Elf.
In the fantasy world, they are a presence that appears like a recurring motif, characterized by their long ears and overall beauty, belonging to a race that is both strikingly lovely and long-lived, residing for hundreds of years.
This world is no different.
Elves are beings that live for at least several hundred years.
Some elves can even reach lifespans of up to 1,000 years, and most of them possess immense power based on that overwhelming length of time.
However, the prosperity of their race is challenging, and raising children requires significant effort, resulting in their numbers being quite low.
Elves came into existence one day.
This signifies that they too were created by the Goddess.
However, there was an exception.
The tree most closely associated with elves, the World Tree.
This tree, legendary for its ability to be seen from anywhere as it soars towards the sky, is both a friend to the elves and their home.
It is also considered a sacred entity.
In fact, the World Tree is a divine being that is both a tree and possesses divine status.
And one day, the World Tree bore a gigantic fruit.
Everyone was astonished.
This was because the World Tree had never borne fruit in thousands of years.
Moreover, the fruit hanging from that colossal tree was just one.
Thus, the elves awaited its complete ripening, never even thinking of picking the fruit prematurely. For, only when the fruit ripened and fell to the ground would it align with the desires of nature.
The fruit fell.
Surprisingly, from the fruit emerged a child.
This child was exceptional.
From the moment of birth, her sensitivity to spirits was at its peak, and she played with the elves’ primary weapon, the bow, as if it were a mere toy.
Furthermore, the lifespan bestowed upon her by the World Tree was an astounding thousands of years.
Thus, the elves referred to her as a ‘High Elf.’
The one and only truly unique child of the World Tree.
The High Elf, Raquielia.
She was currently traveling the world, having left the side of the World Tree.
“Hmm… I wonder where Lord Jörmungandr is?”
Raquielia tried to sense the presence of the great serpent.
Yet, she could not feel it.
Might this be a sign that he had also grown over the long years?
Even with the overwhelming perception of the elves, a race no other could dare compete with, she could not detect the presence of Jörmungandr.
“Well, I have a rough idea of where he might be.”
The guardian deity of the Kingdom of Trelinia.
Just from that title, it becomes painfully obvious where he could be.
While it was unlikely Jörmungandr would reside in the kingdom due to his nature, it would at least make sense that he had established a presence in the surrounding area as a guardian deity.
With such light thoughts.
Raquielia began inquiring about the Kingdom of Trelinia.
It was a very straightforward task.
Recently, the Kingdom of Trelinia had been quite the hot topic.
The guardian deity of the Kingdom of Trelinia appeared in the Holy Empire, directly saving the faithful while averting disasters that had afflicted the nation. That alone made Jörmungandr a subject of great interest in this world.
It was only natural.
From the perspective of other countries, the Kingdom of Trelinia had abruptly established a new deity as their guardian and declared it the state religion, despite previously rejecting the Holy Empire’s proposals and having no officially recognized faith.
Did I mention that this new deity had appeared in the Holy Empire to prevent disasters affecting the nation?
Moreover, this deity was referred to as the “Apostle of the Goddess” in the Holy Empire?
It was impossible not to pay attention.
This news was very delightful for Raquielia.
“He really despised stepping out like this. Has time changed him a bit?”
Well, thousands of years had already passed.
With that much time gone by, a personality change was very possible.
Hmm, hmm.
Nodding her head, Raquielia reached toward the air.
——Whooooosh!
The sound of thick wind.
Along with it, something translucent materialized.
“Hello, Sylphid.”
[…….].
A transparent wolf figure.
The spirit, covered in pure white wind, appeared before Raquielia and expressed friendliness toward her.
She affectionately patted the spirit’s head, asking for a favor.
“Sylphid, could you send me beyond there?”
——Nod, nod.
The place her hand pointed to was where the remnants of Jörmungandr could be sensed.
Listening to her request, the Wind Spirit King, Sylphid, expanded its size.
It grew to several dozen meters in an instant.
Nodding toward Sylphid as it beckoned her to climb onto its back, she naturally mounted him.
“Alright, let’s go!”
——Whooooosh!
A hearty sound.
With that, Sylphid pounced into the air.
——Thud-thump!
The scenery shifted dramatically.
It wasn’t merely the surrounding landscape passing by rapidly like a panorama.
The space around them twisted.
With each time he slammed his feet to the ground, he moved hundreds of kilometers in an absurdly swift manner.
He surpassed the speed of sound with ease.
This extraordinary speed showcased the power of the Spirit King.
Controlling the winds of the entire world, he simultaneously thrust forward with explosive force as he pounced into the air.
Normally, this would be impossible.
Even the highest-tier spirits could merely create small gusts of wind.
However, the Spirit King was different.
For one with unparalleled authority, manipulating the winds of the entire world was quite simple.
Yet, for Raquielia, not a single wind blew.
An endlessly calm tranquility.
Still, Raquielia savored the slowly changing scenery around her.
“Hee hee hee….”
It was an awe-inspiring speed.
If someone else had seen it, they wouldn’t even recognize what had just passed by.
With a single leap, the terrain shifted dramatically.
With another leap.
In no time at all, they found themselves in a snowy plain of dazzling white.
The icy blues surrounded them like sharp blades.
With another leap.
This time, they were in a volcanic region.
Seething lava rose, heating the earth intensely.
Despite temperatures hot enough to reduce abominations to ashes, it felt endlessly warm to them due to the Spirit King’s powers.
The terrain continued to shift dramatically.
An endlessly vast lake.
A sea teeming with countless underwater monstrosities.
A sky garden where the floor was non-existent.
All these changes in the environment.
Occurred simply with a single leap.
That was the power of the Wind Spirit King, Sylphid.
An overwhelming speed that disregarded the constraints of space.
With the wind, he could go anywhere.
“Ah ha ha!”
Raquielia’s light green eyes sparkled.
Right now, her eyes were fully engrossed in the rapidly changing world.
Occasionally, she would embark on such journeys with Sylphid.
Every time she did, witnessing the slowly transforming world brought her immense joy.
Watching the world change over a hundred years was highly entertaining.
Arriving was swift.
In less than ten seconds, they reached a colossal gate.
“Hm?”
Summoning Sylphid back, Raquielia tilted her head.
“Does Jörmungandr live in a place like this?”
Something felt a bit off, didn’t it?
Setting aside everything else, she didn’t think that creature would create such a massive gate.
Above all, he lacked arms.
Of course, it could be said he could open and close it with his body, but that seemed like a major hassle.
“Well, I can check it out.”
Raquielia opened the grand gate and entered inside.
It was exceedingly luxurious.
Various precious treasures were decorated right from the entrance, and the exterior walls, made from materials harder than steel, appeared as though they could withstand even the most powerful magic with ease.
The further she ventured inside.
Raquielia’s doubts grew.
This was far too lavish to be where Jörmungandr lived.
That guy didn’t believe in the value of gold. The thought lingered in her mind, and as she entered further, she spotted a woman.
Flaming red hair and eyes.
And black scales covering her body like armor.
But above all, there existed something that captured Raquielia’s gaze.
“Why is that there…?”
The dark, pitch-black scales.
They gleamed softly, nearly smooth enough to be used as a mirror.
It was a sight very familiar to her.
“Jörmungandr…?”
And.
Who was the woman who was cherishing that?
When her head was filled with confusion.
The woman, watching her with a gaze that seemed to be on guard, spoke.
“Who are you?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
That cold glare.
Plus, the way she was hugging Jörmungandr’s scales so dearly.
All of it.
Caught her eye.
To be honest.
It bothered her greatly.
Why does that scale belong to that girl?
And why did Jörmungandr give her his scale?
After all, he had refused to give her any when she asked.
Everything was a question.
At the same time, it was immensely irritating.
So much so that,
Unknowingly, she blurted out.
“Jörmungandr’s girlfriend.”
“……What?”
A face that seemed completely baffled.
Seeing that expression, a feeling of relief washed over her, and a smile crept to her lips.
“Did you not hear? The girl holding that scale is his girlfriend.”
“Uh, uh…”
“So care to explain? How did you come to have that scale…?”
Raquielia’s eyes glimmered gently.
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