LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 85
Chapter 85 If Someone Asks About the Future of Elves, Raise Your Head and Look at the Soy Meat 2
“So, I thought it was meat and said thank you before eating, but it turned out to be soy meat!”
[How did the soy meat made by the elves taste?]
“It was delicious! But it was like Spam without any salt…”
[Oh dear…]
I strolled between the massive trees of the Great Forest, which were taller than most buildings, casually chatting with Yeonhwa over my smartwatch.
Why did I suddenly call Yeonhwa, you ask?
There really wasn’t a specific reason for Shia’s actions.
Maybe I should have?
Or just… because I wanted to.
The reason I called Yeonhwa was simply that it had been over a week since I arrived in the elves’ Great Forest, and I wanted to hear her voice.
[Oh, by the way, Yeonseo Grandma punished Vice Minister Lee for three days. Because he failed to properly check the request from the elves, you didn’t receive the formal request and ended up as a guest of the forest. The association heard about it too.]
“Vice Minister Lee? That’s the one Yeonseo calls Director Lee, right?”
[Yes. I heard they even went hiking together in Jirisan, enjoying the fresh air.]
“…Isn’t he just a regular person, not an Awakened?”
[As far as I know, yes.]
“And he hiked Jirisan with Yeonseo Grandma?”
That’s like an innocent child catching a firefly, only to pull it apart out of pure curiosity.
[In any case, I’m relieved that nothing bad happened to you, Unnie. But the higher-ups were in an uproar. The association’s failure to understand the elves’ request nearly got you attacked by them.]
“Well, since it turned out fine in the end, it’s all good.”
[Unnie, even though you’re nice, you can’t always let things slide like that…]
“I’m not just a person, I’m a saintess.”
[……..]
Being a saintess means sometimes enduring discomfort and even tolerating unfairness.
At those words, Yeonhwa fell silent for a moment.
[….Is there anything you want to eat when you return? I’ll buy it for you.]
“Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat! No soy meat! Real meat! Expensive and delicious meat!”
[Alright, I’ll buy you about 200 servings, so just come back safely.]
“Hehe, oh, Yeonhwa, there’s something I wanted to ask…”
[Yes, go ahead.]
Shia stopped walking for a moment and looked at Yeonhwa through the smartwatch screen.
“If the person I’ve been my whole life suddenly changes into someone else, would you still consider that person to be me?”
[What do you mean?]
“It’s a hypothetical situation. Up until yesterday, I thought I was the same person and believed I hadn’t changed. But then people around me start to see me as someone entirely different. Should I also think I’ve become someone else? Should I just accept it? Ah, never mind… Forget it. I’m just rambling.”
[Unnie, have you heard of the Ship of Theseus?]
“Uh, no… What’s that?”
Yeonhwa graduated from Hunter Academy as the top student, you know.
By the way, the Hunter Academy grades 60% on practical skills and 40% on written exams.
And for the written part, students must undergo compulsory secondary education, just like in normal schools, in addition to studying hunter textbooks.
[In Greece, there was a ship called Theseus’ ship. It had thirty oars and was made of wooden planks. But as time passed, the people of Athens gradually replaced the old planks with new, sturdier wood. Some people believed the ship remained the same, while others claimed it had become a completely different vessel.]
“…I don’t really get it.”
[To summarize, it’s both Theseus’ ship and not Theseus’ ship. It all depends on interpretation. It raises the question: What truly makes something the ‘original’ ship?]
“Ugh, that’s complicated.”
Shia groaned.
Having stopped studying over 60 years ago, complicated things just made her head hurt.
Menerapie or Teresa always solved the difficult stuff, so Shia really didn’t know.
[Unnie, you said that you were originally a 21-year-old man in 2024, right? Then, is the current you completely unrelated to that version of Shia?]
“…Well… I don’t think so.”
[If you, as a human, crossed over with the Great Rift and became the Saintess of the Dead, are you no longer human?]
“That’s… not it. Definitely not.”
[Exactly. You are the best example. You’re not human, but you’re still human. You’re the most human-like person I know—someone who loves food, is kind, strong, and above all, more human than anyone.]
“That’s kind of embarrassing.”
[We’re always different from who we were yesterday. Today’s me ate three eggs, so I weigh as much as those three eggs. But does that mean today’s me is a different person because of that? Of course not. The idea that we are different people just because we’ve changed slightly doesn’t hold up that easily.]
As Yeonhwa’s voice came through the smartwatch, Shia found herself nodding without realizing it.
[We can remain ourselves for as long as we want to be ourselves. At least, that’s what I believe. Of course, my thoughts are full of holes, and there’s plenty of room for counterarguments, so just take what I say as food for thought.]
“No, thank you, Yeonhwa. You’ve really cleared something up for me. I had been pondering, and now I have my answer.”
[I’m glad I could help. Oh, dear… Already? Fine, I understand.]
“What? You’ve got a mission?”
[Yes, the predatory dungeon wave is about to start on our end too.]
“Hurry on, then. If you deal with a few more waves, they said you could get promoted, right? Don’t get hurt and do your best.”
[You too, Shia Unnie.]
As the call ended, Shia expressed her gratitude to Yeonhwa for her thoughtful words.
When we want to remain ourselves, we can be ourselves.
I was the best example of that.
Why had I been harboring such misguided thoughts as a saintess?
Well, now that I’d made up my mind, it was time to act.
Shia moved toward a small hollow in a tree about 20 meters above the ground.
This was the home and office of Elanarre, the commander of the Lotus Knights.
Sensing a presence inside, Shia knocked on the door and listened.
“Knock knock, Commander Elanarre, are you in?”
“Don’t call me commander. I’m just a temporary authority figure, and I’m not even your real deputy.”
Elanarre slightly withdrew, seeming uncomfortable as Shia’s typical smiling face suddenly appeared before her.
No, from Elanarre’s perspective, Shia wasn’t just uncomfortable; she was somewhat awkward.
It wasn’t the hostility born from being an outsider, like on the first day. It was more of a discomfort rooted in ‘guilt.’
“Oh, then what should I call you? Darling?”
“Huh… I have a husband. Though I was widowed before we even spent our first night together.”
“Eh……….”
As Shia’s face stiffened like a mask at the unexpected response, Elanarre offered a faint smile.
“Don’t worry about it. Just call me by my name, like before.”
“Oh, um. Got it. Sorry, Elanarre.”
“So, what brings you here? You look surprisingly well, considering you’ve been running around the elves’ houses for a week without resting.”
“I don’t get tired, you know.”
Shia grinned mischievously and sat across from Elanarre before she could say anything.
“Are you sure you’re alright? You could take a break and talk after you’ve rested.”
“I’ll talk first, then take a nap. It’s nothing serious. I’ve now checked on all the elves.”
“Is it about the impurities?”
Impurities.
Chaos ants disguised as elves.
Far more dangerous than the chaos ants that flooded in from the outside, these internal threats had no clear agenda.
“So, how many impurities did you find? Dozens? Hundreds?”
“Do you want me to be honest?”
“Of course, honesty is…”
“1,928.”
“…..!”
At that, Elanarre’s face stiffened.
“For the record, there were also three impurities among the Lotus Knights.”
“…..That’s a disqualification as a commander.”
Elanarre bit her lip.
“No, the disguised forms don’t just mimic appearances; they alter the perceptions of those around them.”
Whether it was hypnosis, illusion, or some other unknown method, it wasn’t clear.
“I’m not sure if it’s the ability of the disguise or the queen, but it’s not strange that you didn’t notice, Elanarre. In fact, I’m the odd one here.”
“Then how did you know?”
“I’m a saintess. Even if it’s the Saintess of the Dead.”
“…I see.”
Fundamentally, Elanarre prided herself as the final sword that protected the Great Forest, as well as the commander of the Lotus Knights.
However, she hadn’t been able to detect the internal impurities and was instead indebted to the outsider, Shia.
That’s why she had been hostile toward Shia since their first meeting.
Had it not been for the fact that Shia was the guest of Organia, the last child of the World Tree, Elanarre might have really tried to kill her.
But despite sensing Elanarre’s killing intent, Shia had always smiled gently and brushed off her hostility.
To Elanarre, this ability to effortlessly dismiss animosity was more shocking than any display of strength.
The level of killing intent Elanarre could unleash was enough to make an ordinary person faint.
How could this outsider, Shia, handle it so casually, as if this wasn’t her first time encountering such danger?
In retrospect, Shia had always been like that.
While Elanarre had radiated hostility as a warning to an outsider, Shia had simply smiled kindly, as if saying, “I understand.”
‘Why did I feel the scent of Mother World Tree from that smile…?’
Perhaps I lashed out at Shia, who had done nothing wrong, as a way of denying the feeling of seeing the World Tree in her.
After that, I stopped being openly hostile toward Shia as Organia’s guest and adopted a more neutral stance. But deep down, I still felt indebted to her.
For harboring unjustified hostility against her as an outsider.
For dismissing her offer to help the Lotus Knights, telling her to handle the cleanup.
For failing to thank Shia for discovering the disguised Chaos Ants within the knights.
For watching her spend the past week searching for disguised ants and healing the elves suffering from an unknown illness, all without uttering a word of gratitude or apology.
‘Forget my broken pride and dignity for now. Apologizing and expressing thanks can come later. Right now, we need to cooperate with Shia and get rid of the impurities…’
Resolving herself, Elanarre looked at Shia with determined eyes.
“If you’ve come this far without informing the elders, I assume there’s something you want from me.”
Elanarre pondered the worst-case scenario: If the Elven Council—or most of the Elven Council—was already under the control of Chaos Ant disguises, the situation was more dire than she had imagined.
It was highly likely.
Especially given that Shia had come to Elanarre rather than informing the Elven Council or Organia, who had personally invited her.
“So, what do you need me to do?”
“You’re quick-witted.”
Shia smiled at Elanarre’s perceptiveness.
“Please gather all the elves.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, every elf, including the elders. Someone like Elanarre, the commander of the Lotus Knights, can manage that, right? I heard that even though you don’t use it often, you have elder-level authority, right?”
“…It’s not impossible. Fine. The elders seem to be deliberately ignoring the existence of the impurities, but we elves owe you a great debt.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“And?”
“Trust me.”
“Trust you?”
What did she mean by that?
Even now, Elanarre could trust her.
No, to be honest, Elanarre had already decided to fully trust Shia and side with her.
“No matter what happens, trust me.”
“No matter what?”
“Yes.”
Realizing that Shia wasn’t simply asking for casual trust, Elanarre tilted her head slightly.
For hundreds of years, Elanarre had faithfully followed the orders of the elders while defending the Great Forest.
Now, this outsider, Shia, was asking her to trust her.
This wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
“Well, alright.”
●●●●●
The next day, by Elanarre’s decree, a grand assembly was declared across the entire Great Forest.
All elves, except for a few guards and knight squads posted at external borders, were gathered in the Great Hollow.
The Great Hollow was a massive clearing surrounded by trees taller than buildings, and its vast, varied expanse was large enough to accommodate all 30,000 elves, including the elders.
“I miss this place…”
“When was the last time we gathered here?”
“Since the Mother burned… it’s the first time.”
“Let’s stop talking about that. It just makes me sad.”
“Yeah. But it’s nice to see everyone after so long.”
“I heard you were sick. Are you feeling better?”
“The outsider treated me.”
“Oh, that outsider? Good to hear. My mother was also able to come today thanks to her.”
This place had once been where the elves gathered to hear the Mother World Tree’s words regularly. However, after the true World Tree had burned down and the current false World Tree was erected, it had become a meaningless location.
The gathering of this many elves in one place was the first time in a long while.
Of course, not everyone was pleased with this assembly.
“Commander Elanarre, we’ve gathered as you requested, but what is this all about?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be guarding against the Chaos Ants?”
Elanarre glanced at the elders.
Until recently, Elanarre had considered herself the sword of the Great Forest, faithfully following the commands of the Elven Council. But now, knowing that these elders were most likely tainted by the impurities, she felt disgusted.
Hadn’t she unknowingly aided the spread of the impurities in the Great Forest by following their orders?
“The guard posts are being manned by trustworthy personnel, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Well, that’s a relief, but…”
“Are you uncomfortable?”
At Elanarre’s words, a few of the elders flinched.
“N-No, of course not…”
“Indeed, if it’s Commander Elanarre’s order, there must be a reason.”
“We were just curious why you, who have never used such authority before, issued this assembly…”
“You’ll find out soon.”
“Can’t you tell us now?”
“You’ll find out soon, Elder.”
“Hmph, very well…”
The elders were visibly uncomfortable as Elanarre indirectly told them to sit quietly and wait.
[First, I would like to thank all of our kin for gathering here today!]
As Elanarre’s voice, amplified by the spirits, echoed through the Great Hollow, the murmurs among the elves gradually quieted.
[Perhaps some of you have already sensed it, but since we arrived on Earth, the Great Forest has become sick and lost its former brilliance.]
[We’ve been plagued by diseases that only humans used to suffer from. The blessing of the Mother World Tree has vanished, and vile insects have been relentlessly invading our forest, trying to gnaw away at our land.]
[Of course, no matter how much we’ve weakened or how much we’ve lost the blessing of the Mother, the forest still belongs to us. Thanks to me, the knights, and all of our kin, we’ve managed to fend off these insect invasions without much difficulty.]
At that, the elves nodded in agreement with Elanarre’s words.
Yes, no matter how much we’ve declined, we’re still elves.
No matter how many insects swarm, we won’t be easily defeated.
[But how long do you think we can continue to fend off these waves of insects?]
The elves couldn’t believe what they were hearing.
That fierce and resolute commander was saying this?
[For now, we’ve been able to repel the waves of insects without much trouble. But the symptoms of our sick kin have worsened. Recently, some have become so ill that they can no longer leave their beds, and even members of the Lotus Knights have begun showing signs of a persistent cough.]
[We’ve lost the blessing of the Mother World Tree, leaving us unable to cure this mysterious illness. And while we’ve been able to defend against the insect waves, we haven’t been able to launch any decisive offensives. We’re only holding them off.]
[If our condition worsens, if our communication breaks down, if our society falls into chaos, will we still be able to fend off the insects?]
The elves began to murmur among themselves.
Was the commander really saying this…?
Well, maybe she’s right.
The outsider treated us, but what if she hadn’t?
We might’ve been in serious trouble.
[We might be able to fend off a few more waves. But what happens if our entire defense force falls ill? If the Mother’s and the Great Forest’s blessings aren’t restored by then? In the end, we might become nothing more than breeding stock for those filthy insects.]
“C-Commander Elanarre! You’re going too far!”
“That’s absurd exaggeration, Commander! When did you become so weak…!”
[Silence.]
“…..!”
The elders, about to shout in protest, were forced to shut their mouths under the weight of Elanarre’s overwhelming killing intent.
It was fortunate that Elanarre had no ambition beyond protecting the Great Forest and its people.
If she had been even a little more driven by greed, she wouldn’t have obeyed the orders of those hypocritical elders for as long as she had.
[My kin! I’ve gathered you all here today to cleanse the impurities that have infested our society!]
At Elanarre’s declaration, the Great Hollow erupted in murmurs.
“Impurities?”
“What’s that?”
“Haven’t you heard the rumors?”
“What rumors?”
“There are ants disguised as our kin…”
“What?! Really?!”
“It’s already spread everywhere. Even the knights have been in an uproar…”
“How could we not have known?”
“They say it’s hypnosis?”
“Eek, hypnosis? What if I’m hypnotized?!”
“…?”
“But if they’re disguised, how do we figure it out?”
“Exactly…”
“This is terrifying. It means one of us could be an ant…”
[Some of you may be wondering how we plan to weed out the impurities. But you should already know. For the past week, an outsider has been visiting each and every one of you.]
“Shia?”
“Oh, that outsider…”
“The one who healed me and my mother?”
“She means Shia, right?”
[From now on, I, Elanarre Siamiruna, will temporarily transfer all my authority to Shia, an outsider, the Saintess of the Dead, and a temporary deputy of the Lotus Knights, with the permission of Lady Organia and Elder Entamia.]
Some elves were visibly shocked by this.
The reaction from the elders was especially intense.
“What are you doing, Commander Elanarre?!”
“You’re going to transfer the authority given to you by the Mother World Tree to some outsider?!”
“Have you lost your mind?!”
“We will not stand for this!”
[My authority was granted by the Mother World Tree, not by any of you.]
“That’s a twisted argument…!”
[Has the Mother ever said that my authority cannot be transferred to another?]
“..!”
[No, right? The Mother has been silent all this time. The false World Tree, weak and fragile, says nothing.]
The rotten false World Tree.
Though the elves still clung to it as their only source of faith, it was nothing more than a sapling, forcefully grown to replace the true World Tree.
[Regardless of what the elders say, I won’t retract my words. Alright, that’s settled, right? Come out, Shia.]
“Thanks~”
As Shia appeared with her signature bright smile, the murmuring among the elves subsided.
Shia walked toward the center of the Great Hollow, next to Elanarre.
In one corner of the elders’ section, Organia spotted Shia and waved enthusiastically.
“Shia~”
Noticing Organia, Shia smiled brightly and waved back.
After all, she had healed their illnesses, eaten a lot of their food, and had gone around to every house like some kind of clown. It was impossible for the elves not to recognize her.
Whether they liked it or not, the outsider Shia had already made a positive impression on most of the elves gathered here.
[Can everyone hear me clearly?]
Like Elanarre, who had amplified her voice with the help of spirits, Shia used her holy power to transmit her voice to every elf present.
[Let’s start with something a little sudden. Organia, could you come over here?]
“?”
Organia tilted her head in confusion but obediently walked to the center of the Great Hollow.
Some elders tried to stop her, saying, “Lady Organia, are you really going to listen to this outsider?!”
But deep down, Organia preferred Shia, who treated her like an equal, to the elders, who constantly criticized and treated her like a child.
“What’s going on?”
[First of all, thank you for coming, Organia.]
In a voice still audible to all the elves, Shia gently patted Organia’s head.
At the same time, from somewhere around Shia’s waist, a writhing tentacle extended and wrapped itself around Organia.
“Shia?”
Organia tilted her head, puzzled by the tentacle surrounding her.
The other elves, who had already seen Shia’s tentacles numerous times over the past week, didn’t seem to believe that she would suddenly attack Organia.
[Some of you might know, but I have the ability to distinguish between disguised impurities. That’s why I visited each of you over the past week.]
“Really?”
“I had no idea…”
“A fake magic saintess, and now a fake meat fairy…”
“Well, she always seemed a bit fake.”
Not every elf knew this, but some who were quick to catch on had already suspected Shia’s intentions during her house visits over the past week.
Those who had predicted it nodded knowingly, while others, who hadn’t realized it, now understood why Shia had been running around the Great Forest without sleep.
[In fact, I’ve already identified a few impurities. Originally, I intended to deal with them on the spot, but the number of impurities was larger than I expected. And more importantly, I thought there might be a higher-up or a queen among them, so I arranged this gathering.]
“A queen?”
“Is it possible the Chaos Ant Queen is here…?”
As the elves murmured, discussing the severity of the situation, Shia smiled, satisfied that her message had gotten through.
[So, here, I’ll reveal the leader of the impurities.]
As she said that, Shia patted Organia’s head again.
[But Organia, why do you smell like a rotten ant?]
“…Huh?”
At that moment, the Great Hollow fell into complete silence.