Chapter 180
The World Tree
Even ordinary humans rarely had the opportunity to ride in a sky carriage alongside a dragon spawn, much less renowned nobles of ducal rank or higher.
They were flying swiftly with the Cerdes Continent spread out beneath them.
“This is your first time riding in a sky carriage, isn’t it?”
Ferda had ridden one several times before and had even piloted one himself.
He had simply stopped because he had no reason to use it.
“That is correct.”
For now, Ferda nodded.
“They are rarely operated, after all. Humans can simply use a teleportation circle whenever something is especially urgent.”
Just as Erika said, the purpose of a sky carriage was rather ambiguous.
It lacked the leisurely comfort nobles desired, yet it was nowhere near as immediate as a teleportation circle. In the hands of an inexperienced pilot, it was no different from placing an enormous piece of furniture inside a catapult.
Even places such as the empire kept them on standby rather than actively operating them.
However, in regions where leisurely travel was impossible and teleportation circles could not be used, there was no better means of transportation than a sky carriage.
The high elves’ settlement was precisely such a place.
“When will we arrive?”
“Considering our speed, it should take about an hour. Shall we talk in the meantime?”
“I am not especially fond of idle chatter.”
“Hoho. Do you really think I brought it up merely to make small talk?”
Perhaps Ferda’s response had irritated her, because her laughter sounded unusually heavy.
“Let us discuss the black liquid you gave us.”
The black liquid.
Among the objects taken from Research Director Rinne, the dark elf, there had been two items of particular importance. One was her journal, and the other was a box of samples.
“After conducting our research, we have both good news and bad news. What we can say for certain is that the substance resembles dragon blood.”
“And that is both good and bad news?”
“When I say it resembles dragon blood, the difference is about the same as that between humans and monkeys. Both have arms and legs, and both are pleased when you hand them food. That is the extent of their similarity.”
There was a faintly condescending tone in her explanation, but Ferda chose to ignore it.
“In any case, to summaLize, their inability to manufacture true dragon blood means they cannot artificially create a dragon. That is the good news. Do you understand?”
The most terrifying force during the Dragon-Demon War had been Godwin’s magic.
Every dragon had been mobilized to stop Godwin after he extended his influence, and in the end, they had protected the continent only through tremendous sacrifice.
Now that the dragons had grown so weak, no one knew what would happen if another Godwin appeared.
“Then what is the bad news?”
“The bad news is that this imitation dragon blood has effects similar to the substance used in the Ascension Ceremony.”
Demons were created from Godwin’s blood.
Although they were now called by a different name, there must once have been a time when they too were known as dragon spawn.
They could not create another Godwin, but they could create demons.
“Is it possible because some of Godwin’s essence still remains?”
Essence was said to be the very core of a dragon.
Anyone capable of obtaining that power could acquire tremendous strength and freely accomplish things that had once been impossible.
Erika shook her head at Ferda’s speculation.
“The essence may be related, but it is unlikely to be the main factor. Even if some remains, dragon spawn who are not true dragons cannot perform the Ascension Ceremony.”
Ferda recalled Silverwind’s circumstances.
After the Dragon-Demon War, no new descendants of Silverwind had been created.
Godwin had absorbed all of Silverwind’s essence and risen to a level comparable to Silverwind itself. The reason he had not performed the Ascension Ceremony was not because he had no desire to do so.
It was because he could not.
“In any case, this black liquid itself is something far removed from dragons. That made me wonder whether it might be related to Research Director Rinne being a high elf. While asking them to decipher the journal, I intend to request that they investigate this as well.”
Erika held up the bottle containing the sample.
“I hope it produces meaningful results.”
“As do I.”
Their discussion of the black liquid ended there.
Ferda turned his gaze toward the window.
Before he realized it, their destination had entered his field of vision.
“The World Tree.”
A tree said to tower above the heavens, its roots extending throughout the entire Cerdes Continent.
It was said that people living in the western regions began each morning by awakening and admiring the vigor of the World Tree.
Ferda learned only later that the saying had originated as an obscene joke.
Even so, seeing the World Tree truly inspired a different kind of awe.
When people looked up from the ground, they often described cathedral spires as piercing the sky. Yet once one rose into the heavens, those spires seemed like nothing more than creations beneath the vast sky.
Mages, in particular, often made such grandiose remarks out of vanity after learning spells that allowed them to remain airborne for long periods.
The World Tree, however, was entirely different.
Even from this distance and altitude, its end could not be seen. Its branches faded into the blue of the sky, making it seem as though the heavens themselves had been distorted into an immense canopy of leaves.
It truly appeared to be supporting the sky.
“Is this your first time seeing the World Tree?”
Noticing that Ferda could not take his eyes off the view, Erika casually asked him.
Ferda answered silently.
This is my second time.
He remembered seeing it from a similar height within memories twisted and ruined by vengeance.
He remembered a sky reduced to ashes and the World Tree glowing red.
The smell of ash had pierced his nose so deeply that for an entire month afterward, he had been unable to smell anything properly.
Ferda found himself facing the person he had been back then.
He saw that hideous version of himself who had abandoned his purpose in pursuit of greater strength, cast aside his humanity, and surrendered entirely to emotion.
“This is the first time I have seen it while in my right mind.”
“You may be nervous and make mistakes, but elven etiquette is not so different from human customs. Besides…”
Erika placed a hand over her chest.
“I will be beside you, so there is no need to worry too much.”
She wore the expression of an elder telling him to place his trust in her.
Erika seemed to have arbitrarily concluded that he was nervous because it was his first visit.
There was no need to correct her, so Ferda allowed her to continue misunderstanding.
The sky carriage drew closer to the World Tree and gradually lowered its altitude until it reached the tree’s midsection.
A place that had appeared no larger than a speck from afar turned out to be a vast clearing where carriages could land.
“Let us disembark.”
Erika opened the door and stepped out first.
Air so cool that it was difficult to believe it was summer pierced Ferda’s lungs.
The elves who had come to greet them entered his sight.
They wore luxurious armor forged from high-quality elven metal.
Elven archers clad in that armor stood in a straight line and greeted them with proper courtesy.
Ferda still did not know how to distinguish the various kinds of elves, but he was certain these were wood elves who lived within the forest.
That was because the man standing at their head shone far too brilliantly to be one of them.
Among elves, high elves were renowned for their particularly noble beauty.
His face seemed capable of brightening the entire world with a smile, yet the only expression upon it was dry and impassive, like drought-stricken earth.
“We greet the noble guardians of the World Tree.”
Erika was the first to offer her respects.
The high elf returned the greeting.
“May the earth grant you its blessings and joy. Welcome, descendant of water.”
“I understand you are in the midst of preparing for the festival. Thank you for sparing your valuable time, Elder.”
“There is no need to thank me. Everything was permitted by the Great Chieftain.”
His voice trailed off as he cast a brief glance toward Ferda.
Erika immediately began the introduction.
“Regent, this is one of the high elf elders.”
Erika did not introduce the elder by name.
Elves did not allow others to introduce their names on their behalf.
“May the earth bless you. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Yet the high elf did not state his own name.
It meant that Ferda’s visit was not welcome.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
Ferda concluded with an equally dry greeting.
The high elf elder turned his attention back to Erika.
“I was told that you require the assistance of the high elves.”
“Yes. This is a matter of great importance, and it is something only the high elves can accomplish, so I had no choice but to ask for your help.”
“Since the Great Chieftain has granted permission, we must admit you. However, may I ask what exactly this matter concerns?”
Erika sensed something strange in his words.
Then she realized one thing.
“It seems you were not properly informed of why we came.”
“That is correct. I was told only that guests would be arriving.”
Among humans, misunderstandings could naturally arise when either the messenger or the recipient made a mistake.
But among elves, whose minds were connected as one, such an occurrence was as rare as being struck by lightning in the middle of a city.
In other words, the Great Chieftain did not want the other elves to know about this matter.
Realizing that, Erika quietly refused to explain.
“My apologies, but I came here as a representative of Iorga. This matter must be discussed with the Great Chieftain first.”
The elder, however, refused to back down.
“This is elven land. We are the first children of this earth, and we are the guardians of our mother.”
“I am well aware of your devotion and your efforts. However, neither my position nor the Great Chieftain’s message has changed.”
“Then we cannot allow you to pass so easily.”
“You overstep yourself, High Elf Elder.”
The final words that chilled the air had not come from either of them.
They had come from Ferda, the other guest.
“What did you say, Regent?”
“I will say it again. Do not overstep yourself.”
Ferda pressed forward without hesitation.
“Even if you are to become Valdrova’s husband, how dare a short-lived human speak so insolently?”
“Do you think I am saying this merely because I am to become Valdrova’s husband? I am the guest involved in this matter. I am telling you not to interfere in my affairs. What more needs to be said?”
“...Insolent.”
The atmosphere steadily grew more hostile.
The expressionless high elf’s face twisted slightly.
One of his fingers twitched.
At the same moment, tension surged through the elven archers standing behind him.
Ferda readied his mana, and Erika likewise prepared to respond.
“Stop!”
A woman’s voice shattered the silence before the storm.
A woman who appeared to be another high elf was running toward them.
She had a slender frame and platinum-blond hair that scattered in the light. Her wide green eyes were filled with panic.
“What is it?”
“Haa... haa... These people are the Great Chieftain’s guests. You were surely told only to guide them, so why are you causing such a commotion, Elder?”
“A human has set foot upon this sacred land. As one who hears our mother’s heart, how could I remain silent?”
“You are not to trouble the guests. You are to bring them to me. Those are the Great Chieftain’s exact words.”
The elder glared at the woman with evident displeasure.
She clasped her hands over her chest and bit her lip, struggling not to avert her gaze.
In the end, it was the elder who backed down.
“Since the Great Chieftain’s own blood has come personally, there is no longer any need for me to receive them. I will take my leave.”
The high elf elder gave Erika a slight bow and turned away.
The wood elves followed him in perfect order.
Once the hostile atmosphere subsided, the woman breathed a sigh of relief and greeted them.
“May the earth bless you. My name is Lize. I serve as the Great Chieftain’s secretary and aide.”
She introduced herself and bowed politely.
Ferda returned the greeting.
“I am Ferda Valdrova.”
“I am terribly sorry. I thought something like this might happen, so I intended to come and meet you myself, but...”
“It appears the nature of our business was not properly conveyed. We nearly became intruders rather than guests, did we not?”
“Ugh...”
Erika did not bother concealing her displeasure as she snapped at Lize.
Lize answered with a flustered expression.
“My apologies. The Great Chieftain did not share any specific details about this meeting with anyone. That is why this happened, and... I am truly sorry!”
Seeing Lize repeatedly bow her head in apology, Erika finally stopped pressing the matter.
“Let us stop assigning blame. There is something far more important at hand. Take us to the Great Chieftain, Secretary.”
“Y-yes! Please, this way.”
Lize chanted in the elven language and placed her hand against the trunk of the World Tree.
The stairs along the outer surface of the World Tree began moving diagonally.
They stepped onto them and ascended toward the upper levels.
As they climbed, Ferda looked down.
After the Dragon-Demon War, the elves who had once spread far and wide had gathered around the World Tree. Roofs made of wood and straw could be seen scattered throughout the area.
Even so, befitting a race that valued harmony, the green leaves seemed even more abundant.
“It is fortunate that you contacted us at such an appropriate time!”
Perhaps uncomfortable with the silence, Lize forced herself to brighten the mood.
“The Summer Festival is approaching. Had you arrived only a little later, I would have been trapped preparing for another festival.”
“You appear to spend most of the year celebrating festivals.”
Ferda spoke with genuine curiosity.
His words could easily have been mistaken for sarcasm, but fortunately, Lize answered with a smile.
“That is what we do. We enjoy the joy of spring rising from the earth, the joy of summer growing abundant, the joy of autumn bearing fruit, and the joy of winter as we await a new spring.”
Hearing that, Ferda recalled the face of the high elf who had greeted them.
It had looked as though the man had not experienced joy in an unimaginably long time, creating a strange contradiction.
“Considering that, he did not appear to enjoy festivals very much.”
“The Spring Festival has already passed. Everyone naturally becomes more irritable once summer begins.”
“Are they different during the festival?”
“W-well, that is...”
Lize trailed off awkwardly.
Erika answered in her place.
“Originally, summer and winter were seasons of endurance and mourning. Turning them into festivals is a relatively recent change.”
“Yes, that is correct...”
Lize merely nodded lightly in agreement.
If those were difficult seasons, Ferda wondered whether there was any need to hold festivals simply to lift everyone’s spirits.
But he did not understand the way elves thought, so he refrained from judging too quickly.
“N-now that I think about it, Lord Ferda, I heard that you are engaged to Lady Valdrova.”
The conversation abruptly shifted to Ferda’s private life.
“That is correct.”
“I have never met Lady Valdrova, but I have heard that she carries many wounds in her heart. I am sincerely glad that she has been given the chance to overcome them and begin anew.”
“Are you?”
“Yes. It is not good to grow accustomed to loneliness. Having a companion with whom one can share an entire lifetime is a truly joyful thing.”
Unlike the elder, this woman named Lize genuinely seemed devoted to joy.
“If it would not inconvenience you, could you tell me before you leave?”
“May I ask why?”
“I would like to give you a gift. I will make a bouquet of flowers suited to late spring and summer. Ah, perhaps Lady Valdrova is too solemn to enjoy something like that?”
“No. She will like it.”
A bouquet.
What kind of expression would she make if he brought one back for her?
He could already hear the delight in her voice.
“Oh my.”
Lize covered her mouth with one hand as she stared at Ferda’s face.
“What is it?”
“What? Ah, it is nothing!”
Lize hurriedly turned her head away.
Then Ferda sensed another gaze and looked toward Erika.
Erika was staring directly at his face.
She looked startled, as though she had witnessed something she should not have seen.
“What is it?”
“No...”
Erika murmured under her breath.
“I am simply surprised that someone who always looks as though he is about to destroy the entire world is capable of making an expression like that.”
“...?”
What sort of expression had he made?
Ferda had no idea.