Chapter 100 - Damn Reincarnation

Guardian

Siknard led him to the clearing directly behind his house. Eugene looked around the spacious clearing and shrugged.

“If we're going to do this, why not go a little farther away?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Won't you be embarrassed to face the other elves after getting your ass kicked here? Sorry, but I'm not in a position to spare your feelings. If we fight, I'm going all out from the start. No testing you, no holding back.”

As he spoke, Eugene activated the White Flame Formula. But the response wasn't what he expected. Siknard stood there blinking, then sighed as though Eugene were utterly hopeless.

“It seems even dying and being reborn cannot change your nature.”

“What was that, asshole?”

“What I mean is... Hamel. I did not come out here to fight you.”

“... Really? My mistake. You just told me to follow you without any explanation, so I thought you wanted a fight.”

“There is no longer any reason to fight.”

Siknard turned to Eugene as he spoke.

“... Hamel. Had you come here asking about Senya with nothing to support your questions, I would have told you nothing. But rude though you are, you had clear grounds for seeking me out—for coming here.”

The leaf of the World Tree.

“Since you have brought that with you, I cannot simply refuse to speak about Senya. However... Hamel. I do not know everything you hope I do.”

“Then tell me what you do know.”

“Isn't it right before your eyes?”

Siknard turned to Eugene with a faint smile.

“... Before my eyes?”

Not understanding, Eugene tilted his head. He slowly widened his field of view and surveyed his surroundings. A broad clearing. Siknard standing still. A few trees. That was all.

“... Huh.”

This was an elven village in the middle of a forest. Of course there were plenty of trees. But that tree was unusual. Before he realized it, Eugene had stepped toward it.

More than a month had passed since he entered Samar. He had seen enough trees every day to be sick of them. Nor had they all been alike. Hundreds of different species grew in this vast forest.

Eugene was no botanist, and he wasn't interested enough in trees to memorize every subtle difference in their appearance. Yet the tree beside Siknard was enough to stir an interest he had never possessed.

“... A fairy tree.”

Even within the Great Forest of Samar, fairy trees were said to grow naturally only in the elven domain. They were the most expensive trees in the world, considered the finest material for magical staffs.

“These are not ordinary fairy trees.”

Siknard looked at the trees with a sorrowful smile.

“These trees are saplings of the World Tree.”

“... I see.”

Now he understood. Eugene slowly looked up at the sky. About a hundred elves lived in this village. The barrier protecting it from the outside was so sophisticated that an ordinary mage couldn't even begin to imitate it.

“... Is this... magic?”

“Hamel. If your understanding is of the magic of the ‘present’ age, you will not be able to understand this.”

“... Ancient magic.”

“Even among elves, few have inherited its traditions. Even Senya did not fully understand ancient magic.”

As he spoke, Siknard ran his hand down the tree's trunk.

“... I am not well versed in the principles of magic... so I understand this ancient magic as the forest's grace and a miracle. And is that not what it is? These few trees protect this village just as the World Tree, towering over our domain, protects it.”

Was it some sort of formation? Eugene narrowed his eyes as he examined the trees. There were only three fairy trees—saplings of the World Tree, according to Siknard. He could see no spells inscribed on them.

Yet they were generating a barrier on their own. Ancient magic indeed. It operated on different principles from ordinary magic.

“... Did Senya do this?”

“I told you. Even Senya did not fully understand ancient magic.”

“Then this really is the forest's grace or a miracle, like you said?”

Siknard nodded.

“Hamel. I do not know what happened to the elven domain.”

“...”

“And I am not the only one. Don't you find it strange? About a hundred elves live in this village. There must be even more outside the forest.”

Two hundred years ago, Senya the Wise had abruptly vanished from Aroth and gone into seclusion. The most widely accepted explanation was that she had returned to the elven domain, somewhere in the Great Forest of Samar.

That had been a full two hundred years ago. Senya was revered as a great figure in Aroth as well, and her sudden disappearance had prompted the nation to launch an official investigation into her whereabouts.

Aroth had not respected Senya's seclusion. It had little choice. Had Senya at least left a proper letter before withdrawing, Aroth would have respected her wishes. But her disappearance had been too sudden. At the time, Aroth was in turmoil over the establishment of the Black Tower, and Senya herself had led the opposition to it.

Perhaps black mages had assassinated her. Perhaps the demons and Demon Kings of Helmuth had done it. Such claims were dismissed as unfounded rumors now, but not two hundred years ago.

That was why Aroth had devoted itself to tracing Senya's movements. It had sent a delegation to the Great Forest of Samar and made contact with the elves.

But it had learned nothing. Far from finding Senya, Aroth had failed even to locate the elven domain.

It made no sense. However tight-lipped the elves might be, the Aroth of two hundred years ago would have stopped at nothing to find Senya. If it had still failed, there had to be a reason that made finding her impossible.

“Not every elf in the world was born in the domain. But many of us were, myself included.”

“...”

“Hamel. I remember its scenery vividly. I remember how magnificent the World Tree is, and how beautiful the elven city spread around it is. And yet... strangely, I cannot remember ‘how’ I used to enter or leave.”

Elves who lived outside eventually returned to Samar. But even they could not return home, and instead wandered the forest.

“Magic.”

Eugene murmured under his breath. Interference with memory. Not just one or two people's memories, but those of the entire elven race. Magic of that kind had serious aftereffects. As a rule, spells that tampered with the mind damaged it, no matter how carefully they were cast.

“Are any of your other memories muddled?”

“No.”

Mental magic without aftereffects... Was that possible? Could someone interfere with the memories of an entire race and conveniently erase only the desired parts? It was impossible with the magic Eugene knew.

But if it was Senya...

“... So in the end, you're saying you don't know anything about Senya.”

“That's right.”

Siknard answered with a bitter smile.

“I returned to this forest several decades ago. I... wandered Helmuth in pursuit of revenge. But I failed. All I gained there was a disease that ate away at me.”

Demonic sickness.

Eugene flinched and stared at Siknard. Outwardly, he showed no sign of illness. Seeing his gaze, Siknard gave a faint smile and lifted his clothes.

Black spots had spread like ink from the very center of his chest.

“... Are you all right?”

“As long as I do not leave this forest.”

An elf afflicted with demonic sickness could survive no more than five years at most.

“This, too, is a miracle bestowed by the gracious forest.”

“... The World Tree?”

“Yes.”

Things were different from three hundred years ago, when all five Demon Kings were alive. Returning to Samar allowed an elf to survive even with demonic sickness. Other forests would not do. Only the Great Forest of Samar, home to the fairy trees and the World Tree, could preserve an elf's life.

“... Don't think you can brush this off with a sob story.”

Eugene glared at Siknard.

“You called those fairy trees ‘saplings of the World Tree.’”

“Calling someone else's tragic past a sob story... Your character is as rotten as ever.”

“Like that's news. I just want to get things straight.”

“I have no intention of hiding that from you.”

Siknard snorted and ran a hand over a fairy tree.

“... I wanted to die in my homeland.”

“There you go with the sob story again.”

“Let me finish, you son of a bitch.”

“Elves really benefit from a carefully crafted image. You're beautiful, you love peace, and you live in forests, so everyone thinks you're nice and only ever say sweet, gentle things.”

“We really are such a race.”

“Don't bullshit me, fucker. If elves really are nice and only say sweet, gentle things, why was Senya, who was raised by elves, better at swearing than cheap mercenaries?”

“... Because we are beautiful and love peace, we sharpened our tongues rather than engage in bloody battles.”

“Yeah, sure, you pointy-eared bastard. Go on with your sob story.”

He had wanted to die in his homeland. Yearning for that, he had returned to Samar. But however far he wandered, however much he searched his memories, he could not return home.

“The forest's natives were savages even those decades ago. Horny dogs whose eyes lit up at the sight of an elf. I was dying of demonic sickness, but dealing with such savages was hardly difficult. As I searched for my homeland, I rescued wandering elves who were in danger...”

“Yeah, so why are those fairy trees saplings of the World Tree?”

“... I had a dream.”

Siknard spat the words out with a fierce scowl. The mention of a dream reminded Eugene of the one he had recently experienced. The dream shown to him by the Holy Sword. A dream that might have been a divine revelation. His eyes shining, Eugene approached Siknard.

“Did Senya appear in your dream?”

“... No. Senya did not appear.”

Eugene made no attempt to hide his disappointment at the answer. Siknard clenched his fists at that expression and continued.

“... Instead, I saw the World Tree.”

He had dreamed of small trees branching off from the roots of the vast world. It had not been an ordinary dream. When he awoke, three young saplings had been planted before him.

“... Hmm.”

Indeed. If he had even had a dream like that, the village's barrier truly deserved to be called a miracle of the gracious forest. Eugene collected himself and looked at the World Tree's saplings. In truth, they had grown too large to be called saplings anymore, but those fairy trees were far too small to be called World Trees.

“... Damn it.”

Eugene swore and scratched his head vigorously.

“So what does this all amount to? You don't know anything about Senya or the elven domain either.”

“It is not that I know nothing.”

Siknard raised a finger and pointed at the World Tree leaf in Eugene's hand.

“Hamel. What you have is a genuine leaf of the World Tree.”

“What else would it be? A fake?”

“... Although I neither know my homeland's exact location nor could find it, I remember that leaf.”

No matter where one was in the world, using a leaf of the World Tree would allow one to warp to the elven domain. Eugene knew that well.

“This leaf has already been used.”

“But it remains instead of crumbling away. If you approach the World Tree, that leaf will guide you to the domain.”

“... Really?”

Eugene's eyes lit up as he asked. Yet despite what he had just said, Siknard looked far from certain.

“... Normally, that would be true... but I cannot be certain now. Some magic erased the memories of the elves, myself included. And we could not find the elven domain anywhere in Samar.”

“... A seal.”

Siknard nodded at Eugene's murmur.

“If the elven domain really has been sealed away, there must have been a reason that made it necessary. But... perhaps the World Tree leaf remained and found its way into your hands so that it could become the key to opening a closed door.”

He had no choice but to try. Without a word, Eugene stared at the leaf in his hand. It looked as though the slightest pressure would crumble it, yet it did not crumble even when he clenched it tightly. Eugene sensed an unknown ‘power’ within the leaf. It resembled mana, but brimmed with greater vitality.

“... Hamel.”

“Don't call me by that name anymore.”

Eugene twirled the World Tree leaf as he spoke.

“That's my name from three hundred years ago. My name now is Eugene, not Hamel.”

“Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters. I don't want to announce my reincarnation to the whole damn world.”

“You do not intend to reveal that you are Hamel even to the woman who resembles Anise?”

“No. The only ones who know I've reincarnated are... Tempest, Senya's familiar, the Demon King of Incarceration, and you.”

“... Senya had a familiar?”

“You didn't know? Go to Aroth if you ever get the chance. Senya has a familiar called ‘Mer’ in the royal library there. She's the spitting image of Senya as a child.”

“But you did not know Senya as a child.”

“Even without knowing her back then, one look is enough to tell she's little Senya.”

Siknard's eyes wavered slightly. He recalled Senya toddling around the village hundreds of years ago. After dwelling for a moment on that distant past, his shoulders slumped.

“... I cannot go to Aroth.”

“I know. You can't leave the forest because of your demonic sickness.”

“Then why did you say that?”

“To piss you off.”

Siknard's eyes widened. He glared at Eugene for a while, then suddenly straightened in alarm.

“The Demon King of Incarceration knows about your reincarnation as well?”

“I'm not certain, but he probably does. That's why I need Senya's help. Well, it's not an important issue right now. I don't know what he's scheming, but despite knowing who I am, he hasn't tried to kill me.”

Arrogant bastard.

Eugene ground his teeth as he recalled what had happened in Hamel's tomb. The more he thought about it, the more infuriating and shitty the whole situation became. He had nearly been killed by Amelia. Hamel's corpse had been turned into a death knight. Those things were infuriating enough.

But what angered him even more was that the Demon King of Incarceration had done nothing. Despite knowing he was the reincarnation of Hamel from three hundred years ago, the Demon King had done nothing to Eugene. Instead, he had made Amelia back off, preventing her from killing Eugene or forcing him to do anything.

‘... Not an important issue?’

Was that something he could possibly say? Inwardly appalled at Eugene, Siknard shook his head.

“... Eugene. I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Of course you do. If you want to come along, go ahead.”

Eugene gave little thought to Siknard's ‘favor.’ Wasn't it obvious? The man wanted to return to his birthplace however he could, and the genuine World Tree leaf Eugene possessed was the only way to enter the elven domain, which had probably been sealed away.

“No. That is not what I wish to ask.”

But Siknard shook his head.

“I cannot leave the village. Though the barrier protects it, its protection is not absolute. A sufficiently persistent search would uncover the village.”

“Then what is it?”

“Please take the elves of this village with you.”

He hadn't expected that request. Unable to answer immediately, Eugene gazed at Siknard's face.

“... I can't promise that. There's no guarantee this leaf will lead us to the elven domain.”

“... If it does not, please take the elves here somewhere safe outside Samar and protect them.”

“I understand how you feel, but wouldn't leaving the forest put the elves in greater danger?”

Eugene looked at the three fairy trees.

“I know this forest is a shitty place for elves. Outsiders and natives work together to hunt them and sell them abroad. Even so, the elves have no choice but to live in this forest.”

“We can transplant the fairy trees.”

“Are fairy trees really so easy to dig up and replant?”

“It is possible with a leaf of the World Tree.”

“How?”

“We need only transplant the fairy trees onto land where that leaf has been buried.”

Eugene did not answer immediately, but stared at Siknard. He understood what the man meant. Siknard was asking Eugene—no, the Lionheart family—to become the elves' patron.

Elves were treated abominably in lawless Samar, but the nations on other continents were not so brazen in their cruelty toward them. The northern Kingdom of Ruhar, for one, treated elves as honored guests, and the Holy Empire dealt severely with the hunting and persecution of elves. Indeed, slavery itself—not merely the enslavement of elves—was an unjust practice that had been abolished three hundred years ago.

But it was difficult for the elves to seek refuge in Ruhar or the Holy Empire. Both were too close to Helmuth. Since demonic sickness in elves was caused by the presence of Demon Kings and demons, its incidence inevitably increased in places close to Helmuth.

Kiel was far from Helmuth. Moreover, the Lionheart family held all of Mount Uklas in the south as its territory, while the main family's estate in the capital included an enormous forest.

“... Please.”

Siknard bowed his head.

“No need to beg.”

Eugene chuckled and gave Siknard's shoulder a light pat.

“What's so hard about that? We just have to transplant three trees into the main family's forest and let a hundred or so elves loose in it.”

It would not be as easy as he made it sound. Yet Eugene readily agreed.

Not for Siknard's sake, but for Senya's, he would gladly do that much.