Elf’s Forest (5)

Today, too, the spirits delivered the day’s news to Sylvia.

‘I met that woman again.’

Sylvia bit her lip, looking down at the garden beyond the window.

The sharp sound of metal clashing echoed through the training grounds. In the drill hall, Haru and Morgana were facing off with swords.

‘You met again.’

Morgana’s lithe movements danced around Haru’s sword. Her black combat suit clung to her body, drawing alluring curves.

“I’m really going to win this time!”

“You’ve never won before, though.”

“Today is different!”

Morgana soared into the air. With the unique footwork of a dark elf, she instantly appeared behind Haru.

The distance was, too, close.

“Gotcha!”

Her sword aimed for Haru’s neck, but Haru, as if anticipating the move, ducked. Then, he grabbed Morgana’s wrist and slammed her to the ground.

Tuk-

“Ugh, I lost again! Fine, I admit it. The Hero is different after all.”

“Let’s stop for today.”

Haru said, wiping away sweat.

“Already? I haven’t enjoyed it enough yet…”

Haru reached out his hand and helped her up. The moment their hands touched, Sylvia’s heart sank.

‘Everything is normal. It’s just a swordsmanship exchange.’

Haru and Morgana’s practice sparring, she thought it would be just once or twice at first, but it had been going on for three weeks already.

“Be quiet.”

Sylvia whispered, and the fire spirits that were blazing around her subsided. But her inner self was not calmed at all.

The two, having finished their training, sat side by side on a small bench. Morgana took out a half-empty water bottle and handed it to Haru.

“Aren’t you thirsty?”

Haru took the water bottle and emptied it in one go.

Morgana’s gaze lingered on Haru’s Adam’s apple.

“You’ll come next week too, right?”

“Hmm, if I have time.”

“No, you have to come. Let’s go on patrol together. We’ll go find rare monsters in the forest.”

Morgana grabbed Haru’s arm.

“To be honest, it’s lucky you came to the forest. The other elf men in the forest are all weak. Pathetic.”

“You shouldn’t say that.”

“It’s the truth.”

Morgana shrugged.

“But you’re different. You’re human, but you beat me. Do you know how attractive that is?”

Morgana scooted closer to Haru.

“Uh… I was just lucky.”

“Luck?”

Morgana scoffed.

Her fingers slowly moved along Haru’s arm.

“These muscles weren’t made by luck.”

“I’ll head out for today. I have a promise with Sylvia…”

“The Queen-nim again?”

Morgana’s lips pouted.

“Stay a little longer. I have something I’m curious about.”

“What are you curious about?”

“Tell me what it’s like outside the forest. Is there really a desert? An endless expanse of sand?”

“Yeah. A vast golden sand stretches beyond the horizon.”

“Wow… then have you fought dragons too?”

“That’s everyday life. Actually, Alice in our party was a dragon. At first, she gave us trials…”

Haru began to vividly tell his adventure stories. The story of passing through the Dragon’s Maze, the day he first met Sylvia, and the story of the Saintess and the Cat Thief.

‘Those are our memories…’

Morgana laughed and marveled at everything Haru said. Her reactions made Haru even more excited.

“Sylvia was really cold at first. She hardly spoke.”

“Oh, I can imagine.”

Morgana chuckled.

“She still has that side of her.”

‘That’s not true. She’s different in front of Haru.’

Haru continued to talk.

“She was a specimen of the proud elf that humans think of.”

“So how did you win the Queen-nim’s heart?”

“Well… I think it just happened naturally.”

“Haru.”

Morgana’s voice suddenly became serious. Her purple eyes gleamed.

“I’ve always decided that I would marry the man who defeated me.”

“Another joke?”

“I’m serious, I am.”

Morgana took a step closer to Haru.

“I heard that humans sometimes have multiple partners? I’m okay with it.”

“Wait a minute, Morgana…”

“I’m not as old-fashioned as other elves. Dark elves are a little more honest and… progressive. We… know how to get what we want.”

Her hand touched Haru’s chest. Sylvia’s vision turned red.

‘No. No. No!’

The spirits reacted to Sylvia’s anger. The wind swirled, and the tree branches shook.

Morgana looked around in surprise.

“What is this?”

“Looks like a storm is coming. We should go inside.”

He quickly got up from his seat.

“See you next time, Morgana.”

***

Sylvia’s room. She stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself. Her emerald hair was disheveled. There was madness in her eyes.

“I need Haru…”

Her voice trembled. The spirits circled around her anxiously.

“Everyone is trying to take him away…”

Sylvia reached out her hand towards the mirror.

“I have no choice. For Haru’s safety…”

She took a deep breath. She began to give orders to the spirits.

“Check Morgana’s training schedule. I need to have an important policy meeting with Haru that day.”

A small water spirit nodded.

“Dispatch the Lavender Sisters to work at the temple. Under the pretext that the World Tree’s branches are withering.”

A tree spirit began to move.

“As for Lirilla… make sure there’s something wrong with her harp. To repair the harp, she’ll have to return to her original territory.”

A wind spirit disappeared invisibly.

Sylvia straightened her hair with trembling hands. The person in the mirror felt unfamiliar.

“It’s for Haru’s safety. That’s all.”

*

A few days later, Versiel of the Golden Leaf family came to Haru with a regretful expression.

“Hero-nim, I’m really sorry. The merchant guild tour I had prepared has been canceled. The alliance has scheduled a meeting for a new trade route agreement.”

“Ah, I see. There will be another opportunity.”

That afternoon, Lirilla also delivered disappointing news.

“I was going to invite Hero-nim to the Autumn Leaf family’s festival, but my harp is completely out of order… I’ll have to return to my family to repair it.”

In the conference room, Sylvia continued to sign personnel orders. Elder Beril asked with a puzzled expression.

“Queen-nim, is there a reason why you are suddenly sending so many female elves far away?”

Sylvia’s pen paused for a moment.

“Let’s call it a rotation. Our forest needs change now. Isn’t it natural to dispatch talented people to each region?”

“But why only young female subordinates…”

“Because they have the best communion with the spirits.”

Beril looked at Sylvia with suspicious eyes.

“Even Sorn’s daughter, Morgana? She is the heir to the Blackthorn family.”

“Especially her.”

Sylvia’s voice turned cold.

“The situation on the northern border is unusual. Her martial prowess is needed.”

Beril didn’t ask any further, but his eyes were full of suspicion.

Of course, Sylvia didn’t care. Right now, her mind was only filled with Haru.

‘Is this the right thing to do?’

A moment of doubt flashed through her mind, but soon she remembered Morgana putting her hand on Haru’s chest. Jealousy writhed again.

Before long, Sylvia was the only one left to stroll through the garden with Haru.

“That’s strange. I promised Morgana to scout the forest, but suddenly she was dispatched to the northern border.”

Sylvia sipped her tea, pretending to be indifferent.

“Really? It wouldn’t have worked out anyway. There’s a World Tree pruning event.”

“World Tree pruning? This is the first time I’ve heard of it?”

“It’s done around this time every year. As the King of the Forest, I must attend.”

“Is that so? But lately, appointments keep getting canceled strangely. Lirilla said her harp is broken, and the Lavender Sisters were suddenly assigned to the temple…”

“It’s a particularly busy time for everyone these days.”

“I see…”

Haru looked out the window. Sylvia went to his side and put her arm around his.

“Are you lonely?”

“No, it’s just…”

Haru hesitated.

“It seems like a lot of things are happening by coincidence.”

Sylvia’s heart pounded. Had he found out? But soon she smiled calmly.

“It must be the will of the World Tree. It seems like it wants us to spend more time together.”

***

The evening sunset dyed the World Tree’s garden red.

The spirits also responded to Sylvia’s emotions, emitting a red light.

Today, Sylvia invited Haru to a special dinner for the first time in a long time.

The old wooden table was full of Haru’s favorite foods.

She presented a steak she had cooked herself.

A perfectly cooked steak that was no longer burnt.

“How is it? I finally learned how to cook it.”

Haru took a bite and made a surprised expression.

“Wow, it’s really delicious. I didn’t know Sylvia would become such a good cook.”

Sylvia’s ears fluttered with joy. All the hard work was worth it with just one word of his praise.

After dinner, when they sat under the moonlight, Sylvia carefully asked.

“Haru… are you happy? In the forest… with me?”

“Huh? Of course. Of course, I am.”

“Liar.”

His smile seemed somehow more tired than usual.

“Haru, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

Sylvia looked straight into Haru’s eyes.

“Do you really want to be with me?”

Haru’s expression hardened. After a moment of silence, he smiled.

“What are you talking about? Haven’t we been together until now?”

“I asked seriously.”

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

Haru said playfully.

“Well, there are times when I miss flying with Alice, or the Saintess-nim’s divine punishment…”

It was a light joke. It was clear from Haru’s expression. But Sylvia heard it differently.

‘Alice… Seraphin… so… other women…?’

The air froze for a moment. Sylvia’s eyes shone. Not with green, but with red.

“Sylvia?”

“So… you were thinking of going back to them.”

Sylvia’s voice changed. The warmth disappeared, leaving only cold anger.

“No, that’s not it, I was just joking…”

The wind swirled. The tree branches began to move. The World Tree’s magic vibrated in the air.

Haru looked around in surprise.

“What is this…”

The roots of the World Tree rose from the ground and began to wrap around Haru’s ankles.

“Sylvia! Calm down!”

Haru tried to break free, but the roots held him tighter and tighter.

“Now I understand… you were thinking of running away again.”

“No! Sylvia, it’s a misunderstanding!”

Sylvia approached step by step. Flowers and grass bloomed behind her footsteps, only to wither soon after. The turmoil of emotions was directly reflected in nature.

“If you’re a Hero, you have to accept your destiny. Your destiny… is me.”

Sylvia’s mind was already lost in madness, or rather, in love.

“Sylvia, please calm down and let’s talk.”

“Talk? We’ve talked enough. You’ve always thought about other women. Morgana, Lirilla, Versiel, other female elves, and now even a golden dragon, a saintess, and a cat…!”

The branches of the World Tree reached out towards Haru. The trees surrounded them like a fence.

“It’s all my fault.”

Sylvia shook her head.

“I gave you too much freedom.”

“Sylvia, please!”

“Don’t worry.”

Sylvia gently stroked Haru’s hair.

“Now, no one can separate us.”

The power of the World Tree enveloped the two. The earth vibrated, and the sky roared. Sylvia’s emerald hair fluttered without wind.

***

Inside the World Tree, Sylvia prepared a secret room for Haru.

“What are you doing, Sylvia? Are you planning to lock me up here?”

“I’m protecting you.”

Inside the World Tree, blocked on all sides by tree bark, the spirits set food on a small table.

“The spirits will provide you with everything you need. Food, books, music…”

Sylvia caressed the wall. The tree vibrated slightly in response to her touch.

“This is our new home… Haru, what do you think?”

“Sylvia… you can’t do this.”

“Why can’t I?”

Sylvia tilted her head.

“I love you, how can I leave you alone?”

“Everything you need is here. The spirits… no, I will take care of you.”

Haru ran towards a gap where light was still seeping in. But the wall quickly cracked and then resealed.

“It’s no use.”

Sylvia sighed.

“The inside of the World Tree is the boundary between dimensions. It exists in the gap between reality and another dimension.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Time flows differently here. No matter how much they look for you in the outside world, they will never find you.”

“Was this you, Sylvia? The aloof and noble elf queen I met for the first time wasn’t like this.”

“How much do you know me? Out of the thousand years of my life, you’ve only been with me for five years.”

Haru searched the room for a door. But he couldn’t see any exits.

“Don’t look for an exit. There isn’t one.”

“Sylvia, please… come back to your original self. This isn’t love, it’s obsession!”

“Love? Obsession?”

A cold laugh escaped.

“I don’t care about either anymore. I’ve always been like this. If you ask if I’m crazy in love… yes. That’s right.”

Sylvia sobbed.

“You… you made me like this. A permanent prison is fitting for a naughty Haru.”

“Sylvia… you can still stop now.”

“Neither the Demon King, nor Alice, nor Seraphin will be able to find you. Because only I can open the door to the World Tree.”

Sylvia approached Haru and kissed him on the forehead.

“You’ll get used to it soon. We have plenty of time. Eternal time…”

“Sylvia…”

“Rest, Haru. I’ll come again tomorrow.”

‘What… have I done?’

A moment of doubt flashed through her mind. But the thought that Haru missed his old party members rekindled her heart.

‘No. This is right… Now, no one can separate us.’

Sylvia closed the door to the World Tree.

The entrance disappeared, distorting space-time. The World Tree’s magic sealed the gap in the dimension.