Ch.174Chapter 174

Just by hearing the name “dwarf,” people could easily imagine what dwarves were like.

Stubborn blacksmiths with barrel-like bodies filled with muscle.

Drinkers who loved alcohol so much they’d rather go without food than without drink.

In more fanatical cases, one might even imagine grotesque personalities who filled their stomachs with stone powder bread and recorded even the pettiest of grudges.

However…

“But is it really a tree? I saw it was white in color.”

“If it looks like a tree, what does it matter if it’s white or black!”

“That’s right. If you don’t want to eat it, step aside! We’ll eat your share too!”

‘These dwarves are quite different from the ones I knew.’

This was the first time Wendigo had seen such an obsession with trees, so he inwardly let out a hollow laugh.

It was absurd that these grumpy old-looking dwarves were grumbling and building stairs just because of tree roots.

Wendigo was certain that it was the dwarves who had disturbed The World Tree’s roots.

It wouldn’t be strange for them to have meddled with it, considering how they were making such a fuss over mere tree roots.

Still, he couldn’t make decisions based on suspicion alone.

Wendigo decided to quietly observe what the dwarves intended to do with The World Tree’s roots.

Honestly, considering the size of The World Tree, he didn’t think it would hurt much even if some roots were torn off.

With skilled movements, the dwarves built stairs with perfect precision, creating a path toward The World Tree’s roots.

Quick watched from below and squeaked at his companions to retreat.

“Squeak!!!”

“Squeak!”

The mice quickly retreated inward at Quick’s command. Even the mice were afraid of the muscular dwarves approaching with malicious gleaming eyes.

Upon reaching the roots, the dwarves’ eyes flashed at the sight of the roots visible through the collapsing soil wall.

One dwarf, as if entranced, reached his hand through the collapsed soil.

“Ohhh! What a beautiful sight!”

“Kalrz, I know you’re going crazy, but pull your hand out quickly! We can’t break down the wall because of you!”

“He won’t listen. Bolba, pull Kalrz back!”

“Argggh! Let go of me!!!”

“Squeak…”

Quick looked at the dwarves with disgust as they caused a commotion like madmen.

Being a mouse, Quick occasionally ate tree roots too, but they weren’t delicious enough to go crazy over like that.

As the soil wall collapsed, the dwarves pushed each other to approach The World Tree’s roots. Their momentum was so fierce it seemed they would bite into the roots at any moment…

One dwarf pushed past the others, stepped forward, and extended his hand toward the other dwarves.

“Wait! Calm down first!”

“Elder Trom, how can we be calm now? This is a healthy tree that even scouts rarely find!”

“I may not know the color, but my instincts tell me this is a tree!”

They all looked similar so it was hard to tell, but it seemed this dwarf named Trom was the elder among them.

They must have had some hierarchy, as the other dwarves, despite their eyes flashing like hungry wild dogs, couldn’t ignore Trom’s words.

Trom pointed at The World Tree’s roots and tried to persuade the dwarves.

“I understand how you all feel! But according to our ancestors’ records, trees, unlike mushrooms or moss, grow from a part called roots.”

“What does that suddenly mean?”

“What I’m saying is that what you commonly call a tree is actually a tree’s root. Think about it. Have you ever eaten a tree as healthy as this one?”

The dwarves recalled the trees they had occasionally eaten. Indeed, they had never seen a tree so full of vitality.

But what was the problem with that?

There was an ownerless tree right in front of them that they could eat.

“What does that matter? Poor folks like us eat whatever we can get.”

“That’s why we shouldn’t eat all of this. Do you think it’s common to find something like this in such a low place?”

The dwarves nodded at Trom’s persuasion. As he said, it wasn’t common to find trees in such low places.

In fact, they had never heard of living trees, not dead ones, being found in places like this.

As the dwarves calmed down, Trom pointed at the tree and suggested:

“Since everyone seems to realize this tree is a great opportunity, I propose we each eat just a little and then grow this tree from now on.”

“It’s true that eating more wouldn’t leave us with anything.”

“Let’s swear on our beards. If anyone breaks the promise, they’ll have all their beard shaved off.”

The dwarves clutched their beards and made vows among themselves. Watching this, Wendigo felt slightly relieved.

‘I was a bit worried since they seem to live underground, but they might be more reasonable than I thought.’

Without trust, there can be no oath. Nothing is as empty as a vow that cannot bind each other.

However, the dwarves seemed to take their oath quite solemnly.

If they could communicate well, there might be a chance to persuade them not to disturb The World Tree’s roots, right?

Having finished their oath among themselves, the dwarves approached The World Tree’s roots, swallowing dry saliva. Trom’s strong hand grabbed the root and…

Crack.

Trom carefully tore off a piece of The World Tree’s root.

Trom carefully distributed pieces of The World Tree’s root to the dwarves as if they were precious items.

The dwarves looked at Trom with expectant expressions.

Trom looked at the root pieces with expectant eyes and said to the dwarves:

“Let’s eat.”

There was no answer. As soon as permission was given, they stuffed the root pieces into their mouths.

Wendigo stared strangely at the dwarves who had swallowed the root pieces. They all showed no reaction and just stared at the ground.

Considering how obsessed they were while building the stairs, it seemed like quite a precious food…

‘Is the taste worse than expected?’

Wendigo thought this was quite possible. After all, The World Tree was essentially just a tree.

Perhaps they were disappointed because it tasted worse than expected?

But contrary to Wendigo’s expectations, the dwarves weren’t motionless because they were disappointed with the taste.

With crazed eyes, the dwarves grabbed Trom’s beard and screamed:

“Trom, let’s eat just one more piece!”

“W-we’ll keep our oath, but just one more piece, just one more!!!”

All the trees they had eaten until now were mere garbage. How else could there be such a difference?

The dwarves couldn’t contain their excitement as they felt energy surging through their bodies and their minds clearing.

At times like this, the group leader should calm everyone down…

“Ahem, well… just two more pieces. Just two more.”

As if good things for the body were more appreciated by the elderly, Trom, feeling the vitality as if he had returned to his youth, pretended to reluctantly cut off more root.

That is, if he hadn’t met the eyes of the mice watching him.

Flinch.

“W-what?”

With experience befitting his age, Trom felt something strange when the mice quietly stared at him.

Mice were timid creatures that usually ran away when encountering noisy and rough dwarves.

As Trom hesitated, Quick leaped over his back and threw himself toward The World Tree’s root.

The dwarves were startled and blankly watched Quick flying through the air. Landing nimbly, Quick gave orders to the mice.

“Squeak squeak!”

“Squeak? Squeak squeak!”

The mice followed Quick’s orders with puzzlement. Each taking their position, they began to gnaw at The World Tree’s root with their teeth.

The dwarves, who had been reluctant to waste even a falling piece of wood, were startled and reached for their tools.

“Just because these creatures are cute doesn’t mean we’ll forgive—”

“Wait, they don’t seem to be eating the tree. That’s… writing?”

Having gnawed the root, the mice jumped into the inner part of the root without looking back, as if their job was done.

The dwarves checked the inscription carved into the root.

[This tree has an owner. We will ask the owner about your touching the tree without permission, so please do not touch it.]

“What? It has an owner?”

The dwarves looked at the inner part of the root, bewildered by the warning left by the mice.

What could possibly be at the end that would make these mice…?

* * *

After ordering Quick to return, Wendigo disconnected and moved his body. Though it was a short time, staying in the same position had made him stiff.

“I left a warning, so they shouldn’t touch the roots carelessly… Huh?”

As Wendigo stretched his neck and shoulders until they cracked, he was startled by singing sounds heard between the bone cracks.

He wouldn’t have paid much attention if the singing was coming from far away, but the singing was… quite close.

As the shared vision cleared and his blurry sight became clear, what entered Wendigo’s eyes was The World Tree with closed eyes leaning against a chair and…

“…Did you call a choir while I was asleep?”

“Uh… you could think of it as something similar, Your Majesty.”

It was the sight of elves singing for The World Tree. Listening carefully, it wasn’t just singing but more like a lullaby.

Moreover, the elves surrounding the area were so systematic that it seemed as if he had been moved to a battlefield while asleep.

In a defensive posture that wouldn’t be strange even if enemies appeared from somewhere, Wendigo asked Dario Kaffustin with puzzlement:

“Did some thugs attack while I was gone?”

“I hate to say this, but honestly, I think these people might be the thugs.”

Dario Kaffustin grimaced and explained what had happened.

At first, they called people to protect The World Tree’s sleeping body, but at some point, the idea of creating a comfortable space for The World Tree to sleep emerged and…

“I don’t know why such people are in the temple. Former soldiers, theater actors… even a pharmacist who studied herbology brought scent pouches.”

“So that’s why the scent seemed different.”

“King of Manheimr. You’ve awakened.”

“Ah, Priestess Messina.”

When Wendigo heard Messina’s voice and turned his head, he flinched.

Wearing a helmet and shield from who knows where, and equipped with a longsword, Messina looked more like a warrior than a priestess.

Messina’s aura was so sharp that it created an illusion of smelling blood in a place without a single drop of blood.

‘Both Elhemina and Messina… It seems elf priests are more frightening for their faith than their abilities.’

Perhaps what elves needed to become priests was faith rather than ability.

Living long lives, elves could learn skills and knowledge if they wanted, couldn’t they?

On the other hand, obsession—no, faith—was a matter of heart rather than time, so it wasn’t impossible…

“Are you alright?”

“I’m sorry. I was thinking about how to explain what I saw below.”

When Messina expressed concern, Wendigo reflexively answered. In fact, he really was troubled.

From what he heard, The World Tree had left, leaving only the body it had created.

These were believers with such strong faith that they built defensive positions and formed a choir to sing lullabies for what was essentially just an empty shell.

Would it be okay to tell such people that dwarves were eating The World Tree’s roots?

“Ahem, I apologize for showing such an unseemly sight to the King of Manheimr. Having lived our entire lives receiving The World Tree’s grace, our desire to repay that grace seems to have been excessive.”

As Wendigo quietly looked at the choir, lost in thought, Messina touched her cheeks embarrassedly and made excuses.

The fact that she was making excuses meant she knew they were being excessive.

Wendigo decided to tell only Messina first, as she seemed to be the most rational(?) among the elves.

He thought it would be quieter if only Messina, who knew they were being strange, knew about it, rather than the other elves who didn’t sense anything odd.

“Priestess Messina, I think it would be better if only you and Elhemina knew about this, rather than all the other elves hearing it.”

“Your Majesty is being considerate so they won’t be shocked. I will listen calmly.”

Messina took off her helmet and smiled gently. Seeing her harmless appearance, Wendigo felt sorry for doubting her.

Perhaps she was just going along with those zealous believers?

“Underground-dwelling dwarves are tearing off The World Tree’s roots—”

Crunch.

Before he could say “eating,” Messina’s helmet crumpled under the strength of her arms.

Wendigo learned for the first time today that a person could frown while smiling.

‘She said she would listen calmly…’

Wendigo trembled with a sense of betrayal.