What the Hell Is the World Tree?
The path to the World Tree was just like yesterday—packed with High Elves gathered in groups of three or five, engaged in heated debates and aggressive courtship. Every so often, their eyes would drift toward us, but with Elsia present, none of them dared start any real trouble. Of course, the hostile glares aimed specifically at me hadn't changed one bit.
It's even worse than yesterday.
'These fucking incest freaks are actually insane.'
We walked roughly the same distance as yesterday before finally arriving at a single massive tree standing at the very center.
"Elsia, what is this place?"
"It's called the Woooorrrld! Treeeee!"
"......That line somehow reminds me of a certain ramen commercial."
'Lorana Lorana Land. Are you happy over there?'
That name feels ominous somehow.
I pushed the random intrusive thought aside and followed Elsia's lead.
"Darling! Please step onto this elevator here!"
"......The World Tree is surprisingly trendy."
Installing an elevator inside the World Tree...
'It's where the elves live. They probably just want to be comfortable.'
Indeed, climbing all the way up on foot would be no small feat.
'At least they didn't plaster the inside with concrete like the Great Wall of China. That's something.'
Despite the name "World Tree," the interior featured a relatively modern elevator. Naturally, we boarded it without complaint. There was no reason to reject the conveniences of civilization.
The elevator only had two buttons related to floors. One returned to the spot where we'd gotten on. The other went up to the top of the World Tree. It must have been an incredible height, because the elevator kept moving without stopping, and my ears gradually grew stuffy from the pressure.
When we finally arrived after the long ride, the sight that unfolded before us left us all letting out sounds of awe.
"Whoa."
"Impressive indeed."
"...Not bad."
Even Hye-ji was grumbling while still giving an honest reaction. Countless branches and teal-colored leaves filled our entire field of vision. Through the gaps, we could see the whole of the Great Forest spread out below us at a glance.
"This way!"
Elsia stepped forward and began guiding us. Right beside us was a staircase leading into the interior of the World Tree, and we slowly climbed it. Even though we were inside the World Tree, green lights resembling fireflies lit the path from the sides. Seeing them, Jung Ayeon asked Elsia in surprise.
"Elsia Sojourner, is this some kind of blessing or divine power from the World Tree? Or are they fireflies?"
"No! They're LED bulbs!"
"......"
Jung Ayeon made a thoroughly fed-up face.
"Elsia, if you're installing LEDs, you might as well put in an escalator too."
"The World Tree said the inside is sensitive, so we weren't allowed to install anything that moves!"
"...I'm losing my mind."
If we installed an escalator, what would we even call it? A vibrator? A dildo?
'Wow, fuck. That's actually a tough one.'
The feeling of walking around inside someone else's body made me feel like absolute shit, so I started slamming my fists against the walls as I climbed. Take that. Genuine fisting. Every time the wall seemed to squirm, I hit it even harder.
After climbing for a while, we reached the end of the stairs and discovered a fairly spacious cavity. Aside from a green core pulsing rhythmically inside, the space was completely barren. Watching the green core move like a beating heart, I really got the sense that the World Tree was a living creature.
"Elsia, what's that?"
"It's the World Tree's core!"
"Kanf. Do you think that would burn or not burn?"
"...Hye-ji Sojourner, please stop dividing everything into 'burns' and 'doesn't burn.'"
The moment Hye-ji started seriously pondering it, a telepathic message from the World Tree reached us.
It was a very androgynous voice, neither clearly male nor female. While the rest of us were flustered because we couldn't tell where it was coming from, Elsia naturally dropped to her knees on the spot, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together. It was the textbook example of how the World Tree's representative should behave upon meeting it.
The World Tree then sent another message to us.
"I'm sorry. I still haven't reached a clear decision."
"Yes, I understand."
The World Tree spoke to Elsia in a gentle but somehow hurried tone, softly urging her. Elsia answered with perfect politeness, not showing the slightest sign of disrespect. Still, I could sense complicated emotions swirling beneath her voice.
We quietly watched Elsia the whole time. After a moment, the World Tree sent a message directly to me this time. There was a faint hint of anger in it.
'Look at the way this fucker talks. Is he trying to die?'
He's a total piece of shit right from the start.
"Why? What do you want?"
"And if I don't want to?"
Suddenly, countless wooden thorns began sprouting from every direction around us. Even though they were made of wood, their tips were as sharp as blades, ready to pierce us at any moment.
'A World Tree thorn womb? That's impossible even in Seductive Eating.'
Humans are creatures of possibility. Do you truly believe that?
'......Now that I think about it, it's kind of ambiguous.'
Elsia remained in her previous posture. Even though the thorns were right in front of her, she looked like she was already used to it. On the other hand, Hye-ji and Jung Ayeon were both fully tensed up, glaring at the thorns.
"The welcome seems rather violent."
"I'll turn it into a fire womb for you."
Hye-ji grinned ferociously as she pulled out a fragmentation grenade. At the same time, white animals began materializing one by one around Jung Ayeon. If we fought, we'd probably win thanks to Hye-ji, but Elsia was far too exposed to the World Tree's threat. Fighting wasn't a good option.
'Calling her "my child" and then designating Elsia as a target for attack? What the hell?'
For someone who claims to be her mother, this is pathetic.
In that hair-trigger situation, I stopped the two of them and spoke to the World Tree.
"You bitch, I'll touch it, so get rid of the thorns."
The moment the World Tree finished speaking, the vicious thorns that had been threatening to impale us sank back down. Leaving Hye-ji and Jung Ayeon—who still hadn't dropped their guard—behind, I approached the World Tree's core inside.
Since I was curious anyway, I placed my hand on the green core that was writhing dynamically. The instant I did, my vision went black and my consciousness cut off.
"What the fuck."
I was standing in the exact same posture as when I'd placed my hand on the World Tree's core. But the scenery around me was completely different from before. A world of pure white. There was no sense of distance, not a single shadow, and I couldn't tell exactly where I was. The only reason I knew I was standing was because I could feel something solid under my feet.
My dear? Are you alright?
'For now? But where are we?'
It appears to be someone's mental world.
Just in case, I checked my condition. My limbs moved normally, my clothes were the same as before, and I even slapped my own face to confirm I could feel pain. Physically, there didn't seem to be any problems. Then, the moment I tried to activate my mana tattoos—
There had clearly been nothing in front of me, but a large translucent lime-green sphere suddenly appeared. It looked like a small sun with a green filter over it. Floating above the lime-green sphere were the same numbers I often saw on other people. While I glared at it warily with both eyes, another telepathic message came from the sphere.
The lime-green sphere emitted a powerful light and began shrinking. Before long the light faded, and in its place stood a young elf child instead of the sphere. The child was naked, but no genitals were formed. The face was beautiful but extremely ambiguous in terms of gender. The short, ambiguous haircut only emphasized the androgynous image. The only things it still had in common with the sphere from earlier were that its entire body was still a translucent lime-green color and the numbers floating above its head.
The being placed its hands on its hips, made a detestable expression, and spoke.
"To think I would have to take this form all because of one measly human brat. You should be grateful."
"So, you little shit. Where are we?"
"This is my mental world."
"But who the hell are you to speak so casually? Go get your parents."
The kid's face twisted into a mocking sneer.
"You still haven't figured it out? This is why you inferior short-lived species are so pathetic."
"Who the fuck are you, you piece of shit?"
"I'll explain it just this once."
The lime-green kid crossed its arms and looked at me. Even though it was clearly smaller than me, its eyes were full of contempt.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. There are many names by which this body is called. However, the most representative one—"
"Stop dragging it out and just say it. If the story doesn't progress because of you, are you going to take responsibility?"
"......I am the World Tree."
"You should've just said that from the start."
'But why does this World Tree bastard keep acting like such a dick?'
Isn't it because you gave it a reason to act like a dick?
'What did I even do?'
At that moment, the World Tree's voice began to carry a growing hint of rage.
"And."
"And?"
Suddenly the World Tree ground its teeth and began glaring at me fiercely.
"Which inferior dog bastard called this body 'just a big tree'?"
"Ah, fuck."
'How the hell did this bastard find out about that?'
......So you really did do something wrong.
'This is fucking annoying. Seriously.'