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[Silver Ash] - Become The Strongest In Another World
CHAPTER 298: The Tribe of Artof (1)
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"Create …."
At the inn cafeteria, Tania who was waiting until her order arrived called Noelle, who was just staring blankly at a corner of the room for some time.
His face looked like normal, but upon closer inspection, anyone would notice that he was busy thinking about something.
That's how Noelle even ignored Tania's call.
"Create." Tania called out once more, but Noelle still did not respond.
Her eyes did not blink at all, and she would occasionally mutter things that Tania did not understand.
The waiter approached, and placed a plate filled with slices of fries right in front of Tania.
"Thank you" Tania said briefly to the waiter.
Tania picked up a piece of potato, and used it to gently pierce Noelle's cheek.
"Mmm? Whahuh? "
Noelle finally responded. He lethargicly turned his head, and stared blankly at Tania, waiting for a word to come out of the girl's mouth.
After quite a sickening silence, Tania again pulled her hand, and stuffed the fries into her own mouth, then looked at the ceiling with a look of astonishment.
"About the interview …."
Tania noticed almost all of Noelle's interview sessions with Kafhka, and she felt like asking something about it. However, he could not find the right words to express his question.
As if reading her intentions, Noelle immediately shook her head weakly while waving her hands lightly to the right and left.
"From that–"
He blatantly changed the topic.
"–What do you think 'they' are? "
With just this one question, Tania instantly lost all the questions she wanted to get out. His mind then focused on finding the answers to Noelle's questions.
However, even since yesterday, he had not found any correct answers related to all those questions.
Their encounter with the tribe of Artof, who at first glance looks human, but different. Their form is dwarfed, with skin that is entirely blue like ink.
They lived in the depths of the Cold Forest, far from the more advanced outer civilizations. The Cold Forest was their only world.
A brief meeting with them, had given many questions to Noelle who was also confused at that time.
They suddenly prostrated themselves, and shouted that the Queen of Bengal had sent a blessing. Actually, what does that mean?
After that incident, the Artof tribe explained a little about themselves, but Noelle still did not understand. In the end, a chieftain named Dolum appears and gives a simple explanation to Noelle and Tania.
Tania who received the question from Noelle was silent, then shook her head resignedly hinting that she herself did not know the answer.
Both of them were completely unable to explain what the Artof tribe was, as indeed both of them were completely unaware of their existence before looking at it with their own eyes.
In the end, at that time Noelle requested that Dolum as the representative of the Artof Tribe give her time to think. Noelle intended to take advantage of this time to gather as much information as possible. That was why he hurriedly returned to Alten without taking a single break throughout the journey.
It was the question of the tribe of Artof that had haunted Noelle all this time. He could barely keep his cool during the interview with Kafhka.
The two were then silent, and Tania took another ketang from her plate while looking down slightly.
Suddenly, he lifted his face back up, and looked at Noelle with a face that looked somewhat enthusiastic.
"Let's find information in the guild or library. We might be able to find something there."
Noelle let out a sigh of resignation, and took out one piece of potato from Tania's plate. "That's my intention" he said, biting off a piece of fries.
(Too salty.)
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The search for information about the Artif tribe began after Tania finished all her food.
The first thing they did after that was to visit the guild, and ask for permission to check the archive room that was underground.
As highly ranked adventurers, Noelle and Tania could get permission easily if they did want to. But of course, that permission must be granted with the approval of the chairman, and they can also only ask permission to check for specific information on something.
In short, once they were allowed to find out regarding the Artof tribe, they were not allowed to check for any other information, until the time determined by the chairman himself was over.
Noelle checks Dolf's pocket watch, which she somehow still keeps until now, then starts giving instructions to Tania.
"We did not find any records about the Artof tribe, but there are many records relating to the Cold Forest. Start by investigating the origin of the forest, while I'll check the records regarding the Queen of Bengal."
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After hours of searching for information, Noelle and Tania compactly walked out of the city library, certainly with disappointed expressions that were not clearly depicted on their faces.
"There is no record of anything to allude to the existence of Sukh Artof. And not even a single one could be a clue. But …."
Noelle stretched her body while breathing heavily in the bright afternoon sun. Meanwhile, Tania was tired of continuing the words that Noelle had not finished.
"We have instead found a myriad of accounts of the Queen of the Bengal, most likely just a random theory …."
The reason both consider that all information about the Queen of Bengal is just a theory is because each record has a different opinion.
After simultaneously expressing her disappointment, Noelle and Tania stood quietly in front of the library without doing anything. But then Noelle gently tapped Tania's head with the back of her hand.
"I don't think it's all in vain. At least we can find some notes that are very similar to each other. So, you could say all the theories are made based on the same statement."
At least, they both know that the Queen of Bengis is not a fictional character, but someone who is really real, even though her own true identity is still unclear.
The eternal winter in the Cold Forest also looked unnatural, so Noelle thought that it must be something created with magic. That's why he believed enough that the existence of the Bengis Queen was something real. Or at least, there was a figure who had great influence in the Cold Forest, thus being referred to as the Queen of Bengal.
Hearing Noelle's idea, the first thing Tania did was frown.
"But ... The name of the Bengis Queen alone is enough to hint at something bad, right? Are you sure he's not a dangerous existence? "
Indeed, the name 'Queen of Bengis' had already clearly stated that she was a dangerous existence. The word 'grim' can also be interpreted with 'cruel' and 'grumpy'.
Noelle crossed her arms in front of her chest, then smiled elaborately. "Dangerous or not is something that is not clear. We can verify it later. For now, let's focus on the problem at hand."
That's right, what they were looking for was information about the Artof tribe.
The existence of the Queen of Bengal may have an effect on the answers they will find, but for now it is not that important. Both of them were completely lacking information regarding this character called the Queen of Bengal.
"Tania, actually you've been too deeply involved with this, and I can't believe that I said it either. But ... do you still want to continue this investigation? "
At first, and supposedly, Tanja had nothing to do with the Artof tribe's problems. What got her involved in this was because she was Noelle's guide in finding the heart of the Spirit Hunter.
In short, if Tania had not implicated herself in Noelle's matter in the first place, she would never have intervened with this matter.
Showing a confused face for a moment, Tania then smiled faintly at Noelle, a smile that Noelle had seen many times from her, but still left her stunned.
(Girls with minimal expression tend to be very sweet when smiling like that ..).
It reminded him a little of Olivia, which made Noelle inevitably feel sinful because she had likened the two.
"I don't mind" said Tania.
The girl then turned her head in an attempt to turn her gaze in the other direction. "Doing an investigation with No– I mean Grei was fun."
She almost called him Noah instead of Grei. Realizing that the surroundings were still bustling, Tania instantly corrected her own words.
"In addition .. I was also curious. The Artof tribe, they seem so secretive, but they are very welcoming to outsiders like us. Ahh, Navi also wants to find out, so this is a lucrative opportunity."
(Again, who is Navi? )
Noelle finally shrugged and sighed resignedly.
Although the reason was difficult to understand, Noelle did not have the right to refuse. That's why he ….
"Well, fine if you insist."
Covering the awkwardness that flowed down her throat, Noelle cleared her throat and looked at the sky with absentminded eyes.
"I intend to come to them again. Do you want to come along? "
'They' that Noelle meant was of course his identity obvious. Even Tania did not need to remember to understand the objective Noelle explained.
If going to the tribe of Artof was the best option, then of course Tania would not refuse it.
At first Noelle did not want to do this, but there seemed to be nothing better than asking them directly, the Artof tribe regarding the situation.
Noelle intended to delay until she got enough information, but then she realized that the information did not exist at all.
Or maybe there is, just not yet known.
For example .. information that the church hides.
Noelle just remembered that there is a so-called 'secret organization belonging to the church'.
Maybe they knew something Noelle wanted to know. However, considering that she had just infiltrated not too long ago, and caused a mess, Noelle so did not want to risk any more.
After its last infiltration, the church organization may have been aware of, and instead strengthened security. Therefore, the choice to provide information from the church was the first Noelle to remove from the list.
The offer from Noelle made Tania tilt her head in surprise.
"Of course I'm coming."
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