Ch.19163. My One and Only Confidant.

The carriage and its small escort procession had just entered the forest path.

Normally, the path would be so narrow and dense with trees that one would have to stop and proceed on foot. It seemed chaotic, as if no person or beast had ever passed through, with only abundant vegetation.

But as soon as the procession arrived, the trees parted, forming a space and path just wide enough for them to barely enter.

“Wow, what a spectacular sight!”

The child leaning out of the carriage window felt the fresh air hit his face as his moderately dark hair blew in the wind. He couldn’t help but smile at the forest’s unique refreshing yet rich scent of trees mixed with moisture and earth.

“……”

The child even waved at a fairy folk looking down at him stoically from a tree, but eventually had to pull his head back into the carriage.

“People are so unfriendly. When you meet someone, smiling and greeting them is the right way of the world.”

As the child grumbled like an old man, a blonde girl with green eyes who had been watching him responded expressionlessly.

“That principle probably only applies to you, Kariel.”

“Ouch.”

The child, who had naturally laid his head on the girl’s lap, laughed while crossing his legs.

“Good things should be shared. What’s the alternative? Glaring at each other and drawing weapons? People can only judge others by appearances, right? So if you deliberately make your eyes and expressions as sharp as blades, isn’t that just asking for a fight?”

“But it’s not an obligation. And why should one display a likable attitude to someone they don’t need to be involved with or related to?”

“Aseth, remember this. If you want to create a certain outcome, you need to create the causes and situations that will inevitably lead to that outcome. That’s how results naturally follow.”

“Is that something that can be adjusted just by individual effort?”

“You do your best as far as you can. Then leave the rest to heaven. But if you pray for something to happen without doing your best, that’s irresponsible and insincere.”

“Is that so?”

“Hoping for your circumstances to change without doing anything is madness. If you want to be good with a sword a year from now, you should start swinging one from a year before. Right? Even in farming, if you don’t till the land and sow seeds but still expect a harvest later, isn’t that madness?”

“……”

Though he spoke as if stating the obvious, his words came across as remarkably concise and clear.

“By the way, didn’t you mention your birthday was coming up?”

“Did I? Are you worried about baking bread or giving gifts?”

“In the Empire, do people give gifts on their own birthdays?”

“It’s part of the nobility’s extravagant self-display. Originally, they were the ones receiving gifts, but in Berk’s case, when the Enzul family reached imperial status, they gathered their subjects to provide feasts and bestow gifts, reaffirming their loyalty. Somehow, that gradually became a cultural norm unique to the Empire. Because of this… there are stories about increased taxes and embezzlement to accumulate wealth during peacetime.”

“So in the end, that’s politics too.”

“Is there anything in this world that isn’t politics? Politics begins when just two or three people gather. Even our relationship falls under that category, doesn’t it?”

“Hah.”

Aseth let out a short sigh.

“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since you left the Empire.”

“I’ll probably end up staying here longer than the time since I left. The time perception of elves and humans is completely different.”

“Is that why you told me to go elsewhere to build my skills?”

“It’s just a suggestion. You can develop here too, but it’s neither optimal nor the best. Your talent isn’t meant to remain in a lake. You should swim and play in the ocean. Don’t you think?”

“……”

Aseth’s expression remained seemingly unimpressed.

“And I keep telling you to smile more. After all that practice, isn’t it a waste not to use it?”

“I use it when necessary. Just as you said, Kariel.”

“I’m saying this because I want to see your smiling face. Can’t you take a hint, big sister Aseth?”

“……”

“How stingy.”

The girl had lost her emotions.

From birth? Or from some point in time?

She didn’t know.

She thought her emotions were faint, but what was the reality?

Everything was definitions and conclusions drawn by others.

In fact, whether her emotions were lost or disappeared, she felt nothing about it.

Anger and sorrow.

If she remembered only those, nothing else mattered.

In this world, there was only hardship, no inspiration or joy.

But strangely, there was something similar.

The child lying beneath her gaze was, for now, the answer.

He was truly her hardship and inspiration, her joy and regret.

The carriage continued on for quite some time afterward.

The forest folk, also called wood elves or vegetation fairies, but all with similar meanings and contexts.

And among the elves, only they had succeeded in forming a civilization on a scale similar to humanity.

The others weren’t entirely absent, but they mostly existed as minorities or small confederations.

The forest folk had, in fact, adopted a system similar to the Great Empire of Vera.

There was a queen, but the queen was an elected position.

The forest folk were divided into separate classes: elves, high elves, and noble fairies.

In the chaotic ancient times, even elves had kept slaves, but that was long ago.

From the beginning, the civilizational structures, development, and growth patterns between them and humans were extremely different.

While human civilization destroyed and reconstructed nature and the environment for territorial expansion, elves did the opposite.

They expanded their territory and sphere of influence at the pace of nature’s expansion.

If humans had strength in numbers, elves could be characterized by the refinement of their small numbers.

Moreover, the fact that this small number consisted of long-lived races was a factor that couldn’t be ignored.

However, the characteristic leisureliness and indolence of the long-lived races led to their disadvantage.

And to address this, the elves newly linked the solution with the concept of privilege and responsibility.

High elves were born with the destiny to live more intensely than ordinary elves.

For this reason, they were granted the right to wield power and authority, and thus were considered noble.

But when issues of good and evil and fairness arose, it led to movements demanding strong morality and thorough ethical consciousness from high elves.

…The harmful practices from hundreds of years ago are only now being corrected and supplemented, and that process began just a hundred years ago.

“Everything here is slow. If you’re not careful, trying to solve one thing could easily take a month or two.”

“That must be incredibly frustrating for humans.”

“That’s why when they do proceed with something, they’re meticulous. Conversely, if they’re not meticulous? They’ll stay in the same place forever. And true to their race’s slow forgetfulness… they don’t take such things lightly. So be careful. Once you get on their bad side, it follows you to the grave.”

“……”

“Answer me!”

“I understand.”

Aseth nodded slightly with a seemingly disinterested expression.

“But will it really be alright? Their ears must be quite sensitive.”

“I have nothing to hide. Why would an innocent and kind child like me need to say things that are different on the outside and inside?”

“……”

How shameless.

But Aseth believed there was a reason behind his actions.

If she didn’t understand or overlooked it, it was simply because she hadn’t figured it out.

Perhaps what he’s doing now… is meant to be heard.

I have nothing to be concerned about, no need to be tense.

Just as I have shown you goodwill, you should respond with goodwill to me.

“……”

It seemed both wrong and right somehow.

Due to her stronger rational intuition rather than emotional one, she often missed the highly emotional aspects when thinking rationally, which was her unfortunate circumstance.

This issue completely blocked her from mingling or being with others.

Short-term, work-related connections were fine.

After all, Aseth herself didn’t feel the need to trust or rely on anyone.

“Even so, you’re too tense. If you’re worried, just take a nap.”

“……”

Aseth showed no particular reaction to Kariel’s words.

In a way, this place could be considered enemy territory.

Well, it’s nothing new… but what gives this child such composure?

Aseth found his attitude curious in many ways.

…Though it wasn’t something she was experiencing for the first time.

Anyway.

As the trees grew taller and the foliage thickened, the carriage interior naturally became more shaded.

Except for the swaying, it was dark enough to actually fall asleep.

After some time passed like this.

As the shade lightened and darkness receded, Kariel lifted his head from her lap and once again leaned his face toward the carriage window.

“It’s even more impressive than the rumors.”

“……”

“Isn’t it magnificent? Not artificial splendor but splendor through harmony with nature… Ah, is that the World Tree? Amazing.”

Why is he so eager to see something he’ll get tired of seeing anyway?

After all, whether inhabited by humans or elves, cities and countries are all more or less the same.

“Is it that fascinating to you?”

“If your sense of wonder diminishes, the world becomes quite boring. Wonder needs to be watered, like a plant. That’s how flowers bloom and fruits grow.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“That’s just you. But you haven’t lived that long yet, right? Even if the world seems gray now, it might become moonlight or sunlight later, so don’t be too discouraged.”

“……”

You certainly don’t hold back with your tongue.

What an energetic human.

Children are generally like that, but the energy Kariel displayed had a uniquely different weight to it.

“Kal. I asked before, but let me ask again. What do you want to do first when we get there?”

“Why ask the same thing again? Are you underestimating my initial determination?”

“……”

“The most beautiful, lovely, wise woman or companion who I’d like to love and who might love me back. If I could find that, wouldn’t the world become truly beautiful?”

“…You did this everywhere we went, and you’re doing it again?”

“My only current advantage is my bloodline, right? My promising future has no effect right now. So what can I do? I have to highlight other things to increase my value.”

“I wonder how the many people hearing your words are interpreting that expression of yours?”

“Maybe they’re thinking, ‘I could become the daughter-in-law of a great hero?’ and feeling hopeful? Plus, if they could count stars in the same night sky with a promising person like me, wouldn’t that be incredibly romantic?”

“……”

Aseth buried her immediate thoughts in response to Kariel’s question-cum-answer.

Elves who hate and despise other races.

And the great pure-blooded elves who claim only they are noble would hardly welcome that.

“……”

Or maybe not. Perhaps Kariel could even move them.

What seems obvious isn’t always so.

Though it wasn’t a long time… at least the little boy Aseth knew… was more than what met the eye.

In terms of physical strength, it was only natural that she, who had somehow become his escort and companion, was… superior.

There were differences in physique, experience, and talent.

In terms of combat and power, Aseth would probably not only match but decisively overwhelm anyone of her age.

While Kariel was also abnormal for his age, he was still too young.

…There were monstrous prodigies at that age, but he wasn’t one of them.

Anyway.

As the trees grew taller and the leaves thickened, the carriage interior naturally became more shaded.

It was dark enough to actually fall asleep, if not for the swaying.

After some time passed like this.

As the shade lightened and darkness receded, Kariel lifted his head from her lap and once again leaned his face toward the carriage window.

“It’s even more impressive than the rumors.”

“……”

“Isn’t it magnificent? Not artificial splendor but splendor through harmony with nature… Ah, is that the World Tree? Amazing.”

Why is he so eager to see something he’ll get tired of seeing anyway?

After all, whether inhabited by humans or elves, cities and countries are all more or less the same.

“Is it that fascinating to you?”

“If your sense of wonder diminishes, the world becomes quite boring. Wonder needs to be watered, like a plant. That’s how flowers bloom and fruits grow.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“That’s just you. But you haven’t lived that long yet, right? Even if the world seems gray now, it might become moonlight or sunlight later, so don’t be too discouraged.”

“……”

You certainly don’t hold back with your tongue.

What an energetic human.

Children are generally like that, but the energy Kariel displayed had a uniquely different weight to it.

“Kal. I asked before, but let me ask again. What do you want to do first when we get there?”

“Why ask the same thing again? Are you underestimating my initial determination?”

“……”

“The most beautiful, lovely, wise woman or companion who I’d like to love and who might love me back. If I could find that, wouldn’t the world become truly beautiful?”

“…You did this everywhere we went, and you’re doing it again?”

“My only current advantage is my bloodline, right? My promising future has no effect right now. So what can I do? I have to highlight other things to increase my value.”

“I wonder how the many people hearing your words are interpreting that expression of yours?”

“Maybe they’re thinking, ‘I could become the daughter-in-law of a great hero?’ and feeling hopeful? Plus, if they could count stars in the same night sky with a promising person like me, wouldn’t that be incredibly romantic?”

“……”

Aseth buried her immediate thoughts in response to Kariel’s question-cum-answer.

Elves who hate and despise other races.

And the great pure-blooded elves who claim only they are noble would hardly welcome that.

“……”

Or maybe not. Perhaps Kariel could even move them.

What seems obvious isn’t always so.

Though it wasn’t a long time… at least the little boy Aseth knew… was more than what met the eye.

In terms of physical strength, it was only natural that she, who had somehow become his escort and companion, was… superior.

There were differences in physique, experience, and talent.

In terms of combat and power, Aseth would probably not only match but decisively overwhelm anyone of her age.

While Kariel was also abnormal for his age, he was still too young.

…There were monstrous prodigies at that age, but he wasn’t one of them.

Anyway.

As they arrived, she was surprised in a different way.

The person Kariel had invited for her was none other than one of the Nine Heroes.

He had demanded it, and she had acutely realized her own inadequacies.

Even so, if Kariel had tried to dissuade her… she would have stayed by his side regardless.

“In a few years, I’ll see a better version of you, right? Ah, I’ll have grown quite a bit by then too.”

So decide then.

“Friend, lord, or husband. Let’s definitely choose one of the three. Ah, not all of them. You know well why that can’t be, right?”

“……”

Even until the moment of parting, Aseth turned her back without much emotion.

And as she rode on horseback for quite some time, when she looked back, he was waving his hand broadly as if he had been waiting at the place they had said goodbye.

For some reason, her chest felt a little… uncomfortable.

Though she didn’t know why.

I have never said goodbye.

So we will meet again soon.

My one and only person who understands me.

By then, will I be able to experience a little of what you call wonder?