77 – World Tree-8

As we walked along Eirin, we came to a wooden building enclosing the World Tree.

At my strong request, Eirin eventually accepted all of my conditions. That Nerwen, I, and all the other warrior party members would listen to the truth.

Despite the wary eyes of the elves, we slowly followed Eirin into it.

“I didn’t know you could make a house out of trees…”

“A living tree would be nice as a house, but here we have to be more careful.”

Seeing it from up close, the World Tree felt even more gigantic. It had the appearance of literally supporting the world, as if it were occupying an entire plaza alone.

The building surrounding it was dense and beautiful. If the architectural style of the elves existed, it would be a landscape that could only be seen here.

“Please be careful from here on. No race other than elves has ever entered this place since the World Tree was established.”

It was wonderful.

A gigantic and overwhelming life of a size that cannot be called just a single tree.

And the fruits hanging there were of a kind I had never seen before. No, I doubted whether I could call this a fruit.

A human figure was visible inside the fruit, which had no hard shell and was covered with a thin mucous membrane.

“Is that… an elf?”

“It’s an elf who hasn’t been born yet. Don’t even think about touching it. But, just staring at it for a moment is fine.”

Although they were elves who had not awakened, their eyes, noses, arms and legs were completely made.

The baby crouching inside the translucent membrane was so mysterious that words could not explain it.

“…Let’s keep going.”

However, he did not come to experience the ecology of elves. Apart from their mystique, I had a job to do.

“Get up here. Don’t move as much as possible.”

Following Eirin’s guidance, the party went up one by one to the circular wooden board. When Eirin touched something, the wooden plank slowly went down to the ground.

“Are you going underground?”

“The entrance is only underground.”

Perhaps because of its slow speed, the wooden planks seemed to fall endlessly.

After a long wait, we came down below ground. Branches that glowed softly were placed here and there, so I knew where to go, even if it was underground.

“It’s almost done. Just a little bit more and I’ll be there.”

Another wooden plank, placed a little ahead, seemed to be going up. Thinking that I had to endure more in a space with little light made my head feel dizzy.

“Can’t you just let me know now?”

When I followed her, I lost my mind for a while due to the sense of mystery. But, what kind of secret is it that we have to come down to a place like this and start a conversation?

“To understand, you’ll have to go inside first. Well, it seems like the right time to start talking now…”

Erin quietly opened her mouth.

“Elf’s purpose is fixed from the time they are born.”

“By the will of the World Tree?”

“You got it right, but it’s not precise.”

It wasn’t a structure I liked, but the elves themselves didn’t seem to have any complaints, so I, an outsider, didn’t have to argue.

“But the will of the World Tree… doesn’t always show us the way. There’s no doubt that the Tree Mother is alive, but she’s not always awake.”

“therefore?”

“Even priests who act according to God’s will, won’t they wait for God’s permission in everything?”

It didn’t feel right. Usually, after saying something like this, there would be a story about how to fill that void.

“For the stability of the World Tree, for the safety and honor of all their children, the elves… Some important decisions are made after going through tradition and consensus.”

At some point, I could feel it.

This elevator was a creature. The wooden board we were riding on wasn’t a creature, but let it go up and something was a creature. It must have been a living tree.

it’s amazing technology Like that unnatural tree born to be made into a house, the trees below must have been made to ‘go up’.

All of this would not have been made just a mystery of nature. There is an intention.

“for a moment.”

“Between us… ‘Will of the World Tree’ has two meanings. Our mighty tree mother. It literally means the will of the World Tree, but…”

Looking up, there was light. As the light slowly drew closer, I realized that I had entered the most important place.

“We who are in it. It also represents the will of the Elven Presbyterian Council.”

In a neat and clean space like a research lab, numerous elves were moving.

“Welcome. To the World Tree.”

/////

Numerous letters made of witchcraft appeared and disappeared here and there. I couldn’t understand the language of the elves, but I could see the shapes floating around here and there.

Illusory magic that emerged like a hologram is floating here and there. In one of them, there was a fetus that had been sleeping in the biological fruit earlier.

It was clearly a fruit connected to the World Tree. And, we were inside the World Tree.

“The elves… here?”

“As expected, you’re wise. That’s right. What kind of elf will be born, what personality will be born, what talent will be born. From birth, we decide.”

It was something I had heard dozens of times from Nerwen. ‘Since I was born.’

Elves born as warriors become warriors, elves born as diplomats or farmers become farmers.

Those who are born noble become noble elves, and those who are not live as ordinary elves for the rest of their lives.

But I didn’t know what that meant.

“Are you… planning everything from scratch?”

“Of course. Everything is under control. How many elves to spawn, how many warriors, how many farmers or hunters. It’s all planned.”

Could you have predicted it if you had thought carefully?

If you had the ability to make a home in a tree, you should have thought you could fit into the biggest tree, the World Tree.

Looking at the unnatural structure, it didn’t seem like an elf made this tree, but the technology to dig into the tree to this extent couldn’t be ignored.

“how?”

“It’s the magic of the elves. It’s been handed down since long ago, and it’s still going on. It’s about life.”

Farseer quietly opened his mouth.

“The elves’ healing and poisoning skills are unmatched. In terms of life-manipulating skills, they are more capable than any alchemist or wizard.”

“You know a lot? At such a young age… I am proud of you.”

Eirin, who evaluated Farseer with a slightly disdainful gaze, looked at me again with a soft face.

“Lifespan, ability, name, life. Everything is decided according to our plan.”

Eirin was right.

If I hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have understood that elves are made.

They knew that they were not born inside a woman’s womb through intercourse, like humans and other races.

Nerwen was proud of it, and it was a story I could have heard once or twice.

“Still… that’s a bit shocking.”

Farseer was lost in thought with his eyes closed. Aside from the shock, it seemed like he was trying to memorize this fact itself. Or maybe he’s still chanting something.

Compared to the calm Eleanor, Celia was in shock. The Order of the Goddess is a religion that celebrates love and natural birth, which would feel like a terrible sacrilege.

“Do all elves know this?”

“No. It’s a fact that no one knows except the Elf Elders. This is a huge privilege, and I’ll soon hear the other Elders’ unholy orders.”

Wasn’t she the best among the elders of the elves? However, now I was confident that I wouldn’t be surprised no matter how anyone showed up.

“So let’s move on quickly. Do you understand this far?”

“…yes.”

I reluctantly nodded. As she said, the gazes around her looking at this place were unusual.

It is a space that might contain dozens or even hundreds even at a glance. If they were all elder elves, Eirin’s right to speak might not be so great.

“Okay! Then, let’s move on. In order to create a new elf like this, there are a few things we need.”

“…A magic ingredient?”

“That’s up to the tree mother. What’s important is information. You need to know what kind of child will grow up when you ask the mother what kind of favor you ask.”

He said information is important. What kind of properties are expressed when some kind of manipulation is applied.

“The ways in which we can obtain information are limited, but the ‘newborn child’ can enter the fruit of the tree mother.”

I also had my eye on it. If they told me that much, I could have known what they wanted from me.

“Is it the strength of the warrior? Is it the lineage? Again?”

“That’s right. It’s not just strength that’s important, it’s the capacity of the body that matters.”

“…”

“Even though the procedures and rituals are complicated, the ability to accept a huge power enough to defeat the demon lord. I need that information.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be of any help.”

The power I used to defeat the Orc Lord was huge, but I had never properly handled the power of a warrior.

In the first place, Eleanor, who had nothing to do with the hero, used the hero’s power without any problems. It was possible that what she was looking for was an illusion.

“I have to help. Because…”

However, Eirin said something quite cruel in a soft voice.

“Nerwen was born for that.”