Ch.148Chapter 148 – A Candle in the Wind

Eldran.

As his name left Tellio’s lips, a tremor ran through Shreka’s pupils.

“Is it true… that Lord Eldran has become a demon?”

Shreka prayed that the words from Tellio’s mouth were not true.

Eldran.

He was the former High Elder of the High Elves and a father figure to her.

Unlike other races who conceive through sexual union between male and female, High Elves could only be born through a special method.

The World Tree blooms with dozens of flowers once every 100 years, and these flowers remain in bloom for about 10 years before withering.

However, after the withered petals fall, rainbow-colored fruits form in their place—these are the fruits of the World Tree.

High Elves emerge from between the naturally split skin of these fruits after they have fully ripened.

This is why High Elves could commune more deeply with the World Tree than any other elves.

They were essentially no different from a detached part of the World Tree itself, so it would be no exaggeration to call them children of the World Tree.

It was not without reason that High Elves held the position of ruling over the elves who were guardians of the World Tree.

Therefore, unlike other elves who had to learn everything from their parents from the beginning, High Elves were born with a certain degree of knowledge about the world.

Newly born High Elves are helped to adapt to the world by those born before them, and through this process, potential candidates for the next High Elder are identified.

Only one High Elf selected through this screening process is granted the qualification to ascend to the position of the next High Elder and learns the knowledge of the High Elf Elder.

Thus, the former High Elder was regarded as no different from a parent to the current High Elder.

For this reason, the shock Shreka received was beyond measure.

Traitors who betrayed their kind.

She had never imagined that Eldran would be among the demons.

The last time she saw Eldran was when he passed the position of High Elder to her and departed for somewhere.

Typically, after a High Elf Elder passed their position to the next generation, they would return to the embrace of nature.

So Shreka had thought that Eldran, the former High Elf Elder, had returned to nature’s embrace.

However, contrary to her belief, Eldran was still alive.

And worse, as one of the demons she so terribly despised and hated.

“Lord Eldran is the leader of the demons and the Pope of the Devil’s Order.”

To make matters worse, he had become the Pope, the leader of the Devil’s Order that worshipped demons. Shreka was beyond shocked—she was on the verge of fainting.

It was only thanks to the World Tree supplying her with strength that she remained conscious. Had she learned this fact at Glesius Academy, she would have fainted.

“Was it really Lord Eldran? The former High Elder?”

“Yes, it was. I’ve seen a portrait of the former High Elder before. The person matched exactly with the portrait.”

Tellio’s continued words were like a confirmation shot.

The portrait Tellio mentioned referred to the portraits of former High Elders kept in the World Tree’s archives.

These portraits, combining elven aesthetic sense and craftsmanship, were considered works of art that captured the exact likeness of their subjects.

So the possibility that Tellio had misunderstood was further diminished.

“Im-impossible… To think Lord Eldran is still alive.”

As Shreka’s legs gave way and she was about to fall, her guards approached to support her.

Shreka stared at Tellio with trembling eyes.

“Tellio. What was your purpose in appearing near the World Tree?”

At that moment, Pathos stepped forward in place of Shreka and asked about her purpose.

He was asking why she had appeared at the World Tree and why she had become a demon specifically here.

“Well, it might sound strange now, but… at that time, I met Lord Eldran and thought that elves like me were slaves of the World Tree, unable to leave for our entire lives. So I followed Lord Eldran and acted as a spy, and in recognition of my service, I received an Ascension Stone.”

“Wait a moment. What is this Ascension Stone?”

“I heard that the Ascension Stone gives elves like me the opportunity to become demons. In fact, I became a demon as a result of using the Ascension Stone for ascension.”

Well, as you can see, I’m no longer a demon but have returned to being an elf.

Tellio sighed dejectedly as she answered Pathos’s question.

“Does this mean that anyone can become a demon if they have this Ascension Stone?”

“Oh, I don’t think so. Because when it was used on humans, they simply became maniacs driven mad by demonic energy. Lord Eldran said that only elves can completely become demons through demonic energy.”

Tellio answered Pathos’s questions without hesitation.

This revealed how much she had cooperated with the demons.

If she hadn’t truly worked hard, she wouldn’t have risen to a position where she could obtain such information.

Pathos nodded after hearing Tellio’s explanation.

“Etherna. Can you check if there’s any demonic energy remaining in Tellio’s body?”

“Of course. Please wait a moment.”

At Pathos’s request, Etherna approached Tellio, grabbed her arms, and began infusing her with holy power.

“Hmm, I feel a warm energy flowing through me. It feels pleasant.”

“It seems there’s no demonic energy left in her body. If there were even a little demonic energy remaining, or if any part had been affected by it, she would be experiencing extreme pain.”

Etherna stepped back after seeing that Tellio showed no signs of pain despite being infused with holy power.

“Then Tellio is an elf, not a demon.”

“I suppose so. As expected, Lord Pathos’s abilities are amazing! To ‘fix’ a demon and return them to being an elf. I guess this confirms that an elf becoming a demon is abnormal rather than normal?”

“Hmm. It seems that way.”

While Pathos and Etherna were exchanging words, Shreka approached Tellio.

“Tellio. Do you remember all the information from when you were cooperating with the demons?”

“Y-yes? Ah, yes! I remember everything. I know the location of the demons’ headquarters and which elves are currently working with the demons, waiting for the right time!”

Shreka’s expression brightened at Tellio’s response.

She thought that if she used the information Tellio knew well, she could root out all the evil beings that had infiltrated the current elven society.

“Then, can you write down all that information on paper?”

“Well, I could, but it would be difficult here.”

At Tellio’s response that it would be difficult here, Shreka looked at her guards.

“All of you, restrain Tellio and take her to my office. And prepare plenty of paper, quills, and ink.”

“Yes, Lady Shreka.”

At Shreka’s command, two people restrained Tellio, and the remaining two surrounded her front and back, slowly moving outside the roots of the World Tree.

“Ah! Wait a moment!”

Just then, Tellio shouted as if something had suddenly occurred to her.

“You, the human man there! Are you the one who turned me back from a demon to an elf?”

“I am, yes.”

Pathos was on guard, not knowing what Tellio was about to say.

“Thank you! Thanks to you, all the troubles in my mind have disappeared! I’ll never have the foolish thought of becoming a demon again! Thank you so much!”

With these final words, Tellio was dragged away by Shreka’s guards toward the outside of the World Tree’s roots.

After Tellio left, Shreka looked at Pathos and expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you, Count Severio. Thanks to your help, I think we’ll be able to obtain a lot of important information related to the demons. How can I ever repay this debt…”

“It was nothing. I acted because the well-being of the World Tree is connected to the well-being of humanity.”

Shreka’s gaze toward Pathos changed when he responded humbly rather than boasting about his achievements.

It was a look as if she were seeing a reliable comrade with whom she had fought back-to-back for a long time.

“As the High Elf Elder and the guardian of the World Tree who leads all elves, I will ensure that the compensation for this matter will not disappoint you. This is absolutely not an empty promise.”

After leaving the roots of the World Tree, Shreka sincerely expressed her gratitude.

She truly believed that Pathos was a benefactor to the elven race.

“But there is one thing that concerns me.”

“What concerns you?”

Shreka questioned Pathos’s statement.

What else could be worrying him?

“Among the things Tellio mentioned, didn’t she say that some are working with the demons and waiting for the right time…”

—BOOM! CRASH! BANG!

Before Pathos could finish speaking, explosion sounds came from outside.

This signaled the beginning of a new trial in Pathos’s journey.