ch4

“You were especially mischievous among my children.”

“You baffled me from the moment you were born, but when you awakened your energy and sat meditating or making those swaying movements every day, I worried that something was really wrong.”

“And with what confidence, you went into the forest with Pallas almost every day to fight those huge beasts, always coming back with something broken, grinning and laughing like you’d accomplished something, it was so frustrating.”

“Why all of a sudden…”

Why bring up embarrassing things I want to forget out of nowhere?

In the Elf village, it’s a story that’s no longer spoken aloud due to a tacit agreement (?) through physical altercations with me.

It’s a history that’s been taboo for the Elves at least since I beat Pallas to a pulp in a sparring match after she teased me about it four years ago.

But the other party is my mother, I can’t exactly get angry just because she’s reminiscing about her child’s embarrassing past, can I?

“Still, you distinguished well between what should and shouldn’t be done, like Demis. Your actions were always for everyone, not just for yourself.”

“Even when hunting, you never hunted more than you needed. Atira was always pleased because the forest you cultivated always bloomed abundantly.”

“You never neglected learning, no matter what happened, and you weren’t hasty in your judgments, thinking twice before acting, so Saraswati always favored you.”

“You were always at the forefront with Pallas against all the dangers that threatened the Elves, you and that child are good partners.”

“Even though you are stronger than the other children, you always respect your siblings and love them humbly, so Anat has no choice but to love you as well.”

“Everything you undertake is harmonious and without discord, so Elmoni always says that she feels relieved when she leaves anything to you, no matter what it is.”

Suddenly, it’s an embarrassingly excessive amount of praise.

“Before I created you, I watched birds and small animals sit on my body and branches, build their nests, raise their young, and eventually leave for a long time. Especially when I saw baby birds grow up and eventually fly out of the nest, I always felt a little sad.”

“Today, I feel even more, or much more, regretful than then, each day will be a little lonelier.”

Amidst the warm, melting emotions, I feel a sense of loneliness and a slight regret.

“But everything must eventually leave the mother’s embrace and find its own way. Besides, I made you to be anything more than anyone else, so I can’t stop it.”

“Mother.”

“But as a mother, I don’t feel comfortable sending my child on a journey empty-handed, will you hold out your hand?”

As I reached out my hand, my mother’s outstretched branch wrapped around my wrist, transformed into a bracelet, and then snapped off with a thud.

“The girls below all adorn themselves, but I was upset that you didn’t have a single piece of jewelry. It’s nothing much, but it’s a gift from a mother to her daughter.”

She says it’s nothing much, but the amount of auspicious energy I feel on my arm is extraordinary.

And so it is, a bracelet made from the branch of the World Tree, a sacred tree.

It was a precious object that would prevent any evil energy from daring to invade.

I was confident in physical combat due to martial arts, but Saraswati’s magic was a slightly different story.

It was like the legendary Taoism from my previous life, and I still lacked understanding and resistance to it.

Since Taoism is possible, it was impossible to rule out the possibility that something like curse magic, which developed as a branch of that concept, already existed in the outside world.

It doesn’t exist anymore because I smashed it to pieces, but even in the forest, there were guys who dealt with bizarre energy that was different from ordinary energy.

“Thank you. I’m really happy.”

“I’m glad. I hope it helps.”

The roots that had stretched out to make the bracelet carefully embraced me, as if wrapping a fragile piece of pottery.

The movement felt so affectionate that I hugged her back and closed my eyes.

The first time I’ve ever felt maternal love in all my lives.

I indulged in the emotion I had so longed for in my previous life, but never received, before leaving on my journey.

It was warm and cozy.

To the point where I momentarily thought about not leaving.

“As you all know, I am not omnipotent. I was born from the primordial father Chaos with my siblings, but I was given my own meaning and scattered into the world as a fragment. I have taken root here to nurture the life of this still weak world.”

“But I am only at the center of this planet’s ecological flow, this world is beyond the reach of my branches, and siblings from the same father as me will be creating their own rules in various places. Among them, there will be friendly ones, and there will be the kin of siblings who correspond to the concept of my antithesis. They will never be friendly to you.”

“When you first created us, didn’t you say that there was no place your branches couldn’t reach?”

I said, teasingly laughing.

“It’s a mother’s pride, the pride of a being you call the World Tree. Actually, it’s not very cool in front of my children if I just say I’m stretching out a little.”

I laughed at her slightly sulky tone.

I rubbed my cheek against her branch as if to soothe my mother.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be the strongest.”

“You rascal.”

I don’t know how long we hugged, but the branches that had been embracing me slowly fell away.

“Say goodbye to your siblings before you go. They always love and worry about you too.”

As she fell away, she lightly tapped my solar plexus and gently pushed me away.

“Now go. I hope you get what you want.”

I smiled at the slowly receding warmth as if to tell her not to worry, even though I was sad.

“I’ll be back.”

And I leaped back slightly and fell.

◈ ◈ ◈

Demis was looking down at the village.

After finishing his daily tasks, he would end his day by watching the civilization they were creating from the spire of the great tree house, a gift from their mother to the High Elves, and the hall where the Elves gathered when making important decisions.

To engrave what they were creating in his eyes.

Usually, the other siblings know about Demis’ routine, so they don’t bother him, but today was a little different.

In Demis’ eyes, a star falling from the sky towards the spire where Demis was, came into view.

Despite the unidentified object falling towards the spire, Demis’ face was calm.

Thud.

The fallen star landed with a sound so small that its momentum seemed like a lie.

“You squirrel.”

Even at the sharp words, the guy grinned slyly.

Even if I tell her not to do it because it’s dangerous, she doesn’t listen.

Araya’s flower bud is on the upper part of the Mother World Tree where the Elves were born.

And the difference in height between there and this place, the root, is over several 론Elte (several km).

No matter how nimble and quick the Elves are, without Araya, that much of a height difference would be an unmitigated disaster.

Demis sighed and shook his head.

She’s a quick one, just like her small appearance.

And unlike her appearance, she’s the strongest of all the Elves.

Elves are basically physically superior to women, and larger physiques generally have greater strength than smaller ones.

But paradoxically, the smallest and female Elf is the strongest of all the Elves.

Even the valiant Pallas was beaten up after teasing Araya about what happened 10 years ago.

It’s so excessive that sometimes, even if all the Elves ganged up on her, I get the absurd thought that they wouldn’t be able to win against Araya in a battle of strength.

From the perspective of Demis, who is in charge of the rules, this existence outside the norm is quite burdensome, but he also found his little sister cute.

This little sister wasn’t strong from the beginning.

Nevertheless, from the initial difficult stages of development, she dedicated herself to the Elves more than anyone else, and loved her mother, siblings, and other Elves.

A child who understands her mission.

Despite being chaos that could become something opposed to the rules, Demis loved this little child.

“So, what is it today? You only visit the house when you need something.”

“Hehe…”

“You sly thing.”

The guy who had been wriggling and acting cute gradually erased his smiling face and said,

“Demis.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to go outside.”

And at the bombshell that came out when she opened her mouth, Demis’ face was terribly distorted.