Ch 231
『Title: Wait, what the heck are these elf brats???』
Content: For generations, they strutted around with their noses in the air, calling themselves the GOAT and all that.
But a lowly human dared to…
In their own territory!!!
Used perception-impairing magic on them!!!
And caused chaos among their World Tree and High Elves!!!
Is it right that they didn’t notice and got completely wrecked?
-: These elf brats just live long, have innately high mana stats, and above-average looks, that’s all.
-: …Isn’t that everything?
-: But they didn’t have that certain something.
-: Elves with longevity + mana stats + looks VS Humans with that certain something.
Which is superior?
-: There was a reason why the elves considered humans inferior…
-: If it weren’t for that certain something, it would have been a fair fight.
-『Author』: But that Prophet, that World Tree’s proxy,
joined forces with the Night of Deception and took the bribery route.
Isn’t that on par with that certain something?
-: Is that certain something really that level?
-: The Prophet didn’t take the bribery route,
but was tricked by the Night of Deception and unknowingly destroyed the World Tree.
-: These elf brats kept going on and on about the World Tree,
but know less about it than humans?
-: World Tree, World Tree… the sound of it is hilarious.
That’s what he said.
-: That certain something, stop dragging down the human average and die, die.
-: I was just standing still.
-『Author』: But seriously, that Verdant Star,
that so-called World Tree’s Prophet,
what did they have to do to be tricked by humans and participate in destroying the World Tree?
-: While freaking out because the World Tree was going haywire and they couldn’t hear its voice anymore,
the Night of Deception pretended to be the World Tree Spirit using perception-impairing magic, so they just lost their minds.
-『Author』: They’re a star, aren’t they?
But why are they getting completely wrecked by some Night?
-: The Verdant Star is a bit of an honorary position, you know.
The elves give the World Tree’s Prophets star titles, saying, “This guy can hear the great World Tree’s voice, so he’s star-level, right? Right.”
It’s like a Saint Elf version.
-: If you exclude the Verdant Star’s affinity for nature,
their stats are just at the civilian level.
-『Author』: No way, their level was unusually low for a star, so I was wondering what was up,
and that was the reason?
-: They’re paying for their karma.
Isn’t that why all the High Elves died and the World Tree died?
-: Those arrogant elves were ultimately destroyed by their own arrogance.
-: Look at these human bastards, making jokes about an entire elf race’s demise.
-: Why did you do that, that certain something?
-: I was just standing still.
-: That certain something decided to atone for their sins by taking on all of humanity’s original sins and dying.
✦✦✦
Salea, the Verdant Star.
The great World Tree imparted its will upon her.
Through this, the Elf received a role and special status.
The Elf remained faithful to all of it.
“Great World Tree, please…”
Then, one day.
The Elf discovered they could no longer hear the World Tree’s will.
This was after the World Tree’s roots began to wither for an unknown reason.
“Please, let me hear your will once more…”
The Elf, who had been faithful to everything the World Tree had bestowed, was lost in an instant.
Not only the special status and pride they felt within themselves, but also the meaning of their existence.
It seemed that the Elf’s inner self was also withering, following the World Tree’s roots.
Before long, the Elf became like a dried-up plant, hopelessly yearning for a single drop of water.
-My child…
So desperate that they couldn’t doubt where that drop of water came from-
“You wouldn’t happen to be…”
That voice was only heard by her ears.
That figure was only seen by her eyes.
The Elf believed without a doubt that this mysterious being was the one they had been waiting for.
✦✦✦
“Ah…”
Salea faced the withered, dead World Tree.
“Aaah…”
She recalled those who had willingly sacrificed themselves, believing it to be the path to saving the World Tree.
She recalled the wicked voice that had orchestrated all of this-
and her own form, blinded by that voice.
“World Tree… World Tree…”
The Prophet endlessly repeated the name.
She called out to the World Tree Spirit that had spoken to her.
Even though she now knew it was not the being she had believed in.
Even though she knew it would never appear before her again.
“World Tree…”
Until the moment she hanged herself from a nameless tree outside the forest-
▶Fate 8: World Tree
✦✦✦
‘Master!’
Lisir felt the immeasurable grace of his Master in an unexpected place.
-Can you see me?
-…Am I mistaken?
Their first meeting.
The incident involving the ‘perception-impairing magic’ then greatly aided him in judging and responding to his current situation.
“I can’t understand it no matter how I look at it. That Wind Spirit, and Salea too. Why choose this human instead of a High Elf? Is there something only they can perceive with their special senses?”
A woman with purple bobbed hair, nearby, observing him, naturally muttering to herself.
Lisir saw a glimpse of his former Master in her.
That confident demeanor in his perception-impairing magic!
In short.
That monologue was a manifestation of her absolute confidence in her perception-impairing magic-
and proof that she was currently using perception-impairing magic.
‘The habits… or rituals of those who mainly use perception-impairing magic? If they react to a muttered comment, it immediately confirms that the perception-impairing magic has faltered.’
His thoughts, now clear, proceeded rapidly.
‘Then, who is this woman? Who is she to hide here—in the Verdant Council, the space of the World Tree and its descendants?’
Lisir had already judged her to be dangerous.
In the Verdant Council, the dwelling of the most noble elves, a human flaunting perception-impairing magic couldn’t be normal.
That’s why he decided he had to figure out her identity, even if it was difficult.
‘First, figuring out her relationship with the Prophet is the top priority-‘
Lisir looked at the Prophet and spoke her name.
“Salea.”
“Yes, Lisir. Speak.”
“You said just now that the World Tree wants us to sprout this seed.”
Lisir recalled the recent situation.
-What. There’s no need to rush. We have plenty of time. Let’s start by taking this fellow’s energy with that seed.
-In other words, the World Tree wants you to sprout this seed using that energy.
The woman’s monologue and the Prophet’s statement perfectly overlapped.
“I hear that Salea is the only one who can hear the World Tree’s will. Is that true?”
Salea responded with an awkward smile.
In that smile, there was the pride she felt as the World Tree’s Prophet.
“Then, Salea, did you know that the great World Tree would entrust us with this seed?”
“Ah.”
It seemed to be a welcome question, as Salea produced a very bright smile.
“I didn’t know the exact recipient, but I knew the World Tree’s Selection would take place. Thanks to the pure will of the World Tree, which I haven’t heard in a long time.”
“A long time…?”
“As you may know, Lisir, the World Tree is now withering.”
“…”
Lisir nodded.
It was a story often mentioned even in the Grey Tower, far from here.
The elves tried to hide it for the sake of their reputation-
but because of its scale, the secret inevitably became known to outsiders.
“Accordingly, various changes have occurred in my position of conveying the World Tree’s will.”
“What do you mean by various changes?”
“The World Tree’s will that I could feel gradually faded, and at some point, I could no longer feel it at all.”
“That… must have been a great ordeal.”
“Hee hee. As you said, my world briefly crumbled. However, the World Tree’s providence, which had foreseen all this, saved me once more.”
“Providence…”
“A newly appeared World Tree Spirit has taken its place.”
Lisir did his best to control his expression.
Salea suddenly gestured towards the ‘woman’.
“Lisir may not be able to feel it, but the World Tree Spirit is with us even at this moment. Unfortunately, it’s something only I can feel.”
“…”
Lisir looked in the direction Salea had pointed, as if there was nothing there.
His unfocused eyes somehow avoided the ‘woman’.
“Indeed… I can’t see anything.”
“…”
Salea smiled again, shyly showing her pride.
Lisir felt a sense of incongruity in that smile.
The Prophet’s pure smile did not match the woman’s presence at all.
Lisir thought.
The Prophet and the woman were definitely not people who should be together.
Then-
‘Could it be that the woman is deceiving the Prophet with perception-impairing magic? Pretending to be the World Tree Spirit?’
Lisir recalled the woman’s monologue once more.
-What. There’s no need to rush. We have plenty of time. Let’s start by taking this fellow’s energy with that seed.
Lisir felt the seed in his hand and spoke to Salea.
“If we sprout this seed…”
“The World Tree Spirit will use it to heal the ailing World Tree.”
“It’s transmitted to the World Tree through the Spirit’s existence…!”
Lisir pretended to be excited about the fact that they could influence the World Tree.
At the same time, he checked the woman’s reaction with the most natural gaze possible.
Lisir didn’t miss it.
“…”
A cheerful yet vile smile appeared on the woman’s face.
‘The seed will never reach the World Tree.’
By now, Lisir was certain.
‘It’s clear. That woman is pretending to be the World Tree Spirit and deceiving the Prophet.’
Lisir was overwhelmed by a dizzying sensation.
The possessor of a profound aura reminiscent of the Grand Master and the Elf Elder was deceiving the elves by impersonating the World Tree Spirit.
It was an incredibly unexpected situation.
‘Could it be that the woman also orchestrated the World Tree’s Selection?’
At that moment.
Lisir’s thoughts turned to Salea’s previous statement.
“Salea. You said just now that you prophesied the World Tree’s Selection through the pure will of the World Tree, which you heard for the first time in a long time.”
“That’s right.”
“Is that pure will different from the World Tree Spirit?”
“Yes. It’s literally the World Tree’s own voice, without the Spirit. Before the World Tree fell ill, my communication with the World Tree was through that.”
“Was that pure will transmitted in the same way as before?”
“No.”
Salea shook her head with a troubled expression.
“It was so faint that I had to use all my strength to barely hear it.”
“Like… a final desperate cry.”
“That’s right.”
Lisir outwardly pretended to understand and nodded, inwardly relieved.
‘Fortunately, the woman didn’t orchestrate the World Tree’s Selection.’
That meant there was still hope.
If they got rid of that ‘World Tree Spirit’ now, they could still turn things around.
‘The problem is, how do we get rid of that monster?’
Lisir considered.
What would happen if he exposed the ‘World Tree Spirit’s’ true identity in this situation?
Would the elves listen to him?
No way.
‘They’d probably come at me with pitchforks, saying a lowly race revealed its true colors.’
How could he make the elves believe him, not the ‘World Tree Spirit’?
“Lisir…?”
“Yes? Oh, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
Lisir’s anguish, as he pondered this, was beyond his ability to hide.
The attention of those present was already focused on him.
At that moment.
“…”
Lisir’s eyes widened.
He recalled the Prophet’s statement that only ‘she’ could feel the World Tree Spirit.
At the same time.
He thought of a ‘being’ the elves would completely trust.
“Sylph.”
Lisir spoke to the great Wind Spirit.
-Speak.
Whoosh.
The wind swirled through the room.
The great Wind Spirit answered the human’s call as if waiting for it.
“Can you also see the World Tree Spirit the Prophet mentioned?”
-No. I cannot feel that being either.
Lisir was horrified.
This monster’s perception-impairing magic was deceiving even a High-Rank Spirit.
But it didn’t matter.
That wasn’t the core of Lisir’s plan.
“…Then, Sylph. Perhaps━”
Lisir pointed to a corner of the room and said.
“Can you see this being?”
“…Lisir?”
The Prophet and the elves showed doubt as they looked there.
Because there was nothing there.
In fact.
It was the same for Lisir.
To him, too, there was nothing there.
Nevertheless, he said.
“From just now, another being claiming to be the World Tree Spirit has been speaking to me.”
Lisir thought.
The World Tree Spirit that only specific people can see.
Let’s create a new one.
Of course.
He knows.
That even if an outsider suddenly mentions a World Tree Spirit that only he can see, none of the elves will believe him.
But-
“This Spirit mentioned Sylph, so I ask you this.”
If the great Wind Spirit, revered by all the elves, vouches for it?
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
Lisir struggled to suppress his wildly beating heart.
‘Ha, man… Is this really the right thing to do…?’
It was a plan to go with his instincts and just do it-
but rationally, he understood how absurd it was.
‘Even if Sylph likes me, would they cooperate in such a crazy scheme?’
Whoosh.
In the silence, Lisir felt his soul being eroded by the swirling wind, overwhelmed by anxiety.
Then.
The High-Rank Spirit finally spoke.
-Yes. I see it.
Followed by a cautious addition.
-…Faintly.
Sylph, the High-Rank Wind Spirit.
The moment the great spirit, who had ruled the Great Forest of the elves for countless years, participated in the impersonation of the World Tree Spirit.
“World Tree Spirit, that’s nonsense━”
The ‘World Tree Spirit’s’ expression twisted.
✦✦✦
At the same time.
The Verdant Heart, the temple of Illathein where the World Tree is located.
A High Elf, while struggling to achieve the groundbreaking feat of ‘inheriting human Nature Magic’, received a report.
“…Tell me again, who received the World Tree’s Selection?”
The High Elf’s dignified expression crumbled upon hearing the news about a human.
✦✦✦
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