Otherworld TRPG Game Master

262 – Tail Catching -2

“Hand over the sacred items! If you return them quietly, I might forgive you with just one eye!”

The head elf leading the elf rangers threatened. The taut bowstring and bright red lingerie were quite striking.

Excluding the visual distraction, it was rather intimidating. We were surrounded by elves aiming their bows, and the arrows were imbued with tightly compressed magical energy.

Above all, the mental bond.

This was akin to having a constant telepathy among allies. The trajectories of the arrows would not overlap, resulting in a dense barrage that would be difficult to evade.

However, the fact that warnings preceded the shooting was a silver lining. It meant there was room for dialogue. This was the result of the wise crow’s trap at work.

I nudged Benet forward.

“Now, Benet, it’s time.”

“What do you mean by ‘now’?”

“Charm the elves into retreating. Our lives are at stake here. For the greater good, I have no doubt you will step forward for all of us.”

“…….”

Benet stepped forward with a reluctant expression. He understood that there was no choice but to pursue the dark sorcerer without unnecessary combat.

However, as Benet took a step forward, he wore a puzzled look. Was there something off?

“What’s wrong, Benet? Do you need me to fix your hairstyle?”

“No… you crazy sorcerer. Look at the elves’ gazes. Where are they directed?”

“Well, obviously, they’re looking at you…”

Wait.

I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I had seen it wrong. But reality didn’t turn into an illusion. Most of the elves were… looking at me, not Benet.

“Seeing the black-haired one makes my heart race…”

“The gray-haired one caught my attention too, but that person seems different somehow.”

“I’m, I’m embarrassed. I wish I could wear a prettier triangular outfit…”

It’s the gaze of a female student admiring a handsome senior at school. As I shift my focus to the shy elf sitting at the edge, she lets out a soft “heh” and twists her body nervously.

Next to her, another elf straightens her back and thrusts her chest out, as if to flaunt her figure. She’s slightly taller than Selvier. As far as I know, this kind of reaction indicates romantic interest.

Doubting my judgment, I glance at Selvier.

“…Kyaah!”

Selvier glares at the elves fiercely, like a heroine spotting a thieving cat. Given that Selvier’s detection sensor has reacted, it seems my suspicions aren’t just a figment of my imagination.

What’s going on? Why are the elves looking at me instead of Benet?

Surely the wise crow has carefully edited and implanted Tara’s memories…

…

Let’s think from their perspective. What would I do if I were a crow?

The elf harem party chasing after Benet is an effective and entertaining idea, so I’ll push forward with that. It’s confirmed that I’ll incorporate Benet’s elements into the memory trap.

However, that alone isn’t 100% safe. I have no idea how much the elves value their sacred artifacts, so I imagine the worst. Assuming they would track us to the ends of the continent.

No matter how long it takes, I would have to join Benet with the mad wizard, the main body.

Then I need to prepare for when the mad wizard resolves the situation. Whether he talks his way out or breaks through with force, laying the groundwork now will be beneficial.

So, alongside the affection directed at Benet, I’ll also embed the affection aimed at the main body into the memory trap like a set menu. Even if the atmosphere intensifies, I’ll make sure it can be resolved through conversation, albeit with a bit more pressure.

If a commotion arises during this process, it’s not my concern. After all, the main body will handle it…

All the truths have been revealed. I trembled like someone struck by lightning.

“You crazy crow b*stard…!”

I saw a vision of the crow winking from beyond the sky.

Benet seemed to have roughly grasped the situation, chuckled, and nudged my back, saying,

“Alright, mad wizard, now’s the time.”

“What do you mean, now…?”

“Charm the elves and make them retreat. The lives of our party are at stake. For the greater good, they won’t back down now, will they?”

“……”

I never expected my karma to come back to me in less than three minutes.

With a reluctant expression, I stepped forward. I used ‘Illusory Mirage Magic: Haze’ to tidy up my appearance and added some enhancements to look more appealing. I also cleared my throat.

It’s time for role-playing. I am the host. I am the host…

“Lovely ladies, if you could grant me a moment to prove my purity and innocence—”

—

Though Selvier glared at me with eyes that seemed ready to devour me for flirting with an outsider, I somehow managed to get the elf seated at the negotiation table.

—-

“The dark sorcerer has stolen the sacred artifact, and you were merely trying to stop it… Isn’t that a rather convenient excuse?”

The elven ranger leader sat with arms crossed, legs crossed, and feet tapping. He seemed to struggle to maintain a stern and solemn expression, yet a flush still lingered on his face.

Thinking back, it’s quite remarkable that it ended with just a flush. Under the curse of the wicked crow, feeling shame is akin to standing in the bustling streets in nothing but your underwear, trying to act dignified.

Considering that it even included a fluttering towards me, one could say it was a testament to the mental fortitude expected of a leader.

I continued with a smile that seemed to radiate kindness.

“Yes. Even if we speak openly, you wouldn’t trust us 100%. Unlike the ladies of the forest, humans lack that ability. However… that’s precisely why we have prepared various means.”

“Can you truly earn the trust of the elves? Go ahead and try. But if you fail, you’ll taste bitterness. Not too much bitterness, though…”

“What I propose is a deal.”

“…a deal?”

If there’s confusion about whether to trust or not, then one must make it desirable to trust. Placing a hefty bag of benefits on the other side of the scale, turning the gamble of trusting humans into an attractive offer.

“I am a sorcerer of the Purple Tower, the master of crows. I can lift the ‘Curse of Knowledge’ that hangs over you, and at the same time, I can reinforce the security vulnerabilities revealed by this incident regarding mental bonds. Furthermore…”

“Mm.”

“I have connections with the Empire’s first princess, second prince, and third prince. As far as I know… the second prince lost his eyes and arms in Dae-Surim. I can open a venue for reconciliation to resolve that grudge.”

“……..”

The elven leader seemed to harden his expression, deep in thought.

“I’ve heard tales of an imperial prince visiting the elven sanctuary where the World Tree resides. He demanded saplings of the World Tree in the name of the Emperor, and the elves refused.”

“Oh, really.”

“Then the prince attempted to steal the saplings, a fight broke out, and he was driven away without achieving his desires. The one who first acted rudely was the human Empire; why would we wish for a venue for reconciliation?”

Was that really the case?

The response to that is simple.

“Because we are stronger.”

“……..”

“Just the elite personnel gathered here today number more than three. Even if we were to fight for our lives against you now, we have enough strength to win without suffering losses. It’s akin to the relationship between the Empire and the entire elven race.”

“…Are you threatening us?”

“Even with strength, we hope you can feel our sincerity from the fact that we do not use it. Once we capture the dark sorcerer, we will return the sacred artifact, and we will provide compensation commensurate with the rudeness shown, so please consider it.”

The elven leader bit his lip slightly, then stood up and said,

“You mentioned you were chasing the dark sorcerer. I will be watching. Don’t forget that we are watching you from among the leaves. We will continue to observe.”

That sounded a bit like a declaration of stalking.

—

“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”

At the elf leader’s gesture, the elves seamlessly concealed themselves within the underbrush. They blended so well with nature that it was difficult to perceive them without focus.

From this perspective, the leaf-cloaks are indeed effective.

It seemed they intended to remain hidden while keeping their distance from us.

I let out a sigh of relief at the conclusion of the negotiations. I was glad we wouldn’t have to harm the innocent elves.

And it seemed I had gained an unexpected hint.

The story that Irid was trying to procure saplings of the World Tree by the Emperor’s command. If he wanted to borrow the power of the World Tree’s spiritual bond, and if he needed it so desperately that he would resort to theft if he couldn’t obtain it, then perhaps that purpose was…

To identify and deal with ‘that’ which had once hidden within the imperial family.

The Emperor might know a great deal about ‘that.’ Until now, I hadn’t paid much attention to the Emperor of the Empire, but perhaps I should meet him at least once.

While I was lost in thought.

Crackle. The underbrush rustled, and one elf cautiously emerged. Then—

“Um, um… here… please take this.”

“………?”

“I-I don’t know. What should I do!”

Handing me a pretty bracelet made of leaves, they vanished back into the thicket. I wondered what it was made of.

I quietly gazed at the leaf, still warm with a strange warmth.

It was just a simple leaf, yet somehow, it held a certain emotion. Could this be what a healthy cultural exchange between races looks like? Shouldn’t I cast preservation magic on it to pass it down through generations?

At that moment, Selvier coldly commanded.

“Throw it away.”

“But Selvier, this has academic value…”

“Academic value or not, throw it away, brother. Before it gets burned up!”

“Ugh…”

With a heart full of regret, I let the leaf go.

We resumed our pursuit of the dark sorcerer, leading the group of elves who had turned neutral.

—-

A squirrel perched on a tree persistently watched them leave.

—-

In a peaceful forest, an unsettling feeling lingered. It was quiet, serene, and soundless.

It was strange. There were no chirping birds, no rustling snakes, not even the fluttering of insects. All living things had been erased. No, they had been consumed.

Here, a deer wandered aimlessly, having lost its companions overnight.

—

—

Surely there was a companion sharing survival, yet where has the group that grazed and quenched their thirst together vanished? Has a chilling predator appeared in this forest?

The deer moved its head back and forth, searching for signs of the predator, but could find no indication whatsoever.

When a question flickered in the clear eyes of the four-legged creature.

“『The Flesh is Free (精肉自在)』.”

Something pale fell from the tree. A silver-haired girl descended, her hair flowing, and at the same moment, the predator’s fangs sank into the deer’s nape.

As the grotesque dagger touched the flesh of the living being.

The deer was instantly reconstituted and drawn into the small body of the silver-haired girl. All of the deer’s blood and flesh, its brief life, became a propulsion system for swift running.

Crack. The newly formed muscles burst forth, gaining acceleration.

Not even a trace of blood was left at the scene of the predation.

“⋯⋯⋯⋯Huh.”

The faceless one thought as she dashed down the forest path.

With her shapeshifting ability, she created a small squirrel to establish a simple surveillance network. Thus, she learned that the number of pursuers had increased and that a mad wizard was trailing behind.

The mad wizard.

A monster who manipulates a tournament with illusion magic, deceiving and shaking the representative knight of the Eastern Front, altering their fable, and instantly perceiving his own fable.

And he is hostile to Redburn. That foolish brother Rodelus should have succeeded in the assassination. The dim-witted failure could do nothing right.

He poses a significant threat to the family and must be killed.

The current situation is not secure.

She has no spare meat doll, cannot receive the “Prophetic Lantern” from her father, and is in an unstable situation where her true form has been revealed.

Then, should she just keep running and prepare to fight?

No.

To take the risk of fighting a formidable foe in such a situation is because that mad wizard is also in a precariously unstable condition.

He has been split apart.

Not long ago, there was a wide-area telepathy from the “Lamb that Swallows Pain.” It was a covert message directed at four dark sorcerers and their associates.

The mad wizard’s soul has been divided into several pieces, and some of those pieces function as artifacts, so if possible, they should be collected and sent to her.

The reason dark sorcerers have been drawn to where the fragments of the soul exist is that they received this message and began to move as a group.

Caught up in the goddess’s “Forced Exile,” experiencing a critical drop in ability. If she is to kill him, perhaps now is the only time.

His abilities are exceedingly troublesome.

The moment he wreaks havoc under the protection of the Purple Tower, an illusion with physical force will be unleashed, and the culprit will shatter all of the dark sorcerer’s plans with unimaginable cunning.

So, he must be killed now.

The elf’s relic. Originally intended as an offering to her father, but using it to kill the mad wizard might bring him a bit more joy.

—

—

The Faceless, passing through the forest, crushed the souls of the animals it had relentlessly gathered, drawing the figure of a malevolent deity upon the ground, using it as a medium to send a message.

“‘The Corpse Flower that Feeds on Fear’… I’ve obtained the item you were interested in. The elf’s relic. Come here. The wizard who has completely ruined your plans is here too.”

She prepared for a counterattack.