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Chapter 63
Mnesol is a monster that grows by consuming memories.
But it’s not a monster that can’t be confronted.
“Ask for the location.”
[You’re going?]
“Yes.”
When Elia spoke with certainty, Gaji didn’t try to stop her.
[Our girl says she can do it. I’ll tell you.]
[You might regret it.]
[Tell me.]
[The location is…]
The ancient tree told Gaji the location of the rare.
[Let’s go. I’ve told you.]
Elia nodded and approached Alexis.
“Let’s go. I found it. But I have to lead the way.”
“Ellie, you?”
Mnesol only attacks the first intruder who enters its territory. So the first person to enter Mnesol’s domain must be her.
“The Duke won’t be able to withstand Mnesol’s attack.”
Mnesol is a monster that devours all memories.
No matter how great a Sword Master Alexis is, it would be mentally exhausting to face Mnesol.
“Even the Iron Eagle knights could be taken down.”
Once it devours the memories of the first target, the next victim could be either Dmitri or one of the Iron Eagle knights.
This is how Mnesol consumes memories one by one.
“To think Mnesol would be here.”
It was completely unexpected.
“But that doesn’t mean it has no weaknesses.”
Elia knew the weaknesses of every monster. It was knowledge gained from her past three lives.
You have to know the abilities of monsters in the North to stand a chance against them.
When the Cartelina Duke family fell, no one could stop the monsters.
In her first life, Duchess Christina and Raul even pressured her to share her wisdom.
So Elia tirelessly researched monsters day and night, even bleeding, to learn their weaknesses and traits.
The second life was no different.
She had to come up with strategies using her knowledge of monsters to fend them off.
Looking back, she had worked herself to the bone.
But the rewards were empty.
In her first life, she wanted recognition from Duchess Christina and Raul; in the second, she wanted to see them fall through Serhi’s actions; in the third, she wanted to destroy the world.
Her hatred had been immense.
What had changed now was regret.
Regret for the countless lives she sacrificed for personal desires. The idea of sacrificing the few for the many was nothing but a hollow justification.
She realized it only now.
Every life deserves respect.
No life exists just to be sacrificed for someone else.
It was simply hypocrisy for one’s own gain.
The party moved forward, with Elia taking the lead.
Alexis quietly watched Elia’s small frame.
She seemed like she was risking herself, and he instinctively reached for her shoulder.
“Ellie.”
“Yes?”
“Come with me.”
“No. Follow behind me.”
Alexis frowned.
“Ellie, why do you insist on protecting us? You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
Elia stubbornly pressed her lips together.
“So there really is something.”
Alexis stopped walking and asked seriously.
“Tell me.”
“If I do, you won’t listen.”
“Ellie, I’m not weak enough that you need to protect me.”
“I know how strong you are, Duke.”
“Then speak.”
Elia exhaled deeply.
“I just wish you wouldn’t draw a line even with me.”
She thought that maybe she had drawn a line for Alexis to protect him.
She didn’t want him to be in danger.
“Mnesol is there.”
“What?”
“Mnesol is guarding the Dragon Rare as its guardian.”
“Mnesol?”
“Yes, it’s a monster born from a fragment left by the God of Memories.”
“I’ve read about it. Wait, were you planning to be bait?”
“Yes. Because I know its weakness.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“See, you’re going to try to stop me.”
Elia knew how much Alexis worried about her. That’s why she hadn’t said anything before.
But she trusted him enough to tell the truth.
“I have a method. Leave it to me.”
“It’s dangerous…”
“It’s not. It’s a method only I can do.”
“If something happens to you…”
“You can intervene if you want.”
“It’s a promise.”
“Of course. Shall we go?”
Alexis reluctantly nodded.
Zirk, who followed behind, was equally worried about Elia.
Elia followed the path Gaji led her on.
As they walked along the winding forest path, thick humidity greeted them.
“So this is it.”
The air was oppressively damp.
“Duke, wait here.”
“Ellie, you?”
“I’ll be just a step ahead. Watch over me.”
“Alright.”
Alexis had the party stop.
Elia took a step forward.
A voice echoed.
Shh shh shh.
[Have you come to give me your memories, foolish human?]
“Yes. You must be starving. Take my memories and make a path for me.”
[Heh heh heh, fine. I’ll consider it once I consume them all.]
Elia smiled gently.
Shh shh shh—
The mist, wavering like a mirage, seeped into Elia’s mind. She poured all her memories from her fourth life into it.
Mnesol didn’t know there were memories it couldn’t handle.
“Can you really handle all my memories?”
All of Elia’s fourth-life memories vanished into Mnesol’s maw.
Elia’s eyes lost focus.
[Hahaha, foolish human…]
Mnesol’s laughter abruptly stopped.
[St-stop…]
Her memories kept flooding in, swelling its form.
[S-stop…]
The memories it had longed to devour were too numerous to handle.
[No, no…]
When too many memories are consumed, one’s sense of self collapses.
The intense hatred and deep emotions Elia had experienced were more than Mnesol could endure.
It had never seen anything like this before.
[You… what…]
Eat and burst.
The memories pouring from her small body gradually shattered Mnesol.
Already formless and ghost-like, its belly now threatened to burst.
[No! Stop!]
Die already.
With a loud thud!, Mnesol’s body disintegrated.
Alexis stared anxiously at Elia, who stood unmoving.
He felt he shouldn’t intervene yet, though instinct urged him to.
As he watched tensely, Elia’s body finally collapsed.
“Ellie.”
His body reacted first, scooping her up. He quickly checked her face.
“Are you alright, Ellie?”
Elia smiled, pale but relieved.
“I did it, Duke.”
She smiled gently and pointed forward with her index finger.
“Mnesol… I defeated it.”
“What?”
It was true.
The thick humidity cleared, replaced by fresh, clean air.
“Look at this.”
With Mnesol gone, the dense mist lifted, revealing an entirely different forest.
It was breathtaking, almost heavenly.
A giant waterfall centered the forest.
Near the falls, mysterious plants grew, and trees bore sweet-looking fruits.
It was enough to make anyone gasp in admiration.
“Let me down.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Elia jumped down from Alexis’ arms and ran to the tree, seeing the fruit.
“Amla.”
“Amla?”
“Yes, a very rare fruit.”
Amla improves digestion and boosts immunity. It also has slight healing properties, and can be consumed as juice or oil.
“Pick all the fruits.”
At Elia’s instruction, Alexis chuckled and began picking them with the knights.
“Pick only the yellow ones. Greenish-yellow fruits aren’t ripe yet, so don’t pick them.”
Even just gathering fruit felt like striking it rich.
[Ellie, this looks like dragon-breath moss.]
“What?”
Gaji pointed, and near the waterfall, mysterious herbs grew.
The leaves were thicker and more luxuriant than normal moss, with a blend of turquoise and emerald.
What was more unusual was that the entire moss shimmered with a blue glow, like dragon scales.
