Otherworld TRPG Game Master-Chapter 260: Elven Forest Warlock -2

"You may look suspicious, but you're a good guy, stranger! The guest room is this way. Feel free to use it."

"Did they just call that a 'guest room'?"

"It's the second largest tree in our village! Practically a palace!"

"..."

Bennett and the crow settled into the "guest room" the wild elves had provided.

Calling it a "room" was generous. It was little more than a space sectioned off by large leaves, offering scant privacy. Sounds and sights passed through freely, making it impossible to truly relax. If anyone with ill intentions decided to attack, they'd be utterly defenseless.

Thus, while Bennett allowed his body to rest, his mind remained sharp, alert for any sign of danger.

The crow, on the other hand, was in high spirits. His red eyes darted around, observing the habits and behaviors of the wild elves. There was a certain aesthetic in their natural nudity, a harmony with nature that intrigued him.

"Here, take this heart-shaped leaf. I think it'll look pretty on your belly."

"What if I use a bigger leaf instead?"

The elves treated their leaf-and-vine garments as actual clothes, searching for aesthetically pleasing leaves to adorn themselves. They even exchanged leaves with each other as a sign of camaraderie.

The crow clicked his beak in excitement.

"This is quite inspiring. I think I’ll get some great ideas from this."

"Shouldn't you be focusing on the dark mage instead of pointless observations?"

"Ah, but I’ve already done all the necessary scouting. I know what the dark mage is up to, and what they’re aiming for. Would you like to hear it?"

"Keep it short this time. I’m not in the mood for lengthy explanations."

The crow seemed a bit deflated by Bennett’s request to be concise, his claws dragging slightly on the branch. But the movement reminded him of a trampoline, lifting his spirits again as he eagerly opened his beak.

"To put it simply... they’re after the sacred relic of this elf tribe. What else could they be after, aside from the souls of the wild elves themselves?"

"A relic?"

"Isn't it strange that mammals like these elves can communicate with a plant like the World Tree and link their minds through its power? It’s almost magical. I suspected there might be some sort of conduit facilitating this connection—"

"Shorter."

"...Fine."

The crow pecked at the tree bark in frustration.

"There’s a device that the elves use to connect to the World Tree. It’s that red wooden staff with the white gemstone on it, the one you saw when your mind was being probed. I suspect that’s what they’re after."

"Any idea why?"

"Yes, I do. But explaining it would take too much time, so I won’t."

Pouting, are we?

Bennett closed his eyes in thought. If the relic allowed the elves to connect their minds to the World Tree, it likely held a powerful force capable of linking consciousness.

This made sense as a target for the dark mage. The Redburns tortured human souls to extract magical energy, and with a means to manipulate minds, their refining process would become even more efficient.

Now the question was when and how the dark mage would strike.

"If the dark mage is controlling an elf, they’d probably try to steal the relic and escape. There are too many elves here to consider a full-scale slaughter."

"Exactly. That was likely their plan. But since we’ve shown up, they might try to pin the theft on us instead."

"Blame it on us?"

"Yes. They could claim that the relic was stolen by outsiders who just happened to appear. The elves would be preoccupied with us, allowing the dark mage to slip away unnoticed. It’s a clever ruse that works because the elves trust each other implicitly."

Due to the elves' mental connection, it would be nearly impossible to expose the controlled elf's odd behavior.

Mima had deduced the presence of "body manipulation," but to prove it would require dissecting the elf. Asking for permission to cut open one of their own would only result in arrows flying.

Persuading the elves with words alone was out of the question. Faced with the choice between a suspicious outsider and a family member, the elves’ loyalty was obvious.

They couldn’t strike first, but waiting too long would also lead to conflict. Either way, a confrontation with the elves seemed inevitable.

As Bennett pondered, the crow chirped, certain there was a solution.

"Bennett. We’re already suspicious, and convincing the elves won’t be easy. If we’re going to make a move, what if we... steal the relic first?"

"?"

Bennett’s suggestion of becoming "honorable thieves" wasn’t entirely without merit. If they took the relic, the dark mage’s plans would be foiled, and they could always return it later. Besides, they were unlikely to revisit this forest anyway.

Mima flapped his wings in delight at Bennett’s idea.

"Kaw-kaw! Brilliant, Bennett! I think we’re going to get along just fine!"

"I’m just being practical."

And so the "righteous thief" operation was set. That night, while the elves slept, they would make their move.

That night...

"..."

"..."

Bennett and Faceless found themselves face-to-face. It wasn’t a planned encounter—just sheer coincidence that they had chosen to act at the same time.

Both Bennett and Faceless were taken aback.

"Good evening! It seems we’ve chosen the perfect time. The clouds are thick, the moonlight is dim—it’s the perfect night for thieves to meet, wouldn’t you say?"

The crow spoke reflexively, its beak flapping with bravado.

"Kaw-kaw-kaw, young lady... did you come to pay your respects to the World Tree, or is this the moment you finally reveal your twisted intentions? Either way, it’s fine by me."

"..."

"Don’t touch the relic. If you move, I’ll cut you down."

Faceless bit her lip. Had they been found out?

From the crow’s attitude, it was clear this was a deliberate ambush. They had figured out her plan and chosen this moment to strike. But how much did they know?

When Bennett’s gaze, as sharp as a raptor’s, had lingered on her "puppet," she’d felt a chill but dismissed it. After all, the idea that a dark mage was controlling an elf was far-fetched, even for paranoid minds. Her power was unique, so she hadn’t expected to be discovered.

But how had they done it? Was it pure deduction? Or had the elves laid a trap? Despite her precautions to avoid detection by the World Tree, had they failed?

"...What are you talking about? I was just out for a midnight stroll. If anyone should be interrogated, it’s you strangers."

She tried to gauge how much they knew, but...

"This is your second warning."

"..."

"I know things you don’t, and I can do things you can’t. Withdraw now, Redburn. Or this will end the same way as last time."

"You... Mad Mage...?!"

The words from the red-eyed crow confirmed it was indeed the Mad Mage, the one who had uncovered her secrets before.

This was their second encounter. The first time, she’d been thwarted by Sissel Urensto’s awakening, leading to her defeat.

But this time would be different.

She knew the man named Bennett. She had seen him in the tournament. He was a skilled swordsman, but not as strong as Sissel.

She could kill him here and now, snap the crow’s neck, and escape the forest.

Faceless began to compress her muscles, preparing to strike. Dark, crimson magic emanated from her, and her hands turned pitch-black.

Bennett tensed, sensing the immense power, and readied himself for battle. He could feel the gap in their strength and considered using dark magic.

At that moment, the crow spoke.

"Bennett. Use ‘Sanctuary’ on her. On the elf’s body."

It wasn’t a suggestion to draw his sword and strike, as might be expected. The crow was instructing him to use the power of "Sanctuary," the unbreakable nature he had demonstrated in the Holy City, and imbue it into the elf’s body.

It was a bizarre command, but Bennett trusted the Mad Mage.

"No one can break my resolve."

He muttered softly.

Whoosh!

A constellation of stars gathered in Bennett’s hand, forming the shape of a sword. The blade glowed with a gentle light as it bestowed its unyielding power upon Faceless.

The effect was immediate.

Creak...

The elf’s body, under Faceless’s control, began to creak as her magic faltered and the twisted muscles began to relax.

"Wha... what kind of trickery is this...?!"

"Yes, I was uncertain, but I thought it might work. We’re protecting the poor elf you’ve ensnared, while you’re trying to tear her apart. Conflict is inevitable, isn’t it?"

"..."

Their powers were now in opposition, creating a state of tension. Upon close inspection, Faceless seemed to have the upper hand, as the light of "Sanctuary" was slowly being pushed back.

She could win this battle.

But... something felt off. Was this really the end of their tricks?

She felt a growing sense of danger. Everything seemed suspicious, as if she was playing into their hands. The absence of backup from the Lantern of Foresight only heightened her anxiety. She had no spares.

Faceless’s true strength lay in remote manipulation.

Her usual method involved controlling countless puppets from a safe location, overwhelming her enemies with sheer numbers. But here, stranded in the forest by the goddess’s whim, she had been forced into the risky strategy of inhabiting a living elf’s body.

This wasn’t her battlefield.

Faceless decided to retreat, commanding the elf’s body to attack Bennett while she disengaged her control.

Fwoosh!

A white-haired girl emerged from the elf’s back, her true form now revealed. She had been hidden, "overlaid" within the elf’s body.

"...Hup!"

Thud!

Bennett dodged the elf’s punch and used the hilt of his sword to knock her out. By then, Faceless had already fled with the relic in hand.

She’s fast.

"...I’ll pursue her!"

"No, Bennett. You can take your time. While you were fighting, I wasn’t exactly idle."

The illusionary crow on Bennett’s shoulder flickered and vanished like a candle flame.

The real Mima hopped out of the bushes, holding the relic’s gemstone in his beak. It was a trick he had prepared from the moment they encountered Faceless.

The crow puffed out his chest, brimming with pride.

"Here it is—the heart of the elf staff. Without this, the staff’s power is reduced to a fraction of its true potential, and it’s even traceable!"

"That’s just like you. Well done. I’ll buy you a handful of sunflower seeds when we get back."

"Finally, you’re learning how to repay kindness, Bennett! But there’s bad news too. The elves are going to chase us down."

"Why?"

The elves’ minds were interconnected, allowing them to share memories and other information. The elf they had fought earlier likely retained memories of the encounter.

In summary...

"We’re the only ones who got caught on their black box."

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

"I don’t fully understand the metaphor, but I get that we’re in trouble."

"But don’t worry. Who am I, after all? I always have a plan. As always, I have a solution. All I need is your permission to access and edit your memories..."

The elf forest was in an uproar.

A night patrol ranger had discovered the scene of the crime, where an elf lay unconscious with a bruise on her neck, and the theft of the sacred relic had been confirmed.

Fortunately, the elf was alive, though her arm muscles were torn, and her weight had drastically decreased.

The elves used the power of the World Tree to read the unconscious elf’s memories, leading them to believe that an outsider was responsible.

Pursuers were dispatched immediately to track the thief’s movements and leave markers for the main force of elf rangers to follow.

And...

"I trusted you, I trusted you!!"

One of the pursuers, now tied to a tree by Bennett, was writhing on the ground in anger.

The elf tracker gritted her teeth and yelled. This was why you couldn’t trust outsiders. They had repaid kindness with betrayal!

"My family will read my memories and come after you! Even if I die here, they’ll have my memories for a while. You won’t escape!"

"Are you so sure about that?"

Mima hopped in front of the elf’s face, his red eyes gleaming ominously.

"If you elves are as diligent as ants, you might also share their foolishness. Sometimes, ants draw the spiral of death, following the pheromones of their comrades with nothing but good intentions!"

"What...?"

"That’s what’s about to happen to you. Your kin will read your memories, and I’ll plant a malignant thought in them. It’ll spread like a toxic disease!"

Was he planning to use the elves' trust and mental connection to set a trap? To plant a vile memory and let it spread?

The ominous crow loomed over her, and the reflection of her terrified face in his eyes seemed to foretell her doom. The crow spoke darkly.

"Ha ha, how does it feel? If I had my original body, I’d show you the horrors of the universe, a burning sea, all the things I’d want you to see. But unfortunately, I’m just a little crow, with no data left! Kaw-kaw-kaw!"

"...!"

"But I do have something else... the feeling of shame you’ve never experienced before, and along with it, the unspoken affection of a young woman. Consider this my gift to you. Please, don’t refuse. Share it with your family, savor it, chew it over carefully."

"No... No...!"

Family, don’t read my memories. I’m infected. Some strange memory is creeping in. This memory, it’s—

...The memory of a scantily clad woman?

-So, Bennett, there’s a story in the scriptures about a cat saint. It’s a very touching tale. So today, I dressed like a cat. See, doesn’t this little cut-out look like a cat?

...?

-Of course I’m embarrassed! Of course... don’t tease me like that, Bennett!

...?

"Kaw-kaw-kaw! Yes, Master. Editing memory modules and data is my specialty. I took Tara’s memories and edited them into something humiliating for the elf. It was a mistake that a bit of romance got mixed in..."

"?"

"You should have seen it, Master! The elves, realizing how scandalous their leaf outfits were, writhing in embarrassment while blushing at the mere sight of you because of Tara’s influence!"

So...

He had essentially poisoned the mental link, making the elf rangers suddenly self-conscious about their attire and, thanks to Tara’s influence, fluttering with romantic feelings toward Bennett?

"Are you insane?"

I could only ask the mad crow that question.