Chapter 9: Number, 9, Younger Brother – translated by Doza

The four of them hurried back to the small town, but after entering the town, there was conflict over where everyone should go.

“Isn’t Halfleaf’s younger brother your relative too?” Silvie said insistently, “How can you not help him when your relative’s life is in danger? You should come with us to save his brother!”

Cale was dumbstruck. Even though he was a relative, he had never seen the other party before. Also, Halfleaf hadn’t asked for his help. Instead, it was Silvie who had spoken. Just whose brother is he?

He shot a glance at Carol and said, “In any case, Carol is going with you to save him. You don’t need me!”

“That’s wrong!” Silvie whispered in Cale’s ear. “You must help me hold onto Carol and not let her kill people!”

…So that’s what you mean. But Silvie, with how loud your words were, there probably isn’t anyone who didn’t hear you, right? Cale deeply felt that right now, Silvie shouldn’t be worrying about Carol killing others but about getting murdered himself.

As expected, Halfleaf, looking terrified, exclaimed, “Kill people? Why do you want to kill people? Who are you going to kill?”

“Your enemy,” Cale replied.

“M-My enemy?” Upon hearing the word “enemy,” Halfleaf actually swayed and looked like he was about to faint. Silvie was so scared that he hurriedly came forward to support him.

Confused, Halfleaf asked, “Why do I have an enemy? Who is it?”

“…The guys who want to capture you and sell you and are using your brother as a hostage right now!”

Facing Cale’s incredulous roar, Halfleaf was so frightened that he clutched Silvie tightly and said while trembling, “T-They are my relatives, not my enemies.”

“…”

Cale suddenly felt that he was just like a chicken talking to a duck.

Carol said lightly, “He’s an elf. Don’t try to understand them through a human’s way of thinking. Also, he’s not suited to living in the world of humans and should have returned to the Elven Woods long ago.”

“Then, after saving his brother, you guys can take him back to the forest! I’m going to take care of my own affairs!”

When he finished speaking, Cale turned around and left.

“Ah! Wait a minute!” Silvie promptly ran up and caught hold of Cale’s sleeve. However, this time Cale didn’t let him hold it and forcefully shook his sleeve, throwing him off instantly. After all, Silvie was a wandering bard who could only manage to hold a harp. He was totally unable to prevent Cale from leaving.

Silvie hastily chased after him, but after taking two steps, he realized that neither Carol nor Halfleaf had followed him. He turned back and yelled hesitantly, “Carol…”

But Carol didn’t intend to move at all, merely glancing at him and saying calmly, “Remind him that the best time to kill people is at night.”

Upon hearing the two words “kill people,” Halfleaf had another spell of dizziness. Cale, who was five, six steps away, paused. Obviously, he didn’t need Carol’s message to be pa.s.sed on to hear it.

A little upset, Silvie also said, “Carol! How could you encourage Cale to kill people! I’m not going to speak to you anymore! I’m going to follow Cale!”

Carol glanced at him and said indifferently, “Go on then.”

Silvie was stunned, but when he turned and saw that Cale had already walked away, he didn’t have time to utter even a single word before he quickly ran after him.

Carol merely watched them as they departed, not saying anything to detain them.

Halfleaf said anxiously, “Are they really going to kill people?”

“It has nothing to do with you, right?”

Halfleaf blinked, and then nodded as he said, “Yes, what you said is correct.”

Carol looked at Halfleaf. Although he was only a half-elf, his character wasn’t any different from an elf’s. Both couldn’t accept negative emotions and wouldn’t stop others from doing what they wanted, no matter how much they did not approve of it.

“Come, let’s find your brother.”

Halfleaf said in bewilderment “You don’t have to pay me any attention. Even though you are a friend of the elves, you don’t have to help me.”

Carol snorted coldly, “Stop talking nonsense and don’t waste time! Let’s go!”

Halfleaf jumped in shock and almost wanted to walk in Silvie and Cale’s direction, but he was unable to and could only quietly comfort himself. Dancingblade is a friend of the elves and definitely would not do anything to harm an elf.

The two of them arrived in front of a huge house somewhere in the middle of the city. Just when Carol was examining the wall to find where they should climb to enter, Halfleaf led her through a secret tunnel instead, so they didn’t climb the wall.

“Did you make this secret tunnel?” Carol raised her eyebrows. Clearly, she didn’t believe that elves would do something like making a secret path.

Halfleaf shook his head and explained, “No, my mother made it. She requested for me to enter through the secret tunnel every time I come home, then head straight to her or my brother’s room without disturbing others.”

No wonder this incident about others wanting to capture and sell him only occurred after his mother had pa.s.sed away. Even knowing that the deceased were to be respected, and the one in front of them was the deceased’s son, it was still too hard to resist the allure of elves! Nowadays, the high price for elves was not just any old price.

After exiting the secret path, a simple and large room appeared. Although it was clearly a wealthy person’s room, the decorations were very spa.r.s.e and there were a lot of plain wooden carvings that didn’t look high-grade at all.

“Eh?” Halfleaf said, puzzled. “Brother isn’t in his room! This is terrible! He told me that when I come home, I am not allowed to leave his room!”

Can a captured person still remain in his room? This room doesn’t look like a place that can confine someone. Carol didn’t know if this house had a prison. If there was, he would most likely be locked away in there. If there wasn’t, then she would have to spend time finding him.

“I’ll go out to search. You return to the secret tunnel and wait inside.”

Hearing this, Halfleaf wavered but still nodded his head in agreement.

Just as Carol turned around and was about to leave the room, a servant opened the door and walked in. She lunged forward, grabbed him, and covered his mouth tightly.

The servant widened his eyes, and only now recovered from the shock. He struggled frantically but was obviously unable to escape from Carol’s clutches.

When he heard the scuffle, Halfleaf, who was about to enter the secret tunnel, turned back to look. “Oh, it’s Little Chi. Where is my brother?” he asked.

Carol glanced at the servant’s expression. The moment the servant noticed Halfleaf, he immediately stopped struggling and didn’t look antagonistic. She let go of his mouth.

Little Chi quickly whispered, “Eldest young master, the young master has already escaped.”

…Who the heck said that his brother would wait for him to rescue him and wouldn’t just run off? Carol grudgingly released the servant.

“Eldest young master, do not worry. When the young master left, he took a large sum of money with him! He even had me come and clean his room every day, but actually it was to wait for you. If I were to see you return to ‘rescue him,’ I was to request for you to return to the Elven Woods.”

At that point, Little Chi said in a helpless tone, “However, the young master also said that you probably would not be willing to go back. Therefore, I have to ask you to remember to wear a cloak when traveling and to travel via the forest. You absolutely must not come into any contact with humans. Then, go to ‘the northeastern city of Jageria’ and leave a message for him at the Adventurers Guild there. He’ll show himself when he sees the message.”

Halfleaf nodded, saying, “I understand. I will go and find him. Many thanks to you for pa.s.sing on the message.”

“… Actually, the young master wishes more for you to return to the Elven Woods,” Little Chi said, embarra.s.sed. After speaking, he took out a map and a small bag from his bosom, and then crawled under the bed to fish out a cloth-wrapped bundle. As he pa.s.sed everything to Halfleaf, he said, “The young master has even prepared a map, travel fare, and provisions for you.”

Halfleaf accepted the items, nodded his head, and said, “Thank you. I will search for my brother now.” Saying this, he promptly turned around and walked towards the entrance of the secret tunnel.

“Eldest young master, be careful.” Little Chi’s face was full of worries.

“Stop!” Carol said coldly.

Halfleaf halted, turned around, and asked in bewilderment, “May I ask what is the matter?”

“Do you really think you can reach that city?” Carol said frigidly. “Go back to the forest!”

“I can’t,” Halfleaf said as he shook his head. “No matter what, I have to find my brother, verify his safety, and then watch him get married.”

“Get married?” Carol frowned. Why has marriage suddenly popped up?

Halfleaf nodded his head as he said, “Yes, in a letter that my mother left for me, she instructed for me to attend my brother’s wedding. Also, I must have my brother attend my wedding… If he is still alive at that time.”

Carol looked furious as she said, “That means she wants you to remember to attend your brother’s wedding, not that you have to watch over him until he gets married!”

“That’s right!” Little Chi hurriedly interrupted. “That was what madam must have meant.”

“Huh?” Halfleaf froze and said with realization, “So that’s what she meant? But I’ve already promised my mother in my heart that I would take care of my brother until he gets married. I cannot go back on my word.”

You mean being taken care of by your brother, right? From the present situation, it was evident that the younger brother had always looked after Halfleaf.

Carol felt her head aching, but she was quite clear about the stubbornness of elves. Even though it was a promise to himself, compared to humans writing black words on white paper, for him it was even more impossible to back out of such a promise.

Halfleaf hesitated, but still said, “I can search for my brother myself. Carol, you should go find Silvie and Cale! I’m a bit worried for them.”

Worried for them? Carol did not quite smile. These words from Halfleaf were rather unlike an elf’s words. Even though elves are kind-hearted, they are also very indifferent and hardly take any notice of another’s affairs. Don’t even mention about getting worried! It seems that half-elves still have some areas that are different from elves.

“Don’t tell me you want to help them kill people?”

Kill people? The moment Halfleaf thought of these two words, he felt dazed. He hurriedly shook his head.

Suddenly, Carol said, “It’s about time. We should begin preparations.”

…Preparations?