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TLN: Thanks to R.O for sponsoring this chapter!

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—Chapter 116: Fairy Party and Founder Elf.

The next day, we had the patriarch ride the paddle steamer and departed. 

First, we go through the river in order to head to the closest tribe on the east. We go up the wide river that’s like a channel. 

We don’t have Luna and the others on it, so there’s no attack from sea monsters, and because the river has Holy Gold, there were no monsters in the river.

I would have nothing to do if I just stayed at the stateroom, so I was thinking about doing a few odd jobs.

I gave the amulet to Minya just in case. 

I first opened the Fairy Door and headed to the Keika Village, and had Lapisia make a stone wall and an outer moat. 

It goes around the village pretty widely in anticipation of the growth of the village –so I say, but that’s just the public stance. 

If we were to surround the village with a stone wall of around 7-8 meters tall matching the current fences, my residence will end up having shade early in the morning because it is just at the east side. 

I didn’t want that. I am making a village for my sake! 

And then, I made a waterway to the outer moat from my residence. I create a single waterway from the outer moat to the reservoir too.

I fill the water. 

With this, Christia can swim through the residence to the outer moat, and from the outer moat to the river. It is practically impossible to catch a swimming mermaid, so this is also for the safety of Christia.

I also plan on requesting for the meals of the Beholder Gel to be looked after.

I then searched for Haya in order to make tools. 

But he wasn’t at the residence’s workshop. 

Thinking he might be at the Fairy Kingdom, I exited the basement and went to the underground corridor, and then to the surface of the Fairy Kingdom. 

The fairies were having a party on the stone paving of the castle site below a full starry sky. 

There seems to be around 100 of them. 

“6th, expanding! Suuu~.” 

A slim fairy of around 20 cm in size that was on top of a rock one step higher began to inhale. They would breathe in, hold their breath, breathe in, hold their breath, and slowly swelled up like a balloon. 

“Nice~.” “Do your best~.” “You can still keep up!” 

“Suuuu~~~ah…!” 

*Bubububu!*

They then spit out all the air, sending them flying like an opened balloon while drawing a spiral. 

“Kyahahaha!” “Nice, nice~!” “Hmm, the record is 50 cm.” 

The fairies of varying sizes -drunk from the booze- were clapping and cheering.

Oh.

A winged fairy noticed me and spoke. 

“If it isn’t the Hero-sama. Now now, drink drink.” 

“No, not right now. More importantly, know Haya?” (Keika)

“They are having a smithing discussion. They are going to drag you into it, so be careful.” 

“Seriously?” (Keika)

I head to the place I was told. There were the shadows of 3 fairies sitting in a circle at the shadow of a crumbled wall. 

One of them is Hemul-jiisan who is around the size of a person, and the other 2 are small fairies of around 30 cm. 

Haya, and a similar-looking small fairy with long black hair that’s probably a girl. 

“I am done for already. The only thing I am good at is making tools.” (Haya)

“Now now, your tools are splendid, Haya.” (Hemul)

A red-faced Hemul-jiisan was soothing him, but Haya gulped the booze right out from the bottle and puffed out. 

“I have only been making tools the whole time and have had no time to help out in love, you know? I am a failure of a fairy. I am inferior to everyone else. Compared to that…” (Haya)

…Aah, so this is what I would be dragged into. That certainly does sound like a pain. 

In order to finish my business as soon as possible, I borrow paper and pen from a fairy that’s comparatively less drunk.

I write my requests.

1. I would like a nameplate and a placard of some sort so that my party members can tell where we are going when we are moving separately in the Fairy Door. 
2. A powerful pump and a stainless pipe. 
3. A communication tool that you can’t get orders from the Demon Lord which I heard about from Liliru.

I got close to Haya and showed him that paper. 

“Haya, I have a bit of a request. I want you to make this.” (Keika)

“Oh, if it isn’t Keika-san. Sit there for a bit. You see, I am truly hopeless. I have no right to live. Even though the main job of fairies is to help out in love…” (Haya)

I placed my hands on both of Haya’s shoulders and peered into his eyes. 

“You can do it! You can! You will be able to! If you are not burning, how do you think you will make the two you want to bring together burn?! Never give up!” (Keika)

I say that in one breath and Haya was swallowed by that intensity. He nodded. 

“R-Right. I can do it! I am burning now! I knew something like this would happen! Equipping heat suit! Fuuuh!” (Haya)

Saying this, Haya stood up and pumped himself up. His clothes burned and his hair stood up. His tricorne hat flew away. He is looking like a super sayayin there. 

His clothes continued burning just like that and he finally ended up completely naked. 

Smoke raised from him and he collapsed on the ground. 

Hemul-jiisan stretched out his hand and checked his state. 

“Looks like he is asleep.” (Hemul)

“S-So cool, Haya-san!” 

The small fairy girl placed both hands on her mouth and her long black hair waved. 

I scratched my cheek, baffled.

“…Aah, is that so? Then, please give him my memo once he wakes up.” (Keika)

“Yes, Hero-sama!” 

With that cute voice ringing at my back, I left the Fairy Kingdom immediately. 

◇◇◇

I returned to the basement that has the Fairy Door, and there were elves carrying lumber on their backs, and were moving from the New World Tree Door to the Stumb Door. It should still be night in that continent.

I call one elf. 

“What’s the matter? Did something happen?” (Keika)

“Keika-sama, thank you very much for the door! We can now carry it directly, so we are thinking of changing the buildings of the stumb lodging facilities from tents to wooden buildings. This was decided just recently.” 

“I see. That way would be better if you want to bring in tourists.” (Keika)

“Yes. We want to make them as fast as possible and put it in motion!” 

I suddenly remembered Geadolf. 

I need to make countermeasures for the next time we fight. 

“I want to ask one thing. Do you know the Founder Elves?” (Keika)

“Founder Elves? I have heard about it in legends, but for details…it might be better to ask the Elder.” 

“Hooh. Where can I meet them?” (Keika)

“They should have finished their talk by now, so I think they are by the side of the World Tree-sama.” 

“Got it. Thanks.” (Keika)

I cross the door and head to where the New World Tree is. 

At the inside of a deep forest covered in the darkness of the night, there’s a giant towering tree creating an especially big shadow among this darkness.

There’s a small light shining faintly as if hiding at the base of the tree.

It must be in order to not be found from afar and from above. 

I said this as I looked up at the familiar giant tree. 

“So it really was you.” (Keika)

The branches at the right side of the tree were rustling. 

I made a wry smile at that gesture. 

“I have a mountain of complaints towards you, but I am also grateful. I am working pretty hard here, so feel a bit indebted, okay?” (Keika)

The branches on the left side shook for a moment there, but the right side shook lightly there after that. 

If put into words, it is most likely like this: “Eh~?! Well, not like I don’t feel indebted though…”.

I laughed at this and approached the elves that were at the side of the giant tree. 

The Patriarch Yakuto noticed me and hurriedly ran to my side.

“Keika-sama! Thank you very much for accommodating the Fairy Door!” 

“Do your best with the wooden dwellings too. And so, I came here to meet the elder. I want to learn about the Founder Elves.” (Keika)

“Founder Elves?! …Understood. The elder is over there.” (Yakuto)

I had Yakuto guide me and we headed to the opposite side of the World Tree. 

At the table that’s most likely used for meetings, there’s an old man with long pure white hair, eyebrows, and beard. He looks like a mountain wizard. 

From what I can see with my Truth Eye, he is a direct descendant of a Founder Elf. 

Yakuto kneeled and said.

“Elder-sama, Hero Keika-sama wanted to know about the Founder Elf, so I brought him here.” (Yakuto)

“Umu, I see. It wouldn’t be good to have a benefactor standing. Please take a seat.” 

“Yes! …Keika-sama, over here.” (Yakuto)

I sit directly opposite of the elder. 

Yakuto says…

“I will bring the tea immediately.” (Yakuto)

“More importantly, you should hear this out too.” 

“Understood.” (Yakuto)

Yakuto sat by the side of the elder. 

I put a hand on the table and asked.

“And so, can you tell me what you know about the Founder Elves?” (Keika)

“Is it okay for you to tell me why?” 

“The last of the 4 Devas of the Demon Lord, the Necromancer Geadolf, is a half-elf of a Founder Elf.” (Keika)

I heard the sound of thick branches hitting each other. It seems that was the World Tree at the back. 

Yakuto opens his eyes wide. 

The Elder also raised his long eyebrows in surprise.

“What did you say?! There’s no way something like that…!” (Yakuto)

“I see. Maybe it is because he is a Founder Elf that he managed to destroy the Fairy Kingdom.” 

“I also think the same.” (Keika)

I watched the Elder intently as he crossed his arms. 

“A Founder Elf is literally as the name states, it refers to the 5 elf ancestors. They landed in this world a long long time ago, planting and raising trees everywhere while protecting the world tree.” 

“A story of mythological times.” (Keika)

But Yakuto tilted his head.

“5? Not 4?” (Yakuto)

*Rustle Rustle*

The World Tree rustled its branches. 

The Elder moved his beard. 

“No, there were 5. One of the men married a woman from a different race. Because of that, his existence was erased since he didn’t keep his duty of maintaining the purity of elves. He still lived in the elf village together with his wife until death though.” 

“Until the woman died, huh.” (Keika)

“No, until the Founder Elf died. The wife didn’t age at all despite being a human. Moreover, she was more beautiful than an elf.” 

“Huh? Lived longer than an elf that has a lifespan of several thousands of years?!  Was she immortal?” (Keika)

*Rustle…Rustle…!*

The branches of the World Tree grow noisy. 

When I clicked my tongue and looked back, the movements of the World Tree stopped cold.

The Elder sighed. 

“In future years, when the World Tree was broken and people evacuated to human settlements, they noticed…that one of the Goddesses that the humans worshiped was the wife of that Founder Elf. Her face and name were changed, but they could tell…that was the First Mother Goddess, Lupersia.” 

““Eh?!””

—Then, if the child left was Geadolf…he would be siblings with Lapisia, or maybe siblings from different fathers!!

I am glad I came here alone. 

Or more like, being able to endure the attack of Lapisia was in part because he became an undead, but it was also because he had inherited the blood of the First Mother Goddess! 

If not, there’s no way you would normally be able to endure a skill that is used to create heaven and earth. 

“So that’s how it was…” (Keika)

I can somewhat understand now. 

There’s the need for soil in order to plant a tree. 

In other words, after Lupersia had finished almost all of her work and had nothing to do, she fell in love with the Founder Elf that was working diligently with his everything and married him. 

Yakuto nervously speaks.

“When did that Founder Elf die?” (Yakuto)

“500 years ago…no, maybe 700, or 1,000 years ago. It was recent.” 

…His concept of time is unreliable.

That said, it means they are not directly related by blood, huh.

“So, what happened to the child?” (Keika)

“The child faced cold persecution, but the parents protected that child with warm love. That child excelled in music and made the people happy with that beautiful voice. The name was Sieg. Maybe because of pity for the treatment of Sieg, or because of attraction towards his voice, he became close with a female elf, and entered a romantic relationship.If I remember correctly, that girl’s name was Noctis, I think?” 

“Hooh.” (Keika)

“But an official marriage was not allowed…because their races were different.” 

*Rustle…Rustle…*

The World Tree makes noise with its branches again. 

I ignore that and ask.

“Even though the Founder Elf married?” (Keika)

“It is because he was the Founder Elf that it was reluctantly accepted. If they were going to form pairs, one would be the odd-one-out after all. Even with that, Sieg and Noctis lived with just the two of them. Their parents also supported them. But misfortune fell upon Noctis. She was fatally injured and died. Since then, Sieg turned weird.

Even though his surroundings tried to stop him, he didn’t listen, and he ended up staining his hands with dark magic.” 

*Rustle…Rustle…*

The sound of the branches got noisier.

“…Reviving the dead, huh. He sought magic that touched on the taboos of Gods.” (Keika)

“That’s right. But there’s nothing in this world that can bring back the dead without conditions. He began to stain his with evil, was hated by the Spirits, and was finally exiled from the village. No, he left on his own accord -with the preserved corpsed of his love, that is.” 

*Rustle…Rustle…!*

The sound of the branches got even noisier. 

I faced back and glared, and the World Tree stopped cold.

“What about his mother Lupersia?” (Keika)

“She protected her child and tried to get him back on his feet…but he said abusive things like it was all his mother’s fault for marrying an elf despite not being an elf. After he departed with his hands dirty with the power of darkness, even his mother apparently couldn’t find him.” 

I turned back and said this with a sigh.

“And so, even with the long living tree that had inherited the blood of the Founder Elf, he couldn’t revive the dead and continued his research even if he had to go as far as becoming an undead for it. That must be when he met the Demon Lord.” (Keika)

I feel a little heavy after learning the circumstances.

To think he has gone crazy to a saddening extent. 

Just what would Celica say if she were to hear this? Would it make her sad? 

What would his little sister Lapisia think? What does Lupersia want to do with her own child? 

Even so, we still have to defeat him. 

“In any case, there’s no spell that revives the dead.” 

“If it is with limitations, I have heard of a story about a hero reviving their comrades.” (Keika)

“Eh?” 

*Chaccharaaa!*

The World Tree made a fanfare-like noise by hitting hard branches together. 

Ignore. 

I took out a silver medal from my pocket, the Proof of a Hero, and showed the Skill Tree; the remaining 2.

[Unfortunate Rebirth, Resurrection], [Demon Lord Annihilation Slash, Ultima Slash].

“That’s true, it is there. Reviving a holy disciple that has ended their life by an unfortunate incident without reaching the lifespan that was assigned to them, huh. In other words, it can only be used on people who were in the Hero Party before their death… If it fails, they become ash.” 

—The ‘lifespan assigned to them’ is really vague. If the God of Destiny had set their fate to die by a monster, you wouldn’t be able to revive them after all.

…For now, it looks like it could serve as a negotiation chip with Geadolf. 

“Also, I would like to deal with the Immortal Rebirth that Geadolf has though. Any ideas?” (Keika)

“How can this be?! He has even mastered taboo undead magic? A spell that revives you when you die from anything aside from the method that they have specified, right?” 

“My party has water, wind, earth, light, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing…and also ice, huh.” (Keika)

“No fire, then. Also, he was a former elf, so it would be desirable to have wood too.”

*Rustle! Plop…*

A branch suddenly fell on top of the table. 

A long branch that’s around 1.5 meters in size. It is slightly curved, and it resembles a wooden sword. 

[World Tree Branch (God Effect)]: Harder than steel. It has many uses like medicine, talisman, weapon, and many others. (Because of the God Effect, it is harder than diamond).

*Tetteree*

That sound rang from the World Tree. 

What a skilled guy.

When I looked back, the World Tree was shaking its whole body as if dancing. 

“Are you telling me to hit him with this?” (Keika)

When I asked this, it waved his left side branches, and then shook a branch that was close to the top. 

Yakuto speaks.

“…The World Tree-sama said: Soak it in oil, burn it, and hit him with it.” (Yakuto)

The branch on the World Tree’s right side shook. Looks like that’s correct. 

“I see, I will gratefully accept this.” (Keika)

When I picked up the branch on top of the table and stood up, the Elder said.

“The Immortal Rebirth should be showing the current designation by color. Pay careful attention.” 

“Got it. Thanks. See ya later.” (Keika)

I thanked the elf, raised my hand at the World Tree and bid my farewells, and then left with the branch in hand. 

What should I do next? 

Let’s do something about the doll.

The sound of rustling branches rang all the way until I crossed the Fairy Door. 

…Anyways, those branches really are noisy. 

The World Tree making sound effects and playing around was most likely because it is still a child, and probably found the serious talk boring. 

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