Chapter 32 The Unrewarded Warrior of the Forest
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Five sharp arrowheads aimed dead at my heart, not a millimeter off.
Right after teleporting, that was the situation I faced.
A freezing murderous intent pricked my skin. The forest air felt tense and suffocating.
Sensing a demonic Mana signature, I glanced sideways. I saw Butler Ashraf, my teleport beacon, standing deep in the forest.
The spot I chose to teleport into was terrible.
As soon as he noticed my look, he gave a respectful, polite bow. For someone in a tense spot, he stayed as carefree as ever.
(I really don’t want to make enemies out of the elves…)
As I racked my brain for a way to break this deadlock—
”Wait, stop, Kyle! All of you, lower your weapons!” Sylphie cried out. She stepped forward, arms spread to block them.
Her small body became a shield, screening me from the five deadly arrows.
”Sylphie! Why shield that human?” Kyle demanded. His voice was sharp and piercing.
The man called Kyle wore deep green leather armor that blended into the leaves. He stayed still, bow drawn tight.
”This person saved our lives! Lady Lyphia is safe! He rescued her from House Blanchefort!” Sylphie argued.
At her desperate plea, a wave of visible shock rippled through the elves.
Relief over the princess’s safety, mixed with the shock that the human they nearly killed was the one who did it—those feelings flickered across their faces like sunlight through swaying branches.
Finally, Kyle grimaced like he chewed a bitter pill. He slowly lowered his bow.
The soft sound of the bowstring slackening echoed through the tense air. The other four followed, lowering their weapons too.
But they hadn’t lowered their guard.
Kyle especially glared at me like a bird of prey eyeing its target. He looked at me like his sworn enemy.
Well, that was natural.
Humans and elves had spilled each other’s blood for centuries. Asking him to trust a human who popped up in their forest was pointless.
Still, the news of the princess’s safety and Sylphie’s words carried huge weight.
So they gave me an audience with their leader, Elysion Elfheim.
That was also natural.
I was still holding over twenty of their kin, including their princess. Not hearing me out wasn’t an option.
* * *
Flanked by armed elven warriors on all sides, we moved deeper into the forest heart. Between the massive trees, the only sound was the soft crunch of damp leaf mold under our boots.
During the walk, I lowered my voice to ask Sylphie about Kyle.
”He’s Lady Lyphia’s childhood friend, and the strongest warrior in the forest,” Sylphie whispered.
According to her, Kyle was a handsome young man with short golden hair and the same emerald-green eyes as Princess Lyphia.
But he had a heavily trained, muscular body, rare for an elf. The leather wristband on his left arm made his bulging biceps stand out.
That said a lot about his practical skill.
He was amazing at archery and swordsmanship. He specialized in forest guerrilla warfare. They said he moved fast by using tree trunks and plants as footholds, hiding his movements in the wind and bird sounds.
A true child of the forest, so to speak.
Also, since he was Princess Lyphia’s childhood friend, they were very close.
”…I have a sneaky feeling they might end up ‘mated’ in the future,” Sylphie added in a low whisper.
Right then, Kyle walked ahead of us, turned around with an annoyed look. His eyes flashed sharply.
”Sylphie! Stop giving unnecessary info to the enemy!” Kyle snapped.
”I told you, he’s not the enemy!” Sylphie shot back. She puffed out her cheeks in a pout.
Kyle’s anger was probably just hiding his embarrassment over someone prying into his relationship with Lyphia. But Sylphie seemed clueless to that.
As I listened to their warm banter—
A certain realization hit me.
* * *
In the game story I knew, Princess Lyphia would end up in a political marriage with Prince Liam, depending on the route.
Someone would rescue her from Margrave Albion’s prison. And those who did that were supposed to be Kyle and his squad, who were setting out to save her.
Even without me, Kyle’s unit—masters of stealth—would have saved her sooner or later.
But if the game story held true, going forward—
Lyphia would end up bound to the kingdom’s prince.
A character named ‘Kyle’ didn’t even exist in the game.
There was no scenario where Lyphia married anyone but Prince Liam.
So despite risking his life to save the princess, no matter what route the game took, he would never end up with her.
…Good grief.
Talk about a tragic, unrewarded hero.
Despite myself, I found my gaze drifting to Kyle’s back. I stared at him with a sympathetic, lukewarm look of pity.
Maybe sensing my look, Kyle snapped his head back around. He bared his teeth.
”What’s with that look, you bastard? I’ll kill you!” Kyle snarled.
”Ah, my bad,” I replied honestly.
Despite his sudden outburst, I offered a straight, honest apology.
I had no desire to kick a man while he was down.
”Kyle! Show respect to Lord Xenos!” Sylphie scolded him.
I waved my hand, saying, “Don’t worry. It’s fine.” I actually stepped in to cover for Kyle.
Faced with my mature, dignified response, Kyle looked even more miserable as he turned back around.
* * *
While all this happened, we finally arrived before the elven leader.
What lay before us was a fantastic settlement that used the forest trees themselves as homes. Doors carved into massive tree trunks, suspension bridges woven from thick vines, wooden houses lit by shafts of sunlight through the canopy.
Elves from various tribes gathered in this village, united to wage their endless war against humanity.
”It’s… pretty massive…” I muttered, staring at the grand sight.
Without delay, they led me into a great hall built inside the largest tree in the village.
Intricate framework walls of woven timber enclosed the hall. A moss-covered stone hearth sat right in the center. From the ceiling, where branches and leaves spread like a canopy, shafts of sunlight fell in soft, radiant beams.
At the far end of the hall, seated on a chair that looked like a throne, was an elderly elf.
He was the elven leader, Elysion Elfheim.
His long, white hair had a flowing, ethereal beauty. Tiny young leaves were scattered through it—a sign of the long time he had lived.
His emerald-green eyes, matching Lyphia’s, held deep wisdom and the weight of history, like the ancient trees of the forest. He wore simple but noble clothes. In his hand, he held a vine-wrapped staff, a symbol of the forest’s life force.
They said his age was several centuries, but he showed no physical weakness.
If anything, he had the sharp, rough vitality of an ancient tree with many growth rings.
But deeply carved into his face were the fatigue and sorrow from the long conflict with humanity.
Slowly, he opened his mouth. His voice was calm but full of old-fashioned, deep authority. It sounded like wind blowing from the forest’s deepest parts.
”…First, I thank you for saving my kin. Now tell me, young man… what brings you to ‘Sylvain’ today?” Elysion Elfheim asked.
Beneath the dignity of his voice lay a clear note of caution.
Very well. From here, it was time to negotiate.
—
Summary:
Xenos teleports right into an elven ambush where arrows are trained on his heart. Sylphie shields him by announcing that he saved Princess Lyphia, defusing the immediate lethal threat. As they travel deeper to meet the elven elder, Xenos realizes that Kyle is a tragic, unsung original hero left completely unrewarded by the structural boundaries of the game scenario.
—
Trivia:
Kyle is entirely omitted from the original game script framework, making his efforts systemically meaningless across all canon game routes.
Elves have structural physiological variations from humans, where muscular physiques like Kyle’s are considered explicitly atypical.
Elysion’s long white hair includes physical integration of young, green forest flora indicating an extreme baseline of age and biological synchronization with the forest.
Over twenty elven captives remain within Xenos’s direct custody, cementing his non-negotiable geopolitical leverage over the elders.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Ashraf – As Xenos’s powerful demon butler, Ashraf carries the family name and serves with elite decorum and absolute obedience. Clad in a formal uniform with pitch-black sclera and golden pupils, this teleportation expert acts as a silent, independent anchor. Though he masks his pleasure-seeking nature and dark, experimental past behind perfect grace, he remains a loyal, shadow-bound servant to the household.
• Butler – A servant to Xenos who appears and disappears with supernatural silence.
• Sylphie – A green-haired elven princess and former squad leader whose plea sparked her own rescue. Despite enduring long captivity, she remains hopeful, serving as a vital guide for Xenos. She actively mediates between humans and elves, tirelessly advocating for peace despite ongoing internal conflicts with her own people.
• Kyle – A loyal elven warrior with short golden hair, emerald eyes, and a muscular build. Skilled in archery, swordsmanship, and forest warfare, he insists on verifying Princess Lyphia’s safety before trusting Xenos.
• Blanchefort – The Albion family, margraves of the southwestern frontier, serve as formidable guardians against both hostile neighboring elves and the encroaching monster army led by Xenos. As a notorious noble house defined by constant conflict, their rule is marked by a legacy of martial intensity and the immense pressure of defending their border territory from persistent external threats.
• Lyphia – Princess Lyphia Elfheim is an elegant elven princess with platinum-blonde hair and emerald eyes. Rescued from the Blanchefort dungeon, she endures hardship with noble grace and an iron will. Committed to interspecies harmony, she offers herself as Xenos’s political bride to secure a vital alliance, blending her dignified identity with a selfless dedication to peace between their peoples.
• Elfheim – The royal elven surname Elfheim, borne by Princess Lyphia and Elysion, symbolizes the highest leadership of the elven race and marks their shared identity as members of the ruling family.
• Elysion – The elderly leader of the elves and bearer of the Elfheim lineage. A wise chief with long white hair, emerald eyes, and a vine-wrapped staff who seeks peace after witnessing Xenos’s military strength.
• Liam – As the influential, idealistic First Prince, he advocates for harmony between humans and demi-humans while opposing the Grimlock family’s warmongering. His role is complicated by Xenos, his engagement to Princess Elisabeth, and his secret love for Cecilia. A calm, detached leader, he rallies his academy allies to maintain peace while balancing complex political duties against his personal desires.
• Albion – Margrave Albion de Blanchefort is a nobleman with flowing silver hair, known for his elegant, playful demeanor and chilling nonchalance. Guarding a secret underground stronghold near the Elven Forest, his charming smile masks deep arrogance and dangerous intent. As a fierce enemy of the protagonist, he wields his authority and hidden power with calculated, aristocratic coldness.
• Xenos – Reincarnated as the “Zero-Mana” heir of House Grimlock, he hides his immense power—including teleportation and monster command—behind an incompetent facade. Using deep knowledge of the game’s script, this calculating strategist manipulates the underworld, forms political alliances, and rescues the marginalized while ruthlessly dismantling enemies and orchestrating an annulment with his fiancée.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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