At the Top Layer of the World Tree in the Great Forest.
A Room Bathed in Sunlight.
There, an elderly subhuman stood with arms crossed, gazing down at the bed.
His small, gaunt daughter lay unconscious with her eyes closed.
“Has she ever regained consciousness?”
“Yes. I’ve been administering high-level recovery potions every morning, but not at all…”
*Huff.*
The elder let out a deep sigh at the nurse’s response.
It had already been a month since his daughter fell seriously ill and lost consciousness.
In that time, hundreds of physicians had come and gone in the Great Forest.
They all unanimously diagnosed her with a heart problem, progressively worsening until it would inevitably lead to death.
Whenever he demanded treatment, they all showed reluctance.
They said it was an incurable disease.
While continuous dosages of recovery potions could slow down the deterioration, a fundamental cure was impossible.
“Elder. Still, it’s fortunate that the saintess is coming.”
*…*
The elder turned his head away from the nurse, who spoke with a glowing expression.
No matter how miraculous the saintess was, it would be impossible to save his daughter.
He knew well that her miracles were merely exceptionally powerful healing magics, not omnipotent powers.
But perhaps with her abilities, she could momentarily bring back the consciousness of his daughter, who couldn’t even be awoken by high-level recovery potions.
Of course, that would be all.
“Lock the door.”
“Excuse me?”
Even if things seemed better at the moment, that was just an illusion.
Ultimately, once the saintess’s magic wore off, the disease would rapidly worsen again.
The empire likely sent both the messenger and the saintess for that very reason.
They would benefit from the negotiations by hinging on the condition of the saintess’s continuous healing magic.
Citizens and other elders alike reacted sensitively because the life of the priestess was at stake.
But he couldn’t sell the interests of the Great Forest just to delay a predetermined death by even a little.
“Until I give further instructions, do not let anyone enter this room.”
“W-wait, Elder?”
“Did you understand?”
“I understood…”
They would ensure that there would be no contact between the saintess and his daughter.
Then there would be no chance of false hope.
His daughter was going to die as planned.
Without enduring a painful life anymore, she would sleep peacefully.
Yes, this was the right path.
How much had they squandered in the national treasury buying recovery potions until now…
“Ah. If only there had been an elixir.”
Tears rolled down the elder’s cheeks.
How desperately had he searched for the elixir over the past few years?
Thinking about it made him suddenly resent the empire again.
Everyone knew that there was an abundance of elixirs stored in the palace’s basement.
They had been hoarded for emergency use for the royal family for decades.
If they had sold just one, only one to the Great Forest…
“All futile.”
It was all in the past.
The elder wiped his tears and left the room.
Now was the time to act.
He needed to show the messenger who had come to the Great Forest without a clue their intentions.
They, the Great Forest, would fight against the empire.
They would not allow the priestess’s limited life to be taken hostage…
—
How long had he been waiting alone?
One by one, elderly subhumans began to enter the conference room.
After the fourth one entered, the procession came to a halt.
“Greetings. Schlus Hainkel. Direct knight of Emperor Freya.”
“Nice to meet you. We are the council of elders of the Great Forest.”
The council of elders.
They were the most respected individuals in the Great Forest, jointly drafting and deciding all policies, the rulers of the Great Forest.
However, the council usually consisted of nine members.
Only four had shaken hands with me so far.
It was obvious they knew why I had come but were unwilling to gather everyone.
It was truly irritating.
“I heard you declined formalities and meals.”
*Hahaha. How humble you are.*
*…*
They were slyly throwing shade at me.
It was a bit unpleasant, but it didn’t warrant scowling.
After all, they were just the whimpering beasts that would soon be bowing down.
“Could you gather all the council members? I wish to negotiate.”
“Negotiate? What negotiation is currently in process?”
“I misspoke. It is not a negotiation, but a demand. Cease all support for the Southern Republic and participate in the blockade.”
*…*
I cut through the sarcasm and got right to the point.
The fact that I referred to them as the Southern Republic instead of rebels was my greatest concession.
Perhaps there would be no further concessions today.
*”Ah, ceasing support for the Southern Republic? That is news to us.”*
“That’s right. While we have offered some support to the subhumans rising against slavery, we have stubbornly refused to assist Duke Lorraine.”
They were trying to weasel out of the issue.
I decided to push back a bit.
“What a shame. To think the empire and the Great Forest, which once fought side by side during the holy war, have grown so distant.”
*”Distant? We do not think that at all.”*
“Wouldn’t it be odd for the messenger representing the emperor to arrive without any escort or honors until entering the Great Forest?”
*”It seems there was a mistake in the formalities department—hahaha. I apologize for that.”*
“Then you mean the Great Forest does not hold adversarial feelings toward the empire?”
*”Of course not. Why would the Great Forest express enmity toward the empire?”*
“How unexpected. The empire has classified the Great Forest as a virtual adversary.”
*”W-what…?”*
I was not cut out for this roundabout political banter, so I decided to lay it all out.
To provoke them into dropping their pretenses and push the negotiation forward.
“Are you proclaiming war right now?”
“It’s merely a virtual adversary. Just considering the potential for war.”
“Which basically means you are already hostile!”
*”That’s right. If we do not treat those who obstruct the empire’s cohesion, what shall we do?”*
*What…*
“It appears to be an excellent opportunity. A rebellion occurs at the very border with the empire, and you thought to gain independence for the Southern Republic by helping them?”
The establishment of a solid buffer of the Southern Republic.
That was the sole purpose behind the Great Forest’s support for the rebels.
Although the Great Forest had maintained amicable relations with the empire up until recently, humans had invaded the Great Forest whenever they had the chance over thousands of years.
If we were to think about it, the Great Forest had always designated human forces as virtual enemies.
How would the Great Forest react seeing the empire struggle and fail in the war against the Trud Kingdom?
“Oh, these bastards may not be as incompetent as I thought?” would likely be their thought.
At that moment, a rebellion broke out in the Southern Colony, and witnessing the rebel forces overwhelm suppression forces would have led them to believe they could help for independence.
Once independent, the Southern Republic would act as a buffer country, receiving the threats to the empire head-on.
“Hahaha. A buffer zone? I know nothing about that. We only wish to help our subhuman brethren suffering in the Southern Plains.”
“Then that’s all the more strange. The Southern Republic is currently conscripting subhumans and pushing them into battle with inadequate weaponry. Wouldn’t it be right to support the empire, which guarantees the freedom and safety of subhumans?”
“Well, I believe freedom obtained without struggle is not true freedom.”
*…*
Yeah, I already knew they couldn’t stop their support with a mere slave emancipation decree.
Supporting the liberation of subhuman slaves was merely a pretext to gain the support of the Great Forest’s residents.
So to persuade these gentlemen, I needed to make them understand that supporting the South would be detrimental to their national interests.
“Are you aware of the current battle situation of the civil war?”
“Yes. We are well aware. The suppression forces are in trouble.”
“Then you should also know that hundreds of subhumans are dying daily.”
*…*
“Duke Lorraine seems to be under a grand illusion. He likely thinks his enemies are the imperial troops when in reality, he is continuously losing to suppression forces, having already lost a thousand elite cavalrymen. How many of those cavalrymen were from the Great Forest army, I wonder?”
The atmosphere in the conference room turned chilly.
They were not ignorant of the situation.
The elders knew the Southern Republic army had been utterly shattered.
They likely received information faster than anyone else.
“What was lost is but a handful. Ultimately, it seems they shall achieve independence, hoho.”
“Stop denying it. Within a month, the Southern Republic will collapse, not due to the suppression forces’ offensive, but due to internal division. Everyone can foresee that future, can’t they?”
*”What are you talking about…?”*
“Then it’s the Great Forest. The fully-powered imperial army, with all its troops and resources intact, will advance toward the World Tree with full force.”
*”Are you threatening us?”*
“One could say that.”
The elders who had been yawning or fiddling around suddenly turned their full attention toward me.
With fierce stares akin to predatory beasts, they glared at me, as if ready to pounce and tear my throat out.
Finally, the atmosphere had turned into something I had wanted.
I had hated the pretentious riddles played by hostile nations attempting to save face; finally, it began to feel like a genuine conversation.
“You’re finally revealing your true colors. Come at us whenever you wish. The Great Forest has never been conquered by human kind.”
“That’s a story from when magical engineering was at a low level. The World Tree, Yggdrasil, could very well burn.”
“You’re talking nonsense. Fire does not last long in the Great Forest. The high humidity and dense mana energy will extinguish the flames before they spread.”
“Have you ever heard of the term ‘ever-burning flame’?”
“Ever-burning flame…?”
“It is the latest spell secretly researched at the Imperial University. It generates and supplies oxygen separately, thus creating fire that never extinguishes.”
“That magic couldn’t possibly work…”
“Why not find out for yourself? I doubt the Great Forest is the first to use it in real combat.”
*…*
Of course, it was a lie.
The concept of ‘ever-burning flame’ was something proposed decades ago, but no meaningful research had actually taken place…
That was the setup.
In fact, all research teams had given up, and now only the concept remained, yet they wouldn’t have a clue.
It wouldn’t be difficult for them to dismiss my words as mere boastful claims.
But what if it were real?
They would be unable to help but imagine scenes of Yggdrasil raining fire upon cities engulfed in flames.
“I will demand once more. Cease all support for the Southern Republic and participate in the blockade. If you do so, the empire will accept the Great Forest back as an ally without additional conditions.”
*…*
The atmosphere was palpably tense.
The piercing gazes of the elders remained strong, yet I could see them wavering, their pupils shaking.
They too must have sensed it.
It was a fight they simply could not win.
It was evident from the recent battle conditions that the Southern Republic was on the brink of collapse.
And the fully-powered imperial army needed only one legion to force the Great Forest to devote its entire national strength to defend.
But with the added threat of an evil weapon like the ‘ever-burning flame’ would seal the Great Forest’s fate.
At least that was what they would think.
*Grrg… I cannot… accept this…*
*”Same here.”*
*”I feel the same.”*
*…*
They were clearly aware that the decision they were making was detrimental to their national interests.
The reason behind their refusal could be boiled down to just one thing.
The public opinion.
Due to the democratic system, the council could not make rash decisions without a justification to quell the people’s will.
Even if that path led the Great Forest to ruin, if the people wanted it, they had no choice but to follow suit.
It was entirely the council’s fault.
They must have incited the public by claiming that supporting the Southern Republic was the path to help the subhumans in the South.
*”It seems your words are resolute, but you’re struggling with doubts.”*
*”We will not hesitate for a moment. The Great Forest is ready for war. We will not accept your demands.”*
*”What a pity. If you had accepted my demands here, I would have offered you an elixir as a special gift.”*
*”An elixir…?”*
The elders’ eyes widened.
They seemed to be doubting their ears, as if they had misheard.
I was now presenting a justification.
A way for the elders to pivot the public opinion.
“I will be clear. If you accept my demands right here, I will hand over an elixir immediately.”
*”You mean you have an elixir with you? Then why don’t you show us!”*
*”That’s right! Where’s your bluff going?”*
*…*
The elders were becoming agitated.
It must have been a sensitive topic arising.
Hearing about the elixir that could heal the priestess, whom all citizens revered as a representative of the divine, was indeed enough to provoke them.
But the problem was that I didn’t have the elixir yet.
The quest was supposed to be coming to fruition soon.
Iris… where the heck are you right now…?
*”If you have an elixir, show it! If you can’t, we’ll consider it a lie!”*
*…*
One elder shouted at me, slamming the desk in anger.
But I maintained my composure, keeping my lips tightly sealed.
Iris. Are you coming?
Please hurry…
—
[Quest Achieved]
[You have been rewarded 5 shop coins.]
This unclear window couldn’t have been more welcome at this moment.
