Chapter 164 – Another Natural Enemy Relationship (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Elf.

Existences born from the World Tree.

To them, it seemed the Blessing of the World Tree was an innate rule they couldn’t refuse. If not for that……. I looked at Elsidore kneeling in front of me.

‘With his manners-lacking personality, he wouldn’t be able to endure such humiliation.’

No matter how influenced I am by Granfel.

To an elf out of nowhere, telling him to kneel.

I’m not a severe patient enough to say that.

Maybe if it were demanding formalities, it would be another story.

Yes, the words I handed over to Elsidore were just one phrase.

“A frog in a well seems to need etiquette training.”

……For a moment, I wondered if frog was a more insulting word than telling him to kneel but.

Still, it’s not a wrong statement, right?

Is it because he only stayed in Sisley, the land of elves, and then came outside.

Let alone formalities.

Not even common-sense communication methods could be found in Elsidore.

[Hierarchy of Blessing occurs to the Elf, Elsidore.]

And then once.

The message flashed.

And it was now.

“……How dare you do this to me.”

Thud

Elsidore knelt.

As if that wasn’t enough, he dropped the sword from his hand.

This was exactly the effect of [Hierarchy of Blessing].

‘Does it mean he cannot disobey my words?’

How severely did the World Tree instill discipline!

Even to me, who could roughly guess the story, it was a startling sight. Is there a need to explain the gazes of the onlookers.

It seems the saying that if you’re too surprised, words won’t even come out is true.

“…….”

Is that why, the players’ side was rather quiet.

“Chief Lee. This is……?”

Even the great Mathis trailed off his words.

I’m slowly realizing just what kind of act I’ve committed.

Anyway, it’s a relief, truly.

I looked towards Lockid’s direction.

‘First of all, I’m glad he’s okay.’

If one is a Senior Mage of the Mage Tower, they can manifest magic from fields other than their own up to the intermediate level. For Mathis, doing basic first aid would have been easy.

Nod

Did they all run here to save their comrade?

The Shadow Mercenaries who revealed themselves at some point.

In place of the unseen commander, Kichi, Wolf bowed to me.

Now that his comrades have arrived, there’s no need to worry about Lockid anymore.

If so.

“……Do not think you will be safe after turning me, this Elsidore, into this state.”

The only thing left is the disposition of the high-and-mighty elf.

But to say this state.

Regretfully, he is deeply mistaken.

‘I haven’t even started the proper disposition yet.’

Above all, now that I’ve learned what effect [Hierarchy of Blessing] has.

It means my confidence has gained a foundation. I spoke with a more confident voice than ever.

“This place is not suitable for a conversation, Elsidore.”

“How dare my name……!”

“Refrain from making lacking-common-sense remarks first.”

“……!!!”

[Hierarchy of Blessing occurs to the Elf, Elsidore.]

First of all, let’s start after you shut that snout of yours a bit.

*

AAU.

This time, for real, there were no excuses.

USA West Branch Director.

Jim Joshua heavily opened his mouth.

“We completely failed to predict this situation.”

Back when Arcana was merely a game.

Elves were an incomplete content planned to appear far in the future.

Because the confirmed settings were merely a few background settings.

It meant they couldn’t even imagine that the elves derived from those settings would suddenly reveal explicit hostility toward humanity.

Was it called the butterfly effect?

One of the few background settings.

Elves live eternal years.

To think such monsters would be born from that short setting.

They couldn’t even dare to imagine.

Because it is too overwhelming.

A martial prowess (武力) that couldn’t help but approach as a fear of the unknown.

It was a strength on a different dimension from what they had seen so far, including the Demon King.

However, humanity had one player.

Even in front of the Demon King.

Even in front of the fear of the unknown.

There was a consistently upright hero.

“And we are indebted to Player Lee Ho-yeol once again.”

Lee Ho-yeol.

Not only did he stop the elf who was rampaging like an evil deity, but he made him kneel.

Did he use martial prowess in the process?

It wasn’t that either.

He merely exchanged a few words of conversation with the elf.

Jim Joshua, who had bowed his head once, declared.

“From now on, the USA will participate in the holy war. We will spare no full-scale support. I also completely withdraw my opposition to the establishment of the AAU Yusra Branch, and to assist the development of the Yusra Branch…….”

Has his stubbornness finally broken?

“With this, it’s unanimous.”

Park Min-jae shrugged his shoulders.

Of course, they say you can know the deep waters but not the human mind.

Whether that action stemmed from pride.

Or if it was an action born from thorough calculation.

It was still unknown.

However, one thing was certain.

End of the video conference.

Park Min-jae spoke in a low voice.

“Everything is changing, Lee Ho-yeol. Centered around him.”

The corners of his mouth lifted.

“Raymond Sean, even you couldn’t have predicted this development, right?”

*

Yusra Kingdom.

The Golden Palace.

I had Elsidore stay in the annex of the palace.

‘Why put this mannerless thing in this luxurious palace.’

If it were up to my feelings, the underground of the Mage Tower.

I wanted to lock him in Avici.

To know what kind of space Avici is, seeing the Elder Mage.

No, seeing the condition of the demon worshippers, I knew very well.

Because I still had many things to ask Elsidore.

It becomes a headache if he turns into a cripple.

However, no matter how urgent the interrogation is.

For everything, there is an order and procedure.

I only visited the annex after handling the duties of the Chief in the Mage Tower. The ones guarding the entrance of the annex were the Lionheart Knights, Jesica and Enoch.

‘To think they’re working overtime because of me.’

Am I not someone who knows well the sorrow of an office worker who must do what they’re told?

Especially Jesica, like last time with the succubus, she has an overflow of work luck.

I offered my deep condolences to the two.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“Not at all.”

“But more importantly, I heard news regarding you from Commander Harkon!”

……News, what news?

At Enoch’s words, I flinched.

Various eccentricities brushing past my mind.

Did he perhaps hear the news about my umbrella combat?

If not that, the endlessly deep darkness whatever?

If not even that, the evil dragon hunter?

More importantly, Mr. Harkon, why are you telling subordinates such rumors!

“To think you reached a higher realm once again. You are truly amazing!”

Ah, you meant sword force (劍罡)?

Damn it, at this level, isn’t it beyond a thief’s feet going numb, but breaking? For karmic retribution of a dark past, it is too harsh……. A sense of shame surged for a moment, but my brazen face didn’t change.

I smoothly spouted.

“Sword qi becomes ever denser at the crossroads of life and death.”

“……!”

“A day will come when you too will gain enlightenment.”

It was merely thanks to the [Last Adventurer] effect.

Don’t package it meaningfully, Granfel.

If you stay quiet, you’ll save at least half.

Just let’s shut the mouth a bit, please.

“I will keep those words in mind.”

Don’t nod your head with tragic eyes, Jesica.

Any further conversation was no different from mental self-harm.

I immediately opened the door to the annex.

The moment I opened the door, a passionate gaze poured down on me.

Elsidore glared at me and said.

“□□. □□□. □□□□.”

Accurately speaking, he just opened and closed his mouth.

[Hierarchy of Blessing] activates.

So that Elsidore couldn’t leave the annex.

And I commanded him to remain silent.

The reason I expressed it grandiosely as a ‘command’ was simple.

As if truly obeying an order.

Because Elsidore couldn’t go against my words.

Let’s save the admiration for the effect of Hierarchy of Blessing for later.

‘Elf, you said you are an existence that lives eternal years…….’

Even if he only stayed in Sisley, he has years of experience.

Come to think of it, wouldn’t the information he knows regarding the Arcana continent be considerable? Among them, there might be high-level information mixed in. Let’s ask slowly, one by one.

“From now on, I will permit answers to questions.”

“……?”

“Are you elves related to the holy war?”

Of course, the priority should be Granfel’s pride.

Whether elves were related to the holy war, to the extermination of Akshan.

Depending on that, the intensity of Granfel’s interrogation will inevitably change.

“Interest in the affairs of mere bugs…….”

Stop.

Excuse me, it seems you still haven’t grasped the situation.

I cut off Elsidore’s words and spoke coldly.

“Limit your answers to yes or no.”

“……No.”

See, isn’t it nice when you answer politely?

Grind

The sound of teeth grinding.

Elsidore seemed furious because of the words popping out on their own.

Of course, from my, Lee Ho-yeol’s perspective, there was no worse exaggeration than that.

‘It’s much better than my situation.’

Not only the past dark history.

Compared to my situation where dark history is adding up in real-time, he’s basically a noble.

Thanks to that, I utilized the hierarchy without guilt.

I could roughly grasp the situation.

“Ultimately, everything was because of the World Tree’s blessing?”

“……Yes.”

“Not because of the Arcana continent, nor because of demons.”

“……Yes.”

Elf.

The land where the first World Tree took root, and their hometown.

The reason they revealed their appearance from Sisley to the Arcana continent was only one.

The blessing the first World Tree retracted from them.

In order to find out the whereabouts of that blessing.

“You trampled upon everything that hindered that path.”

“……Yes.”

I thought to myself without realizing.

They really don’t have a single ounce of pride, these guys!

Their sole interest is their eternal life?

I just thought it was loose muzzle, but there was nothing wrong with Granfel’s words. Even if I were the World Tree. I would’ve retracted the blessing from you guys, sincerely.

‘Anyway, to think the blessing was originally the elves’ blessing.’

I just thought it was a buff.

I couldn’t have even imagined that the blessing of the first World Tree had such a backstory tangled in it. Now that I know the situation, I can guess why he shows hostility toward me.

‘He probably thinks I stole it.’

However, there’s no misunderstanding like that.

I declared toward Elsidore once again.

“I have no need for something like a blessing.”

“……No.”

……I’m saying I don’t need it, what do you mean no.

For a moment, I had somewhat questioned it before understanding.

Right, hierarchy.

Seeing him not making mistakes, it seems discipline has properly sunken in.

“A blessing exchanged for pride.”

“……?”

“It means it is meaningless.”

To Granfel, the Blessing of the First World Tree?

As I’ve said, it was a simple buff, nothing more, nothing less.

Without needing to go far, wasn’t I the one who coldly refused the buffs of healers?

While talking about religious reasons like not believing in gods.

Of course, same for me.

The effect of the blessing?

Enormous.

Not even just the Demon King Continental Clash, but thinking of the future where I have to face higher-ranking Demon Kings, it’s amazing enough that I’d never want to give it up. But at the same time, it is terrifying.

‘Eternal life?’

……That means I have to live a lifetime suffering from Granfel!

It’d be a different story if he got older and matured.

Is Granfel’s pride one that will break as years flow by?

“……No!”

However, Elsidore raised his voice.

The bastard who stole the blessing from them.

He was acting like he didn’t even need the blessing.

‘I can understand getting angry.’

But whatever.

Everything involves a give and take.

So I will tell you at least one necessary information.

Clack

I put down the teacup and continued speaking.

“Do you want to get the World Tree’s blessing back?”

Although brief, Elsidore’s expression flinched.

“……Yes.”

Of course you do.

But even if it’s a blessing I don’t need, the method to pass it over to someone else? Unfortunately, I don’t know such a thing.

Because I merely received the blessing passed down from the first World Tree.

So.

“If you want it, how about trying to take it?”

“……?”

“Just as I was chosen by the World Tree.”

“……!”

“It means that you too should prove your pride in front of the World Tree.”

It means I also have no intention of giving it away freely.

*

Mage Tower.

─Prove your value in the relevant area. (Success)

An opportunity was given to players who proved their own value.

A golden opportunity to develop their abilities as an apprentice mage of the Mage Tower.

Of course, taking even the first step in the Mage Tower wasn’t easy.

Slip!

“Uaghk!”

“Be careful!”

“Ah, thank you.”

To think something like this was made into stairs in the world!

The Mage Tower’s stairs repeating appearing and disappearing in midair.

Before even discussing adapting to it, one couldn’t help but feel admiration.

“……How did he go up and down so neatly?”

For a human, it wouldn’t be strange to misstep at least once.

Because there wasn’t a hint of unsteadiness from Ho-yeol who went up and down the Mage Tower.

“It’s just Homen. Homen.”

Someone suddenly approached the murmuring player.

“L, you startled me!”

“Homen. May I ask what that means?”

Lightly swaying braided hair.

“……Yes?”

“Ahem, for reference, I am the ‘Skilled’ mage Jibril.”

A voice overflowing with confidence.

“If it’s Skilled mage……?”

She’s a senior.

The player who immediately grasped Jibril’s point answered.

“I mean, Homen is Player Lee Ho-yeol. No, Chief Lee Ho-yeol…….”

Jibril quietly listened to the story tangled between Ho-yeol and Homen.

Such Jibril’s eyes gradually widened.

This, I was completely mistaken, wasn’t I?

“It’s not on the level of a great family…….”

He was in a position like a god in the world of adventurers!

To think she would get such precious news from a rookie adventurer.

To wipe her mouth like this would be an act unbecoming of a noble.

Jibril continued with a satisfied expression.

“If so, what kind of existence Chief Lee Ho-yeol is in the Mage Tower. For you who still haven’t even guessed. I, Skilled mage Jibril, will introduce it to you from one to ten.”

“Ah, yep! Please do.”

“First of all, Chief Lee Ho-yeol defeated millions of demons in two hours…….”

“Yes? W, what did you just say?!”

Words without feet grew wings and began to glide.