Part 27: Chapter Twenty-Six: The Mountain Workshop

Having driven off the dreaded Dragon King Ardgevald, Felt and his friends returned to Claire Village.



No, however…
We drove it away!
Old Lady: That’s great!
We will be able to sleep easy, tonight.
Thank you all.
Please accept this as a token of our gratitude. It is all I have.
System Message: Received 2000 Cole!
Old Lady: This was my husband’s life savings. He was killed by the dragon.
Please take it, in honor of him.
…
Okay, I gratefully accept this offering.
Magic Shop: I’m going to help out here before returning to Grand.
I run a magic shop. I’m sure I have something for everyone.
Please stop by anytime.
Then we can look for the next workshop.
They said it was in a place called Nelvia…
Let’s go.

The Spring of Nelvia had been, in prior times, a place holy to the Mana of Water. The power of Mana had long since fled Belkhyde, of course.



The Cleft of Nelvia is just up ahead.
It’s a dangerous and desolate land. Nobody chooses to go there.
Grand uses it as a prison for their most vile criminals.

The native birds of the Cleft also attracted hunters, as their feathers were quite valuable. Indeed, one of these hunters barred the path to the Workshop and required a bribe to pass.



Hunter: …
Um, I said excuse me…
Hunter: Phoenix Quills…
What?
Hunter: I demand 6 Phoenix Quills…
Is that so much to ask for…?

Fortunately, the birds also shed the feathers at times and careful searches could often find them on the ground.



Hunter: Is that so much to ask for…?
Here you go.
System Message: Handed over 6 [Phoenix Quills].
Hunter: ……
Is a thank you so much to ask for…?

They pushed on, and found the Workshop as expected.

Video- “The Workshop”

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The top of a cliff like this…
Is the perfect place to hide something.
Alright, everyone, wait here.

Felt and the Azoth had a somewhat more serious conversation this time.



This is okay, right?
Azure Azoth: Yes, good job.
So, Weathervane Hill should be restored now.
Heh, I’m getting the hang of these Pa-Para…da…
Azure Azoth: *sigh * Paradies auf Eden.
Although, the usage of that name is trivial.
Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something…
Azure Azoth: Ask away. What is your poignant inquiry?
Who or what are you?
Azure Azoth: ……
I do not understand. What are you implying?
Ah, well…
Was this existence what you had intended when you created the Azoth?
Azure Azoth: Ah, it is an existential question you offer.
The Azoth itself does not have a will of its own. It is just a sword, after all.
I was once a human.
I transferred my intellectual essence into the Azoth.
You can do that?
Azure Azoth: Obviously.

The name the Azoth gave was somehow familiar.



Elusmus?
I’ve heard that name before…
Azure Azoth: My name is no longer relevant.
All that matters to us is saving Eden.
And destroying the Crimson Azoth, right?
Azure Azoth: !
Chaos and the Crimson Azoth are endangering Eden’s very existence.
That is why we must fight.
To protect Viese and everyone else back in Eden.
Azure Azoth: Eden is in great peril because of the damage to the land of Mana.
Eden will never be safe until we have stabilized its foundation.
Once we have done that, we take on Chaos.
Azure Azoth: Then we are in agreement.
yes.
Let’s go. The others are waiting for us.

Indeed, they’d started to get slightly worried.



I’m sorry.
Shall we take a rest?
Oh yeah!
Okay, let’s rest at the camp.

Up on the high cliffs, they could see across the continent.



I think I see one in that forest to the south…
That’s the Dark Forest.
People get lost in there all the time. It would be foolish to go there.
We could circle around it to the west.
Won’t that run us straight through that Imperial camp?
I’d rather fight Imperials than risk getting lost.
Dinner’s ready!
……
……
What’s with all the long faces?!
Waaaaah! We’re all going to die!!

Meanwhile, in a very strange place indeed, was Chaos.



And nearby, the resting place of the Crimson Azoth.



Crimson Azoth: The power level has reached 90%. It is enough to use Exzanosis.
We need more power.
Crimson Azoth: I am sorry for this inconvenience, Master.
It is satisfactory, for now.
It won’t be long until we obtain the power of Gardo.
Crimson Azoth: ……



It would still be a long ways before we learned what grim power the Crimson Azoth was referring to. After leaving Nelvia, Felt and his allies returned to Grand and checked in with the Magic Shop there.



Magic Shop: Thanks to you, our village was saved.
And now I can reopen my store.
I won’t charge you anything, Mr. Gray. Please stop by anytime.
Our featured product contains the recipe for [Animal Cookie]!
It’s a delectable sweet that even enables some animals to talk.

Why this would be important at all is something that will have to wait for another day, though.

Extras: Letters