[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Chapter 115 - Isra’s Great Forest (14)
Isra hugged tightly and began to cry her heart out.
It’s a bit funny to be thinking this in such a situation, but today is really sothing special.
An elf bowing her head, an elf begging, an elf expressing her apologies and gratitude, an elf kneeling, an elf performing a full prostration, an elf baring her soul, and an elf crying her eyes out.
These are all rare sights, each of which would be difficult to witness even once in a lifeti, yet I’ve seen them all in a single mont.
I wanted to make a joke about it, but Isra was crying so bitterly that I decided to just quietly pat her back.
After crying for a long while, Isra finally pulled back, sniffling.
"Have you cried it all out?"
"Yes... I feel relieved now..."
"Then get up. Let’s head back."
I reached out to help her up, but suddenly, Isra grabbed my hand tightly.
"What’s wrong?"
"Mister... would you... like to bathe together?"
"What are you talking about, all of a sudden?"
I stared at her, and Isra looked back at blankly before suddenly recoiling in shock.
"Did I... did I just say that?"
"You asked if I wanted to bathe together."
"Eek?!"
She quickly yanked her hand away from mine as if my touch had burned her, then scrambled backward on her knees.
Isra, who had retreated quite a distance, stared at with a dumbfounded expression before violently shaking her head.
"I must be crazy... I must have lost my mind..."
"Given your usual behavior, you might be onto sothing."
"I’m so sorry... I got too caught up in my emotions..."
"Enough with the apologies. My ears are going to start bleeding soon."
I approached with a smile and helped Isra to her feet.
"What exactly does it an for elves to bathe together? Nierta warned quite seriously about it."
"Nierta did? What kind of warning?"
"She kept telling to absolutely refuse if any elf asked to bathe with them. She warned several tis, saying it was for your sake."
"For... my sake?"
Isra tilted her head in confusion.
"I’m not sure either. Oh, by the way, do you happen to know what the World Tree's Oath is?"
"The World Tree's Oath?"
I told her what I knew—that when the other elves started flirting with , Nierta sternly reminded them of the World Tree's Oath and drove them away.
She also told to be careful of the other elves and that it was all for Isra’s sake.
"I asked, but no one would tell . Linus didn’t seem to know either. I’m curious."
When there was no response, I looked at Isra and saw that she had lowered her head.
"Is it so kind of secret among your kin? If it is, you don’t have to tell ."
But it wasn’t that Isra was refusing to answer.
She was speaking, but so quietly that her words were barely audible.
"The World Tree's Oath... Nierta did it for ..."
"What did you say?"
Isra stopped mumbling and slowly lifted her head.
She stood there with her mouth half-open, staring into the distance.
"Are you okay? You look like you’re in a daze."
"Mister..."
Isra stiffly turned her head toward , almost like a broken doll.
"There’s sowhere I need to go. Please, follow ."
"Where are we going?"
Isra didn’t answer and instead grabbed my wrist and started running.
She led deeper into the Great Forest.
Suddenly, an enormous tree ca into view, towering with overwhelming presence.
It was so massive that its circumference could easily encircle an entire apartnt building.
It was the World Tree of Tyraellen, the one the elves had risked their lives to protect.
Even though it had burned down ten years ago, leaving only its base, it was still an awe-inspiring sight.
"Why did you bring here?"
"Shh."
Isra looked around cautiously before leading toward the base of the World Tree.
There was a long, vertical crack in the trunk, wide enough for two carriages to pass through side by side.
"Whoa! What is this?!"
As I stepped inside the World Tree, I couldn’t help but shout in surprise.
There was a forest.
Inside the hollowed base, bathed in the moonlight streaming through the open ceiling, was a forest.
Trees similar to those outside grew densely, and I could hear the mysterious calls of nocturnal birds.
A forest within a tree. It was like another world within this world.
"This is your World Tree. Why did we co here?"
"There’s a pond. You can bathe there."
I was still marveling at the sight when Isra grabbed my wrist again.
"Wait. Is this really okay? A human bathing inside an elven World Tree feels... like blasphemy."
"It’s fine. It’s to fulfill the World Tree's Oath."
"Hmm, I feel like I’m getting involved in sothing here. Shouldn’t you explain what this World Tree's Oath is first?"
"Oh, right."
Isra seed to realize her mistake and let go of my wrist, looking sheepish.
"I’m sorry, Mister. I was so nervous that I wasn’t thinking straight."
"It’s fine. Just explain it to ."
"The World Tree's Oath is, as the na suggests, an oath made to the World Tree. Humans have a tradition of swearing oaths on the River Styx, right? It’s sothing like that."
"Then it’s really serious. What exactly did you swear?"
But instead of answering, Isra blushed and fidgeted.
"The World Tree's Oath is sothing you must never break. It’s a kind of pact or contract. If the oath is broken, it’s voided, and there’s no turning back."
Then, instead of answering, she suddenly started talking about sothing else.
"Okay, I get it. It’s a serious matter with the World Tree and an oath involved. So what did you swear, and why are Nierta and the other elves so sensitive about it?"
"You’ll help keep the World Tree's Oath, right?"
Unlike her usual composed deanor, Isra seed almost deaf to my questions, focusing only on what she wanted to say.
"Well, of course. I’ll help."
"In that case..."
Now that she had my confirmation, Isra glanced around and then spoke.
"First, let’s bathe..."
"What does bathing have to do with keeping the World Tree's Oath?"
"It’s... related."
"Well, if you say so..."
I suppose it’s part of so ritual involving purification and preparation before performing an act related to the World Tree.
Isra led further into the forest within the World Tree.
What exactly is this oath that she made...?
We eventually stopped at a small pond.
The sight of the pond reminded of the small pond where I had first found the unconscious Isra years ago.
It was when I was desperately trying to evacuate the elves from the burning Great Forest after taking down the detachnt force that had invaded.
I had just barely managed to convince the stubborn old elves who wanted to die with the forest to co with us, when a young elf ca running up, crying.
She had been running in a panic and had lost sight of her friend, begging us to help find her.
The young elf who asked for help was Nierta, and the missing friend was Isra.
After leaving the elves in Linus's care, I ca to this area and finally found Isra, who was collapsed and inhaling smoke.
Back then, Isra was so small and light that I could carry her while running...
Lost in reminiscing, I belatedly realised what Isra was saying.
Isra was holding her hands above her head as if in reverence, speaking to the forest, to the World Tree.
"World Tree. I have co to fulfil the vow from ten years ago!"
To my surprise, the forest emitted a faint green light.
"World Tree! May I fulfil the vow from ten years ago?"
As if in response, the forest's light flickered on and off.
What is this…? This is really amazing, isn’t it?
It really does look like… a deity.
So this is the World Tree that the elf clans revere...
I understand now why they would risk their lives to protect it.
"The World Tree has granted permission. Now, go bathe. I have so preparations to make."
Isra said this and then walked away, turning her back to and hunching down.
What is she doing? I peeked over and saw she was rummaging through a small crossbody bag she always carries.
She seed to be trying to take sothing out.
What Isra pulled out was a small book.
"Let see, where is it…"
Isra muttered as she diligently flipped through the pages of the book.
"What are you doing?"
"I was looking for information on what to do in a situation like this."
I then realised that what Isra was holding was not a book but a notebook.
I had seen it briefly before when she was preparing for the competition. It was a personal notebook where Isra had handwritten important things she must not forget.
It was densely filled with notes on academy administration, theoretical subjects, and so on. When I first saw it, I thought it might be like an encyclopaedia where you could find almost anything.
"Mister, go bathe. There’s not much ti."
"Alright, I got it."
I took off all my clothes and entered the pond to wash myself. Perhaps because it was an elven forest, the water seed especially cool and clean.
"Isra, what should I do next?"
After finishing my bath and sitting in the water, I asked, but Isra didn’t answer.
Isra kept sighing as she turned the pages, seemingly unable to find the information she was looking for.
"What should I do…."
Isra was getting anxious and started biting her nails.
It was a familiar sight from when she was preparing for the competition. It seems this behaviour cos out when she feels she hasn't prepared thoroughly.
"What are you looking for? And do we have to stay here like this? You should at least tell sothing."
Then Isra suddenly looked up.
"Oh, I have a good idea. I’ll be back in a mont."
"Suddenly…?"
"I’m going to ask the Elder for advice. The Elder is also my mother. She will have the wisdom related to this."
"Wait, Isra! After getting to bathe, what are you going to ask her about?"
As I blocked her from exiting the water, Isra scread and covered her face with her hands, turning away.
"Hey. Tell exactly what the World Tree’s Oath is. Otherwise, I’ll run around the Great Forest like this."
"Oh…"
Isra hesitated but eventually spilled everything.
"I made an oath to the World Tree…. That if I ever t the one who saved and my tribe again, I would give them my everything."
"Huh? Everything?"
"For example…"
Isra’s face turned bright red.
"Things like… my purity I’ve kept until now…"
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Reviews
All reviews (0)