Chapter 346: The Gift(1)
Chapter 346: The Gift(1)
This was my second time visiting Albenheim. While I had frequented Helium quite often thanks to my early friendship with Cecile, Albenheim was a different story.
Cecile was a princess with relatively few restrictions on her movements, whereas Arwen was the queen of an entire nation.
No matter how much Siris acted as a messenger, she was exactly that—a messenger, not a slave. Even now, she would personally deliver books from the Holy Land whenever I asked.
Consequently, visiting Albenheim not as a commoner but as Xenon felt inherently awkward.
Even in Helium, I had only ever traveled under the guidance of Cecile or Gartz; I had never once visited in my official capacity as Xenon.
That alone was enough to make me feel uneasy, but Albenheim decided to pile on the pressure.
"And... who did you say you were again?"
"I am Beatrice Starseeker, War Chief of Albenheim. I oversee the Albenheim Guardian Army."
The woman speaking to me tucked a strand of her long, brilliant blonde hair behind her ear. Her emerald eyes, shimmering like a captured aurora, sparkled with clarity.
Her voice was high and melodious, carrying a distinct note of goodwill. I took a moment to observe the elf who had just introduced herself.
As expected of an elf—the literal incarnation of beauty—she was stunning. She wore light, white armor that accentuated her slender, lithe frame.
Judging by the blade at her waist, she was likely a swordsman. I imagined her swordsmanship would be as flashy and elegant as her appearance.
"And this gentleman is...?"
"I am War Chief Haas Stormhoff. I oversee the Albenheim Magic Corps."
A man with lustrous, light-green hair tied back in a ponytail greeted me in a refined tone.
Unlike the woman, Beatrice, he wore only a light robe. His circular glasses gave him an intellectual air.
His gentle smile was particularly striking. His features were sharp, but he possessed a level of beauty that could have easily led me to mistake him for a woman at first glance.
I looked back and forth between the two, who had both introduced themselves as War Chiefs, and stammered out a greeting.
"I-it's a pleasure to meet you. As you know, my name is Isaac Ducard Maishal. I'm known as Xenon, the author of the Xenon Biography. But... are you two really War Chiefs?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"I hold the position, though I often feel unworthy of it," Haas replied.
Beatrice spoke with confidence, while Haas was humble. Their personalities were apparent immediately.
Looking at them, I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh rather than feel confused. These two had been escorting me since the moment I set out for Albenheim.
At the time, we were moving too quickly via teleportation to exchange proper introductions, so I only learned their true identities after arriving in Albenheim.
"The rank of 'War Chief' is the one I'm thinking of, right? The one held only by the most skilled individuals in the military?"
"Yes."
"That is true, though there is no end to the study of magic."
Unlike Beatrice’s concise answer, Haas remained modest. I nodded, suppressing another dry laugh.
Just as I suspected, the title of 'War Chief' in Albenheim was reserved for those at the absolute pinnacle of their respective fields.
Since it was a military role, martial prowess was a given, but one also had to possess exceptional leadership, command ability, political acumen, and public trust.
To put their existence into perspective: if a standard knight was a tactical weapon, a War Chief was a 'strategic' asset.
Despite their terrifyingly high status both domestically and internationally, two of them had been dispatched just to escort me.
Considering Albenheim only had five War Chiefs in total, they had effectively committed more than a third of their national military power to me. All for a single escort mission.
They all look so young, though...
Currently, we were waiting in a VIP lounge after passing through immigration. Once Arwen was ready, we would head straight for Yggdrasil.
We could have headed straight to Elodia, Arwen's official residence, but I was told we had to walk. I wasn't going to see Arwen immediately.
Since the nation of Albenheim intended to present me with a gift, I had to show my face to the citizens first.
According to the rumors, the gift wasn't even Arwen's idea; the citizens had volunteered it themselves... In many ways, the term 'Elven Communism' was the only thing that came to mind.
I glanced between the two War Chiefs again. Perhaps because they knew I was Xenon, their gazes were anything but ordinary.
One had eyes sparkling as if stars were embedded in them, while the other was brimming with curiosity. It was almost intimidating, considering they weren't just anyone, but War Chiefs.
Feeling the awkwardness settle in, I spoke up cautiously. It might be a bit rude, but I had to satisfy my curiosity first.
"Um... this might be a stupid and rude question, but may I ask something?"
"As Xenon, you may ask us anything," Beatrice replied.
"I would welcome a conversation," Haas added.
That was a relief. It seemed I had built up enough rapport with the elven race as a whole that there wouldn't be any issues.
After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I spoke in a careful voice.
"Perhaps it's because I'm human, but it's hard for me to guess your ages. Given that you're War Chiefs, I assume you're quite old..."
"I'm not that old. I'll be exactly 250 next year."
"I have held my seat for quite some time; I have watched 651 springs pass."
"..."
Each gave an answer befitting their generation. Beatrice, a New Generation elf, answered normally, while Haas used the characteristic phrasing of the Old Generation.
The dividing line between the New and Old Generations was the Race War three hundred years ago. Beatrice had not experienced the war, but Haas had.
I looked at Haas—a man who belonged in a history book—with wide eyes, momentarily ignoring Beatrice. Elves, much like a certain race in a particular manga, maintained their youth for a long time, with aging only beginning to creep in slowly after 800 years.
Furthermore, most Old Generation elves were stubborn traditionalists, but Haas didn't seem that way at all.
"As expected, it's hard to guess an elf's age."
"I don't think you're one to talk, Sir Xenon."
"Pardon?"
What was that supposed to mean? I blinked at Haas, completely failing to understand his point.
He then offered a benevolent smile that was more than enough to fluster me.
"It is you, Sir Xenon, whose age is truly difficult to fathom. My physical age matches the age of my soul, but is that the case for you?"
"Uh..."
I didn't know what he was assuming, but his words surprisingly pierced through to my true nature. And there was a layer of genuine kindness beneath them.
Having only dealt with stubborn old fools like Piren, I had assumed Old Generation elves wouldn't like me, but it seemed I was wrong.
Flustered, I let my eyes wander and tried to respond nonchalantly. However, I couldn't stop a single bead of sweat from rolling down my cheek.
"That's an interesting thought. What makes you say that?"
"I have seen over six hundred winters, yet you, Sir Xenon, seem to have experienced a world far wider than mine. You once said your stories were born of imagination, but who—who would even dare to imagine such things? You viewed the Demon Tribe as people rather than monsters, and you directly criticized the corruption and incompetence of the Senate."
Well. I was officially speechless. Strictly speaking, fantasy novels require significant cultural development to exist, and webnovels even more so.
Even I had experienced culture shock playing space-war games in my past life; I could only imagine how the people of this world felt.
I didn't bother contradicting Haas's words and instead brushed it off with a bitter smile. Haas, seemingly reaching his own conclusion, nodded with a subtle grin.
"S-so, can you tell me what happens once we get to Elodia and meet Arwen?"
I needed a subject change to escape this situation. I hurriedly directed my question to Beatrice instead of Haas.
She blinked in surprise at my question but soon broke into a smile.
I had noticed it earlier, but despite her clear, refined voice, there was a certain boisterousness to her.
"Since it is a gift prepared by Albenheim, we have made the arrangements, but we intend to grant whatever you wish, Sir Xenon."
"Is it possible to visit the Holy Land?"
The Holy Land was known as the first library, a place housing a vast collection of books. For a bibliophile like me, it was a literal 'holy land.'
I had been receiving books through Siris until now, but I wondered if I could finally enter the place officially.
"Of course. In addition to that, the Queen's..."
"Ahem. Ahem. Lady Starseeker?"
"Ah."
Beatrice almost let something slip, but Haas fortunately cut her off. I was a bit disappointed, but since it seemed to be a secret, I decided to let it go.
And while the Holy Land was great, there was something else I was most curious about. It was a place famous for being a 'Sanctuary' that even Arwen couldn't enter without permission.
I read the room and asked cautiously.
"Then... may I approach the World Tree?"
"The World Tree... you say?"
"Yes."
The sacred tree, Yggdrasil. It was grown from a seed given to the elves by Hirt, the Goddess of Nature, during the Demon War.
It was a tree so pure that those with even a hint of evil in their hearts could not approach it, and a single drop of its dew served as an ingredient for an Elixir.
Even now, three thousand years later, it continued to grow, its scale large enough to cover an entire city.
I remembered that when I first visited Albenheim, it seemed to defy all sense of perspective.
However, it was a sanctuary that even Arwen could not enter without the permission of the priests who guarded it. I expected it to be difficult, but...
"Of course. The priests will gladly grant you permission, Sir Xenon."
"Really?"
"Yes. You are the one who saved the roots of the World Tree from corruption. If they didn't allow it, the citizens would never forgive them."
That was a relief. I had always wanted to see it up close, and it looked like that wish would be fulfilled today.
Of course, I had no intention of picking up fallen leaves or collecting dew.
I just wanted to see it. Doesn't everyone have a desire to visit famous landmarks? It was exactly like that.
"I'm glad. Have you two ever been to the World Tree?"
"I have not," Beatrice said.
"I have visited for research purposes, but even then, I only watched from afar or picked up leaves from the ground. I have never been close," Haas added.
Even these two, who were War Chiefs, had never been there. I didn't stop there and asked another question.
"What about other races besides elves?"
"Not in the hundreds of springs I have watched. Not even the most renowned scholars have ever approached it. You will likely be the first, Sir Xenon."
"The first..."
The first human. Just imagining it made my heart flutter.
I was already excited about visiting the Holy Land, the library every scholar dreamed of, so the World Tree was on another level entirely.
But they say it has a soul...
I suddenly had the ridiculous thought: It won't reject me because I wrote about it being desecrated and blown up by demons in my book, will it?
"Well, it is time. Let us depart."
"Yes. How long does it take to walk to Elodia?"
"It won't take very long."
"That's good."
At that moment, I really thought it was good.
"...What is that?"
"It seems they have gathered to see you, Sir Xenon."
That was until I saw the street split wide open like a red carpet—no, like the parting of the Red Sea.
It was a scene I had witnessed at the Academy. People swarmed both sides of the street, with knights holding them back to keep the path clear.
But this wasn't a specialized institution like the Academy; this was the capital. The very heart of the capital was being cleared just for me.
Fortunately, I hadn't shown myself yet, so things were relatively quiet, but I knew exactly what would happen the moment I took a single step forward.
"Do I really have to walk through there?"
"We must, so the citizens can see for themselves that their gift is being delivered to you. You needn't worry about an attack."
"No, it's not that..."
It seemed Arwen was intent on making me die of embarrassment. Yet, I couldn't exactly ignore it and walk away.
I closed my eyes tight and took a step forward. And then...
"It's Xenon!"
"Where? Where?"
"Over there! The one with the red hair!"
"Wooooooooh!"
The sound of applause and thunderous cheers began to pierce my ears. Naturally, my face turned bright red.
...I really don't have the stomach for this.
How did people called heroes ever walk down paths like this? I was a homebody by nature; even walking this path felt humiliating.
"Why don't you give them a wave?"
"Indeed! Everyone came here just to see you."
"..."
Just you wait, Arwen.
*
At that same moment, Arwen, who was waiting at Elodia...
Zing!
"Hieek?!"
"Your Majesty?"
"N-no, it's nothing. I just suddenly felt a chill..."
She couldn't help but jump at the sudden shiver that ran through her body.
What was that? I feel...
She tilted her head in confusion, wondering why her face suddenly felt so warm.