Chapter: 333
When I stepped into the Elf Residential Area, I received curious and slightly wary glances, but as I left, I was met with an extreme show of hospitality.
“Come back if you remember! Our benefactors are always welcome!”
“If you get tired of human society, come back! Living in nature is fun too!”
The World Tree, a symbol of the elves and their very lifeblood. While the younger elves might have slightly faded feelings for it, the instinct of being elves doesn’t just vanish. So, when they heard the news of the World Tree’s revival, they could cheer and smile along with the rest.
“Benefactor, benefactor! See you again, see you again!”
“I’ll definitely tell Mom! I’ll tell Mom!”
“I’ll tell the spirit uncle and aunts too!”
“Uh, thanks!”
Even the younger elves, who may have had less attachment to the World Tree, were just as excited as the fairies. With the imminent revival of their home and mom, the fairies wouldn’t let go of me.
From the sounds of things, they didn’t seem inclined to follow me all the way outside the protected area.
“I’d love to tell you to stay here, but since you’re a duke in human society, it’s not really feasible.”
“I’ll keep in touch frequently.”
“Yeah, that’ll suffice.”
When I sneaked a glance away, I spotted Marcilio exchanging farewells with the elder. Saying goodbye to a grandmother after 121 years of separation in just a few hours felt harsh, but there were communication devices in this world, so it’s all good.
Marcilio created a dedicated communication device for the elder right then and there and gifted it to her. The elder seemed deeply touched, beaming brightly at the gift made by her little granddaughter. And since Marcilio could teleport, if he really missed her, he could pop over for a quick visit just like that.
“Please take care of Trixie. I trust you’ll do well even without me asking, but as I age, I worry for no good reason,” the elder said softly as she embraced Marcilio.
“I’ll make sure there’s nothing to worry about.”
The elder smiled even wider at that.
I’ve made a decision. If I marry Marcilio, I’ll invite the elder and other elves. If coming into human society seems too daunting, we can hold the wedding in the protected area instead. It’s a wedding between human and elf, so it makes perfect sense to do it once in each society.
“Little human, little human, see you next time.”
“Yes, little human. This was fun.”
“I’m not little!”
“Liar, liar.”
“Liar, that’s bad. You’ll get in trouble.”
“Eeeek…!”
In the midst of it all, I caught sight of the little lord saying an emotional goodbye while gleefully playing with the fairies.
I’m glad they seemed to have formed a bond. If the little lord, who will manage the interspecies protected area in the future, gets along with the fairies, that’s a win for everyone.
Once we arrived at the commercial district buzzing with visitors again, Tannian spoke up lightly.
“There’s going to be quite a stir in the interspecies parish for a while.”
‘Oh.’
Tannian wore a slightly disappointed smile as he spoke, but the truth is, it’s not a light matter at all. If things go south, the parish might need to be evacuated.
Despite the main religion of the continent being the Dawn Sect, each race maintains their own deities and traditions. Of course, with Apels’ extravagant mischief, those traditions may have been shattered, cutting communication with the gods, but now the elves might be able to reconnect with their ancient gods within ten years.
Tannian isn’t the type to lack awareness, especially when everyone’s celebrating. Although it seems the World Tree is crucial to the Dawn Sect, it’s hard to say they remained silent in the Residential Area.
“Haha, I guess I should prepare the parish head for this.”
Seeing Tannian laugh made me feel a little embarrassed. I don’t regret reviving the World Tree. Even if I could turn back time, I would still do it.
But in a way, it’s like flaunting the revival of paganism in front of a saint of the Dawn Sect. At the very least, I should have shown a bit more caution, especially when the others weren’t around.
“I guess I shouldn’t have shown such things. I’m sorry.”
Tannian looked momentarily surprised at my blunt apology but then just shook his head, still smiling.
“Ah, now I feel like I’ve made my brother feel self-conscious. It’s okay! In truth, the parish was established to comfort those races who lost their deities; it wasn’t meant for true missionary work.”
“Comfort?”
“Yes. The gods provide peace of mind to their followers, don’t they? Even though Enen isn’t the god of those races… still, only a god can fill in the gaps left by a god.”
That’s unexpected. I thought the interspecies parish was meant to target the races who had lost their deities.
“The first parish head didn’t build a church, but a cafeteria and a clinic instead. It seems they still use the clinic as a substitute for the church.”
Hearing that made it all click into place.
While they call it a parish, it’s basically just a service organization. With that level of selflessness, for the priests, it would feel more like stopping their voluntary service than like the parish withdrawing.
“And this is a secret, but the people at the interspecies parish volunteered without any greed for promotion.”
Tannian whispered playfully as if worried someone might overhear. I couldn’t help but chuckle at that. I didn’t need to know that much.
“Enough complicated talk. Let’s have some fun! We’ve seen enough elves; now it’s time to check out other species!”
Once it seemed the conversation had run its course, Rutis patted Tannian’s shoulder to change the subject.
Yeah, that’s a good point. We came here to see various races, so taking in sights of the other species is essential. Somehow we spent a cozy time only with the elves, but we have to make use of the remaining time wisely.
“It looks like the little lord wants to play more too.”
As Rutis mentioned this, everyone’s gaze shifted to the little lord, whose sparkling eyes were glued to a huge dog walking on its hind legs.
‘A dog?’
I was momentarily confused, but I quickly gathered my thoughts. Oh right, that’s also a beastman. They don’t just take on human forms; they can look like animals too.
Anyway, when all eyes focused on him, the little lord shuddered slightly and tried to muster a proud look.
“I’m the future Duke of Cheness who will manage this place! I need to know what kind of people live here!”
“That’s a wonderful mindset. You’ll make a great duke!”
Margherita clapped her hands, praising the little lord’s confident proclamation. Of course, everyone here knew that it was a hastily built excuse.
Still impressive. For someone so young to come up with an excuse that good—being articulate and quick-witted is pretty crucial in high society.
‘Just please grow up like that.’
If he does, he’ll truly be a duke loved by the nobles. No need to look far; the knights of the Salron Ducal House would risk their lives to serve him.
“I hear there are mermaids around too. They say they even go fishing with them.”
Glancing at the little lord, Lather pointed toward the lake with a hint of a smile.
But fishing with mermaids? Are the mermaids driving the fish toward the catch? If that’s the case, I’d like to see it too.
*
Ever since my father decided to abdicate the throne, real power has gradually shifted to me. Now, I handle everything except for the minimal tasks that only the emperor can decide.
Because of this, I wonder if it’s about time to start referring to myself as the Crown Prince instead of the Emperor, at least when it comes to the high ideals of Krasius.
Of course, the phrase “the emperor handles all the matters of the empire” is metaphorical. It’s physically impossible for any one person to do everything, and isn’t that what bureaucracy is for? Loyal and capable officials handle cases first, and only a handful of matters that they can’t resolve make their way up to the emperor or crown prince.
It’s unfortunate that a considerable amount still reaches me, but then again, the empire is vast, so it’s something to be proud of.
‘What in the world is this?’
Still, this feels a bit excessive.
While I was finishing up leftover tasks after dinner, I received an urgent direct call from two unrelated places simultaneously.
[Confirmation of elves gathering in the Elf Residential Area in the interspecies protected area, and testimonies of the impending revival of the World Tree.][Massive divine energy detected within the interspecies parish. The priests on site believe it’s not Enen’s energy but from another god.]
Reports came from both the Cheness Duchy and the Ausen Archdiocese. The simultaneous influx of these reports made my head throb.
‘The World Tree?’
Not only that, but the report also contained a word that added to my headache.
I know what the World Tree is. It’s not a relic from the mythical age; it was a divine heritage that existed in the Apels era. Even though it wasn’t Enen’s, it was a tree that the Dawn Sect holds in high regard.
Unfortunately, it was burned during the age of the Three Tyrants of Apels, but that event left the elves and other races enraged, and it made the Dawn Sect rally, causing tensions among the nations of the continent. The World Tree was that significant a being across the continent.
‘It’s revived?’
This is astounding. The revival of the World Tree, one of the causes attributed to Apels’ loss of divine mandate, happening during Krasius’s time indicates that divine favor is smiling upon Krasius.
Moreover, the former emperors of Krasius have claimed to be friends to the elves. An empire where all races coexist beautifully—this event only strengthens that claim.
But—
[Confirmation that the Executive Manager of the Information Department is involved in the revival of the World Tree.]
That sentence was common in both the reports from the Cheness Duchy and the Ausen Archdiocese. The weight of that sentence loomed heavily over me.
‘What in the world are they up to?’
A hollow laugh escaped me. I knew the academy had gone on a field trip to Cheness. Given that the choice to head to Cheness instead of Boyar was my father’s intention, it was no mystery.
But if they went, they should be enjoying their trip quietly, not stirring up a major incident on the very first day.
‘A heads-up would’ve been nice…’
In an instant, that thought crossed my mind, but I quickly shook my head. The Executive Manager is not the type to do things on impulse. He probably rushed to report because he didn’t want to take responsibility, so this likely wasn’t something planned by him.
Alright, let’s think positively here. The revival of the World Tree is beneficial for the royal family and the empire. The Dawn Sect knows that the revival involves the imperial bureaucracy, so they’ll surely be grateful to the empire.
Plus, the estimated timeline for the World Tree’s revival is around ten years. Surely, it can’t bloom within a year, given the chances. So, the revival happening during my reign seems quite likely. Looking at it positively—
…
I grabbed the communication device sitting on my desk.
No matter how good the result is, I can’t overlook the process.
*
After joyfully experimenting in the interspecies protected area and sending the little lord back to the Ducal Residence, I was resting in what felt like a long-awaited accommodation when my communication device vibrated.
[Submit the report on the World Tree revival incident in the interspecies protected area.]
Ah.
‘They’ve already sent the report up.’
That was faster than I expected. Did the little lord brag about the fascinating experience to the wise duke? Or were they monitoring the protected area in real-time from the Cheness Duchy?
Honestly, it doesn’t matter how they found out. In this situation, the ‘how’ isn’t that important.
‘What should I write?’
What on earth should I mention in the report? “A god was in my body but decided to latch onto a tree and made it into the World Tree”? If I put that, I wouldn’t just be called for interrogation; I’d end up getting summoned!
‘…It’s gonna work out somehow.’
My contemplations were short-lived. But I can’t put anything false in the report, so I’ll write it as it is. If the Crown Prince indeed summons me, then I’ll just throw a tantrum when I get there.
– Knock knock
“Oppa, may I come in?”
“Oh, sure.”
Moreover, there’s something far more important waiting now than the report.
‘I must speak properly.’
It’s time to address the burdens that forced me into a coming-out due to the fairies. I need to clarify things now.
Sweat poured down my back from the nervousness. I could handle the report later, but if I can’t get through to Louise and Irina now… it could be disastrous!
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