Episode 83
The Elf Queen opened the door and appeared.
Emerging from behind the wooden door, she had an antique feel from the start.
She carried dignity, appropriate weight, and had a body that felt like a queen's figure.
Her impression is gentle too.
Is this generally the atmosphere of elves?
"Hello. Elf Queen... that's correct, right?"
At my cautious question, she nodded her head.
"Yes, though I'm dressed simply, I am indeed the queen. It's just that blending with nature is an elf virtue, so I dress like this."
As she said, her clothes themselves were quite plain compared to human nobility.
There were no special decorations, nor any eye-catching designs.
The queen approached us and looked at each of us one by one.
Her gaze stopped before Aron.
The corners of her eyes curved like a crescent moon, then the corners of her mouth rose into a slight smiling expression.
"It's my first time meeting the Hero in person. Since I don't go outside the forest, I've only heard rumors. You look as dependable and strong as the rumors say."
"Thank you. You also appear vigorous and beautiful, Your Majesty. Haven't you been serving as queen for nearly 2,000 years?"
"I haven't counted my age since passing 3,000, so I'm not sure. But since I was appointed queen right after becoming an adult, it must be well over 2,000 years."
"To have governed this place without problems all this time is remarkable."
Ella returned a bittersweet answer.
"I've merely barely protected this place all this time. Dwarves, beastkin, demons, even humans. We fought against everyone but couldn't win against any of them. In fact, several times..."
Ella held back her words, and we couldn't respond either.
Well, strictly speaking, we are humans, and the main force that oppressed the elves was precisely humans.
In the awkward atmosphere, Ella moved first.
"Shall we go up instead of talking here? I have some tea I made that I can bring out."
"Ah, yes. Let's follow."
This time, since Aron was leading the conversation, we moved following behind him.
We entered through the door next to the one Ella had come from.
Inside was a wooden staircase.
'Everything here is really made of wood. Then the beds must be wooden beds too, and the blankets must be leaf blankets. It must be cold though.'
After coming inside, I hadn't seen a single artificial structure.
Originally, except for the inn where we were staying, there were no artificial furnishings in the shops or restaurants that elves used.
Typically, chairs were tree stumps, there were no windows, and long hanging willow leaves served as curtains.
"You seem fascinated. You've been looking around continuously while following me."
Though I was clearly looking straight ahead, the queen noticed my actions.
When I flustered, she laughed.
"It's because there are many spirits inside. Even if spirits don't show themselves, they still talk."
"Is... that so?"
"Yes, if you become friends with spirits, you can do it. But not many elves can do it to this extent, so don't worry too much. By the way, can you see spirits?"
"Yes, it's roughly like this."
As I always did, I slightly extended my finger and called the spirits.
Then spirits approached my finger from all directions.
The number was definitely much greater than usual.
"...The spirits are really responding."
"I just found out too. Actually, I thought it was natural that they were visible. By any chance, do you know something about this, Your Majesty?"
"Shall we sit down and talk slowly first? I think the story might get a bit long."
"Yes."
Before I knew it, we had arrived, and Ella opened the room door first and entered.
"It looks ordinary."
"Of course. It's a room for welcoming distinguished guests. So I made it as neutral and comfortable as possible. I'm glad that comes across."
It's definitely a queen-like way of speaking.
That she could interpret even a simple comment about being ordinary like that.
"Then... before we begin the story, may I ask why you came here? I heard you had business, but I didn't hear the details."
As I sat across from her, Ella called spirits and began brewing tea.
Water spirits created a gate, and fire spirits boiled the water.
"We came to find an elf. Her name is Eri - do you know her?"
"Hmm, the name is Eri..."
She pondered briefly while making tea.
"I'm not sure. It's quite a common name. Are there any other characteristics? Appearance, personality, anything is fine. Then I might be able to figure it out."
"Eri is a Dark Elf. And she has a very relaxed personality."
"Nothing outstanding about her appearance?"
"Her chest is extremely large. To the point where I wonder if it's okay to carry around something like that."
Though I said that, there's also Seoryeong Unni who's even larger.
It's like the difference between an atomic bomb and a hydrogen bomb, I suppose.
Compared to Kyla who's only pistol-sized or me who's like a grenade, both are chest monsters.
"Hmm, Dark Elf, relaxed, and large chest... I'm not sure. Recently, no Dark Elves have entered this place."
"Not even one? Not a single Dark Elf came here at all?"
"In my memory, the most recent Dark Elf to enter was about 100 years ago. Actually, though we're the same elves, we don't interact much. Humans don't all know each other just because they're the same humans, right?"
"That's true."
"It's that kind of feeling. Elves don't all know each other either."
It's a reason I can't help but accept.
Even with beastkin, each race has different personalities, and though they live in the same Great Plains, they live scattered across such a wide area that they don't really know each other.
"If I get in touch with Dark Elves later, I'll ask. Then next is about Mia-nim's spirit matter?"
I nodded while receiving the tea Ella handed me with both hands.
"Humans who can see spirits aren't completely nonexistent. Actually, aren't there those called spirit mages among humans?"
"Yes, though rare, they exist."
"Spirit mages usually have elf blood mixed in their distant ancestors, but just looking at Mia-nim, you don't seem to have elf blood flowing. Rather, it seems like you have strong beastkin blood - is that correct?"
"Yes, I was born with wolf beastkin blood."
She nodded and took a sip of tea.
"Then that means you were born without elf blood but can see spirits and communicate with them."
Ella's expression hardened briefly.
Surely I wasn't the only one who noticed.
I could see the relaxed smile disappear from her face and be replaced by an uncomfortable smile.
"There's nothing certain, but there's an old story - shall I tell you that? It's a really old story that even modern elves wouldn't know."
"Please tell me that story."
Ella nodded.
In the slightly heavier atmosphere, Aron and Kyla also began to focus.
"Have you heard the story that in ancient times, humans other than elves also handled spirits?"
"No. Aron, have you heard of it?"
Aron also shook his head side to side.
"They say that before the World Tree was even born, there were humans who used power regardless of race. That means they used not just spirits, but also beastkin physical abilities, dwarf resilience, and the magi that demons use - all the talents that are born according to race."
"Is that possible?"
"It's impossible now. But in the distant past, they say there were humans who directly received god's power. Like what are commonly called true agents of the gods."
"Then why don't they exist now? And what happened to all those excellent beings?"
Ella smiled slightly.
That smile had an expression that seemed to say "That's why it's an old story - because we don't know."
"That they existed is where the old story ends. The most plausible hypothesis is that humans were beings granted this because they had no innate talents. Thanks to that, they say there were much more advanced technologies than now. They say teleportation that can't even be made now existed back then."
Hearing this, the Forest of Temptation ruins come to mind.
Though there were too many books to read them all, even from what I've read so far, the technological difference was clear.
At the point where dimensional travel technology exists, isn't comparison rather meaningless?
"Is there no way to know the reason at all?"
Ella stood up and asked us again.
"There are books that High Elves have written and collected since ancient times. Well, even if it sounds grand, it's closer to old diaries. Would you like to read those? I read them for two days myself, but there were too many to properly check."
Old books themselves are like treasure troves of information.
Back at the ruins, I read reports, diaries, general books, etc., but diaries were the most useful.
That's because diaries best convey the situation of that time.
They're even more useful because they contain lots of what's commonly called TMI.
"Great! Then may we stay here for a while and do some research?"
"Of course. I've been lonely staying in such a large place alone, so this works out well."
Ella moved her steps and we followed behind her.
While Aron and Ella were talking ahead for a moment, Kyla came right up beside me.
"Where on earth did Eri go? Even though Eri was weakened by the curse, she's not at a level to be captured so easily."
"Maybe she didn't come here in the first place? She might have gone to where the Dark Elves live."
"All Dark Elves are in the Forest of Temptation. Originally, when Eri entered the forest, everyone would have followed her. Since Eri is like the queen of Dark Elves. That's why there's a World Tree there too, though small."
"Really? I didn't know that. I just thought it was a somewhat large tree."
Hearing this, the World Tree seems closer to a true artificial god.
Usually in creative works, there's only one World Tree.
Or should I view it as polytheism?
"Then where could she have gone..."
"Did she fall to those Cult of the End bastards? But recently there's been no movement at all. Could those old men be hiding something again?"
"Old men?"
"The old men of the Church. There are those who teach about God while having no faith themselves."
"There are people like that too."
"Of course. You know the reason, don't you? Or not? If you entered that ruin, you should know."
Kyla reacted as if she knew I was aware of divine power.
It didn't seem necessary to hide it, so I nodded.
"Wasn't it like that for everyone except the Saintess?"
"Well, that's mostly correct, but truly devout people or those few who have gained the goddess's favor can use it just like me."
"There's no difference between the two?"
"The real ones can use it in much more diverse ways. The fakes are limited to recovery or defense at best. No, that's not important - so where did Eri go?"
Even if I thought about it, no appropriate place came to mind.
Actually, I haven't known Eri for long either.
We only knew each other briefly but intensely.
"...Indeed."
Somehow, the pattern on my lower abdomen felt more distinct today.
As if she were nearby.