What is a witch? They are commonly known as a sinister group that deals mainly in medicine and poison, keeps beasts as familiars, and curses humans... but the reality is not quite so.
In most species, females outlive males. Humans are no different. While Tir and the Great Witch are raising the average, that aside, women generally survive longer.
A widow who outlives her mate survives alone, spending her remaining years on the outskirts of the village raising small beasts. Her aged body holds no value, but the knowledge born of long experience is as precious as gold. Based on her experience, the old woman helps those in need as a midwife, an apothecary, and an advisor.
Their knowledge is passed down orally, gradually refined, and develops into a discipline.
Those who inherited that progression are witches.
Witches are those who empathize most deeply with life and death.
[That's nonsense. How is realizing that life isn't a big deal considered enlightenment? Something unimportant could never become a Demon God!]
The Great Witch's frustration at not becoming a Demon God was so palpable that it came through even as she spoke through a parrot. The parrot relayed the Great Witch's words as if grumbling.
[I created life. If there's a qualification for Demon God, don't I have more of it?]
"You created life?"
[Yeah.]
That's quite surprising. No wonder she's resentful about not becoming a Demon God.
"Just in case, this isn't some wordplay about giving birth to a child from your womb, is it? By that logic, every mother is a Demon God candidate."
[I'm a virgin who's never even been married! Vampires can't have children in the first place!]
"Then where is this life you created?"
[You saw it earlier. The meat fruit.]
Meat fruit... she must mean that fruit that grows meat, the one I saw in the room earlier.
"You made that?"
[Yes. That was my masterpiece, meant to become a new hope for Manguk.]
Seeing the conversation would be a long one, the parrot wet its throat in advance. Having finished its water, the parrot began to speak.
[The Great Deep Forest is a blessed land, but not an easy one to live in. This land, blessed by the World Tree, overflows with vitality, making it反而 difficult for humans. The trees are dense, flatlands are scarce, and both farming and raising livestock are difficult. Dangerous beasts that prey on livestock—and humans—lurk everywhere.]
Using tools to shape the environment to one's advantage is the very power of humanity. Thus, a jungle teeming with all manner of flora and fauna was unsuitable for building civilization.
[Manguk was a brilliant and great nation, but its population was pitifully small compared to its vast expanse. Above all, food was scarce. With land so difficult to farm, hunting was the only source of food.]
"Hunting isn't as easy as it sounds."
Small beasts have little meat, and large ones are dangerous. It's all too common for able-bodied men who set out hunting confidently to be wiped out entirely.
[Right. How could I consume such cute little creatures for just a single meal?]
"...Is that the issue?"
[If that's not the issue, then what is? It may be the way of the world that the eaten eat and the eaters are eaten, but it's too fleeting and sad for a life that struggled for years to vanish in an instant, consumed.]
"So you created the meat fruit because of that?"
[It wasn't solely out of sadness. I, Hexia Agalta, am the woman who will become the Queen of Manguk. I couldn't abandon all my people just because I pitied the beasts. My disciples and my people are also those I raise.]
Raising her people... you might think that's going too far, but there are quite a few rulers who sacrificed their populace for their pets. Compared to them, the Great Witch is relatively fair.
[The trees that bore meat fruit were improved and scheduled to spread throughout Manguk. The amount of fertilizer needed to produce one meat fruit was only 4% of the feed an actual beast would consume. It didn't require pastureland, either. As long as there was good sunlight and clean water flowing, it was sufficient. It produced no excrement, and there was no worry of it escaping. It was truly a massive seed that would become Manguk's hope.]
"A tree that grows meat? That's incredible. It would revolutionize human diet. So where did it all go?"
[It burned.]
The Great Witch ended her words shortly. She didn't seem to want to elaborate. I figured out the general gist and asked.
"Someone set it on fire, then. The druids of the Great Forest you mentioned before?"
[Yeah.]
You can somewhat gauge her personality just from observing the parrot. The Great Witch chatters on about what she wants to say, but avoids mentioning what she dislikes entirely. She has something childish, or beast-like, about her.
[The sole flaw of the meat-growing tree was that it was too perfect. All sorts of creatures, including pests, targeted its nutrient-rich fruit. If left untouched by human hands, it would die quickly. So we decided to raise the meat trees under the shade of the World Tree first.]
"Why the World Tree?"
[The World Tree possesses immense spiritual energy. Not even insects or beasts dare approach it. We grew the meat trees in the earth between the World Tree's roots, that land full of its grace.]
Between the World Tree's roots... if it's there, then certainly no beasts, insects, or other trees would be present... Huh?
"Hmm? If it's near the World Tree, trees wouldn't grow well, would they? The World Tree's branches and leaves would block the sunlight."
[You know well. Right. So we borrowed a bit of the World Tree's grace.]
"Excuse me?"
[I had the meat trees suck up the World Tree's spiritual energy.]
They consider the World Tree sacred, yet have no qualms about using its grace. I can picture it now.
For the people of the Great Deep Forest, every moment is a struggle. The reason black magic, taboos, and shamanism still persist in the land of Manguk is because the environment was far from forgiving enough to afford being picky about the means of survival.
By comparison, the Great Forest of the northern Metasequoia is relatively quiet. The cool forest is beautiful and serene, moving the hearts of many. In that forest, humans are usurpers who fell trees and trample grass to expand their domain.
The ones who protected the forest from such humans were the druids of the Great Forest. They were a group with an obsessive love for the World Tree and a conviction that nature must be preserved.
"...Don't tell me the druids of the Great Forest saw that sight?"
[Yes. Those druids must have had nothing better to do, because whenever they had spare time, they'd go on pilgrimages connecting to the World Tree. Those outsiders who came from beyond saw our World Tree and started meddling as if it belonged to them, saying such desecration must not be committed!]
The parrot fluttered wildly, every feather on its body standing on end.
[I could tolerate their interference for a day or two, but they meddled in everything and even tried to uproot the meat trees by the roots! I should have killed them all back then. It was my mistake to end it at exile! I won't make that mistake again!]
"Surely they didn't set the World Tree on fire?"
[I wish they had!]
So they didn't? Then again, druids wouldn't burn the World Tree. Wait, then why did the World Tree burn and fall?
[They incited barbarian tribes from remote regions who refused Manguk's rule to rebel!]
"Wow. They went that far?"
[It was an unexpected attack. They used their status as druid pilgrims to deceive the border guards and infiltrate. Taking advantage of the moment when the rebels attacked my mother and my subjects, they burned all the meat fruits!]
And the meat-growing trees were between the World Tree's roots. The fire they hastily set spread along the roots to the World Tree.
[The flames spread uncontrollably! The fire climbed up the trunk, dyeing the blessed ginkgo tree into fiery autumn foliage! Riding the wind created by the flames, embers scattered across the entire jungle! The World Tree's leaves, covering the jungle, became the embers of disaster, burning this entire land to ashes!]
"So that's how the World Tree burned and fell."
[Manguk burned until the fire went out. The palaces, the cities, the people—all turned to ash in an instant. Everything vanished in the autumn that should have been colored with foliage. My mother, who desperately tried to extinguish the flames, was killed by the rebels. Because those ugly bastards were jealous of my mother!]
"Oh my. May the deceased rest in peace."
[No need. You're not the one to pray for her peace.]
Not even a little comfort. The Great Witch's parrot rejected my sentiment and spoke with hatred.
[The Metasequoia of the Great Forest. Their World Tree will comfort the spirit of my country and my mother that were burned.]
The Great Witch's wish seems likely to spread into a great fire. Since she can't read my thoughts, I couldn't empathize right away, but I gave the parrot a warm cheer of encouragement.
"Good luck. I'll pray that you definitely bring down the World Tree and achieve your wish."
"Hey! You can't do that!"
The horrified Regressor jumped in to argue.
"You said other druids set the World Tree on fire! If you're going to take revenge, do it to them, why do that to an innocent tree?"
[Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I can't make even that much distinction?]
The Regressor's question was reasonable, but the Great Witch had also received such questions countless times. The parrot tilted its head and answered.
[Naturally, I captured and killed them all. One by one, by unleashing my hunting hounds. I caught them all before they could escape this jungle.]
The reason the Great Witch came to be called the Great Witch was the long and relentless hunt that took place after the World Tree burned. Numerous druids and barbarian tribes vanished in that bloodbath. While it was the burning World Tree that brought down the brilliant Manguk, it was the enraged Great Witch who trampled even the new sprouts trying to emerge.
[Killing them all wasn't satisfying, but I was curious about something, so I kept some alive and dragged them before me. I pressed my fangs to their throats and asked why they set the World Tree on fire. And do you know what they said?]
Ha, the parrot sighed softly and spoke as if dumbfounded.
[They said they hadn't even intended to burn the World Tree! They said it was an accident. An unfortunate, accident.]
But the World Tree burned along with Manguk. For someone who lost everything, it was a word that offered no comfort whatsoever.
[Then what about the burned World Tree? If no one takes responsibility because it was an accident, does that mean you can set the world on fire as much as you please? So I can kill the World Tree too?]
"No!"
[Tell that reason to those who would be enraged after I kill the World Tree. Your words seem like they'd make those bastards' blood boil.]
That was perfectly reasonable. The Regressor's words, born of pure good intentions, were all the more infuriating.
Of course, the Regressor wasn't someone who selectively made people's blood boil.
"Your goal isn't to bring down the World Tree! What you want is the despair and chaos that would follow its fall!"
[Yeah. Isn't that the same thing?]
"It's not the same! Even if the World Tree withers and dies according to your plan, if they don't suffer enough! You'll commit even worse atrocities!]
[Maybe. But worse things won't happen. If things go according to my plan, it will be painful enough.]
The Great Witch, who answered coolly, conveyed her emotion through the parrot.
[Because they'll end up killing the World Tree with their own hands...]
"Great Witch. You've spoken too much."
Valpurcis, who had been waiting outside the door, hastily stepped in to restrain the parrot. The parrot, whose emotions had overflowed to the point of blurting out everything it knew, came to its senses and covered its beak with its wings.
[Oh, right?]
"Yes. If you say any more, there'll be no reason to keep it a secret."
[...I suppose?]
Valpurcis smoothly lifted up the perch. The parrot, naturally perching on it, shuddered and began preening its feathers with its beak.
[Eek. It was a good meeting, King of Humans. We've gotten to know each other, haven't we?]
"It was a good meeting for me as well. Someday, I'd like us to open our hearts and face each other directly."
[Huh? Th-that's a bit. The King of Humans is a bit too much for me.]
"The Great Witch is too much for me as well."
We'd need to meet in person so I could read her mind and grant her wish or something.
Before leaving while perched on its stand, the parrot fluttered as if suddenly remembering something.
[Oh, right! You there, woman. I'm not terribly curious, but could you tell me where you found my mother's mask?]
"...An elephant graveyard.]
[Hm? There? Why there?]
An elephant graveyard—the place where all elephants in the southeast go before they die. The final destination of the giants that trample the world. In a sense, it's a more dangerous land than the Mountain of the Mountain Lord. An enraged elephant is more terrifying than a tiger.
[No, I suppose that's why no one discovered it until now. Without Agalta's mask, it's a land where no beast other than elephants can set foot. I should check it out sometime. Thanks!]
The parrot swept its wings vigorously and departed outside.