Chapter 81: The Price of Innocence

The sunlight was just right today. The little girl sat before the mirror, beaming with joy as her mother gently gathered her golden hair, braiding it into a pair of adorable pigtails. A woman with features similar to the girl’s, her gentle demeanor accentuated by a side ponytail, smiled as she tucked away the comb. Reaching from behind, she softly pinched the girl’s plump, soft cheek. “Our little Yulim, you’re getting cuter by the day~”

Yulim allowed her mother to knead her little face, an innocent smile blooming. “Hehehe~ Mama is cute too~”

“Yulim! Come play with us!”

From outside the window, the giggling calls of her companions already echoed.

Upon hearing their voices, Yulim’s green eyes lit up, and she was already eager to rush downstairs to play.

Before she could, however, the woman intercepted her. Squatting down, she smoothed out Yulim’s pristine white dress one last time, admonishing her gently. “Yulim, you’re a girl. When you play with Big Brother Hubert and the others, you must be ladylike, alright? Don’t get this new dress dirty.”

“Mhm! Mama, I understand!”

“Good girl~ And don’t run too far, okay?”

“Okay~”

“Go on and play, little Yulim.”

Yulim energetically cheered, “Yay!” before dashing out. The woman stood, watching her daughter’s retreating figure, a tender, loving smile gracing her lips.

“Well, I suppose it’s time for me to do the laundry.”

Rolling up her sleeves, the woman prepared to face another busy day on her own.

****

After running out the door, Yulim leaped from the treehouse. With one hand, she grabbed a vine dangling from a tree, while the other clutched her little skirt, descending gracefully like a fairy to lightly land on another tree trunk.

Several elf companions had already been waiting there for a long time.

“It’s Yulim!”

As soon as the meticulously dressed Yulim made her appearance, she was met with gasps of admiration from her friends.

“Hehehe~ Sorry to keep you all waiting!”

Yulim pinched her skirt hem, mimicking the ladylike gestures her mother had taught her, performing a rather charming curtsy.

No one could possibly fault or dislike such an adorable girl.

The leader of the companions, a slightly older elf boy who seemed like their king, even clapped his hands. “We haven’t been waiting long at all! We’re so lucky to see such a cute Yulim!”

Following his lead, the other companions also clapped their small hands.

“Mhm, Yulim, you’re so~ pretty today!”

“As beautiful as a princess!”

“I want to marry Yulim when I grow up!”

“Silly Laixi, Yulim belongs to everyone!”

The companions giggled. When Yulim heard ‘marry,’ her little face immediately flushed a vibrant red, like a ripe cherry, tempting one to take a bite.

Yulim shyly cupped her warm cheeks. “M-marriage… that’s too early! I’m only 37, I’m not even an adult yet…”

The elf boy leading them, sensing the awkward atmosphere, promptly stepped forward. “Alright, everyone, don’t tease Yulim like that. We’re gathered here today for an adventure!”

Upon hearing ‘adventure,’ the children, filled with curiosity about the world, grew excited.

“Adventure! Yay!”

“Big Brother Hubert, where are we adventuring today?”

The self-proclaimed king of the children, Hubert, put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest, letting out two triumphant snorts. “A few days ago, I found a place where there are very few trees, a huge open space, and it’s really warm! Plus, hardly anyone goes there! Most importantly, it’s not even the outskirts of the Elf Forest that our parents talk about!”

“Today, we’re going there to see if we can turn it into our secret base!”

“That way, we can store all the berries, snacks, and toys we pick from the forest in our secret base. And there’ll be a place to destroy all those homework assignments and test papers! As long as we keep it a secret from each other, no one will ever know!”

Yulim and her companions’ eyes grew brighter with every word. By the end, they were practically jumping with excitement.

This is great! No more homework!

“Big Brother Hubert, let’s go quickly!”

“Yeah! We can’t wait!”

Hubert nodded, then swept his hand with a flourish. “Everyone, follow me! Don’t get left behind!”

Believing it would be a joyful adventure, the mischievous children eagerly dashed off.

****

As they drew closer to Hubert’s promised destination, the contrast with the forest’s usual chill was striking. It was warm and comfortable, as if heated, making one feel pleasantly languid.

However, halfway there, they were forced to stop. The sight before them stunned the mischievous children into silence.

The children realized that their fathers, who had left home that very morning, were all gathered here.

They stood with weapons pointed at a white-haired man in the clearing.

The white-haired man pleaded. “Don’t kill me! I’m a guard soldier of the forbidden zone. That day, I just had a few drinks with my brothers, got drunk, took a wrong turn, and accidentally stumbled in there!”

“I woke up looking like this! You have to believe me!”

The adults, however, ignored him, staring at the surrounded man with cold eyes. “Since you know you’ve become like this, you should know you’re already a monster!”

“Monsters must die!”

The white-haired man froze, then shrieked frantically. “But I haven’t killed anyone!”

“What about at night? Who knows if your curse will flare up and you’ll kill us all!”

“Stop wasting words on this monster. Kill him!”

“Die!”

Arrows and shortswords rained down upon the white-haired man.

He fled in a panic, but he was surrounded, with nowhere to escape.

An arrow pierced his shoulder, and blood soaked his tunic.

Perched in the trees, the mischievous children witnessed this bloody spectacle, terrified beyond breathing.

The pain finally unleashed the white-haired man’s ferocity. With a roar, he kicked down an approaching elf, snatched the shortsword from their hand, and plunged it into their heart.

Pulling out the shortsword, the white-haired man belatedly realized what he had done. His hands began to tremble, and his voice quavered. “No… it’s not like this, it was them… they were forcing me… I didn’t want to kill him!”

But no one listened to his explanations; the adults were incensed.

“Ah! You cursed monster, you actually killed Pinon! And you still claim you haven’t killed anyone!”

“Damn you! Avenge Pinon!”

“Die, monster!”

The white-haired man’s eyes widened. “Weren’t you trying to kill me? Am I not allowed to resist?”

His only answer was a sword cleaving towards his face.

His reaction was too slow; his eye was slashed blind. He staggered back several steps in agony, his rage now uncontrollable.

“Aaaah! You want to kill me? Then none of you will live either!”

The white-haired man wielded his shortsword with even greater desperation. His green eyes had, at some point, turned a dark golden hue. With each person he cut down, he grew more frantic and brutal.

His murmurs, once incomprehensible, transformed into bestial roars.

The man’s body slowly hunched, as if something was about to burst through his back.

Finally, his eyes completely transformed into dark golden vertical slits, and his clothes ripped apart as bone spikes tore through his back.

He had become a monster.

The clearing was now stained with vast pools of blood.

The adults were slowly being overwhelmed.

Just then, an arrow, swift as lightning, pierced through the crowd with unerring precision, striking the monster’s head.

“Don’t be afraid, everyone! Your Prince has arrived!”

“Hmph! Monster! To think you killed so many before your Prince could even get here! I absolutely won’t forgive you!”

Wearing a wooden crown, the young and valiant Valorman stood on a tree branch, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked down at the struggling monster in the clearing.

He leaped down, drawing his bow mid-air, and another arrow flew.

Again, it pierced the monster’s head with perfect accuracy.

Yet, even with two arrows in its head, the monster was not dead. It roared in agony, a hoarse shriek directed at Valorman as he landed.

Without a word, Valorman continued to nock arrows, draw his bow, and unleash a volley of bolts.

Each arrow struck its mark with flawless precision.

This time, the arrows first pierced the monster’s legs, immobilizing it.

Then came its heart and head, its vital points.

Valorman was like a living repeating crossbow; the onlookers could only see him continuously drawing and firing countless arrows, none missing their target.

Soon, the monster resembled a blood-soaked ‘hedgehog’.

The monster’s body swayed precariously, until Valorman drew his final arrow from his quiver, charging his shot.

That arrow pierced straight through the monster, its momentum unchecked, pinning it to a distant tree behind. The entire arrowhead had embedded itself deep within the trunk.

Thud—

The monster crashed to the ground, utterly lifeless.

Only then did Valorman finally sigh in relief. He stood up, shook his trembling hands, and offered the adults a confident, reassuring smile. “Everyone, it’s over. Your Prince has slain the monster.”

“Those who fell in this battle were all brave warriors. Notify their families to come to the royal palace to collect their gold coins.”

“As for those who promptly discovered and participated in hunting the monster, you may also come to the royal palace later to receive silver coins and food.”

“The forest will not forget the sacrifices of its warriors.”

Hearing this, the assembled adults raised their weapons high. “Thank you, Your Highness! Long live the Prince!”

Hidden in the tree, Yulim pulled half her head back.

She saw the adults cheering, dancing, and surrounding the Elf Prince in the blood-soaked, corpse-strewn clearing, as if they had achieved a great victory.

Yulim’s young heart was severely shocked and scarred.

****

That night, back home, Yulim’s mind was still replaying the day’s events.

By the bed, the woman, who had already finished three bedtime stories, frowned upon seeing her usually cheerful and lively daughter still looking distraught and unable to sleep.

After a moment’s thought, she closed the storybook, placed it on the bedside table, and sat on the bed, gently pulling the girl into her embrace. Resting her head against Yulim’s, she asked softly. “Little Yulim, what’s wrong?”

“You look like something happened today. Can you tell Mama about it?”

The warm embrace offered Yulim a profound sense of security.

She lifted her head slightly to look at her mother, and seeing that gentle, all-encompassing smile, Yulim finally mustered the courage to speak. “Mama… when I was out playing with Big Brother Hubert and the others today, I saw a lot of adults…”

“Mhm, and then?”

“And then… then, they started fighting… Blood… so much blood flowed…”

Yulim shivered uncontrollably.

Seeing this, the woman quickly hugged her daughter, gently patting her shoulder and soothing her. “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared, Yulim. Tell Mama why they were fighting?”

At this moment, the woman’s mind began to race, wondering where those little rascals had run off to play.

Tomorrow, she’d have to ‘interrogate’ that mischievous Hubert thoroughly, making sure he didn’t lead her sweet Yulim astray.

However, just as the woman was thinking this, Yulim’s next words made her hands freeze.

“I… I don’t know… they were arguing with a white-haired uncle, and then they started fighting…”

“The white-haired uncle kept saying he was innocent, but the adults kept calling him a monster…”

“But… it was clearly the adults who attacked first…”

A child’s world is always simple.

Yulim couldn’t understand why the white-haired uncle had pleaded for mercy at first, yet everyone had continued to be aggressive, hitting him and calling him a monster.

Aside from his hair, he was just like everyone else: he had pointed ears, green eyes, and even the scent of the forest about him…

Why did he end up like that?

Young and innocent, Yulim could only turn her pleading gaze to her mother.

To her surprise, her usually gentle mother’s face now held an expression of revulsion, just like the adults from earlier that day.

Her mother then said. “Yulim, that white-haired uncle was a bad person, a truly wicked villain. The adults killed him to protect you and to protect the forest.”

The woman leaned against the bedside, her gaze drifting to the ceiling.

“Yulim, you’re growing up now, becoming a little adult. There are some things you have a right to know.”

“You used to always ask Mama…”

“Where your Papa… went?”

“He… died…”

“He was killed by someone with white hair, just like the ‘innocent’ uncle you mentioned.”

Yulim froze, her eyes wide and rapidly filling with tears.

It felt as if a part of her heart had been irrevocably lost.

“Mama, didn’t you say Papa just went on an adventure?”

“Papa… he… how could he…”

The woman tilted her head back, and where Yulim couldn’t see, her eyes were slowly welling up.

“Your Papa, Yulim, he… he was a warrior too…”

The forest night was cold. Mother and daughter huddled together, finding warmth in the chilly room.

The woman reached out and gently stroked Yulim’s head. She couldn’t bring herself to say directly, ‘I’ve been lying to you all this time.’ She feared that after enduring so many shocks in one day, her daughter wouldn’t be able to accept reality, her personality might change drastically, or she might harbor other thoughts.

Thus, the woman could only subtly convey the truth of Papa’s passing, then quickly changed the subject. “Yulim… do you know, Mama is 163 years old. I know many stories about the forest. Would you like to hear some?”

“For instance…”

“Why did that white-haired uncle turn out like that? And why did everyone harbor such malice towards him?”

The woman held Yulim close, gently rubbing her chin against the girl’s head. She began to speak slowly, recounting the history of the past, just as she would for a bedtime story.

“Once, the forest was home to a wise and benevolent deity…”

“After Their fall, that place became scorched earth.”

“Their departure did not affect the forest dwellers; everyone continued to grow healthy and happy, living their lives, until the king of that time wished to retrieve something from that place.”

“Three days later, he returned, his clothes tattered, his hair turned white.”

“Initially, no one thought much of it…”

“On the first day, the king’s temperament simply changed drastically, and he began to smash things. The second day was the same, and it continued until the third night.”

“That king murdered the palace maids and his own soldiers.”

“By the time he was discovered, he had completely transformed into a monster.”

“The king’s daughter, the Elf Princess, then led soldiers in a two-day, two-night siege against him before finally managing to kill him.”

“Afterward, the Elf Princess, determined to uncover the reason for her father’s transformation, dispatched numerous soldiers to investigate the scorched earth.”

“However, all who returned had their hair turned white, their temperaments drastically altered, and after a period, they began to commit murders at night.”

“It was then that fear truly began to grip everyone.”

“That scorched earth was a curse left by the deity.”

“The Elf Princess immediately issued an order: all were forbidden from entering the cursed land. She herself decided to venture into the cursed land alone to discover the cause.”

“She left strict instructions for her soldiers: if she returned exhibiting either of the curse’s symptoms, they were to kill her immediately.”

“The Elf Princess, fully prepared, entered the cursed land.”

“Three days later, the Elf Princess returned. She only had one symptom: her hair had turned white. Her temperament remained unchanged.”

“But for safety, the Elf Princess ordered herself to be locked in the dungeon, where she meticulously compared cases.”

A month passed, and the Elf Princess showed no sign of murderous intent.

Everyone believed she had discovered the cause and found a way to break the curse.

However, that very night, the Elf Princess commanded the soldiers guarding her to fetch paper and a pen. She wrote a full page of notes.

She then immediately ordered the soldier to take the notes for copying and to summon the commander of the Royal Guard to execute her.

The soldier dared not disobey. He informed the commander, who, upon receiving the summons, rushed to the dungeon.

Seeing the Elf Princess as calm and composed as ever, the commander could not bring himself to strike the fatal blow.

At the time, the Elf Princess had no descendants and was the last of the royal bloodline.

Thus, the commander defied her orders, believing there was still a way to lift the curse.

Nearly everyone thought the same, convinced that hope remained.

But reality was grim. The Elf Princess had been thoroughly prepared, as if knowing from the start that the commander would not kill her. She had taken the poison she carried when entering the cursed land and committed suicide.

As she died, she clutched a note, leaving behind her final two commands.

[Effective immediately, any elf whose hair turns silver or white, regardless of their status, shall be killed without mercy. No quarter shall be given.]

[Upon my death, the lineage of the Divine Bow Regiment Commander shall be designated as the Elf Royal Bloodline, entrusted with all affairs of the Elf Forest and responsible for executing the aforementioned extermination of all elves affected by the curse.]

The Elf Princess’s death was intended as a warning bell, to awaken everyone.

Yet, it still failed to make them realize the severity of the curse.

The Royal Guard Commander, disbelieving, led another group of soldiers, once again defying orders to venture deep into the cursed land.

This time, however, only a blood-soaked monster, wearing the commander’s skin, returned.

Finally, the Divine Bow Regiment Commander, with his soldiers, engaged in a grueling week-long battle with the monster before finally slaying it.

Afterward, the Divine Bow Regiment Commander reviewed the Elf Princess’s handwritten notes and only then understood the effects of the curse.

[The curse is a divine punishment left by Them. They wished for killers to experience the pain of being killed, thereby chastising the elf race who once raised swords to slay a god.]

[Those afflicted by the curse will endure continuous torment, gradually losing themselves over time until they fully transform into monsters.]

[The more killings committed, the stronger the curse becomes, and the faster one transforms into a monster.]

From then on, the Divine Bow Regiment Commander declared the cursed land forbidden and strictly enforced the Elf Princess’s commands until his death, when his descendants took over.

However, the cursed land left behind that year was simply too vast. After several losses, manpower remains severely insufficient to this day.

This led to instances where elves still accidentally wandered in and were affected by the curse.

Throughout this period, various tragedies occurred in the forest, where tribes were completely overrun due to mercy and侥幸, or ‘wishful thinking’ on the part of individuals.

Therefore, any elf whose hair turns white, no matter who they are, must die, because once cursed, they are monsters.

Yulim, you must always remember this truth: a monster may be innocent in its transformation, but the people they kill when the curse takes hold are also innocent.

One cannot jeopardize an entire innocent community for the sake of an individual’s innocence.

A hidden danger must be eradicated immediately.”

The woman spoke absorbedly, but when she looked down at the girl in her arms, she found her daughter had fallen asleep, tears still clinging to her lashes.

The woman paused, then sighed, gazing out at the dim forest beyond the window, her eyes gradually welling up.

Silent sobs echoed in the cold room.