Chapter 26

Humans began to forge their own path.

Using the gifts I had bestowed as a stepping stone, ever so slowly, gradually… but surely.

The one to whom I passed the crown started leading the people with great enthusiasm and began merging with surrounding human groups. Can you believe it?

Sometimes through persuasion, sometimes through force—this ruler of the crown merged various human tribes into an ever-growing group.

One could say this was nothing short of the primitive birth of a nation.

Though food shortages occasionally arose, they managed somehow by learning agriculture from the lizardmen, fishing using the thread I gave them, trading obsidian for food with the lizardmen, and more.

They even baked clay into pottery and stitched leather together with thread and needles to create crude clothing. The humans were progressing—slowly, but surely.

Hmm, good. It seems I can start reducing the number of gifts. Watching them find their own way is truly rewarding.

And it’s such a relief not having to lift a finger.

If possible, let’s aim to observe without interfering too much in human affairs. Constant interference would be bothersome for both me and them.

I’ll only step in if the humans face problems they truly cannot solve on their own.

—

Time flows as I continue observing humanity.

Enough time has passed that the bearer of the crown has changed several times. Humans have now spread across the continent, making places devoid of them increasingly rare.

During one of these observations…

「Mother, may I disturb you for a moment?」

A voice from a nearby tree reached my ears—it was Yggdrasil.

「Yes, it’s me, Yggdrasil. I’d like to consult with you if you don’t mind.」

Yggdrasil, who had been reflecting in its main body for so long, reaching out to me now—what an event!

Though I think it has reflected enough already…

“What is it?”

「Well… could you come over to my main body? It’d be faster to explain in person.」

“To your main body?”

The colossal tree standing in the northwest of the continent—the largest plant since the world’s creation. That immense Yggdrasil has called for me after all these years of seclusion.

Since the Age of Dragons ended, it had stayed quiet, so I decided to give it some space. But now it calls. What could possibly be wrong?

Despite my curiosity, I flew toward Yggdrasil’s location without hesitation.

“Why did you call me here?”

「You came quickly, Mother.」

Crossing a continent is no trouble for me; it takes mere minutes.

「What I wanted to discuss with you… well, actually…」

Yggdrasil pointed at its base with one of its branches. There, a large crowd of humans had gathered.

「They’ve started gathering around me, and I don’t know what to do.」

Its tone carried a strange sense of confusion.

「Though I haven’t fully repented enough to face you yet… their constant presence makes me unsure of what action to take…」

Ah, so this child still feels guilt toward me.

Even though I never got angry at it, perhaps its guilt grew too deep. Yet my anger dissipated long ago.

“It’s fine. You’ve reflected enough.”

「But…」

“There’s no need to blame yourself further. Surely your reflection has been sufficient.”

At my words, Yggdrasil remained silent.

“Let’s set that aside for now. Are these humans troubling you?”

「Huh? Oh, yes! They are quite troubling, really.」

What exactly are these humans doing to bother Yggdrasil this much?

「They’ve begun worshiping me.」

“Hmm?”

Worship?

「At first, they were just humans searching for food in the forest where I reside. But when they saw me, they knelt silently and bowed. Then they went back and brought others, who also bowed, then brought even more people… and this cycle repeated until…」

Hundreds of humans now surround the base of Yggdrasil.

“Are they troubling you? Should I drive them away?”

「No, no! That’s not necessary. It’s not that kind of trouble…」

After hesitating briefly, Yggdrasil spoke:

「Could I… take them under my care?」

So that’s why you called me here for something so trivial?

Ever since the chaos caused by the dragons, this child—and especially Yggdrasil—has been overwhelmed by guilt. Even in such minor matters, it seeks my guidance. Truly unexpected.

“Do as you see fit. There’s no longer any reason for you to feel guilty about the past. And you’ve reflected sufficiently.”

「But…」

“Much time has passed since then. My wrath has subsided. Don’t worry.”

Honestly, Yggdrasil was dragged into things largely because of others’ actions. Perhaps it feels somewhat unjust.

「The reason I hesitate isn’t that. During the years I observed you, I learned to tell whether your anger had cooled or not at a glance.」

“Hmm? So it’s not that?”

「The real reason I hesitate is… aren’t humans a species you particularly cherish? Is it alright for me to take them under my wing?」

“Hm?”

Do I particularly cherish them? Humans?

「Don’t you? Humans?」

Do I… really?

I pondered deeply. Have I been especially protective of humans?

Of course, I’ve given them various gifts, crafted crowns, paid particular attention to their development… Hmm…

Wait, am I showing extreme favoritism?

No, I didn’t consciously think of it as favoritism… but maybe I have been?

Looking back, I never gave the dragons anything special, only letting them frustrate me until I eventually lost my temper…

As for the lizardmen, the only gift was fixing a spear and teaching them agriculture and fire… Hmm…

I’ve shown blatant favoritism toward humans.

No, it’s because I used to be human myself, and those newly evolved humans seemed pitiful. That’s why I helped them along… Hmm…

I must reflect. Reflect.

「Could it be… you hadn’t realized?」

“G, guess so…”

Realizing I’ve been favoring humans all this time… hmm…

Truly, blood runs thicker than water.

“Anyway, it’s fine for you to take care of these humans. They seem to revere you already.”

「Really? Then I’ll take responsibility for them! I won’t make the same mistakes again!」

Yggdrasil sounds confident, and the guilt in its voice has vanished.

Though it said otherwise, it was clearly hesitating due to fear of my anger.

Then… it will be interesting to see how these humans develop under Yggdrasil’s care.

—

Elves.

Children of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. Guardians of the Great Forest and the quiet citizens of the woods.

Possessing beauty far beyond comparison to humans, they live much longer lives.

With unparalleled magical affinity, the ability to converse with spirits, incredible agility, and masterful archery skills, each elf is a formidable scout, archer, and mage. Most adventurers recognize their prowess, and venturing with an elf companion greatly increases the chances of success.

However, there is a downside.

When traveling with elves, even a single twig must be handled with care.

Though it might seem trivial, trees are akin to family for these quiet forest dwellers.

Breaking a branch in front of an elf is like breaking a family member’s arm. Starting a fire with twigs is unthinkable, and chopping down a tree is akin to declaring a life-or-death battle with the elf.

That said, not all elves are so rigid. Especially those adventurous ones tend to be more open-minded.

Still, even they require consultation before breaking a branch or cutting wood, often needing permission after conversing with the tree itself.

Traveling through the forest with an elf as a guide can either be a peaceful journey or a frustrating ordeal filled with their nagging.

Additionally, elves have a peculiar dietary culture. Despite considering trees family, they reportedly either bask in sunlight for sustenance or consume meat.

While basking in sunlight as a meal might sound absurd, some elves survive for entire months on water and sunlight alone, suggesting this may be a blessing from the World Tree.

Scholars studying elven physiology remain baffled by the mechanics behind this phenomenon.

Thus, when adventuring with elves, it’s advisable to prepare meat-based rations. Otherwise, you’ll spend meal times watching your elf companion drink water with a slightly reproachful gaze.

In any case, despite these inconveniences, elves are valuable companions worth enduring such quirks.

Unless, of course, you’re a dwarf—in which case, the story changes entirely.

– A Guide for Adventurers Exploring the World.

Chapter: Elves