Chapter 26
Humans began to find their own paths.
Using the gifts I gave them as a springboard, little by little, slowly, but definitely.
The one to whom I handed the crown started enthusiastically leading the people and began merging surrounding human groups.
Sometimes through persuasion. Sometimes through brute force. The owner of the crown was combining other human groups to form an even larger one.
This sight could very well be called the birth of a primitive nation.
Well, it did bring on food shortages, but they somehow managed to cope with the lack of food through farming tips learned from the lizardmen, fishing with the thread I provided, and trading necessary obsidian for food with the lizardmen.
They even made pottery by firing clay and stitched together makeshift clothes with leather using thread and needles. The humans were developing, albeit slowly but surely.
Hmm. Nice. Looks like I can cut down on the gifts now. It’s such a joy to watch them figure things out on their own.
I’m quite pleased not to have to lift a finger.
If possible, let’s just watch the humans without interfering. If I meddle in every little thing, it’ll annoy both me and them.
I’ll only step in when there’s something they can’t tackle on their own.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
So, I watched the humans, and time rolled on.
Long enough for the crown to change hands several times. A world where humans have spread all over the continent, making it rare to find a place without them.
While I was surveying this world.
“Mom. Do you have a second?”
I heard Yggdrasil’s voice coming from a nearby tree.
“Yggdrasil?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Yggdrasil. I need to consult with you about something. Is it cool to chat?”
It’s a bit odd for Yggdrasil, who has been reflecting on its main body for ages, to reach out to me. Something must be up.
Well, I think it’s reflected enough by now.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Could you come to my main body? It’ll be quicker to explain if you’re here.”
“To your main body?”
That massive tree, as big as a mountain. The gigantic one situated in the northwest of the continent. The largest among the plants that have stood since this world was created.
Yggdrasil was summoning me.
After the dragon age ended, it had been reflecting on its main body while waiting for me… And now it calls. What’s going on?
I flew in the direction of Yggdrasil’s main body, feeling puzzled.
“Why did you call me?”
“You made it here quickly, Mom.”
Well, crossing a continent isn’t exactly a challenge for me.
It would be done in a few minutes.
“The thing I want to consult you about… is actually this.”
Yggdrasil waved a branch to point towards its base, where a large bunch of humans had gathered.
“These folks have started crowding around me, and I have no clue what to do.”
Yggdrasil’s voice had an oddly flustered tone.
“I haven’t reflected enough to face you, Mom… But they just keep coming around me… I really don’t know what to do…”
Hmm. Is that really the issue?
This child still feels guilty towards me.
Well, since I never really got angry at Yggdrasil, that guilt must have amplified.
I’ve already let go of my frustration.
“It’s all good. You’ve reflected enough already.”
“But…”
“You don’t need to be so hard on yourself. Isn’t that sufficient reflection?”
Yggdrasil didn’t respond to my words.
“Let’s put that aside for now, are these humans actually bothering you?”
“Huh? Ah, yeah… It’s a bit of a hassle. Really a hassle.”
They must be pretty annoying if they’re bothering Yggdrasil. What in the world are they doing?
“These folks… they’ve started to worship me.”
“Hmm?”
Worship?
“At first, they were just folks looking for food in the forest, but once they saw me, they knelt in silence and bowed. Then they went home to round up more humans, and the new folks started to bow too, and they kept bringing in more and more… It just kept happening…”
There were easily a few hundred humans gathered around the base of Yggdrasil.
“So, they’re causing you trouble, huh? Should I scare them off for you?”
“Ah, no! It’s not that kind of trouble…”
Yggdrasil hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Can I… take them in?”
Seriously? You called me just for that?
After the chaos stirred up by the dragons, the kids, especially Yggdrasil, felt a lot of guilt.
I never realized it’d lean on me for something so trivial…
“Do as you please. You don’t have to feel guilty about the past anymore. Haven’t you reflected enough?”
“But…”
“A lot of time has passed since then. My anger has cooled off, so stop worrying about it.”
Honestly, Yggdrasil was just caught up in the drama from the other kids. It might be feeling unjustly treated.
“I’m not hesitating for that reason. I’ve been seeing you for quite a few years, Mom. I can tell at a glance if you’ve cooled down or not.”
Hmm? Is that not it?
“The reason I’m hesitating is… Humans are creatures you especially cherish, can I really take them in?”
“Huh?”
I especially cherish? Humans?
“You do cherish them, don’t you? Humans?”
Do I?
I thought hard. Did I really cherish humans more than the rest?
Sure, I gave them all sorts of gifts, made them a crown, and took extra care of them, but… Hmm…
Wait, am I… super biased?
No, wait, I didn’t even think I was biased? Was I actually biased this whole time?
Now that I think about it, I’ve never really given gifts to the dragons, and they only caused me headaches until I finally blew up…
And what about the lizardmen? The gifts were… fixing a spear and teaching them farming and fire… Hmm…
Wow, I really was biased like crazy.
Wait, I was human too. Those poor humans just out of their monkey phase really tugged on my heartstrings. I guess that’s why I showered them with care… Hmm…
Time to reflect. Reflect.
“Did you really not notice it until now?”
“Ah, right….”
The thought of me favoring humans… Hmm…
“Anyway, you can adopt those humans if you want. Looks like they’re keen on worshiping you.”
“Really? Then I’ll take care of them! I won’t mess up again this time!”
Yggdrasil exclaimed with confidence, guilt clearly shed from its voice.
Though it said otherwise, it must have hesitated because of my past anger.
In that case… I’ll look forward to seeing how the humans Yggdrasil takes in will progress.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Elves.
Children of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. Guardians of the Great Forest and the peaceful inhabitants of the woods.
With beauty that puts humans to shame and a significantly longer lifespan, they are a subrace living life very differently.
With magical talent that dwarfs humans and the ability to converse with spirits, along with agile bodies and astonishing archery skills, each one of them is a fierce scout, archer, and sorcerer.
Their talents are well acknowledged among adventurers, and if you go on an adventure with an elf companion, your chances of success are greatly amplified.
However, even elves carry some downsides.
Traveling with them means you need to be extra cautious around branches.
“A branch? Just a branch?” you might think, but to the quiet dwellers of the woods and the kids of the World Tree, trees are like family.
The moment an elf joins your party, snapping a branch is like breaking a family member’s arm.
Naturally, lighting a fire with a branch is off the table, and chopping down a tree feels like declaring a death match with an elf.
Sure, not all elves are that uptight. Especially the adventurous ones who become adventurers are often more easy-going.
Consulting with an elf to break a twig or create firewood necessitates a conversation first, and you’ll likely need the tree’s permission before proceeding.
If you’re going on an adventure into the woods, you might find the journey pleasant with an elf as your guide, or you could be stuck in a grueling adventure filled with their relentless nagging.
Another quirk worth mentioning is their unusual eating culture. Considering trees as family, they generally choose to sunbathe instead of eating or are known to eat meat.
The idea of filling one’s belly from sunbathing might sound ludicrous… However, they themselves insist on it, and some elves even manage to go a whole month without a meal, living on water and sunshine. It must be some kind of blessing from the World Tree.
Scholars who’ve studied the ecology of such elves have concluded that they can’t grasp the principle behind it all.
So, when adventuring alongside them, it’s wise to prepare a meat-heavy diet.
If not, expect to face an elf sipping water with a slightly resentful look during meal times.
In any case, despite those inconveniences, having an elf around is definitely worth it for a powerful companion in your journey.
Oh, but of course, if you’re a dwarf, this conversation would turn a different shade.
– A Guide for Adventurers Exploring the World.
Chapter on Subraces: The Elf Edition.
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