episode_0040

Elf Village Proserpina

“Huh… They’re elves, aren’t they…?”

As Aria said, nearly 30 elves approached us, their spears pointed. I couldn’t help but panic. Wait, this situation feels familiar… Oh, the Beastfolk. It’s similar to when Fertea was wary of us… But in this situation, we’re elves ourselves and don’t have any close acquaintances here… We’re in trouble.

“A human man and a human woman. There are two of them, Captain Alten.” “Hmm.”

A female elf, with her spear pointed at us, spoke to a male elf behind her. Then, the male elf, called Alten, slowly began to approach us. Wearing brown leather protectors, this man… Is he the captain leading these elves? But why is he suddenly approaching?

“Listen well, humans. You have trespassed upon the sacred land of Provellytu. Therefore, you shall receive the severe punishment decreed by the Great Elder-nim.” “…Well, it doesn’t sound like they’re here to be friendly… Of course, if they brought a group of spear-wielders like this, they wouldn’t be talking about being friendly…” “Be friendly with you? Ha… What nonsense. Thousands of years ago, your ancestors made the mistake of capturing our people en masse and enslaving them… Do you think we would do that?” “…Wait, what?”

What the hell… What did the ancient people do? Even now, they still commit the insane act of daring to enslave other races… What? The ancients did such a thing? Ugh… These damn ancients… Do they only pick actions that would shame their descendants!!

“…So… that’s how it is… But the descendants don’t know that fact. Their predecessors didn’t tell them…” “What…? They did such things… and then forgot all about them…?” “Zeke-nim. Elves can live for over a thousand years.”

…You should have told me that sooner… So… humans of this era barely know about that time… and for elves, it’s a story they heard from their grandparents… But still, it doesn’t change the fact that we’re truly from an ignorant generation!!!

“This isn’t the first or second time we’ve seen such a brazen attitude from you.” “We didn’t come with such intentions! We are merely humans exploring cautiously, careful not to harm anyone!” “Do you think we would believe that, human? We’ve heard enough of your flimsy lies.” “What…? So there were humans who came to explore this place recently too?!” “Yes. But they all became nutrients for this land.”

…What am I hearing right now? Are they taking out their anger from ancient times… not on the ancients themselves, but on their descendants? Even now? I was so dumbfounded that I stared at Alten, speechless.

“Crazy…” “No matter how much you beg for forgiveness, we will never forgive you, human.”

‘These crazy bastards… Cecilia was better. Cecilia also became a vengeful spirit and tried to destroy the world, but she changed her mind with just one forgiveness from me… But these guys don’t seem to have any intention of doing that…’

“…I’ve just been watching… and these guys dare to keep their spears pointed at Zeke-nim…?” “Who is this woman in black clothes? A human who can’t even live as long as us dares to speak like that to us? Watch your tongue, human.” “You’re quite arrogant… Your name was Alten, right…? Know that your tombstone won’t even have your name on it…!!” “How dare a despicable human…!!” “Aria!!” “!”

I shouted at Aria, who was tightening her grip on her staff. Aria, who had been about to attack the elves, heard my shout and stopped her attack. And at that moment, a female elf struck Aria’s abdomen with the blunt end of a spear.

“Didn’t you hear me tell you to stay still, human?” “Gah…” “Ah… Aria!!” “Well done, Veronica. That should serve as a clear example.” “Thank you, Captain Alten.”

The moment I stopped Aria, the female elf who had just called out to Alten attacked Aria. What are these guys doing…? I just stopped Aria from killing you. So why are you attacking Aria?! I roughly understood what was going on in these guys’ heads… Damn it, dealing with such rigid people is the hardest…

“Drag them away.” “Aria! Are you okay?!” “Oh… Zeke-nim is worried about me…!!”

…She seems perfectly fine… Still, it’s a relief… The elves tied my and Aria’s bodies with ropes and began dragging us somewhere. If they kill us after doing this, even though we did nothing… Their time must have surely stopped in the past a long time ago… But what about us, who are living in the present!!!

“Aria… Just stay still for now. Alright? Don’t kill the elves…” “But these people who tied Zeke-nim like this… Can I forgive them? I… I can’t stand it any longer…!” “Just calm dow—” “I was the one who wanted to do it…!!” “…”

Let’s forget what I just heard. I have to forget… *Sigh*… By the way, where are they taking us? Since they’re elves, are they going to put us in a wooden prison? But that won’t work on Aria. Even now, she can break the ropes with her strength and smash all the elves here.

“Hey. Stop chattering and follow quietly.” “Oh my? Why are you trying to interrupt my precious conversation with Zeke-nim?” “Shut up, inferior creature. Don’t you know that short-lived beings die if they act cheeky?” “Hahaha… I’ve already seen beings with longer lifespans than you, so it’s not very surprising~” “This insolent one…!! Veronica, shut her up.” “No. I already struck her in the abdomen just now, that should be enough. Why don’t you do it yourself?” “Tch… I hate humans. Ugh… The Great Elder-nim will surely mete out a severe punishment later, so I’ll just stay still for now.”

…These guys definitely think we’re no match for them… *Sigh*… I’m worried about what comes next… As we kept being dragged by the elves, I suddenly saw a wall made of logs. Is this the elves’ village? The elves guarding the great gate saw us and opened it wide. And then…

“Oh… Ooooh!!” “I told you to be quiet!”

But I couldn’t help but be amazed! A race that builds homes inside trees! Perhaps because Provellytu has giant trees, I could see the elves living in homes they made within the large trees. I should remember all of this… I’ll have to record it later!

“What are you looking at, pervert?” “…Isn’t calling me a pervert out of nowhere a bit too much…?” “…Then don’t look at the village with such lewd eyes, pervert.” “Oh, come o—” “Shut up and follow! The Great Elder-nim’s judgment awaits you!!”

The Great Elder, huh… It seems the Great Elder is in charge of managing the elf village. Since it’s the Great Elder, they must be very old, right? Can I see an ancient figure other than Cecilia? My heart pounded. My safety? With Aria here, I have nothing to worry about. Well… I also prepared a secret weapon, so there’s no problem. How long did we walk…? Aria and I were forcibly made to kneel by the elves in front of an enormous tree. Damn it… This is humiliating for Aria too! What if Aria goes wild because of this…?

“…? Aria?” “Yes? Zeke-nim?” “…No… Even though we’ve been forcibly made to kneel like this, you’re looking at me with wide-awake eyes…” “If I can see Zeke-nim, even this posture is fine…!!”

…You are truly positive. *Sigh*… The moment I sighed, an elderly elf appeared atop the enormous tree. With a shaggy white beard and hair white unlike other elves, it was clear he was an old elf. But his face looked young… The elf, presumed to be the Great Elder, stared at us blankly from his high perch.

“Are those them, Captain Alten?” “Yes, Great Elder-nim! These individuals have stepped upon the sacred land of Provellytu! Therefore, they await the Great Elder-nim’s judgment!” “No, when did I say I wanted judgment?!” “Shut your filthy mouth, human! Your dignity is less than a flock of basilisks!” “That’s a bit too harsh… You current humans… *Sigh* no. Never mind.” “…This insolent one…!! Who told you to interrupt…” “Captain Alten, cease. It seems this human has forgotten humility.” “But Great Elder-nim!” “Please judge these people right now, Great Elder-nim!!” “Great Elder-nim!!”

…Why do these guys like seeing us judged so much…? They just grabbed us while we were eating, without any warning, and now what? Judgment? Aren’t *you* the ones who’ve forgotten humility? As I made a flustered expression, Aria mouthed to me. ‘Shall. I. kill. them. all?’ “No… don’t do that… Anyway… Oh Great Elder of the Elves! We are merely ordinary humans who came to explore this place!” “Many like you have come, human. Do not forget that you are in the same position as them.” “We haven’t done anything yet! We just entered the forest!” “Shut up! Do you think we don’t know that you killed many animals, human!” “Captain Alten, continue speaking.” “Yes, Great Elder-nim! Many animal carcasses were found in the places they passed through! Not only did they savagely kill animals, but they are also grave sinners who dared to step upon our sacred land! Please, mete out their punishment!” “Pass judgment!!!” “But don’t we have to eat to live…?” “Then why don’t you just eat fruit!!” “You might be able to live on plants alone, but we humans…” “Do you still need to eat meat to live? Great Elder-nim! Even after many years, these are still barbaric creatures!”

…Damn it? What, they can’t even understand other races? How absurd… I regret telling Aria not to kill them just now, this elf named Alten… He’s an incredibly stubborn elf…!! The Great Elder, who had listened to all of Alten’s words, pondered, then opened his eyes and spoke to Alten.

“Captain Alten and all of Alten’s subordinates, listen! As you say, these individuals still commit barbaric acts as if it were daily custom! Therefore, I, the Great Elder, shall pass judgment upon them… I sentence these sinners to the Judgment of Nutrients!!” “Oooohhh!! Truly wise words, Great Elder-nim!!” “Ju… Judgment of Nutrients? What’s that?” “The final destination of these sinners shall be this Proserpina! Captain Alten and your subordinates, lead them to the Mouth of the World Tree!” “Yes, Great Elder-nim! Get up!” “No, what’s the Judgment of Nutri… *Ugh*!” “Ze… Zeke-nim!” “Bear with it, Aria! Let’s just go for now…”

I got up, having been kicked by Alten. Then, other elves began to slowly lead Aria and me towards the enormous tree. Receiving hostile glares from the surrounding elf villagers, I couldn’t understand this situation.

“…The villagers hate us too…” “There are no elves here who would welcome humans, human.” “Let me ask one thing. What is this ‘Judgment of Nutrients’? Earlier, you said all the explorers became nutrients for this land… Is it related to that?” “That’s right. A creature called Alraune lives here.” “Oh… The one I saw earlier?” “Alraune is a being that cooperates with us. When Alraune informs us of intruders, we capture the intruders and give them to Alraune.” “…What?! To Alraune, humans are…” “No different from food. Alraune has the ability to turn all humans it eats into nutrients for this land. The reason the surrounding land is fertile is also thanks to Alraune…”

“…That’s really strange… Ogforslia was completely a wasteland, not a fertile land like Provellytu… Would it hurt to make that place a forest too…?” “There’s a legend that demons inhabited that place. So we, and Alraune, avoid that land.”

…I wonder what reaction this elf would show if he knew the truth… Moreover, this reaction… It seems the elves also participated in the ancient Demon War. That’s probably why incorrect knowledge about demons has spread… But…

“Why are you explaining so much?” “Wasn’t this what you wanted to hear last?” “…You’re talking as if I’m definitely going to die, elf.” “You won’t die immediately. No one who has entered the World Tree has ever come out.” “What?” “Beings who enter the World Tree are slowly eaten by the Alraune living there and return to nutrients. Nutrients for this land and the World Tree.”

“You keep mentioning the World Tree… What exactly is the World Tree?” “The World Tree is the enormous tree first born on this land. Thanks to the World Tree, many trees spread throughout Krentid World. In other words, all the forests today can be said to be the World Tree’s creation. Therefore, this land, where the World Tree first took root, is the most sacred tree in the world, and the mother’s…” “That’s ridiculously grand… As an explorer, I can’t even trust such words.” “What?!” “Whether it’s true or false, only a living being who experienced it would know. What if no such being exists? What if no one witnessed the World Tree’s birth? Then that’s just a giant tre—” “Be quiet, human!” “Gah…!!”

Did I go too far…? A provoked Alten and other elves knocked me down and began to stomp on me. Kick me gently… Otherwise… ‘How dare they touch Zeke-nim…!!’ ‘Ugh, I can read her thoughts… I’m going crazy too… Agh!!’ Aria could exterminate all the elves… In the first place, by stomping on me, you guys were as good as marked by Aria, but… More importantly, I should stop acting so rashly. They’re too stubborn and arrogant to listen to anything I say.

“How dare you insult the World Tree…! Human…!! I hope you, above all, die a horrific death at the hands of Alraune…!!” “Don’t just listen to legends, experience it! Investigate it yourself!… Ugh!!” “Shut up, you snake-like thing!!” “Captain-nim, I think you should stop now. Alraune never eats the dead.” “Tch… Pick him up and drag him.”

Ugh, they finally stopped… My head is definitely spinning… But even with my head swimming, I saw Aria’s greatly angered face. Wow… I did challenge these guys, ready to take a beating… but I forgot to consider Aria… I got angry for a moment and just…

“Captain-nim! We’ll arrive soon!” “Indeed. I want to throw these humans in and rest. *Phew*… My head feels like it’s going to split open because of this human…” “Understood, Captain-nim!” “…”

What I’m afraid of is definitely not these elves. What scares me so much my face is stiffening is Aria… because Aria is muttering that she’ll kill all the elves who stomped on me, taking them all into her sight.

“I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them, I’ll kill them.” ‘…I hope these elves come to their senses quickly…’ “We’ve arrived!”

“Hmm?”

At the base of the enormous World Tree, a passage leading inward… no, something like a hole was visible. It certainly looked like if you fell in there, you’d never come out again… How deep is that thing…? Upon reaching the Mouth of the World Tree, Alten snickered and spoke.

“Your time of judgment has come, human. Do you have any last words?” “Last words? Huh… To allow even that… How truly grateful I am?” “It is our elven courtesy for those departing. Now, quickly leave your last will.” “Even though you probably think it’s not worth hearing.” “But the courtesy for those departing must be observed. Now, quickly your last will and te—” “Last will and testament, my ass. Let’s fall together.” “What…?!!!” “Huh?!”

Surprised, you bastards? I squeezed my hand out through the ropes, which had loosened a bit from being stomped on, and grabbed Alten’s clothes. Aria broke her ropes with strength and grabbed Veronica. And we…

“St-stop! Stop…!!!” “Ah… Captain Alten!! Aaaahhhk!!” “You guys should experience it too, you stubborn bastards!!”

Holding those two in our hands, we threw ourselves with all our might into the Mouth of the World Tree.