Chapter 152

Chapter 152

“Waaah!”

Dojae embraced the small girl with gray skin and stroked her hair.

Watching this scene, the dwarf with the bushy beard kept wiping his nose, fighting back the tears welling up in his eyes.

“What’s wrong….”

Dojae patted Sari’s back as she sobbed uncontrollably, speaking in a gentle voice.

Yet Sari couldn’t calm down and continued to sob uncontrollably.

The Grey Elves, seemingly perplexed by their village chief weeping in the arms of a strange High Elf, hesitated to approach, unsure of what to do.

“Waaah! Sniff!”

Sari didn’t stop crying, sobbing so hard she seemed to be gasping for breath.

Dojae felt it was absolutely impossible, so he gently placed his hand on Sari’s head.

“Sleep.”

Then, using the most powerful magic he knew, ‘Sleep’, he put Sari to rest.

Seeing Sari collapse with a soft thud, Hamar couldn’t hold back and rushed over.

“What are you doing?!”

She pointed the tip of her sword at Dojae’s neck and shouted.

But Dojae slowly raised his hand, lowered the sword, and removed the ring he was wearing.

“Huh! It’s a human!”

“Huh! It’s a human!”

The magic dissolved as the ring was removed.

Dojae’s ears shrank, and his appearance returned to normal.

Seeing Dojae transformed into human form, both the Grey Elf and the Dwarf flinched in surprise.

Of course, the most shocked among them was Harques.

“You…!”

Hammar, the only one besides Sari and Osun who knew Dojae’s appearance, finally sheathed his sword and relaxed.

He knew from the instant noodle incident that Dojae wasn’t dangerous.

“I only put him to sleep for a moment. Don’t worry.”

Dojae pulled a robe from his pocket and covered Sari with it.

Then he picked Sari up and handed her to Hamar.

Hammar cradled the small Sari in his arms as if she were a child.

“How… The village chief said he couldn’t see you anymore. So how are you here?”

“There were circumstances. Is there a problem?”

At Dojae’s question, Hamar wore a troubled expression.

Then, he finally spoke.

“…The village chief missed you. I don’t know much, but I heard he went through a similar parting long ago. Why show up now, of all times?”

Hammar snapped back in a somewhat sharp tone.

Do-jae, understanding her feelings, answered calmly.

“I told you. I had my reasons. It’s not like I showed up in front of you guys now on purpose… it was just a coincidence our paths crossed…”

Then Dojae glanced around.

Grey elves covered in large and small wounds everywhere.

And the relatively unscathed dwarves.

For two races to have fought, one side seemed far too intact, and their relations didn’t appear hostile.

That meant the Grey Elves had been engaged in continuous combat for some time already, and he suspected it was related to why they had left the village.

“And you lot seem to have your own reasons too…”

“…That’s right.”

Hammar looked down at Sari, whom he was holding.

She slept soundly, tear stains still visible on her face.

“I guess I was too self-centered. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Anyway, things are chaotic right now. Shall we go inside the temple?”

Dojae spoke, glancing at Heltine wearing an enigmatic expression and Harques beside her looking utterly dumbfounded.

Hammar nodded and led the Grey Elves, while Osondan wiped away the snot that had flowed out and addressed the dwarves.

“Everyone, let’s go inside the temple!”

***

Hubbub-!

Inside the temple, the gray elves and dwarves enjoyed a leisurely rest, savoring the rare peace.

The dwarves, in particular, provided food and supplies, generously feeding the starving gray elves. The two awkward races grew close in no time.

Dojae also played a significant role in this situation. He generously opened the storehouse within the pocket dimension, providing ample food, medicine, and other supplies for the gray elves’ recovery, instantly becoming a popular figure.

“Master! Father and the villagers are deeply grateful!”

Osun came over to tell Dojae.

Dojae was disinfecting the wound on Hamar’s arm.

“You don’t have to call me ‘Master’ anymore, you know? I told you on the last day. There’s no need to call me ‘Master’ anymore.”

“Once a master, always a master! It’s stuck in my mouth now; I can’t call you anything else.”

“Do as you wish…”

Rather, Ohson’s smugness left Dojae speechless.

What more could he say when the boy himself insisted on serving him as master?

“I thought I’d never see you again, but seeing you once more is truly wonderful!”

“I feel the same. It’s good to see you all again.”

“Hmph… How wonderful it would have been if Old Man Tahul were here too. I wonder what that gentleman is up to now.”

“Haven’t you heard any news?”

Osun shook his head.

“Nothing since that day. I stayed in the Nightingale Forest for about a day before heading straight back to the village. Besides, there’s not much interaction between elves and dwarves to begin with.”

“I see. He must be doing well, then? That old man is no slouch either.”

Dojae recalled Tahul, the skilled Grey Elf mage.

Though it wasn’t a long time, he had taught Dojae magic with all his might.

Back then, crossing over to this realm hadn’t been his choice, and it had happened so suddenly that he hadn’t been able to offer much. But this time, he had prepared a gift for Tahul.

“Right. Osun, I have a gift for you.”

“Ooh! What is it?!”

“It’s quite a lot… Just a moment.”

Dojae opened his pocket dimension.

Thud-.

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh.

A handful of various minerals poured out.

Osun’s eyes widened. Hearing the stones hit the floor, the other dwarves also showed great interest.

“This isn’t the end—there’s plenty more.”

“Whoa! Master…!”

“It’s too much to carry around, so I’ll keep it for now and give it to you later.”

“Thank you…!”

The minerals were obtained from various chests Dojae acquired while completing quests.

They were also used in the golem armor in its giant form during the battle against Briasius.

Dojae planned to offer some of the ones whose purpose he didn’t know as gifts to the dwarves.

“Make sure you don’t lose them and put them to good use.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

Dojae spotted Heltine watching the dwarves from afar, wearing a faint, sly smile.

His gaze seemed to indicate he rather liked these dwarves.

“There’s that. Anyway, when you have time, make me two pairs of pretty earrings or necklaces.”

“Of course! I’ll make them for you right now!”

“Alright. Tell everyone to rest now. It must’ve taken you more than a day or two to get here from your village, right?”

“Understood! Then I’ll go check these with the villagers and come back!”

Nod.

Squeeze-.

“Hmph.”

After Osun left, Dojae tightly wrapped and secured the bandage around Hamar’s arm.

Thanks to that, dark blood seeped slightly through the gauze and onto the bandage, but applying pressure like this would stop the bleeding faster and prevent infection.

“Now, down this too.”

Finally, he places a low-grade potion in her hand.

It won’t do much, but it’ll boost your stamina and immunity somewhat, so it’s definitely better than not drinking it.

“Thank you… Why are you doing this much for us?”

“I’m just returning the favor Sari did for me. Pass my thanks along to your village chief.”

“……”

Hammar silently gazed at Sari, who was fast asleep.

Then he tried to gently smooth her tangled hair.

“Mmm…”

Sari, who had been fidgeting, slowly opened her eyes not long after.

“When did I fall asleep…?”

Sari blinked her round eyes and looked around.

Hammar gave her a sly smile, and Dojae also wore a fatherly grin.

“You’re awake?”

“…Dojae!”

Sari stared blankly at Dojae before shouting in a delighted voice.

The deep shadows under her eyes revealed just how much she had suffered.

“I heard the gist of it.”

Dojae glanced at Hamar.

Right after entering the temple, he had healed the injured Grey Elves and heard from Hamar about what had happened in the Nightingale Forest.

‘Kuhutan’, whose name Dojae had slightly altered and borrowed; ‘Jukui’, who had helped sell ramen and enjoyed eating it;

And even Sari’s grandmother, ‘Salirna’.

He heard it all—how their village had been wiped out by monsters, how the Aktria Forest had been completely burned to the ground.

“So you heard…”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’ve already grieved a lot, and we’ve reached Lady Elatra’s temple. Was it Dojae who put you to sleep?”

“Yes. He looked exhausted anyway, and I thought he might faint if he kept crying like that.”

“Thank you.”

Sari slowly rose and surveyed the temple interior.

She was up now, and all the basic healing was done, so it was time to head to the altar.

After all, she had been watching everything from there.

But first, Harques, sitting motionless beside Heltin.

“Heltain. Leave Harques alone.”

“Huh? I didn’t do anything.”

“Then why is he not moving at all like that?”

“I don’t know. Sir? Is there a problem?”

Harteias called out to Harques with an innocent expression.

Harkes snapped back to his senses and managed to open his mouth.

“N-no… nothing! Nothing’s wrong!”

“He says so?”

Heltein shrugged his shoulders.

Since Dojae himself said he was fine like that, there was nothing else they could do for him.

“Well then… I was planning to meet only Elatra and head straight out, but running into the dwarf and the gray elf made me a bit late. It looks like it’ll take a little longer. Is that okay, Harques?”

Harkes shook his head, meeting Herteias’s gaze.

His head, which had been shaking, immediately nodded instead.

“It’s fine. There are many outstanding Titan warriors in the village, so there’s no major concern yet… So take your time with your business.”

“I see. Understood. Heltayn, what about you? I’m going to talk with Elatra now. If you have anything to say, come along.”

“Elatra? Who’s that?”

“Right… You stay here too. And stop staring at the dwarves.”

A few dwarves analyzing the minerals Dojae had given them shivered.

“Ugh… Why is it getting so cold all of a sudden?”

“Ohson, can we light a fire here?”

The trembling dwarves were all the ones under Herteias’ gaze.

“It’s just fascinating. Can’t we even look?”

“The kids are scared.”

“What’s so scary about it? Anyway, I get it.”

Yet Herteias still stared at the dwarves.

Leaving the incomprehensible Herteias behind, Dojae called out to Osun and Sari.

“Osun! Sari! Come here.”

They too wanted to speak with Elatra.

Dojae pulled a small box from his pocket.

A hundred tea bags he’d bought just in case a situation like this arose.

“Green tea is best when it’s brown rice green tea.”

Dojae smiled as he headed toward Elatra.