Elfkind (1)
Humans began forging their own path. Using the gifts I'd given them as a stepping stone, bit by bit, slowly but surely.
The one I handed the crown to started directing people with remarkable enthusiasm, merging nearby human groups into his own. Sometimes through persuasion. Sometimes through force. The crown's owner kept absorbing other groups, building an ever-larger one. It was the birth of a primitive nation, nothing less.
Sure, food shortages cropped up now and then, but they managed by farming techniques learned from the Lizardmen, fishing with the thread I provided, trading obsidian for food with the Lizardmen, and so on. They even fired clay into pottery. They stitched leather with thread and needles into crude clothing. Humans were progressing, slow but steady.
Hmm. Nice. It felt like I could cut back on the gifts now. Watching them figure things out on their own was so satisfying. No hands-on work needed—pure bliss. From here on, minimal interference. Just observe. Constant meddling would annoy me and them alike. I'd only step in for problems they couldn't handle themselves.
Time passed as I observed the humans. Enough for the crown to change hands several times. Humans spread across the continent, making places without them rare.
While surveying this world, a voice came from a nearby tree.
"Mom. Got a minute?"
"Yggdrasil?"
"Yes, it's me. Yggdrasil. I have something to consult you about. Can we talk?"
Yggdrasil, who had been reflecting in her main body for so long, reaching out to me. Something must be up. I figured she'd reflected enough, but still.
"What's going on?"
"Well... Could you come to my main body? It'll be quicker to explain if you see."
"Your main body?"
A mountain of a tree. The colossal tree rooted in the northwest of the continent. The largest plant since the world's creation. And now she was calling me.
Since the end of the dragons' era, she'd been reflecting in her body, so I'd been waiting... but summoning me? What could it be?
Puzzled, I flew toward Yggdrasil's location.
"What did you need me for?"
"You got here fast, Mom."
Well, crossing a continent is no big deal for me. A few minutes, tops.
"What I wanted to consult you about is..."
Yggdrasil moved a branch to point at her roots, where a crowd of humans had gathered.
"They've started gathering around me, and I don't know what to do."
Her voice carried a strangely flustered tone.
"I haven't reflected enough to face you yet, Mom... but they're keeping coming... I don't know what to do..."
Hmm. So that's it. She was still feeling guilty toward me. I'd never really yelled at her that badly, but it must have weighed on her. My anger had long faded.
"It's fine. You've reflected plenty at this point."
"But..."
"No need to beat yourself up. Isn't that enough reflection?"
Yggdrasil fell silent at my words.
"Let's set that aside for now. Are these humans causing you trouble?"
"Huh? Oh, yes... It's troublesome. Really troublesome."
Troublesome enough to fluster Yggdrasil? What were they doing?
"They've... started worshiping me."
"Hmm?"
Worshiping?
"At first, humans came to the forest around me looking for food. They saw me, knelt silently, bowed, then left. They brought more humans, who bowed too, and brought even more... And it snowballed."
Hundreds of humans clustered at her roots now.
"So they're the trouble. Should I chase them off?"
"Ah, no! It's not that kind of trouble..."
Yggdrasil hesitated, then said,
"Can I... take them in?"
What? She called me for that?
After the dragons' mess, the kids—especially Yggdrasil—felt so guilty they leaned on me even for trivial things. Never saw that coming.
"Do whatever you want. No need to feel guilty about old stuff anymore. You've reflected enough."
"But..."
"A lot of time has passed since then. My anger's cooled, so don't worry."
Honestly, Yggdrasil was mostly dragged into it by the others. She might even feel a bit wronged.
"That's not why I'm hesitating. I've watched you for years, Mom. I can tell at a glance if you're still mad."
Huh? Not that?
"The reason I'm hesitating is... Humans are your favorites, Mom. Is it okay if I take them in?"
"Hmm?"
My favorites? Humans?
"You favor them specially, right? Humans?"
Did I? I pondered.
Did I favor humans specially? Sure, I gave them gifts, made the crown, paid extra attention... Hmm... Wait, do I favor them a ton? I hadn't thought of it as favoritism. Was it actually?
Come to think of it, I never gave the dragons gifts— they just annoyed me until I snapped. Lizardmen got a spear fix, farming, fire... Hmm... Yeah, I totally favored humans. Well, I was human originally. Fresh out of monkey stage, they were pitiful. So I helped out... Time to reflect. Reflect.
"You didn't even realize?"
"Y-Yeah..."
Me, favoring humans... Hmm... Arms bend inward, huh.
"Anyway, you can take those humans. Looks like they want to worship you."
"Really? Then I'll look after them! I won't make the same mistake again!"
Yggdrasil sounded confident now, guilt gone from her voice. Despite her words, my anger must have held her back.
Then... I could look forward to how these humans under Yggdrasil would develop.
Elves. Children of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. Sentinels of the great forest, people of the silent woods.
Possessing beauty beyond human comparison, they live far longer lives. They boast incomparable mana aptitude and spirit affinity allowing conversation with spirits. Agile and masterful in archery, each is a formidable scout, archer, and mage.
Adventurers widely acknowledge their prowess; adventuring with an elf companion greatly raises success odds.
But elves have flaws. Travel with one, and you must mind every twig. Just one twig? To the children of the World Tree, people of the silent woods, trees are family. Snapping a twig is like breaking a family member's arm.
Naturally, kindling a fire with branches is unthinkable. Felling a tree? A declaration of death match with the elf.
Not all elves are so rigid, especially open-minded adventurers. But even then, breaking a twig or making firewood requires consulting the elf—and the tree itself—for permission.
On a forest adventure, an elf guide means easy sailing—or endless nagging.
They also have odd food habits. Viewing trees as family, they rarely eat plants, preferring sunbathing or meat. Sunbathing to fill your stomach? They claim it works; some elves go a month on water and sunlight alone. Likely a World Tree blessing.
Scholars studying elf biology conclude the mechanism is unknown.
Thus, prepare meat-heavy provisions for elf companions. Otherwise, endure meal times with the elf sipping water and shooting resentful glances.
Despite the hassles, elves make powerful allies worth the trouble.
Ah, unless you're a dwarf—then it's a different story.