After the scene caused by these two clowns, the atmosphere became much livelier and lighter.
“I really wonder where Princess Mantield has been these past few years,” Brad, who had just gotten into a brawl, let out a sigh.
His eye had gained a fresh black bruise.
Lierof had it even worse, looking like a giant panda with two black eyes.
Fortunately, the potions were potent and still working, continuously healing their injuries.
“When... when did Princess Mantield leave the royal capital?” Li Xiuman asked with some curiosity.
“About two years ago,” Lierof replied after thinking for a moment.
“Do you know why I brought everyone out on this adventure?” Brad's eyes sparkled again with admiration. “Besides looking for the Spirit Spring, it was because of Princess Mantield's free-spirited, wild nature—leaving whenever she wanted!”
“If not for Princess Mantield setting an example, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to run away from home!”
To just pack up and leave was simply too cool. As expected of Princess Mantield, she effortlessly accomplished what others could never do.
“...”
Li Xiuman felt a strong urge to bury his face in his hands.
That's a terrible influence, isn't it?
Ilu single-handedly raised the runaway rate in the capital. I bet plenty of parents back home are having massive headaches because of her.
“Two years ago, Princess Mantield searched the entire capital for a suitable weapon,” Brad continued passionately. “However, no weapon could withstand her power, snapping one after another. To break every weapon she tried—as expected of Princess Mantield, that terrifying monstrous strength made it look so effortless...”
“And just at that time, a rumor surfaced in the capital.”
“It was said that the famous Glacial Seal Sword—one of the strongest blades in the kingdom's history—had reappeared.”
“Princess Mantield set off that very night! That level of decisiveness... as expected of...”
And so, based on a rumor everyone had assumed was fake, Ilu left the capital and searched for over a year.
And in the end, she actually found it.
It was downright terrifying.
Brad then babbled endlessly to Li Xiuman about the legends surrounding Ilu.
How she beat an ox to death at age three, sitting on and smothering a magical beast at age six...
It didn't sound like a description of a human at all, but rather the growth history of a prehistoric monster.
“Captain, that's enough.”
“Sister Xiuman, I'm so sorry,” Mia said apologetically. “Whenever Captain starts talking about Princess Mantield, he gets like this.”
“Ahem.”
Brad snapped back to reality, coughing awkwardly.
Oh no, I lost my composure in front of Miss Xiuman.
Talking about this nonstop... Miss Xiuman must think I'm so boring.
And Miss Xiuman is a girl, too! Keeps talking about another woman right in front of a girl... That's terrible manners!
Only then did Brad realize his blunder, filled with instant regret.
“Captain, everyone's finished resting,” Mia added. “Let's keep searching for the Spirit Spring. It's very likely on this island.”
“Oh, right!”
At the mention of the Spirit Spring, Brad quickly pulled himself together.
He swiftly organized the formation, and the party approached the center of the crystal island.
Finally, at the island's center, they found a small, raised crystal ring mountain.
Right at the mountain's center was a narrow fissure, wide enough for one person to pass through at a time.
“Form a single line! Heavy Warriors guard the front and rear as we enter.”
Single file, the group squeezed through the gap and arrived inside the ring mountain.
It felt like stepping into an isolated paradise.
Flowers, grass, trees, and rocks made of crystal covered the ground everywhere, looking as though the entire small area had been turned into crystal in a single instant.
Light blue specks glowed in the air, floating gently like tiny spirits.
Right in the middle of this dreamlike place, a small pond shining with iridescent light lay nestled among the crystal flora.
“The Spirit Spring!”
Everyone grew excited, eager to rush toward the pond.
They had actually found it—the Spirit Spring described in The Crystal Hero's Dragon-Slaying Epic!
“Calm down! Don't let joy turn to sorrow!”
“Sorrow comes after joy!”
“Joy comes and goes without a trace!”
“Trace...”
“Who the fuck started a word chain just now? Stop scaring people!”
Li Xiuman felt completely speechless. The sudden word chain had given him a jump scare.
Is this word chain PTSD?
After beating up the person who started the word chain, the group cautiously approached the Spirit Spring with high alertness.
As they drew closer, the rainbow radiance of the Spirit Spring illuminated everyone.
Drip.
A faint sound of falling water echoed.
A single iridescent drop materialized out of thin air above the spring, falling onto the surface and sending ripples across the water.
Startled, everyone watched the Spirit Spring with guarded eyes.
“What was that just now?”
“The startup animation.”
Just as Brad was about to ask what a startup animation was, a whirlpool formed in the peaceful pond.
Then, a figure emerged from the center of the vortex.
Her rainbow-colored hair looked like flowing water, cascading down into the Spirit Spring like a waterfall.
Her skin was as white as snow, and her large eyes lacked whites or pupils—they were entirely shimmering, shifting rainbow hues, making it impossible to tell where she was looking.
Her exquisite silhouette was draped in a veil of rainbow water, obscuring her body in a hazy, ethereal beauty.
“Haaah~”
She let out a yawn.
“How many years has it been since anyone came here? How unusual...”
“I am the water spirit of this Spirit Spring. O brave heroes who have overcome countless trials to reach this place...”
“Welcome.”
The water spirit opened her arms, speaking softly with a holy, serene smile.
“It really is a startup animation,” Li Xiuman muttered.
“Great and beautiful water spirit,” Brad stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “We offer you our greetings.”
“Forget it, no need to go through the whole ceremony,” the water spirit interrupted. “One, two, three... Bestowing blessings on so many people takes a ton of effort. Let's not waste time, make it quick.”
In an instant, the sacred water spirit transformed into a shut-in forced to work overtime.
It seemed her previous words and graceful gesture... were merely mandatory script requirements.
The adventurers exchanged bewildered glances.
“Um, great water spirit... do we, err, go one by one?” Brad asked awkwardly, remembering the description in The Crystal Hero's Dragon-Slaying Epic.
“What do you mean one by one? Come together! Hurry up!”
“To... together?!”
“Th-That's not very appropriate, is it? You're a holy spirit, after all!”
Brad felt his worldview shattering.
“Besides, there are women among us, so it's a bit inconvenient...”
“What are you talking about? What's inconvenient about women?”
The water spirit crossed her arms and frowned.
Her pupil-less, rainbow-colored eyes made it impossible to tell whom she was glaring at.
She seemed to be pondering something.
“How did you people find this place?” she asked after thinking.
“Well, it went like this...”
Brad explained the whole story from start to finish.
“The Crystal Hero's Dragon-Slaying Epic?”
“Great water spirit, it's this book,” seeing the water spirit show a curious expression, Brad quickly pulled the book from his shirt and handed it over.
“Ahem, let me take a look.”
The water spirit took it, opened it, and began flipping through page by page.
Everyone waited quietly.
However, the silence didn't last long.
When they looked up, they saw the water spirit shredding the book into tiny pieces.
She was so furious that her hair made of flowing water stood straight up!
“Sacrilege! Absolute sacrilege!”
“Death penalty! Death penalty for all of them! That damn Crystal Hero! How dare he make up such trash about his own epic!!”
“What a piece of scum! Scum! Scum!!”
Judging by her reaction, the water spirit had reached the chapter about the Spirit Spring.
And for her to be enraged to this degree, the version Brad handed over was probably the all-ages edition.
He truly was a brave soul, Li Xiuman thought in admiration.
“To think I gave a blessing to a trash bag like him! I must have been blind back then!”
“Now everyone thinks I'm some kind of slutty water spirit!!”
The water spirit slowly calmed down, glared at the crowd, and asked, “How far... did this thing spread?”
“...One city.”
“Tell me the truth.”
“Three cities.”
“TELL ME THE TRUTH!”
The water spirit had fully transformed into a water demon.
“...All the duchies in the Lantes United Kingdom.”
“And there are bootleg, unofficial prints... It might have spread... to countries outside Lantes as well.”
Plop!
The water spirit plunged straight back into the water.
“No, no, NO!!”
“I can never show my face again!!”
Faced with total social death, the water spirit crouched beneath the water's surface, refusing to come out ever again.
Rate on N.U.
