A Village Appeared on My Desktop

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Chapter 193 – The Internal Enemy (3)

“Indeed, it has been a long time, ruler of humans. I am Luna, the newly appointed Elder Elf.”

“Hmm, well, let’s not dwell on our racial differences.”

The meeting between Luna and the Elves with Emperor Rihir was filled with tension and intrigue.

Even the oldest statesman, who usually didn’t care for the customs of much younger humans, was met with a response from Luna that made some courtiers want to intervene. However, the Emperor quickly spoke up to dismiss any objections.

‘Truly remarkable.’

Luna judged Rihir’s character in that brief moment of interaction. The young Emperor’s confidence as he looked down upon her from his throne was something Luna couldn’t take lightly.

“Recently, the borders have abruptly vanished, but it was not our intention.”

“Then why have you, who have shut yourselves away for hundreds of years, come out now?”

“It is precisely for that reason that we have come to seek your cooperation with a warning. Listening to us will bring no harm to humans.”

In any case, Luna had a mission. She got straight to the point: to inform them about the existence of Bugs and propose cooperation to eradicate the possibility of their resurgence.

Naturally, every time she spoke, the surrounding courtiers buzzed with murmuring.

It was understandable; countless lives on the fringes of the continent were risking everything to fight the Bugs, and yet these people were completely unaware of their existence.

‘So the Black Monsters didn’t touch this area at all? So the fierce battles we fought were just a storm in a teacup?’

Luna was secretly taken aback by their reactions. She had never thought they would be completely ignorant of the Bugs.

“That’s a hard tale to swallow. You’re saying monsters called Black Monsters have appeared in mass and tried to invade and contaminate the Land of Elves?”

“It’s likely not just our land. Anyway, we have pushed back their nests, but we can’t be certain yet. They are beings that can multiply and build power anywhere, so we came to warn you of that danger.”

“That sounds exceedingly perilous. Surely, you wouldn’t come forth just now to spread falsehoods.”

He smiled faintly. It wasn’t a smile that mocked Luna for not being taken seriously; those familiar with the Emperor would recognize that expression as one he wore when he felt confident.

“I agree that we must work together to stop those monsters. Otherwise, the world may plunge into crisis.”

‘Could it be that he understands?’

In that moment, Luna thought the Emperor truly grasped her words. His concern for the world’s crisis, without dismissing her, gave her that impression.

“However, to prevent that, it seems we will need a bit more intimate cooperation.”

But as those words progressed, the atmosphere subtly shifted. The Emperor had no intention of hiding his ambitions.

“Our army can protect your land, which has suffered disasters.”

“What do you mean…?”

The Emperor, already confident in his thoughts, laid it all out straightforwardly. This negotiation had been predetermined from the start.

The Emperor coveted the achievements in the Land of Elves that no predecessor had accomplished, and his meeting with Luna solidified those plans.

“Everyone evacuate!”

What followed was the scene Junyoung discovered upon arriving home through alarms.

The Emperor intended to capture the entire Elven delegation, and the Elves were desperately fleeing the Imperial Palace in a panic.

“Aah!”

“Maria!”

However, this was the heart of the enemy nation, the most heavily guarded part of the Imperial Palace.

The Elves attempted to escape by utilizing their power, but one by one they began to be subdued by the palace guards.

“Wait, what’s that?”

“Something strange is rising in the sky.”

That was when the anomaly occurred. The fleeing Elves and the guards trying to capture them simultaneously gazed up at the immense entity emerging from the murky clouds.

“What is this…!”

“The sky is angry! It’s lightning!”

The enormous gun appearing in the sky, unleashing thunderbolts, was a cataclysmic calamity for those on the ground.

The ones who had attacked the Elves staggered back in terror, unable to approach, as the shock of the lightning raining down was overwhelming.

“Hold your ground! You foolish fools.”

Of course, some possessed courage. They held their ground with tremendous loyalty and responsibility even when faced with the judgment of lightning.

“Ugh!”

But that didn’t mean they possessed the power to reject it. They too had to dodge the lightning aimed at them, desperately seeking cover.

“Lady Luna, this must be from Him!”

“Yes. He has been watching over us. Let’s get out while they’re bewildered by what’s happening.”

Meanwhile, the Elves remained calm. They were already aware of whom the massive weapon in the sky belonged to.

The spectacle of the sky-based machine gun sweeping away the Bugs on the ground was one the Elves had witnessed numerous times.

However, Luna’s expression was not bright. This overwhelming power for destruction was formidable, but it was not flawless or absolute.

Knowing it had a short duration and needed to recharge, Luna hurried to escape with her comrades.

“Elder!”

“Stop, everyone. They aren’t going to kill us immediately. Instead of resisting and getting hurt, it’s better to preserve our safety.”

But her judgment quickly changed. Stopping in a conflicted demeanor, she began to convince her comrades to surrender.

“We’re in the heart of enemy territory. The odds of us escaping are slim. But it’s alright. If He is watching us, this news will surely reach our homeland.”

“They could do anything to us, Elder!”

“I trust Him. He will protect us as He has just done. Then those wicked humans wouldn’t dare lay a hand on us.”

Luna’s profound belief came from the presence watching them from beyond the screen.

“He never betrays those who believe in and follow Him. We have seen that to be true so far. The same goes for those who follow Him.”

The trust that arose was not spontaneous. The faith the Elves placed in Him was earned through His demonstration and proof.

“Let’s not shamefully flee, but rather face this head-on. He is behind us.”

Luna boldly turned to face the guards approaching.

The lightning gun that appeared in the sky had vanished, yet the guards, filled with trepidation, hesitated as Luna and the Elves stepped forward with confidence.

They were unsure when and where another bolt would fall and deliver judgment upon them.

“I have seen your vile schemes. I acknowledge I fell for your tricks, but go ahead and try to do what you want. You will all face His judgment.”

“Ugh, capture them all!”

Though the circumstances hadn’t changed, the atmosphere did.

The captain of the guards shouted to capture the approaching Elves, yet the guards merely glanced at one another, hesitating.

This tension lingered. The guards had to keep glancing around as they attempted to arrest the Elves, while the Elves appeared unfazed, as if they had something to rely on.

“Ugh, why is nothing ever going right?”

Watching this unfold from beyond the screen, he deeply sighed and shut his eyes tightly.

*

“…”

The fight against the Bugs isn’t over until it truly ends. Everyone must band together until they are completely exterminated.

But the people are oblivious to this. Neither the folks in that world nor those in this one know. It’s a frustration that has reached a breaking point.

‘I can’t ignore this. We must rescue those who have been captured.’

My thoughts became increasingly convoluted due to the burden of not betraying those who have faith in me. The captured Elves had changed their minds the moment I helped them and willingly surrendered to the enemy.

In the moment we felt we might collapse, they too looked to me as if I were an extraordinary being for assistance.

In reality, I wasn’t an absolute being they could count on, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn away from them.

‘After all, it was them who first instigated this. There was no choice but to fight.’

Moreover, it was they who had attacked the Elves who came seeking cooperation. It meant they had already made up their minds to take a hostile stance towards the Elves.

If they declared war on the Elves, we, who had formed an alliance with the Elves, would naturally have to fight them. I had no intentions of abandoning the Elves who believed in me either.

“—? —?!”

What I needed the most right now was to warn the residents about what was happening in that far-off land.

I pondered how to convey this to Balun. I still hadn’t found a way to communicate directly with them.

“—!”

Balun, who had risen to join others, seemed surprised by how long it had been since he was pulled into this Creature Hunting.

I moved my character closer to him. Since it wasn’t the first time I was doing this, Balun didn’t seem scared; instead, he looked at my character with a tense expression.

‘Will he understand this?’

The reason I called him here was to convey this to him. After giving him a light tap to grab his attention, I began to stack blocks and sort of draw a picture.

My artistic skills were pitiful, but I could somewhat outline the shape by placing dots. I trusted that he would pick up on the rest. From the beginning, Balun had been an excellent Lord communicating with me through sheer intuition.

“…—!”

Indeed, as I completed my drawing, he cried out as if he understood what it meant. Whether or not he comprehended correctly, his excited reaction made me confident that he had grasped it.

‘The details will soon reach him anyway.’

Among the Elves, those who practiced elemental magic would certainly be present, and information would undoubtedly soon reach the homeland.

In truth, I was more worried about the fact that after killing the Bugs, another war would ensue than about the delay in communication.

The screen that naturally turned to face showed the capital where Riena was. When zoomed in, she was occasionally seen enjoying a peaceful life and resting.

Knowing I still needed her power now that I had decided to intervene in the affairs of reality, I wanted to let her rest peacefully at least during this time.

After all, no matter what happens, when I call upon her, she fights with all her heart.

However, Riena still could not afford to rest her powers. The world remained chaotic, and my strength was inadequate.

We still needed a hero.

My desktop now displayed the village: Chapter 194.