Chapter 100 : Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Beneath the Branch of the World Tree (13)

In Tune World, when choosing to start as an elf, the most crucial goal was to become the king.

The Elf King was not determined by lineage.

It was solely decided by the choice of the World Tree.

What mattered was who received the favor of the most World Tree Spirits.

Thus, when playing as an elf, one would minimize interactions with other races to be deemed the most elf-like, worship the World Tree, hone their archery skills, and win the hearts of the World Tree Spirits.

Upon becoming the Elf King, one could claim treasures passed down through the elf lineage, such as the divine bow or precious artifacts, before heading to Myeolji.

Yet now, in a situation where all elves were being shunned by the World Tree Spirits, countless World Tree Spirits were fluttering their wings around me.

‘Could I become the king, then?’

I quickly shook my head.

Even if I had been chosen by the World Tree, the elves would never yield the throne to someone outside their race.

But what about Bea?

I stared intently at her.

Bea, bowing her head alongside the other elves, didn’t notice my gaze.

If Bea could shoot Light Arrow, she might gain the favor of the World Tree Spirits and even ascend to the throne of the Elf King.

Light Arrow was Gawen’s unique skill.

However, since Gawen had once explained in detail how to shoot Light Arrow to Adjak, I understood the method.

Thanks to that, it wasn’t impossible to pass the skill on to Bea.

But before that, I decided to settle matters with the Elf King.

“Are you ready to speak now?”

The Elf King abandoned his authoritative demeanor.

No, it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t maintain it in this situation.

He nodded, his head drooping as if in defeat, in response to my words.

“You need to answer.”

“…I am ready.”

“The fairies also acknowledge their faults.

While the elves caused the war, the fairies went too far as well.”

Still kneeling, I conveyed the Fairy King’s demands to the Elf King.

- If the elves, responsible for starting the war, apologize, the fairies will apologize as well.

- From now on, both races will coexist in Kipaso, in a far better way than before.

“I accept.If an apology from the representative of the elves is desired, I will personally go and offer it.”

Aetelt agreed readily to my words.

Was he sincerely understanding and complying with Frude’s demands?

That wasn’t certain.

It seemed more likely that he reluctantly agreed, overwhelmed by the sight of the World Tree Spirits lingering by my side and the transformed Maron I held.

Yet, it felt strange that the haughty Elf King would accept the demands so quickly.

I placed the flowerpot Frude had given me in front of the kneeling Aetelt.

“Do you keep the matching flowerpot in your residence, Elf King?”

“Yes.”

“May I go up and retrieve it?”

At that, Aetelt’s pupils trembled.

I had thought his emerald eyes, like leaves touched by the World Tree’s light, were beautiful, but now they were not.

They were eyes filled with fear and dishonesty.

“Is that not allowed?”

“No matter how many World Tree Spirits have chosen you, a human cannot enter the Elf King’s residence.”

Aetelt spoke, mustering what little dignity he had left.

“Then who is currently in your residence?

They don’t look like an elf.”

Aetelt’s expression crumpled.

“…Who is in the king’s residence?”

“No one.

It’s been a long time since you permitted anyone to enter.”

The surrounding elves whispered, visibly shaken.

But Aetelt feigned ignorance.

“Don’t slander me.

Who could be in my residence?”

I no longer saw Aetelt as noble.

There was no reason to be intimidated by his authority.

Now, Aetelt was just a wretched elf spouting obvious lies.

I turned to look for Derix.

Though not an elf, he was kneeling among them.

I told Derix to stand and gave him an order.

“It seems the Elf King is skilled at lying, so go retrieve the flowerpot.I can no longer trust his promise to comply with the Fairy King’s words.”

“Yes, understood.”

Derix nodded and began walking steadily toward the World Tree.

The elves appeared flustered but couldn’t stop me.

They understood that, even if I wasn’t their king, I held authority comparable to one, as the World Tree Spirits, who had shunned the elves, were gathered around me.

Following my command, Derix headed toward the base of the World Tree’s trunk.

He began climbing the tree.

“I did not permit this!”

Aetelt roared.

But Derix, ignoring him, followed only my orders and slowly ascended toward Aetelt’s residence atop the World Tree.

That was exactly where Nofen had traced the thread of the demon.

Aetelt’s pale face flushed red.

Unable to hold back any longer, he drew Elinger, the divine bow of the elves, which he had carried on his back since descending.

He pulled the bowstring and aimed at Derix.

“Derix.”

“There’s no need to worry.”

Derix spoke as if for the Elf King to hear.

It was an arrogant statement, but he had the strength to back it up.

No matter that Aetelt was the Elf King, he was now in a state of lost composure.

With over 300 years of experience, Derix might not defeat Aetelt, but he could surely dodge his arrows.

Whoosh!

The arrow Aetelt fired swiftly toward Derix.

Derix emitted a white aura from his hand and sliced the arrow apart.

It was a light resembling my mana.

“You!”

Aetelt knocked two arrows at once and fired at Derix again.

Derix dodged by hiding behind the World Tree’s trunk.

Finally, Aetelt rushed toward the tree, shooting arrows relentlessly.

Should I help?

Derix was holding his own for now.

But a single moment of carelessness could result in a severe injury.

I didn’t want to see Derix, who had just recovered from fighting for me, get hurt again.

‘I need to help Derix.’

Just as I resolved to move, I stopped.

A grin spread across my face.

I strongly felt the presence of someone deeply connected to me.

“Lord Arandir, bring the demon here.”

- Understood.

Arandir, the high-rank Sand Spirit.

Transformed into a sandworm, Arandir began descending, coiling around the World Tree.

* * *

The battle that ensued.

The elves couldn’t take their eyes off the World Tree.

The World Tree, which they believed to be divine.

A commotion, unlike anything seen before, was unfolding on the ever-sacred World Tree.

A being—whether human or demon—spiraled up the World Tree’s trunk.

The enraged Elf King shot arrows at him.

The powerful arrows embedded themselves in the World Tree’s sturdy trunk.

Boom!

A louder explosion rang out from above.

A massive sandworm smashed through half of the Elf King’s residence.

Furniture and household items from the residence rained down.

Among them was a flowerpot identical to the one the Fairy King had given.

I activated [Intangible Armor] in the air.

A translucent barrier formed, catching the flowerpot.

But the other elves paid no attention to what I was doing.

No, they couldn’t.

They had spotted a being clashing with the Sand Spirit, which they thought was wreaking havoc on the World Tree.

Deep purple skin, sharp eyes, silver hair flowing freely.

And, above all, long, pointed ears.

‘It’s not a demon—it’s a dark elf.’

What I saw soon came into the elves’ view as well.

“…Dark elf?”

“A fallen one.”

The elves’ unrest grew uncontrollably.

In contrast, Aetelt, who had been rampaging in fury, froze.

I glanced back and forth between him and the dark elf.

Though Aetelt was male and the dark elf female, their hair, eyes, and aura seemed strikingly similar.

Boom!

Arandir opened its maw wide, attempting to swallow the dark elf.

But she, wielding daggers imbued with demonic energy, slashed at Arandir’s mouth and fled.

Arandir, unperturbed, continued its pursuit.

Its body was ever-changing.

The sand shifted, forming long, sharp fangs, and it lunged at the dark elf as if to pierce her.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

Explosions rang out in succession.

“Urgh!”

The dark elf’s screams echoed down to the base of the World Tree.

Though Arandir dominated, the dark elf was tenacious.

The ripples of unrest among the elves gradually subsided.

They watched the chaos unfolding on the World Tree in stunned silence.

Aetelt, dazed, let the arm holding his bow droop.

The divine bow of the elves, Elinger, nearly dragged on the ground.

‘He’s unfit.He has neither the right to apologize to the fairies nor to lead the elves.’

Even amidst the chaos, the World Tree stood firm and verdant.

Arrows pierced it, a sandworm coiled around it, and a dark elf tore at its trunk while fleeing, yet the World Tree remained as beautiful and noble as ever.

The elves living beneath it were once a beautiful and noble race as well.

Believing in their own nobility and looking down on other races was not the way of the elves.

Change was needed.

And by my side was an elf more capable than anyone of bringing that change.

An elf more elven than any other.

“Lady Bea.”

Bea, like the others, was entranced, staring up at the World Tree.

“Yes, Lord Polarin.”

“It seems my friend will bring it down on their own, but I think it’d be best if you finished it, Lady Bea.”

Bea nodded as if she understood.

Arandir and the dark elf were locked in a tangled struggle.

Both were so fast that following them with the eye was no easy task.

But Bea seemed confident she could hit the dark elf.

She drew an arrow from her quiver and knocked it.

But that wasn’t what I wanted.

Just as I needed to engrave my name in the Empire, Bea needed to engrave hers among the elves.

I pressed down on the taut bowstring Bea was aiming.

Bea, who had been focusing intently, widened her eyes and looked at me.

“Don’t use an arrow.Try shooting without one.”

Bea had practiced tirelessly in the fairy territory but had never reached that realm.

A realm only Gawen had achieved in this world.

“I’ll help you.”

Bea nodded and returned the arrow to her quiver.

There was no hesitation in her eyes.

And I made a request to the World Tree Spirits.

“Please help Lady Bea.”

The World Tree Spirits began to flutter and move.

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