is it something to do

Mr. Dryad made another offer to me in exchange for the seed of the World Tree.

Well, there is no way you can receive the precious Essence of Life, which can only be created once every thousand years, without any conditions.

It was an understandable reason, so I nodded and asked.

“What am I supposed to do?”

Once I agreed to receive the seed, I had to follow whatever condition she offered me.

Whether it’s a difficult task that I can’t solve easily, or an easy task that I can finish more smoothly than I thought.

Still, Mr. Dryad wouldn’t give me an impossible task. She’s already decided to hand over the seed, so she won’t put me through an additional test.

By the time I made up my mind and was about to hear an explanation about what I had to do, the atmosphere of pressure I felt around me quickly returned to normal.

“It’s not that urgent, so I’ll explain starting tomorrow, Sage.”

Immediately returning to her normal docile mood, she continued with an expression as if she already knew everything.

“First of all, go to the magic flower field as planned today and reach the level of the 7th circle.”

“… … Yeah?”

“You already think so in your heart. Now that I have bestowed the life force of the World Tree in order to peek into your memories, it is the most appropriate physical condition to raise the 7th circle.”

“… … .”

“You don’t have to pretend. It’s something I’ve already confirmed by peeking my memory. Or, do you really not need my favor?”

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Just by looking at Mr. Dryad’s expression, I could confirm that it was a proposal that he really thought of me, not that he was thinking of taking me out.

“… Are you okay?”

“I already promised to give you my seed, but now I have no reason to be angry if you use the life force I used to peek into your memories. Also, wouldn’t the sage be able to do what I ask him to do if he becomes even a little stronger?”

“Thank you very much for thinking that way.”

After bowing my head and thanking her for her consideration, I immediately moved to the magic flower field.

Now is the best time to take the next step, as the life force of the World Tree flows in your body a little more.

I had to take advantage of every opportunity in my life to the fullest. Without doing so, he would suffer misfortune of not having enough strength at the moment when he really needed it.

The paper of the World Tree that temporarily prevents the energy of the magical flower field overflowing with natural magical energy, and the automatic chain of magical formulas.

And in the process of chaining more than 40 levels of magic, even the life force of the world tree to protect my body, which could not stand it originally.

After a chain of magic formulas using everything, I was able to safely reach the 7th circle in this lifetime as well.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

next day.

Mr. Dryad called me privately today as well and began to explain what I must do while I am in the forest.

As a bonus, the reason why the seed of the world tree could not be given right away was also mentioned.

“First of all, I will probably give my seeds in about a month.”

“okay.”

“I’m not saying that you have to do your duty first to be eligible for my seed. It means that it will take at least a month to produce seeds from now on.”

“Yes. I know.”

“You must know. The wise man must have had the experience of receiving my seed in a previous life.”

Climbing to the 8th circle immediately after reaching the 7th circle anyway was quite a burden on my body, so I accepted the meaning of her words without misinterpreting them.

“What the wise man has to do is simple. The wise man should set the order in the forest that has recently become untidy.”

As soon as I was told to put things in order in the cluttered forest, I nodded as I remembered what I was guessing.

“… I thought the feeling was different from the last time I visited, but in reality there was a messy atmosphere.”

“Actually, everything done in the forest is the providence of nature, so I don’t get involved very often… .”

“… … .”

“… I can’t forgive you for breaking the rules I’ve set in this forest.”

The mother of life and guardian of the forest muttered in an angry voice.

“Ear hunters from the kingdom of Elijah have invaded this forest.”

ear hunter.

Since they were so-called elven traders, I, who was listening to Mr. Dryad’s story, had no choice but to focus on that story.

Unlike my previous life, where I had little ties with elves, the prevalence of ear hunters was a very important issue to me as well.

“Are you asking to stop the ear hunters from kidnapping the elves living in the forest?”

“no. It doesn’t really matter.”

“Yeah?”

Of course, I thought that the request that the world tree would ask of me was to protect the elves living in the forest.

I was a little puzzled when she said that she didn’t really care about that.

“There is only one thing I want, and I just want the minimum ‘rules’ to be followed in this forest. Elves are a race that lives by my rules, so I just seem to protect them.”

“… You’re saying that it’s not against the rules for hunters to kidnap elves.”

“It is a natural story. If you look at the causal relationship apart, it’s no different than the creatures living in my forest migrating out. If I stopped it, I would also forbid the elves from going out of the forest voluntarily.”

It was the same as saying that it didn’t matter whether he went out of the forest on his own or was captured and forcibly dragged out of the forest by the standard of a half-body.

“Then what is it? That it’s a rule that ear hunters break and elves abide by.”

“… In the forest of life that I protect, I dared to kill.”

“… … .”

“Just a year ago, even when I had to take the lives of children in this forest with my own hands, it was a decision I made after careful consideration. Those children dared to kill in my forest only because it interfered with their earning money.”

Saying that, Mr. Dryad’s voice trembled nervously as if filled with anger.

“You’re saying he can’t tolerate killing in the forest.”

“Yeah. I can never allow that much. If, on the other hand, it was an elf, not an ear hunter, I would have been furious.”

“… … .”

As soon as I heard her words, I began to roughly understand the circumstances of what was going on in this forest.

Ear hunters infiltrating the forest of elves in the Kingdom of Elijah had happened many times in previous lives.

Because, from their point of view, elven slaves were a commodity traded at high prices among the rich and noble.

Conversely, in the Alexander Empire, elven slaves were completely buried.

It’s not a problem because empires are more civilized and kingdoms are more savage. In both countries, slavery made in any way other than criminal slavery was prohibited.

However, if there was one difference between the two countries, it was the difference between whether or not ‘elves’ were regarded as human beings.

Since the Alexander Empire treated elves as part of the human species, of course all laws regarding them were based on the human species.

Not just elves, but beastmen and dwarves as well. In reality, only humans could be recognized as human beings in the kingdom of Elijah.

From the point of view of the imperial people, the place that looked like a country that bought and sold slaves of different races without any hesitation was the kingdom of Elijah.

Even if you criticize it, the people of the kingdom will only respond by saying they don’t know why it’s a problem.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t that important. What mattered was the situation itself that was currently taking place in this forest.

Ear hunters invaded the forest of the world tree to kidnap the elves, and the elves lost their lives resisting them.

Originally, the World Tree, which was enraged in that situation, would have condemned the invading ear hunters, and in doing so, the order of the World Tree Forest would have been maintained.

However, the reason why the World Tree cannot protect the forest now is probably because her power has recently weakened to the point where she cannot protect the entire forest.

The cause of the weakening itself was solved by destroying the rotten part before, but anyway, it will take a little more time until it regains its prime power.

In the meantime, he said to deal with the ear hunters who disrupted the order of the forest.

“It’s a matter of course, but you can’t kill.”

“… I thought you would say that.”

“It is unacceptable to me to incite new killings as a means of condemning those who will commit them. So, without killing, capture those children and bring them to the world tree.”

Punishment will be done by me myself.

The words she uttered with a mild impression were strangely frightening.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Knowing that the ear hunters had entered the forest of the world tree, from now on, we had to start taking action to stop them in earnest.

The first thing to do is gather information.

It was necessary to know how many ear hunters there were, how they were moving, and how much damage had already been done.

Fortunately, the information gathering process was not too difficult. Since Xian-senpai was the daughter of Aldor Rudflika, one of the elven elders.

It wasn’t too difficult to arrange a meeting with Aldor Rudflika, the highest elder, through her.

“… Even if it’s not your help, don’t worry, it’s a problem we’ll solve on our own.”

Although he still had a blunt attitude in front of me, as if he didn’t like me very much.

At least, it seemed that I had saved the World Tree before, so I didn’t refuse the opportunity to talk.

First of all, in order to hear information from him, I had to buy a favor, so I opened my mouth first by praising the race of elves.

“Of course I know. If you are an elf under the world tree, you should be able to easily defeat those who threaten your species.”

“… You know that, but you’re still trying to interfere in our affairs?”

“This is what the Mother of the World Tree said directly. He told me to capture all the ear hunters who disturb the order of the forest and bring them before him.”

“… … .”

At the words of the message from the World Tree, Elder Aldor couldn’t refute and immediately shut up.

“Doesn’t Elder Aldor know about it? To the extent that demon hunters are disrupting the order of the existing World Tree forest.”

“… Isn’t it natural In this forest full of motherly grace, killing is not allowed.”

“That’s why I tried to subdue the ear hunters without killing, but one elf lost his life.”

“… Seeing that you know that far, it seems that what you heard from your mother is not a lie.”

“That’s why I also give you a weak force. If you have a lot of hands, wouldn’t it be easier to work?”

After hearing my words, Elder Aldor thought for a while before replying.

Although the answer he would give to me, who had come to visit me at my mother’s request, had already been decided.

“… After dinner, there is a meeting of the elders, so you should join in too.”

“Thank you, Elder Aldor.”

“It is our responsibility to protect the forest to the end, and all you have to do is not get in the way.”

“No matter.”

I also had no intention of participating in the direct defense of the elves.

My role in solving this case was to help the elves.