Chapter 96: World Tree
We returned to the original place, which is the meeting room inside the tree hole
Rin-san and Lucia crossed sight and nodded at each other.
「That’s great, Lucia.」
「This is all due to you, Rin.」
Both of them revealed a grin. From the looks of it, they seems to be getting along quite well.
Mmm, Rin-san who is the representative of the People of Light, had placed her good friend into our party.
No, Rin-san is a politician. Perhaps regardless of whether she is good or bad, she is just using Lucia as a pawn. Even so, from that smiling face, I can feel that she really treasure Lucia as a friend.
By deliberately showing me their friendship, is she perhaps, trying to exert pressure on me, like「I am that trusting of you」? Or perhaps it is to step over her role as a politician, to 「request」us to take good care of Lucia?
No matter what, it doesn’t matter. To us, Lucia is definitely a 「valuable」talent.
Which is to say, if we are to take in this person, we wouldn’t return her in the future.
「I wish to ask the few of you to head to the 23rd southwest district. The enemy’s first army seems to be invading from that direction.」
「How many are there? And what species are they?」
「There should be above 100 but below 500. Regarding the species, that information has yet to reach me, so please ask the commander at the frontline.」
I see, so below 500 huh.
If those 500 are all orcs, then it is about the same amount as the group that attacked our mountain.
If those 500 are Hobgoblins…… and there are commander class monsters mixed inside, then just us alone, we will not be able to handle them.
「Basically, the stationed troops are responsible for the enemies. If there are exceptionally strong enemies that appear, I will trouble you to handle it.」
「I understand.」
Mmm, this arrangement is probably the best. If she want to gain experience, it is faster to defeat the small fries.
「Lucia, please bring them to the transfer gate.」
「Understood, Rin. Then, I will be going for a while.」
Lucia smiled, and this time her smile is very natural, even her eyes are relaxed, completely different from that icy smile just now. Ah ah, so she can smile like this too.
◆ ◆ ◆
First we must go through the transfer gate to the World Tree, then from there, transfer to other places.
Lucia brought us to the transfer gate. We followed her instructions and walked into the magic formation.
The soldiers dressed in long robe who are awaiting by the side, began to sing.
That is a song which reminds one of the Kimi Ga Yo. Before I could even feel any suspicion, the unpleasant feeling during transferring that causes one to conscious to be cut, began to assault me. (TL note: Kimi Ga Yo is the national anthem of Japan)
The surrounding scenery began to change.
We came to a lobby that was about the size of a gymnasium
There are many soldiers around and after they are transferred, they walked out promptly.
Sounds of people arguing outside were heard.
Wrong, argh, this is…...
We are lured out of the lobby.
Just as I expected, this gigantic lobby is also made using the treehole of a giant tree.
「No matter where, the cities of the People of the Light are all on the trees huh…...」
Once we went out, I was stumbled by the strong wind that blew.
I began to hear things. Wrong, this is…… a song like a chime that was brought by the wind.
「Someone….. Is singing?」
「Yes, that is to maintain the barrier.」
Lucia walked behind us.
「That is the special barrier magic that isolates the World Tree from the surroundings, to prepare others from using methods other than the transfer gate to enter.」
「Using songs?」
「That’s right」
Huh? If I am to say, this sounds is more like the music from flutes and yet it is like a song that echoes beside the ears…...
「Just who will…… give out this sort of song that doesn’t sound like a human…...」
「It’s the World Tree, the World Tree is singing.」
I stared at Lucia without blinking. She is the same as just now, with a calm face.
Huh—— is that real?
「This is a world where magic exist, so it isn’t strange even if a tree can sing.」
Mia said.
Wow—— your adapting ability is strong.
「But Lucia-san, where is the World Tree?」
「There.」
Lucia pointed in front of us.
There is only a piece of green wall there.
No, I was wrong.
I began to notice my mistake immediately. That is a tree—— I corrected my understanding.
Looking at it, the wall that extend infinitely in all direction, is an illusion because I was too close.
As the tree is unprecedentedly huge, hence, it is just like a cliff that even pierced through the clouds when looking up. It is out of norm big, causing it to seem like it is extending towards the horizon.
The look of this tree should be circular right. If we look at it from afar, then we will probably see a very, very big tree.
「This is…… the World Tree.」
I gave out an exclamation sound.
And breathed out.
I was awestruck by the aura of the tree, with shivers down my spine, great fear began to rise in my heart.
Seeing such a thing, what exactly should I say?
What kind of feelings should I have when standing before such a being?
Other than that, what kind of attitude should I have when facing things that exists in this world…...
「Woah——so big——!」
Tamaki said out a very simple feeling, just like how her character is like.
Ah ya ha ya, really, I have completely lost to her. My shoulders relaxed unknowingly.
That’s right, I just need to be dumbfounded and say “so big”. Grasping whatever look the thing has and ending my awestruck is fine.
「Lucia-san, let’s go, to the battlefield.」
「I understand, please head this way.」
Under Lucia’s lead, we walked on the bridge that leads to the trees.
If we want to explore the World Tree, we can come back later. Investigating the meaning of the World Tree can wait until there is time. What should be done now is to fight, we need to defeat the monster threat and protect the cooperative relation that we have together with the People of Light
We entered another tree hole of another giant tree.
And left from that transfer gate.
◆ ◆ ◆
The second transfer brought us to a place that is very chaotic.
The muscular People of Light warriors glared at us who came out of the tree hole.
Being surrounded by the vision of over 100 men, caused me to shrink back in fear.
A burly man who is hairy and had a pair of dog ears seemed to have noticed my shrinking, and revealed a contempt expression as though saying “look at this guy”, while moving his upper body and walking nimbly on the bridge towards us.
「What, these fellows are the reinforcement that Rin-san said?」
The dog ear beastman stared at me and gave a cold laugh before glaring over.
「What can a brat like you do?」
In my eyes that those of contempt attitude actually overlapped with Shiba for who knows what reason.
Those pitiful days began to resurface in my mind again.
It’s rewinding.
Shit——I turned my face away while trembling. I cannot let my panic illness occur here. But my attitude seemed to have provoked the other party’s sadism.
「This guy is afraid of me.」
That aura is approaching me by a step.
Shit, the trembling of my body has to stop. That dog-eared man reached out toward me…...
Someone suddenly grabbed my hands.
The right hand is Arisu, left hand is Mia.
My body stopped trembling.
「I advise you to stop.」
I raised my head and discovered that Tamaki had already drew her white sword, with the tip of the blade pointing at the dog ear man. When did she move?
All these happened in an instant. Tamaki’s action had changed the atmosphere at the scene.
The hot blooded men seemed to have felt that they have been insulted by the outsiders and also walked over from the other bridges.
We are currently situated at the square in front of the treehole, without any place to escape to. On the other hand, the People of Light are continuously closing in on us from 3 different bridges.
But even if all of them attack, we can probably take them on successfully…...
But that is 2 different things.
「Kazu-chi, you are no longer afraid?」
「Actually I still am.」
I squeezed out a frozen smile.
「Then let’s escape.」
「But——」
「Hmmm, since they don’t need us, then we can move by ourselves.」
「Ah….. mmm.」
Mia is right, Compared to spending time to convince them, it is easier to show it to them.
And this was all my fault, who told me to shrink in fear.
Of course that will cause me to be humiliated and I have no right to lead.
「Those people don’t know the matter with Kazu-chi, so just let them rattle. Lucia-chi, do you know the direction that the enemy is attacking from?」
「Yes, they should be attacking from the village in the front…… Are all of you going like this?」
Lucia who witnessed everything, asked doubtfully.
I have firmed my will and nodded to her. My performance may have already disappointed her, but even so, I am still the leader of this party.
「No matter in what way, we need to decrease the number of enemies. We can probably act alone, and there is no harm. We can definitely do that.」
Lucia seems to want to say something, but in the end she only nodded, and spoke「you are right.」
I casted 《Deflection Spell》 on Mia and had her scatter the effect of 《Fly》 to everyone.
We flew into the sky, abandoning the dumbfounded People of Light, flying towards the direction where the enemies are at.
◆ ◆ ◆
Roughly after 30 minutes have passed.
We dived into the dense grass on the ground, and observed the village that was surrounded by fire from below. That is probably the place where the People of Light stayed.
Are there soldiers defending?
If there are, will they be like in the battle that happened in the city, being completely useless?
Otherwise according to Lucia, the strength of a normal soldier of the People of Light is about Sword Skill Rank 2. Just now that guy who came looking for trouble, is probably around that standard.
But they are not only good with bows, they also know swords, spears, hammers and even familiar with shields.
Well, just thinking about it, it should be so. To people who don’t have the skill system, learning all sorts of skills and becoming familiar then they can be an outstanding soldier. Because they don’t have skill points unlike us.
We continued to observe the village on the tree. Wrong, it should be more correct to call it「once a village」
The village is already destroyed. The back up troops are all wiped out, and it is unknown if the villagers are killed or have escaped. Many of the wooden bridges are burnt until they fell down and a few tree holes are even spewing out strong flames.
There are some people patrolling around the leftover bridges and in the surroundings of the forests.
Those skin on the upper body of those people are very pale.
Their lower is a 6 legged spider.
Is that also…… a monster?
「Arachne」
Before Lucia opened her mouth, Mia mumbled. Ah, you are trying to manipulate the language system.
But forget it, compared to Mekishu Grand such a unique name that is unfamiliar, an easily understood name is better for us. Then indeed Lucia——
「Yes, that sort of monster is called Arachne」
——while saying that.
Mia revealed a smug smile.
Why you...