*
It was Yggdrasil, just before the Hero Party was formed.
The deepest chamber of the World Tree, a tree and a gigantic city.
An elf was now entering the room of the Black Lotus.
“Did you call?”
She was Flora, the princess of the elves, with long blonde hair and a single hyacinth instead of a pin. Waiting in the black lotus room was her mother, the queen of elves. Flora, who greeted the queen elegantly, sat down in front of the octagonal table.
“Yes. As the queen of this country, I have a matter to ask you for advice.”
The Queen turned around and looked out the window and said. Flora replied.
“What kind of advice?”
“You know that we, Elvenheim, made peace with the human empire a while ago, right?”
Flora nodded heavily.
“And, the fact that that friendship is as dangerous as a bridge made of thin ice.”
“I know. Because there are many people who remember the betrayal of 300 years ago. Humans have a short life span, so I think it’s a thing of the past.”
“But I want to somehow develop this friendship into an alliance and further into a nation.”
Flora quietly listened to her mother. She also knew her mother’s intentions. 300 years ago, Elvenheim, a land of elves, made an alliance with mankind and was betrayed. Betrayal was absolutely unacceptable for the elves. Since then, Elvenheim has become loathing to humans, locking the gates of the country firmly and maintaining isolationism.
However, the Queen of Elves wanted to end the isolation and form an alliance with humanity. Flora agreed with that argument. She didn’t like humans either, but it was because Elvenheim was in a bad situation.
‘Because the world tree is coming to an end.’
The time of generational change of the World Tree was approaching. Until a new world tree was nurtured, the elves had to live without the protection of the world tree. I had to gather as much strength as I could to get through that time.
“This dream, most people will laugh at. Even a simple rapprochement was barely accomplished by overlapping a number of miracles.”
“The fact that the prime minister of the empire was a man who could speak, and that the conspiracy of the Demon King’s army to make the World Tree sick at that time was found to have been effective.”
The case in which the Demon King’s conspiracy to fight humanity and the elves by causing the World Tree to become ill earlier was discovered, and the imperial prime minister, Altrich, was not trying to take advantage of the weaknesses of the elves that had been revealed to the world, but had put forward reasonable terms of reconciliation. Because of these two reasons, even the seclusionists, who make up the majority of the parliament, could not make any arguments and had no choice but to agree to a rapprochement.
However, as the queen said earlier, that friendship was utterly precarious. To the extent that even a slight conflict can break it.
“So, the advice you can ask me is…”
“This time, from that empire, I have asked you to send an elf to form a party of heroes.”
“Yes?”
“They said that the holy sword Gramhild has found its owner. So, they are planning to organize a party of heroes to subdue the demon king, and they said that they would like us to send one talented person to us who have made a good relationship with us. However, someone who will grow with the hero. He also said that it would be better to be a promising player rather than someone who is already strong.”
Flora moaned briefly.
“After we made peace, it was the Empire’s first request. If I ignore it, it will not be good diplomatically.”
“Because there are not only people who agree on peace in the other side of the council. This time, it’s our turn to respond politely.”
“So you’re going to let me go?”
Flora pursed her lips. She hated humans, but she agreed to the country. And I also knew that such elves were not common. He seemed to be the best person. But the queen shook her head.
“Originally, it was meant to be, but it was twisted.”
“Yes? Why…”
“It’s because the seclusionists objected. Humans can’t be trusted, and the sent elves are likely to become s*x slaves or be used as arrowheads and die, so I can’t agree with that.”
“then…”
“And isn’t it true that most people agree with that statement?”
Flora bowed her head. And hearing the Queen’s words, he raised his head again.
“Well, after long negotiations, the seclusionists also changed their opinion to agree to it under limited conditions.”
“If the conditions are…”
“If you must let go, they told you to send that child.”
said the queen, pointing out the window. Flora got up and walked over to her mother. On the playground overlooking the window, the sacred dance competition of the elves, the ‘ceremonial ceremony of rebirth’ was in full swing.
What the queen was pointing to was a single elf who stood on the offstage.
An elf with a mess and scratching his green hair. But there was a pleasant smile on his lips.
“Hey, I lost again in the end! It was still fun, so make sure you win! I’ll definitely win next time!”
It was the elf Flora knew. Her only friend and the idol of Elvenheim. It was Nael. When Nael finished speaking, cheers erupted from the audience. They were so cute, majestic, proud, such words. The other party smiled and handed me a handshake. Nael was such a guy.
A guy who always takes the last place in the ceremonial marriage ceremony, but always smiles brightly. Even though he was born as a high elf, he was always innocent, approaching anyone without hesitation, and was loved and treated as an idol by everyone regardless of his or her grades.
Flora mumbled dazedly.
“Nael, you mean? Why?”
“The head of the seclusionist faction, Almesia, is a cunning person. That guy, Nael, probably won’t turn down when asked. And he’s incompetent, naive, and loved by everyone.”
“So…”
“So, I think it’s the best sacrifice.”
“What do you mean by sacrifice?”
“I’ve heard jokes, too. That guy says you have to be the most careful with an overweight man. If a skinny man asks you to marry him on his face, he’ll be embarrassed and then he’ll grant it. You think you won’t be able to survive when you join. Almesia.”
“I think so, why?”
“It seems that Nael, who is no different than the idol of this country, deliberately induces humans to be miserable, and wants to sell the tragedy and lead public opinion on isolationism again. That is my interpretation.”
The Queen’s political insight was outstanding. And Almesia was well-deserved of such a plan.
“If he refuses, he will form this kind of public opinion again. The seclusionists agreed to dispatch talents on a grand victory basis, but the Queen refused and the dispatch was canceled. So, I will push to break up the infamous friendship.”
Flora bit her lip until it bled.
“Hey, you mean…”
“But, nevertheless, I don’t want to break the friendship.”
On the contrary, the Queen’s tone was calm. Her breath hit the window, and white steam formed. Wiping it with her hand, the Queen said.
“Human haters like Almesia say that even if we die the world tree is gone, we shouldn’t hold hands with humans, let’s die gracefully. Even if they break like jade, we want to die without shame and leave a clean soul behind. Where is a clean death? Death. is nothing more than death. Modifiers are just what the grown-ups choose to do.”
The queen’s bitter face was reflected in the window. Even though she was the biggest victim of the betrayal 300 years ago, she thought so.
“I want to save my people.”
“mother…”
“It could be bad for that kid, but I want to order him to go. So…”
The Queen slowly turned her head to look at Flora and said,
“I’m asking you for your opinion. You’re your only friend.”
“Yu, it’s not the only one. There are Melodians…”
“Hey, I’ll have to fix it as an elf friend.”
Melodian was a striped squirrel that she kept. Flora’s face turned slightly red. The queen smiled softly and asked again.
“So, is it okay if I send it?”
Flora took one step closer to the window. I saw Nael smiling brightly. Seeing that smile reminded me of the day I became friends with her.
After defeating Nael in the preliminaries of the marriage ceremony, she couldn’t stand it and ran to Nael and quarreled.
[You, why did you do that? Did I look funny? ]
[ Why, why? ]
[ At the end of the day, you deliberately picked up a bow, didn’t you think I didn’t know? Did you make fun of me too! ]
[ No, it’s not like that… If you shoot a bow there, you’ll get hurt. ]
[You’re right that I looked funny! ]
[ no. Just because Flora and I are friends. You don’t want your friends to get hurt. ]
[ Yes? friend? ]
[ yes! ]
[ Were we friends? ]
[You helped me the last time I got lost. Then friends! ]
And Nael smiled broadly and held out her hand. Flora, who had finished reminiscing about that time, said with a faint smile.
“If that’s what the conspiracy is all about, I think it’s okay to send it.”
“On the basis?”
“She’s just so sweet that she’s taking the bow, it’s not that she’s not good at it. I’m sure Nael will be able to return after a great adventure.”
“As a princess of Elvenheim?”
“I mean it as a friend.”
The queen nodded and made her decision.
“Then, as a friend, if it’s okay to send it, you ask the doctor.”
As expected, Nael agreed with a smile on her face as soon as Flora spoke.
“Yeah, I’ll go!”
“But, are you okay? I have to take care of myself.”
“I’m sure I’ll succeed, get along with humans, and bring peace to everyone! If I succeed, I’ll definitely buy Flora a drink too!”
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Nael, who gave the permission energetically, waved his hand that evening and left. Although she agreed, Flora, who was a little worried until the end, gave her a new confidence.
“Nael, if you go to the human city, watch out for the spoiled man!”
This was the beginning of Nael’s joining the hero’s party.
*
“Ugh, training is hard. I want to get stronger without training…”
And the one she met at the party wasn’t a dirty man.
He was a f*cking greedy man.
From the first day he joined the party, seeing the hero lying down without beating the scarecrow, Nael smiled troubledly.