Chapter 105

“Elmony– Let’s play.”

“…I’m busy.”

“You always say you’re busy. You’re not doing anything right now.”

“I’m… watching the forest.”

“Now those long-lived fools don’t fight because of you guys. What’s there to watch for!”

“Everything… happens… suddenly…”

“Ah!!! You’re really stubborn! Baldy! Fool!”

The sixth son of the High Elf, Elmony, stared with blank eyes at the fox, Enya, who was whining noisily in front of him.

This fox, who was throwing a tantrum foolishly, was a wild deity who had lived for hundreds of years in the forest known as Elven Road.

Now, in a small form to burrow into Elmony’s arms, its true form was a fox several times larger than Elmony, with three tails.

“If you keep this up, I’m going to have an accident!”

“…If Enya does that… I’ll be sad…”

Elmony’s face quickly changed to a sullen expression.

Then, flustered, Enya hurriedly burrowed into Elmony’s arms and licked his face.

“I’m sorry! I was just saying it. I wouldn’t do something Elmony hates, right?”

Elmony gently lifted the clinging Enya and placed her on his lap, stroking her fur.

“…Don’t you get bored staying like this all the time, Elmony?”

Enya, who was enjoying the sensation of being petted, spoke.

“Not really…”

It was an important matter.

If the wild deities fought seriously, the surrounding area would likely become a mess for a while.

Above all, Elmony’s powers allowed him to watch over the entire forest and feel the various lives living within it.

For Elmony, who had a sparse sense of emotion, observing the forest was always a good stimulus.

“…How did I end up liking this rock-like creature?”

With Enya’s grumbling, Elmony carefully stroked the base of her ears.

“Ah!… Ah!…”

Leaving Enya to melt away with delight, who was gasping, Elmony suddenly stood up.

“Kyah!”

As a result, Enya, who had fallen off his lap, let out a shrill scream and grabbed a branch with her sharp claws to avoid falling to the ground.

“Really! What’s wrong with you!”

As Enya shouted irritably towards Elmony, she noticed that his expression was different from usual and immediately fell silent.

Though his face was usually emotionless, she quickly realized that it was not merely his usual blank face but one that was hardened.

‘And… is he scared…? Elmony?’

Something had happened.

Enya instinctively felt it.

“Enya.”

“Yes?”

“Gather all the forest guardians, call everyone who listens to your orders.”

“What?”

“And… all the uncles and aunts you can call. And your mother… She must have already noticed…”

At those words, Enya froze.

The uncles and aunts Elmony mentioned referred to the wild deities that Elmony mediated with whenever there was a fight.

You want me to gather not just the strict forest guardians but also those long-lived, arrogant ones with heavy backs?

No, even Lord Prigion?

‘…Is this really a dangerous situation?’

Elmony, who always maintained balance without adding or subtracting from mediation, felt that within this forest, his senses were precise.

If Elmony felt the need to call upon everyone with such calculations, it truly meant there was a substantial necessity.

‘But for something needing that number of participants… what could it be?’

“Enya! Hurry!”

“Ah! Okay!”

Aolololololololol—!

Enya’s cries echoed through the forest, and shortly after, the sounds of animals running began to fill the area.

“Gather everyone where the spirits guide.”

At the same time, Elmony, who had been perched on the branch, leapt into action.

‘…Two dangerous presences…’

Elmony moved through the branches with swift movements, heading toward the source of the energy he sensed.

Unbeknownst to him, his back was damp with cold sweat.

‘…Where the heck… is it coming from…?’

If Elmony’s senses were not mistaken, the two entities that had come slowly into the forest were each radiating an energy comparable to that of his mother.

‘Elder Roa…’

A single word sprang to mind.

They were the most special beings in this world, akin to his mother.

His only sibling, Araya, who had never once been defeated by Palas, had also vanished without a trace after having fought the Gal Dragon, an Elder Roa, half a year ago.

If there were entities emitting such outrageous energy in the natural world, it could only be Elder Roa.

‘…Can I stop them?’

The face of Elmony, rushing forth, turned pale.

Elmony’s combat ability ranked among the weakest of the High Elves alongside Atira, but his ability to gauge an opponent’s strength and prepare accordingly surpassed that of even Araya in certain respects.

It was precisely his power to understand himself, understand his opponent, and achieve harmony.

‘…Many might end up dead…’

Moreover, since Saraswati, Palas, Anart, and over 80 forest guardians had been absent for the past six months, almost all that remained among the High Elves were those close to non-combatants.

On the plus side, his mother, who had used a lot of power to create elves, had rapidly regained her strength since six years ago and was now fully recovered, and this was a forest in the elves’ territory.

‘For now, I need to buy time until Enya gathers the forest guardians.’

I didn’t know that merely buying time could risk my life.

But for the sake of protecting my precious place…

Tap!

Armed with a fearful heart, Elmony stood in front of the dangerous intruders.

As he tried to discern the appearance of the intruders, one of them raised a hand and greeted him with a cheerful voice.

“Oh— I had a feeling, and it’s really you, Brother Elmony. Did you come to meet me?”

Elmony’s face momentarily turned blank as his mouth fell open.

“It’s been eight years since I’ve seen you like this, right?”

His younger sister, who had gone missing six months ago and had caused everyone concern by failing to contact anyone,…

“Have you been well?”

In front of Elmony, an elf resembling one he had never seen before, wearing a terrifyingly similar golden garment, waved their hand.

◈ ◈ ◈

“…Uh… Is this my fault?”

After a brief reunion with Elmony, I was on my way to the location of the old village to meet my mother and brother after a long time.

I had a feeling that Elmony was strangely restless while moving together…

Before long, forest guardians appeared alongside the Roas all at once.

And Demis and Atira, both with solemn expressions.

‘…No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like they gathered to welcome me after such a long time, right?’

Just by seeing the forest guardians caught in the aura I had spread, there were already over 200.

Considering that 80 forest guardians had already been dispatched to Pohelrn, it meant that the entire remaining strength of the Elven Road’s guardians had congregated here.

Thinking about the roles of the guardians in the Elven Road, they wouldn’t gather in one place without a valid reason unless it was really a dangerous situation.

‘And that dangerous situation is…’

Somehow, when the guardians and Roas appeared together at the beginning, they all had stiff expressions.

…What’s going on?

“…Araya.”

“…Uh… Yes?”

Demis rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache, creasing his brow.

After a sigh, he slowly opened his mouth.

“I’m glad to see you seem healthy for someone who suddenly cut off contact.”

“Uh… Yeah…? Thanks…?”

“But what’s the reason you just entered the forest without signaling?”

Ah.

In an instant, it struck me like lightning.

The energy I had changed over the eight years.

And the energy that came with Gal.

Furthermore, if I entered the forest without any signal…?

I turned my head toward Elmony.

Elmony was restless.

Ah.

This is a problem.

In that instant, I understood what had happened.

If entities with unknown, enormous energy suddenly entered the forest and approached the direction where my mother was…

There was no way it wouldn’t be caught by Elmony’s powers, which always observed the forest.

And in the case of Elmony, who could gauge my and Gal’s powers, he would have hurriedly summoned the forest’s forces…

Ah…

“That is…”

“What is it?”

“…To be honest, I forgot since it’s been a while.”

Voices full of sighs erupted from all directions.

Everyone had come rushing in, leaving their own territories because it was an emergency.

“You still cause trouble even after a long reunion.”

Demis sighed, and I lowered my head.

“…That… It’s not an excuse, but there have been various things recently? And actually, I came here because of something really important, so I guess I was a bit out of it.”

As I started to mumble my excuse, Demis, who had been rubbing his forehead, let out a sigh.

“…No… but it’s true, it’s related to the balance and peace of the world.”

“…I see.”

Demis abruptly stopped speaking as if he understood there was no need for more words.

…This is so unfair.

“So, who is that with you? I haven’t seen that elf before.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Gal.

Ah… This too.

“Ah… this is.”

“Gal Dragon.”

“…Hmm?”

“This is the place where Araya was born… It’s better than I thought.”

At the mention of Gal’s name, Demis’s expression, which had momentarily frozen, hardened.

No, it would be more accurate to say that the faces of all the elves around us stiffened.

“I know what you’re thinking, but there was a slight misunderstanding, and we’ve sorted it out now? Let’s not complicate things and everyone chill out a bit.”

“…You really…”

Demis’s expression began to change from frustration to anger.

…And Atira beside him as well.

“First, we need to see Mother. This is really important, including Gal.”

“That guy…? See Mother? Important matter…?”

Demis’s expression grew strange.

“It’s something I can’t tell you all about here. How about we go to the village… or rather, is it a city now? And talk there?”

“…I cannot take such a dangerous person in front of Mother.”

“I’ll take responsibility.”

“…”

…I hadn’t expected to be in a situation where I would have to plead for permission like this.

My voice felt like it was tripping over itself.

After contemplating for a while, Demis sighed.

“…Araya.”

“…Yes?”

“Please don’t cause any more trouble.”

“…Okay.”

“…Follow closely. Unlike before, the paths in the forest have changed a lot. You might get lost.”

“…Okay.”

“Same goes for you.”

“Not a problem.”

Demis sighed and addressed everyone around.

“…Though each of you might have had something to do, thank you for gathering so quickly. There was a misunderstanding this time, but it became an opportunity to see how fast we can respond to an emergency. Fortunately, it seems like it was nothing, so I hope everyone returns to their territories and fulfills their roles.”

With that, the forest guardians that had been on the branches began to disappear one by one.

Demis turned to me and Gal.

“Let’s go. To the capital of Elven Road, Elindium.”

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