Inevitable.
The conflict between the subhuman forces and human forces was said to be inevitable.
Since the unification of human nations on the continent, they have never ceased to pour their overflowing national power into the Great Forest in the form of war.
Even if there were brief moments of friendliness between subhumans and humans, that relationship always ended in war.
As if destined to fight each other, peace between subhumans and humans never lasted long.
And now was that time.
A time when decades of peace were shattering.
The Great Forest was becoming a dumping ground for the Empire to expend the surplus power it had left after fighting a war with the Trud Kingdom.
Although the Imperial Army would have to fight with all its might in the Great Forest, one legion would still have to do that, but that was okay.
The Great Forest was used to its strained finances and desperate defenses.
Rather than waiting for the Imperial Army to invade first, an opinion arose that suggested moving first this time.
Coincidentally, a rebellion had broken out in the southern region bordering the Great Forest.
If they supported this rebellion and achieved independence, a perfect buffer zone would be established, and even if it failed, it would wear down the Imperial Army’s power, thus helping in the inevitable war that was bound to break out afterward.
“Don’t bother denying it. The Southern Republic will collapse within a month. Not due to the assault of the suppression army, but from internal strife. Everyone can foresee that future, can’t they?”
“What are you talking about…?”
“The next target will be the Great Forest. The Imperial Army, which has preserved its manpower and resources, will charge forth with all its might towards the World Tree.”
However, Schlus Hainkel utterly denied this.
He claimed what they were doing was nonsense.
Before the Imperial Army could even move, the suppression army would crush the Southern Republic, and the Great Forest would be left facing an Imperial Army that suffered not even a scratch.
He hated to admit it, but the likelihood of that becoming a reality was high.
Foolish Lorraine was losing troops after suffering consecutive defeats in just a few days.
Moreover, just looking at the suppression army’s outrageous occupation policy made it clear that the Southern Republic wouldn’t last long.
‘But still, a war is bound to happen!’
A war that was inevitable.
He couldn’t simply bow his head to this college student just to postpone that war a little.
The citizens wanted war.
There was no reason to hesitate.
“Have you heard of the term ‘unquenchable flame’?”
“Unquenchable flame…?”
“It’s the latest spell secretly researched at the Imperial University. It produces and supplies oxygen and fuel separately, creating a fire that cannot ever be extinguished.”
But when the story of the ‘unquenchable flame’ came up, they couldn’t help but be agitated.
The story that had circulated like a ghost tale was actually being researched at the Imperial University?
A spell aimed solely at destroying the Great Forest and the World Tree was being seriously discussed?
It was hard to believe.
At that point, it was something close to madness.
“That kind of magic can’t possibly work…”
“Find out for yourself. It will be the first time for us to use it in the Great Forest.”
“…”
There was no use in looking into Schlus Hainkel’s eyes.
He only stared at them with those dead eyes.
From his unchanged expression and empty eyes, no emotions could be discerned.
In the end, they had to give up reading his face.
In that case, they had to consider the worst possible outcome.
What if that ‘unquenchable flame’ was dropped on the Great Forest and the World Tree?
Even if they managed to block the Imperial Army, should the World Tree burn, the homes of the subhumans would simply evaporate.
It wouldn’t be a victory even if they won.
From now on, war with the Empire would mean destruction.
‘I must avoid this war…!’
All the elders shared the same thought and watched each other closely.
This war must be avoided at all costs.
It was a humiliation and a crisis that the subhuman species faced with potential extinction.
But it was impossible to pull support from the south.
The citizens were crying out for war.
They knew the suppression army was slaughtering subhumans and turning them all into slaves.
They wouldn’t believe the news of the suppression army switching to a policy of inclusion now.
The public sentiment had already solidified with a consensus to go all the way, even if it meant war.
‘Isn’t there any justification for this? Some justification!’
A way out was needed.
They needed a justification to sway the hearts of the people.
As the elders were sweating profusely trying to come up with that justification, Schlus Hainkel spoke up.
“How unfortunate. If you had accepted my demands here, I would have specially presented you with an elixir.”
“An elixir…?”
“I will state clearly. If you accept my demands here, I will provide you with the elixir on the spot.”
“…”
The elders’ mouths dropped open.
Schlus Hainkel was providing a splendid justification right then and there.
The elixir.
A panacea capable of curing the priestess’s illness.
If they were able to save the priestess, the citizens would likely turn their hearts.
If it was simply about cutting off military support without other conditions, they wouldn’t even feel humiliated.
However, even if he had just said he would bring the elixir within a month, they would have been inclined to believe him.
The elixir was a precious item that deserved to be protected by hundreds of soldiers.
Yet, a single knight had arrived riding a mere horse, claiming he had the elixir on him right now and could produce it!
Hearing that, the desire to believe evaporated instantly.
“Show me the elixir! If you can’t, I’ll consider it mere talk!”
“…”
Just as expected.
Even when an elder shouted in anger, Schlus Hainkel remained silent.
He probably knew that he was the father of the priestess and was mocking them.
He aimed to instill false hope through lies.
What a vile character.
It was at that moment when the elders gritted their teeth and glared at Schlus Hainkel.
“If the negotiation had reached a conclusion, I would have shown it to you. Tsk… Now I see that it is not I who is in a hurry, but you.”
“What did you say?”
“It’s right here.”
“…?”
Schlus Hainkel let out a sigh and stretched out his hand.
The faces of the elders who leaned in with wide eyes drew looks of disbelief.
There was nothing in his palm.
“Who are you messing with… uh?”
Just as one of them was about to burst out, light suddenly began to shine from Schlus’s palm.
Then the light soon formed a hazy shape.
Before long, it took the shape of a small bottle and plunk! landed on Schlus’s palm.
It wasn’t an illusion shown through magic but an actual object.
It was hard to believe, even when seen with their own eyes.
Although the essence of magic was said to create something out of nothing, producing an object of such complexity, not just simple elements like water or fire, was something they had never seen before.
If it wasn’t magic… then what could it be?
The expressions of the elders turned strange.
“The elixir will only be offered if the demands are accepted. If you can’t reach a decision before I rise from here, this elixir will no longer exist.”
“C-call the other elders immediately! We must hastily hold a council!”
“Gather all committee members! We need to quickly ascertain the authenticity of the elixir!”
“What are you all doing? Fill Schlus Hainkel’s cup immediately!”
The elders were flustered and began moving from their seats.
It was an opportunity to avoid war while not incurring a huge cost, actually gaining something they hadn’t even asked for.
The condition of providing the elixir was clearly stated to be contingent upon accepting the demands here.
Because of that, as Schlus Hainkel coughed and fidgeted, the elders fidgeted as they worried he would stand up before a decision was made.
The tension was palpable as the elders were urgently summoned to the conference room, and as a quarrel broke out, Schlus could only smile slyly.
Everything was going just as he had predicted.
*
Even a rat will bite when cornered.
Constantly pressuring them only ignited the enemy’s will to resist even more.
Thus, he provided an escape route.
A way they could back out smoothly, with the people’s support.
The result was success.
“The assessment result… is that it is indeed the elixir!”
“Then let’s quickly come to a conclusion in this council. Those in favor of accepting the Empire’s demands, raise your hands.”
“…”
Nine elders.
Within just 10 minutes of gathering, all of them raised one hand high.
This might be the fastest gathering and conclusion in the history of the Great Forest’s councils.
“By unanimous vote, we have decided to accept the demands. Schlus Hainkel.”
“Yes.”
“W-wait! Please do not stand up and stay still!”
“Yes….”
They panicked when he approached to shake hands.
Did they think that because he said “until I rise,” if he stood up, the condition for the elixir would vanish…?
He meant until the negotiation was concluded.
They seemed afraid that he might find an excuse to change his mind over minor details.
“On behalf of the council, I shall respond to the demands. Our Great Forest will withdraw all 2,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry dispatched to the Southern Republic. We also declare our intention to cease all exchanges with the Southern Republic and join in a trade blockade.”
“…”
What? 2,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry?
As they shook hands, his head began to spin.
So, this one handshake meant that more than half of Lorraine’s troops had vanished.
From the Empire’s perspective, they had effectively withdrawn their enemy without paying any price.
No, there had been some price.
[Shop]
[You may purchase items using shop coins.]
[Coins remaining: 4]
“…”
To buy the elixir and have only 4 coins left!
The coins he had saved for so long melted away in an instant, leaving him almost empty.
But it certainly wasn’t a loss.
They had rescued the priestess and could improve relations with the Great Forest, while also cornering Lorraine.
He thought it was an expenditure worth paying.
Besides, this was just a negotiation, but it was practically a surrender to the Great Forest.
From a third-party perspective, it would merely look like he had given a generous gift to the Great Forest to avoid humiliation.
“Would you like to have a meal before you go? I can serve you the Great Forest’s finest dishes!”
“I’m fine.”
“Would you care to see the summit of the World Tree? It’s probably the highest place in the continent!”
“That’s fine too. I need to return as my business is concluded.”
“Oh….”
There was actually a higher place on the continent.
He desperately wanted to point it out but managed to hold back and turned his back.
Time wasn’t on his side.
If his expectations were correct, an anxious Lorraine must have stirred up some trouble.
He had to hurry and provide assistance.
“Was the negotiation successful?”
“Oh, Iris.”
At that moment, Iris, appearing alongside the subhuman soldiers, came up to him with a somewhat displeased expression.
“Yeah. It went well. Did you achieve what you wanted?”
“Yes. Just as you said, I went to find the priestess. She was in a coma due to a severe illness… I wasn’t able to cure her by myself.”
“You did well.”
This time, Iris’s role was truly significant.
He had to send Iris ahead to prepare the priestess, Sibylla.
Even if a full recovery wasn’t possible, Iris’s magic would at least have brought her back to consciousness.
At that razor-thin moment when he had to show the elixir, Sibylla woke up, and the quest was completed, allowing him to purchase the elixir immediately.
“I feel like I’ve been used….”
“No way. The Great Forest is as good as saved thanks to you, Iris. Without the priestess being conscious, she wouldn’t have been able to drink the elixir.”
“Hmm… I think I’ve seen this future. But I still don’t understand what happened.”
“It’s just as you saw. What is there to understand?”
“Where did the elixir come from?”
“I found it in a miscellaneous shop a while back.”
“…”
Iris shot him a sharp glare.
It wasn’t a complete lie.
Since the coin shop dealt in various items, calling it a miscellaneous shop wouldn’t be a problem.
“I’m disappointed. You said you would trust me, yet you haven’t told me anything.”
“Well, it’s natural that I can’t disclose the plan to take advantage of your goodwill.”
“You really did use me, didn’t you? How exactly did you use me? Just tell me that!”
“Haha. Think for yourself.”
Iris, all riled up and puffing, was a rare sight.
He barely held back a laugh as he stepped out of the building.
By that time, the light shining from the Yggdrasil ceiling had weakened significantly.
As night fell, the light emitted by Yggdrasil was also decreasing.
He received his words back from the subhuman soldiers.
The soldiers, upon seeing him, approached happily at first, but then quickly turned their heads away, showing their displeasure.
What a funny little guy…
Just when he was about to climb onto its back and reach out to Iris.
“Hold on!!!”
A timid voice pierced through the air.
All the subhuman soldiers were startled and turned around.
As they caught sight of a small, skinny subhuman girl in a white robe rushing from inside the building, all the soldiers knelt down.
“Wait! Please don’t leave yet!”
“…”
The girl, who had fox ears, hoisted herself in front of them, panting heavily but standing on her own.
Some soldiers approached her to offer support, but she rejected them all and managed to stand on her own before them.
“I am the priestess of the Great Forest, Sibylla.”
The priestess, Sibylla.
She was clearly speaking to Iris.
“Thank you very much, Saintess. I thought I would never awaken again. But thanks to your miracle…”
“It wasn’t a miracle.”
“For me, it was indeed a miracle. I wanted to thank you for offering the elixir.”
“The elixir wasn’t prepared by me.”
“Huh? I heard it was created thanks to your miracle…?”
“Uh-huh. That miracle wasn’t performed by me. If anyone performed it, it would be that one over there.”
“…”
Damn.
She should’ve just accepted the credit gracefully.
Honest Iris couldn’t hold back her laughter and pointed at him.
When Sibylla saw his back, she trudged closer toward him.
“You are… the Schlus Hainkel, aren’t you?”
“…”
“You are the one who gave me the elixir?”
“…”
“Indeed…”
“…”
He didn’t even meet her gaze and just stayed silent, yet Sibylla seemed to understand on her own.
This hadn’t been planned.
It hadn’t been part of the plan for Sibylla to come running after realizing he had the elixir so quickly, and now he had been exposed.
Just saying it was Iris’s omnipotent miracle would have been easier.
If it went on like this, there would be inquiries on where the elixir came from once he returned to the Empire.
His head started to throb.
“Thank you so very much. I won’t forget this grace. The Great Forest will remember forever.”
“Iris, let’s depart now.”
“Ah, yes.”
Without giving Sibylla another glance, he pulled Iris onto the horse.
Just as he was about to leave, he saw Sibylla kneeling behind them and bowing deeply towards their direction.
He let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth.
Having been exposed, he now had to make the best use of it.
“There will come a time when I will request help from the Great Forest.”
“Yes?”
“I won’t demand you to help unconditionally. However, no matter how absurd my request may sound, I would be satisfied if you just listen seriously and consider it.”
“There’s no need to settle for just listening—”
“If listening is all, then that’s enough.”
“Yes… I promise. When you, Schlus Hainkel, request assistance from the Great Forest, no matter what you say, I will listen seriously.”
Sibylla placed her hand on her left breast and declared her vow.
It was the word of a priestess.
It bore a weight far greater than the empty words of the cunning elders.
He turned his head again and patted the horse’s neck.
Then it slowly started to move forward.
The priestess gradually faded away.
As if pledging to keep her vow, she kept her hand raised until she disappeared from sight.
