First of all, the messengers of the two races have been sent to their lodgings for a while. With the message that I’ll call them tomorrow.
Hmm. Honestly, sticking the hero into disputes between other races seems a bit over the line.
Judging roughly by their intentions, it seems they’re preemptively trying to grease the wheels because if the renowned dragon-slayer were to side with the opposing faction, it’d be troublesome…
But the hero wasn’t created for such purposes. Of course, with that genuine power, they could probably beat down elves or dwarves like monsters…
I certainly don’t wish for that!
Anyway, whether the elves and dwarves bicker or go to war… as long as they don’t cross lines like committing genocide or slaughtering non-combatants, I don’t particularly plan to get angry. However, if they intend to use the hero, that’s another story.
Let’s see… first, let’s talk to Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha. I’m also curious if those kids are aware of the situation.
If they intentionally hid it from me… well, I might get a little mad, you know?
“Yggdrasa, Sagarmatha. Do you have a moment?”
“Yes, Eomma. What is it?”
“I’m sleepy… can we make this quick?”
Their calm voices. Are they really unaware? Or are they deliberately deceiving me?
Well, either way, the truth will come out soon enough.
“There’s an issue between the elves and dwarves. Do you happen to know anything about it?”
“Our children? Hmm… there was a somewhat restless vibe lately, but I’m not sure.”
“Dwarves… ah, those ant-like creatures digging around my base. I told them to stay away from me, so I’ve been ignoring them…”
Hmm. Neither of them knows?
More importantly, Sagarmatha, the dwarves revere you as a sacred mountain deified in divinity… and you’ve been treating them like ants this whole time?
No, now that I think about it, even when you first met, you mentioned wanting to obliterate anyone who tried to dig into you. So it’s not surprising.
The dwarves respect Sagarmatha as a divine mountain, yet Sagarmatha herself shows no interest. Poor dwarves.
“Now they’re even naming all the surrounding peaks after me, though I don’t understand why. Watching them dig into the earth was kind of entertaining, though.”
Sagarmatha observes the dwarves like ants in a terrarium.
Hmm… let’s keep this a secret from the dwarves. If they find out their sacred mountain views them as ants, they’d be shocked.
Anyway, since Sagarmatha simply ignored the dwarves, she’s likely unrelated to this matter.
What about Yggdrasil?
“By any chance, have your kids caused some trouble?”
“Huh? My kids?! ”
Hmm… Yggdrasil didn’t know either, it seems.
“What happened? Lately, the kids have been a bit rowdy, but suddenly a war? Why?!”
“That’s what I want to know.”
If the quarrel started because of one of Yggdrasil’s branches, Yggdrasil would surely be surprised.
Ahem… then what should we do? It seems both Yggdrasil and Sagarmatha were completely unaware.
“You, Mom… you’re not going to get mad like old times, are you?”
“Like old times?”
“Yeah. You confiscated our scales and turned all the kids into spirits back then.”
Ah, the Last Day of Dragons you mean.
“Well, if you guys were involved in this… I might have gotten a little upset.”
“But we didn’t know! The kids are just fighting on their own!! And Sagarmatha doesn’t even recognize her own ‘children’!!”
“True, but that stung a bit.”
Let’s ignore Sagarmatha for now.
“While I don’t oppose war itself, it’s part of development… necessary perhaps.”
“Hmm… so, should we just let them fight?”
Let’s continue ignoring Sagarmatha.
“Why are they suddenly starting a war?”
“Apparently, the dwarves asked for one of your branches.”
“Huh? My branch? Why…?”
“The dwarves wanted to give the elves gems as tokens of friendship and planned to decorate them with the finest wood—apparently, they thought the best wood would be yours.”
“The finest wood… so that’s why it’s my branch?”
“That’s right.”
Of course, the World Tree Yggdrasil would immediately come to mind as the greatest tree.
The dwarves must’ve thought the same thing and requested a branch from Yggdrasil.
Perhaps the dwarves didn’t realize that elves view cutting trees as akin to cutting their own bodies.
Well, given that elves can converse with trees, it makes sense from their perspective.
But… is this acceptable?
Trees are among the most commonly used resources in this era, yet the elves can’t use them at all…
Not only fruits and vegetables, but they can’t even use timber as building materials, nor papyrus made from plants as a medium for records. Without these, aren’t the elves practically like primitives?
If things continue like this, the elves will fall behind while other races develop. Ugh…
Still, something must be done for the elves, right? But how?
Taking away their ability to communicate with plants? That doesn’t seem right either…
Ugh. This isn’t easy. Not easy at all.
“A branch from me is no big deal, but why are they fighting so fiercely? They’re my kids, but I can’t understand.”
“Isn’t it because constant interaction with trees has made them equate themselves with them?”
“Even if they identify with trees, continuously growing branches are like hair on humans—it shouldn’t be a big deal. I don’t get it.”
Hair… hmm… kinda similar? I’m not sure. I’m not a tree.
Well, if Yggdrasil says so, then it must be true.
“We could easily spare a branch. Why are the kids being so fussy?”
“That’s what I’m wondering too.”
Maybe a full-scale mental reset for the elves is needed.
It’s good that they cherish and connect with trees, but it’s become excessive.
“At some point, we should adjust the elves’ plant-communication abilities to be less sensitive. Their lack of moderation is causing problems.”
“Hahaha…”
Yggdrasil awkwardly laughs.
“Anyway, since you weren’t involved in the war plans, I’ll handle the rest appropriately.”
“Please, Mom, be gentle.”
“Why not just let them fight?”
Let’s continue ignoring Sagarmatha.
No, wait.
Should I just let them fight?
Instead of a full-blown war, maybe a friendly competition involving elite representatives.
Without killing, just mind suppression within certain restrictions—wouldn’t that work?
That way, it’d cause less harm than actual war and stimulate healthy competition.
Yeah. Instead of outright banning it, it’s better to release some steam while controlling the situation.
——————-
“Therefore, I forbid the war. Summon the representatives of both sides.”
I conveyed this decision to the messengers alongside the hero.
“Forbidding war…? What authority do you have…?”
“Hm?”
“Ah, nevermind… nothing at all…”
The elf messenger quickly backed down after one glare from me. Seems they don’t want their limbs shattered again.
“If war is necessary, I won’t avoid it, but meaningless wars have their answers. Understood! I’ll convey this to the Grandmaster!”
Good. The dwarves understood easily thanks to their efficiency-oriented nature.
“The elves too. Make sure the message is clear. War is forbidden. If you disregard my words and provoke the dwarves, I’ll make you regret it.”
The elf messenger still looked dissatisfied.
As if saying, “Who do you think you are to command us?”
Why have they become so arrogant? Those forest-dwelling carnivorous primitives used to be so humble. Is it because of their long lifespans? Have they grown to look down on others just because they live longer?
When they barely survive for a thousand years!
“Understood. I’ll deliver the message. A war against the hero and their companion wouldn’t benefit us elves either.”
This companion isn’t ordinary. These arrogant ones seem to have forgotten who taught them spirit magic. Though back then, terms like “dragon priestess” weren’t used!!
Besides, it’s been hundreds of years since that incident. Any elf who remembers it would be near death by now.
Anyway, both the elf and dwarf messengers departed.
“Really, both elves and dwarves are troublesome fellows.”
“That’s true.”
The hero and I sighed as we watched the departing figures of the two messengers.
Meanwhile, the beast watching us silently tilted its head in confusion.
