“You’re a good guy, even if you do look a bit shady, stranger! The guest room is this way. Feel free to useit.”
“⋯⋯did you just call that a ‘guest room’?”
“It’s the second-largest tree in our village. It’s practically a palace!”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Bennett and the crow settled into the ‘guest room’ provided by the wild Elves.
Only, calling it a room was a bit of a stretch.
A thin curtain of broad leaves was all that separated the space, making it barely enclosed. Sound traveled easily, and privacy was almost nonexistent.
Resting peacefully in such a place was out of the question. If someone with ill intentions were to attack, they’d be defenseless.
So, while Bennett allowed his body some rest, his mind remained alert.
On the other hand, the crow was in high spirits. His crimson eyes darted about, keenly observing the habits and nuances of the wild Elves. There was an aesthetic even in their natural nudity. A resonant voice spoke.“I’ll give you this heart-shaped leaf. I think it’d look pretty if you stick it on your belly.”
“How about using a slightly bigger one?”
The Elves, despite their lack of conventional clothing, still looked for beautifully shaped or vibrantly colored leaves to adorn themselves. Their garments, although woven from leaves and vines, were still garments in their own right.
Friends among them often exchanged leaf decorations as gifts.
The crow clacked his beak.
“This can be a reference. I feel creative ideas coming already.”
“Shouldn’t you be focusing on the Dark Wizard instead of useless observations?”
“Ah, of course. I’ve already finished my investigation—including figuring out what that Dark Wizard is after with her little puppet show. Would you like to hear it?”
“Make it plain this time please. I don’t want a long-winded explanation.”
Hearing Bennett’s firm demand to keep it short, the crow let out a sulky noise, scraping his talons against the branch he perched on. The thin limb wobbled up and down slightly.
The up-and-down motion reminded him of the trampolines from his previous life, and his mood lifted as he perked up and flapped his wings energetically.
“To put it simply⋯⋯ it seems she’s after the Elf tribe’s Holy Artifact. Because the only other thing worth stealing besides that are the wild Elves’ souls.”
“Holy Artifact?”
“Isn’t it odd that mammals can communicate with the World Tree and link their minds through its Authority? It’s really magical. I figured there must be something that bridges the gap between animals and plants──”
“Short.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
The crow pecked at the tree bark in frustration.
“There’s a conduit that allows the Elves to connect with the World Tree. That red wooden staff you received when they inspected your mind, Bennett. The one with the white gem. I think that’s what she’s after.”
“Do you have any guesses why?”
“Of course. But it’s not something I can explain shortly .”
Sulking again.
Bennett closed his eyes in thought. If the Holy Artifact served as a link between the Elves and the Tree, did that mean it had the power to bridge minds?
Then that would explain why the Dark Wizard was after it. If she could manipulate souls to extract mana, then a tool that enhanced mental interference would only make her work more efficient.
Now, the real question was when and how the perpetrator planned to act.
“If she’s disguised as a wild Elf⋯⋯ no, if she’s controlling one, she’ll likely wait for the right moment to steal the Holy Artifact and escape. Since there are too many Elves for her to fight her way out before taking it.”
“Yeah, that was probably the original plan. However⋯⋯ now that we’ve crash-landed here, she has another option: putting the blame on us.”
“Blaming us?”
“Yes. All she has to do is make the Elves believe that the outsiders who arrived in the forest stole the Holy Artifact. That would shift suspicion toward us and allow her to slip away unnoticed. It’s an easy trick to pull off, thanks to the deep mental bond the wild Elves share and believe in.”
That belief was precisely why it would be nearly impossible to expose the controlled Elf.
To reveal the Metamorphosis called『Body Manipulation』, Mima would need to conduct a dissection. But if he simply approached them and said, ‘Your family member is acting strange. Mind if I cut them open to prove it?’—he’d end up with an arrow in his chest as a response.
Without concrete evidence, words alone wouldn’t be enough to convince them. Between a suspicious outsider and a suspicious family member, it was obvious whom the Elves would trust.
He couldn’t act first. But waiting would only back him into a corner. One way or another, conflict with the Elves seemed inevitable.
As Bennett thought about this dilemma, the crow clicked his beak as if he had an idea.
“Bennett. Since we are suspicious, and we have no surefire way to persuade them, why don’t we use that to our advantage? We just need to time it right, a──”
“What if we steal it first, Mima?”
“?”
They wouldn’t feel guilty about doing it, and even if the outcome remained the same, it would still disrupt the Dark Wizard’s plans. Besides, they had no intention of returning to the Elven Forest after this anyway.
So, why not steal it first, keep it safe, and return it later?
Upon hearing Bennett’s asshole-like idea, the crow flapped his wings in.
“Caw caw! Brilliant, Bennett! I think we’re finally getting somewhere!”
“I’m just calculating the most efficient course of action.”
And so, the righteous thief plan was born. Their objective? Beat the Dark Wizard to the prize and steal the Holy Artifact while the Elves were fast asleep.
And that night──
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Bennett and Faceless came face to face.
It wasn’t planned. Neither of them had intended to run into the other. They had simply chosen the same moment to make their move.
All three of them—Bennett, Faceless, and the crow—froze.
“Good evening! Seems like we’ve all got perfect timing. Not too many clouds tonight, and the moonlight is just dim enough. Isn’t this the perfect kind of night for thieves to meet?”
The crow, Mima, reacted instinctively. His beak snapped open.
===============================================================
The crow spoke casually.
“Caw caw caw, Lady⋯⋯ out for a late-night visit to the World Tree? Or are you finally revealing your twisted little scheme? Either way, I don’t mind.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Step away from the Holy Artifact. If you move, I will cut you.”
Faceless bit her lip, weighing her options. Had she been exposed?
Judging by the crow’s confidence, this had to be a planned ambush. So they had anticipated her attempt and arrived precisely when she was about to seize the Wild Elves’ Holy Artifact?
But then how far had they seen through her?
She had sensed something unsettling when that gray-haired man glared at her ‘doll’ with a raptor-like gaze, but she hadn’t been overly worried.
After all, no ordinary person could possibly imagine that a Dark Wizard was hiding inside the body of an Elf they had captured. Because that was how unique and special her ability was. So she was certain she wouldn’t be caught.
So how did they figure it out?
Was it purely a deduction? Or had the Elves set up a sophisticated trap she hadn’t foreseen? She had even used a special technique to evade detection by the World Tree—had it failed?
“⋯⋯What are you talking about? I’m just out for a walk. If anyone should be under suspicion, it’s you foreigners.”
She needed to probe them for information. See how much they actually knew..
“This is your second warning.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!”
“I know things you don’t. I can do things you can’t. Turn back now, Redburn. Otherwise⋯⋯ History will repeat itself.”
“You’re⋯⋯Crazy Wizard⋯⋯?!”
The crow’s red eyes gleamed as he spoke. Faceless stiffened.
He knows.
That meant this was definitely him. The monster who had seen through her Metamorphosis at a glance.
It was her second time facing him.
In their first clash, she had failed. She had been forced to create a new Metamorphosis variation just to escape from Cicel Yurensto.
But this time would be different.
She had already analyzed the man named Bennett—the one carrying the crow on his shoulder. She had seen him in the tournament. He was a skilled Swordsman who had reached Metamorphosis, but he wasn’t as powerful as Cicel.
She would kill him in a single strike. Then, she would snap that crow’s neck. And after that, she would leave the Elven Forest without a hitch.
Crack. Crack.
Her muscles tensed, compressing like coiled springs. Dark red mana surged around her, rippling like a heat haze, and both her hands turned black.
Even from a distance, Bennett could feel the intensity of her power. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to prepare for battle. The sheer weight of her mana made it clear—there was a gap between their strengths.
He might have to use Dark Magic.
At that moment, the crow spoke.
“Bennet. Use 『Guardian’s Dream』 on her. On the Elf’s body.”
It wasn’t an obvious command like draw your sword and attack .
If he was telling Bennett to use『Guardian’s Dream』, then it meant he wanted him to give her the same ‘indestructibility’ that he had shown in the Holy City.
Giving an enemy a beneficial effect was an order that made no sense. But Bennett trusted the Crazy Wizard.
“No one… can ever kill my spirit,” Faceless whispered.
Swooshhh──!
A constellation of light gathered in Bennett’s hand, forming the shape of a sword. The blade shimmered faintly as it struck—permeating Faceless with its essence. The effect was immediate.
Squeak.
A strange noise escaped from the Elf’s body. The dark mana she had been channeling flickered. Her distorted muscles started to unravel, reverting to their natural state.
“⋯⋯What—what kind of trick did you pull⋯⋯!”
“Right, I was only half sure⋯⋯ but I knew it would work. You see, we’re trying to protect the Elf you hijacked, while you’re trying to destroy her. Wouldn’t we clash?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
A counterbalance born from the clash of Metamorphosis. Yet, if Faceless analyzed the situation calmly, she still had the upper hand—because the light of『Guardian’s Dream』 was slowly fading, being pushed back bit by bit.
At this rate, she was certain of her victory.
And yet⋯⋯ something gnawed at her.
Was this really all they had planned?
That crow—not only had he seen through her intentions, but he had also come prepared with a Metamorphosis capable of countering her own⋯⋯ what if he had more tricks up his sleeve? What if there were hidden layers to this trap—doubles, even triples?
It was dangerous.
A cold instinct twisted in her gut. Everything felt too calculated, as though she had stepped straight into the palm of his hand.
Faceless’s preferred method had always been remote manipulation.
By keeping her real body safely hidden elsewhere, she could exert 100% of her power, and wield an endless number of dolls against her enemies.
Had the Goddess not thrown her alone into the Elven Forest, she would never have used such a risky method like hiding in a living Elf’s body.
This isn’t my battlefield──.
With that conclusion, Faceless made her decision. She would retreat. At the exact moment she commanded the Elf’s body to strike Bennett, she stopped her Metamorphosis.
Swoooshh──!
A pale figure burst from the Elf’s back, peeling away from head to toe. This was Faceless’s true body, emerging from where it had been overlapped and concealed within the Elf’s body.
“⋯⋯hmph!”
Phat-!
Bennett dodged the Elf’s punch with ease. In the same motion, he struck the back of her neck with the hilt of Guardian’s Dream, incapacitating her.
Was the main body’s combat spec considerable as well?
“⋯⋯I’m going after her!”
“No need to rush, Bennett. I didn’t just sit around while you two were squabbling.”
Huuk.
The illusion of the crow on Bennett’s shoulder shimmered like a flickering flame—then vanished.
Three meters away, the real Mima emerged from the woods, a white jewel gleaming in his beak. He had been preparing his trick since the moment they crossed paths with Faceless.
The crow lifted his head and bragged,
“This is the Elves’ Holy Artifact—the key gem from the cane. Without it, the remaining cane is useless—barely a fraction of its power. And on top of that, the cane body can be tracked!”
“As expected. Good work. I’ll get you a handful of sunflower seeds when we’re back.”
“At last, you’re learning how to repay me properly, Bennett! But there’s bad news. The Elves will now chase us relentlessly.”
“Why?”
The mental bond of the wild Elves allowed them to share memories and sensations in real time. The scene of Bennett’s encounter with the possessed Elf would already be imprinted in her mind—and, by extension, shared with the others.
To put it simply:
“Only we were recorded by the black box.”
“⋯⋯I don’t get that metaphor, but I understand that it’s gotten troublesome.”
“But you know me, Bennett. I always have a plan. As usual, there’s a way out—but for that, I’ll need permission to access and edit your memory⋯⋯”
===============================================================
The Elven Forest descended into chaos.
A night patrol Elf Ranger, drawn by the sound of the commotion, arrived at the scene. He found an unconscious Elf, bruised at the neck, and clear evidence that the Holy Artifact had been stolen.
Fortunately, the injured Elf’s life was not in danger. However, both her arms were severely damaged—muscles torn and twisted—and she had lost nearly half of her weight.
Using psychometry granted by the grace of the World Tree, the Elves delved into her memory. The damage was presumed to have been done by the suspicious foreigners who had recently arrived.
Without delay, they dispatched specialized trackers—Elves trained to follow even the faintest traces. Their role was to mark the thief’s path, ensuring the Elf Rangers could catch up with the culprit quickly.
And amidst the uproar….
“I believed you, I believed you!!”
Bennett had captured one of the trackers and had her lying face-down on the ground, tied up with stems.
The Elf tracer clenched her teeth as she shouted.
“This is why we should never trust outsiders! I can’t believe you repaid my kindness with such evil!
“My family will read my memory and hunt you down! Even if I die here, my memories will linger just long enough. You guys cannot escape!”
“ Well⋯⋯? Are you sure about that?”
Boing boing.
The crow hopped forward in small bounces until he was right in front of the tracer’s face. His crimson eyes gleamed eerily.
“If Elves have the diligence of ants, then they share their stupidity too. Sometimes, ants spiral to their own deaths—simply because they blindly follow pheromones left behind with good intentions!”
“What⋯⋯?”
“That’s what’s about to happen to you guys soon. Your reinforcements will arrive and read your memories, right? Well then⋯⋯ I’ll be planting a little malicious information into your memory. A false memory that will spread like a plague through your hive mind!”
Is he saying he’s going to use the Elves’ strongest trait, the mental bond that makes them completely trust their kin—against them? He’s going to poison their shared memories!
The ominous crow tilted his head as it looked down at the captured elf. The tracer shivered—because the glistening red eyes staring at her seemed to reflect a future of complete destruction.
“Haha, what would it be like? If I was the main body, I could have shown you the terrifying end of the universe, the inferno of a burning sea—there are so many things I wanted to show you. But too bad. I’m just a poor, tiny crow⋯⋯ I don’t have the data! Caw caw caw !”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!!”
“Instead, well⋯⋯ I’ll give you something else—A shame unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, and the pure love of a woman accompanying it. It’s my gift to you, so don’t please resist. Enjoy it with your family—chew on it slowly and savor every second of it.”
“N-No. N⋯⋯!”
My family, please⋯⋯ don’t read my memory. I’ve been infected. Something is invading my mind. These memories… these memories are──
⋯⋯a naked woman?
-B-Bennett, in the Holy Scripture, there’s a story about a Cat Saint. It’s such a touching fairy tale. So… today, I dressed up like a cat. Eung, this hole is like a cat right?
⋯⋯?
-O-of course I’m shy! Of course! Stop teasing me like that⋯⋯ Bennett! You know how embarrassed I am!
⋯⋯⋯⋯??
===============================================================
“ Caw caw caw! Mr. Main Body! Since I’m a module, I was confident in editing data—so I, ah… revised Tara’s memories a little and planted a deep, unforgettable shame into the Elves. Though, well… the love element was a slight miscalculation⋯⋯.”
“?”
You should’ve seen her reaction! Once she realized how revealing the leaf outfit actually was, she started squirming in embarrassment. And then, under the effect of Tara’s love—oh, she couldn’t even aim her bow at Bennett properly! Her face was completely flushed!”
So⋯⋯.
He had essentially injected a poison into the Elves’ linked minds—resulting in an entire squad of Elf Rangers who, despite being ashamed of their shameless outfits, also found their hearts somehow pounding at the sight of Bennett.
I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Are you fucking crazy?”
I couldn’t help but snap at the crazy crow.
***
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