This Is a Kkanf
Despite holding the rank of Master with the bow and bearing the lofty titles of Elf Elder and Guardian of the World Tree, Latipi’s dwelling was austere to a fault. A low bed, a plain desk, and a solitary bookshelf were all the furnishings to be found, and the place lacked even a common window. That alone told the whole story.
In the first place, the hollowed-out interior of the colossal trunk had merely been carved into round chambers to resemble a residence. Frankly speaking, calling it a "tree den" or a "wood burrow" felt far more fitting than calling it a house. Since an elf lived here, did that make it an elf den?
"Your place is pretty cramped."
It might have offered ample room for one person, but with the entire party squeezing inside, the air quickly turned stifling.
"...My apologies," Latipi murmured, looking up with a distinctly reluctant expression. "I have never received so many guests at once."
A smirk pulled at my lips.
"Is that so? That’s quite a shame. You always talk about wanting to make lots of friends, don't you? Why not try acting a bit more approachable? Solemn dignity hardly suits a shrimp like you anyway."
"...I do not recall ever meeting you, so I fail to understand why you speak as though we are acquainted."
"I'm not pretending; I really do know you. Wait, you honestly don't know who I am? I'm fairly famous, you know."
"I know nothing of you."
"Oh?"
It had been quite a while since anyone gave me a reaction like that, and it felt remarkably novel.
"You really don't know? Rumors about a Prophet or a Divine Incarnation have spread all the way to border villages."
"I told you, I do not know. Do you truly believe the idle gossip of humans would ever drift into these woods?"
"Fair enough, I suppose."
"Besides, a prophet and a divine avatar... As expected, nothing that spills from human lips can ever be trusted."
Seeing her curl her lip in blatant derision made me chuckle.
"Well, well. Look at you landing a jab. You're sharper-tongued than I gave you credit for."
"It irritates me how you keep speaking as if you know me. If your intention is to provoke me... I will simply inform you that it is proving quite effective."
"Ah, my bad. I was just somewhat glad to see an old face, that's all."
Back in the game, once the quest to cleanse the World Tree was cleared and the player claimed the sacred relic left behind in the wake of its death, the two figures who incessantly poked their noses into everything day and night were Latipi and Benoite. They would endlessly harp on about how, having inherited the legacy of the World Tree, one had to become someone worthy of it, had to champion righteousness, had to unconditionally stand on the side of the elves... They were an utter pain in the neck.
Well, in the grand scheme of things, they were noble allies who assisted the protagonist and could even be courted as heroines, but honestly, their sense of racial supremacy ran far too deep. Between that and their stiff, fastidious obstinacy, they were never my type. Besides, there was already an elf among the default heroines, so picking them always felt a bit redundant.
Come to think of it, where could that girl be right now? Her wanderlust was terrible, making it impossible to predict her whereabouts.
"...At any rate, let us cut straight to the heart of the matter," Latipi pressed. "I demand an explanation for what occurred earlier. How could demonic energy seep from the flesh of my kin?"
"Before that, how about bringing out some tea and snacks? What kind of hospitality is this?"
"......"
I merely shrugged at her silent glare.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not teasing you; I'm genuinely looking forward to authentic handmade elf tea and cookies."
In the game, handmade elven tea and fruit pastries were luxury delicacies where sellers essentially named their price. Not only were their aroma and flavor peerless, but they also worked wonders for the body. Merely obtaining them was a display of prestige and influence, meaning high aristocrats fought tooth and nail to secure a supply. In fact, quite a few characters' affection levels could be shot straight through the roof using those very fruit cookies.
"*Haaah... wheeeew...*"
Taking a deep breath to swallow her temper, Latipi pushed herself up and fetched a tray of tea and refreshments. At a glance, they didn't look particularly extravagant. A sweet, nutty fragrance drifted gently into the air, yet they seemed like nothing more than rustic biscuits embedded with bits of dried fruit.
"Let's see here... Oh?"
The moment my teeth broke through the crust, my eyes snapped wide. It was sweet, but delicately so. The natural tartness of the dried berries burst across my palate, harmonizing with a rich, savory depth that elevated the flavor into something nearly impossible to put into words. On top of that, a bouquet of refreshing herbal scents washed through my nasal passages, delivering a crisp clarity that made my mind feel as though it had just been rinsed clean.
"...Now this is something else. Hey, girls. Give these a try."
"I was just waiting for you to say that, Orabeoni!"
Vivian, who had been gulping down her saliva, bounded forward immediately to claim a cookie. Cecilia, on the other hand, offered a wry, hesitant smile as she carefully tested the waters.
"T-Thank you for the treat, Lady... Latipi?"
"Just call me unnie. I have no care for being addressed by human titles."
"May I really?"
"Indeed."
"Thank you, unnie! Ah, I'll enjoy it!"
When Cecilia gave a polite, graceful bow, the taut scowl on Latipi’s brow softened ever so slightly.
"Ahem. I shall partake with gratitude as well," Arpe added.
As Vivian, Cecilia, and Arpe each took a bite, their eyes widened in unison.
"Whoa...!"
"It's amazing...!"
"...The fragrance and taste far surpass anything served in the Imperial Palace. Could it be the difference in freshness?"
Finding a single cookie far too little to satisfy them, they kept darting greedy glances toward the plate on the table, looking adorably like a mischief of squirrels.
"Go ahead and have more if you want. Latipi, got any extras?"
"...I do. I shall bring all that I have prepared."
True to her word, Latipi returned with a plate piled high as a small mountain.
"...Pashtra. You're going to drool all over the floor."
"Gah!? S-Sorry...!"
Lampon Pashtra, who had been staring slack-jawed at the pastries, snapped her mouth shut in sheer panic at my callout.
"Here, have one yourself."
"M-May I really?! Thank you so much!"
Holding the cookie reverently with both hands, she popped the entire thing into her mouth and swallowed.
"*Gasp!?* Mmm, mhmm... *sniffle.*"
She savored the lingering taste for a brief moment, shuddered as if struck by lightning, and then abruptly burst into tears.
"Crying again?"
"I-It's just so delicious...! I have never tasted anything this wonderful in my whole life...!"
"...Eat more, then."
"Thank you...!"
Leaving her to shovel cookies into her cheeks while tears the size of broad beans streamed down her face, I passed the rest of the plate to the others.
"You guys have some too."
"Thank you, My Lord."
"To think the day would come when I'd taste authentic elven baking..."
"This is honestly more moving than when we brought down the Lich..."
Watching the party relish the sweets, I took a swallow from my flask and locked eyes with Latipi once more.
"Now then, shall we move on to business?"
"I have been waiting."
"First things first... Right, we should verify the facts."
"No. The explanation comes first. Tell me what happened back there."
"Latipi, you already knew the World Tree was contaminated, didn't you?"
Brushing past her demand, my sudden question caused her aura to turn instantly lethal.
"Human... How did you learn of that?"
"Just answer me. Do you know, or don't you?"
"Answer my question first, human! Otherwise...!"
"Otherwise what?"
The moment Latipi started to rise from her seat, Muriel, Rebecca, and Nemeth drew their weapons, leveling cold steel straight at her throat.
"Kh...!?"
"Guess I don't really need a verbal answer. Your face says you already know... Hmm, so what now?"
"Just who on earth are you? What is your purpose in coming here?"
"What good would it do to tell you? Even if I laid out the absolute truth, you wouldn't believe a word of it. You'd just drown in suspicion."
Having witnessed the rancid toxicity of the elves countless times throughout the game, I knew for a fact that she was never someone you could have an open, heartfelt conversation with. If I were an elf, perhaps it might be different; but so long as I was human, she would perpetually scrutinize me through a lens of contempt and distrust.
"Just as you elves despise and harbor grudges against humans for all the grief you've suffered at their hands, I have suffered my fair share from you lot as well."
Of course, I hadn't experienced it personally, merely witnessed it through a screen, but that didn't change how I felt. I didn't possess the slightest shred of interest in playing nice with people whose default setting was detesting mankind.
"And frankly, I'm already somewhat pissed off. You, Benoite... and probably the rest of the elders too. It's because you fools kept this information locked tight from the rest of your kin that we had to drag ourselves all the way out here."
"What in the world are you..."
"In short, I'm taking out my frustration on you."
I reached for a cigarette with a faint smirk, then changed my mind and pulled back. I didn't want to smother the refreshing scent of aged timber and sweet berries currently filling the room.
"So all you have to do is let me use you. Do that, and I'll solve every single one of your problems. I'll revitalize the World Tree, slaughter the high demon, and lift the curse binding the dark elves. I won't even demand a reward. Solving that mess is the sole reason I came here in the first place. Well? Seems like a pretty sweet deal to me."
"...What is it that you want?"
"Act as my guide. Lead me to the roots of the World Tree."
That was where the dungeon crafted by Sukra lay hidden. A sacred ground completely barred from entry without the explicit aid and permission of a select few High Elves.
"...And if I refuse?"
"I break you through torture, lop off your limbs, and drag you along by force. If that still doesn't work, I hunt down another High Elf and repeat the process."
"......"
Once again, Latipi’s presence flared with venomous intent.
"*Haaah...* Hey. Can't you do anything without being such a menace? Why do you have to turn everything into a fight?"
"She's right, Lord Alzen. No matter how you slice it, that's far too brutal."
Unable to watch any longer, Weller and Cecilia stepped forward to scold me.
"My foolish younger brother has caused offense, O being of the forest, Latipi."
"Please accept our apologies. Lord Alzen is not truly a wicked man; his way of expressing himself is simply... rather bizarre."
"Oh, give me a break."
Just as I opened my mouth to retort, my gaze collided with Nemeth’s.
"......"
She was shaking her head frantically, eyes pleading with desperate intensity.
"...Fine, whatever. So long as we reach our destination, who cares which road we take?"
Not that I expected their little diplomatic approach to accomplish anything.
Taking a step back, I munched on the remaining cookies and sipped my tea, leisurely watching the spectacle unfold.
Her patience worn paper-thin, Weller hissed through clenched teeth, her voice thick with barely suppressed rage.
"Look... What I'm saying is... that WE are trying to HELP you...!?"
"I am sorry, but the affairs of the World Tree cannot be entrusted to mere humans," Latipi replied evenly. "It is not a matter for mortal outsiders to meddle with."
Cecilia thumped her chest in sheer exasperation.
"Is there truly any need to be this stubborn? We arrived here fully informed of the crisis! We even know how to resolve it! Above all else, we stand before you purely out of goodwill and justice! Even so, you would reject our aid?"
"Saintess, you of all people ought to understand my perspective. The corruption of the World Tree stems entirely from the inadequacy of the elves; therefore, it must be resolved through the strength of the elves. That is our penance, as well as our responsibility."
"No, wait—!"
Unable to endure another second, Nemeth’s aura finally flared with lethal intent.
"Your arrogance knows no bounds. To think that after letting the disaster fester in utter helplessness all this time, you dare distrust and turn away the very people I brought to save us!"
"Nazareth Nemeth. I understand your circumstance and your grief. However, as a daughter of our blood, I cannot fathom how you could recklessly expose the crisis of the World Tree to outsiders and beg for their intervention. Elves are strong. We are fully capable of handling our own trials without leaning on foreign help."
"Then why in the hell couldn't you fix it before now?!"
"We were preparing. Even when a solution exists, must we not strive to minimize collateral damage? Even had your party never set foot here, we would have unquestionably resolved the matter ourselves."
"You absolute...!"
Watching the three of them look ready to pop a blood vessel from pure, unadulterated frustration, I let out a snicker.
It was an entirely expected, completely natural outcome. When dealing with someone who harbored deep-seated disdain and distrust as their baseline, what on earth did you expect to achieve by patiently explaining things and begging for understanding? Grasping the situation was entirely separate from entrusting a mission to someone, let alone cooperating with them. Even if it concerned the very World Tree they revered, worshipped, and held as their absolute faith, this haughty obstinacy was simply the essence of what it meant to be an elf.
"Well, aren't you three a lovely sight? Hmm? When I act a certain way, you ought to just assume, 'Oh, he must have a damn good reason for it~' Instead, you barged in and accomplished nothing except hoarding a pile of stress."
"*Pheeew...* Shut up...!" Weller snapped.
"Careful, Sister. You're going to give yourself wrinkles."
"...*Grit!*"
As I offered a thoroughly irritating smirk toward Weller’s murderous glare, Latipi turned her gaze back to me.
"Human. I am told you possess the knowledge to resolve this incident. Speak."
After displaying such an insufferable attitude, she had the gall to demand answers as if it were her birthright... Something hot and foul began to bubble deep in my gut.
"Why should I?"
"......"
The serene mask she maintained when speaking to the others shattered instantly, twisting into an ugly grimace the moment she faced me. What a glorious sight.
"Truth be told, I don't give a damn if your World Tree rots and dies. Actually, I'm practically praying for it to kick the bucket."
Because only then could I claim its divine relic.
"...!!"
Even as an explosive torrent of bloodlust crashed against me, I casually lifted my flask and took another slow, steady sip.