The Book Eating Magician - chapter-103

In the center of the elf kingdom, Elvenheim, there was a giant tree which
reached up into the clouds. As the last remaining world tree in an era
where the power of the myths was almost lost, Yggdrasil was the identity
of the big tree.

300 years ago, the four high elves had gathered all their strength to
make this world tree, which was still a ‘premature baby.’ Ordinary
humans would stop breathing as soon as they got close and even senior
magicians were barely capable of withstanding the mana pressure. Yet this
was only around one-tenth of the original world trees in the primordial
world.

Nevertheless, there was an area surrounded by a fog of mana which was
difficult to access even for elves. It was a place where only the
gardeners of the world tree, the high elves with Arv’s blood, could
access.

This was the most secret place in Elvenheim, located on top of the roots
of the world tree. There weren’t many elves who didn’t know about it,
but it was considered a taboo to even talk about it. It was a wooden
building called ‘Heart of the Forest.’

“They have already arrived? Ahh, I should’ve gone to meet them!”
Alisa, the female high elf with bright blonde hair like the sun, cried
out. Alisa’s eyes were like the sea, and her unique playfulness stood
out.

She had the appearance of being the youngest among the dark elves
gathered here, but she was actually the oldest. Hers was the voice which
had first disturbed Theodore.

“You can’t. If we send you, their whole image of the elves and high
elves will be crushed like dry leaves.”

“Oh, that is an excessive compliment!”

“It isn’t a compliment!” The elf with the angry voice knocked on
the table. With dark skin and silver hair, the elf looked like a species
which was already extinct in the continent, while the wide shoulders and
angular body indicated he was male.

Alucard, the dark elf who looked up at the moon instead of the sun,
snapped in a nervous tone, “You are unworthy to be the oldest one. Why
do you act more like a child as the years pass?”

“Isn’t a child’s heart precious?”

“Fuck you!” In the end, a vulgar curse emerged from the high elf’s
mouth.

The bickering would’ve continued, but another high elf intervened.

She was an impressive female with brown hair and gentle eyes, like a
herbivore. “Both of you calm down. Is this something worth arguing
about? We should talk about the guests who have come a long way and the
problems that have arisen recently.”

“…I understand.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Alisa’s answer was still playful, but she finally
shut her mouth. At the very least, she wouldn’t interfere with the
meeting.

Then with perfect timing, Ellenoa spoke with her eyes closed as half of
her consciousness was still with her clone. “…I have arrived. I will
guide them to their quarters and then send Edwin to his original
location. I’m going to call a few people to act as guides. What do you
think?”

“I agree.”

“I also agree.”

“Me too!”

There was one voice missing, so they naturally looked in that direction.

With bushy hair and half opened eyes which displayed sleepiness, the high
elf stared at them before muttering in a low voice like he was speaking
to himself, “…Agr…ee.”

It was a unanimous decision. Ellenoa started focusing on her clone in
order to lead the delegation to their accommodations and summon a few
elves. She was still inexperienced with Ratatoskr, so she couldn’t
manipulate the clone while paying attention to her body at the same time.

Then the rest of the high elves naturally moved onto the next agenda.

“The following is a suggestion from the dryads. These days, there are
many creatures damaging the trees in the eastern part of the forest. They
want to know if the numbers can be reduced. What do you think?”

“Hmm, the dryads. Aren’t they protected due to a contract with the
ents? Isn’t that enough to protect them?”

Alucard was the first one to raise objections. Dryads were a type of
fairy species which were parasites to trees. They had the ability to
deceive and chase out those who damaged forests. So, they had a friendly
relationship with the moving trees, the ents, to protect their physically
vulnerable bodies.

The ents born in the Great Forest had a vitality that was many times
stronger than those in other regions. So, even senior creatures avoided
fighting with them.

However, Lumia’s expression darkened and she shook her head. “The
damage is still too great. Two ents in the eastern area have already been
burned to death, so there may be a high ranking creature that uses
fire.”

“…I agree. That is enough to send one guardian.”

“Edwin needs rest, so choose another!”

“…One… person… agree…”

If possible, they sought a unanimous decision, but if that wasn’t
possible, they decided using the majority vote.

Ellenoa didn’t speak in this meeting, but all four high elves,
including Lumia, agreed. They decided to dispatch one guardian to the
eastern forest as a master would be able to crush even the most serious
problems.

The next agenda concerned some species which were causing headaches.

“The chief of the Stone Lion Tribe, Orlando, has come. He says that a
suspicious person recently appeared in his area. I couldn’t find any
signs of that, and it may be a prank by the fairies. So, he has come to
make a request.”

“The Stone Lion Tribe, what a stupid person.”

In a rare moment, Alisa responded to the agenda in a chilly voice,
“That idiot who would kill a person and then say that they fell? Just
ignore it.”

“Judging with personal feelings isn’t a good habit,” Alucard spoke
with irritation, but he was also sick of dealing with the ignorant tribe
chief. If Orlando wasn’t representing the beasts of the Great Forest,
he would’ve been expelled in disgrace sooner.

“…Put it on hold. I will send a few investigators, and if they
can’t find any traces, he will be sent back.”

“Che, it can’t be helped.”

“…Agr…ee.”

“Then I will send an investigation team.”

The conclusion of the third agenda created a stiff atmosphere. The four
high elves exhaled for a moment and waited for Ellenoa’s next words.
They couldn’t help feeling curious about the guests who had just
arrived.

At that moment, there was a bolt of lightning inside Alisa’s head as
she cried out, “ —Ah!”

The other three people were surprised and wanted to ask her what happened.

“Wait! That reminds me, the chief of the Stone Lion Tribe is there!”

“There…?”

“Eh?”

Unlike Lumia who was still confused, Alucard sucked in a breath.

The foolish beast chief who liked to talk with strength… Orlando of the
Stone Lion Tribe was staying in the area given to the Meltor delegation.
During the time of slave hunting, the beast clans were also sold at a
high price by humans.

When he thought about Orlando’s temperament, ‘that’ would certainly
happen.

“Ah, no. Ellenoa, guide them to a different place right now…”

“—I’m sorry.” At that moment, Ellenoa spoke with a blank
expression, “They have already met.”

* * *

The beast clans, also known as the werebeasts, were born with two
advantages. They had the intelligence of humanoids and the violent nature
of beasts. Their prosperity was based on their ability to hunt wild
animals and creatures, as well as their intelligence to build a developed
civilization. At least, they thought so.

However, their pride was shattered by human development. Magic and aura
overwhelmed the beast clans, who had relied on their natural abilities
for generations. They had been drunk on their own strength and ignored
the development of civilization, which led them to eventually having to
flee from the humans.

The werewolves, who had caused many villagers to tremble in fear, had
been slain by the swords of knights, while the bears who had received
tribute as master of the mountains had been turned into fire by the
flames of magician.

The beast clans then realized they were no longer the strongest and had
escaped to the ends of the continent. They hid in the Great Forest which
was out of reach of the humans. It had already been more than a hundred
years since they fled.

As new generations grew up, the fear in their blood thinned and turned
into anger. Yes, just like right now.

“Hey, you bastards! Come out and explain!”

The shout was so loud that some elves covered their ears with a pained
expression. It was from a man with an extraordinary body over which was
two metres tall and had unusual traits. He stepped forward suddenly and
shouted rudely at the party, “Why did you bring humans into this
forest?! Did you forget how humans persecuted us? Or did you get deceived
by their sly tongues?”

Ellenoa couldn’t stand it anymore and raised her voice, [Step away
right now, Chief Orlando. The people you are being rude to aren’t
‘humans’ but guests of Elvenheim.]

“Don’t command me!” The muscles under Orlando’s scarred skin
swelled menacingly. Orlando didn’t practice aura, but he gave off an
intimidating pressure as he bared his teeth at the party. Unfortunately,
the people he was confronting were stronger than him.

The White Tower Master standing beside Theodore muttered quietly, “A
beast clan, what a rare presence. What do you think is the best way to
resolve this?”

“…It isn’t a moderate atmosphere, is it?”

Orlando was bold. The man whose hair resembled a lion’s mane wouldn’t
drop his head easily. The fact that he was yelling at a high elf in
Elvenheim proved this. As Ellenoa’s voice became increasingly colder,
Orlando pointed with his sharp claws toward the nearest human, Theodore.

“You’re treating humans better than the chief of the Stone Lion
Tribe! Why did you give the VIP room to that guy? I won’t leave this
place unless he proves his credentials!”

[Chief Orlando, if you keep continuing like this…]

As Ellenoa raised an eyebrow, Theodore stepped forward with a sneer.

Theo wasn’t afraid of the pressure coming from the two-meter-tall body.
Compared to Veronica’s pressure, this was just at the level of a
breeze. It was almost embarrassing to compare it to the killing intent of
one of the Imperial Seven Swords, Lloyd Pollan.

Theodore stared into the beast’s eyes and opened his mouth to say,
“Then what are your qualifications?”