Chapter 101 : Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Beneath the Branch of the World Tree (14)

The World Tree Spirits fluttered toward Bea.

All the elves gathered beneath the World Tree watched the scene.

They seemed confused, unsure whether to focus on the sudden battle erupting on the World Tree or the World Tree Spirits swarming toward Bea.

But Bea, resolute, remained unshaken.

Even with the elves’ gazes pouring upon her, even with the World Tree Spirits, like a swarm of giant butterflies, fluttering around her.

Bea drew the empty bowstring taut.

“Shape the aura into the form of an arrow.”

Bea didn’t respond, focusing solely on shaping her aura.

Coating a sword with aura and creating aura in thin air were not tasks of equal difficulty.

Moreover, shaping the aura in the air and maintaining its form was even more challenging.

This was because embedding aura into a tangible object significantly reduced the risk of it dissipating.

Bea struggled.

The aura shaped like an arrow briefly formed on the taut bowstring before scattering.

But she didn’t stop.

Despite repeated failures, she continued trying to mold the aura into an arrow.

As if responding to her efforts,

The World Tree Spirits clung to Bea’s body.

One spirit toyed with her severed ear.

Then, her ear began to regrow.

An ear, slightly different from Bea’s pale skin tone, emerged—a vibrant emerald green, like the World Tree itself.

It wasn’t disharmonious; rather, it added a mystical aura.

The intangible arrow Bea was also transformed.

The World Tree’s branches caught the aura that threatened to dissipate in the air.

Not stopping there, the World Tree Spirits lent their power, aiding in shaping the aura into an arrow.

Finally, an arrow of light was formed.

My help was no longer needed.

Even without my advice, Bea could do it on her own.

Bea, who had shot countless arrows, knew far better than I how to fire one.

Bea grasped the arrow of light between her index and middle fingers.

Then, she released the taut string.

Crack.

Bea fired the Light Arrow.

The recoil was too much for her bow and it snapped.

But no one cared about Bea’s broken bow.

The elves’ gazes were no longer divided.

All eyes were fixed on the Light Arrow, tearing through the sky as if it could bring down the sun itself.

‘She did it.’

Bea’s Light Arrow ripped through the heavens.

At that moment, the dark elf was entangled in combat with Arandir.

Bea’s Light Arrow, missing no gap, avoided Arandir and pierced the dark elf’s chest with precision.

I glanced around at the elves.

Many stood with mouths agape, forgetting even to gasp.

Thud!

From high up on the World Tree’s trunk, the dark elf, struck by the arrow, fell.

Soon after, Arandir descended to the ground and spoke to me.

- Sorry for being late.

Aetelt coldly cut off his sibling’s words.

The authority of the Elf King lingered in his voice.

But no elf was swayed by his voice anymore.

“My failure to address my sibling’s wrongs caused this war.I betrayed the elves.”

The elves let out pained groans.

Hundreds of years had passed since Aetelt became the Elf King.

Though authoritative, he had been a king who cared for the elves.

Yet at the most critical moment, Aetelt chose his kin over his race.

After Aetelt’s calm confession, Bea spoke coldly.

“Was there anyone besides you who knew a fallen one was hiding?”

“My other sibling, Barenche, knew.”

“Where is he?”

“In the cave prison.Barenche refused to forgive our fallen sister.He wanted to reveal the truth to both elves and fairies to stop the war, so I shackled his limbs and mouth and locked him away.”

Bea glanced toward the cave where the prison was.

An elf stepped forward.

“I will bring Lord Barenche.”

Bea nodded simply in response.

She had already begun commanding the elves with her gaze alone.

“It wasn’t me… I didn’t do it…”

The dark elf spoke, tears streaming down her face.

But no one believed her words.

I scanned the elves with Ghost Eye.

Aside from the dark elf, none were tainted by demonic energy.

- The World Tree Spirits told me.

There is no other demonic presence on this land but her.

Arandir growled.

Even without his confirmation, everyone knew Decaum was lying.

Bea, having created another Light Arrow, held it in her hand.

Though it was only her second time, she was noticeably more skilled than before.

“The fallen one swears by the World Tree and still speaks falsehoods.”

Bea’s voice chilled the atmosphere.

“Aetelt, lend me the divine bow.”

Bea took the divine bow, Elinger, from Aetelt, her own bow already broken.

The divine bow of the elves, Elinger.

Bea knocked the Light Arrow on it and drew it taut.

At that moment, an elf arrived, shackled at the limbs and mouth—Barenche.

Bea looked at him.

Barenche, with sorrowful eyes, glanced between his siblings.

“Ugh… Baren, it’s been a while.How have you been?Save me, please…”

Barenche averted his eyes from the dark elf, who used a childhood nickname.

He nodded toward Bea.

The shackles still sealing Barenche’s mouth clinked.

“…Aetelt.”

The dark elf refused to give up until the end, but even Aetelt did not respond.

“Execute her.”

Bea spoke curtly and released the bowstring.

The Light Arrow pierced the dark elf’s forehead.

It was a clean shot, leaving only a hole without a drop of blood.

The Light Arrow vanished, leaving a hole in the dark elf’s forehead as the light faded from her wide-open eyes.

The elves, unprompted, knelt before Bea.

Aetelt and Barenche did the same.

In that moment, Bea was reborn as the true king of the elves.

I, too, knelt alongside the elves paying homage to Bea.

Bea silently surveyed those kneeling and bowing before her.

Her feelings toward the elves were likely still complex.

Even with them kneeling before her, the pain she had endured her entire life couldn’t be erased in an instant.

But from what I had seen of Bea, I believed she could overcome it without being consumed by hatred.

- The most important thing in shooting a Light Arrow isn’t the skill of handling aura or the aid of the World Tree Spirits.

I recalled a conversation between Gawen and Adjak.

- Only an elf who is truly elven can shoot a Light Arrow.

I hope one day all elves can shoot it.

Gawen’s dream had not come to pass.

But at least her descendant had followed in her footsteps and shot a Light Arrow.

Bea, the most elven of elves.

The Light Arrow she displayed was immensely powerful and beautiful.

Every elf who saw it likely thought the same.

I hoped that one day they would offer Bea a heartfelt apology and accept her as one of their own.

Beneath the now-quiet branches of the World Tree,

The gentle fluttering of the spirits’ wings by Bea’s side was the only sound softly echoing.

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