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Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Yofel.

Kirito let out a faint sigh, almost blending into the crackling of the firewood in the hearth.

The dim blue glow of Argo's message faded away, leaving behind a heavy stillness in the air.

In his mind stirred a fleeting sense of relief, that Ren had discovered and reported it in time… yet alongside it, a subtle cut of regret sliced quietly through him.

Kirito's gaze shifted slightly, landing on Asuna.

She sat across from Kizmel, her smile polite, yet her eyes still carried a faint trace of unease that only someone close could recognize.

Her hair stirred lightly in the gentle breeze that slipped through the tall arched window, where the Christmas moonlight streamed in like strands of silver silk.

Kizmel was different. On the Dark Elf knight's face shone genuine joy.

She had been waiting for this day, preparing a small but complete feast: sparkling fruit wine, golden toasted bread, steaming dishes of hearty stew.

To Kizmel, this was more than just a meal. It was one of those rare moments of sharing between comrades.

Kirito forced a smile. He had thought that Christmas in this world might feel different, but still hoped for a fragment of tranquility, at least for one night.

Yet just as that thought began to take root, Argo's message had ripped it out without mercy.

He tightened his fist slightly. The scroll they had taken from the Fallen Elf still rested in his inventory, a dangerous piece of evidence.

A fragment of the deadly game. At first, Kirito had planned to hand it over to Kizmel right after the meal, treating it as the close of a quest. But Ren's words… had suddenly cast everything into uncertainty.

He couldn't stop reasoning: why did his quest and Ren's overlap so closely?

Why, on the same night, did they both stumble upon the same secret? Could it be that none of this was coincidence, but rather the design of some hidden force?

The rich smell of roasted meat, the glow of candles, the faint carols drifting from afar, suddenly all of it felt distant, almost mocking.

Amid the warmth of the feast, Kirito felt the tightening string of tension coil hard around his chest.

He lowered his head slightly, hiding the crease forming between his brows.

If he kept this truth to himself, Asuna could enjoy one more night of peace, she could laugh, she could breathe.

But if he spoke… tonight would no longer be Christmas. It would only be the beginning of a nightmare.

Kirito took a sip of the wine shimmering in his wooden cup. The sharp tang stung his nose, but did nothing to ease the jumble of thoughts.

In that moment, he felt caught between two worlds: one of fragile illusion, and the other of harsh reality knocking at the door.

And then, Kirito's eyes unconsciously drifted toward Asuna once more. Her smile, the candlelight brushing her cheek, the weariness carefully hidden beneath her composed demeanor… all of it deepened his hesitation.

Christmas night was meant to be peaceful. Yet Kirito knew, with just a single word from him, that peace would shatter.

He leaned back against the wooden chair, tilting his head slightly toward the high castle window.

The light from the crater lake shimmered faintly against the stone walls, making the dining hall seem like a painting caught halfway between dream and reality.

But his heart could not rest. Argo's message lingered in his mind like ink that refused to dry.

He finally spoke, his tone casual, as if forcing it, "Kizmel… about the defenses of this castle… are they truly strong enough to ensure the Dark Elves can always hold their ground?"

The sudden question made Asuna pause mid-motion as she set down her bowl of soup.

Her gentle eyes flashed briefly with surprise before she turned toward Kirito, as if silently asking, What exactly are you doubting?

Kizmel, in contrast, showed not the slightest ripple. She rose, walked toward the window, and placed her hand lightly on the stone ledge.

Her long ears twitched with each breath, her violet hair gleaming with soft lines of moonlight.

When she turned back, the deep purple of her eyes glimmered with undeniable pride.

"Yofel Castle is shielded by three sheer cliffs, leaving only a single approach from the lake.

We have guarded this place for centuries, every stone, every wave is an ally to us.

This terrain… is the strongest natural fortress there is."

Her voice resonated through the hall like an ancient oath, and the atmosphere sank with its weight.

Kirito fell silent for a few beats, his fingers tapping lightly on the hilt of the sword resting beside the table, the soft tok, tok echoing steadily like the ticking of a countdown clock.

Then he asked, his voice lowered, "But the Forest Elf… they've never truly abandoned their ambitions, have they?"

Kizmel let out a quiet laugh, not mocking, but tinged with bitterness. She turned halfway, her eyes drifting toward the distant lake. "That's right. They've coveted Yofel since I was a child.

But ambition and strength… are two different things."

She paused, her fingers brushing gently along the pommel of her sword, her tone deepening though still brimming with pride. "They are poor sailors, with no fleet large enough, and they cannot overcome the waters of this lake.

Every assault in the past has shattered before they even set foot ashore. History has proven it, and history will repeat itself."

A brief silence settled. The wind through the window stirred the candle flame on the table.

Kirito frowned, his eyes narrowing. He stopped tapping his fingers and instead gripped the hilt tightly, his hand trembling slightly as if to steady his mind.

"As long as the lake stands, Yofel will never fall… is that what you're so certain of?"

Kizmel turned back, walking slowly, her armored boots striking the stone floor with a heavy thud.

When she stopped in front of him, her gaze locked onto Kirito, the violet within her eyes blazing like an unquenchable fire. "Not belief. Truth."

Asuna pressed her lips together, her hands clasping tightly on her lap before she spoke, her voice cautious. "But… isn't it true that the more certain we are, the more likely we're caught off guard? If there's something we haven't seen yet."

Kizmel's eyes softened as she looked to Asuna. She gave a faint nod, though her smile remained firm.

"Perhaps. But sometimes, a warrior has no right to doubt. Our faith is the sword we wield. If we let it go, everything collapses from within."

Her words cut through the quiet like a sharpened blade. Kirito shuddered slightly, but then forced himself to exhale slowly.

Asuna furrowed her brows, her gaze wavering. She glanced toward Kirito, just as he turned to look at her.

Their eyes met for only a moment, silent, yet enough to understand each other, as if they had reached an unspoken pact.

"Asuna…" Kirito began, but she had already nodded lightly, inhaling before speaking, her tone calm yet firm. "We… have been to the hideout of the Fallen Elf."

The air in the room froze. The whistling of the wind through the window seemed sharper, as if to fill the sudden void.

Kizmel stiffened, her long ears twitching faintly, her dark violet eyes sharpening into cold steel.

She slowly sat down again, her hand unconsciously resting on her sword's hilt, her voice dropping into a low, grave tone. "What did you just say?"

Her gaze, piercing and unyielding, drilled first into Asuna, then shifted to Kirito, searching for the slightest trace of falsehood on their faces.

Only when Kirito gave a slow, resolute nod did Kizmel exhale, but her wariness remained sharp as ever.

Without another word, Kirito opened his inventory. He retrieved a weathered scroll, its edges frayed from careful folding, and placed it on the table, sliding it toward Kizmel. "This… is the battle plan we took from them."

The candlelight stretched the scroll's shadow across the wooden table, like black ink bleeding outward.

Kizmel reached out, unrolling it, her eyes scanning quickly across strange letters, tactical symbols inked thickly in black.

Kirito fixed his gaze on her, his tone dropping heavy, "I believe… the Forest Elf will strike again. And this time, they won't come empty-handed."

Kizmel's eyes flickered, but only for an instant. Outwardly she remained composed, even allowing the faintest trace of a smile, as though nothing could shake her.

Kirito frowned, his voice sharpening like a blade drawn from its sheath, "We saw them with our own eyes… the ships. Still under construction, but enough to prove one thing: the Fallen Elf are supplying war vessels to the Forest Elf."

A faint crack broke the silence, Kizmel had clenched the scroll so tightly her nails pressed into the wood beneath.

In her violet eyes, pride gave way to something else: a fire woven from anger and a worry she could no longer hide.

Asuna pressed her lips together, her hand on her lap curling into a fist. She realized then that Kizmel's absolute faith in Yofel's safety… had begun to tremble.

"Let's go."

Kizmel's voice rang out, sharp and decisive, enough to make the candle beside her flicker.

She suddenly rose, her chair scraping harshly against the cold stone floor, then turned and strode swiftly out without a glance back.

Kirito and Asuna exchanged a look of stunned surprise before scrambling to follow.

"Go… where?" Asuna called out, clutching her skirt as she hurried after.

Kirito followed close, breath heavy. He had never seen Kizmel so unsettled, every step she took pressing tension thick into the air.

The knight's shadow stretched long under the torchlight of the corridor, her pace urgent yet still carrying her innate dignity.

Her voice dropped, replying as she walked, short and heavy as hammer strikes on steel:

"We must report this to the master of the castle…"

She paused briefly, her eyes flashing with resolve, before declaring each word clearly: "Viscount Leyshren Zed Yofilis."

The name rang through the stone hallway like a summons.

Asuna shivered slightly. She had never heard mention of this master, but from the way Kizmel uttered the name, she understood, this was a figure of weight, one who could decide the fate of Yofel itself.

(Note: God, these past weeks I've been completely drained...yes, drained, not just ordinary exhaustion. I've gone several nights without sleep… maybe I've been binging too many novels? Anyway, I can only manage one chapter a day. It might take me about a week straight like this. Thanks, and wishing you all a good day.)

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