Chapter 28: Demi-Humans (3)

"With a tree that grows bows and arrows like this, it shouldn't be burdensome for you."

In a situation where they're already using the fruits Yggdrasil creates as their staple food. If bows and arrows form like fruits, there shouldn't be any problem, right?

Surely they won't say they don't like this too. If they say they don't like this either, how are they eating Yggdrasil's fruits?

"How could... planting objects made of wood to grow a tree..."

"Who on earth are you...?"

Hmm. Even though I did it, it seems it looked like an extraordinary act.

It is an extraordinary act in reality too!

"I'm just someone who wants you to use this bow."

At my words, the humans all knelt down and started bowing to me.

"Great one...!"

"Oh, it's not like that."

「These children have a bit of an eye for things.」

Ignoring Yggdrasil's tactless interjection, I raised the prostrated humans with magic.

"I'm just a passerby. I have no intention of revealing my name to you. So there's no need to mind me."

"That... No, you must have your reasons, great one. I understand. If you wish to hide your name like that, we will do so."

I nodded slightly at the humans' words.

"Instead, I'll give you one more gift."

I drew up magic to envelop the humans and began to change their bodies.

No, they can no longer be called humans.

I make their sight and hearing even sharper. I don't touch other senses as they might be a hindrance if they become too sensitive.

And finally, I elongate their ears. They change into a shape like long leaves.

The appearance of those completed like this was no different from the elves I imagined.

"Th-this... What on earth..."

"I've developed your eyes and ears. Now you can see farther and catch smaller sounds. With this, you can become natural hunters."

The humans were confused by their suddenly changed sight and hearing. Well, it's natural to be confused when your senses change.

To make an analogy... Like getting new glasses? It would be even more intense than that.

"In the process of changing like that, your ears got a bit longer, perhaps to hear sounds better... But rather, the shape of those ears reminds one of the World Tree's leaves, so it should be proof that you are children of the World Tree."

「Mom? What have you done to these children?! Their ears got longer?!」

"And now I'll give a name for you, who have become similar to the World Tree, to call yourselves as a race. You, children of the World Tree, will call yourselves elves from now on. Those long ears will be your proof."

「Mom?! Mom?! Please don't ignore me?!」

"From now on, you shall live as guardians protecting the World Tree Yggdrasil and this quiet forest."

「Mom?! Mom?!?!」

And so, elves were born in this land.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In a very distant past.

When the World Tree Yggdrasil created the elves.

The God of Hunting¹, who was close to the World Tree, gifted bows and arrows for the elves, children of the World Tree.

But those bows and arrows were made of wood. For elves who hear the voices of trees and live closely with them, trees were no different from family.

Therefore, the elves couldn't even dare to hold the wooden bows.

But how could they discard the precious gift given by the God of Hunting? The elves, not wanting to incur the god's wrath, tried to force themselves to hold the wooden bows, but unable to do so, they could only cry, unable to do this or that.

It was none other than the World Tree Yggdrasil who extended a helping hand to such elves.

Yggdrasil planted the bows and arrows in the ground and made a tree grow.

Bows and arrows began to form like fruits on the tree that grew like that, and the elves were able to harvest and use the bows and arrows that formed as fruits with the tree's permission.

After that, it is said that the tree bearing bows and arrows became a treasure of the elves and is under the strict management and protection of the elves and the World Tree.

Even now, it is said that when a young elf becomes an adult, asking the tree for the bow they will use for their lifetime is the highlight of the traditional elf coming-of-age ceremony.

......

It is said that a legend is passed down among the elves that in the distant future, when elves face a crisis of existence, one chosen by the World Tree will take out the bow and arrows located at the roots of this tree and save the elves and the World Tree.

- From the Great Encyclopedia of Legendary Weapons.

1) As the records state that it was a god who did not reveal their name, there are various opinions in academia about who the god who gave the bow and arrows was, but due to the symbolism of the bow and arrows, the theory that it was the God of Hunting is most prevalent.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

「Mom. You went too far. Suddenly elongating the children's ears like that.」

"But doesn't it look good?"

「That's true, but...」

Compared to when they were just humans with long limbs and good looks or beauty, now they were definitely giving the impression of a different race.

Even Yggdrasil agreed that such an impression was coming from the long ears I had elongated.

"From now on, various races will appear on this land. Shouldn't there be a clear means of distinction between those races and your children?"

This is a complete lie. I just wanted to see elves with long ears.

Well, the elves seemed to like it too. So there's no problem, right?

「I'll let it slide since those children seem to like it... But what if other humans come wanting to live around me in the future? Should we change those humans like that too?」

"Hmm, I wonder. Are there many new humans coming in?"

「Not many, but there are some. Just a few come in very occasionally.」

I nodded at Yggdrasil's words. If there were none at all, there would be no problem, but if even a few are coming in, we can't just leave them be.

"It would take a long time for newly arrived humans to change like the other elves, so we need to change them quickly."

「That's right. Those children changed like that over a long period of time, so it doesn't seem likely that humans who just came in from outside would accept the time it took for those children to change.」

"Well, in such cases, it would be good to change them manually... But changing each element of humans who came from outside would be a very troublesome task."

Rather, something like magic that copies and changes racial characteristics... Hmm... Such magic didn't exist... Well, we can just create it, can't we?

First, target designation. Select the target to clone characteristics from as Target 1. Select the target to overwrite characteristics onto as Target 2.

Then compare the racial characteristics of the two targets, and by overwriting, convert Target 2 into the same race as Target 1... In this process, limit the conversion to only racial characteristics.

Carefully consider not to change things like physical features or mental aspects by mistake. Hmm... I guess this should do.

So I created a new magic to copy and paste racial characteristics.

It's magic that only copies things like racial characteristics, and because the amount of magic power needed to use it is considerably large, even dragons might not find it easy to use.

But Yggdrasil, who has endured countless years, should be able to use it sufficiently.

"I'll teach you one magic I just created. This magic should be able to solve your worries."

「Did you prepare it in advance?!」

"How could that be? I just made it. Just now. It's magic that even dragons can't use because it consumes a lot of magic power due to not being optimized."

Yggdrasil spoke as if dumbfounded at my words.

「What is that? What's the meaning of such magic?」

"At least it has meaning for you. It's magic that can change newly arriving humans into beings like those elves."

The easiest way would be to not accept those coming from outside at all, but Yggdrasil is strangely kind and doesn't seem to think of sending them back.

If you can't drive them away, you have to accept them. With this magic, even newcomers can be accepted as members of the elves.

「Really, I don't understand when I see you creating magic, Mom? How do you handle fickle magic power like your own limbs?」

"What do you mean how, isn't it just done if you do it?"

「Most can't do that! How carefully do you have to make even one magic! I really don't understand.」

Hmm, is it that difficult? I've been doing it as if it's natural, so I didn't know.

Ahem. Anyway.

"That newly grown tree... You take care of it."

「Yes. I wasn't planning to just leave it alone anyway, since it's a tree. It seems the elf children will depend quite a lot on that tree too. I'll protect it even if I have to wrap it with my roots.」

Yggdrasil speaks as if it's natural. There's no expert on trees better than this child.

「But will it be okay? Hiding your existence from those children.」

"It's fine, of course."

Now it's just a simple primitive society, so it doesn't matter if I interfere here and there...

But as time passes and society grows, and things like politics and power structures become complex... I shouldn't meddle carelessly.

You can't step with muddy feet into a model garden built up over a long time, can you?

When that time comes, I can just hide my appearance and quietly observe this world.

Well, if a crisis that this world can't handle comes, I might step in then.

The biggest thing is that by then, I'll probably be too lazy to care about worldly affairs and shut myself in a room.

For now, my sense of responsibility is still a bit bigger than my laziness. The sense of responsibility for having given birth to life in this world.