifice, Yuri could never have been born.

That was why no one knew better than her what process a spirit went through when it was born.

Har hugged Briel tightly and said,

“There’s no need to be afraid. Gaia and Yuri have triggered the birth of another spirit.”

“Really?”

“Mm! In a way, every spirit born from now on can be called the child of those two. So don’t be afraid. Just accept the changes in your body and emotions as they are.”

“Got it!”

Briel answered and clasped her hands together.

Just as Har had said, she was trying to accept her own change as it was.

―Beeep!

Gaia and Yuri were still swimming gently around Briel.

The existence of the two was more reassuring than anything.

Thanks to that, Briel could focus even more on the change within herself.

Crack!

At that moment, Briel felt as though something had broken deep inside her chest.

At the sensation that something was breaking out of an egg, Briel trembled.

In that instant, something connected to her heart.

“Ah!”

Briel let out a groan without realizing it.

A new cluster of light appeared before her eyes.

The cluster of light, smaller than Yuri, flew around her chaotically, as if observing Briel.

“What is that?”

“It’s another spirit.”

The people and Dark Elves who saw that scene began murmuring in confusion.

In particular, the Dark Elves’ astonishment was on another level.

Because they had never expected another spirit to be born so quickly after Yuri.

“The spirits are returning again.”

“Is the age of spirits opening now?”

They stared with flushed excitement at the spirit flying around Briel.

A moment later, the light faded, revealing the spirit’s true form.

It was a spirit in the form of a dainty girl, about the size of a fist, with transparent wings.

Upon confirming the spirit’s form, Teriuden murmured,

“A Sylph. A Sylph has been born. Good heavens!”

He shed tears.

The spirit that had contracted with him in Kurayan before he crossed over to Earth had been a Sylph, so he recognized it immediately.

Briel reached her hand toward the spirit.

“A Sylph?”

―Kyaruru!

The sound of the Sylph’s laughter reached Briel’s ears.

It was a sound only she could hear.

The Sylph, in the form of a winged child, circled around Briel like a little troublemaker.

In that instant, Briel instinctively realized what she had to do.

‘Will you contract with me, Sylph?’

―Gladly! Briel.

The Sylph answered as it gently landed on Briel’s shoulder. Briel felt the thread of the contract connected to the Sylph grow even stronger and become one with her.

‘So this is what Zeon must feel like with Gaia.’

No matter how close she was with Gaia, there had been a line she could not cross. Thanks to Gaia’s consideration, she had never noticed it, but now that she had contracted with the Sylph, she understood clearly.

No matter how close Gaia was to her, Gaia’s contractor was Zeon. Gaia’s heart was bound to lean more toward Zeon.

On the other hand, the Sylph who had contracted with Briel was an existence entirely for her alone.

After contracting with the Sylph, she felt like she understood the difference.

At that moment, the Sylph said,

―Won’t you give me a name too?

‘Your name is Liri. How is it?’

―I like it! Kyaruru!

The Sylph burst into laughter and flew high into the sky.

Liri, swimming through the sky, soon approached Gaia and Yuri.

―Beeeeep!

Gaia welcomed Liri, wagging its tail.

Liri flew around excitedly, like a child meeting its parents.

“Ah......!”

“Please let this not be a dream......”

The Dark Elves were moved as they watched the spirits at play.

Teriuden said to Briel,

“A Sylph is a wind spirit.”

“A wind spirit?”

“Yes! A child who loves the wind and controls the wind. Since it has only just been born, its power may be insignificant, but depending on how you raise it, it will gain stronger power. I ask you, please cherish the Sylph.”

“Don’t worry. I know that much. Liri is my precious friend. I’ll never treat her carelessly.”

“Thank you.”

“I have a request.”

“Say anything. If it’s something I can grant, I’ll grant anything.”

“Let me take out just one blade of grass.”

“Grass? May I ask why?”

At Teriuden’s cautious question, Briel looked toward the distant sky.

“I think the time has come.”

“The time?”

“The time to return to my hometown. I want to show them what I’m seeing.”

A spirit and a single vividly living blade of grass.

That would be enough.

To persuade the village people, where everything had stopped.