Chapter 66
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Elf
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Elf.
Elf.
In the distant past, there was a time when they were called "Albs," but now they are commonly known as elves, members of the demon race. Elves, also called children of the forest, possess outstanding physical abilities and keen senses. They can freely wield demonic energy reminiscent of the forest's aura, navigate the woods as if they were their own home with incredible mobility, and boast many other powerful traits.
But even such a race has its weaknesses: elves need "trees" to survive.
Elves are born with a kind of "deficiency" from the moment they enter the world. This void, embedded in their very souls, can only be filled through communion with trees brimming with life force. As a result, all elves live lives tending forests, nurturing trees, interacting with them, and protecting them.
Among these elves exist the "High Elves," known as their royalty. They possess superior abilities compared to ordinary elves, with exceptional talents like communing with plants or invigorating the surrounding natural flora.
But perhaps because of these extraordinary gifts, High Elves are born with a far more severe "deficiency" than their kin.
"If only we had the Divine Tree... Mother, too...!"
Recalling the nature of High Elves, Lil—one of the few remaining in this era, a member of the dungeon called the "Cradle of the Forest," and the daughter of its Dungeon Master—grimaced as she thought of her mother.
"Because of me... Mother..."
The dungeon where she lived housed just two High Elves: her mother, the Dungeon Master, and Lil herself.
For High Elves to survive, they needed trees capable of filling their deficiencies—trees teeming with immense life force, far beyond what ordinary elves required.
In other words, they needed a "Divine Tree."
Until now, there had been no issue. The Cradle of the Forest had a massive tree revered by the elves as their Divine Tree, and the Dungeon Master had sustained herself by drawing life force from it to fill her void.
But problems arose after Lil was born. A new High Elf had appeared in the dungeon. Naturally, Lil was born with an overwhelming "deficiency," one that ordinary trees couldn't satisfy.
In the end, after much agonizing, the Dungeon Master severed her connection to the Divine Tree and yielded it to her daughter. Thanks to that, Lil grew up healthy under the care and love of the dungeon's inhabitants. But her mother, deprived of the Divine Tree, began wasting away day by day.
She had endured this long thanks to the dungeon core's blessing, but even that was nearing its limit. If things continued like this... it wouldn't be long...
"Mother... wait for me! I'll definitely find a Divine Tree and bring it to you...!"
Reaffirming her resolve once more, Lil headed toward the source of the Divine Tree's aura.
Then, something caught her sharp ears.
"Hm?"
-Whirrr...
A sound like buzzing insect wings. Yet it felt utterly alien to the forest. Lil searched for the source and discovered a strange creature(?) crawling along the ground.
"Oh my. Who might you be?"
-Whirrr...
Without a hint of wariness, Lil approached the peculiar creature. Connected to the Divine Tree and infused with its life force, she possessed an innate ability to unconsciously draw goodwill from forest-dwelling beings. Every animal she'd met in the woods had been friendly toward her, so she drew near the round object without hesitation.
"First time seeing one of you... Are you a monster?"
-Whirrr...
A bizarre animal that didn't flee upon spotting her. Out of curiosity, she reached out and stroked its head. Unlike the fluffy fur of forest creatures, it felt cold and unfamiliar.
And at the same time... she sensed a familiar aura.
"This is... the Divine Tree? The Divine Tree's aura? Why do you have it?!"
-Whirrr?
Faint but unmistakable—the aura of the Divine Tree she'd been desperately seeking. Feeling it, Lil urgently tried to communicate with the creature, but the round thing ignored her, emitting its signature whine as it rolled away: pop pop pop.
"Ah—! Wait!"
She'd never been ignored by any forest animal before. In a panic, she chased after the little creature deeper into the woods.
"Where are you going? Do you know where the Divine Tree is? Can you tell me?"
Lil kept trying to commune with it just as she would with forest animals, but she couldn't connect with this thing at all—it didn't feel like an animal.
Still, even without words, the pull grew stronger the more she followed, filling her with joy.
"Are you guiding me?"
-Whirrr...
No words passed between them, but watching the round creature head toward the source of the pull, she offered a small thanks. Assuming it understood her and was leading her to the Divine Tree.
She trailed after the round creature... [the robot vacuum cleaner].
"Hey, you shouldn't eat that. It'll give you indigestion."
Watching it try to suck up dirt, she wondered if it was some kind of earth-eating worm. As she followed the [robot vacuum cleaner] crawling along the ground... no, over the ground, something else caught her eye.
"A door?"
An incongruous structure in the heart of the forest, vaguely reminiscent of her home. Spotting it, she hesitated on what to do.
In the end, seeing the little creature slip inside, she hurriedly followed.
"W-Wait a second!"
Stepping inside the door, she froze in astonishment.
-Whirrr...
-Vrrr...
"Wow... Are these your kin?"
Creatures identical to the one that had guided(?) her were crawling across the floor, all emitting similar whines. They seemed to be devouring the dirt and soot on the ground, almost like they were cleaning.
Fascinated by these novel creatures' behavior, she squatted down to observe them. Then she snapped back to reality, shaking her head.
"Ah...! No, this isn't the time. I need to find the Divine Tree quick...!"
"What are you looking for?"
"Eh?"
-Click.
As she looked up while standing, something cold pressed against the back of her head, followed by a human voice.
A new intruder had entered the ruins. One that felt different from any before.
"Hm. An Alb, huh."
"You know what it is?"
"Albs... the demon race called the children of the forest. They all carry a tree-like fragrance, can communicate with plants, and..."
The unfamiliar woman captured by the [robot vacuum cleaner]'s 'camera' function. I'd been blankly watching through the feed as this crazy lady kept trying to talk to it, and when she ultimately followed it into the ruins, I grabbed Erzsebet and nabbed her.
According to Erzsebet, this woman's race was Alb.
"Wow! You know the old name? Everyone calls us elves now!"
"........."
For some reason, Erzsebet's explanation made her sound like the 'elves' I knew, and yep, she was one. Or rather...
"Um... you there, the half-breed guy? Do you know about the Divine Tree? I can feel its aura strongly from here..."
Does she even realize her situation? She's an intruder in the ruins—I caught her, but she doesn't seem to register that she's captured. Why is she so nonchalant?
"Albs who only live in the forest are often clueless about the world..."
"Ah! I didn't live in the forest—I lived in a dungeon. The adults used to live in the forest, but after Mom was chosen as Dungeon Master, we all moved..."
She sure talks a lot. No, more than that, some words caught my attention...
"Dungeon?"
"Yes? Yeah! My mom's the Dungeon Master, so I've lived in the dungeon since I was born. But... wow. Is this place a dungeon too? I passed through some door... I've never seen another dungeon before. Actually, I've only ever seen adults—other races are new to me! What race are you? If you're a half-breed, is your mom the demon or your dad..."
"Stop!"
"Ah, yes! Sorry! Hehe. The adults always tell me to talk less and act with more dignity, but I keep forgetting..."
"Good lord."
Among everyone I've met, she's the chattiest and loudest. And her topics jump all over—no cohesion, making conversation exhausting.
'Another dungeon? Daughter of a Dungeon Master?'
But her words aren't trivial. She came from another dungeon, and she's proudly saying her mom is its Dungeon Master.
Elf... Alb, was it? Anyway, Erzsebet explained their race, and from this noisy woman's chatter, I can piece together the situation...
"You're... Lil, right? An elf?"
"Ah. Precisely, I'm a High Elf. I'm not super clear on it myself, but Mom and I have traits different from the other adults in our dungeon..."
"...Answer only what's asked."
Why is talking to her this tiring? She doesn't feel hostile like past intruders... but hostile ones crashing in would be less exhausting.
"Daddy!"
-Pat pat pat...
"Dry... I have something to do, so stay back for a bit..."
"D-Divine Tree?!"
"...Hm?"
I was racking my brain over this intruder who wouldn't shut up, and the Dry I'd barely pried away came toddling back. Then the intruder named Lil looked back and forth between Dry and me in shock.
"Uh... a tree? A tree, but a kid? Tree's dad?"
"...Please, just shut up."
"Daddy. Food."
"Oh, come on."
This is really exhausting.
"Is it this way? Cough cough."
"Your Majesty... Even so, straying this far from the dungeon core..."
"I can't break that child's stubbornness unless I go myself. Besides, this place is..."
A woman strikingly similar to Lil, but far more mature, had followed her daughter's trail into the southern forests of Delron. To retrieve her daughter, who'd ignored her orders never to leave the dungeon and run off on her own.
"The site where another dungeon is said to have appeared."
"Your Majesty. Could it be that 'Alliance's'..."
"...We don't know that yet. Let's focus on finding Lil first."
She sighed, thinking of the 'Alliance' that had recently approached them. A sigh mingled with worry for her daughter and concern for the future of the dungeon she led.