Chapter 90 : Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Beneath the Branch of the World Tree (3)

A racial war between elves and fairies.

I had thought I’d visit Kipaso at least once, but it was burning and I realized a racial war was unfolding.

In the process, I met Bea and agents from the Imperial Intelligence Agency.

I learned that the elves had many issues, but I couldn’t yet pinpoint the exact reason the war had broken out.

Nevertheless, I boldly declared to the Imperial Intelligence agents:

I would stop the racial war.

It wasn’t just meddling.

For some reason, I had a firm conviction that I needed to stop this war.

A sudden thought lingered that some kind of fate had led me here.

‘The reason I’ve been constantly entangled with Kipaso in this world. The fact that a war broke out the moment I arrived. Isn’t some fate guiding me? To stop the racial war.’

Of course, even without leaning on something as uncertain as fate, there were plenty of reasons to stop the war.

A conflict of this scale wouldn’t be confined to Kipaso; it could escalate across the entire continent.

When the Dome opens in time, the demons of Myeolji, brimming with power, would emerge to turn the world into Myeolji.

While elves and fairies weren’t as numerous as humans, each individual possessed great strength.

I couldn’t let them shed blood needlessly.

To preserve the strength of elves and fairies for the impending confrontation with the demons, I had to stop the racial war and save Kipaso from the flames.

At the same time, this could be a mission befitting the great deed Rodos had spoken of, one that would make my name resound throughout the Empire.

“Then, as you said, we’ll be at Horizon. We hope you’ll strive for the salvation of humanity and the world.”

“If you need support, please let us know anytime.”

The Imperial Intelligence agents, Carlin and Ormen, left with brief farewells.

The path to Horizon wouldn’t be smooth.

They didn’t seem like pushovers, but in the chaos of war, anything could happen.

To begin with, neither fairies nor elves were particularly kind to humans.

Not long after the agents left, Bea emerged from the forest, riding Nihel.

Bea, looking down at me atop the massive wolf, appeared incredibly majestic.

She glanced toward the forest, her brow furrowing.

“Getting through the forest won’t be easy.”

“Probably not. But that’s their burden to bear.”

My response might have sounded cold.

Right now, I need to focus only on what I can do.

Even if fate had led me to Kipaso, resolving this situation was my responsibility.

“Why did the racial war break out?”

“You’re persistent.”

“I said I’d help.”

I couldn’t act without fully understanding the situation.

I refused to be dragged around blindly.

Rather than letting fate’s yoke bind me, I’d choose to seize its reins and move forward.

* * *

Bea said it would be a long story and suggested we head to her dwelling.

As Nihel crouched low, Bea naturally climbed onto its back.

I, too, tried to grab Nihel’s white fur to climb up.

But Nihel sprang up, shaking its body to prevent me from mounting.

…There was a friend who used to lend me his back.

I missed Arandir, who had transformed into a giant sandworm to aid my travels.

“Can I ask a short question instead of a long story?”

“……”

Bea seemed uncomfortable with a talkative companion, but I didn’t care.

It wasn’t that I was excessive; Bea was just too quiet.

Besides, this wasn’t chatter—it was a necessary question.

After rationalizing, I asked Bea:

“I have a friend who’s a sand spirit. He set out for the World Tree, but I can’t contact him now. Do you know anything?”

Bea flinched. Staring at me, she muttered to herself, loud enough for me to hear:

“A sand spirit… and a human… friends?”

“Yes, my friend. Elves and humans can be friends too.”

I looked straight at Bea as I spoke.

She quickly composed her startled expression and said:

“I haven’t seen it myself, but I heard rumors that a massive sand spirit was at the World Tree.”

“Sounds like he arrived safely.”

“Yes, your friend… no, the sand spirit is said to have climbed the World Tree.”

He climbed the World Tree with its permission.

Even that much information was reassuring.

In the game Tune World, the upper parts of the World Tree’s trunk were blocked, inaccessible.

It was speculated that the World Tree’s trunk was one of the entrances to the Spirit Realm, but nothing had been confirmed.

‘I’ll have to ask Arandir when he recovers.’

Thanks to Bea’s words, I could ease my worries about Arandir for now.

Bea seemed to think the conversation was over and closed her mouth again.

But she kept glancing my way intermittently.

It didn’t seem like she was interested in me, since our eyes didn’t meet.

If it was something at my waist…

“Are you curious about my sword?”

Bea nodded.

Unable to take her eyes off the sword, she eventually dismounted from Nihel.

I drew the Branch of the World Tree and handed it to her.

“It seems the Branch of the World Tree has undergone a transformation.”

“That’s right.”

“I can feel traces of the World Tree’s spirit within this sword.”

“Yes, but it’s asleep, so I can’t communicate with it.”

“……”

Bea, focused on my sword, seemed to be trying to commune with the spirit.

But even for an elf close to spirits, waking a spirit slumbering within a sword was apparently impossible.

Still, I had definitely succeeded in piquing Bea’s interest.

“The Branch of the World Tree and friends with the Sand Spirit King. Just what are you?”

“I’m Polarin Adjak.”

I hadn’t yet etched my name into the world.

But I had certainly left an impression on Bea, Gawen’s descendant.

“And now, I’m your friend too.”

“…It’s just a little further to my dwelling.”

Bea changed the subject and climbed back onto Nihel.

Her severed left ear twitched slightly.

* * *

As Bea had said, we soon reached her dwelling.

A place untouched by the war.

A small cave nestled in the heart of Kipaso’s lush forest.

“It’s small. I lived here alone.”

“It’s fine. The surrounding scenery… it’s beautiful.”

Only upon arriving at Bea’s dwelling could I fully appreciate Kipaso’s stunning nature.

The towering World Tree was visible in the distance.

Though it was too far to see in detail, the emerald glow of its leaves sparkling in the sunlight was a breathtaking sight.

Large, magnificent birds glided around the World Tree’s trunk, which seemed to touch the sky.

‘The upper parts of the trunk are hard to see. Some phenomenon is interfering with perception.’

The distance was too great to discern the nature of the phenomenon.

Even if I got closer, it would likely be hard to figure out.

Bea’s dwelling was surrounded by vibrant green trees.

Near the cave, a stream flowed, and moss grew pleasingly on the stones by the water.

Even someone who didn’t love nature would be captivated by the scenery.

But I didn’t have time to lose myself in the beautiful landscape.

“Now, will you explain why the war broke out?”

Two races that had lived together in Kipaso for so long.

It was time to hear why they were fighting, burning the nature they cherished so dearly.

No, it wasn’t just about burning the forest—the conflict between the two races seemed so deep that nobody was left unscathed.

Rather than acting rashly, I resolved to understand the depth of their conflict’s history before taking action.

“I heard from the humans earlier that an elf infiltrated the fairy territory and killed a child.”

Bea nodded sadly.

Then she began her story, her voice melodic, almost like a song.

“One day, a fairy child was chosen by a fire spirit. That’s rare. As far as I know, no fairy has ever been chosen by a fire spirit before.”

This applied to both fairies and elves.

Those who wielded fire spirits were typically human spirit wielders, or some dwarves or beastmen.

Since both fairies and elves were races attuned to the powers of trees and nature, they were distant from the destructive force of fire.

“The elves deemed the child ominous. They went to the fairies and demanded the child be banished. Of course, the fairies refused outright.”

Awooo…

Nihel, listening to the story, let out a mournful howl.

“The conflict between the two races deepened. One day, an elf infiltrated a fairy village and killed the child chosen by the fire spirit. That’s when the war began.”

The story that followed was horrific.

The fairies weren’t the only ones enraged.

The Fire Spirit King descended and granted fire spirits to all fairies.

Fairies, who previously could only handle lesser spirits, were now able to contract with mid- and high-ranking spirits.

Furious, the fairies led their fire spirits to invade the elves.

The elves didn’t refrain from gestures of reconciliation.

They punished the elf who killed the child.

They plucked out his eyes, bound him, and sent him to the fairy territory, claiming it was an individual’s act, not the will of all elves.

But that wasn’t enough to quell the fairies’ anger.

This war wasn’t just about the murder of a fairy child.

The longstanding tensions between fairies and elves, who had lived together in Kipaso, had finally erupted.

The Fairy King personally burned the elf who killed the child, but the war didn’t end there.

At first, the elves held the upper hand.

Though fewer in number, elves were long-lived and powerful. Individually, they were far stronger than fairies.

But the tide quickly turned.

Perhaps due to the Fire Spirit King’s wrath, the water, wind, and earth spirits allied with the elves abandoned them.

Only the World Tree’s spirits remained by the elves’ side, allowing them to barely hold off the fairies’ onslaught.

Both sides suffered heavy losses, but the war didn’t stop. However, they couldn’t sustain an all-out war forever.

Eventually, the conflict entered a lull.

But just as both sides reached their limits, the war’s dynamics shifted abruptly.

“The World Tree’s spirits, which had always been with the elves, vanished a few days ago. All at once, as if by some agreement.”

I glanced at the Branch of the World Tree hanging at my waist.

“And then what happened?”

“With their already small numbers, the elves began to lose ground. The forest burned, and now, except for the area around the World Tree, all of Kipaso has become fairy territory.”

“……”

“The elves have nowhere left to stand. It’s their own doing, though.”

Bea spoke bitterly.

Tip: Tap/click the left or right side of the screen to go to previous/next chapter.