“It’s enormous……!!”
A massive wall stretching long across a section of the forest.
Still quite a distance away, but comparing it to the surrounding trees, it had to be ten meters high.
The capital Odeus of the Embance Kingdom — a city I’d seen before.
The scale as a city wouldn’t be comparable, but the walls alone might give it a run for its money.
And behind those walls, a tree of almost unbelievable size towering into the sky.
Its crown pierced the clouds, and the broad spread of its branches looked as though it could swallow the city whole.
“Could that possibly be the World Tree?”
“The World Tree is supposed to be on the Demon Continent, so probably not.”
“But what other tree could be that enormous?”
Alicia and the others exchanged words in front of the overwhelming sight.
The World Tree……
I’d read about it in books.
A great tree said to stand on the Demon Continent — legend had it large enough to hold up the sky itself.
Its leaves and sap were extraordinarily rare materials for magical medicine, and in the hands of a Sage, could supposedly produce even the elixir of immortality.
“That is not the World Tree. The Forest King cultivated a cutting from the World Tree for us Elves. We call it the Sacred Tree.”
“Huh……”
“The World Tree is apparently several times larger still. None of us have seen it.”
Quite the sense of scale.
While I was turning the idea of the Demon Continent’s World Tree over in my mind, the road changed to cobblestone beneath us.
The same Elves who’d taken issue with us building a road had apparently kept the area around their own city quite well paved.
“……As expected of one of the Six Kings. Building a city this size in the Great Forest and maintaining roads — they must command considerable military strength.”
“The knight order Mumul mentioned.”
“Yes. The average was said to be level fifty or above, but that’s only an average. Looking at the Elves we’ve met so far, the upper echelon of knights may be far beyond that.”
“So the top is pulling the average up. Definitely worth being careful.”
Makina and I kept our voices down carefully, making sure the Elves couldn’t hear.
The walls drew nearer, and a massive gate came into view.
The iron-reinforced doors were tremendously solid-looking — they’d hold against a person pushing with all their weight, no question.
Honestly, they looked like they’d hold against a dragon ramming them.
“Wait here. I’ll bring someone senior.”
We were told to wait at the gate. We stopped the vehicle and sat quietly.
What kind of person was going to come out?
It almost certainly wouldn’t be the Forest King himself, but they’d already seen something of Makina’s capability.
Whoever came, it would be someone capable.
Or so I was thinking——
“Appears they’ve arrived.”
“……You’re kidding.”
“Yikes.”
The doors swung open slowly, grinding heavily as they went.
Those doors — clearly weighing several tons — were being moved by a single man.
……How much strength would it take to do that?
We were all staring at the bizarre sight when the man, having opened the doors wide enough, walked toward us with a casual roll of his shoulders.
His build was slender for a man — lean and toned, but not someone you’d expect to have that kind of power.
“You’re the ones who say you’ve come to trade with us?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I’m Piesta, a senior knight of this nation.”
“……I’m Viktor, lord of the city of Isvall.”
Slightly off-balance from his presence, I introduced myself and my position.
He’d apparently been briefed already, because Piesta moved straight to:
“Come inside for now.”
“Of course. With the vehicle as well?”
“That’s fine.”
And so we passed through the city gate and entered the town.
Just inside was a large square, with several other carriages parked about.
At which point Makina hopped lightly down from the vehicle.
“I’ll close the doors.”
“No, I can handle that myself later——”
Before Piesta could finish, Makina had already started moving the doors.
……One hand. And visibly faster than Piesta had managed.
She was telling him: I can do that too, easily.
Having his performance turned back on him, Piesta’s eyes went wide.
His expression looked slightly strained somehow.
“W-well……quite impressive!”
“Closing a door is hardly worth complimenting.”
“……Never mind. You’ve come here to trade, is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ve brought goods? You said you have the Kobolds under your banner — raw mithril, perhaps?”
With that, Piesta extended a hand as if to say, show me.
I immediately retrieved the metal ingots I’d prepared for today.
Let me think — what to show first.
From among the various types I’d brought, I handed over a mithril ingot to start.
Piesta’s expression changed immediately.
“What is this?”
“A mithril ingot.”
“That’s not what I mean! Mithril of this purity — how in the world did you produce this!?”
He came at me with tremendous energy.
W-was it really that remarkable……!?
The sudden reaction threw me completely, and I found myself blinking in confusion.