Elves and Gatekeeping (2)

“We elves must unite as one. According to our great traditions and customs. That’s the only way we can survive. Remember this, Elnar…”

The previous elder named Elnar as the new elder with his dying breath.

The trust shown by the previous elder, and the heavy responsibility of being the elder leading the clan. Elnar, who had lived with such responsibility for nearly hundreds of years, bit his lip as he watched the rising sun.

‘Right. All of this is for our clan, for the elves. We need to unite as one now. No one can go against this great cause.’

Dressed in an immaculate white ceremonial robe adorned with gold thread, he nodded with satisfaction as he looked at his flawless appearance in the mirror.

From the start, he was strict with himself. That’s why no one could break his stubbornness.

Neglecting oneself while forcing others to act is a vile act that only breeds hostility, but if one is strict with oneself first, it can at least be called a belief.

“Have you risen, Elder?”

“Yes. As you know, we have an important matter today. Everyone should be aware.”

“Of course.”

Other elves were already up and active.

After checking on those working in the Council of Elders, he went outside, moving somewhere while breathing in the clear and refreshing morning air, which was humid thanks to the thick fog.

“The Elder has arrived!”

“Line up quickly!”

The place he visited was where the warriors preparing to depart today were gathered. Including Arisa, numerous male and female elves, armed, were lined up neatly in the wide training ground.

Knowing Elnar’s character, who would immediately rebuke them if discipline slackened even slightly, the warriors maintained their posture tensely.

“Everyone seems fully prepared.”

Fortunately, Elnar was satisfied with their discipline and nodded. The elite elf warriors were originally raised strictly according to tradition and custom.

“Everyone should know what’s happening today. The High Elf is taking the lead, so assist without any shortcomings.”

Today is the day when the elves and Isilia’s group join hands to investigate and subjugate the erosion site that caused casualties.

The warriors showed their perfect readiness, so Elnar was in a good mood, thinking that they could finally solve the erosion site that they couldn’t possibly solve with their power alone.

“El-Elder! The High Elf is coming now!”

Isilia arrived here not long after. As yesterday, there was a stir wherever Isilia went.

Hearing the news, Elnar cleared his throat and turned around. Although there was a bit of an unpleasant incident yesterday, it was minor enough to overlook.

“Welcome, High Elf. We are already perfectly prep…”

However, the moment he turned and saw Isilia, he couldn’t believe his eyes and froze, losing his words.

* * *

“Ahem.”

Early in the morning, just as Elnar had woken up, finished preparing, and was about to leave. She, who had already finished preparations, was waiting for people inside the Council of Elders’ annex to come out.

With her flowing golden hair neatly braided and wearing the most proper ceremonial dress, she was Ellua, Elnar’s daughter. She was specially ordered by Elnar to guide Isilia.

“They should be coming out soon.”

“O-Oh? Then I’ll wait a bit.”

Even though she was practically the princess of the clan, she couldn’t dare to rush. The person inside was far more senior than her father.

‘She doesn’t look like it at all on the outside…’

Ellua smiled, recalling Isilia’s face she saw yesterday. When she first heard about the High Elf, she thought of a grandmother stricter and more authoritative than her father, but reality was different.

The High Elf in the form of a young girl was so petite and cute that she wanted to hug her immediately, and her behavior was quite open-minded.

It wasn’t simply because she didn’t know modern customs and traditions. It was felt around her that she thought they could change and be modified at any time.

It was the moment when the thought that the elf traditions, which they had learned for hundreds of years thinking they were absolute, might not be perfect was planted in her subconscious.

“Ah, she’s coming out now! But…”

Soon, Isilia appeared with her companions. Ellua, who reflexively stood at attention, bowed deeply as soon as she felt Isilia’s presence.

Because she only showed the top of her head to Isilia, she didn’t know why people around were stirring.

“Why is everyone reacting like that?”

Isilia asked with a smirk, knowing why. Only then did Ellua raise her head, and she staggered back with her eyes wide open.

Isilia, who was already out of place yesterday wearing human clothes instead of traditional elf ceremonial robes, was now in an unimaginably shocking outfit.

“H-High Elf. What is that shameless outfit…!”

“I’m not wearing it just because I like it. It’s to bring out my full power when fighting. The spirits like this kind of thing.”

When Ellua covered her mouth, forgetting her manners, Isilia shrugged as if asking what the problem was. Unable to find anywhere to look, Ellua covered her entire face with her hands.

‘Even so, that’s too much. If we’re not careful, some people might faint.’

‘Come to think of it, Isilia has always been bold.’

In fact, Isilia’s companions weren’t used to it either. Patrick sighed and shook his head, while Lina smiled bitterly, holding an outer coat for Isilia to wear.

Only Laila was staring intently with her mouth agape, unable to take her eyes off.

“Wh-What do you mean because of the spirits?”

If Ellua reacted like this, Elnar couldn’t help but be even worse. Elnar, who barely managed to speak, looked back and forth between Isilia and his daughter Ellua.

The female ceremonial dress, which was generally tight but covered almost the entire body from neck to ankle, was an elf tradition.

At some point, they came to regard exposing skin as bad.

On the other hand, Isilia now had more skin covered by her hair falling to her waist.

If it were another elf wearing that instead of Isilia, the enraged Elnar would have punished that elf severely.

“You don’t know. The spirits that have been with the elves from the beginning prioritize empathizing with the spirit mage. They think proper empathy is achieved only by directly touching skin.”

However, neither Elnar nor anyone else could properly challenge Isilia’s current attire.

It was because of the spirits she mentioned. Spirits were certainly sacred beings who shared their origins with the elves, and elves took pride in being the only race that could communicate with spirits.

However, not long after the high elves disappeared, spirit mages also disappeared among the elves.

The spirits also became mythical beings, and the elves of the present age couldn’t help but feel guilty about it.

‘I don’t know? Me…?’

Elnar couldn’t refute Isilia’s words as she smirked. In fact, he knew nothing about spirits.

“They are still alive in the nature of this world. The biggest reason I came here is because the erosion that’s eating away at nature somewhere in this forest is tormenting them. Isn’t it natural for elves to think of and help our friends?”

Isilia gently stretched out one arm towards the sky.

Only she could see the giggling wind spirits frolicking along that arm, but others could feel the fresh wind suddenly blowing from all directions, brushing past them and enveloping Isilia’s body.

“Is that outfit so important? When our friends want it?”

The ground shook, and the land she was standing on slowly began to rise. At the same time, the wind swirled around her, making her brilliant silver hair flutter, captivating everyone’s gaze.

“The fog is too thick, blow it all away.”

Isilia asked the spirits to blow away the fog covering the area.

Immediately, the wind spirits that sprang out created a massive gust of wind centered on her, standing atop a stone pillar several meters high, and began to blow away all the morning fog that had settled.

‘The power of spirits is the power of nature.’

It was a sight that made everyone tremble to see her controlling the nature of the area with her power alone. A miracle impossible with any magic or sorcery of the current era. When the fog cleared and the sunlight that had just started to come in shone on her, her divinity reached its peak.

“Ah, great one…”

“That is the High Elf. Surely she will save us!”

Without anyone ordering them to, elves who were moved by the sight began to kneel on the ground one by one.

The bewildered Elnar looked around, but as one or two started doing it, as if enchanted, all the elves around began to do the same.