Transmigrated as Baron, Married with my Lovely Maid-Chapter 121

"Leysha, do you know about the elves and the elven village Ilyana spoke of?"

That was the first question that came to my mind as Leysha, Cecile, and I were on our way to the residential area around Fort Vermillion.

"Yes, Baron Atreus. These elves live in the forest southeast of Fort Vermillion, about an hour’s of journey. Lord and Lady Vermillion once encountered the elves hiding there, and they made a pact," Leysha said, recalling her past.

"A pact...?"

"A pact to protect the elves in their village. King Victor Dragomir not only hated Dragons and Golems, but he also disliked races other than humans. Many elves villages had been burned down, and their inhabitants brutally slaughtered by Dragomir’s soldiers. The elves village in the forest near Fort Vermillion was one of the hidden villages because Lord Vermillion had placed a secret seal that disguised its location."

"Ah, I see. So King Victor Dragomir’s army couldn’t find Ilyana’s village in that forest, huh..."

"That’s right, Baron."

"Then why did he say that I, somehow, didn’t fulfill my promise? What did I break?"

"If I remember correctly, Lord Vermillion once promised the Azure Crystal to the elves in Ilyana’s village because they needed it to strengthen themselves. But unfortunately, Lord Vermillion passed away before he could fulfill that promise."

"Hmm...as for the Azure Crystal, I can easily fulfill that. If we can create an alliance, it supposed to be not that difficult." I said in my reverie.

"Wait a minute. Is Baron Atreus serious about visiting the elves’ village?" Cecile interrupted suddenly.

"Yes," I replied curtly.

"I’m not sure that’s a wise choice, Baron. She tried to attack you with a powerful and fast dagger. If I couldn’t block it, you could have been seriously injured!" Cecile warn me.

I smiled, gently stroking Cecile’s hair.

"I understand your concern, Cecile. But these elves seem to have something to do with my parents. I have a lot to ask, and I believe I need to visit their village."

"I’m worried Ilyana will trap you in the village later."

"Trying to trap the most powerful wizard with the Black Star? I don’t think so, Cecile."

Cecilia just sighed at my confidence, and I simply smiled in response.

"...despite her request being quite simple, I wonder why she suddenly became sad when she mentioned my parents. As if everything was my parents’ fault," I muttered, still confused.

"Sorry, Baron Atreus. I also don’t understand Ilyana’s rather surprising reaction. I looked back through Lord Vermillion’s various records, and there was absolutely no hint of elves. It seems Lord Vermillion is so secretive about these elves that they’re not even included in his records," Leysha explained.

"Heh...even I, as his son, don’t know. Then we’ll have to find out for ourselves. No problem." I said calmly.

Leysha, Cecile, and I continued walking into the residential area near Fort Vermillion, which had become much more developed since I had Alex bring the Azure Crystal to Fort Vermillion for development.

The residential area stretched out in a small circle around a stone plaza at its center, where an Azure Crystal towered two men tall on an old marble altar carved with ancient runes.

I could feel the pulse of the blue magic crystal emitting a soft light, illuminating the rows of thatched-roof wooden houses and stone tiles neatly arranged along the street.

Well, I never imagined the crystal crafters in this residential area could transform it not only into weapons or armor, but also into a source of magical energy for lighting.

"Oh, Lord Atreus Vermillion has arrived...!"

"Lord Atreus Vermillion...!"

The clamor of voices that had initially only come from one or two people I passed now grew to more than ten, then a hundred, then almost everyone in the residential area calling my name excitedly.

I greeted them with a smile and a warm greeting while walking around observing the Crystal Crafters working on the Azure Crystals they held.

But strangely, the Crystal Crafters stopped what they were doing and went out of their way to greet me.

"Lord Atreus Vermillion...! I never thought that you would deign to visit my workshop...!" exclaimed one of the Crystal Crafters, suddenly enthusiastic upon my arrival.

"Calm down, my friend. I just wanted to watch you work on that Azure Crystal. Just get on with what you’re doing," I said reassuringly.

"Hahaha...! I can continue my work later! I just wanted to thank you for your kindness that put that Azure Crystal here...! I never expected that not only would the Vermillion region’s farms thrive, but the Crystal Crafters here would thrive as well...!"

"Glad you like it. By the way... I have a question. Can the Crystal Crafters here create magical clothing from Azure Crystal?" I asked curiously.

"Magical clothing...? You mean beyond armor and the like, my lord...?" the Crystal Crafter asked.

"Yes, more or less like that..."

"That magical clothing doesn’t seem like a human can use it, unless they’re a Wizard, my lord."

"...but can you make it?"

"A-ah... I doubt that the other Crystal Crafters or I can make it. Even the best Crystal Crafters in Victor Dragomir’s kingdom don’t seem to be able to make it. But if you really want it, perhaps we need to explore the knowledge and techniques to develop it into something like that..."

Just as I expected.

No human Crystal Crafters have yet been able to create magical clothing that resembles the magical clothing Ilyana wears.

However, Lord Vermillion possesses magical clothing like the Vermillion’s coat and the Invisible’s coat, which don’t seem to be made by humans.

I suspect the elves made them for Lord Vermillion.

Amidst the excitement, I could hear people calling my name from all sides.

Soldiers from Vermillion Fortress also came to form a protective formation as the crowd grew increasingly eager to meet me.

I wasn’t used to being escorted by so many soldiers, but seeing the crowds growing to greet me, it seemed their role was necessary.

"Long live, Lord Atreus Vermillion...!"

"Glory returns, Vermillion family...!"

"We will defeat King Victor Dragomir...!"

The enthusiastic cheers of the crowd sounded firm and sincere.

I simply smiled at these eager people.

My decision to place the Azure Crystal here was correct, even though I knew there were still dangers lurking.

And the source of that danger, for now, might not be King Victor Dragomir, but rather the Elves.

The elves who live in a hidden village in the forest not far from here could become a new source of chaos if they have malicious intentions to overthrow me.

And this morning I had just felt the resentment and anger of one of the elves who dared to enter my territory undetected despite being protected by numerous soldiers.

Ilyana from Lathiar Village.

Whatever the cost, I had to get there.

Either I had to slaughter her, as she risked becoming a new threat to me, or I had to ally with her to help me provide magical clothing that could be crafted from the Azure Crystal.

*** 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

After greeting the Crystal Crafters, Leysha, Cecile, and I arrived in front of the forest closest to Vermillion Castle.

The three of us walked through the forest. Following the direction of the magic tracing Cecile had set up.

Time passed quickly as we walked through the forest, until Leysha finally gave the signal to stop.

She raised her right palm and chanted the spell in a quiet voice.

’WUUUNNGG....!’

The previously transparent magical shield suddenly became visible.

This black magical shield was the first thing I saw, but with my magic detection ability, I could tell that it wasn’t a protective shield, but rather a disguise.

"Baron Atreus, perhaps you can see it now. This magical shield is a magic manipulation layer created by Lord Vermillion. Those who pass through this magic manipulation layer will not realize they have passed through the path to Lathiar Village. So far, no one has been able to remove this magic manipulation layer," Leysha explained.

"Oh, did you know there was a magic manipulation layer like this?" I asked.

"Lord Vermillion once told me because he trusts me and knows I don’t have the ability to remove this Layer Manipulation Magic. With the dwindling wizard population on this land, it seems like fewer and fewer people can remove this Layer Manipulation Magic," Leysha replied.

"So...we can’t enter Lathiar Village with this Layer Manipulation Magic...? I mean...as you said, Leysha, anyone who passes through this Layer Manipulation Magic will be affected by magical manipulation that obscures the direction to Lathiar Village," Cecile asked curiously.

"Yes, Cecile. Even if we already have Ilyana’s direction with the help of Magic Tracing, this Layer Manipulation Magic can obscure the established direction, making the resulting direction of Magic Tracing useless," Leysha explained further.

"...it turns out this is a tricky and manipulative magic. I wonder if there’s a wizard who can help us with this?" Cecile looked confused.

"Why are you confused? The wizard you’re looking for is right here." I said confidently.

Leysha and Cecile looked at me with amused smiles.

I pointed my right palm at the Layer Manipulation Magic, and the Black Star in my palm reacted, trying to detect the power and flow of this manipulation magic more deeply.

Layer Manipulation Magic is a form of Time and Dimension spell that focuses on creating illusions.

Well, I know Lord Vermillion’s good intentions in creating this Layer Manipulation Magic were to hide the elves in Lathiar Village from the ambush of Victor Dragomir’s Kingdom troops, but unfortunately, that’s over now.

I focused the power of the Time and Dimension spell by generating Dispell Layer Manipulation Magic in front of me.

A flash of electricity appeared along the Layer Manipulation Magic, which gradually formed a crack that spread wider.

When I clenched my hand, my Dispell power reached its maximum, and the crack in the Layer Manipulation Magic widened to each side.

CRACK!

The Layer Manipulation Magic shattered, and the illusion of the forest image that obscured the path to Lathiar Village disappeared.

The path to Lathiar Village was open, and I would be the first wizard to set foot in Lathiar Village since Lord Vermillion—

"You have finally come with a bold step, Atreus Vermillion."

A familiar, yet very close, woman’s voice made me stop in my tracks.

Leysha and Cecile looked around, searching for the source of the woman’s voice, but it was nowhere to be seen.

In mere seconds, I felt two hands, their soft, glowing skin, embrace my shoulders from behind.

Her large, warm breasts pressed against my back, and her fragrant, soft breath tickled my ear.

I saw the elf woman with long, blonde hair smiling down at me with her sexy lips, her right palm cupping my chest.

’THUD...!’

Suddenly, I felt her gentle grip on my chest, piercing and stabbing.

It felt like my heart had been squeezed, making me scream silently.

"Baron Atreus...!"

Leysha and Cecile called out loudly when they saw me screaming in pain.

They both immediately rushed forward to help me, but strangely, their hands that were about to reach me simply went straight through me.

I felt like my body had lost weight and I was floating.

I saw Cecile and Leysha still trying to reach me, but their hands were still going through me.

"It’s too late. Atreus Vermillion has become ’wind’ that has fused with the elves’ bodies."

What the...?

I completely lost control when Ilyana said that.

It felt like my body was no longer flesh and bones, but had transformed into wind magic that Ilyana could control.

Leysha and Cecile called out to me incessantly as they both moved further and further away from me.

In a matter of seconds, everything went black.

I could feel myself in a different place now.

"Welcome to the Lathiar Village, Atreus Vermillion..."