Ch 234
This nightmare-like thing.
He’s making me pay the price for my debt thoroughly.
That was Caroer’s first impression when she took on Lisir.
It wasn’t because of Caroer and Forest Night’s tiresome connection—
nor was it because of her pride as a High Elf and Elder of the Elves in Nature Magic.
She had already resigned herself to those trivial matters from the moment she was called by that nightmare-like woman （nickname）.
—To help a human obtain the Seed of Nature Magic? What is this endless—
Caroer felt at a loss entirely because of the numerous difficulties involved in following that request.
In the past.
After Nature Magic became taboo due to a coincidental event （Forest Night’s infamy）.
The Elves’ attitude towards Nature Magic naturally became closed off.
—No longer shall our Elves’ great vision be defamed in this way!!!
Now, even if we receive insults, it will be for reasons we can accept!
Under that ideology, they came to thoroughly manage and control Nature Magic.
Thus, Nature Magic became a vision that only a very small number of proven individuals among the Elves could handle—
and now, to pass it on to a human.
Even!
To a descendant of Forest Night!
As a member of the Council of Elders—
Caroer knew very well how difficult it was to persuade her fellow Elders regarding this matter.
She thought.
—In the end, is there no other answer than to just barge in?
—My reputation ends here.
Even mobilizing the knowledge and wisdom she had accumulated over her long life as a High Elf, she wouldn’t be able to come up with a miraculous word to persuade them.
But.
An anomaly occurred now.
“Caroer, is what you just said true!?”
Caroer began to see a way to persuade them.
After the situation ended.
It was what happened when she explained the whole story to them after they regained their senses.
Now.
If she reveals that Lisir is a descendant of Forest Night, wouldn’t they accept it?
Caroer continued the story, putting aside such a dangerous thought.
She had to seize the momentum at the right time.
The fact that a single human saved their lives and the entire Elf society—
it was impossible for those Elf Elders to readily accept that.
“It’s confusing, but it’s true. Lisir. If it weren’t for this person’s help, we would have suffered unbearable losses here today. Perhaps, we might have lost the great World Tree Spirit.”
“No! That’s not the important thing right now!”
“…!”
Caroer was taken aback by the Elders’ more intense-than-expected reaction.
Is the fact that they were saved by a human that hard to accept?
By this point, Caroer also felt displeased.
She said, slightly distorting her characteristic composed expression.
“Even if it’s our lives, the World Tree’s safety was involved. Yet, you speak like that… Now I’m curious. Let’s hear it. That truly important matter.”
“The World Tree, where is the World Tree Spirit now!?”
“…Ah.”
The Elders weren’t being stubborn.
As they said, there was something truly important happening right now.
Caroer closed her eyes tightly and rubbed her temples.
The problem she had been trying to ignore resurfaced.
Given the situation, ignoring it any longer was impossible.
Caroer uttered those words, feeling an intense headache.
“The World Tree Spirit… is currently isolated within Lisir’s Inner World.”
“So, you mean you transferred it to the Spirit World by making a contract?”
“No. It’s isolated within Lisir’s Inner World.”
“So, you mean you transferred it to a specific location?”
“Yes. The Inner World.”
“What does Inner World mean? From what I see, it seems that the Inner World has a different meaning among humans—”
“It’s not different from ours.”
“Is the human mind different in structure from ours, Elves?”
“It’s not different from ours.”
“Ah! I see! Humans connect each other’s minds to manage them as one giant mind!”
“That’s not it.”
“Is that so? Then, Caroer, may I ask one last thing?”
“Speak.”
“Did you perhaps lose your mind?”
“Your phrasing—”
“Oops. Sorry. I’m flustered. So, what I mean is, because of overexerting yourself in the battle with that intruder—…how should I put this. Yes. Did you lose your mind?”
“…”
Sssup.
Haa.
Caroer closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.
At this moment.
What frustrated Caroer the most was that their reaction of looking at her with pity was very reasonable.
In reality.
If she had heard about ‘that phenomenon’ through words instead of witnessing it directly, she would have reacted the same way.
“Lisir.”
“Ah, yes. Lady Caroer. Please speak.”
“…”
“Lady Caroer?”
“You will prove it to them yourself?”
Caroer barely uttered those words, as if she were putting down a heavy burden.
“Prove…?”
Tududududuk—
The Elves’ gazes rained down like a hail of arrows.
Lisir chuckled awkwardly, but did what he had to do.
“Dingding?”
He called out to the girl spirit who had already received a name from a professional namer.
—Mom!!!
“Huh, huh…!”
Some Elders recoiled in surprise.
The teal girl appeared without any warning.
“B-but, surely we didn’t feel any warning at all…!?”
As Elves who handle Spirit Magic as basic knowledge, they recognized at a glance that it wasn’t ordinary Spirit Magic.
Elder Caroer’s words were true.
The World Tree Spirit.
It had stayed within the inner world of a single individual for a short time.
—Mom, Mom!
What happened inside that Inner World.
The teal girl jumped up and down in place, urging Lisir.
As if asking to play together.
It was a sight that naturally made those watching smile—
but the Elves didn’t have time to care about that now.
Every time the teal girl moved, that abundant energy—
the World Tree’s energy was surging.
‘That, inside the Inner World…?’
The World Tree created the current Great Forest with its energy.
The Elves equated the World Tree with their forest home.
They considered the World Tree’s mental image to be vast enough to encompass the entire mental image of the Elves.
Thus, confusion arrives.
If the World Tree’s mental image is vast enough to encompass the entire mental image of the Elves—
then what about the mental image of that human who contains such an image?
“Ugh—”
The Elves began to hold their heads and suffer in pain.
Only one Princess and her escort knight, who were immune because they had experienced it once, maintained their composure, letting out weak laughter.
“Everyone?”
Lisir spoke cautiously for them.
“This child is merely the World Tree Spirit, and the World Tree’s main body is separate, isn’t it?”
Lisir showed them the World Tree Seed he held in his hand.
“Th-that’s right…! That’s right…!”
“It makes sense! Yes! It makes perfect sense!!!”
Once Lisir opened the way, the Elves expressed their agreement, as if their blocked breaths had been released.
However.
That state didn’t last long.
—Mom~ Mom~
The World Tree clung to Lisir’s sleeve and struggled.
It was a sight that naturally made those watching smile—
but the Elves didn’t have time to care about that this time either.
“M-m-mom…?”
The great existence that all Elves revered as a parent, the World Tree.
Because its spirit was calling a human “Mom.”
“…Ah!”
Finally, an Elf Elder lost consciousness, complaining of severe dizziness.
Was it due to the aftereffects of mental interference—
or was it due to another reason—
they had no way of knowing.
Someone said in dismay.
“Wh-what should we do now…?”
No one, including Caroer, could answer that question.
—Mom~ Mom~
Only the innocent voice flowed through the place.
✦✦✦
The Verdant Council was turned upside down.
It was a natural consequence, as the heart of the Elves had been attacked by a human, and a major issue that almost shook the entire Elf society.
“Lisir, if you’re alright with it, may we take charge of this person’s interrogation?”
“Ah. Of course.”
The High Elves decided to thoroughly cover up the incident to prevent unnecessary chaos in Elf society.
Of course.
Those who knew, knew.
“…And, if possible, could we keep the matter of that—Spirit—top secret for now?”
“…Of course.”
The fact that the biggest problem causing a commotion in the Verdant Council wasn’t the intruder, but something else.
—Mom!
The teal girl, showing hostility with a serious face when they tried to separate her from the human.
The High Elves were racking their brains over the issue of her treatment.
—Th-the World Tree Spirit follows a human as a father… What on earth should we do!
—Wait!
—Oh! Do you have an alternative!?
—I think there’s something that needs to be corrected. Strictly speaking, it’s not a father, but a mother.
—Right. You’re also starting to lose your mind. I understand.
The Elves possessed absolute pride in their symbiotic relationship with spirits.
Even the fact that a High-Rank Spirit Sylph chose a human instead of a High Elf was enough to turn the entire Elf society upside down—
now, the World Tree Spirit follows a single human as a mother, how much worse could it get.
The Council of Elders worked day and night to come up with an acceptable answer to that problem.
When their heads got too sore, they would interrogate the intruder to change their mood—roughly like that.
“I’m sorry. Because you helped the Elves out of goodwill, you’ve gotten involved in this complicated problem…”
“No, Lady Caroer. As you said, my decision to step into this matter was entirely my own will.”
“…No matter how I think about it, it’s too bad a person for that kind of fellow.”
“Yes?”
“No. Nothing. You must have something else you want to hear from me now.”
“What you mean by ‘want to hear’ is…”
“It’s about the Nature Magic Seed.”
“Oh, you haven’t forgotten!?”
“…This incident seems to have significantly damaged our Elves’ prestige.”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant…! Right now, we’re so busy because of that intruder, aren’t we!? Since we’re on the subject, has anything been revealed about the intruder’s identity?”
Aside from the World Tree Spirit who calls her mother—
the biggest shock Lisir received from this incident was the existence of the intruder.
“I still can’t believe it. That I fought a monster like that to the death… Just in case, Lady Caroer, using Mental Magic to exert that level of influence—”
“Is absolutely not common. It’s not just common, even throughout the history of the continent, the number of individuals who have reached that level of realm can be counted on one hand.”
“…I see.”
Lisir was certain.
At that time.
If Caroer hadn’t been there, he would have faced the worst outcome.
Lisir, who had reached a point where his Dark Swordsmanship was on track and he had some confidence in his own strength, couldn’t help but feel confused.
‘Elf City—even in the safest place in that city, encountering such a monster. This world. Isn’t it too harsh? It’s not some Dark Fantasy—’
The sense of crisis he felt this time, combined with the helplessness he felt when he met his Grand Master, raised questions for Lisir.
Perhaps I.
Am a frog in a well?
But thankfully—
Caroer’s following statement neatly resolved that question.
“Night of Deception.”
“Yes?”
“The intruder’s identity. It’s a fact revealed through interrogation.”
“…!”
Lisir wondered whether he should be relieved or horrified that the identity of the opponent who made him feel helpless was a Big Shot with the name ‘Night’.
“So, Lisir. Have a little more confidence in your own merits.”
“…Understood!”
Lisir nodded.
‘Right. If such monsters were everywhere, would the world be functioning properly? It’s not some Dark Fantasy.’
Caroer continued.
“The conversation has strayed again. Returning to the main point, Lisir, I have something to tell you regarding the transmission of Nature Magic.”
“I’ll listen.”
Lisir’s blue eyes shone brightly.
The helplessness he felt during his first encounter with his Grand Master.
And the sense of crisis he felt in this battle with the intruder.
The encounters with two transcendentally strong individuals were strong stimuli, spurring his desire for improvement.
“It’s unfortunate, but it will take considerable time for the conclusion of this incident involving the intruder and the World Tree Spirit to be reached.”
“Inevitably, my stay in Illathein will be extended.”
“That’s right. But don’t worry about that. Measures have been taken to ensure that your time is not wasted meaninglessly.”
“What measures?”
“The Council of Elders unanimously approved your succession of Nature Magic.
“…!”
Lisir was so surprised that he couldn’t even speak properly.
“The Elf Elders approved of me, a human, inheriting the Elves’ vision!? Is that even possible!?”
“Then, is it possible that you became the mother of the World Tree Spirit?”
“Ah.”
Lisir understood.
“Take this.”
Caroer handed Lisir a document bearing her seal.
“Go to the Green Tower. I’ve already sent word ahead, so the leader there will help you with your Nature Magic succession in every way possible.”
“Green Tower…”
Lisir recalled a conversation he had with Master Melthas.
✦✦✦
—…Good heavens. Is our Tower so lacking in foundation?
—My friend! Foundation, of all things! Well, it’s true, but. It’s true that it has the shallowest history and foundation among all Towers.
—Heh heh. Then, Master Melthas, if you were to choose the most established Tower, where would it be?
—Well, that’s a difficult question. It’s because the comparison doesn’t hold much meaning. However. You wouldn’t have asked that question with such a serious meaning.
—That’s right. It’s a question based on interest.
—Then—shall we take the current Tower Master as the standard?
—Tower Master?
—Yes. If we only consider the period the current Tower Master has spent as the master, I think the Green Tower would be the best.
—The Green Tower… do you mean the Elves’ Tower?
—Yes. As you know, Elves are long-lived beings, and therefore—the current Green Tower Master has reigned as the master of the Tower for a long time. You know, the worst of the past—the one who defeated Forest Night was the current Green Tower Master.
✦✦✦
“…”
Lisir couldn’t contain his strange feeling.
“Lady Caroer. Just in case, but the leader of that Green Tower—”
A confident smile appeared on Caroer’s composed face.
“Do you think I would be negligent in dealing with my benefactor? The master of the Tower. That great wizard will be your new guide, so you can look forward to it.”
“Ah…!”
“A sigh? Why?”
The reason Lisir sighed was not anything else.
‘The wizard who defeated my Master’s Master is my Nature Magic Master?’
It’s getting more and more interesting.
Lisir began to fear where this lineage would go.
The wizard who defeated Forest Night.
Lisir was, in many ways, afraid to see his new （?） Master’s face.
So he said.
“Th-Lady Caroer. If I may ask. Is that Nature Magic Seed something that can’t be replaced with anything else?”
“Do you think it’s the kind of thing that can be replaced? By now, I’m beyond being exasperated, I’m curious. Let’s hear it. What do you plan to replace it with?”
“How about the World Tree Spirit?”
“What did you say—”
Huh? Wait.
Oh? No.
Wait.
The High Elf’s expression fluctuated.
✦✦✦
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