We continued on the highway straight through Yggurle Kingdom’s national border, an overgrown forest filled with all kinds of thick-trunked trees. Unreachable by the rays of sunlight, the road was dim and had become a green carpet except for the wheel tracks of carriages.
「Is there a process to enter this place?」
「Yes, but it will be fine now that I am here.」
On the outer edge of the forest, we have a reason for stopping. We can’t enter Yggurle Kingdom that’s enshrouded by the barrier just like that.
Sophia appealed to the spirits, and we received permission to pass the barrier.
「It is alright now. Let us be on our way.」
When the carriage moved at Sophia’s signal, I felt a sensation of passing through a thin film, and we were able to go through the barrier.
Akane was surprised by the sensation of passing through the barrier.
「!! That just now was the feeling of moving across the barrier, wasn’t it? It is completely different from the barrier Takumi puts up, but I get that it’s a strong barrier.」
「Triaria started a war with a country that had a barrier of this magnitude erected?」
「Takumi-sama, this barrier is not absolute either. The barrier breaks when it receives damage beyond its limits. Once the barrier breaks, it takes a long time to repair the barrier once more.」
The start of the war for Triaria Kingdom’s invasion 50 years ago was sending a mage units to destroy this barrier.
Yggurle Kingdom had chosen to meet the enemy outside of the barrier, and both armies squared off in the savage lands. The result was that Yggurle repelled Triaria, but the damage on Yggurle had also been great. For Triaria, this war had several objectives.
Aside from securing beautiful elven slaves, it was to seize materials from Yggradsil, the World Tree that towered in the royal capital of Yggurle.
「You can collect rare materials from Yggdrasil?」
「It is the World Tree, after all.」
As we traversed the highway in the dim forest, I learned of the war 50 years ago from Sophia.
One of Triaria’s objectives that I felt was weak was their said motive of wanting elven slaves. Thus, as expected, Triaria’s true desire was the World Tree.
「Various materials can be procured from the World Tree. Be that as it may, given how we must request the World Tree to bequeath us with a small portion, it is immensely valuable.」
「Hee~」
YggdrasilWorld Tree has the materials for the ultimate cure-all referred to as the Elixir[1].
Elixir can cure all diseases, restore any damage at once, and dispel any curse. It is known as a panacea that could heal a severely injured person on the verge of death, but its existence is equal to that of a legend. To the avaricious nobles of Triaria, the cure-all Elixir and the life-extending Amrita were items they so desperately desired.
「The recipe of the elixir is lost, but, as they are, the dew and leaves of the World Tree are still on par with advanced medicine.」
「Amazing, as expected of something called the World Tree.」
In addition to the Elixir, the World Tree also has materials for a medicine with a humorous amusing effect of lengthening lifespans known as the Amrita.
「Besides these, a staff made the branch of the World Tree is regarded as the best staff for individuals who use magic. Even among the elves of Yggurle, there are few individuals who are recognized by the World Tree and possess a staff.」
「Recognized by the World Tree?」
I was stuck on the Sophia’s phrasing that I had to ask.
「Yes, the staff of the World Tree can only be equipped by individuals deemed acceptable by the World Tree.」
「So the World Tree has a will.」
Just as I learned of a fantasy-like story, something that wasn’t monsters was caught in my detection range.
「…… are we being watched?」
They took a set distance from the carriage pulled by Tsubaki, and were maintaining that distance.
「They are the border patrol of Yggurle. It is their job to be vigilant towards individuals that come from the outside. They would not be on guard until this point if it were fellow country men, but in the cases of other races passing through the barrier, they raise their vigilance by two levels.」
As Sophia was explaining so, the pursuing presences went away.
「Huh?」
「It is likely that they had confirmed the presence of a fellow countryman, and judged that there are no issues. They would have already confirmed by way of the Spirits that I, an elf, am together with you, and have ascertained that I am not a slave.」
「They can judge from that distance that you are not a slave?」
「Yes, though it was by way of the Spirits.」
「They’ve always been watching Kaede, you know!」
「Ah, are Arachnes conspicuous?」
「Yes, it is a monster of a level that could annihilate a town by itself.」
When applying monster ranks, Kaede, a unique species of Arachne, has already exceeded S rank. Since she is a calamity-class monster, I could see why the border patrol of Yggurle was being vigilant.
Even so, Spirits, huh. It certainly feels like there are many things flying around. Is this the presence of the spirits?
「We might not be able to move freely.」
「Indeed. Ostensibly, moving independently is not censured. However, you would secretly be monitored.」
Well, I can’t do anything about that so I gave up. They can’t afford to not be vigilant of a foreigner who has tamed an Arachne and is riding on a carriage pulled by a Dragon Horse.
「Which reminds me, we’re inside the barrier but there are presences of monsters.」
「Yes, the barrier is a barrier that protects the country from foreign races and strong monsters; Therefore, low ranked monsters live inside the barrier.」
We were travelling along the highway surrounded by the forest, but it seems I wasn’t mistaken in sensing the presences of monsters far away.
While we were chatting idly, the forest of a myriad of trees suddenly opened up, and a settlement or a farm village came into view.
「This seems to be the territory of the Chevalier Sylphide, situated at the border of Yggurle. When I was in Yggurle Kingdom, we lived in the royal capital as chevaliers, but I heard from Moulin-sama that they had been conferred territory after the war 50 years ago.」
Sophia’s return home was not at nostalgic royal capital, but at a tranquil farm she’s visiting for the first time.
***
Footnotes:
