Why Would I Even Say No?

I'd agonized over it long and hard.

In the end, no matter how I turned it over in my mind, the right call here was to play it safe and talk my way out.

"Elpinire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was a really kind and wonderful elf."

That's what I said.

"Hm? No way that girl would say something like that."

"...?"

"No need to lie to me. It won't work anyway."

Why the hell did I even bother thinking it over?

I let out a long sigh of relief at the chief's words.

The chief chuckled as if he found my reaction amusing, then leaped lightly from the root and landed right in front of me.

"So... I hear you took down a mutant."

"Pure luck."

"You don't look like someone with that kind of firepower. Guess you're stronger than you seem."

The chief stroked his chin as he eyed me appraisingly.

"Next up—Elpinire reported you missing for a week after that incident. Where'd you go?"

He kept stroking his chin, his tone casual, like it was no big deal.

But.

"... ."

To my ears, at least, it sounded way too casual.

I stared at the chief's face, right up close. His lips curved in what looked like amusement.

But his eyes were hidden behind those dark sunglasses.

"I... went home."

I'd already told Elpinire the same thing, so no taking it back now.

Will he buy it?

The chief fixed me with a steady gaze, then nodded.

"I see. Home, huh."

"...?"

"Never saw that one coming."

I blinked, watching as he turned away.

"You believe me?"

"Have to. My ears don't lie—you weren't bullshitting."

"...!"

"Told you already. Lies don't work on me."

So it wasn't just talk.

The chief lifted his sunglasses slightly as he spoke.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Han Mir."

"Right. I'm Elses-to, chief of Elcid. Let's get along while you're here in the village."

I nodded at Chief Elses-to's words.

"Anyway, let's have a drink."

"...Pardon?"

He grabbed my arm.

His thumb jerked toward the World Tree's root.

The spot he'd just smashed through to burst out was already fully regenerated, like nothing happened.

"Got some traditional elf brew in there. How about we knock back a few and chat?"

"...For real?"

I stared at Elses-to, his ears perked up like he was the one excited.

Booze, huh.

I've had plenty in my life, but never actually gotten drunk.

Always tasted like shit anyway.

I smacked my lips faintly and nodded.

"Elumia! Mind grabbing some snacks?"

"Of course, Chief. I'll bring some over—go ahead and start without me."

"Thanks."

Elses-to grinned wide and balled his fist.

Then he spun and unleashed it full-force at a distant World Tree root.

And—

"--!"

Riiiing—!

A shrill ring pierced my ears.

Clothes whipping in the wind pressure, I stared blankly ahead.

"Holy... shit."

One punch.

A plain old punch, no mana reinforcement.

And Elses-to had just punched a hole clean through a World Tree root over a hundred meters away.

"C'mon, Mir. Let's go."

He scooped me under his arm like I weighed nothing and kicked off the ground.

Wind blasting straight into my face.

Eye-watering gusts whipped past for a split second.

Then I was dumped into a cozy, snug space.

"This is... ."

"My pad, carved right into Mother's insides. Nothing like the previous chief's place."

Unlike his un-chief-like vibe, this residence screamed 'chief'—cozy wooden house feel, all tree-furniture...

"Wood?"

I blinked at the table beside me.

What the—actual wood?

Every elf house I'd seen on the way here was solid stone.

Wood furniture felt downright exotic.

"All made from Mother."

"... ."

Made furniture out of his mom, huh...

Dynamic phrasing.

Elses-to shrugged off his outer robe, opened a shelf, and pulled out an aged storage ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠case.

"Been ten years since I cracked one of these open."

Pop!

He uncorked it and shook the sloshing barrel my way as he approached.

* * *

About thirty minutes later.

I set down my empty glass and eyed Elses-to, head on the table, snoring away.

We drank at the same pace, but he was out cold already.

"Lighter drinker than I thought."

I muttered, refilling my glass from the bottle.

Clear, sparkling liquid glugged in.

I brought it to my lips and glanced sideways.

It had hit 2% out of nowhere, right after the first sip.

Won't budge anymore no matter how much I drink, but damn, this must be some premium stuff.

No new Black Dragon powers unlocked at 2%, though.

I'd hoped for something like Smoke to pop. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took another swig and grumbled.

"Man, this doesn't even taste like booze."

I swished it around my mouth.

No acrid booze burn.

Just sweet fruit—peach, apple—filling my senses.

Sweet like this, low proof probably. Explains why his liver's shot.

"He must be out by n—oh."

Boom!

Wall exploded, debris flying.

I froze, staring at the wreckage.

Beyond it, Elumia gawked, eyes wide.

"Not drunk after all?"

"Was I supposed to be?"

"...Yeah. By the time I bring snacks, he's always wasted. So I didn't light the fire... ."

True to her word—no snacks in hand.

I scratched my head and shrugged.

"I'm fine. Don't love the stuff anyway—easy to quit."

"Good to hear."

Elumia sighed in relief, then gave the passed-out Elses-to a pitying look.

"Chief of the elves, conking out before the guest."

"Haha... ."

"I'll handle him. Why not finish touring the village? We've only scratched the surface."

Exactly what I wanted.

Spotted some intriguing spots on the way to the World Tree.

I nodded and headed quick for the regenerating root.

"... ."

They smashed these things like nothing.

I swung a light punch at the reforming root.

And—

"Ugh... ."

Grabbed my hand as bone-cracking pain hit.

Hard as hell.

Thought they'd wrecked 'em easy, so they must be weak.

Dead roots, even.

But what the fuck is this toughness?

Feels like full-power punching a boulder.

Hand's numb—did I actually break it...?

"...Huh?"

I blinked dumbly at the floating system messages.

So...

My hand actually broke from punching that regenerating wall just now.

The system counted it as a near-death experience?

And spat out my first common skill as a reward.

"Ha."

A dry laugh escaped me.

This damn system.

If you're gonna hand out skills, why not during the Bloody Mantis mutant fight?

Why now, you piece of shit?

I stared at my throbbing red right hand.

Hurt like hell a second ago.

Now the pain was gone, just angry red marks left.

Skill works, at least.

I flexed my now-normal-colored hand.

Better than nothing.

Good thing, sure. But my feelings? Complicated as hell.

This is how I get it?

I smacked my lips and glanced back.

Elumia smiled at me.

"Once you've seen it all and need a place to crash, come back here. I'll set you up."

"Got it. Be back."

"Have fun."

I hopped down from the root with her send-off.

One thing I noticed:

"Guh... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠."

These roots are high.

Without Natural Healing, I'd have sprained an ankle and been done.

For real.

* * *

"Out already? Guess time waits for no one."

"...Playing possum. I'm fine."

Elses-to staggered up.

Elumia eyed his flushed face—yeah, right.

He cleared his throat at her look.

"Elumia. You see that just now?"

"Yep."

They both glanced at the bottle on the table.

"First human I've seen down that and stay sober."

World Tree fruit brew.

Rare as hell.

Weaklings pass out from a sip.

Even among elves, only high elves could handle a few glasses.

"But he powered through. Explains that vicious aura he's got."

"... ."

Elumia shut her mouth at Elses-to's words.

She'd sensed it from the start too.

Veiled, but not hidden.

A feral energy that set her instincts screaming.

Other elves missed it, but as an elder high elf, she'd clocked it immediately.

First meeting, she'd been on guard—mess with him wrong, and poof, existence erased.

"Meant to test him with drinks. Got tested instead."

He chuckled throatily, sinking into his chair and beckoning the serious-faced Elumia.

"Don't worry about the human, though. My call—he's not a bad guy."

"If you say so, Chief."

"But still a concern. If the kids face that aura head-on, could be trouble."

"That happen?"

"Nah, probably not."

Hahaha!

Elses-to and Elumia burst out laughing in unison.

* * *

Once my ankle healed enough.

I started wandering Elcid proper.

Quickly realized the earlier tour was just a sliver.

Vibrant flower fields, bustling markets—whole markets in a village?

Watching elves haggle and trade, I got it—they weren't so different from humans.

Of course.

"Human! Try this!"

"Uh, no hands?"

"Mouth it then!"

Just walking the market and they shove food at you—why bother with money?

I dodged meat from a struggling vendor, glancing around.

Left, right—brown meat everywhere.

Ate the first few, but all meat? Reaching my limit.

Keep this up, my gut'll burst.

Natural Healing can't fix that.

I ducked into a nearby alley, finally free, slumping against the wall to catch my breath.

"Bag's stuffed too."

Market freebies crammed it full.

Gonna take forever to eat all this.

As I pondered, a faint sound caught my ear.

What the?

Not the market bustle.

Desperate, pissed-off clamor.

What's at the alley's end making that racket?

Curiosity pulled me to the end.

And there—

"Huff... huff... ."

Sweat streaming down sharp jawline.

Light-green hair tied up high.

Drenched like after rain, standing in a wide clearing: Elpinire.

"Elpinire. Still got a ways to go."

"...I know!"

And in front of her, a light-green-haired man gripping a wooden sword.

Elpinire gritted her teeth, green energy coiling around her fist, and charged.

He swung his green-glowing wooden sword down at her.

Fist met blade.

Instantly, sharp thorns erupted from the wood.

"Gah!"

Thorn nailed her forehead dead-center; she flew back.

The man sighed long at her.

"Elpinire. I get you wanna awaken Mother's blessing fast, but this ain't how."

"Shut it, Elspier! I need Mother's blessing to become a true guardian...!"

Elpinire hauled herself up, teeth clenched at Elspier's words.

And—

"Gah! Y-you!"

Our eyes met.

She ground her teeth and bolted—green blur vanishing into the distance.

I quietly watched her go.

"Ah. She's gone."

Elspier scratched his head with the wooden sword.

He grinned at me and raised it.

"Wanna sub in, human? Be my sparring partner?"

"Why me?"

"Hm... How 'bout this?"

Shing.

Thorns receded; the blunt wood sharpened to a real edge.

Green energy pointed straight at me.

But my eyes locked elsewhere.

Had to.

Can't say no to this.

Long sigh. I ditched my bag and transformed my right hand.

Readying for battle, I looked up.

"...!"

Elspier—pupils shrunken, killing intent rolling off him—glared with ferocious intensity.