Ch.113Chapter 113

The elves were just as shocked to see the sapling transform into a young girl right before their eyes.

The White Captains stared blankly at The World Tree before being startled into prostration.

Though the manner of revelation was strange, they couldn’t deny that the being before them was the incarnation of The World Tree.

“Everyone, lower your weapons and bow your heads!”

“Anyone who acts rashly will be punished according to military law!”

As the White Captains shouted while deeply bowing, the warriors threw their weapons to the ground and lowered their posture.

No one doubted The World Tree who had suddenly revealed herself, nor did anyone disobey the orders.

The history of elves could be said to be the history of The World Tree—how could they not worship her?

“The World Tree has said that we are all born from nature, so to be fruitful and multiply is the first…”

Some were even reciting verses praising The World Tree, their faces flushed with religious ecstasy.

Wendigo looked around and clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

From the situation, he couldn’t deny that the little child before him was The World Tree without even needing to confirm it.

‘I would have preferred if this were one of the plans prepared to assassinate the elders.’

He had thought that someone cunning enough to destroy the republic-led expedition through mutiny might have replaced The World Tree’s sapling with a monster…

But seeing even the warriors who had been steeling themselves in the face of death now bowing their heads, this was clearly The World Tree herself.

Wendigo asked the child before him with a slight hope.

“Are you really The World Tree? This might be a bit rude… but you look quite different from what I imagined.”

[Yes, I am The World Tree.]

“!”

The fragrance in the voice of the child—no, The World Tree—was surprisingly pure truth.

But what was even more surprising was the fragrance contained in The World Tree’s nature.

The World Tree’s fragrance was literally nature itself.

The smell of soft soil and the subtle scent of wood, as well as the refreshing stream and the crisp morning air.

‘This… is a fragrance with a different texture from anything I’ve experienced before.’

It was certain that this wasn’t a being accumulating evil deeds. However, Wendigo did not lower his ice sword.

Wendigo pointed his ice sword at The World Tree’s neck and asked.

“What’s your purpose in suddenly revealing yourself?”

[Didn’t I just explain? I simply want to plant a sapling in this land.]

The World Tree tilted her head and answered his question.

Wendigo shook his head. That wasn’t the story he wanted to hear.

“It would have been better if you had revealed yourself from the beginning. Did you show yourself because things weren’t going according to your plan?”

Dario Kaffustin nodded with a tense face at Wendigo’s observation.

She had remained completely still when Elhemina said she would plant the sapling, but when Elhemina changed her plans with tears, she revealed herself.

The timing was suspicious to anyone who saw it.

Without a proper explanation, regardless of The World Tree’s value, he had no intention of letting her take root.

So an explanation was needed…

[……]

“Um… are you listening?”

“It’s hard to tell with that expressionless face.”

The World Tree didn’t offer an explanation and maintained a poker face while staring at Wendigo.

Dario cautiously approached and waved his hand in front of The World Tree’s face. But The World Tree’s pupils were as still as a calm lake, without even the slightest tremor.

Dario looked at Wendigo with a disgruntled expression and asked.

“Did she die because she couldn’t explain herself? This reminds me of those guys at gambling dens who bluff when they have nothing.”

“I can still feel a strong mystical energy from her… hm?”

While observing the mystical energy emanating from The World Tree, Wendigo found a thread connected to her head.

The thread, as faint as smoke, extended to somewhere he couldn’t even guess.

While observing the thread carefully, he noticed that from a certain point, intense mystical waves were being transmitted along the thread toward them.

“Dario, I think it’s better to step back.”

“Huh? Is there a problem?”

Dario, who had been snapping his fingers and moving around in front of her to elicit a response, asked in confusion.

At that moment, mystical energy was transmitted to The World Tree’s body through the thread.

Like a mannequin coming to life, The World Tree’s neck turned toward Dario at an eerily unnatural speed.

“Aaaaah!?”

Combined with the creaking sound of wood that didn’t match the child’s body, Dario backed away in terror.

Freya, as if she had anticipated this all along, pointed at Dario and cackled.

The World Tree approached Dario with cracking joints and asked.

[Human child, what were you doing in front of me?]

“I-I wasn’t doing anything! You weren’t responding, so I was just checking if there was something wrong with your… hey?”

Dario, always eloquent, was hastily making excuses when he noticed something strange and tapped the face of The World Tree who was staring at him.

But seeing no response at all, Dario quickly crawled back to Wendigo’s side.

Wendigo asked Freya, who was still cackling.

“You seem to know what’s going on here.”

“Well~ It’s nothing too extraordinary. Even if The World Tree is a magnificent being, she has more than one body to manage.”

As if to prove this true, mystical energy was transmitted again through the thread connected to The World Tree.

This time, as if she really intended to have a proper conversation, the amount was incomparably greater than before.

Light filled The World Tree’s eyes, and after looking around and identifying Wendigo, she approached him with small steps.

Still expressionless, The World Tree bowed her head and apologized.

[I’m sorry. There are many who call for me, so I couldn’t help it.]

“Strange. If you’re so busy, why are you trying to take root in the north?”

To Wendigo’s question, The World Tree stared at him as if he had asked something obvious and answered.

[Because reproduction is the law of nature?]

“What His Majesty is asking is why you want to repro—I mean, take root in the north instead of Elvenheim.”

Finding it quite frustrating, Dario stepped forward to question The World Tree directly.

The World Tree looked at the elves for a moment, then gestured for Wendigo to lower his head.

When Wendigo bent down and brought his head closer, The World Tree placed her hand on what was presumably his ear and whispered.

[The child they call the founder promised me peace and growth, offering symbiosis. But now that promise is broken, so I want another safe place.]

“…I’ll need a more detailed explanation.”

[How strange. I thought you would understand easily…?]

The World Tree showed emotion for the first time, expressing great puzzlement.

Of course, Wendigo was dumbfounded. From what he had heard from the elves and Freya so far, The World Tree was the protector of the elves, not something that needed protection.

Frankly speaking, the fact that they avoided becoming toys of the gods with The World Tree’s help meant the founder’s promise wasn’t completely broken, didn’t it?

Realizing that Wendigo truly didn’t understand, The World Tree wore a strangely dejected expression.

[Very well. Let’s talk in a quiet place.]

The World Tree reached out toward Wendigo. Wendigo reflexively extended his hand, and The World Tree grasped the tip of his fingernail and walked toward the exit.

“W-World Tree!”

“Outside is dangerous. Please allow us to!”

[I’ll be fine. Wait here, you’re in the way.]

Despite the elves’ lamentations, The World Tree responded indifferently and headed outside with Wendigo.

The elves watched The World Tree dragging(?) Wendigo away with expressions as if the world had collapsed.

“Really. I don’t know why they act like that when that tree has no attachment to them~”

Freya followed them with a face full of discontent.

Dario glared at The World Tree taking Wendigo away with suspicious eyes.

‘I wonder if following His Majesty might get me into trouble.’

…But he couldn’t stay alone when the king had left.

Dario hurriedly ran after Wendigo, deliberately ignoring the elves’ vacant gazes.

The World Tree, who had led Wendigo and his party outside, made a small gesture causing trees to emerge from the ground, creating a hemispherical space.

Inside, golden plants never before seen in the north emitted light, illuminating the darkness.

The World Tree stood in the center, staring at Wendigo, and began to speak.

[I’m not very good with words, so this might take a while… but if you want it, I have no choice.]

“Can’t you tell me briefly and concisely?”

[Didn’t I just speak briefly and concisely earlier?]

“……”

Convinced that The World Tree had no middle ground, Wendigo inwardly sighed.

Taking Wendigo’s silence as affirmation, The World Tree began her story.

* * *

The World Tree’s claim about not being good with words was a lie. To be precise, The World Tree didn’t have poor speaking skills—she had none at all.

Who would have expected that when asked why she wanted to take root in the north, she would start from her own birth?

The fortunate thing was that the more one listened to her story, the more one could understand The World Tree.

The World Tree, whom the elves worshipped like a god… was stranger than expected.

Dario, who had been taking notes of The World Tree’s long speech in his notebook, wondered if he had heard correctly.

“So… you’re saying you don’t favor the elves?”

[That’s right. The elves helped me reproduce by planting saplings here and there in place of me who cannot move, and in return, I helped them—it was just symbiosis.]

“Um… what do you think about the elves worshipping you like a god?”

To Dario’s question, The World Tree blinked and answered.

[I know they find mental stability through that behavior. But I never demanded such acts. It has little to do with my growth and reproduction.]

The World Tree wasn’t interested in the elves’ worship.

She simply remained quiet because that behavior neither harmed her nor negatively affected the elves.

From the beginning, even if the elves had thought of her as just a tree, she wouldn’t have cared as long as they maintained their symbiotic relationship.

‘So that’s why her fragrance was so unique…’

Wendigo understood why The World Tree emitted the fragrance of nature.

Though The World Tree was magnificent enough to transform the ecology of an entire island and race, her actions contained no personal desires.

The driving force behind The World Tree was solely the instinct engraved in all species—the instinct to grow and multiply so that the species would not die out.

Wendigo thought of the elves outside and felt a little pity for them.

They were busy worshipping The World Tree, saying she protected them and bestowed grace, while The World Tree herself didn’t understand why they did so…

‘This is something I should never tell anyone who asks.’

Wendigo decided to bury this fact.

…Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.