Hard to Get Used To
Seneca considered herself a proud, noble member of the elven warrior cadre.
"...Dammit."
That was precisely why she was seething with frustration, more anxious and infuriated than anyone else present. A boiling heat surged from her chest straight to the crown of her head, completely blanking out her thoughts. Her clenched fists trembled with rage, and a steady stream of characteristically elegant elven curses slipped through her gritted teeth.
"Seneca... Do you think Lady Latipi and Lady Benoite will be all right? Being alone with that barbaric human..."
"I don't know. I’d go help them if I could, but they've already stepped into the sanctuary..."
Shaking her head at her comrade's question, Seneca let out a heavy sigh and pushed back her pale blonde hair.
"What could that human possibly be after?"
"Who knows? But whatever it is, it's bound to be vile and disgusting. That’s simply the nature of humans...!"
Vivid images involuntarily flashed through Seneca's mind: a leering human man giving free rein to his sordid desires, followed by Lady Latipi and Lady Benoite submitting in utter humiliation.
"No... No! That’s impossible! Those two would never let themselves be played by some lowly human...!"
"Don't worry too much, Seneca. It's the sanctuary, after all. There's no way the World Tree would overlook their peril."
"Right! The World Tree is our great guardian, always looking down upon us! Our progenitor, the last true divinity remaining on this earth! There's no way something so dreadful could come to pass...!"
"Um... but what if that human came here with good intentions?"
"What?"
Seneca's face instantly twisted in disbelief at her friend's absurd suggestion. Flustered by the glare, her companion waved her hands frantically in defense.
"N-No, I mean, didn't he show us that... that thing right in front of everyone? Claiming it was proof." Her voice trailed off, hesitant to even speak the memory aloud.
"...Ah. That."
Seneca recalled the scene all too vividly: the horrifying, unbelievable spectacle of demonic energy cascading like a waterfall from an elf's body. On top of that, the human had explicitly uttered the words 'high demon.'
There was clearly a connection, and under normal circumstances, she might have paused to ponder his motives. Yet her deep-rooted contempt and disgust toward humans firmly blocked that line of thought. To be fair, the sheer brutality of what Stanashila Aljen had displayed was simply too traumatizing to ignore. After all, he had severed the limbs of the revered Divine Archer Latipi and held her hostage by the hair.
"The human must have pulled some kind of trick. Demonic energy pouring out of an elf blessed by the World Tree, right inside its sacred domain? It's fundamentally impossible."
"Mm, I thought so too, but... doesn't something feel off? Why would he go to such lengths? What if... there really is a demonic threat lurking out there? Something we're unaware of."
Watching her friend tilt her head in genuine consideration, Seneca felt an inexplicable prickle of alarm. It was difficult to define, but alarm bells rang deep within her instincts, sparking primal aversion. In truth, it was the insular hostility typical of a closed society rejecting any thought that diverged from dogma—though Seneca remained entirely blind to her own prejudice. She simply bent the facts to fit her preconceived notions.
To correct her friend's dangerous drift, Seneca grabbed her firmly by the shoulders.
"Get a grip."
"H-Huh? What's wrong?"
"You cannot trust humans. You've heard what became of our ancestors and kin who put their faith in them. After all of that, you're willing to believe those filthy, disgusting creatures?"
"No, I’m not saying I trust him! It just seemed a little strange..."
"That human is undoubtedly trying to exploit us elves for his own selfish, dirty greed. Even if there really is a demon out there, that man is the greater danger. Have you already forgotten the state Lady Latipi was in?"
"That's... yeah. You're right."
Her friend swallowed her doubts. The memory of Lady Latipi dangling by her hair with all four limbs severed was an image of pure nightmare.
"They're coming out!"
"Nock your arrows, everyone!"
At that moment, the invisible barrier of the sanctuary rippled, and a group stepped out into the open. Instantly drawing their bows, the elves fixed their grim, determined glares upon the human.
"...Huh?"
An instant later, Seneca and the surrounding elves parted their lips in sheer stupor as an overwhelming harmony of nature washed over them.
The first sensation to greet them was the scent of rich earth, wood, fresh grass, and blooming flowers—a fragrance that instantly softened the spirit. It was an essence identical to nature itself, an aroma no elf could ever ignore, seeping into their minds as gently as a loving caress. And then, what filled their eyes was vibrant, lush, radiant life force itself, spreading across the surroundings in peaceful, comforting abundance.
...And that very concept was strolling toward them in human form.
An undeniable, irresistible gravitational pull shook the very instincts of every elf present, drawing them in like an absolute force. There was no way to resist. In fact, the thought of resisting never even crossed their minds. By the time they came to their senses, the elves found themselves yearning to surrender everything they had to him, like moths drawn inexorably to an open flame.
Stepping leisurely out of the Sanctuary of the World Tree, I spotted legions of elves waiting in tight formation. Yet their eyes were not filled with contempt or hostility, nor did they look at me as though I were some repulsive abomination. Astonishingly, it was the exact opposite.
"Th-That human... huh?"
"Ah, uh...?"
"Gasp! Th-The World Tree...? No. That's not it. This is... this is something... something else...!"
"...The Avatar... of Nature...?"
Their bizarre reactions made me stiffen slightly. I had suspected something was up ever since Master-rank figures like Latipi and Benoite proved powerless to resist... but I had no idea what that bastard World Tree had actually implanted inside my body.
"Ahem... Hey, elves. Attention."
"...!!"
"...!"
"...!!!"
I had only casually tossed out a single line, but their eyes widened like startled cats, staring at me so intensely it felt downright oppressive.
"...Are they going to be all right? Latipi. Benoite."
"They will be fine. They simply haven't grasped the situation yet."
"Let us wait a moment for their comprehension to catch up."
Despite their kin exhibiting such abnormal behavior, the two Master-rank elves answered calmly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I nodded reluctantly.
"Is that so? Well, if you say so..."
Waiting a bit just as they suggested, a rapid, low murmur began rippling through the dazed crowd. Before long, several elves who looked like high-ranking officials walked forward and dropped to one knee. Nine times out of ten, they were the elven elders.
"It is an honor to meet you, O Avatar of Nature, Child of the World Tree."
"Avatar of what? And who's whose child?"
I retorted in sheer disbelief, but the elder merely looked up at me with eyes sparkling with an eerie, ecstatic light, a blissful expression plastered across his face.
"Since the World Tree has sent one such as you, the resurgence of the elves must be close at hand."
"To witness the dawn of such a glorious day with my own two eyes... Sniff! I am moved to tears...!"
"Whatever you require, you need only ask, O Avatar of Nature."
"......"
My jaw dropped, frozen.
"...What the hell are these guys even saying? Latipi, Benoite. Any idea?"
"Their reaction is entirely understandable."
"It seems their reason hasn't fully returned yet. They will calm down once some time passes."
"Really...?"
They certainly didn't look like they were going to calm down anytime soon, but since their fellow elves said so, I decided to trust them for now.
"Uh... anyway. Everyone whose name I call, step forward."
"Yes!"
"Is this the Avatar's choosing?!"
"Ah...! Please, let him choose me...!"
"I would offer everything to him! Even my very life!"
Every single word out of my mouth triggered an over-the-top reaction, and the pressure was rapidly piling up. Whatever. Let's just ignore them and do what needs to be done.
"...Ropelman, Eddiz, Sloth..."
"Waaaaah!"
"Kyaaaah! He called my name!"
"Sniff...! I can die with no regrets...!"
I was going to lose my mind.
Watching the elves practically burst with joy as they stepped forward upon hearing their names, it was impossible to imagine that just a little while ago, these very same people were glaring at me with eyes full of contempt. Lining up the dozens of elves I had named, I focused on the Absolute Ring Set.
"Stand still."
"Yes!"
"Even if death itself approaches, I will not budge a single step!"
"You're not gonna die, so stop being dramatic."
The instant the red aura of the Absolute Ring of Taunt grazed their bodies, a staggering amount of the Plague leaked out. Like a swarm of locusts blotting out vast fields, it billowed through the air, gathering and scattering in wild, erratic bursts before lunging at me with venomous malice. Staring right at the incoming swarm, I triggered the Ring of Absolute Evasion, followed immediately by the Absolute Counter Ring.
"Ah, aaaaah...!"
"How can this be...! That sight is just like...!"
"Nature... Nature looks down upon us...!"
As I stepped through the melting plague—dissolving into a sticky sludge like an upturned swamp—the elves burst into tears of awe and dropped to their knees as if beholding their savior.
"......"
I seriously didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
After curing dozens of elves infected by the Plague, we received hospitality fit for royalty.
Granted, that lavish treatment was mainly centered on me—less out of gratitude for curing the plague and more to celebrate the arrival of my very existence—which meant my companions were treated somewhat like an afterthought. Still, the reception was infinitely warmer than before, and the party seemed reasonably satisfied.
The food and wine brewed by the elves possessed such exceptional flavor and aroma that I would have loved to lounge around and indulge myself for days on end... but unfortunately, we were busy drafting a plan. A plan to kill Sukra, a high demon rivaling a Demon King.
"Cecilia. You experienced it firsthand, so you know. A creature like that can never be suppressed by sheer brute force."
"Yes, I know. The indignation and helplessness from that day are etched deep into my heart—right down to the bone."
"Glad to hear it."
Quite a bit of time had passed since the battle against the Demon King, and seeing how she had shed some of her naivety brought a satisfied smile to my face.
"Well, our situation right now is way, massively, extraordinarily better than back then."
Grinning, I looked around at my utterly dependable companions. Six Master-rank combatants in total: Muriel, Rebecca, Nazareth Nemeth, Wendy, Lira, and Cacciola. Latipi and Benoite covering long-range artillery. Cecilia and Arpe handling healing and support buffs. This wasn't just sufficient—it was overwhelmingly stacked.
"Our target falls a bit short compared to a genuine Demon King... but that actually makes him the perfect practice dummy."
Nodding in satisfaction, I began jotting down details about Sukra across the large parchment provided by the elves.
"This is just my guess, but Sukra will probably make a full-scale move within a few days."
"Why? It wouldn't be strange for him to test the waters a bit longer."
I nodded at Weller's question.
"Normally, yes. But right now, Sukra is probably out of his mind. A grand scheme he meticulously spent years cultivating, right on the verge of fruition, crumbled like a sandcastle overnight. On top of that, as long as I'm standing here, he can't pull off the same trick again. Knowing his personality, he's bound to lose his temper and go berserk."
"And how specifically do you think he'll lash out?"
At Weller's question, I made a broad sweeping stroke with my hand, coloring the area around the crudely drawn circle representing the Elf Village completely pitch-black.
"An overwhelming wave assault."
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy and still.