Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Elf Empire (1)
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Smashing the bandits that clung to us like flies every single day, before we knew it, two weeks had passed since we set out.
Just as everyone was growing weary from the long journey, Vene, who had been dozing off, suddenly snapped her eyes open.
“We've arrived in elven territory!”
She had clearly been half-asleep with her eyes barely open just moments ago, but it seemed elves could instinctively sense when they entered their own domain.
I had been half out of it, meditating on divine power, but at her excited shout, I slotted my brain back in and shook Rainy's shoulder. She had been using my lap as a pillow while sleeping.
“Saintess.”
“Ugh...”
“Saintess?”
“Hngh...”
After shaking her shoulder a couple of times, Rainy jolted awake in surprise.
It had been a boring carriage ride where all there was to do was sleep, but how could she sleep through the entire two weeks?
I couldn't even nap during the day after about three days.
Plus, there were the bandits popping up now and then.
“Ugh... Whaaat?”
Rainy looked up at me with a half-asleep voice.
Normally, your mouth smells bad when you wake up, but a sweet peach scent wafted from her.
Feeling newly amazed by it, I helped her sit up from my lap.
She wobbled as if still not fully awake and buried her face in my shoulder.
“We've arrived in elven territory.”
“Ugh... Finally!”
At the news of reaching our destination, focus returned to Rainy's half-lidded eyes.
I envied her ability to freely attach and detach her brain at will.
Energized, Rainy peered excitedly out of the carriage.
I was curious about elven lands too, so I joined her in looking at the scenery outside.
Only to be slightly taken aback by the unexpected sight.
I had thought the Elf Empire, called a paradise of plants, would be bursting with vibrant flora everywhere.
But the plants visible outside the carriage all looked wilted and lifeless.
Some were even rotting away.
Of course, plants can't always be healthy, but the discrepancy from my expectations left me feeling uneasy.
“Princess, are the plants in the Elf Empire normally this wilted?”
“What? Are the plants not doing well?”
“They all look like they're dying...”
Startled by my words, Vene hurriedly checked the outside scenery.
And freaked out.
“Uh... This can't be...”
“So it's not normal?”
“Yes... Normally, all the plants in the Elf Empire thrive year-round, lush and full of energy, thanks to the World Tree's grace...”
“Has the Demon King's army already attacked the World Tree?”
“...It could be.”
Thinking the World Tree might be under attack, Vene's face paled.
Knowing how precious the World Tree was to elves, I understood her panic.
I patted her trembling shoulder and said,
“Can we speed up the carriage?”
Vene nodded, clutching my collar tightly with her shaking hands.
“Then speed it up. I don't know what's happening, but let's get there as fast as possible.”
“Thank you... Hero...”
Rumble rumble.
The carriage, which had been paced for comfort until now, shot forward at high speed.
The outside scenery whipped by in a blur.
“Urgh...”
“Miss!”
Unable to endure it, Laura got motion sick, and Yumi desperately held her.
Meanwhile, I heightened my tension in preparation for any potential combat.
Screeech.
The plant carriage, barreling along at a ferocious pace, suddenly came to a halt.
“What is it?”
“We've met the elven guards.”
Sure enough, two elves in leather armor were cautiously approaching us.
They looked like elves on the surface, but just in case, I glanced at Vene.
“Are they real elves?”
With elves at war with demons, there was a chance of demon disguises, so I wasn't jumping to conclusions based on appearances alone.
“Hmm...”
Vene squinted at the approaching pair and nodded.
“Yes, they seem like real elves. I'll go talk to them.”
No sooner had she spoken than Vene hopped out of the carriage.
The tense-looking elven guards recognized her and widened their eyes, bowing their heads.
Well, she was their princess; it'd be weirder if they didn't.
We quietly watched from the carriage as Vene chatted with the guards. The disciplined elves bellowed a resounding salute that echoed inside the carriage, then took up positions escorting us from the front.
Honestly, with our group's strength, we didn't need escorts, but there was no reason to refuse, so I said nothing.
Vene returned to the carriage with her chest puffed out, clearly pleased with her display of authority.
She looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if expecting praise.
'No real praise comes to mind...'
Singing her praises worked once or twice, but complimenting her for just pulling rank? No clue.
You couldn't praise a born princess for being dutiful, right?
So I just silently patted her head.
I'd heard women hate having their hair touched, but maybe because the women in this world didn't fuss much with hairstyling.
They all seemed to like it.
Escorted by the elven guards, we traveled about ten minutes.
Ordinary elves started coming into view.
Unlike my prejudiced image of fairies frolicking in meadows looking picturesque, their daily lives weren't much different from our territory's folk.
Farming in groups, repairing walls, doing laundry.
The only difference was their dour expressions.
Quietly observing, Laura spoke up.
“Everyone looks down.”
“Probably. Fortunately, no demon raids yet, but they all know this peace won't last forever.”
“The plants... have lost their vitality...”
While Laura focused on the elves' faces, Vene zeroed in on the sickly plants.
Looking closely as she said, even here near the Elf Empire's heart, the plants were in poor shape.
Trees bore no fruit, and what little they had looked discolored and soft.
Flowers were less bloomed than expected, and even those in bloom had thin stems that looked ready to snap.
“If even this place close to the World Tree has plants in bad shape, something's happened. We need to see Mother quickly.”
“Looks like the demons pulled something.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
Chatting with the grim-faced Vene, I suddenly remembered we had an expert in this field in our party: the saintess.
Her divine power might not detox alcohol or drugs, but in this situation clearly tied to demonic influence, it could prove useful.
“Saintess.”
“Yeah?”
“If we see the World Tree, could you purify it with divine power?”
Rainy scratched her head at my request.
“I'd need to see its size first, but sure, I'll give it a shot.”
“Thanks.”
“No biggie. Gotta do something as a saintess wannabe.”
Rainy had a foul mouth, but a kind heart.
Fix that habit, and she'd make a great bride.
Though a former saintess probably wouldn't marry easily.
As we delved deeper into the Elf Empire, our escorts grew, and soon a large group surrounded the carriage as we finally reached the palace.
The palace had some care put into it; the plants inside looked somewhat lively.
Animals scurried about too.
Vene glanced around the palace and sighed.
“Home sweet home after so long.”
Calling this vast palace “home” so casually.
Even for a micro-empire of 20,000, princesses were princesses.
I'd thought myself born with a diamond spoon by this world's standards, but here was an adamantium one.
“Hmm, about the size of our family villa.”
“...”
Orichalcum spoons too.
I felt the sting of relative deprivation.
Diamond spoons were pleb-tier before the real deals.
Unlike us born with spoons in our mouths, I looked at Rainy—who'd clawed her way up from a harsh childhood—with pitying eyes.
“What? Why stare?”
Instead of answering, I gently patted her shoulder.
“Wh-what...?”
“Just thinking you've been through a lot.”
“Outta nowhere...?”
She grumbled but didn't pull away from my touch.
“Ah, Mother's here!”
An elf who looked too young and beautiful to be Vene's mother appeared.
Vene ran toward her long-unseen mother with a bright smile.
“Why have you returned?”
“Uh...?”
The colder-than-expected response made her stop in confusion.
My face, smiling warmly at the mother-daughter reunion, stiffened too.
“Go back to Daven territory at once.”
“...”
The reunion was nothing like I'd imagined.
What was this?
Why?