Book Eater

Chapter 317: Towards the World Tree (4)

Theo asked probingly, “You are Myrdal’s disciple?”

He had no idea he would hear that name here. A mysterious sage surrounded by many secrets, Myrdal was also a magician and elementalist. His achievements were recorded in the magic towers, but there was nothing related to his personal relationships. He didn’t even know how Myrdal knew Gluttony, and now he had a high elf as a disciple. Furthermore, he had left behind another ancient elemental?

If it is called Geros, then it is definitely Zephyr... Ellenoa once showed me an illusion.

Zephyr, god of the west wind, was a god who flew four laps of the material world in a day and caused storms just by sighing. Even if he had declined in power from those times, the tales of Zephyr were comparable to those about Myrdal. Theo could still remember the welcoming image of Geros that Ellenoa had shown him. Geros had a crown of horns and a body surrounded by armor, like a giant from the Age of Mythology.

He asked, “I heard that elves can’t be magicians. Are high elves different?”

“No way,” Titania replied, her face devoid of expression. “We can’t artificially interfere with the flow of nature. We are a species that can’t learn magic. The only thing I learned from him was the wisdom of nature, the reality of elementals.”

Theo frowned. “A human teaching high elves about elementals?”

Titania replied, “Did you not guess it after meeting Master? He was known as a human, but he was distinctly not human.”

Theo fell silent. A guess was different from having it confirmed by a high elf. Sage Myrdal Herseim was something not human! It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that not only had he mastered all of humanity’s magic, he had also established a new system of elementalists.

What is he? He made the contract between me and Mitra, and now I find out that he also gave an ancient elemental to a high elf…

Theo thought back to when he met Myrdal at the Fountain of Wisdom on top of the world tree. He remembered every single world Myrdal had said.

[A fragment of memory calling out to me, how pretentious.]

[Huhu, please forgive me. I foresaw your visit, but I can’t move at this time. So, I was forced to greet you and your contractor like this.]

[Giving excuses...]

Despite being centuries old and a living transcendent, he had been aware enough of the situation to refer to it as ‘at this time’. It had to be foresight, and Myrdal’s capacity for it far exceeded that of the White Tower Master, Heathcliff. Somehow he had seen centuries into the future.

“So?”

There were too few clues. All Theo could guess was that Myrdal had left some arrangements for an unknown intention. But he would need to listen to Titania, the high elf who claimed to be Myrdal’s disciple, to know more.

“You said you were waiting for me?” Theo asked.

However, Titania shook her head. “I had something to say and wanted you to follow me... but your task is more urgent. Is the story associated with the energy of death coming from the southwest?”

Theo’s eyes narrowed. “How did you-”

Titania interrupted, “I don’t know how to see like Master, but it isn’t hard to read the darkness.”

Titania was just as big a mystery as her master, Myrdal. Lumia’s eyelid twitched at the words she couldn’t understand.

“Hey.” At that moment, Veronica couldn’t help stepping forward. “Why are you coming out of nowhere and speaking informally? Is it fun pretending to know everything? Do you think it is okay to treat Theo like this?”

Titania turned to her. “Hrmm?”

The bracelet around Veronica’s left hand trembled. Veronica’s magic power wasn’t so weak that it could be bound by a single artifact. The bracelet’s durability was rapidly falling as Veronica grew irritated.

Titania saw it, and her eyes lit up. “Aha, the dragon lady who once burned the area during a confrontation in the past. Shouldn’t you be more polite when visiting this time?”

Veronica retorted, “What? Should I say it directly? Cowardly high elf.”

“... What?” Titania reacted sharply.

Veronica smirked, “Aren’t you the high elf who hid during the incident last time? It must be easy when you can see the future. You can run away because you know someone else will resolve it!”

Titania’s teeth ground audibly. “You—!”

Veronica’s words had clearly gotten on Titania’s nerves about failing to participate in the fight against Laevateinn.

Titania was about to reply when Lumia stepped between them. “Hey, everyone! Let’s go inside and talk. Yes?”

It was easy to tell that the atmosphere was rapidly becoming bad. If Veronica’s magic power were freed, it would severely damage the area around her. As such, Veronica and Titania couldn’t refuse this mediation.

“Bah.”

“Tch.”

The two high elves and two magicians walked even faster as tension filled the air.

***

Fortunately, a second argument didn’t occur. Titania stopped talking about Myrdal and remained silent as they headed to the cottage that Theo had visited in the past. After greeting the four high elves, the two magicians went straight to the point. Like Lumia, Veronica’s presence had clued the four high elves in that Theo had come for a serious purpose.

It was a long story. Theo talked about the war in the Northern Continent, the revival of the 9th Circle warlock Jerem, the destroyed kingdom of Lairon, and the advent of Nídh?ggur being the final purpose.

Three hours flew by quickly.

“... A warlock is aiming for the world tree. It sounds like something from a children’s fairytale book, but I don’t want to experience it directly,” the dark elf Alucard’s distinctive purple lips pursed in displeasure.

He didn’t doubt the information Theo had brought. After all, Theo had known about the existence of Laevateinn before anyone else, so the high elves didn’t doubt him. They all knew Theo as a clear-eyed person who had been invited to use Ratatoskr.

“Knowing about the existence and power of Elvenheim and still wanting to invade...”

“It means that he can win.”

“We must prepare well.”

“I didn’t think I would hear Nídh?ggur’s name in this age.”

Titania didn’t say anything, but the other three quickly discussed measures. They spoke without hesitation about Elvenheim’s current power and the state of their defenses.

Theo couldn’t help wondering. “... Why?”

“Huh? What is it?” Alucard asked, and the four high elves looked at Theo.

He looked down. “Why aren’t you scolding me? In the end, I am the one who resurrected Jerem. If it wasn’t for me, the world tree wouldn’t be in danger.”

“Why?”

The four high elves looked at each other and laughed.

“How boring. That’s what you were thinking about, Theo?”

“What?”

“We haven’t forgotten how you plunged into the flames for us. Elves don’t forget the debts they owe. And friendship isn’t a relationship where debts should be dwelled on or exchanged,” Lumia spoke clearly. “Let’s get through this adversity again, Theo.”

“... Yes.” Theo nodded as he felt his chest tighten.

The story only flowed faster from there, thanks to Naia. The usually sleepy beautiful high elf was wide awake.

Naia, the head of the clan known for their wisdom in Elvenheim, asked Theo for one thing, “The prophecy that you heard, tell me.”

“Ah, the prophecy...”

There was nothing to hide.

Naia listened to the five verses Heathcliff had spoken, then said carefully. “I think the big bird is Hraesvelgr. The one whose life goal is to wage war on the evil dragon, the bird that summons typhoons. Our tribe’s records show that the two are always at each other’s throats.”

“Divine creature, Hraesvelgr... the old stories are continuing today.”

Alucard mused, “If it has been prophesied, shall we call this divine creature?”

Theo’s eyes widened. “Is it possible?”

“It is possible.” However, Alucard looked troubled. “The biggest problem is that the ritual will take at least a month. It also needs four high elves, which hinders our actions. Ellenoa and Titania are still immature as high elves, making it difficult to build a defense around them.”

“I can do it.”

“I’m not saying you can’t, Titania. You have to spend more time in the Great Forest. Hunting and war are different. We need someone with experience in leading...”

Titania’s eyes narrowed as she interrupted Alucard and declared in a strong tone, “I swear in the name of the root. Leave it to me.”

For elves, the roots were their home and clan. Swearing an oath on them was heavier than swearing on their own lives. Additionally, Titania was a high elf, so her root was the world tree Yggdrasil. The parent tree didn’t deny Titania’s pledge, and her commitment couldn’t be argued against.

Alucard had to raise both hands and concede, “... I understand. I will leave it to you. I will pass it on to the two people who aren’t here. Don’t forget to listen to Ellenoa and the other guardians.”

“Of course.” After achieving her goal, Titania immediately looked at Theo and Veronica and said, “There is something you need to resolve first.”

“Huh?”

Veronica was bemused when Titania suddenly raised a finger to point at her.

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