#178
Elves and Dwarves
A place decorated with the same simple elegance as the other sections of the royal palace.
“Hmm, hmm. I see.”
After exchanging greetings with the others as well, Harris looked around while chatting amicably with the gardener who had volunteered to guide him through the interior, then nodded.
To begin with, elves, by nature, tended to prefer harmony and neatness over splendor, so there was nothing particularly strange about it.
However, since all of their duties involved moving their bodies personally, there was nothing especially worth seeing here.
There were merely lodgings for them to return to in shifts and rest, with a dining hall and training facilities attached.
In other words, there was nothing so special that one would poke around here and there and react like he was doing now.
“Um… Lord Harris?”
“Yes? What is it?”
“…Are you perhaps looking for something? If you tell me, I will guide you there.”
“Ah— no. As you know, it has not been long since I came to the Elven Kingdom. I’m simply not used to it yet, so you needn’t concern yourself.”
At the gardener’s question, his puzzlement plain to see, Harris, who had been scanning the surroundings with keen eyes, once again put on a gentle smile.
There was something he was aiming for, but it was not as if it were urgent, so there was no need to show it.
“Ah, I did hear about that. You came from the Ion Continent, did you not? To think the two most recently awakened ones both came from other continents… Fortunately, it seems the lineage of elves is still continuing well there too.”
Harris, finding it difficult to answer the gardener’s admiring words, merely smiled softly.
‘Honestly, I’m not really sure whether the lineage is continuing properly.’
Cecily had only been saved by luck when she was about to be offered as a sacrifice to black magicians, and he hadn’t heard anything in particular about the current situation of other elves either.
Of course, he had never separately investigated anything related to that, but even so, if something special had happened, it would not have escaped his information network, which spanned many fields.
The fact that there was no other news meant they were either hiding well in remote places or had naturally blended into society.
“Come to think of it, I heard that the second continental conference will soon be convened. This time, it seems quite a number of people will be crossing over to Ion. It has been noisy everywhere, enough that even it reached the ears of us, who have little interest in other matters.”
“Ah, yes, indeed. Considering the scale of the matter.”
As he said, the second conference was scheduled to be held soon at the holy land of the Main God Church, along with the dispatch of a fairly large reinforcement force.
It was to firmly finalize the matters decided at the first conference and continue more detailed discussions.
Unfortunately, however, Harris could not participate in this delegation.
And the same was true for Cecily, who had gone with them last time…
‘Well, that’s only natural. There’s no way they’d keep sending fledglings who haven’t been awakened for long outside forever.’
Even if they had permitted it once as an experience, there was no way they would send promising youths with bright futures every time to a place where no one knew what dangers might await.
Moreover, this time, regarding the dispatch of reinforcements and the construction of the temple, no fewer than three veteran high elves, including Lafori Granwood, had been decided to be dispatched.
In many ways, there was no place for a newcomer like him to join.
‘When I think about it, Harris is still in the middle of growing, so there’s no need for him to step forward already. After all, staying beside the World Tree is the most effective.’
Upon becoming a high elf, all the spirits he could handle had evolved to high rank, and the lightning spirit was on the verge of evolving to the highest rank. Even so, compared to the other avatars, he still felt rather lacking.
‘For now, growth must be the top priority, and I should solidify my foundations.’
And that would not take very long.
Skills such as “Child of the World Tree,” “Natural Assimilation,” “Stargazer,” and “Call of Nature,” along with all sorts of growth corrections, would not leave him be.
“Mm? …This place is?”
Then, at one moment.
While walking around the gardeners’ quarters, Harris finally found the place he had been looking for.
“Ah, that is the storehouse where we keep the byproducts obtained during our work. Compared to artifacts imbued with the power of the World Tree, they are nothing but scraps, but still, the materials are what they are. Since they are catalysts often used in various high-level spells, it would not be an exaggeration to call it a treasure vault.”
“…Is that so?”
“In fact, they are often used as rewards bestowed upon those who have rendered meritorious service, or as gifts in trade with other races. It is said that dwarves, in particular, like the material very much.”
“Of course. Whatever anyone says, they are byproducts of the World Tree.”
At the gardener’s lengthy explanation, Harris replied as if it were no big deal and stepped into the storehouse.
Naturally, it was not a place just anyone could enter, but that did not apply to him, a high elf.
“Hah— all of this…!”
And before his eyes.
Dry branches neatly arranged and piled like mountains, along with heaps of leaves, filled his vision.
No matter how he looked at it, there was so much that calling them precious seemed almost meaningless.
“Ah, what is here is an amount steadily gathered over several years. We maintain a certain reserve in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances while releasing some to the outside.”
From what he heard, there were surprisingly many places within the Elven Kingdom that used them, and a system had been established so that even ordinary elves could obtain small amounts with ease. Because of that, if the supply were suddenly cut off, more than a few places would be in trouble.
For that reason, even when there were trade requests from outside, exchanges were not held all that often.
‘Right, considering the size of the World Tree, this amount might be only natural.’
In fact, thinking of it that way, it could even be considered small.
Considering the branches that stretched wide enough to cover the entire capital, filling a single warehouse would be less than dirt under a fingernail.
And if even this was an amount gathered over several years…
‘Still, the fact that it’s more than enough for one person to use doesn’t change.’
It was only natural, but Harris, being a high elf, had no restrictions whatsoever on using these things.
“There is more than I expected. May I take some of these and use them?”
“Of course. Normally, taking them out is troublesome, but high elves are an exception.”
High elves, as the children of the World Tree and priests, were, by their very existence, channels of communication connected to the World Tree.
Naturally, no one could impose complicated restrictions on them.
Of course, even if they could use them freely, there were so few high elves that it barely showed.
At most, they would take leaves to brew tea or use them in various experiments. With only five or six of them, how much could they possibly use, even if they used a lot?
So until now, no one had particularly paid it any mind, and it had never caused a shortage in supply.
Yes.
Until now.
“Um… Lord Harris? Are you planning to use… all of those?”
“Ahaha, I happen to need them for my personal training these days.”
“Ah—! I see. If it is for training… then it cannot be helped. Certainly, using these would help your natural power grow quickly as well. Haha…”
The gardener, flustered as he watched Harris diligently place branches into a subspace magic tool, nodded as though forcing himself to accept it.
And Harris, still smiling quietly at his understanding, continued.
“Then, once I use them all, I will come again later.”
“Uh… yes, yes?”
With so many goods piled up like this, there was no way he would be satisfied with just a few times, was there?
That said, he had no intention of taking them away and selling them off either.
‘I didn’t lie. I really do intend to use them for training.’
Even so, if he took too much, he would feel awkward under the gaze of others, so it was essential to do it moderately enough that it would not cause problems with distribution within the kingdom.
Of course, they would have to accept that the trade they had been doing with the surplus would become a little tighter from now on.
There would be nothing left over anymore.
***
Clang—! Clang—!
Inside the workshop, where a cheerful sound rang out.
“No, just what in the world is this…?”
As usual, Zaonic entered his personal workshop and could not hide his bewilderment at the scorching heat he felt on his skin.
The heat itself was nothing particularly strange, but the unusual energy contained within it was not something he could easily encounter in ordinary times.
It was an extraordinary fire energy, one he had only ever felt once or twice before.
“D-don’t tell me!”
Realizing something, he hurriedly ran toward the furnace inside the workshop.
Beside Howard, who seemed already immersed in his work, swinging his hammer in a trance, the furnace was spitting out fierce flames… and indeed, inside it was exactly what he had guessed.
“…A branch of the World Tree?”
His mouth fell open without him realizing it.
There was no doubt.
That difficult-to-obtain material, of which even he, in his younger days, had only managed to obtain a palm-sized piece after pestering the village elder over and over.
A piece of firewood several times larger than that was now blazing away inside the furnace of his own workshop!
“Ah, Elder, you’re here? You’re a bit late today, aren’t you? Uhohot!”
Just then, Howard wiped away the beads of sweat forming on his forehead and turned to him with a refreshing laugh.
Zaonic looked at him in disbelief, opening and closing his mouth, then pointed at the furnace with one hand.
“H-Howard? That thing inside there…”
“You recognized it at once, as expected. As expected of you, Elder!”
“No, I mean! Are you saying that really is a branch of the World Tree?!”
At Howard’s carefree reply, he thumped his chest as if he were about to explode from frustration.
That precious thing, capable of making even ordinary iron ore extraordinary. That thing he himself had only ever handled while in Titania. How in the world had he obtained it here on the Ion Continent?
“Hohohot! A friend sent it to me as a gift.”
“A friend? Hubert? Or Harley?”
“There is an elf named Harris with whom I formed a connection… He was once a companion who adventured together with Harley.”
“…That fellow Harley really does stick his nose in everywhere. Well, after hearing those adventure tales, I suppose it makes sense.”
At that reply, Zaonic, who had already heard of “Harley’s Great Adventure,” wore a sour expression.
“But an elf friend sent you a branch of the World Tree as a gift? Hah, seriously…”
Then, recalling the main issue again, he let out a hollow breath.
He did not know what sort of connection it was for an elf to send such a gift to a dwarf, but that was not the important matter right now.
‘To think he used up something so precious so casually! Even if he had saved and saved it until his skills reached a proper level, it still wouldn’t have been enough! At his current level, he won’t even be able to properly control that fire energy…’
He clicked his tongue, overcome with regret.
In truth, how the recipient used something he had received as a gift was none of his business, but no matter how he thought about it, the material was too valuable to simply think that and move on.
Of course, even using it like this would help improve his skills.
He was handling flames kindled with no less than a branch of the World Tree, so if he could properly absorb that experience alone, he would gain quite a bit.
And if it was Howard, who was not some fool but someone growing rapidly every moment, all the more so.
‘But it’s excessive! To waste that like this just to save a bit of growth time!’
If Howard had told him before using it, he would have spared no effort in helping him use it in the most efficient way.
He even felt a little hurt, wondering if Howard had kept quiet because he thought Zaonic might take it from him.
“Hoo— what’s already been used can’t be helped. Still, since the flames remain, I might as well take this opportunity to…”
“Instead of that, Elder, how about joining me?”
An abrupt suggestion.
Howard, who had been looking strangely at Zaonic as he agonized alone, cut off his muttering and tossed out those words as if it were nothing.
“Huh? Ah, well, with that size, the flames should last a few more hours, so I suppose I can get a little taste of it.”
His gaze turned toward the furnace where the branch of the World Tree had been placed and was burning.
Only about half the length of a forearm remained now, but since the material was what it was, those blazing flames would surely last several more hours.
“…Tsk, still, if I come into contact with it half-heartedly without any preparation, I’ll only be left with regret. I’m fine, so you, Howard, finish the work you were doing. Don’t waste precious time for nothing.”
Zaonic turned his head, doing his best to soothe his regret.
Of course, how could he not be tempted? But since Howard had used something he had received as a gift, Zaonic wanted him to grow even a little more through this opportunity.
“Ah, that? It’s fine. There’s more, you see!”
However, the answer that came back from Howard was something he had never expected at all.
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Uhohot! That friend had something good happen to him this time! He sent me a whole lot, telling me to use as much as I liked! Now, now, Elder, you don’t need to hold back either! Come this way!”
And Zaonic, led by his hand, found himself holding several World Tree branches as thick as an arm, wearing a dazed expression.
Back then, he had gone through all sorts of antics and tantrums before the village elder just to barely obtain a palm-sized piece.
So what in the world were these sturdy logs now held in his arms?
Sniff, sniff—
The scent of thoroughly dried wood dug into his nostrils.
As expected of branches of the World Tree, even their fragrance was extraordinary.
“…Ahem, in that case… shall I give it a try as well?”
At that, the creative urge sleeping within him slowly began to raise its head fiercely.
He had been forcing himself to hold back for Howard’s sake, but if there was this much of it, was there really any need to endure?
“I was just feeling lacking and wanted to see your demonstration, Elder! Please bestow your teachings upon this unworthy junior! Puhohot!”
“Uahahaha—! You truly are a lucky charm, Howard! Good, let’s keep at it all night today!”
Zaonic felt his sense of closeness toward Howard double today, and he immediately began preparing for work.
Now that things had turned out this way, there was nothing left to block his path!
Claaang—! Kaaang—! Claaang—! Kaaang—!
After that, in the harmonious workshop where everyone got along, the sound of hammering iron in perfect accord did not cease all through the night…
And one young dwarf also began to grow rapidly in proportion.