Ch.110Chapter 110

What kind of vicious deeds must he have committed for his existence to be remembered for 1000 years?

Wendigo sighed deeply while holding his head.

“It was my mistake to trust someone like him.”

“Isn’t that too harsh? How can you so easily believe what strangers you just met today said!”

When Wendigo looked at her with contempt, Freya frantically waved her arms, insisting it wasn’t that bad.

While it was true that Freya had persistently seduced the elves due to some strange stubbornness, strictly speaking, the elves’ long lifespan was also a significant factor.

Freya pointed at the old elf with blazing eyes.

“If you go back to his grandfather’s grandfather, that’s about 1000 years! A thousand years might seem incredibly long by human standards, but for elves, it’s just that much.”

“Hmm…”

Wendigo and Dario Kaffustin let out meaningful sounds as they stared intently at Freya.

Indeed, elves, with their long lifespans, could perceive the flow of time differently than humans.

For humans, the time from birth to grave was no different than the time it took for an elf to reach their prime.

“I don’t think that explains the expressions on that old man and Elhemina. Their faces look like they’re seeing their mortal enemies.”

Dario pointed at the elves and complained to Freya.

Their expressions were so grave, as if they were facing some catastrophe.

It was fortunate they realized the overwhelming difference in power; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been strange if they had returned to their village and called for a fight to the death.

Freya crossed her arms and snorted.

“What do you want me to do about it? Besides, you could just go with Wendigo and leave me behind. They may not have eyes to see, but they’re not stupid.”

Freya had nothing to lose.

What Shir had asked was for her to follow Wendigo and solve the problem, but ultimately, if Wendigo solved it, everything would be over.

Having been dragged along while she was enjoying herself, it was natural for her to lack motivation.

‘That’s not wrong, but I refuse to bring her all this way and not use her.’

Wendigo beckoned to Dario with his finger. Dario approached Wendigo on horseback, puzzled.

“Dario, go to the elves and convince them that Freya is not dangerous.”

“What? No! Look at their eyes. They’re looking at her like she’s a monster!”

Dario refused Wendigo’s order in horror. The elves’ gazes were that intimidating.

Even just being watched from a distance made his skin crawl, and to go there and convince them she wasn’t dangerous…

Besides, she truly was dangerous, so convincing them wouldn’t be easy.

“You have connections with them. And without Freya, we might misunderstand elven customs or etiquette and make mistakes.”

“We could just subdue them by force. They’re criminals who trespassed on the king’s land in the first place…”

Some of the warriors nodded in agreement with Dario’s opinion.

By their common sense, those who trespassed on others’ lands deserved to die by the sword.

It was quite a violent solution, but in this world, it was one of the cleanest methods.

However…

“If the elves were common raiders, I would. But I don’t want to stain our first greeting with blood to those who might establish a university and continue good trade with us in the future.”

Solving it that way would leave nothing but inedible corpses and damaged weapons.

On the other hand, establishing good relations with the elves could yield benefits in architecture and perhaps unique elven knowledge.

Why give up a potentially significant gain for a little inconvenience?

‘…My father was suspicious but stupid enough to be easily deceived.’

Dario knew this fact as well. Though impulsive and obsessed with self-preservation, he was quick-witted.

Seeing Wendigo’s firm attitude, Dario turned his horse toward the elves with slumped shoulders.

Seeing his pitiful figure, the chieftains glanced at Wendigo with worried faces.

“Don’t worry too much. Dario is better at diplomacy than you think.”

“We-we’re sorry. We were just worried that he might not live up to the king’s expectations.”

It was natural for the chieftains to worry when a young man with no visible confidence headed toward their enemies.

If Dario provoked the elves and a battle broke out, the chieftains and their warriors would bear the consequences.

Indeed, when Dario approached and opened his mouth, the elves frowned and placed their hands on their weapons…

‘What an expressive fellow.’

Dario faced the elves with a terrified expression, as if reading their psychology. He wasn’t actually scared.

If he had been, the horse carrying him would have sensed its master’s anxiety and become agitated, but the horse was calm enough to be pawing the ground.

That fearful expression was clearly an act to give the other side a sense of security and trust.

Proving this, Dario returned with a triumphant expression.

“I convinced them. I told them Freya challenged the king without knowing her place, was subdued, and is now working to atone for her sins… Aaaaargh!?”

“You little brat! You said I surrendered to such a young Djin!?”

Freya, who had been humming while fixing her hair, pounced on Dario and grabbed his neck when she heard the rumor coming from his mouth.

She shook him vigorously with practiced skill… perhaps her experience of being manhandled by Shir had helped.

“Separate them.”

“Ah… Yes! Both of you, please calm down!”

The warriors tried to separate Freya and Dario at Wendigo’s command.

Though Freya appeared as a pretty woman, she was essentially a Djin, making her stronger than expected.

Freya wore five or six warriors like accessories and wouldn’t release Dario’s neck until he was foaming at the mouth.

* * *

Fortunately, Dario, who had been foaming like a slug sprinkled with salt, didn’t die.

Wendigo punished Freya with a flick to the forehead and approached the elves with the two of them.

The elves swallowed dryly as they watched them approach, glaring. Clear fear flickered in their eyes.

Watching this, Wendigo scolded Freya.

“What terrible things did you do in the past to make them fear you so much?”

“That’s too harsh. Even though I’m a Djin, I still have lines I don’t cross!”

Most Djin are known for their broken personalities and lack of conscience, but even Djin have their own values.

Especially long-lived Djin like Freya tend to have firm values.

Freya’s values were clear enough to be understood through her actions.

Not harming beautiful things and living as pleasantly as possible.

“I don’t particularly like elves, but beautiful beings have value just by existing. No matter how angry I get, I’ve never done anything terrible to elves.”

“That must be a lie. Do you know how much I sweated trying to convince them? You must have craved elven blood and consumed their essence.”

Dario glared at Freya with suspicious eyes.

Wendigo, knowing Freya was telling the truth, smirked.

At least it was true she hadn’t done anything terrible…

“N-no! I just had fun with pretty ladies!”

Freya hurriedly made excuses, seemingly guilty about something.

Wendigo was dumbfounded.

Craving blood could be considered terrible, so there was only one reason Freya would make excuses.

“Don’t tell me you violated elven women?”

“No! We just whispered love to each other, intoxicated by the beautiful moonlight! If anything, it was mutual…”

“……”

Wendigo looked at Freya with contempt.

Now he understood why the elves were so wary.

If Freya had deliberately enchanted them, wouldn’t it have caused problems like lovesickness or confusion about sexual identity?

…Still, since he brought her, he needed to make use of her.

Wendigo’s party stopped about ten paces away from the elves.

Though it was a considerable distance, the elves guarding the woman gripped their weapons with extreme caution.

“Forest King, forgive our rudeness. These old men have a duty to protect Lady Elhemina.”

“Don’t worry. Freya won’t try anything with Elhemina.”

“Well…”

They looked at Wendigo with troubled expressions.

When Wendigo appeared confused by their gaze, Elhemina carefully corrected his misunderstanding.

“The two elders are wary not of that Djin… but of you, King.”

“……”

Wendigo was so surprised he was speechless.

But thinking about it, it wasn’t that strange.

A dangerous Djin known since their great-great-grandfather’s time appeared before them, only to find an even stronger Djin who had subdued the first one.

From the elves’ perspective, it was like facing one mountain after another… and being wary of the strongest opponent was a basic warrior’s instinct.

“Pfft!”

Freya covered her lips and mocked Wendigo.

Wendigo wanted to flick her forehead in annoyance but tried to find inner peace.

It wasn’t a good idea to show violence when the other party was already frightened.

Promising himself to flick her forehead when they returned, Wendigo generously understood the elves’ position.

“I won’t think it strange. Our relationship began with conflict, and I provoked you with force.”

“You are truly broad-minded, as the rumors in the north say. I can hardly…”

“You can call her an evil, petty Djin who craves women’s beauty if you like.”

“Ah, no. I wouldn’t go that far…”

When Wendigo suddenly criticized Freya, Elhemina shook her head in embarrassment.

Wendigo inwardly clicked his tongue in disappointment. Such a wasted opportunity to get back at Freya.

Still, the sacrifice(?) of Freya seemed to have eased the elves’ wariness a bit.

“Elhemina of the Green Leaf tribe. I heard you have a connection with Dario, is that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. However, the term ‘Green Leaf tribe’ is just a simplified expression for humans to understand…”

“Huh?”

Wendigo looked at Freya in confusion.

Under the silent pressure to explain quickly, Freya sighed and explained about elves.

“Elven society is more complex than humans’.”

The proper name for the great island that humans called the Great Forest was Elvenheim.

Elvenheim, meaning the land of elves, was unified around a central point called The World Tree and had maintained a kind of republic for ages.

“So it’s not a tribe but a surname?”

Freya shook her head. Green Leaf wasn’t Elhemina’s surname but the name of the group she belonged to.

“Elven names are super complicated. They have their name and surname as basics, then add nicknames or titles, and the most important part is the name of their group.”

The elders governing the republic had the name of the senate.

Blacksmiths, bakers, and various craftsmen had the names of their workshops or guilds.

Priests had the names of The World Tree they served.

“Judging by the name Green Leaf, that elf must be a priest…”

“Wait, what do you mean by The World Tree’s name? Are you saying there’s more than one World Tree?”

Wendigo, who had been listening, asked Freya in confusion. He felt something off about her explanation.

The World Tree they served? It sounded like there was more than one World Tree.

Freya answered as if it were nothing special.

“The spirit of The World Tree is one, but it has multiple bodies. It’s like having avatars, if I were to make an analogy.”

Unlike Djin, The World Tree was a living organism that had rooted in this world from birth.

Isn’t it natural for living beings to reproduce to maintain their species?

Following this instinct, when the appropriate time came, The World Tree would give a sapling to the elves and command them to plant it…

Elhemina was the priest deemed worthy of this honorable task.

Sensing that she couldn’t hide her identity, Elhemina spoke with a resigned expression.

“…That Djin is correct. Green Leaf is the name of The World Tree I am to serve. To be precise, it’s still just a sapling.”

“Lady Elhemina!”

When Elhemina readily admitted the truth, those attending her raised their voices.

“This Djin knows a lot about us. We can’t hide our purpose from someone like her.”

“Nnngh…”

Elhemina calmed them down and took out a bundle she had been carefully hiding.

The object wrapped in beautiful silk contained such powerful mysticism that it could be felt even without opening one’s spiritual eyes.

When the silk was removed, a pure white sapling was revealed.

Though it was so small it was hardly worthy of being called a sapling, considering the magnitude of its mysticism, it wasn’t strange to call it one.

The moment that sapling was planted, regardless of its size, mysticism would burst forth and take root.

“…So that’s The World Tree’s sapling.”

“Yes. It’s a sapling named Green Leaf by the Mother of all World Trees, the Primordial World Tree at the center of Elvenheim.”

“Is it alright to show me such an important object?”

Wendigo asked Elhemina in confusion. The mysticism emanating from it was so powerful that it would surely attract covetous individuals.

If he had evil intentions, he could have slaughtered them and taken the sapling without hesitation.

To Wendigo’s question, Elhemina answered as if it were nothing.

“It’s fine. All World Trees are ultimately connected by one spirit. This sapling is no exception.”

“Don’t try to mess with it~ A long time ago, someone who coveted it attacked the elves, but as soon as he touched it, the sapling burrowed into his body and used him as nutrients.”

“……”

Wendigo closed his mouth at this unexpectedly cruel fate for something called The World Tree.