Ch.144144. Know Your Place (4)

After a long meal, Ainel came with Sione, saying she had something to say. What came out of her mouth was truly a series of shocks, to put it mildly.

The prophecy received by the High Elves, the desperate struggle of those damned demon worshippers, and even the existential crisis facing the vast forest originating from the elves and the World Tree.

Perhaps it was because Ainel summarized only the important parts briefly. It was only natural to be dumbfounded when a storm of words followed in such a short time.

And in the midst of all this, another quest appeared.

‘Really, what’s this about? My choice and all that. In the end, how is this different from saying everything will be ruined if I don’t stop it?’

The failure penalty for not protecting the Great Forest was too painful.

The extinction of the elves, the destruction of the World Tree, followed by the strengthening of the cultist forces—the scales were tipping heavily toward the negative side for me.

‘And even the weakening of my spirit magic.’

Even the weakening of my spirit magic on top of everything.

Spirit magic doesn’t exist with World Trees or Great Forests on Earth; it’s just one of the abilities granted through awakening as a Hunter.

‘In this world, the World Tree bestows the blessing of spirits upon the elves.’

One of the representative families that received this blessing is the Arielt family of our greedy elf Friel… As such, it seems the World Tree in this world can influence spirit magic.

Unlike before, my regained spirit magic seemed to be closely related to the Great Forest and, moreover, to the World Tree, rather than being solely my own.

I suspect that if the World Tree suffers a major blow, my spirit magic will weaken as well.

Perhaps the fact that my spirits cannot be summoned is also related to the current poor state of the World Tree that Ainel mentioned.

After organizing my thoughts, I gently furrowed my brow.

‘Tsk… after all the effort I put into developing my spirit magic.’

The fact that neglecting it could reduce the power I worked so hard to build is quite irritating.

How hard did I work to obtain this ability? I vividly remember cutting the throat of a thug targeting Sione while squeezing out tiny amounts of mana, then collapsing from mana exhaustion.

“The extinction of elves… did the daughter of the Arielt family really say that?”

“She even swore by the World Tree and spirits. Moreover… her unwavering breathing and posture did not appear to be those of someone telling lies.”

“…This is troubling.”

While Sione deepened her understanding through questions, I also organized my thoughts while listening to Ainel’s answers.

‘The extinction of elves.’

The end of a race of long-lived beings filled with superiority complexes.

Even if they’re neighbors I don’t particularly like, the situation changes when their extinction is at stake.

‘If the elves face extinction, this absolutely cannot be taken lightly.’

Elves are, on average, stronger than any other race.

They all handle spirits and are mages who manipulate natural elements, and their agile bodies help them execute more precise and intricate swordsmanship.

Additionally, living near the mana-rich World Tree, their mana affinity is superior to other races.

Moreover, ordinary elves live for hundreds of years, accumulating experience and mastery, so they are born with conditions that make it impossible for them to be weak.

And what about High Elves? Under the absolute blessing of the World Tree, they live for thousands of years. It would be stranger if they weren’t strong.

Yet, the extinction of such elves?

Is it that the elves are doing something foolish and facing ruin? Or are the cultists sacrificing themselves to succeed in their conquest?

I couldn’t easily gauge the level of either side.

‘…What the hell are these cultist bastards up to?’

How provocative must the cultists’ plan be?

And after the Great Forest falls, where will their remaining forces head?

Like when my posture momentarily collapsed during practice and I got hit by Siabel, I already feel dizzy thinking about the future.

After explaining the current situation of the Great Forest and its future, Ainel briefly closed her mouth.

Then she looked at me quietly after looking at Sione.

Her blue eyes, perhaps due to my mood, seemed slightly clouded and sunken today.

“And as support for this—”

Ainel’s right hand gently moved to the hilt of the sword at her waist.

Just a gesture of touching the hilt. As there was no hostility, she didn’t draw the sword and point it at my neck like before.

“They asked if Sione and Ray could be sent to the Great Forest.”

“What…?”

“…?”

And the words I heard, though I had roughly guessed from the quest’s appearance…

Hearing it directly was quite mind-blowing.

Sione is the second daughter of a Count family, not a Viscount or Baron. She’s a noble lady from a powerful County that’s on the path to promotion to a Margraviate.

She is a noble of royal blood in the kingdom, and despite years of struggling, she is someone whose value is extraordinary just because of the blood flowing through her veins.

Her previously poor evaluation has recently begun to reverse, and she’s starting to shine—and they’re asking to send such a precious person as Sione to a place that will become a battlefield according to the World Tree’s prophecy.

Requesting Sione’s dispatch instead of support from the County’s respected knights like Diolia was an excessive request.

“W-what do you mean by that?”

Sione stuttered slightly, surprised by the sudden mention of her name.

“The Grand Elder who received the prophecy said that the World Tree told them that the only ones who could change their fate on the continent were not the Empire, but you two from the Kingdom. That’s why they came all the way from the distant Great Forest.”

The World Tree sure gives good prophecies. How does it pick people so well?

Sione couldn’t easily answer Ainel’s words.

The content of the World Tree’s prophecy and the statement that she alone could twist that fate were confusing her.

“Uh…”

Sione just opened and closed her mouth slightly with a dumbfounded sound, looking like a fool with wide eyes. In the end, she could only mumble.

Ainel unfastened the sword she was wearing and presented it before her.

“And along with those words, they handed me this sword.”

…A sword with a familiar aura.

The sword, which had some kind of attraction, exuded extraordinariness from its scabbard. From the harmonious geometric reliefs and engravings, it clearly contained a craftsman’s soul.

Shing—

As she drew the sharp sword, I could clearly feel the energy melted into it.

‘This is… a spirit?’

I felt the strangely familiar aura of an intangible guardian.

I could see the dense spirit energy swirling on the blade of the drawn sword.

Moreover, on that blade—

The County’s emblem and the name Sianella were engraved.

Looking at Sione, who was examining the sword right in front of Ainel, I could see she was already distracted, her attention captured by the sword.

“A sword that the first head of the family gifted to the Forest Guardians who were his comrades. Our ancestors told us that when the elves return this sword to the County, we must grant one of their requests.”

“…Must we?”

“Yes, many high-ranking spirits were present as witnesses to the covenant at that time… and if the promise is broken.”

…A covenant with spirits as witnesses.

As a spirit mage, I know well. A promise witnessed not by relatively weak low and mid-rank spirits, but by high-rank spirits or above. How dangerous it is to break such a promise.

“The beings that embody wind will raise fierce winds that heighten the blue waves of the northern sea.”

Wind spirits will summon wild gales to tear through the territory and rip everything apart.

“The beings that embody fire will cover the world in black ash as revenge against the shameless oath-breakers.”

Fire spirits will ride the gales and devour everything the territory has built until their anger is appeased.

“And the beings that embody water will pour endless water to extinguish the fire, which will also become a water demon.”

Water spirits will create floods to turn the territory into wasteland to extinguish the fire, then vanish.

The anger of spirits is essentially a natural disaster, and it’s nearly impossible to stop their fury. One can only sense and cut down the spirits, who are merely ethereal beings, or appease them.

However, cutting them down easily might result in even worse punishment, so it’s generally better to appease them.

But appeasing them also takes a long time. Not keeping a covenant witnessed by high-ranking spirits would bring a second calamity that the County, which has just ended a war, cannot resist.

“Spirit magic… Ray, you can also handle it. Ray, can you erase a covenant witnessed by spirits?”

I gently shook my head.

“Erasing it is impossible.”

It can’t be helped.

“But reducing the damage is possible.”

However, I know how to reduce the damage when a covenant is broken.

Elves have their way—communicating with spirits as usual, accommodating and appeasing them to subdue their anger.

But my human method is different. Using constant pressure, my spirit affinity, dignity, and energy—using everything to pressure and force them.

I have experience contracting with the highest of high-ranking spirits.

It would be difficult for me now, but if a situation arises where I can open more of my true power through Sione and Siabel, I should be able to forcibly subdue their anger to some extent.

“But that’s all.”

My technique is sufficient, but my body is still immature.

Unfortunately, there can be no dissolution of a promise without a price.

“Gales, followed by fire demons and water demons, are inevitable. Even if I reduce the damage, the County will suffer deep wounds.”

Even if I suppress their anger a bit, unless I completely subjugate them, their venting will continue.

While I might be able to handle one or two, I don’t yet have the power to subjugate multiple high-ranking spirits.

“…The anger of high-ranking spirits is like a natural disaster, so for the sake of the County, it would be best to grant their request if possible.”

This was a complete checkmate by the elves.

* * *

In the depths of the Great Forest, where darkness lurked as the sun set and moonlight descended.

A woman dressed in black sat on a wooden chair in the deepest part of a small cave.

A man slowly walked up to her and knelt before her.

“I have completed the preparation of the sacrifices…”

“The condition of the sacrifices is naturally excellent, I presume.”

“Yes, we just captured Imperial soldiers who invaded the Great Forest, so they are certainly the finest sacrifices.”

The corners of her mouth, slightly visible beneath the hood covering her face, curved upward.

“Good… let’s begin the ritual. I’ll go myself. How many were captured?”

“Twelve in total.”

“Twelve—”

She slowly rose from her seat and removed the hood covering her face.

“Perfect for warming up.”

Skin so pale it was almost white, and eyes as red as blood.

And small horns rising cutely above her murky black hair. The horns curled upward like those of a mountain goat.

She whispered, exhaling heated breath.

“Now that we’ve assessed the elves’ capabilities, we can proceed more actively… the destruction of the World Tree is near.”

A woman exuding seductive dark magic that enthralls those who worship the cult.

She was a half-human, half-demon with thick demon blood.