The elves are extremely excited right now.
“Haah!”
“Ah! Ah! Hah!!”
“No! Stop! Enough!”
“Hang in there! Please hold on!”
“I feel like my head is going crazy!”
“I’m going to lose my mind! I really feel like I’m going to lose it!”
The elves couldn’t contain their excitement and were letting out moans.
That’s right.
The elves, witnessing the explosive scene of the World Tree, were in a state of extreme excitement.
Of course, regardless of the elves’ sentiments, another Bunker Buster launched by Hyeji hit the World Tree.
Even though it was quite far away, the sound was ear-splitting, and the shockwave from the explosion was powerful enough to reach this place.
Because of that, the World Tree declared defeat against the massive Bunker Buster Juji, exposing its insides.
And just as another missile was flying through the air, it exploded into several pieces mid-air.
White Phosphorus.
Using white phosphorus, which has a very low ignition point and high flammability.
The worst chemical weapon and a demon’s weapon.
And at the same time, it was Hyeji’s identity itself.
The small white phosphorus grenade, smaller than the Bunker Buster, lodged itself into the exposed flesh of the World Tree, now stripped bare.
However, the effect was quite explosive.
Proving the saying that small peppers can be spicy.
Flames, as red as Hyeji’s hair, erupted from the World Tree.
“Ughhh!!!”
As the Pond Leaf Tribe promoted the duel of the Elf Warriors earlier, every elf had gathered at the duel arena without exception.
In other words.
It means that there was no one near the suffering World Tree.
From the elves’ perspective, it was a critical moment with no elves available to put out the fire on the World Tree.
And from our perspective, it was the only moment to wreck the World Tree without any casualties.
“Help me!! Please!!”
Hearing the World Tree’s scream, the elves finally snapped out of their excited state.
Sharit of the Pond Leaf Tribe urgently commanded all the elves.
“First, we need to save the World Tree! Everyone, pull yourselves together and head to the World Tree!”
As soon as Sharit’s command was given, the elves tried to move quickly from where they were to help the World Tree.
However, regardless of their urgency and desperation, the elves couldn’t move from their spots.
“Oh my! Is there something urgent going on?”
Before they knew it, beautiful yet ominous sky-blue butterflies had densely populated the duel arena.
Moreover, there were far more than usual.
The sky-blue butterflies had ensnared everyone.
High Elves. Ordinary Elves. And Elf Warriors, all of them.
The only ones not bound were all of us.
And only Demian, who was fighting Hyeji.
The rest were unable to move as they were entangled in Elcia’s butterflies.
While everyone was only allowed to move their gazes,
Elcia grinned and returned Sharit’s earlier words to everyone.
“Where is everyone rushing off to in such a hurry?”
“This damn hybrid of Ershiana!!!!!!”
Sharit managed to barely move her mouth and shouted in an unrefined tone.
Then, the Elf Warriors quickly gave individual commands to the elves.
“Listen up! They’re just butterflies! Let’s calmly tear them apart!”
“They’re not as tightly bound as you might think!! Slowly apply your strength!!”
“Elves who escape first should help the others!”
The number above many elves’ heads rose simultaneously.
And those elves, as if they had found hope, began to struggle more and slowly loosen the bond of the butterflies.
Perhaps they were freeing themselves from the bindings as they had before the regression.
During that time, one Elf Warrior, almost free of the butterflies, glared at Elcia with bloodshot eyes and gritted his teeth.
“Did you really think something like this could stop an Elf Warrior!! You filthy hybrid!!”
It seemed the bindings could soon be fully released.
In that situation, Elcia lightly smiled and said,
“That’s right. Butterflies are insufficient.”
“Right!!!… Huh?”
Without saying anything, Elcia simply winked and snapped her fingers.
In the moment the Elf Warrior was about to ask her back,
“What’s that supposed to mean!”
– Crack!
A white thorny vine grabbed the Elf Warrior’s arm.
*
“Husband… are you really going to do that?”
“I don’t think there’s any other way.”
Before the duel began, we gathered separately to avoid the elves’ gaze and held a simple meeting.
“That tree won’t let you go, Elcia.”
“Do you think it’ll openly break the bet?”
“Absolutely.”
Even if the World Tree loses the bet, I didn’t think it would keep its promise.
It’s not certain, but it’s almost highly likely.
Especially, the way the World Tree had shown itself made me abandon the thought that everything would be easily resolved.
[This body agrees. The duel might not even be fair.]
‘It’ll probably ditch in the second duel.’
So, we were sitting down and devising our strategy until the duel began.
Operation name: BTS.
Back
To the
Stone age.
It’s a plan to shove a bowl of national pride into the elves.
Pour all the national pride onto them and return them all to the Stone Age, that’s our plan.
In this context, national pride refers to the weapons that Hyeji can manifest.
[There are weapons from other countries, so how is this “national pride”!!!]
‘Since it’s Made by Hyeji, it’s indeed domestic.’
After seeing the elves of the Pond Leaf Tribe promote the duel, it seemed that all elves were gathering at the duel arena.
If that happens, we can escape the stigma of civilian casualties, so I felt relieved.
I quickly assigned roles to each member.
Jeong Ahyeon would handle the BGM and bring the animals from Elcia’s house.
Elcia would ensnare all elves gathered in the duel arena.
And Hyeji would smash the World Tree with overwhelming violence during the duel.
As my explanation of the operation ended, Jeong Ahyeon asked me what kind of BGM to play, and I recommended something suitable for Hyeji.
After finishing the detailed coordination of the plan with Jeong Ahyeon, Elcia spoke to me with a slightly gloomy expression.
“This is too extreme a situation. What choice should I make?”
“……That’s not something I can decide.”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been in a situation like this.”
It’s true that I was forcing a very cruel choice upon Elcia.
To completely purify the Forest of Elves with fire and incinerate even Elcia’s sanctuary.
Or to turn a blind eye to everything and continue living among the filthy elves.
Neither choice is easy.
“Elcia, you have to choose. Whether to erase everything or maintain this life.”
“……Can’t you make the choice for me?”
Elcia asked me to make the choice in a barely audible voice, her eyes fixed on me.
No matter which choice I made, she was looking at me as if she would follow.
I could make the choice here.
However, I shouldn’t do that.
In some ways, it would be a highly irresponsible declaration.
How can I not utter a word to take proper responsibility for the heroine’s life?
I’m a failure as a protagonist.
But Elcia’s life is solely hers.
At the many crossroads of life, it should be Elcia who makes the choices, not me.
Elcia’s life is not a simple tool that I can wield whichever way I want.
That’s why I absolutely cannot decide for her.
I held Elcia’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.
Tears began to well in Elcia’s eyes as she looked at me.
“I’m not someone great enough to save someone, nor am I an absolute being deciding other people’s choices.”
“…Is that so?”
“Compared to you all, I’m a weak human without any power. I only have a pathetic body.”
“……”
“But I can thrash around all I want for you.”
I said as I gently patted Elcia’s head.
“Elcia.”
“…Yes, husband.”
“Salvation is not something someone gives you.”
“Then?”
“The only one who can save you is you.”
“…But I can’t do this alone… It’s been too hard all this time.”
Elcia forced a smile, looking straight at me and speaking in a trembling voice.
I continued without avoiding that gaze.
“I’ll walk that road with you.”
“………Really?”
“That’s why I’m here now.”
I smiled slightly, let go of Elcia’s hand, and stood up.
Hyeji and Jeong Ahyeon followed suit and stood up with me.
Only Elcia remained seated.
I looked at Elcia and said,
“Things might indeed be different from the past future. The future ahead may become even more treacherous.”
“……That’s true. So much has already changed.”
“But.”
I reached out my hand to Elcia, smiling as I spoke.
“We came back for a different future, didn’t we?”
“Sniff… Huh! Sniff…”
With her head down, Elcia was trembling slightly.
A few drops of tears fell beneath her.
After a brief moment of sobbing, Elcia carefully took my outstretched hand with her shaking hand.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. And you’re right, husband.”
Elcia lifted her head, gripping my hand tightly and standing up.
Though tears were flowing, her eyes were now filled with life unlike before.
“As long as I’m with you, I can walk any perilous path!”
And above all.
She wore the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.
“I’m back for that!”
Surely, Elcia’s future will change significantly.
It might be harder than before, or a repetition of painful moments.
The future, filled with uncertainty and nothing can be predicted.
But isn’t that how an uncertain future is?
Even in the face of numerous hardships, I won’t crumble.
For future happiness and a better tomorrow, I will struggle desperately, step by step.
That’s life.
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