172. A generously helping tree
The old forestkeeper, drenched in the blood of his own kind, had a face as if his soul had been drained. All beings were killed by two sword strikes. Except for those two.
I deliberately missed the blade and killed only the other fairies except for the old forest keeper and his grandson. Of course, I didn’t suddenly wake up with compassion, and the old man wasn’t actually wrong.
[The world tree is like that, can I use it?]
“Isn’t a twisted branch or small leaf encapsulated with the magic of space movement? “
Anyway, the forest keeper came to his senses faster than expected and answered my question calmly. Um, after all, he’s a career person who has abandoned his own people once, isn’t it?
After filling my stomach with a certain new spirit, my spirit, which had risen for a moment, calmed down. It’s still a bit lacking, but since I’m an adult, I’ll have to put up with it.
As I quenched my appetite, I turned to the old forest keeper.
[Explain.]
“It is the same with seedlings. Even in this form, the power to transcend space still remains, but without the high elves…”
[Hmm, it’s hard to understand. The leaves and branches you cited as an example can be used without the help of a proper fairy, right?]
Isn’t the body of the world tree already a means of moving in space? In response to my doubtful question, the forest keeper shook his head slowly.
“The power contained in them is weak, so there is no problem, but seedlings are different. If you try to cross the space without proper guidance, you will never get to where you want.”
It was a clever ploy to explain the situation and at the same time emphasize their importance. I guess it’s not a lie.
[Well, I’ll get it right now.]
I turned my head from the forest keeper to the young man. It wasn’t just Chi who needed to hear the story. Um, but still haven’t woken up.
Anyway, things are weak these days. I never imagined that I would pass out with just a slight shoulder cut. Can’t help it It’s not that we’re idle enough to wait for him.
[Wake up.]
Cream lifted his foot with a gentle motion, then gracefully trampled the back of the fallen young man’s hand. Suddenly, there was the sound of bones breaking.
The easiest way to wake up someone who has been knocked out by pain is to inflict more pain!
“Quaaagh!”
[Name.]
“aaagh! It hurts, it hurts!”
Unfortunately, this friend has only the power that is unsuitable for her, and her personal ability seems to be at a pitiful level. I can’t help it because I don’t think the conversation will continue like this.
At last, Cream reached out again, spraying light over his wounds. When the pain eased even a little, the young man finally came to his senses and looked at us with fearful eyes.
“Who are you guys?”
[Ha, me. This friend really can’t understand the situation.]
Looking at the young man, I came to my own conclusion. Beautiful appearance, strong faith. In contrast, lack of practical experience and pain tolerance. Even so, that arrogant attitude that I couldn’t completely shake off.
It is a figure like a flower in a typical greenhouse. People like that are slow to perceive reality. Well, I don’t like it, but I’d like to help out a little.
f*ck! Bawk!
[Now, okay? When we ask a question, you answer.]
“I understand.”
[That’s right, how nice it comes out like that.]
In the first place, the difference in force is overwhelming. Besides, the young man who belatedly realized that all of his comrades had been slaughtered, his spirit quickly broke. Seeing him answer meekly, I nodded my head in satisfaction.
As expected, I like this the best. After eating the souls of people who have been waiting for 5,500 days, and relieving some stress through hobbies, I feel like my brain is running fast.
[Name.]
“This is Sven von Hiheart…”
Sven, a young man who only spat out his own words without hesitation, immediately looked at my uncomfortable feeling and hurriedly added his words. Hi-hat, by the way, I’ve heard that name somewhere.
Furthermore, middle name pawn was an honor granted only to nobles with titles or their successors. It is hard to believe that he went directly to such a thing.
[Yes, purpose.]
“Yes?”
[Do you want me to keep saying it twice? Why did you do this?]
I looked at the wriggling world tree, sprawled on the floor, with no more fairies to support it, and at the fairy grandson who was standing next to it, looking at us with a terrified expression.
“That is…”
[What is it that makes your tongue keep getting longer? But. A noble cleric slaughtered the fairies mercilessly, leaving only two of them like that. I guess I have nothing to say.]
Sven had a very sad look on his face for no reason, but he wasn’t blind enough to rebel. As he kept mumbling and closing his mouth, Cream, who had received my will, lightly untied his hand and approached.
“I will tell you!”
[I won’t ask you three times.]
“It’s because I’ve heard that fairies, especially those who climb the highest branches, colluded with evil.”
“Slander!”
This is another interesting story. The moment Sven closed his eyes and uttered the words, an angry shout from the old forest keeper burst out from the other side. He came towards us, sprinting, forgetting his fear.
“Humans are always like that! Arbitrarily judge and slander! Are you saying that my comrades went in vain because of that ridiculous false accusation?”
“Are you doubting the will of the great? You’d better be careful with your words. Old dwarf Not only humans, but also fairies and beastmen occupy seats in the highest hall of the Great Hall.”
[Both, quiet.]
Are you brave enough not to know the current situation, or are you ignorant? Startled by my low warning, the two stopped arguing. I turned my head and put the old forest keeper in my eyes.
Perhaps under the influence of harsh behavior, even with a body that looked abnormal, his behavior was moderate and dignified. Although the little fairy hiding behind the bridge dance breaks the mood.
[Sven, keep talking.]
“······Keuheum! Contrary to the fairy’s claim, we had clear evidence. It’s not just this place. People from all over the world have already departed after receiving secret orders from Daeshinjeon.”
Many fairies give up existing traditions and live in harmony with human society, but even the most civilized fairies have a ‘special feeling’ for the World Tree.
Looking at Sven’s behavior, it seems that he is handling it secretly, but as he said, if such a thing happens in various places, rumors will have to spread.
Daeshinjeon also had super-strong water. Bad news for us anyway. The fact that the sapling of the World Tree is pulled out means that the area that can be reached by space movement is reduced.
[Evidence?]
I usually don’t pay much attention to small incidents, but I was curious about this.
From noble mtl dot com
What the hell did the fairies do to make the big butt-heavy warden move like this? Sven, who received his gaze and swallowed his saliva, stretched out his finger and pointed to one place.
“Yes, the proof is…”
What the pathetically trembling fingers are pointing at.
“It is the sapling of the World Tree itself.”
*
[Come to think of it, what should we do?]
“Huh?”
[You decided to go to the Empire.]
“Ah.”
After the series of incidents were properly finished, all that was left was Wise Time. It’s not like we’re going to dig into the secret conspiracy of the Great War.
In this continent, there are not one or two incidents that have gone bad. If I try to get entangled in all of that, even the bravest will not live up to my name. The greatest virtue of an adventurer is not to confuse priorities.
And the most important thing to me right now is to go to the empire, more precisely to the Four Seasons Tower, and listen to Cream’s story.
[You said you couldn’t do it alone.]
“No single high elf, not me, will be able to guide the movement of the sapling through space.”
No answer, really. Waiting for another high elf here is crazy, and should I just walk all the way to the Empire? Annoyed, I kicked Sven, who was following us from behind.
Of course, I didn’t kick it myself, I just asked Cream to do it. Since we are one in the same mind, it might be okay to think of it as something I did.
“Hey! Hey, the side…”
[Tsk, heal me.]
Anyway, it’s weak. Following the guidance of the old forest keeper, Cream, holding the World Tree in one hand and walking slowly, planted the World Tree in a suitable location other than the original location.
It is said to be a world tree, but its true identity is a collection of huge vines. Even if it is a seedling, it needs a support to wind and climb in order to properly exist.
[Should I just chop up a sapling or something and take a space movement item? It’s a bit like going back without a harvest like this.]
“·······.”
It is the right of the strong that the opponent cannot utter a single shout even if he freely pours out such abusive language. Looking at the forest keeper’s reaction, I clicked my tongue.
If you’ve said this, it’s only natural that you have to come up with any number, but seeing how quiet you are, it seems like there’s nothing that can be used as a means of a real deal. Should I just be satisfied with the taste of people after a long time?
[If you don’t use seedlings, it will take a long time, right?]
[What are you talking about? I have to walk to the other side of the continent. Eww.]
[Hmm.]
I lightly grumbled at the muffins who were talking nonsense. Rather than wasting more time here, wouldn’t it be better to just wipe it out and find another move? The thought was slowly growing in my head.
[I can’t help it. The moment when the high elf suddenly flashes and doesn’t appear…]
At that moment, lightning struck from the sky without any warning.
Rumble-
For an instant, the world flickered white, and a belated thunderclap rang out a moment later. This crazy A thunderbolt from a dry sky, it seems to have landed quite close to us.
Looking around, I realized that the lightning strikes exactly at the sapling of the World Tree we just planted. The old forest keeper was also running toward the world tree with his flagship.
“No!”
Oh, no. To be more precise, the old forest keeper was not running toward the world tree, but towards his grandson who was being dragged into it.
The lightning-struck vines wriggled as if they had a will. The thick vines, each one thicker than Cream’s waist, reached out and grabbed the forest keeper’s grandson at the back of the group.
[Whoa.]
If you look at it, it’s no different than some kind of cannibal vine. It was not for nothing that Sven brought up the sapling of the World Tree as evidence of his collusion with evil. Of course, his reasons were different.
In an instant, the fairy child disappeared, buried in the crevices of the vines. Looking at the forest keeper, who was only groping for the sapling’s outer skin with a bewildered face, Cream quietly moved his hand toward the sword.
[Don’t.]
I stopped her from trying to save her kid. At the same time that Cream let go of the handle of the sword, the forest keeper sat down with a look of exhaustion.
“Why…”
He looked despondent, but his feelings were not shown by the man whose grandson was kidnapped by a man-eating monster. Rather, it was a different feeling of bewilderment.
I thought it would be for the public good, but it’s like the feelings of parents watching their son taken to active duty. At least it seemed clear that he didn’t care for his grandson’s life, even if he was flustered.
As expected, there is only one thing that comes to mind. No, really, no way? At this timing?
[······Isn’t this really a concoction?]
The clan of golden eyes and pure-blooded beastmen inherited through bloodline. Unlike the two races, where the higher species are determined innately, the high elves, the higher species of fairies, were promoted innately.
More precisely, by being chosen by the World Tree. The vines that had swallowed the little boy untied one by one, opening the entrance, and a small fairy staggered out through the gap.
From the outside, there was not much difference. Very slight difference. The degree to which the temperament has become a little harder to feel? However, that was the biggest proof that the kid had acquired the high elf symbol of ‘friendliness to nature’.
[Now that there are two high elves, you can use the sapling.]
Muffin said in an ordinary voice, as if he were talking about a fact.