70 – World Tree-1

“You won’t be able to ride the carriage from here.”

In the village in front of the World Tree, the smell of trees was covering the smell of humans.

“Now, there really isn’t much left…”

“It’s sacred ground. I’m not qualified to tell you this… but be careful. Other elves won’t know about your favor, and won’t understand.”

At Nerwen’s words, I nodded. I felt a little prickly stare around me.

He didn’t show up, but he’s probably an elf here.

“I didn’t come to fight, I just want to ask a few questions and come out.”

The clue to the phoenix was important, but it was also important to return Nerwen’s condition to the spirit right now.

I thought it had nothing to do with her whatsoever, and for quite some time that was true.

But the way Nerwen looked at me was getting weirder.

“Once you’re in, don’t leave everyone with me. Elves are not tolerant of intruders.”

The way he spoke didn’t change, but his eyes did.

The time I traveled with her is a time that cannot be said to be very long when viewed objectively. It was even more so when considering the lifespan of elves.

But I could see what she was thinking and doing.

How Nerwen treats other humans, what thoughts he draws the bowstring.

And now, Nerwen moved as if he had become a different person.

“…I have no intention of losing.”

“That’s right, princess. But Nerwen is right. If you inflict even one wound on the elves in the forest, victory is the same as failure.”

If others saw it, no, even in my eyes, Nerwen’s eyes were strangely different.

We didn’t make eye contact, but she was looking at me. I don’t know when it was.

Before killing the Orc Lord, he hadn’t even seen her face, so he didn’t know what state she was in.

But as the others came in and the carriage was filled, I could see her strangeness.

“Yes.”

Lost in my thoughts, I stumbled for a moment. It wasn’t enough to knock me over, but it was enough to throw me off balance for a second.

“The road is a bit rough… Are you okay?”

Nerwen looked back urgently. After confirming that nothing had happened, she turned her head away as if nothing had happened.

“…Let’s keep going.”

Even now. The grass and trees growing on the ground are the pride of the elves.

It wasn’t common, but whenever she saw an elf-touched plant, she would tell her colleagues how divine and great it was.

Of course, only Farseer could understand its greatness, but at least it was something she was proud of.

But from the look in her eyes that had just been revealed, she was worried about me. It may be my misunderstanding, but I was even ashamed of the vegetation of the World Tree.

It was strange. It wasn’t like her.

I’d rather gasp like a drug addict. At least then, I could tell what her thoughts were and what her impulses were.

Until the first ‘deal’ with me, Nerwen was Nerwen. She was arrogant, but not stupid, though she had her head bowed uncharacteristically.

It was merely an oath of obedience to the one who wielded the hilt, nothing more.

Even at that moment, she did not sincerely apologize. I didn’t know that either.

“Be patient. I’m sorry to make you walk, but…”

But now her eyes are strange.

It’s as if I’m hypnotizing her, as she first suspected.

At some point, the personality called Nerwen disappeared without a trace, and I would believe it even if someone else took her place.

It would be a lie if I said I hate receiving attention and being loved. Forgetting the past, Nerwen was an elf with a good body.

Elves, like creatures created by computer graphics, were beings who embodied ‘what kind of creatures are beautiful’ into reality.

The grime and dust disappeared with the mere raising of her hand and a blemish that a human being should have.

But if it’s Nerwen, I can’t forget the past. Loving me without reflection or apology is awkward and unreasonable to anyone.

It’s a bit cruel, but it was none of my business if Nerwen died under any curse.

Maybe, I might have killed it with my own hands. It was difficult to say which was more unfortunate: being slowly eaten by something and becoming someone you were not, or being hit with a blunt knife and dying with your whole body broken.

I didn’t want to go to that point and fight now, but I didn’t want to be too involved in whatever happened to her.

But, if it’s both.

What if she, who hadn’t sincerely apologized, suddenly disappeared at some point and fell in love with me for some reason other than her will? I couldn’t be happier

Indeed, if she was being eaten away by some curse or magic, no matter how pleasant her misfortunes were, she could not rejoice.

Nerwen did not reflect. At least that much I can say for sure.

Realizing that I am a warrior, I may regret it a little, but she will repeat the same actions she did when she met another porter.

But, nonetheless, she loves me and is truly devoted to me, if only because of the ‘curse’.

If Nerwen’s emotions are so weak, and there are forces that really want to use or manipulate her emotions.

Even what she did to me, ‘possibility that was not Nerwen’s intention’ arises.

It shouldn’t be. The smell and the thing, what she did was definitely her essence. There should be no holes to escape.

But just by having that small possibility, I won’t be able to resent her like I do now.

My chest was stuffy.

/////

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Ha, but…”

It didn’t hurt to feel traumatized by my appearance, but it was a nuisance that Eleanor was trying to do something.

“Celia, is Eleanor still in treatment?”

“It’s almost done. All the bones in my body are broken…”

Was it a bit harsh? During her adventures, she was a saintess who could treat wounds on the brink of death in a matter of days.

It had never taken this long, even when a huge monster’s claws ran through his stomach and his arm was cut off by a huge sword.

Come to think of it, the saintess was also covering her eyes again at some point.

“I didn’t mean to take the patient…”

I didn’t want to reconcile with them now, and I didn’t want to take revenge myself by taking them along as Ceres said.

I didn’t know exactly what to do. In order to get revenge, what must I do?

I’ve done a lot of beatings in the imperial palace. All that remains is to kill them.

But the dead don’t come back. If I kill even one of them, my return will be near impossible.

Is the revenge completed by killing them worth it? Would this world without the hero party members be that happy?

Even so, they were brought along because of necessity. It would be a great loss if Eleanor, who had not fully recovered, died in an accident or lost the saintess.

It might be better to send them back to the Empire.

“I-I’m healed now! Bring that burden over here!”

“I-I’m fine too! I can just… solve this…”

However, the two women shook their heads as if surprised, and appealed for their usefulness.

“I do not care.”

The reason for Eleanor’s panic was obvious. Even the huge load slung behind my back would have been enough to make her uneasy.

Actually, it wasn’t that heavy.

Compared to the party of warriors who had to pack magic materials and weapons to defeat the demon king and go on a long trip without supplies, this was just a backpack.

Even considering my increased strength, I didn’t feel anything other than the feeling that something was being carried on my back.

But, I can’t help but remember.

Although Ceres was added, the party of four warriors remained next to me. In between, there is me, carrying a load and moving.

It was understandable that Eleanor approached with her not fully healed body.

“done.”

I turned my head. That huge tree, visible from quite a distance, exuded a sense of intimidation with its overwhelming size.

was alive It was a sense that went beyond the sense of grandeur felt in a huge waterfall or mountain.

If a high-rise building breathes and moves, can it have such an appearance? There were also people around here who worshiped the World Tree as humans, but I could understand them to some extent.

“Well…”

However, apart from my impression, the children of the world tree did not seem to have any intention of welcoming uninvited guests with cheers.

The gaze gradually crossed the boundary, stimulating my mind to the point of stinging.

Elves with bows appeared one by one through the trees.

“You have many companions, Nerwen.”

As if they had no interest in my existence, they spoke to Nerwen in the lead.

“No, don’t be rude!”

Nerwen looked at me with a blushing face as if he was embarrassed by anyone. Naturally, the elves were more vigilant against me.

It didn’t seem easy.