The Return of the Limited-Time Sword Master

Chapter 101: Scene of Harmony (1)

“Goodness. I rarely get things wrong, but recently, it’s been happening more often than I’d like.”

The 1st Prince, Richard Altaria, clicked his tongue.

He had acknowledged Martin as a remarkable figure at his sister’s birthday.

However, he had still believed that Marquis Nicholas von Royce’s side had a higher chance of victory.

He’d assumed both sides would suffer significant damage after the war, and he’d been planning to take advantage of that moment to target one of them.

But what was this?

Every single prediction had missed the mark.

And in the worst possible way.

“The Adalbert family may have lost the Gustin family, reducing their power, but… it’s hardly significant.”

“Yes. From a short-term perspective, it could be called a loss, but that’s about it. The Gustin family had caused several issues, disrupting internal unity within the Adalbert family. Now that the troublesome element is gone, the Adalbert family will only grow stronger.”

“Exactly. And it’s not as if the Marquis Royce family suffered major damage either. Well, to be precise, they didn’t lose anything in this particular war.”

Richard smirked as he replied to Jurgen Ferdinand’s comment.

After all, the central figure of the 2nd Prince faction was Nicholas von Royce.

An individual who had reigned over the academy led by mages and the political realm of the Imperial City for decades.

And yet, this formidable man had continuously lost to a much younger Martin Adalbert.

From the Free City of Akela, and even in the current conflict, in every instance.

At least in this recent territorial dispute, they hadn’t faced any battles directly, so there was no real damage. But that was all.

No matter how influential Nicholas was, he couldn’t stop his reputation from declining.

“Apparently, a few nobles are leaving the 2nd Prince faction and joining the 1st Princess faction. Although, they’re mostly minor nobles.”

“A massive dam can be breached by even a small hole. Moreover, my dear younger brother made several errors during the monster wave crisis, more than either my sister or I did. The cracks are already there; it’s only a matter of them widening. So, uncle.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“It’s a bit unfair if Marquis Nicholas is the only one taking damage, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Are you planning to make a move against the 1st Princess?”

“No, of course not. I’m confident I can beat her without needing to do that.”

“Then you’re targeting Martin Adalbert.”

Richard’s smile grew, and that was all the answer Jurgen needed.

“I don’t intend to act right away. Moving after the New Year won’t be too late.”

“The New Year is less than a month away anyway.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

Richard’s grin deepened.

Jurgen Ferdinand chuckled, watching his nephew’s expression.

“Are you planning to use the Cracian continent’s traditional customs that bind all lords at the New Year?”

“As expected of you, uncle. You caught on immediately.”

“I’ve been working alongside Your Highness for over a decade. How could I not know? But are you sure about this? Martin Adalbert has reached the level of an 8th-circle mage. Frankly, unless one is at the 9th circle or higher, it’s hard to say anyone could confidently take him down.”

“Well, I’m not considering assassination. Even the Assassin Guild seems to have an odd connection with him, so that wouldn’t work anyway. I just hope that Varehein City and its people can share a bit of the hardships that the residents of other dungeon cities have endured.”

“But are you sure? The research results aren’t fully complete yet.”

“That’s exactly why. There’s no better experiment than testing it in real combat.”

“Understood.”

Jurgen Ferdinand bowed his head.

Satisfied with this, Richard looked to his left.

A split blue orb was emitting a radiant light.

* * *

Martin had planned to leave immediately the next day, but things didn’t go as he’d intended.

He was held back by the mountain of paperwork resulting from the aftermath of the war, and until he processed all of it, Kurt Steinhoff wouldn’t let him go anywhere.

And so, he was stuck for three days, consumed with paperwork.

Finally, he departed from the Adalbert estate, accompanied by Laurant and Ricia.

Sien and Christian took on the role of escorts.

The reason Christian joined, contrary to usual, was simple.

Even though Martin had reached the 8th circle, the elven village was an unknown realm for humans.

With Sien only at the 5th circle, she alone couldn’t fully respond to every situation that might arise.

Therefore, Vincent had suggested bringing Christian, who was the least occupied, and Martin accepted the suggestion.

Christian himself didn’t mind, for a simple reason.

“Seeing an elf in person at least once before I die was one of my wishes.”

Martin recalled Christian’s proud declaration before they left and couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile.

He understood the sentiment well enough.

The beauty of the elves was legendary, known even to children in remote villages.

But since they lived in such seclusion, most people never got to see one in their lifetime.

Eventually, the group moved from Varehein City to Trichis City in the northwest using a warp device, then continued northward from there.

After a lengthy journey, they finally reached their destination, Altair Forest.

“About 30 minutes more, and we should reach the village.”

“Got it. But is it always this crowded with a welcoming party?”

“Hah…”

Martin asked with a chuckle, and Laurant sighed deeply, covering his face with his right hand.

Although they couldn’t see anyone, there were many presences scattered throughout the forest.

“… All of you, come out.”

Whoosh!

As soon as Laurant finished speaking, elves appeared, emerging from their hiding spots.

Over twenty elves, male and female, stood there, each armed with a variety of weapons.

True to their reputation as a race of beauty, they were all either handsome or strikingly beautiful.

“Real elves…!”

Seeing the elven women, Christian nearly burst into a cheer, but Sien quickly lunged forward to cover his mouth.

“What are you doing, acting so shamelessly? Be quiet!”

“Oof! S-sorry… hard to breathe…”

“We’re humans visiting an elven village for the first time in centuries. Representing the Adalbert family, don’t make a fool of yourself.”

“Understood, I’ll keep that in mind.”

With a fierce expression, Sien warned him.

Christian, his face pale, managed to nod in response.

‘What kind of physical ability…’

Christian was shocked. Even though he hadn’t used mana, he hadn’t expected to be so overwhelmingly subdued.

Martin ignored what was happening behind him and, with a curious expression, observed the elves one by one.

But that didn’t mean he openly displayed his curiosity.

The elves were no different.

“So that human is Martin Adalbert, right? I didn’t think I’d ever see a human whose looks could rival those of our own kin.”

“That’s hardly surprising. Elder Armand said he reached the 8th circle at just 18.”

“Eighteen… That’s barely a child by our standards. How could he reach a level comparable to the Elders?”

“There’s a reason humans call him the greatest genius in the continent’s history.”

Regardless of gender, everyone was busy discussing Martin. They likely thought they were speaking quietly among themselves, but that was only an illusion.

Laurant’s face grew darker, while Ricia couldn’t hold back her laughter.

Martin shrugged and spoke up.

“I heard elves dislike humans, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.”

“Didn’t I say? We don’t harbor any hatred toward you personally.”

“Indeed. We’re not so shameless as to despise our benefactor.”

As soon as Laurant finished speaking, a charming voice echoed in Martin’s ears.

Swish.

The elves who had been watching Martin with curiosity grew serious. Then, they quickly parted to create a path for someone to walk through.

Step, step.

Taking their courtesy as a given, an elven woman approached.

“Ah.”

Sien’s face lit up with genuine delight when she saw her.

Christian, on the other hand, looked utterly mesmerized. All the elven women they had encountered so far had been beautiful, but this one was in a class of her own.

Observing quietly, Martin chuckled and spoke.

“Should I say it’s been a while?”

“For a human, it might feel that way, but it’s different for an elf.”

“That’s true. I didn’t expect you hadn’t returned to your homeland yet, Solenne.”

At the mention of her name, Solenne nodded in satisfaction and continued speaking.

“My health hadn’t been the best, so I was resting here. I was planning to return soon, but then I heard you would be arriving.”

“Somehow, I feel bad about it. You’ve been kept from returning home because of me.”

“There’s no need to feel that way. Both you and Sien are my benefactors. It’s only proper that I come to meet you. I also plan to guide you to the village.”

Laurant looked like he wanted to argue, but when Solenne met his gaze with a calm expression, he finally lowered his head.

Even if their homelands were different, Solenne was royalty among the elves. With someone so noble clearly expressing her intentions, he could not refuse.

“And how have you been, Sien?”

“I’ve been well…”

“Hm. You spoke so naturally before, but why the sudden awkwardness?”

“Well, this is the elven forest, and you are…”

“I wouldn’t want my benefactor to feel uncomfortable over something so trivial. Please, feel free to speak comfortably.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. To be honest, I prefer that as well. You’ve been well, I assume?”

“Of course. By the way, may I ask who the person beside you is? He’s new to me.”

“I am… with the Adalbert family…!” Christian began, but was cut off by a sudden pain.

“He’s Christian Havertz, the next Elder of the Adalbert family. He’s quite famous as an adventurer,” Sien explained.

“I see. Pleased to meet you.”

“I-it’s an honor to meet you,” Christian replied, finally collecting himself after Sien’s swift intervention.

Watching the exchange, Solenne smiled warmly.

“Everyone, follow me. There’s much to explain about this forest.”

Solenne and Martin took the lead, with Sien and Christian following behind. True to her word, Solenne kept up a constant stream of information on their way to the village.

The others responded in their own way, and after about thirty minutes, they reached their destination: Altair Village.

“…It’s truly beautiful.”

“I’ve been to many places, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a lovely village.”

Both Sien and Christian were awestruck.

Large trees had numerous hollowed-out spaces where elves resided. What was truly remarkable was that, despite the hollow spaces, the trees were vibrant and alive.

In fact, beautiful flowers were blooming all around, creating a scene that felt like a painting come to life.

Martin, too, was fascinated.

‘I didn’t expect to see such a sight in winter.’

But just then—

Jolt!

Martin felt his body tense involuntarily.

However, his mana showed no reaction within him.

‘As I expected…’

Martin smiled. He’d wondered if anything unexpected would happen, but it seemed his concerns were unfounded.

‘This final step should be easy to complete.’

With this opportunity, he was determined to bring both the elves and dwarves into the northern fold.

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