World Tree

Ordinary humans aside, it is rare even for well-known dukes and nobles of ducal rank or higher to ride a sky carriage alongside a dragonspawn.

They were flying at high speed, with the Serdes Continent far below them.

“This must be your first time riding a sky carriage, yes?”

He had ridden one several times, even learning to pilot it.

He had stopped only because he had no reason to ride one.

“That is correct.”

Ferda nodded for the time being.

“They are hardly ever operated. Humans can simply use a teleportation magic circle when something is especially urgent.”

As Erika said, the sky carriage truly had a rather ambiguous purpose.

It lacked the leisurely comfort nobles desired, yet it was not as immediate as a teleportation magic circle.

If one was inexperienced at piloting it, it was no different from loading a large piece of furniture into a catapult, so even places like the Empire merely kept them on standby rather than operating them.

But in regions that lacked leisure and could not use teleportation, there was nothing like a sky carriage.

The High Elves’ dwelling was precisely such a place.

“When will we arrive?”

“Considering the speed, it should take about an hour. Shall we talk in the meantime?”

“I am not fond of idle chatter.”

“Ho-ho, do you think I brought it up just so we could make small talk?”

Perhaps because she was annoyed, her laugh sounded heavy.

“I mean that we should discuss the black liquid you gave me.”

The black liquid.

Of the two items he had taken from Linne, the dark elf and director of the Linne Research Institute, one was a journal and the other was a sample box.

“Our research has yielded both good and bad news. What we can say for certain is that it is similar to dragon blood.”

“Is that good news and bad news?”

“There is about as much difference between them as there is between humans and monkeys. They have limbs, and they like it when you give them food—that is the extent of the similarity.”

There was a strangely condescending nuance to her words, but Ferda decided to ignore it.

“In any case, to summarize, the fact that they cannot create dragon blood means they cannot artificially create dragons. That is good news. Do you understand?”

The most frightening thing in the Dragon-Demon War had been Godwin’s magic.

All the dragons had been mobilized to stop Godwin, who had spread his influence, and in the end, they protected the continent through their sacrifices.

With the dragons weakened as they were now, no one knew what would happen if another Godwin appeared.

“Then what is the bad news?”

“The bad news is that the dragon blood had an effect similar to what is used in the Ascension Ceremony.”

Demonkin were made from Godwin’s blood.

They were called by another name now, but there must have been a time when they, too, were called dragonspawn.

They could not create a Godwin, but they could create demonkin.

“Is it possible to produce them because some of Godwin’s essence remains?”

Essence, said to be the very nature of a dragon.

If one could take that power, one could gain tremendous strength and freely do things that had once been impossible.

Erika shook her head at Ferda’s guess.

“Essence may be involved, but it does not play a major role. Even if they have some left, dragonspawn who are not dragons cannot undergo the Ascension Ceremony.”

Ferda thought of Silverwind’s situation.

Ever since the Dragon-Demon War, no more descendants of Silverwind had been created.

Godwin, who had absorbed all of Silverwind’s essence and risen to a realm similar to Silverwind’s, had not failed to undergo the Ascension Ceremony because he did not want to, but because he could not.

“In any case, this black liquid itself has little to do with dragons. If so, I suspect it may be related to Director Linne being a High Elf. I’ll ask them to look into it while requesting their help with this interpretation.”

Erika said, showing him the sample in its bottle.

“I hope the results are meaningful.”

“So do I.”

And so, the discussion concerning the black liquid came to an end.

Ferda turned his gaze out the window.

Before he knew it, the sky carriage’s destination had come into view.

‘The World Tree.’

A tree that rose high into the sky, its roots said to extend throughout the Serdes Continent.

They said that for anyone living in the western part of the continent, each morning began with them marveling at the World Tree’s majesty.

He learned later that the expression had originated as a dirty joke.

Even so, seeing the World Tree in person was an entirely different experience.

From below, people often said that a cathedral spire pierced the sky, but once one rose into the sky, such a spire seemed no more than a creation beneath the heavens.

Mages, especially, often said such things out of vanity after learning magic that let them remain airborne for long periods.

But the World Tree was entirely different.

Even from this far away, even this high in the air, its end was nowhere in sight. Its branches faded into the color of the sky, making it seem as though the sky itself had grown lush and warped into foliage.

It truly seemed to support the sky.

“Is this your first time seeing the World Tree?”

Since he could not tear his gaze from the window, Erika asked him casually.

Ferda answered the question inwardly.

‘This is my second.’

He recalled seeing it from a height much like this in memories ruined by an all-consuming desire for revenge.

What he remembered was an ash-gray sky and the World Tree glowing red.

The smell of ash had seared his nostrils, and for a month afterward he could not properly smell anything.

Ferda came face-to-face with his past self.

He saw that hideous figure who, desperate to grow stronger, had abandoned his purpose, abandoned his humanity, and focused solely on his emotions.

“This is the first time I have seen it in my right mind.”

“You may be nervous and make mistakes, but elven etiquette is similar to human etiquette. Besides…”

Erika said, placing a hand over her chest.

“I am by your side, so do not worry too much.”

She wore the expression of an elder seeming to say, Just trust me.

Erika had apparently assumed, on her own, that he was nervous because it was his first time.

Since there was nothing in particular to clarify, he let her keep misunderstanding him as she pleased.

The sky carriage drew closer to the World Tree, then descended to the level of its waist.

In the place that had looked like a speck from afar, there was a large open area where the carriage could land.

“Let us get off.”

Erika opened the door and stepped out first.

Air cool enough to make it hard to believe it was summer pricked at his lungs.

Elves who had come to greet them entered Ferda’s sight.

Fine armor forged from Elven metal.

Elven archers wearing it stood in a line, paying their respects.

Ferda still did not know how to distinguish among the elves, but he was certain they were Wood Elves who lived in the forest.

The man at their head shone far too brightly.

High Elves were the ones whose noble beauty stood out even among elves.

Their faces looked as though a smile could brighten the world, yet the expressions settled upon them were as dry and impassive as drought-stricken earth.

“It is an honor to meet the noble guardians of the World Tree.”

Erika greeted them first.

The High Elf accepted her greeting in turn.

“Blessings and joy of the earth. Welcome, child of the water.”

“Thank you for making time for us, Elder, while you are in the midst of preparing for the festival.”

“There is no need to thank me. Everything was permitted by the Grand Chieftain.”

He let the end of his sentence trail off, then cast a sidelong glance toward Ferda.

Erika immediately began the introductions.

“Regent, he is one of the High Elf elders.”

Erika did not introduce the elder by name.

Elves did not introduce their names through someone else.

“Blessings of the earth. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

And that High Elf did not give his own name.

It was his way of saying that Ferda’s visit was unwelcome.

“It is an honor to meet you.”

Ferda followed suit, ending with an equally dry greeting.

The High Elf elder turned his gaze back to Erika.

“I have heard that you require the assistance of the High Elves.”

“Yes. This matter is important, and it is something only the High Elves can do, so I had to ask for your help.”

“Of course, since this was permitted by the Grand Chieftain, we must attend to it, but could you tell me what it is?”

Erika sensed a strange current in his words.

Then she realized one thing.

“It seems you were not properly informed of why we came.”

“That is correct. I was only told that guests were coming.”

With humans, mistakes were bound to occur if there was a flaw on either the sender’s or recipient’s end.

But among elves, whose minds were connected as one, such a thing was as rare as being struck by lightning in the middle of a city.

In other words, he did not want the other elves to know about this situation.

That was why Erika quietly made her refusal clear.

“I am sorry, but Ior has come as our representative. We must discuss this with the Grand Chieftain first before proceeding.”

But the elder did not back down.

“This is elven land, and we are the first children of this earth, the ones who protect our mother.”

“I am well aware of your efforts and resolve. But neither my intentions nor the Grand Chieftain’s message has changed.”

“Then we cannot easily let you leave, either.”

“How presumptuous, High Elf elder.”

The final, chilling words did not come from the exchange between the two of them.

The voice had come from another guest: Ferda.

“What did you say, Regent?”

“I will say it again. Do not be presumptuous.”

Ferda took a forceful stance.

“Even if you are to become Valdrova’s consort, how dare a short-lived species speak so arrogantly?”

“Do you think I say this merely because I am to become Valdrova’s consort? I am the guest in this matter. When I tell you not to interfere in my affairs, what more needs to be said?”

“Arrogant…”

The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile.

The impassive High Elf’s face twisted slightly.

His fingers twitched.

At the same time, tension could be felt from the elven archers standing behind him.

Ferda prepared his mana, and Erika likewise prepared to respond.

“Stop!”

It was a woman’s voice that shattered the calm before the storm.

A woman who looked to be the same kind of High Elf was running toward them.

Her delicate body, platinum-blond hair disheveled by the wind, and wide green eyes were all filled with bewilderment.

“What is it?”

“Haa, haa… These people, these people are the Grand Chieftain’s guests. I am sure you were only told to escort the guests, Elder, so why are you causing such a commotion?”

“A human is setting foot on this sacred land. As one who hears the will of our mother, how could I stand by?”

“The Grand Chieftain says not to harass the guests and to bring them to me.”

The elder glared at the woman as though displeased.

The woman clasped her hands over her chest and bit her lip.

She seemed to be trying not to avert her eyes.

In the end, the elder was the one to back down.

“Since the Grand Chieftain’s own blood relative has come in person, there is no need for me to escort you any farther. I shall return.”

The High Elf elder bowed deeply to Erika, then turned away.

The Wood Elves moved in perfect unison behind him.

Once the hostile atmosphere subsided, the woman caught her breath and introduced herself.

“Blessings of the earth. How do you do? I am Lize, the Grand Chieftain’s aide and secretary.”

The woman politely bowed as she revealed her name.

Ferda returned the greeting.

“I am Ferda Valdrova.”

“I am sorry. I intended to come out to greet you because I thought something like this might happen, but…”

“It seems our purpose was not properly conveyed? We nearly became intruders instead of guests, didn’t we?”

“Ugh…”

Erika snapped at Lize without hiding her displeasure.

Lize replied with an apologetic, flustered expression.

“I am sorry. The Grand Chieftain did not convey any specifics about this meeting to anyone. That is why this happened… I am truly sorry!”

Seeing Lize repeatedly bowing her head in apology, Erika stopped pressing the issue.

“Let us stop assigning blame. There is something more important than this. Guide us to the Grand Chieftain, Secretary.”

“Yes, yes! This way, please.”

Lize chanted in the elven language and placed her hand against a pillar of the World Tree.

The stairs along the World Tree’s outer wall began to move diagonally.

They stepped onto the stairs and traveled upward.

As they moved toward the upper part of the World Tree, Ferda looked down below.

Perhaps because the elves, who had once spread widely after the Dragon-Demon War, had gathered densely around the World Tree, he could see roofs of wood and thatch here and there.

Even so, true to a race that valued harmony, the green leaves looked all the more abundant.

“It is fortunate that you contacted us at such an appropriate time!”

Perhaps finding the silence awkward, Lize tried to force a brighter atmosphere.

“The Summer Festival is approaching, and if you had been even a little later, we would have been unavoidably preparing for yet another festival.”

“You spend most of the year celebrating festivals.”

Ferda spoke in a voice tinged with confusion.

It could easily have been taken as sarcasm, but fortunately, Lize answered with a smile.

“That is what we do. We enjoy the joy of spring rising from the earth, the joy of summer growing abundant, the joy of autumn bearing fruit, and the joy of winter as we await a new spring.”

Hearing that, Ferda recalled the face of the High Elf who had come to greet them.

There was a sense of contradiction in a face that, no matter how he looked at it, seemed to have been untouched by joy for an immeasurably long time.

“For all that, you do not seem to be enjoying the festival very much.”

“Because the Spring Festival has passed. Normally, everyone becomes rather tense once summer arrives.”

“Is it different during the festivals?”

“Th-that is…”

Lize was unable to continue, looking troubled.

Erika answered in her place.

“Originally, summer and winter were seasons of endurance and mourning. Turning them into festivals like this is a recent change.”

“Yes, that is correct…”

Lize merely nodded lightly at Erika’s words.

If they were difficult seasons, was there any need to raise everyone’s spirits by holding festivals?

He did not understand the elves’ way of thinking, so he refrained from judging too hastily.

“Th-that reminds me, I heard that you and Lady Valdrova are engaged, Lord Ferda.”

Ferda’s personal affairs had suddenly become the topic.

“That is correct.”

“I have never met Lady Valdrova, but I heard she is a woman with many wounds in her heart. I am sincerely happy that she can overcome those wounds and make a new beginning.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It is not good to become accustomed to loneliness. Having a companion with whom to share one’s life is a very joyful thing.”

Unlike the elder, this woman named Lize truly seemed devoted to joy.

“If it would not be inconvenient, could you tell me before you leave?”

“May I ask why?”

“I would like to give her a present. I’ll make her a bouquet suited to late spring and summer. Ah, perhaps Lady Valdrova has a serious personality and does not care for such things?”

“No, she will like it.”

A bouquet.

What expression would she make if he brought it to her?

He could vividly hear her voice, overflowing with delight.

“Oh my.”

Lize covered her mouth with her hand as she looked at Ferda’s face.

“What is the matter?”

“What? Oh, it is nothing!”

Lize hurriedly turned her head away.

Feeling another gaze this time, Ferda turned toward Erika.

Erika was staring intently at Ferda’s face.

She looked flustered, as though she had seen something she should not have.

“What is the matter?”

“No…”

Erika muttered as if to herself.

“I have only ever seen you wearing an expression that looks ready to destroy the world, so I never imagined you could make a face like that.”

“……?”

What kind of expression had he made?

Ferda had no idea.