To clear the quest, I need to find out where the Child of the World Tree is.
Oboni provided some information, but the most important detail—the ‘position’—is completely absent.
After much thought, I decided to ask someone who knows her very well.
“…Why does the conclusion come out like that?”
“Isn’t it obvious? This is the fastest way.”
The pillar of the World Tree.
A gigantic tree that seems to pierce the sky stands tall, a size no eyes can comprehend.
Standing beneath it, I have a blank expression while the woman sweats profusely.
Elisha, the High Elf assigned by Oboni, gulped nervously, her hands trembling.
By the way, Myul and Yul returned to their tribe guided by the Elves.
“W-Well, the World Tree absolutely won’t speak…”
“Is that so?”
“I’ve never heard of it saying anything. It’s obviously not in history either.”
Her voice shows tension but comes off rather firm.
Indeed, the World Tree doesn’t ‘speak.’
Rather than being a living creature like an Ancient Monster, it’s literally a ‘will.’ Or something like a ‘phenomenon.’
It may have started from a non-living being like a spirit, but unlike a spirit, the World Tree remained closer to a non-living state despite its growth.
I turned to Elisha.
Platinum blonde hair and bright green eyes. And, true to her Elven race, she’s quite beautiful.
Thanks to that, the chat window is flooded with comments about the Elf’s beauty, but my perspective is a little different.
‘Elisha is pretty impressive too.’
Even though she just crossed thirty, her skills are quite remarkable.
Although the two daughters of the former Elf Queen are outstanding, Elisha’s talent is definitely at a comparable level.
If we were to pick the Child of the World Tree right now, Elisha would have a very high chance.
“Elisha… Ersosa, right?”
“Yes. I am Elisha Ersosa. I’m also the great-granddaughter of Oboni Ersosa, whom you met earlier.”
“Great-granddaughter…”
Should I call this few or many?
It’s true that the number of generations is small compared to the thousands of years, but considering Oboni’s position, it seems adequate.
At this point, Oboni is practically the origin of all Elves.
I gently placed my hand on the World Tree.
As I did, the Mana of Life resonated with me, and branches slowly moved, opening a door.
A space just big enough for two people to pass through.
“Let me say one thing in advance.”
“?”
“Even if it seems a bit strange or excessive, please understand it’s nothing much.”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
Before Elisha could ask further, I directly went through the door the World Tree opened.
Flustered, Elisha followed me inside…
Thud… boom!
The door closed.
■
I’ve been inside the World Tree before in the past.
I’ve been in there.
An endless maze-like space filled with the Mana of Life.
To the very core of the World Tree, the driving force and essence of it all.
I looked up at the ceiling of the layered maze to reach the center.
Pretty high, huh?
[It’s a maze from the start]
[Let’s break through it all ㄱㄱㄱ]
[Didn’t bring Leo?]
[Leo should come with us]
[The Elf girl shivering is adorable ㅋㅋㅋ]
[Wouldn’t it be cleaner if we burned it?]
[Where should we go?]
[We should just break it]
“Um… It’s a bit far. It might take some time to get up there.”
“Where are you heading?”
“To the core of the World Tree. A place where I can communicate with the World Tree.”
The World Tree is powerful, being hundreds or thousands of times larger than other Ancient Beasts, but it can’t control its whole body.
Of course, it’s not that it can’t do it at all, but rather it simply doesn’t ‘usually’.
In simpler terms, it’s like having 10 light bulbs to light up a room but only turning on 1 or 2.
Even with just 1 or 2 on, you can illuminate most of the room, but you can’t see the darkness nestled in the corners.
If you want to see that, you’d have to turn on about 6 or 7.
To illuminate everything, you’d have to turn on all 10.
“The World Tree doesn’t manage its body entirely. The reason it makes a complicated maze is to kill intruders in areas it doesn’t control.”
Thud. Thud.
“The space directly managed by the World Tree is the core. If you go there, you’ll be able to talk to the World Tree.”
And it’s highly likely that the user who’s been cursed is around there too.
To have survived this long despite being cursed, they must be somewhere with a bit more Mana of Life.
Maybe they became cursed by overexposing themselves to it.
[Oh]
[I see]
[You have to go to the core to communicate with the World Tree… Note taken.]
[But how does Lily know that?]
“…How do you know that?”
Elisha’s eyes narrowed.
This is a weird person who drew the Holy Sword and knows the secret of the World Tree, which even my great-grandfather struggled with and the High Elves don’t know.
I answered as if it was nothing.
“Oboni told me.”
“Excuse me?”
“When I mentioned going to the World Tree, he told me.”
Actually, I figured it out and informed Oboni, but I can think of it as a return.
[Is that so?]
[Lily is really something ㅋㅋ]
[Was there any such content?]
There wasn’t. But I doubt anyone would think it’s strange.
Unlike before, when I had to hide certain past information, during the fight with the Empire, I spilled information under the name of ‘job penalty.’
At that time, it was quite a hot topic, but now it doesn’t seem strange at all.
But I don’t really find it strange right now.
In other words, what I’m saying now is…
[Not a penalty?]
[Seems like I’m going crazy again, haha]
[Wasn’t it always weird?]
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHA]
I can just let it slide like this.
Of course, my relationship with Oboni can’t just be passed off as a mere “penalty,” so I’m keeping it hidden.
“Anyway, we have to somehow break through the maze… Is there any way?”
“…I’ve never been here, but I’ve heard from my mother.”
Elisha hesitated a bit.
She had a look that seemed to question whether she should say it.
However, considering my relationship with Oboni, she took a deep breath and continued.
“They say there are three spirits connected to the World Tree.”
“Spirits?”
“Yes. Those spirits help the World Tree make this land more prosperous. If what Lady Lily said is true and the World Tree doesn’t control the entirety of its body…”
“Then part of that body is managed by the spirits?”
“That’s right.”
Spirits…
I’ve never heard of such a thing before.
It must be something newly created by the World Tree, which has grown up separate from the previous one.
Since they manage part of the body separately, the spirits would definitely be connected to the World Tree.
“What about information on those spirits?”
“…I don’t know much either. However, the spirits are said to be unfriendly to humans and other races.”
“Then we just need to make them friendly.”
“Y-Yes… huh?”
“So, where’s the position?”
Elisha placed the Mana of Life that sprouted from her hand on the maze floor.
Then, the green mana formed a ball and happily bounced around.
The mana ball darted rapidly through the maze.
“I can feel a strong energy over there.”
“Then let’s go check it out.”
To make them friendly, of course.
[HAHAHAHAHA]
[Just right]
■
“Ugh… Nyaa… I’m bored…”
Somewhere at the bottom of the World Tree’s pillar.
The green deer that was lazily lying down stared blankly at the ceiling.
I’m so bored.
The green deer, born from a command given by the World Tree long ago, received two very important missions.
The tasks were simple.
The first was to manage part of the World Tree’s ‘great body.’
The second was to preemptively handle any elements or situations that could threaten the World Tree and report them.
When I was born, I carried out my duties quite diligently and passionately.
But…
Thud. Thud.
“Ah. I dropped it.”
Nothing to do.
No strange guys who could dare threaten the World Tree showed up.
And there were no signs of anyone trying to invade the great body without the World Tree’s permission either.
“Even if someone were to come in, it would only be those who have received the World Tree’s permission.”
“Moreover, external issues are handled by the ‘lower’ race known as the Child of the World Tree, so the significance of the Spirit’s existence has gradually faded.”
“I guess I have to go get it again…”
The Spirit crawled and walked over to open a box stacked layer upon layer with tree branches.
Inside the box filled with snacks.
It was one of the few entertainment spots here, directly granted by the World Tree.
After grabbing a handful of snacks, the Spirit lay down again.
Crispy!
“…Should I go out to play?”
The Spirit wasn’t alone; there were two other siblings aside from him, who were also born on the same day at one o’clock, each managing their respective positions.
While they would occasionally meet and exchange greetings during such dull times, they hadn’t seen each other for the past 300 years.
“…I wonder if the door won’t open this time, either.”
It had been 300 years since he last saw the Spirit located in the ‘upper level.’
He thought they were pretty close, but suddenly they became increasingly introverted and wouldn’t even come out of their territory.
He knocked on the door many times, but it only replied to go back.
The World Tree didn’t say much either.
He had seen the Spirit in the ‘upper level’ a few times, but when one locked the door, the other gradually did the same.
In the end, the remaining Spirit, the Deer, was left alone.
“Ahh… I’m so bored… I feel like I’m going to die from boredom─”
Suddenly!
The Deer jumped up.
Its blunt ears perked up, and green horns emitted a bright light.
“Intruder!”
Technically, they entered through the normal route, but someone had come inside the World Tree.
The Spirit quickly manipulated the green mana bestowed by the World Tree.
Images were etched into the air like a screen, and someone was moving inside it.
An Elf and…
“Human? No, that’s not a human.”
Something that wasn’t human.
What a curious combination.
While the intruder needed to be managed, the Spirit was a bit thrilled to finally see a different race after such a long time and observed them with interest.
And then.
Kwahzzz!!!
“…Huh?”
“Excuse me.”
A crazy human? had broken through the barrier and entered the room.
“Intruder!!!”
A real intruder!
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