Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: The World Tree
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"Come on, lead the way!"
"Hmph."
The captain of the elf guards, a white-haired elf, walked beside me with a displeased expression.
To keep an eye on him, I drew Astaroth and stuck close to his side.
The remaining elf guards returned to their original duties. I told them to.
The only one guiding us deeper into the forest now was the white-haired man who seemed to be the elves' leader.
"Grrrrr!"
The growl of a beast echoed.
I glanced behind me.
*Snort, snort!*
"Hmph, hmph!"
Chris was growling, steam puffing from her nose and breath misting from her mouth.
Judging by the ominous Yin-Yang Orbs circling her, she looked ready to punch a hole in the elf's gut if he tried anything funny with me.
"Chris... I think you can relax. You know I'm strong, right?"
"But he's a handsome guy!"
"Huh...?"
What does that mean?
Is being handsome a reason to be on guard?
The white-haired man seemed uncomfortable with Chris too. He started sweating and pleaded with me.
"Ahem, I apologize for attacking first. Please, tell her to calm down a little."
"Chris, he's asking you to calm down."
"Grrrrr, tell him to say it himself!"
"Mister, she says you should tell her yourself."
I puffed out my cheeks in annoyance.
They're close enough to hear each other, so why do I have to relay their conversation?
I clapped my hands together and asked him something I was curious about. Introductions are important.
"What's your name?"
"...It's Palman."
Palman. It sounded like a sturdy name.
Unlike the other lithe-looking elf guards, his body was solid.
"Oh. So you're Mr. Palman. I'm Rain, and the one behind me is Chris."
"Could you drop the 'Mister' part?"
I shook my head from side to side.
"A mister is a mister."
[Elf Kingdom Affinity: 0]
After the battle with the elf guards, the Elf Kingdom's affinity was no longer in the negative. It was because I hadn't killed a single elf.
Perhaps because of that, Palman readily told me his name.
"Thank you for not harming the elves. The Elf Kingdom is not in a good situation right now, so I hope you understand. It's our policy to subdue any visitors who pass through the magic mist on the outskirts."
"Hmm, is that so?"
I smacked my lips.
Back at the dwarf settlement, things went smoothly thanks to a message from my companion, Ain. It seemed I wouldn't be getting any advantages in the Elf Kingdom.
I had many questions, but our conversation couldn't continue.
Because after pushing past the large trees that obstructed our view, with their thick branches and blue-green leaves, something overwhelming began to fill our sight.
"Wh-what is this?"
Chris stared blankly at 'it'.
Her gaze swept from left to right, then shot upwards. It looked like her head might snap back.
I giggled.
"Chris, your neck's going to fall off."
"Huh? Oh? Aren't you surprised, Rain? ...So this is the world of 'Astria Online.' It's truly incredible."
"Yeah. I find it amazing too."
I'd never seen it before either, but I knew of 'its' existence.
What did it bring to mind? A massive building soaring as if to touch the sky?
No. It wasn't artificial. It was natural.
The thing that filled our vision.
Was a 'giant tree' of overwhelming size.
I murmured softly.
"The World Tree."
Palman nodded.
The thing I'd never seen, even in the past.
I stood still, gazing at the World Tree.
The World Tree was truly beyond imagination in size, stretching up as if to reach the end of the sky.
Its peak pierced the clouds and soared even higher, looking like a great pillar connecting heaven and earth.
The endlessly spreading branches of the World Tree reached across the entire sky. No matter where I looked up, there were only branches.
It seemed it would be difficult to even circle the World Tree once. Its trunk was wider than a large colosseum on Earth.
Standing before it, I felt as if time itself had stopped.
This was the source of the world.
The foundation of the Astria Continent.
How far did the unseen roots of the World Tree stretch? Their reach must be larger than an imperial capital.
The roots not only extended deep into the earth but also rose majestically above the ground.
Nestled among those roots were the exquisitely built dwellings of the elves. As if a part of nature itself, the elves' homes were naturally intertwined with the roots of the World Tree.
This was the 'Elf Kingdom'.
An elven society formed around the giant World Tree.
It was certainly worthy of being called a kingdom.
Considering the elven population was said to be very small, this was definitely a kingdom.
Perhaps they trusted in the patrols of the elf guards, as the boundary between the forest and the elven settlement was faint. It was less a residential area and more a formation that blended naturally with the trees.
My admiration for the dreamlike, overwhelming nature of this world, for its mystique, was short-lived.
I tilted my head.
"There's something strange about this World Tree."
I noticed that the World Tree's condition was unusual.
Should I say its life force felt faint?
Of course, I'd never seen a World Tree before.
But in a fantasy setting, a World Tree is usually described as being more sparkly and green, its leaves a panacea for all ills, something like that.
Palman, walking ahead, looked slightly surprised at my words.
"You noticed? You have good intuition. Just as you say, the World Tree is not in a normal state. It seems to be at its limit just protecting the surrounding environment and the elves from the bitter cold."
"Hmm..."
"What is it? What's going on?"
Chris came up to me, chattering.
"I'm not sure either... I think we'll have to hear him out first."
Lost in thought, I walked between the roots, heading toward the great pillar connecting the ground and sky, the center of the Elf Kingdom.
As we walked, other elves appeared from between the World Tree's roots.
They watched us with eyes mixed with curiosity and fear. From their reactions, it seemed this elven society had lived in isolation for a long time.
Had it been a long time since they'd seen an outsider?
Or perhaps, it was the first time in their lives.
Before we knew it, we were climbing one of the World Tree's massive roots.
And soon, we entered what could be called a hollow, a space formed by the tangled vines on the World Tree's trunk.
In the center of the hollow was an arrangement of vines resembling a table and chairs. It was very natural, looking as if no blade had touched it.
As if the World Tree itself had created a space for the elves.
"Oh."
It feels just like a conference room.
Palman, perched on one of the vines, began to speak.
"Today is the first time the Elf Kingdom has welcomed outsiders. Lost travelers cannot penetrate the magic mist. Even if a non-hostile being were to pass through the mist, they would be subdued by the elf guards and cast out."
"Hmm...? So if we had been subdued, would we have been thrown out?"
"Until now, yes. But recently, the story has changed."
Palman's eyes glinted sharply.
"Adventurers from the stars. News reached us through an elf from our kingdom who went outside. It's said that beings from another world who fight against evil have begun to appear. You must be one of them, right?"
I nodded.
Chris nodded along with me.
Palman straightened his posture and bowed his head.
"I have a favor to ask. Please save the World Tree."
How sudden.
I followed Palman, walking into the World Tree's interior. Chris was soon stuck to my side, walking with me.
Chris looked very excited.
"It feels just like a world out of a fairy tale! We've done nothing but fight until now, but this kind of adventure is one of the joys of a fantasy world!"
"Hehe, you're just like a kid, Chris."
"Really? Aren't you enjoying it too, Rain?"
I smiled faintly and lowered my head.
I couldn't just enjoy it.
Why?
*Thump-thump.*
The closer I got to the heart of the World Tree, the more my own heart pounded.
"By the way, Mr. Palman, are you something like an elf elder? I thought you were the captain of the elf guards."
"There is no hierarchy among elves. We are all equal. I am simply the strongest among the elf guards. In the past, the World Tree was said to lend its wisdom to the elves, but now, we elves consult with one another to resolve things."
Democracy? Maybe a little different since they don't elect a representative?
Anyway, what a fascinating society.
Palman stopped in front of a pile of vines.
The tree vines were tangled together, blocking the path ahead.
The sight was reminiscent of a great door.
Palman turned to face us in front of it.
"It's been a thousand years since communication between the World Tree and the elves was severed. During that time, the elves have slowly grown weaker. That is why we determined it would be difficult to fend off external threats with our strength alone."
"So, you turned to the adventurers from the stars."
He nodded and swept his hand over the door made of giant tree vines.
"The very heart of the World Tree. For generations, only a single elf could enter this place. The only being who could communicate with the World Tree... their lineage was broken a thousand years ago. Some will caused even their names to be forgotten."
"The Maiden of the World Tree."
Palman's eyes widened.
His shock was clearly conveyed.
Palman opened his trembling lips and barely managed to speak.
"How...?"
I let go of Chris's hand and walked forward.
*Thump-thump.*
I clutched my pounding chest.
"Rain...?"
Chris's voice sounded a little distant.
*Step, step.*
The dwarves, the humans, the elves—they had all lost their history.
Even the names of my companions were not passed down.
Was it the will of the absolute being who made this world into a game? No. That being is friendly.
This was clearly malice.
Little by little, I began to see fragments of what I must defeat.
*Step, step.*
The words an elven companion from the Hero's Party once said to me.
*Rain, the Maiden of the World Tree becomes a spirit of the World Tree after death.*
*The meaning behind the Maiden of the World Tree telling you her name...*
*Is that she wants to invite you to our space one day.*
*After everything is over, will you visit that place with me?*
I stood before the door, caressing it with my hand, and spoke her name.
"Igraine."
The World Tree opened the way.