Chapter 656 - 673: Unlucky once more

[Realm: álfheimr]

[Location: The Great Forest]

Now that the immediate threat of being transformed into some peculiar mushroom or an ordinary-looking branch had finally been dealt with, Gretel allowed herself a moment to pay closer attention to her surroundings. Until then, she had been too occupied with the three fairies pursuing her to appreciate the forest properly. Even after Robert had arrived and the little creatures had been rendered unconscious, she had remained conscious of the possibility that something else might emerge from the trees. It was difficult to relax when she had already discovered how readily the inhabitants of this place resorted to turning unsuspecting visitors into plants.

Nevertheless, the forest seemed considerably less threatening now that nobody was actively trying to change her appearance.

She glanced around as she walked alongside Robert, her eyes wandering between the towering trees and the thick growth of grass beneath their feet. Sunlight fell through the canopy, illuminating the area. There were smaller creatures moving between the roots and patches of vegetation, along with several more docile Deseruit Beasts wandering through the undergrowth. None seemed interested in the two travelers. Some merely lifted their heads as they passed, while others continued grazing or searching through the grass without so much as a second glance.

Everything appeared to belong here. The trees, the grass, the creatures, and even the movements of the branches overhead. There was a harmony to the place that Gretel found herself appreciating more than she expected.

"This place is so full of life," she remarked, her attention lingering on a large tree whose branches spread high above the others. "I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw leaves and grass this green. Everything looks so healthy. Even the beasts and animals seem to have plenty of room to wander about without constantly worrying about something hunting them."

She let her gaze travel further into the forest, taking in the vegetation and the occasional movement between the trees.

"It almost feels strange seeing somewhere like this. You would think a place this vibrant would be more common, but I suppose I’ve become rather accustomed to seeing things in a much worse state."

"You could say the fairies know how to look after their home," Robert replied. His eyes moved briefly towards the surrounding trees, and there was a familiarity in the way he regarded them. "They take considerable pride in maintaining Elfame. The forest is not simply somewhere they happen to live. They regard it as something that belongs to them, something they are responsible for preserving. And they are rather particular about how it is treated."

He paused, his expression becoming more cautious.

"That said, I wouldn’t recommend mentioning how impressed you are. They can become unbearably prideful when someone compliments their home, particularly when they have the rest of the world to compare it against. You might find yourself listening to a rather lengthy explanation of just how much better Elfame is than everywhere else."

"And here I thought their mischief was all we needed to worry about."

Gretel shook her head, her long ponytail swaying behind her with the motion. She had already encountered enough of their peculiar magic to understand that the fairies were not harmless.

Still, she found herself smiling faintly.

"But as amusing as it might have been to see how Mikoto reacted to them, I suppose it’s fortunate he isn’t here. At least, I think it is. Knowing him, I can’t say with complete certainty how he would have handled the situation. And that’s assuming he would have bothered entertaining them in the first place."

"Indeed," Robert agreed, giving a small nod. "Although, I must admit, I haven’t quite managed to get a proper read on him yet. There are moments when he seems remarkably patient, almost to the point of indifference, and then there are others when the smallest inconvenience appears enough to irritate him. It’s difficult to determine which side of him one is more likely to encounter."

He considered the matter for a moment, his expression remaining thoughtful.

"Not that I would particularly like to find out what happens when someone manages to exhaust his patience."

"That’s just Mikoto," Gretel hummed.

She folded her hands idly behind her back as she continued walking, allowing her pace to settle. Her gaze drifted upwards, following the narrow shafts of sunlight that slipped between the branches. For a moment, she seemed content simply to watch the leaves shifting overhead.

"As unapproachable as he can seem, he does have his softer sides. They’re not always obvious, and I wouldn’t say he’s particularly eager to show them, but they’re there. You just have to catch him at the right moment. Sometimes, I think he’s much more considerate than he wants people to realize."

Robert turned his eyes towards her.

"You’ll forgive me if I find that rather difficult to believe," he remarked dryly. "From what little I’ve seen, he doesn’t strike me as someone who makes a habit of displaying much consideration for others. Especially when they happen to be standing between him and whatever he intends to accomplish."

"Hey, it’s true," Gretel insisted, a small smile forming on her lips. "You wouldn’t believe it, but he was actually pretty good with children. There were these three little munchkins in a mountain village. They were an energetic bunch, always running around and finding something to get themselves involved in. I don’t think they ever managed to sit still for more than a few minutes."

Her smile became a little more apparent as the memory returned.

"Somehow, they even managed to coax Mikoto into reading to them. And it wasn’t as though he simply put up with it for a moment before finding an excuse to leave. He actually sat down and read for them. Two of the little troublemakers even helped with his hair, too. You should have seen them. They were so pleased with themselves, and Mikoto just sat there letting them fuss over him and his pretty hair."

Robert’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

"That is certainly a rather peculiar image to picture," he admitted. "I can understand children being curious about him, but I would have expected him to discourage them rather quickly. Are you certain he genuinely went along with it? He didn’t simply tolerate their attention because refusing would have caused more trouble?"

"Yep. I was surprised at first, too," Gretel replied. "I honestly thought he would have grown tired of them almost immediately. But he didn’t. He let them do his hair, listened to them, and even took the time for them. It was rather sweet, actually."

Her voice softened as she spoke, and the smile lingering on her face became less playful.

"Mikoto is just... different."

The words came out quietly.

Even Gretel seemed uncertain whether they adequately described what she was trying to express. There was no judgment behind them, nor was she attempting to defend every action he had taken. It was simply the closest she could come to putting her thoughts into words.

She had seen enough of Mikoto to know that there were parts of him she still did not understand. His temper, his indifference, his occasional patience, and the frightening ease with which he could bring himself to do terrible things. They all seemed to belong to the same person, even when they were difficult to reconcile.

And she would have been lying if she claimed she was not still unsettled by what he had done at the banquet.

That memory had not simply disappeared because she had found something more pleasant to think about. There were moments when it returned without warning, bringing with it the same uncomfortable nature she had felt when she first witnessed it. Whatever explanation she might have eventually found for Mikoto’s behavior, it did not change what she had seen.

Yet, alongside that memory, she still carried another image of him.

Mikoto sitting with Meryl and Arabella, looking as though he would rather be doing almost anything else while the two girls fussed over his hair. His expression had been difficult to read, his patience seemingly stretched thin by their enthusiasm, but he had not stopped them. He had allowed them to continue, even when their attempts to arrange his hair became increasingly involved.

Then there was the way he had read to them. The way he had spoken to the children and entertained their curiosity, eventually telling them a story of his own.

It was not something Gretel could easily forget.

Perhaps that was what made him so difficult to understand. There were moments when Mikoto seemed almost entirely detached from the people around him, as though their feelings and concerns were of little consequence. Yet, on other occasions, he demonstrated a degree of patience and consideration that seemed entirely at odds with that impression.

She suspected there was something he was struggling with. Something he kept buried beneath his usual composure, something that occasionally surfaced in ways even he might not fully understand.

And she doubted she was the only one among their group carrying something of that nature.

Everyone had their own burdens, their own regrets, and their own reasons for continuing forward. Some were more apparent than others, but that did not make the less visible ones any easier to bear. Gretel knew that well enough. She had her own demons, after all, and had spent more than enough time trying to live with them.

Her thoughts continued along that path for a little longer until something interrupted them.

A distant sound, almost lost beneath the rustling leaves and the ordinary movements of the forest. Gretel’s expression changed as she caught it. Her steps slowed, and her eyes shifted towards the direction from which it had come.

Robert reacted at almost exactly the same moment.

His head turned, his emerald eyes narrowing as he listened more carefully. The familiarity he had displayed disappeared, replaced by attentiveness. He no longer seemed interested in their surroundings as a place to admire.

There was something happening ahead.

"Clashing steel, grunts, footsteps..." Robert listed quietly, separating each sound as he tried to distinguish them from the noise of the forest. His gaze remained fixed between the trees. "There’s more than one person involved, and they’re moving around rather quickly. That’s a battle."

"You determined all of that just from the sounds?" Gretel asked, a note of genuine surprise entering her voice. She had heard the commotion herself, but she had not immediately been able to make out so much from it. "I could tell something was happening, but you managed to narrow it down quickly. Do you recognize anything about the sounds? More importantly, who’s fighting?"

"Not enough to identify them with certainty," Robert answered. His expression remained focused, and he listened for another moment before continuing. "The only fairies in Elfame who regularly use conventional weaponry are those who serve directly under Cobweb. The others tend to rely on their peculiar magic, so hearing steel clashing is rather unusual."

His eyes narrowed a little further.

"If they’re involved, then there’s a good chance they’re fighting someone who has entered their territory without permission. Invaders, perhaps. Whatever the case, I doubt they’re simply practicing."

He shifted his weight, turning towards the source of the commotion.

"Come on. We should take a look before the situation changes."

Robert gestured for Gretel to follow before immediately breaking into a run.

Gretel did not hesitate. She quickly moved after him, matching his pace as they hurried through the forest. The leisurely walk they had been enjoying only moments earlier was forgotten. Robert took the lead, weaving between the trees with an ease that suggested he was familiar enough with the forest to navigate its terrain.

Gretel followed closely behind.

They moved through patches of thick grass, crossed exposed roots, and adjusted their course whenever a tree or particularly dense section of undergrowth obstructed their path. The sounds of the battle gradually became clearer.

As they passed, several smaller creatures hurried out of their way. A few skittered between the roots, disappearing into the undergrowth, while others darted across the grass and vanished behind nearby trees. Even the more docile Deseruit Beasts seemed to recognize that something was disturbing the peace of the forest. They withdrew from the direction of the fighting, unwilling to involve themselves in whatever was happening.

Gretel kept her attention ahead, following Robert as the sounds grew louder.

It did not take them long to reach their destination.

The trees eventually began to thin, giving way to a broad, open clearing. The sudden absence of the canopy allowed sunlight to spread across the exposed ground, revealing the source of the commotion.

Robert slowed as they emerged from between the trees. Gretel followed, her gaze immediately moving across the clearing to take in those involved in the battle.

The sight was enough to make Robert’s expression settle into one of recognition.

"Of course..." he muttered.

His eyes remained on the figures before them, and whatever uncertainty he had previously possessed about the identity of those fighting appeared to have disappeared.

"The Heart Kingdom."