<Lunacy, Worship. And the Way (8)>

‘The Wind Elemental King?’

Tasha was surprised but she could not suspect the small butterfly’s identity.

Not only would her close friend not lie to her, the area around the small butterfly was calm.

‘Ah.’

The Wind Elementals were avoiding the area around the butterfly.

No, they were withdrawing from that area.

It was as if they were worshiping the butterfly, giving it its own space among the large flow of wind.

Gulp.

Tasha forgot about fighting and blankly stared at the butterfly.

‘What is going on right now?

What is happening to me right now?’

She recalled what the Wind Elemental King had said to her.

‘Child, can you save the wind of this world?’

Tasha opened her mouth.

“Sir, did you ask me to save the wind of this world?”

The small butterfly flapped its wings as if it was nodding its head.

– Child, that is correct.

An Elemental King.

Tasha could only say the following thing after coming face to face with an existence she had only read about in records.

“How could I do something so big-”

This was her honest sentiment.

This world, Aipotu… Tasha had no idea what kind of condition the wind of this world was in right now.

She could not even fathom the weight of saving not just a portion but the entire wind of a world.

‘Someone like me doing something that big?

It’s not like I’m young master Cale. How can I do that?’

Tasha made up her mind to utilize her surroundings in her fight.

In order to do that, there was a step that had to be taken.

It was recognizing her own position. She also had to scope out the limits of her plate.

Tasha accepted that she could not be like Cale, Choi Han, or even her nephew, Alberu.

That was why she made up her mind to give her best to do the things she could do in her position.

She did not consider this to be a failure or giving up.

She was just finding her spot in this world.

‘This is also following what is meant to be.’

All existences within nature had their roles.

Accepting it and making it come to fruition…

Tasha happily accepted it.

That was the reason she was fighting against an enemy that was suited for her level.

– Hoo hoo.

The butterfly chuckled at that moment.

– You truly are a funny child.

‘Funny? What did I say that was funny?’

Tasha did not know how to take in the comments of the Elemental King, an existence she could not figure out at all.

Shaaaaaaaaaa-

A strand of breeze blew by at that moment.

It brushed past Tasha’s face.

As she was about to snap out of her thoughts because of the cold breeze…

“!”

The butterfly was suddenly right in front of Tasha.

The butterfly stopped at the spot where they could exchange glances.

It then commented.

– Why is a child who knows how to create a flow trying to limit and bind herself down?

Tasha’s body twitched.

She felt as if her heart just sank.

‘Why?’

As she stood there, unable to understand why she was shocked and why she felt as if her heart just sank…

– Child, why is it that you think you just follow the laws of nature?

“!”

Tasha’s pupils started shaking.

– You seem to think that the only right answer is for the existences in nature to only follow reason and logic in their growth?

Tasha subconsciously answered.

“…I, isn’t that correct, sir?”

Wasn’t that the reason she was able to create such a large flow like this?

Hadn’t the Wind Elementals helped her as well?

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

Another breeze wrapped around her.

Tasha felt as if she could hear the Wind Elemental King’s laughter within it.

– Child.

She heard a gentle and benign voice.

– Nature just exists on its own.

Nature.

All existences or states that exist on their own in this world.

– All things that exist on their own are nature.

In this silent area where the only thing she could hear is the Elemental King’s voice…

Tasha heard a warm voice by her ear.

– That is why wind is nature.

– Those Elf children are nature as well.

Tasha’s eyes were shaking.

– That is also why you are nature as well.

Why?

– Because you exist on your own.

Tasha subconsciously released her grip on her spear.

Her eyes were focused only on the butterfly.

The Wind Elemental King.

Elementals were existences created in nature.

The respective Elemental Kings of the different attributes could be called nature itself.

Such an existence was saying this to her.

– Your existence itself is nature.

– Something existing on its own does not need any sort of clear definition. It needs no law. It needs no purpose.

It was saying that they needed no reason nor purpose.

– They just exist.

The Wind Elemental King continued in a warm voice.

– Your life and everything that you experience is nature.

– Because you exist.

Everything was nature because Tasha exists.

– Your nature exists because you were born.

– The dead mana that will remain after your death is also a power that exists on its own.

– That is why dead mana is nature as well.

“Ah.”

Tasha let out a gasp.

She felt as if she finally understood.

Dark Elves got stronger by consuming dead mana.

The reason they were accepted as existences in nature…

It was because dead mana and Dark Elves exist. As a result, they are nature.

Nature had no reasons to deny something that existed on its own.

Because their existence itself was nature.

– Everything in the world is nature.

Tasha closed her eyes.

She thought of all sorts of environments.

The numerous things she had to face growing up…

‘All those things are nature?’

Beautiful forests and fields…

The free winds…

The pieces of numerous relationships that came and went…

The enemies she had to fight, including the White Star…

‘All those things are nature too?’

Tasha suddenly had a thought.

Was there a reason to say that they were not a part of nature?

It allowed them to see the existence of good and evil, but…

– Child.

– Dark Elves are not existences accepted into the laws of nature.

– Dark Elves are also nature.

Tasha opened her eyes.

She could see the butterfly.

She did not accept the Wind Elemental King’s words as the truth.

To be completely honest-

No matter how much she thought about it-

‘I don’t want to call a bastard like the White Star nature itself.’

It was the same for the Hunter bastards who have done such cruel things. Because Tasha had existences she did not want surviving in her world…

‘But-’

But there was one thing she did figure out.

‘Dark Elves are not existences accepted into the laws of nature.’

‘Dark Elves are also nature.’

She opened her mouth.

“…Because we exist on our own.”

I exist. Therefore, I am nature.

– That is correct. Child.

Tasha’s eyes were no longer shaking as she looked at the butterfly.

– The nature of this world is unable to exist on its own right now. It is being suppressed and controlled.

The Purple Bloods… It is because of what the Dragons of Aipotu have done.

The butterfly gently asked.

– Can you please help them to exist on their own?

He then added on.

– If so, I will let you borrow a portion of my power.

Tasha’s heart started thumping little by little.

An Elemental King had spoken.

He said that he would let her borrow some of his powers.

He was not saying that he would contract with her.

He also did not say that he would lend her all of his powers.

It was only a portion.

Nonetheless, Tasha’s heart slowly started thumping stronger.

Because it was the power of an Elemental King.

Experiencing even a portion of it would allow Tasha to take multiple steps forward in her growth.

Mm.’

However, Tasha could not easily open her mouth.

Despite accepting that she was nature itself…

‘Is it okay for me to do that? Can I do that?

Am I capable of doing something so big?’

As she had those thoughts…

– Look around you.

She heard the Elemental King’s voice.

“…Huh?”

Tasha finally realized it.

She realized that her surroundings were oddly quiet.

‘Wasn’t I in the middle of a fight?’

She had been in an explosive situation with Peterson, one of the Inquisitors.

‘I completely stopped paying attention to the fight to have a chat?!

Even if an Elemental King appeared, how could I do that?!’

Tasha scowled.

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

A breeze blew by at that moment.

“Ah.”

Tasha started to hear the noises that the Elemental King had covered up for a bit.

Baaaaang!

Bang! Baaaaaang!

She heard an endless number of explosions.

“Ahhhhh—!”

She heard Peterson shouting as well.

“Why, why-?! Why is the wind going to a shitty Dark Elf like her?!”

Through his desperate shouts…

Baaaaang!

Bang! Baaaaang!

She saw the small winds that were blocking the large green wind.

Some were stronger than the green wind.

Some were harder.

Some were more flexible.

All these different winds were doing what they could to stop Peterson.

“You guys-”

The Wind Elementals had been buying time for Tasha.

The reason was obvious.

‘An Elemental King came to find me.’

Meeting an Elemental King…

The Elementals all knew that this was an amazing opportunity for anybody who fought alongside them.

Of course, it could have been to not interrupt her conversation with the Elemental King or to protect the Elemental King. Or maybe because they desperately wished for Tasha to hear the Elemental King’s request and to accept it.

That might explain why they were throwing their bodies to protect Tasha and the Elemental King.

It was at that moment.

– Tasha!

She heard her long time close friend’s voice.

This Wind Elemental had shared a long time by her side. That punk spoke to her.

– You can say no!

My friend who said something that could be considered a rebellion against an Elemental King without any hesitation. Tasha closed her mouth after hearing what that punk said next.

– You can become free too!

– Let’s not pay any attention to Dark Elf, Elf, what is meant to be, all that nonsense!

Her hand holding the spear tightened again.

– To me, you are Tasha.

To her friend, the Wind Elemental, she-

– You are you.

She was simply Tasha. She needed no other descriptor.

“Ha, haha-”

Tasha started laughing.

“…Yeah.”

Since her friend was talking like this…

‘I need to become free.

I am simply me.

Let’s not add any other descriptors.

Dark Elves or whatever else, cast aside everything.

I should try living free like these winds at least once.’

– Yes, that’s it!

Her close friend understood her thoughts even without her saying anything and cheered her on.

This was something only her friend, who had seen Tasha working hard for a long time to raise the perception of Dark Elves in the world, could say to her.

Be free.

“Ha.”

Tasha chuckled before looking at the butterfly.

The Wind Elemental King.

She could feel an immense wind within this small existence.

She felt like a tiny ant waiting to face an intense storm.

However, Tasha still felt relaxed.

She nonchalantly commented.

“I can’t speak with certainty.”

Saving the winds of this world…

“How can I do that? I can’t even fathom something like that.”

She spoke without any hesitation.

“That is why, oh esteemed Elemental King-nim.”

Tasha thought about a certain someone who said what he needed to say and acted as he wanted to act, regardless of the situation.

Cale Henituse. Maybe he rubbed off on her a bit.

“Please let me borrow a lot of your power. That way, I can go around pummeling a bunch of Dragons.

Then I will see how far I can go.”

I will save the winds of Aipotu.

She couldn’t say something so big with certainty.

That was Tasha’s personality.

However, as it always has been for her…

“I am at least confident in giving it my best.”

Shaaaaa-

A breeze blew by.

– That sounds great.

That was all the butterfly said.

But the wind blew by once more.

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

It was a large gust of wind that was incomparable to what she felt before.

Tasha subconsciously closed her eyes.

She felt the wind embracing her at that moment.

It was not gentle or warm.

In fact, it was cold and indifferent like the cold winds of winter.

‘Child.’

A voice echoed in her mind. It was the Elemental King.

‘In order to create the flow, you have to stand in front of the pack. You must spearhead the vanguard.’

In order to create a path, someone had to walk down that path first.

‘And you seem to like doing things like that. Let me give you a suitable power.’

The Elemental King’s voice became faint.

‘So follow your heart and run free.’

The wind surrounding her disappeared.

Tasha opened her eyes.

The long spear that had been in her hand disappeared.

Instead, there was a large whirlwind tattoo that started from the back of her hand and wrapped up her arm.

Baaaaang, bang! Bang, baaaaang!

She could clearly hear the sounds of battle again.

No, the sounds were slowly closer.

“Kahaha! I finally reached you!”

Tasha raised her head.

She could see Peterson piercing through the Wind Elementals to approach her.

His hand that was covered in a green wind was holding a green wind blade.

“That arrogant gaze of yours will be no more!”

The tip of that sword charged toward Tasha.

– Tasha!

Her friend screeched and appeared in front of her.

Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—-

It was a tired whirlwind.

Tasha opened her mouth.

“It’s okay.”

– Hmm?

Tasha stepped forward before her close friend could even respond properly.

She extended her hand into the air.

Sssssssssss—

Just like the wind that came down from the mountains in the chilly morning…

A cold yet refreshing breeze extended out of her hand.

– Ta, Tasha!

As the Wind Elemental looked at her in shock…

Baaaaaang—!

An explosion that could not be compared to any explosions from earlier echoed out.

“Ugh!”

Peterson was pushed back.

His pupils were shaking.

“You-”

Tasha.

A long spear was in her hand.

That long spear had black wind roaring around it.

The wind was as beautiful black as her skin.

Tasha observed her new spear for a bit before turning her gaze.

She saw Peterson.

She nonchalantly commented.

“I think I can take you all down.”

Her body started to move after that comment.

Her black spear moved with her.

Tasha heard the voices of the Wind Elementals by her ears.

– It’s a storm!

– Tasha gained a storm!

– No, Tasha became a storm!

The Wind Elementals were calling the item in her hand a storm.

A gust of wind strong enough to sweep everything away.

That was the identity of the wind in Tasha’s hand.

* * *

“Human, human! Tasha gained a super strong wind!”

Raon was clapping in shock for Tasha before stopping to be shocked for a different reason.

This time, he sounded concerned.

“Human, human! What is wrong with smart Rosalyn?”

“Ugh!”

Rosalyn rolled on the ground with a groan.

“Mm.”

As Cale, who had been watching, was about to speak…

“What else? She’s persistently fighting.”

Cale got shocked and stood up. Cale made a motion with his hand and Raon removed the invisibility spell. Cale then spoke to the person approaching them.

“Eruhaben-nim.”

However, Eruhaben didn’t pay him any attention. He was looking at Rosalyn.

“Tsk.”

He then shook his head as if he was not happy about this.

“Goldie gramps! Did you have a nice trip? But don’t make such a face while looking at Rosalyn! Rosalyn is trying super hard right now! We need to help her! Human, let’s go save her!”

“Why the hell would you save her?”

Eruhaben brusquely commented before addressing Cale and Raon.

“Let her be.”

He then turned to look at Rosalyn, who was covered in snow and dirt.

“That punk will probably huff and puff with anger if we help her.”

“Goldie gramps, are you saying Rosalyn will do that? There is no way Rosalyn would do that! Rosalyn is kind and smart! She also knows how to fight together!”

Eruhaben chuckled at Raon’s response.

“…Goldie gramps is sneering at me right now! Human, did you see that?”

Raon puffed up his cheeks and shouted.

“I know Rosalyn better than Goldie gramps does! I’ve watched her longer! Rosalyn would not do that!”

“Hmph.”

The ancient Dragon snorted.

“Little punk, I know her better than you do. Because-”

He stopped for a moment and did not finish his sentence.

He then mumbled in his mind.

He was sure that Rosalyn would decline their help right now. He knew her very well.

‘Because she is my second disciple.’

She was also his first human disciple.

Eruhaben focused only on Rosalyn. He then peeked to the side.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Me? I wasn’t smiling?”

“You are smiling right now.”

Cale was looking at Eruhaben with a satisfied smile on his face.

The ancient Dragon felt oddly iffy.

However, he had to look away.

Baaaaaang—

“Ugh!”

Rosalyn was rolling on the ground once again.

—

Translator’s Comments

Rosalyn…you can do it!

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