11 – Ambition
[Argh! What the hell happened!]
Pii was rolling her feet at the entrance of the temple.
Shortly after Gaul headed to the temple, a lightning-like beam of light fell from the sky.
A beam of light containing green mana. It was undoubtedly the energy of the goddess of nature, Trias.
It must have been a divine blessing. And not an ordinary one, but a tremendous one that was close to an advent.
[There shouldn’t be any trouble!]
What if the goddess tormented Gaul? What if Gaul was rude to the goddess?
Pii was worried sick and tore her lime-colored hair.
If it was the goddess she knew, she would hate Gaul and make his life miserable. If it was Gaul she knew, he would defy and annoy the goddess.
The more he worried, the more he felt only bad outcomes remained in his head.
At that moment, Shiz, who was preparing for the execution and making a duel arena, approached Pii and spoke to him.
“Could it be… that human was really a druid?”
Pii raised his head and looked at Shiz.
The blonde beauty elf had a face full of excitement and was breathing roughly.
I wonder why she suddenly acted like that.
Pii nodded awkwardly and answered.
[It, it seems like it!]
It was a guess that came from sincerity, not a lie.
Gaul Crud was a druid.
It was a lie that he had made up on the spot to save Gaul, but seeing how the divine trust had descended, it seemed possible that he was really a druid.
But wasn’t Gaul a woodcutter?
Woodcutters were hated by the goddess and couldn’t become druids, right? Then what was the divine trust that came down just before?
I don’t understand what’s going on at all.
The more he fit the puzzle pieces together, the more grotesque the picture became.
Pii wrapped his small head and stomped his feet again.
Then, the elves who were gathered around the temple began to buzz as if they had found something.
[Gaul!!]
It was Gaul.
He was walking out of the temple entrance.
Ppi ran with his small legs and greeted Gaul.
Gaul smiled brightly and lifted Ppi up to his shoulder.
[What happened? Are you okay?]
The whole forest became silent at Ppi’s question.
All the elves of Eldenore leaned their ears to hear Gaul’s answer.
Gaul’s broad shoulders trembled slightly, as if he was flustered by the sudden silence.
Soon, Gaul opened his mouth and gave his answer.
“Try it. Druid.”
The silence lasted for a moment longer.
All of Eldenore understood the meaning of Gaul’s answer.
That human had surely received the trust of the goddess.
The content of that trust was to become a druid.
[Heeerk!!]
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A small sound of surprise came from the tree spirit.
That was the trigger.
Wow―――!!
A roar-like cheer spread from the elves.
Some felt joy, some felt doubt, and some felt hostility.
The reactions were different, but everyone was looking at one man.
Gaul Crud.
At this moment, a druid was being born in the Great Forest.
“Did you say he was a real druid?”
Siz looked at Gaul in the bustling square.
Gaul, who had announced the goddess’s trust, stood in front of the World Tree with a confident look.
She had no doubt that he was telling the truth.
Trust was not a shallow statement that could be fabricated with lies.
Gaul was a druid from now on.
That fact was embedded in Siz’s mind.
“That’s what a druid is….”
The apostle of the goddess, chosen by her, was in front of her eyes.
The guardian of nature and wildness was in front of her eyes.
And,
“The strongest warrior of the Great Forest….”
The strongest warrior of the Great Forest was in front of her eyes.
Siz, who had been a high elf since birth, was a woman made of pride.
She felt exhilaration fighting with the strong, enjoyed achievement in victory, and grew by swallowing defeat.
Such a heavenly high elf would not leave the strongest warrior of the Great Forest alone.
Siz shouted louder than the cheering elves.
“Wake up Dreyia!”
The corners of her mouth rose involuntarily.
My breathing becomes faster and uncontrollable.
My whole body heats up and I can’t restrain my excitement.
“I’ll call a meeting of the bosses!”
I’m the one who hunts druids, the hunting captain.
I’m the one who will become the strongest warrior in the Great Forest, not the druid.
Siz licked his lips as he looked at Gaul.
‘I’ll catch him.’
I’ll claim him before anyone else does.
I’ll keep him by my side and never let him out of my sight.
‘That guy is mine.’
It was the moment when Siz chose the best prey of his life.
* * *
“Piiya. Is it okay for me to be here?”
[I, I don’t know either. Just stay still.]
As soon as I announced that I would leave the temple and become a druid, the high elves dragged me to a large room in a huge building.
I thought the elves’ attitude would soften since I received the trust of the goddess, but when I actually experienced it, it wasn’t much different from before.
No, in Siz’s case, it changed to a more aggressive attitude.
He used to frown when he saw me, but now he drools as well as frowns when he sees me.
It felt like a fierce dog had turned into a mad dog, and I couldn’t shake off the creepy chill.
“I should have just gone to the human village.”
[What? What are you talking about?]
I spat out a small regret and looked at the scene in front of me.
A huge room built inside the World Tree.
There were five people and one tree spirit sitting there, including me.
They said it was a ‘boss meeting’, so these people must be high-ranking figures.
Seeing that Shiz, the hunting leader, was also with them, it looked like they had gathered all the people above the captain level.
“Piiya. But these people don’t look like gangsters at all, do they?”
[Shh! Don’t say that out loud, just keep it in your mind!]
I whispered with Piiya on my shoulder and looked at the four backs in front of me.
Red camellia tattoo. Black snake scale tattoo. Pink cherry blossom tattoo. Black World Tree tattoo.
They all showed their tattoos as if to say they were not high elves.
The colorful tattoos confused my eyes.
I didn’t feel scared of the elves after meeting Trias, but even so, I felt a little intimidated by the four in front of me.
“Is Dreiya still sleeping?”
Then, the beautiful lady with the cherry blossom tattoo opened her mouth.
It was a kind and gentle tone that I hadn’t heard in a long time.
Starting with her, the gangster elves opened their mouths one by one.
“Kahahahaha! What, one or two days? Let’s just proceed with the meeting ourselves.”
The old man with the black snake scale tattoo laughed heartily and lightened the mood.
He had long ears, but he didn’t look like an elf at all.
Maybe he was just a dwarf with a tall stature.
It seemed that the prejudice that elves were all slender was wrong.
“Yeah. It’s obvious that we’ll only waste our time here. I think it’s better to proceed among ourselves.”
Then, a man with the same blond hair as Shiz, who had a huge world tree drawn on his back, spoke.
His solemn attitude and serious tone made him look like the highest person among them.
Judging by the hair color and the fact that Shiz was the daughter of the leader, that person must be the leader of the high elves.
As I stared at him with that thought, he opened his mouth after looking me up and down.
“Yeah. Did you say your name was Gaul Crude? I’m ‘Rega Elev Owl’. I’m the father of Shiz sitting over there and the leader of Eldenore here.”
He was indeed the leader of the high elves.
I nodded and accepted his greeting.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gaul Crude. This is Pii, the tree spirit.”
[Oh, hello.]
The leader stroked his chin and immediately started the main topic.
He minimized the pleasantries, which was cool like Shiz’s father.
“Yeah. I never thought I’d see a druid in my lifetime. I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing.”
That’s when it happened.
“Give him to me.”
Shiz, who had been quiet, interrupted the leader’s words and opened her mouth.
I turned around curiously and saw Shiz, who was pointing at me and sparkling her eyes.
Her pale cheeks were flushed and her breath was rough as if she was hiding some excitement.
It was Seize, the crazy dog version of courtesy.
“Give me that guy.”
“Wha, what?”
The boss stuttered in confusion at Seize’s sudden behavior.
The boss looked back and forth between me and Seize, trying to understand the situation.
Then, the boss glared at me with a fierce expression.
It looked like he was saying, ‘What did you do to my daughter?’
I shook my head vigorously, waving my hands to deny it.
But, Seize only made things worse by getting in between me and the boss.
“I’ll keep him by my side.”
Seize said something incomprehensible and came to my side, putting his hand on my shoulder.
Even the parrot on the opposite shoulder said, [What’s wrong with him?]
It was a strange situation.
“I’ll raise him.”
What do you mean, raise him?
What the hell? Why is he acting like this!?