Ch 224
‘No way. It can’t really be the World Tree… can it? The World Tree’s will, or a spirit, or something.’
Lisir gazing at the giant tree before him.
His eyes were trembling with considerable shock.
It wasn’t simply because the Grand Master had mentioned such a tremendous existence as the World Tree.
Woooong-
The energy emanating from the giant tree.
Lisir’s shock stemmed from that.
How vast and dense that energy was-
In the forest, a space shaped by the Grand Master’s will, it was emitting a sharp presence, maintaining its inherent presence.
Lisir instinctively felt it.
That it might be an existence of equal standing to the Grand Master.
Presently.
Breaking the long and sudden silence, it spoke again.
-Forest Night. What nonsense are you spouting? Surely, you don’t think that I, of all people, can’t distinguish between humans and other races? Those there are clearly human.
“What are you suddenly saying?”
-This is annoying. Do you think I’m doing this because I want to play along with your nonsense? I’m playing along with your nonsense to quickly finish this matter.
“What did I say?”
-That among those there, only one is human.
“…”
Ah.
Labella nodded gently, indicating her understanding.
“So, that’s how you interpreted it. There are several people here, but among them, only one is human.”
Labella’s confusion regarding the giant tree was only momentary.
She looked at Lisir once. Having understood the situation, she smiled, creating a languid smile with her characteristic silver eyes, expressing her amusement.
-Enough, Forest Night. I didn’t answer your call to engage in wordplay with you. I came to make amends for the foolishly terrible mistakes I made in the past and to settle our dreadful relationship.
“I can’t help but feel wronged here, Caroer. Have you forgotten what I said at first? Knowing you wouldn’t want a long conversation, I went straight to the point. But, who is it that’s actually straying from the point? And they even try to shift the blame onto me?”
-Can you take responsibility for what you just said?
The voice spoke in a tone that seemed to have reached its limit of patience.
“Since this isn’t going anywhere, I’ll follow your suggestion. What do you want to do?”
-…Is that so. It seems you intend to forcibly summon me to your dreadful forest, but fine. I’ll play along. However, you must keep this in mind. If I go there and find even the slightest discrepancy in your words, I will leave immediately. Furthermore, I will completely settle my past affairs related to you.
“Oh my. You’ll just erase all past debts with that?”
-That’s the price for trying to deceive me with such a ridiculous scheme.
“Then, what about the opposite case?”
-The opposite case?
“Yes. If there’s not a single discrepancy in my words? If you misidentified and got excited unnecessarily? In that case, it would be fine to think that you owe me another debt, wouldn’t it?”
Woooong-
The giant tree answered with action.
Its branches and leaves intertwined to form a figure.
An unrealistically tall figure reminiscent of a Master and a Grand Master.
With pointed, protruding ears.
From the center of that plant structure, reminiscent of an Elf, an intensely bright light erupted, making it difficult to look directly at it.
“Ugh━”
Lisir instinctively covered his eyes.
A moment later.
After the light subsided and he looked again, what met his eyes was-
A woman, naked, her body completely exposed.
‘Elf? No, this is-‘
Long blonde hair, flowing smoothly like a stream, reaching her knees.
It wasn’t an illusion; her skin truly glowed with a soft radiance.
Her unreal appearance and atmosphere evoked not the impression of ‘beautiful,’ but rather, ‘of a different species.’
‘High Elf…?’
Rapita, the former owner of Perin, a High Elf.
Seeing her, Lisir recalled the Elf Princess he had seen once.
“…”
The High Elf, staring blankly into space-
Caroer’s eyes slowly focused.
After a short time.
The High Elf’s green eyes fixed on the man in front of her – Lisir.
It was an extremely arrogant atmosphere and gaze.
Lisir, receiving it head-on, only felt like he had become a leaf rolling on the ground for a moment.
But that was only for a moment.
“…”
A huge ripple spread across those arrogant green eyes.
The countless humans the High Elf had envisioned with her senses were overlapping into one before her eyes.
“What is this…”
The High Elf’s voice trembled.
And.
The Dark Elf, who had been watching the sequence of events from the side, let out a languid laugh.
“Hee hee. What did I tell you, Caroer.”
“…”
The High Elf’s expression instantly shifted from humiliation to displeasure.
She glared at the Dark Elf with sharp eyes.
“Forest Night. What have you done again?”
Sara-ra-ra-rak.
The Dark Elf was genuinely delighted by the High Elf’s reaction.
The forest echoed her laughter.
“Unexpected, Caroer. To think you hold me in such high regard? Do you really think so? This━”
The Dark Elf seemed to point to the human, then gently stroked his head.
“That with my power, I could fabricate this child’s existence?”
“…”
The High Elf looked at the human for a moment, then nodded slightly in understanding.
And.
She showed her displeasure at the entire situation.
A mere human had slipped beyond her perception-
And the unsightly sight of her being surprised by it was observed by the Dark Elf.
“Tell me what you want.”
The High Elf, her face unwrinkled even with a frown, showed her fatigue as she spoke.
“Several times I’ve said it, Caroer. I merely wish to plant the Seeds of Nature in this child.”
“Labella. You will remember what happened when you stole our Elves’ power, won’t you?”
“Stole? That’s strange wording. After all, I only used the naturally existing power, just like you Elves. By that logic, you Elves would also become thieves – is that alright?”
“Because of you, this power of nature, worthy of respect, has become an object of fear and contempt.”
“By that logic, did Night of the Sword discard all the swords in the world?”
Lisir unconsciously took a few steps back.
The tension flowing between the two Elves.
And the clash of their energies.
The repercussions were far too strong to be dismissed as the mere effects of an argument.
‘So this is what it’s like to be caught in the crossfire.’
Lisir hoped that the two transcendent beings wouldn’t start pulling each other’s hair.
If he clashed with that High Elf, even his Grand Master would struggle to protect herself and win.
Fortunately.
That tension soon began to subside.
Labella relaxed the tension, displaying her characteristic languid smile and composure.
“More than anything, Caroer, you lost again in our bet, didn’t you? You have to keep your promise. Surely, the Elder of the Elves and Guardian of the World Tree wouldn’t break a promise?”
It wasn’t the High Elf, but the human who reacted most strongly to the Dark Elf’s statement.
‘Elder of the Elves? Guardian of the World Tree?’
He had expected an extraordinary individual, but he never imagined that she would hold such a grand position.
Lisir was shocked by the sudden appearance of the naked High Elf.
“…”
Hoo.
The High Elf suppressed her anger with a deep breath.
“Rather than continuing this meaningless squabble with you, this is better.”
Thus, the High Elf, declaring her disgust, averted her gaze from the Dark Elf and looked at the human.
“…”
Lisir thought the High Elf’s expression was truly enigmatic.
Should it be called an expression of contempt for herself, for feeling curiosity towards a mere human?
The displeasure evident in her expression reached its peak.
Unable to contain her curiosity towards the human, the High Elf finally spoke.
“How did you do it?”
“Excuse me? How did I do what?”
“Deceived my perception. That sharp energy. I clearly sensed a Swordsman here.”
“Ah, actually, I’m somewhat skilled with a sword.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about. Right now, I’m seeing you with my eyes, but before, I perceived this place through a more accurate and fundamental method. I saw a Wizard, a Swordsman, and a Shaman. I even saw a Black Mage and a Priest.”
Labella felt considerable excitement watching Caroer.
Right now, Caroer was showing antipathy towards Lisir – but surprisingly, this was unusual.
For that arrogant and noble being of high standing among the High Elves, a human was not worthy of having antipathy directed towards them.
In short.
The antipathy shown by the High Elf meant that, within her, Lisir had become something more than a mere human.
‘To elicit this level of interest from Caroer at our first meeting…’
As the Guardian of the World Tree, Caroer, who monitors all beings who invade the Elves’ territory, possessed transcendent perceptive abilities, capable of perceiving an area the size of a city with her energy.
To deceive Caroer’s perception.
Labella knew of Lisir’s versatility, but she hadn’t thought he possessed such skills.
Before she knew it, Labella was also looking at Lisir with eyes full of curiosity.
“I, Caroer, acknowledge your skill. It was certainly a mysterious skill unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. If you tell me the secret of that skill, I will grant you the glorious opportunity to obtain the Seeds of Nature.”
The attention of two transcendent beings was focused on one human.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then answered in confusion.
“Is it because I know swordsmanship that you saw a Swordsman here?”
“Are you trying to evade the question by feigning ignorance? Let’s say, as you said, that your Swordsman aspect showed me a Swordsman. Then, how do you explain the Shaman, Black Mage, and Priest that I saw?”
“Ah, actually, I’m somewhat skilled with those as well.”
“?”
Is he insane?
Finally, Caroer’s expression showed a confusion that couldn’t be completely hidden by displeasure.
Seeing the perfectly normal reaction of the High Elf, Lisir felt a sense of reassurance.
There was a witness here to prove his words.
“Bella-nim would understand what I’m saying.”
Lisir cautiously pointed to her.
“?”
The Dark Elf, who had a similar expression to Caroer.
“Bella-nim?”
“Child. Besides magic and black magic, what else are you skilled in?”
“Oh, didn’t I mention it?”
“Wait. Human. Then, finally, how do you explain the Hero’s energy I sensed?”
“Hero?”
“Hero? Suddenly?”
Labella blinked at the truly unexpected mention.
Even Caroer, who was speaking, seemed confused.
“I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I sensed the energy of a Hero I had encountered before, here as well.”
By this point, Labella also began to feel a sense of unease.
“Caroer, isn’t something wrong? Even the Wizard and Black Mage are one thing, but a Hero, suddenly?”
“…Why is the Black Mage ‘one thing’?”
At that moment.
Lisir cautiously raised his hand.
“I━ I also possess a Holy Sword.”
“…”
“…”
The two transcendent beings stared intently at the human.
An odd silence fell over the place.
Feeling awkward just standing there, Lisir displayed his Blue Breath.
He created Black Flames. He made his body glow. And-
“Stop.”
The High Elf closed her eyes tightly, urging him to stop.
The two transcendent beings stood still, motionless for a while, like statues.
✦✦✦
Afterwards.
Lisir returned to Labella’s hut with the two Elves.
“Um, Caroer-nim? Would you need something to wear?”
“No need. Clothing provided by you or Forest Night would be considered unclean, so it would be better not to wear it.”
“…”
Does she not feel shame, even when shown to a human?
The High Elf, naked and radiating light, silently began to prepare to teach Nature Magic.
A short time later.
The High Elf created a fissure in the Dark Elf’s forest.
The fissure was a passage leading to the Elf Lands.
“If you’re ready, let’s move.”
The High Elf led the way, moving beyond the fissure.
“…”
As Lisir also stepped forward-
He found himself becoming tense.
‘Truly…’
He was about to learn.
Nature Magic.
That power, which could be considered the foundation of his Master’s abilities.
From his Master-
From his Master.
“Wait.”
Lisir’s eyes hardened.
The moment the teaching he received from the Grand Master exceeded a week’s worth.
The total amount of teaching received from the Grand Master surpasses the teaching received from his Master.
In that case-
‘In that case, what’s the lineage?’
✦✦✦
At the same time.
A Dark Elf was facing off against a group of humans.
“Witch!!! Your infamy is well-known!!! To dare covet the legacy of the great Heroes with that cursed Dark Elf body! Do you think we, the descendants of Broph, the Sordan, would just stand by and watch?!”
The human’s shouting face was filled with composure.
Conversely, the Dark Elf’s face was filled with anxiety.
A battle had already taken place.
It had revealed the stark difference in power between the two sides.
The Dark Elf was already cornered.
She didn’t have many choices left.
The grimoire held in the Dark Elf’s hand shouted in a frantic voice.
“That’s just it~ It’s quite a predicament. I’m only exercising my rightful rights, so why am I being treated as a villain?”
Pamon, the Forest Witch.
Her gaze was focused on one side of the group.
A Swordsman with a hood pulled over his head.
The reason she was being pursued by the pursuit squad was entirely due to that man’s superhuman presence.
“That’s right. The problem is, because of that villain treatment, such a powerful person has gotten involved. It’s better to deal with everyone else than to deal with that one person alone.”
“Hmm~ Will my charms work on him?”
Pamon smiled wryly at the mention of that name.
“And the only one who would listen to a Dark Elf is that child, Lisir.”
Just as the cornered Dark Elf and the grimoire were having a conversation with a resigned tone, it happened.
“…”
The ears of the hooded man twitched.
His superhuman senses had detected their secret conversation.
“Dark Elf. Is that Lisir – perhaps the Wizard of the Grey Tower?”
The man shouted towards the Dark Elf.
When the man started talking to the Dark Elf on his own, Sordan, the descendant of the Hero who hired him, was surprised and tried to stop him.
However, the man ignored him and took a step forward.
“If it’s indeed Lisir, the Wizard of the Grey Tower – Dark Elf, what is your relationship with him?”
“…”
Pamon stared at him, then cautiously opened her mouth.
“And what is your relationship with Lisir?”
“As for me━”
As he pulled back his hood, flowing silver hair was revealed.
“I received teachings from the same person as Lisir – I could be called Lisir’s older brother.”
One of the seven Sword Masters of the continent.
The man known as the Outer Sword.
He, who had felt annoyance at the situation of many people ganging up on one person, created a cheerful smile the moment a certain man’s name was mentioned.
“Received teachings from the same person as Lisir… an older brother?”
As Pamon was organizing her thoughts in her head, she heard a voice.
“Huh?”
“Hmm?”
The Dark Elf and the Sword Master looked at each other.
Who is it?
✦✦✦
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