The Difference in Efficiency

The World Tree seed inside the box isn’t fake. It’s actually the first time I’ve seen one, but it looked exactly like the description in the novel.

How did Ian have the World Tree seed that the Elder of the Elves should have? I thought for a moment.

The fact that he was told to hand it over if I came means Bella already knew I would visit the Great Forest to get the World Tree seed.

The plan to kill the Immortal was caused by Roel acting faster than our expectation that we would have enough time. Of course, Bella, who couldn’t be reached, couldn’t have known our plan.

But the fact that Bella knew I needed the World Tree seed means… she predicted what we would do if her situation was conveyed and sent Ian to the Great Forest.

“Bella-nim… how is she doing now?”

“I don’t know either.”

I tilted my head at Ian’s immediate answer.

“You don’t know?”

“Right now, the Imperial Palace is in a state where all outside access is forbidden due to the coronation preparations. I couldn’t even see Her Majesty’s face. The day after the Emperor died, I, who had been appointed Grand General, only received an order to secretly lead soldiers to the Great Forest.”

The fact that the order was delivered secretly means Roel is by Bella’s side. There aren’t many people Bella, who will become the Emperor, needs to be aware of. If Roel is by Bella’s side, there will be no variables in killing the Immortal until the coronation is over.

I let out a sigh of relief and put the box containing the World Tree seed in the space warehouse for safety, then asked.

“What happened to the Elder of the Elves?”

A smile appeared on Ian’s lips.

“I killed him with my own hands right after getting the World Tree seed. Smashed his head in, I did.”

Before I could ask why, Luna, who was next to me, spoke first.

“Why did the Stone Thorn Disease spread among the Elves?”

“Because we made it that way, obviously.”

“….”

Luna, speechless at Ian’s immediate answer, opened and closed her mouth.

“Elves are a race that will do anything for the World Tree. Her Majesty thought that if she didn’t clean up those who participated in the previous Emperor’s crazy plan, they would definitely stab her in the back.”

Surprisingly, Bella’s prediction was accurate. The Elves were willing to join hands with the Demon King if it was for the World Tree. I didn’t expect Bella, who hadn’t heard a detailed explanation about the Elves from me, to predict this far.

Ian scratched his beard and continued.

“The Elves didn’t doubt at all that the new Emperor would continue the previous plan as it was. No, they didn’t care who the human Emperor was as long as they could plant the World Tree. Seeing that, I was convinced. It’s right to kill the Elves now, even for the future.”

I couldn’t refute Ian’s words. Because, as he said, the Elves would betray the humans. The Elves’ betrayal would cause fatal damage to the human resistance army that gathered at the World Tree in the latter part of the novel to fight against the Demon King.

The flow of the novel was that 30,000 soldiers and 320,000 civilians fell into a trap and were hunted by demons, and some of the survivors headed to Liberty City. Knowing that future, I was also having similar concerns about dealing with the Elves.

I was thinking of preventing the Elves’ betrayal through prisons or surveillance, rather than exterminating them… Bella’s action of uprooting the fundamental problem was an action worthy of her. From the Emperor’s point of view, there was no reason to leave an opponent who would obviously betray her someday alone.

Ian took out a small bottle containing gray liquid from his pocket.

“This is the rapid petrification solution newly developed using the Stone Thorn Disease data you handed over. It maximizes the effect of the Stone Thorn, causing petrification within an hour of contact with the solution. I sprinkled this in the village well.”

“Didn’t the Elves notice?”

At my question, Ian grinned and said.

“Not at all. They didn’t even understand the petrification phenomenon itself.”

The habitat of the Platynang flower, which causes Stone Thorn Disease, was fixed. The Elves, who had never left the Great Forest, had no information or immunity to the Platynang flower. Even if they had immunity, they would have all died anyway.

Ian, who put the bottle back in his pocket, asked.

“Do you have any more questions?”

At Ian’s question, I looked out the window and saw soldiers loading petrified Elf statues onto a carriage.

“Is there a reason for taking the statues?”

“Ah, that’s spoils of war. I think Her Majesty will like it.”

I gave a bitter smile at Ian’s nonchalant shrug.

***

Now that I had obtained the World Tree seed, which was my goal, there was no reason to stay in the Great Forest any longer. I left the Great Forest, spent a night in a nearby city, and returned to Ludwig around lunchtime.

As I entered the lobby, a hotel employee approached me and told me that a visitor was staying in my room. It seems my waiting colleagues have come to Ludwig.

Luna and I went to the room, and as expected, everyone was waiting for us. After exchanging light greetings, I explained what had happened in the meantime. When I explained about meeting Roq and killing Cormo, and obtaining the World Tree seed, Raellan quietly exchanged words with Eunice.

After a while, it seemed the story was over, and Raellan turned to me and said.

“I’ll meet Roq and have a conversation. If the conversation goes well, we can kill the Immortal more easily.”

It seems Raellan thought he could use Roq, the heir to the Krahel family. It’s an action befitting Raellan, who prefers to manipulate people.

I nodded and handed over the card to go to the special area that Raellan requested, and listened to Eunice’s explanation about the plan to kill the Immortal.

Eunice, whose dark circles under her eyes had turned black as if she hadn’t slept properly in the meantime, said in a tired voice.

“Ellie has completed the synthetic magic to safely grow the World Tree seed. Now, all that’s left is to prepare a magic scroll to use throughout Ludwig using the Divine Fountain Pen. We’ll divide the roles. You, Estelle, and Ellie are the attack team that will go inside to catch the Immortal.”

“…Even Ellie?”

Ellie, who uses synthetic magic, was an aggressive mage. In terms of simple destructive power, she was stronger than anyone here. It would be a great help in killing the Immortal, but you and Estelle alone were enough.

I thought it would be better to watch the World Tree seed grow safely from the outside, but Eunice immediately shook her head at my thoughts.

“No, the remaining people are enough for that. Ellie is not included in the attack team simply for combat. She has an important role in preventing the Immortal’s escape, just in case. She will enter the castle where the Immortal is, take a seat in a suitable room, and wait to control the variables. In reality, killing the Immortal is the role of you and Estelle.”

It seems Eunice is thoroughly trying to prevent variables from occurring. Well, now is our first and last chance. If we fail to kill the Immortal this time, the worst situation will occur where we compete with the overpowered Roel, leaving the Immortal, who we don’t know who he was resurrected as. It was obvious who would be the winner.

When Eunice’s explanation was over, Estelle, who was grabbing chocolate from somewhere, approached.

“Even if you seal the ability to be resurrected as another person, the Immortal is a transcendent being in itself. A transcendent being who has reached the level of magic, swordsmanship, alchemy, and magic engineering. Never let your guard down.”

At Estelle’s serious attitude, which is rarely seen, I nodded seriously as well.

“I know better than anyone.”

I had checked the setting book several times and remembered even the smallest details about the Immortal without missing anything. With the help of Estelle, the successor to the world’s strongest information guild and assassin group, killing the Immortal will not fail.

Eunice, who was watching the conversation from the side, stretched her index finger to the sky as if warning.

“Don’t kill the Immortal before Ellie sends a signal. If he is resurrected as someone outside the castle without sealing the Immortal’s abilities and hides as he is, the plan will fail.”

“That means we need to adjust our strength appropriately. We need to draw the Immortal’s attention without him noticing.”

Estelle shrugged and whispered to me.

“I heard the Immortal is the richest of the southern nobles.”

“…So?”

“Won’t my skinny pockets get thicker when this is over?”

I scratched my head and nodded.

“Well, just take what’s appropriate. He has a successor too.”

Estelle didn’t seem to think I would agree so easily, and asked with a strange smile.

“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d refuse like a knife.”

“I know Modest is overdoing it to help us.”

Estelle, pouting her lips, turned her head and muttered.

“It’s not like this is overdoing it for Modest to this extent….”

Leaving Estelle, who was embarrassed for no reason, I got up from my seat and looked for Luna. Luna was talking with Ellie in the corner. What are they talking about? Just in case, I quietly approached.

Contrary to my worries, the two were having a serious conversation about magic. Ellie was explaining the structure of the newly created synthetic formula, and Luna was copying things related to the formula with the Divine Fountain Pen, asking Ellie about even the smallest details. I decided not to disturb the good atmosphere for no reason.

Ellie was also really working hard and focusing on talking with Luna, so if this kind of atmosphere continues, I don’t think I need to worry about the relationship between the two.

As I turned around, I met Estelle’s eyes, who was looking at me. I coughed in vain and tried to ignore Estelle, who was smiling and raising her eyebrows.

“Does it feel like you’re seeing your ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend together? Are you nervous?”

I decided to ignore this question too.