Chapter 129

By the time the battle finally ended, all but a few of the fleeing pirates had met their end. The relentless arrows of the elves and the wrath of the raging spirits had left them no chance for escape. Only a handful managed to survive, but Caron wasn't particularly concerned.

The Queen wouldn't let any of them live,

he thought confidently.

That meticulous Queen would never leave things to chance. Moreover, Ifrit had already been dispatched to sink every last one of the pirates' ships. Without a vessel to flee on, their chances of escaping the forest was zero.

Miracles weren't granted to the likes of them—not here, not in this forest.

"Well, that aside..." Caron murmured as he turned his gaze to the prisoner seated before him, shackled and subdued.

The naga wore enchanted elven cuffs that radiated the power of Spirit Magic, along with restraints designed to seal its magic. In such a state, there was no trace of danger emanating from the creature.

"I hear you asked to see me?" Caron asked.

They were in Eär Village. The other captured nagas remained bound outside the village, restrained in the same manner as this one. Every possible variable had been accounted for; there would be no sudden incidents.

"Caron, nagas aren't to be trusted," Orion said coldly, standing beside him. His sharp eyes bore into the naga with an intensity that carried undeniable hostility. He continued, "You may be the hero of this battle, so for now, I'll defer to your judgment. But mark my words: Nagas cannot and must not be trusted."

Caron scanned the area and replied, "Is there anyone here who can interpret? We need to at least understand each other to have any kind of conversation..."

Before he could finish, the naga's voice flowed out, soft and calm. "I am fluent in the human tongue."

The creature's words carried the thick accent of the southern continent, yet they were clear enough. Caron's eyes gleamed with interest.

"Well, you're already ahead on the basics of negotiation. Let's start with introductions," the naga began.

"My name is Bessar Locassi," he continued, bowing his head slightly. "I am the crown prince of the Locassi Kingdom."

"And what proof do you have of this claim?" Caron asked, his tone measured.

"The trident tattoo on my right arm. Only members of the royal family are permitted to bear this mark," Bessar explained.

Caron glanced at Orion, who frowned but eventually gave a curt nod. He confirmed reluctantly, "...It matches the records."

"Isn't it possible the tattoo could've been fabricated?" Caron pressed.

"I can sense the deep-sea mana imbued in the tattoo," Orion replied. "It's unlikely it was forged."

"I see," Caron murmured, his gaze shifting back to Bessar.

The faint golden hue of the naga's eyes stood out, strikingly vivid even in the dim light. Apart from the peculiar gills along his neck, his features could easily be described as handsome. There was an air of dignity about him, perhaps amplified by his royal claim.

"Fine, then explain why we shouldn't execute you," Caron said flatly, drawing his blade from its sheath.

Guillotine glinted ominously, its edge gleaming with lethal intent. It looked as if it could slice through Bessar's neck at any moment.

And yet, the naga's expression remained as calm as ever. With an unwavering expression, Bessar said to Caron, "You may kill me and my kin here and now, if you wish."

"There's no need to worry about that," Caron replied coldly. "If you start spouting nonsense, I'll have no qualms about executing you on the spot."

"Only you can fulfill the hopes of the nagas. For the future of my people, this life of mine is meaningless," Bessar said, looking at Orion.

The naga and the elf, members of two races that had warred for centuries, exchanged looks.

"We, the nagas, are slowly dying out," Bessar said solemnly.

"Good riddance," Orion retorted without hesitation.

"You elves have never even tried to understand us," Bessar countered, his tone sharp.

"You nagas are nothing more than invaders who corrupt the forest. Constantly encroaching upon it, spreading your foul mana wherever you go," Orion said.

The rift between the two races ran deep.

"Enough," Caron said, raising a hand to halt their argument. He turned his attention back to Bessar, then said, "Don't bother trying to tug at my heartstrings. It doesn't change the fact that you allied yourselves with pirates."

"...We only wanted the sacred artifact stored in Etyron's treasury. That was all..." Bessar replied.

Caron recalled what Kerra had told him before.

Etyron, the greedy dragon known for stealing sacred artifacts from other races, had apparently taken one belonging to the nagas as well.

"We spent countless years trying to find a way to open that vault," Bessar continued. "Recently, we discovered that a hatchling had been born. But even with that knowledge, we lacked the strength to retrieve it on our own."

"So you turned to the Queen for help?" Caron asked.

"It was the only option. We had to rely on her greed," Bessar admitted.

Caron pieced the story together in his mind—a tale that stretched back to Etyron's avarice.

"What exactly is this artifact?" Caron pressed.

If they were willing to risk death for it, there had to be a compelling reason. He decided to hear them out before passing judgment.

Bessar lowered his head as he answered, "It is called the Tears of the Mother. Before my people fled to the sea, Mother took pity on us, burdened as we were by the curse of dark mana, and gifted us this sacred artifact."

"What does it do?" Caron asked.

"It transforms the dark mana running through our veins into deep sea mana. That is a miracle that can only be achieved through Mother's pure mana. Without it, we are doomed to be consumed by the dark mana within us," Bessar explained.

When Guillotine heard the effect, it murmured softly, "

So that's why it felt similar to, yet different from, dark mana."

Caron had heard the stories before—that nagas were descended from elves. Orion himself had once explained that the nagas were a race of elves corrupted by dark mana.

"If that artifact has been missing for three hundred years, how have you survived until now?" Caron asked, his tone skeptical.

"We had no choice but to emerge onto land and absorb Mother's mana directly," Bessar answered.

So that was the reason for their repeated incursions into the Great Forest. It all added up, and while it could have been a story spun on the spot, it sounded plausible enough to give Caron pause.

Caron glanced at Orion then asked, "What do you think, Orion?"

Orion's expression had shifted, now appearing more conflicted than before.

"Crown Prince Bessar," Orion began, his tone sharp. "No reasoning can justify the countless elven lives your nagas have taken."

Bessar met Orion's gaze with hollow eyes and asked, "Was it not your ancestors who drove us weakened nagas from the forest three hundred years ago, when our sacred artifact was taken?"

Orion couldn't easily refute Bessar's words, and Caron sighed deeply at the tense exchange.

This feud between their races had festered for centuries, tangled and bitter. It wasn't something that could be resolved in a single day. Even if they executed this crown prince and his kin right here and now, Caron was certain the same conflict would resurface eventually.

And that was a scenario he would prefer to avoid—especially since it would place Etyron's hatchling, Aqua, in constant danger.

"We need to set some boundaries," Caron said firmly.

Both Orion and Bessar turned to look at him, their expressions expectant.

"The sacred artifact of the nagas, stored in Etyron's vault," Caron continued. "If we return it to you, there would be no reason for your kind to set foot in the Great Forest again, right?"

Bessar nodded solemnly and replied, "Yes, that is correct. If you can promise us that, I will gladly meet death with a smile."

"We could return it," Caron mused. "We can, but it's not possible right now. The hatchling isn't strong enough yet to break the seal on the vault with draconic incantations."

Aqua was still maturing, and it would take time before her draconic incantations were powerful enough.

"I understand your plight," Caron said, his voice measured. "But trusting you outright doesn't sit well with my elven companions. So, here's what we'll do."

He drove Guillotine into the ground beside Bessar with a soft, deliberate motion.

"You said you're a crown prince, right?" Caron leaned in slightly, his voice low. "Then I want you to serve as a hostage."

He could feel it in his gut—this was a rare and valuable opportunity, one that could shift the tides of a centuries-old feud.

***

"Alright, you must have a reason for your choice."

The regent accepted Caron's proposal to take Bessar as a hostage. She didn't ask for a detailed explanation, merely stating that she would wait in Galad.

"Commander, what exactly are you thinking?" Kerra asked as he watched the elves preparing to transport the naga prisoners.

Caron nodded thoughtfully while chewing on a piece of jerky he had pulled from his pocket. He said, "Kerra, I think the world has two kinds of problems."

"And those would be?" Kerra asked.

"Problems that end when you kill someone, and problems that don't. This one's the latter," Caron answered.

He glanced at his comrades and Aqua, who was playing happily in the distance, perched on Utula's shoulder. Ultimately, the root of this entire incident was Aqua. That meant—

"This might not be the last threat we face," Caron said.

As long as Aqua remained here, new dangers were bound to arise.

"Maybe the massacre we saw a glimpse of last time could have also been connected to Aqua," Caron added, his tone darkening.

"Considering Aqua's mother, Etyron, that's a plausible theory," Kerra replied, nodding.

"In that case, being able to talk with the nagas today might actually have been a good thing," Caron said.

The deep sea mana the nagas wielded had been created as a byproduct of suppressing dark mana with the mana of the World Tree. In other words, the nagas lived in an environment highly conducive to corruption by dark mana.

Perhaps because of that, the nagas seemed to hate the demons as much as the elves did. After all, it was the demons who had plunged them into such a tragic fate. If the nagas were to be completely consumed by dark magic, an even greater tragedy was inevitable. It could be considered fortunate to have made contact with the nagas before such a disaster occurred.

"A non-aggression pact with the nagas wouldn't be a bad deal for the elves either," Caron remarked. "It would ease the pressure from the south, and more importantly... It would open up the sea."

Until now, the elves had been unable to venture into the ocean. Just as they had prevented the nagas from entering the forest, the nagas had kept the elves from accessing the sea. That left the Southern Great Forest isolated, bordered to the north by the Keath Kingdom, the Southern Kingdoms, and the Holy Kingdom.

But if the sea routes were opened, everything would change.

"If something ever happened to the Southern Great Forest, we'd be able to respond quickly by the sea routes," Caron said. "A swift ship would be far faster than traveling by land."

Kerra narrowed his eyes as he listened, finally piecing together Caron's intentions. "You're planning to establish full-fledged trade with the elves, aren't you?"

"When I visited Galad last time, I noticed they were short on resources—things that are hard to come by in the forest, like high-quality iron ore," Caron explained.

He had learned a bit about trade from his father, Fayle, during his younger years. That limited knowledge was enough for him to grasp the immense value of the Southern Great Forest: Abundant crops from fertile land, rare medicinal herbs, and other goods highly prized in the human world. The ledger he intended to present to the regent was already clear in his mind.

"The Leston Duchy must secure exclusive trading rights with the Southern Great Forest," he declared.

Exclusive trade rights with the elves would make an excellent gift for Fayle. After all, Caron thought, it would only be right to bring back something worthwhile after traveling this far.

Of course, the sea route from the Great Forest to the duchy would have to pass through the Queen's waters, but that was a problem for another day. Having met the Queen during this venture, Caron was confident he could negotiate something reasonable.

While I'm at it, I'll also make my back pocket nice and full,

Caron thought.

Money was one of those things—the more, the better.

As Caron unknowingly let a smile slip, Kerra shot him a withering look and said, "Commander."

"What?" Caron asked.

"Wipe your drool. It's disgraceful," Kerra replied. He then reached into Caron's pocket, grabbed a piece of jerky, and took a bite without hesitation.

"So, if I'm understanding you correctly..." Kerra began, chewing thoughtfully. "You're planning to bring the Southern Great Forest under the Leston Duchy's influence. What's next, are you trying to conquer the continent?"

"No, you're wrong," Caron replied with a smirk.

He had learned one crucial thing in this life...

"If I want to utterly crush the demons, I can't do it alone."

Trade with the elves would strengthen the Leston Duchy while providing the elves with resources they lacked. This exchange would make the elves stronger, and in time, they would be valuable allies in the wars to come.

"Besides, having more mad dogs is always a good thing," Caron added with a grin.

"Maybe it's because you've reincarnated, but you've started seeing the bigger picture," Kerra said, shaking his head. "Reintegrating the elves into the continent after all these years of isolation... Only someone completely mad would even think of it."

"Doesn't it sound fun, though?" Caron asked, his grin widening.

"Yes, I'll give you that," Kerra admitted.

Caron brushed off his trousers and stood up, his expression now focused. He said, "Let's get moving."

Now it was time to start thoroughly emptying the elves' pockets.