Chapter 56

The period promised by the Emperor still had quite some time left.

Yet, there were already those applying pressure.

“Um, Sir Alan? It’s not something I should say as your envoy, but thousands of people in the Great Forest depend on food provisions. Indirectly, it could be hundreds of thousands. After all, the timber coming from the outskirts of the Great Forest alone exceeded 8 million cubic meters per month.”

This was said by the mayor of the border city Antrem, indicating that people relying on the vast resources from the Great Forest were discontented.

‘They are troubled, naturally.’

However, I didn’t feel any urgency.

Because, at this very moment, heroin was surely spreading steadily.

Of course, if the delivery people attempted to monopolize it, the speed might slow down. But there was no way to completely block its spread.

Isn’t it only natural for even an elf, as still a creature as they might be, to feel curiosity when someone next to them had a euphoric look on their face and was puffing away?

Somehow, once they came in contact with it, it was difficult to break free. Instead, they would effortlessly become absorbed in it.

Perhaps some could control themselves if they were aware of any side effects, yet recognizing the dangers of heroin was by no means easy.

Come to think of it, it was ironic that heroin was actually one of the drugs originally manufactured to replace morphine, which had severely detrimental side effects.

In reality, after its release, it was perceived for a very long time as a drug “safer and even more effective than morphine,” and it sold like crazy.

It was only after nearly 30 years that its use was finally banned.

The very first modern form of narcotics regulation also emerged due to the influence of heroin, and it goes without saying that an array of thefts, robberies, prostitution, bankruptcies, and family breakups occurred even before then. In some ways, it was more severe than the crack crisis in the 80s.

‘Yet these people have only been exposed for just a few days.’

It was far too short a time to recognize heroin’s harmful effects.

Of course, there was one way to detect it early.

That was to consciously abstain from further doses and deliberately stop using it.

Because the withdrawal symptoms would probably start slowly appearing around 5 to 6 hours after the drug effect wore off. The pain would become overwhelming after about 24 hours, depending on the individual.

By that point, it would be possible to sense heroin’s danger, albeit with slim chances.

‘Elves wouldn’t endure intentionally, would they?’

With no knowledge of its side effects, with their cravings for heroin growing, and even with heroin available to assuage that craving right at hand?

It was effectively impossible to resist.

Even if an extreme minority of elves could somehow manage to hold out, it wouldn’t matter since it would be hard to find numerous elves with that much willpower. On the contrary, it would only cause discord between the craving elves and those trying to restraint themselves.

Considering the purpose for my arrival here, it wasn’t all that bad.

Because it would disable the elves to the extent they wouldn’t be able to wage war.

Marcela woke up from her sleep, blinking her weary eyes and conjuring a faint smile.

‘That’s right. I can overcome this.’

Compared to before she started using heroin, she was still in shambles now, though.

Even in her current state, she could probably wipe out a small detachment of the Empire’s army in one go. But compared to when she was at her best, she was operating at less than half capacity.

Still, she was slightly better off compared to when the ‘condition’ was at its peak.

Her craving for heroin persisted, but it was something she could endure by willpower alone.

There was no secret. It was simply about enduring.

She was trying to deliberately erase those feelings of soul-purification when taking a hit, or the warm embrace that reminded her of the Mother Tree, or the endless fountains of inspiration bubbling up in her mind.

‘Thinking about it makes me want it again.’

But wouldn’t this craving eventually fade?

Marcela wiped away the cold sweat on her forehead and slowly sat up.

It was time to return to Medelin, the domain of the World Tree.

She planned to report on the peace negotiations to the elders and discard the heroin. Moreover, she decided to take care of her subordinates who, unlike her, were in much worse shape. They had growled at her, but they were still valuable resources, after all.

“Alright, let’s move again!”

Marcela gave instructions to her subordinates lying about nearby.

Yet strangely, there was no reply.

“Lurde? Marina?”

It remained silent.

Upon reflection, she couldn’t sense their presence either.

How embarrassing, even with her dulled senses; how could this have happened?

Marcela sighed and began looking around the vicinity. Surely, they’d be somewhere nearby, moaning while talking about heroin, right?

But what was this?

She couldn’t see her subordinates anywhere.

And upon further inspection, it wasn’t just the subordinates who were gone. The ceramic vial that had been tightly in her grasp before she fell asleep, the one containing 30grams of heroin, was also missing.

Whenever her craving rose, she deliberately stared at that object to calm herself down. Where had it disappeared to? She searched around the area where she had been sleeping, but there was no sign of it.

Marcela’s face began to pale.

“Surely…”

Saying as much as “surely,” she feared the only possible scenario.

Theft.

A heist during the opportunity of her extreme fatigue-induced slumber.

Unpleasant as it might be to imagine, there was no other explanation.

Even though suspecting her own kind was not a good habit, her subordinates’ morphine-addled faces kept flashing in her mind.

There was even one who spat at her, shouting “Are you going to eat it all by yourself?” while gesticulating wildly.

‘I need to find them before it’s too late.’

Marcela clenched her teeth and went in search of her subordinates.

They were ten in number, ten pipes as well. They were likely having a blast by now, perhaps puffing smoke into each other’s faces and giggling.

“Idiots.”

What made her even more irritated was that they had gone as far as committing mutiny just to get a taste of heroin.

She could tolerate their swearing or speaking disrespectfully to her, but punishment was unavoidable as they had disrupted the order. It wasn’t a matter of her mood, but of the chaos they created.

Most importantly, this act would destroy their own lives.

When just two doses were already causing so much pain, wouldn’t things escalate with three or four? Maybe when they tried to quit, the withdrawal symptoms would worsen. She needed to avoid that terrible future at all costs.

‘I have to find them before it’s too late, absolutely.’

Marcela started scanning locations where her subordinates might have hidden themselves.

Bases used against the Empire’s army, the dwellings of the elves stationed around the Great Forest’s periphery, and so on.

She swept through the area for approximately a day, frantically searching, but there wasn’t a trace of them.

The more she failed to find them, the more restless she grew. This implied they were hiding in a secluded spot she couldn’t locate, indulging in heroin.

“Lurde! Marina! Yomira! You can’t use heroin…!”

Marcela ran about the forest, desperately shouting, but no matter how anxiously she called, there was no response.

Instead, a disruptive voice intruded.

– “Lady Marcela. We must return to Medelin. The elders are acting oddly.”

This was a report from her subordinate left behind in Medelin, received via communication magic.

Perhaps it was a call for an update on the negotiations with the Empire’s envoys from the elders.

Was reporting such an issue really relevant now?

Though disheartened, Marcela decided to comply, not out of respect for the elders, but because she realized she couldn’t find her subordinates alone.

‘It’s better to inform the elders about heroin and request them to deploy search personnel. I can’t accomplish this alone anyway.’

Let’s go back first.

Marcela, who’d been staring at the unnecessarily lush greenery of the forest, sighed and changed course.

Her physical condition had somewhat improved, but her inner turmoil was unprecedented.

Maybe more so than the fierce battles against the Britannia Empire’s army. Armies were not frightening, but heroin truly terrified her.

…

The city of the World Tree: Medelin.

As soon as Marcela arrived here through the teleportation magic circle, she rushed towards the building housing the Head Elder’s audience chamber.

A building built on the most majestic branch stretching out from the World Tree.

She usually thought it was overly extravagant for the usually lazy Head Elder, but not now. Her priority was to notify about her subordinates’ disappearance soon and secure assistance.

“Request to see the Head Elder.”

Marcela informed the guard elf standing watch.

“Yes, they are all gathered even now.”

“Also the other elders? Are they in a meeting?”

“Well… I don’t know if you can call it a meeting…”

“Why the hesitation? Never mind. Step aside.”

She brushed past the guard and hastily entered the building. It wasn’t a time for formalities.

In no time, Marcela reached the front of the Head Elder’s audience chamber.

“Didn’t they mention that the elders were gathered here?”

Certainly, she could sense a presence there, and not just a few, in a relatively quiet audience chamber.

Marcela hesitated for a moment as she was about to push open the door.

Was it because she felt awkward showing her worn-out appearance caused by her heroin use?

Or was it due to the shame of failing in managing her subordinates, leading to their disappearance?

It wasn’t for such trivial reasons.

A foreboding suspicion crossed her mind.

The possibility that her subordinates’ disappearance might be connected to the elders’ congregation. And maybe, something was unfolding inside the meeting room. A foolish giggle that was oozing through the door crack fueled her suspicion.

“No. It can’t be.”

Marcela tried to reassure herself while entering the room, scolding herself for conjuring such impious thoughts without any evidence.

But…

Inside the audience chamber, a scene unfolded far beyond her wildest imagination.

“You’ve had your pipe emptied. Let’s refill it once more.”

“Silien Elder, didn’t you have a hit earlier? …Isn’t it my turn now?”

“For those under five hundred years, you sit in the cart… drink, in the cart.”

Drowsily sprawled out, the elders holding pipes.

Marcela’s supposedly missing subordinates loitering by their side, greedily inhaling the smoke.

Worst of all, the Head Elder was carefully measuring out heroin, but then carelessly licking the powder that spilled on the table.

A scene so surreal, it felt unreal even as she witnessed it with her own eyes.

“Huh?”

Marcela could only stand there, dumbfounded, watching her kin’s heroin party.

There was no other action she could take.

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