## Chapter 371 – Under the World Tree (13)
The day after the elf-earth fairy incident was resolved.
The elf village, having gone through a great ordeal, seemed not yet ready to fully enjoy the peace it had finally regained.
But at least the pain had subsided enough that they could enjoy the joy of reunion.
When I spoke to Leah, who was sitting blankly staring into space, she blinked a few times and gave a faint smile.
“It’s peaceful today.
No approaching monsters, I see.”
‘Indeed. Should I give you a reward?’
At my words, Leah flinched, and at the same time, several Swarmbies flying around the village wobbled in the air.
“D-Don’t tease me…?
Are you trying to tame me with rewards like this…?
Do you really think I don’t know…?”
‘Oops!! I was caught…!! Mmph!!’
“You seem playful, even though you don’t act like it.
But I need to concentrate a bit right now…”
‘Oh? Then I’ll come back later.’
Leah, who could control the swarm at will, was still using them to strengthen the perimeter around the village.
I didn’t know what conditions she had met, or if it was a unique ability of this Enic, but according to her, while mixing with the tentacles, she felt a tingling sensation in the nipples of her breasts, which the tentacles were massaging.
With a slight pain and a lewd moan, she soon realized that a strange liquid was slowly, drop by drop, starting to form there.
‘A pleasant fragrance~’
I don’t know if that’s why, but even I, in my spider body, felt strangely good when I smelled the strange fragrance emanating from her.
If I were to guess…
‘What should I call this… pheromones?’
These pheromones are so mysterious; their composition seems to change slightly depending on her mood.
Whenever she looked at me intently and smiled, a sweet and dizzying fragrance, like a magical potion, would emanate from her chest.
When I heard her grumbling not to tease her, a slightly constricting scent wafted over.
It was an amazing effect of pheromones that allowed her to control even that “feeling.”
And she, like me, could instinctively smell various elements, though vaguely.
Enic, Swarmbies, spiders, and so on.
And especially from “me,” she said, came an indescribably pleasant smell.
Seeing that she could find me accurately no matter where I moved, I could guess that it wasn’t just empty words.
‘Wait… Vivian and Rani also find me really well…
Could it be that they also secretly possess pheromones…?’
Anyway, thanks to that, her strategy as a hunter worked well in this elf rescue and earth fairy extermination operation.
I had thought of bombarding the lair with small Swarmbies, but having giant Swarmbies waiting on the ground was actually her idea.
‘She really leaves no gaps…
If it weren’t for the compatibility issue,
Leah would never have lost to the earth fairies.’
Seeing that she thoroughly analyzed and placed them in positions where they were likely to emerge along the terrain, I felt that she had not only the skills of a hunter but also some talent as a commander.
Judging from the spider’s body’s reaction, if she could handle not only Swarmbies but also other swarm members, it might be possible to entrust her with some control over them.
If Vivian, who leads the women under Enic, is virtually the nominal “Swarm Queen”…
‘Leah is probably a “Legion Queen.”’
As this was the first case of Enic’s blessing manifesting in a different form than simply becoming stronger.
I decided not to take this lightly and decided to look into the relevant matters, leaving her side for a while.
I shouldn’t disturb her while she was emitting that “good smell.”
While touring the elf village, I was admiring the peaceful lives of the elves, who were immersed in happiness.
Fortunately, the elves had not been captured for too long, so they returned safely without suffering any terrible experiences.
Some were still afraid of the memories of when they were captured, but there were still people left who could overcome and embrace those memories together.
“Mom… Mom… sob…”
“My daughter… I can’t praise you for choosing to do dangerous things…
But you’ve become really reliable? You can get married now?”
“Hmph… sob… No…
I’ll stay with you…!!”
Riel, who was the only one who suffered severe injuries, and her mother also managed to heal after undergoing nutritional showers several times.
The scene of them having an emotional reunion with their family, Yurne, could have been a touching scene that could have brought tears to my eyes.
‘It’s a shame I don’t have tear glands, but oh well…’
And with the World Tree, the guardian deity and absolute faith of the elves, awakened, I could only wonder if they could be any happier than they were now.
Several elves, including Riel and her mother, who did not know the full story because they had been dragged away by the earth fairies.
And some of the male elves we rescued also expressed their surprise and joy in their own ways when they heard the story about the World Tree.
As their ancestors had done, they were naturally pleased to hear that their wives or daughters had dedicated their bodies to the World Tree, as if it were their own story.
It might not make sense to some, but perhaps that was the form of life they had dreamed of and desired.
Before that evening was over, Leah suddenly came to me, who was spending time reading the World Tree’s memories, and gently held something out to me.
I had been reading the essence of the World Tree Enic for a long time, looking for anything that could be applied to us, and I was surprised by Leah’s sudden visit, twitching my tentacles towards her.
‘Leah?’
“This… it started to glow…
Which means, probably…”
Seeing the homeward-bound magic tool inserted in her busty holder emitting a faint light, I was relieved that I could finally return, and I was lost in thought for a moment.
Before returning to the original world, we had a homework assignment that we had to put off for a while.
“Now you must leave this place.”
A little later, on a dark night when the light was swallowed by the sky.
Question marks were floating on the faces of the elves gathered together listening to Leah’s words.
Was it because it was such a sudden story, in the midst of trying to regain the glory of the past and find happiness to live?
“W-Why…?
The World Tree has returned…
And the earth fairies have been defeated!!”
“That’s…”
To the elf’s flustered question, Leah gave a bitter smile and looked up at the giant Enic.
“This World Tree has exhausted its power…”
From the beginning when I entered, this Enic did not have much time left.
Even the appearance was like a pile of drying firewood.
Perhaps it could have lived for a few more years, but even that remaining power was drawn out with some nutritional supplements and used to save the elves.
‘It definitely feels precarious even now…’
Whether its life activity will stop in a few months, a month, or even tomorrow.
Even I, who was inside it and directly experiencing its body, could not know.
Towards the buzzing elves, Leah shouted loudly, conveying my words instead.
“But a new World Tree sprout is growing!!
Your World Tree wants you to leave for that place!!”
“A new…”
“World Tree…?”
At least it conveyed the desire for “protection” to me.
Although the words are conveyed in a slightly different form, the result will ultimately be as it wishes.
Seeing the elves looking at each other with uneasy eyes after hearing Leah’s shout, I could understand their hesitation to some extent.
Seeing them looking like that, Leah was probably feeling bitter because she was seeing her own image in that appearance.
She had lived a life of wandering around, leaving the only place she could call home.
‘Leah is a kind person.’
Leah, who was giving a bitter smile while listening to my thoughts, soon shouted loudly again towards the elves.
“I know it’s not an easy choice.
But… that choice of yours. That is…
Also a reward for the World Tree that has been watching over you!!
Live a new life under the new World Tree.”
No more words were needed.
Seeing Leah turn around and leave the elves,
Under the dark night sky, the elves were hugging each other, expressing their respective emotions.
Some would be embarrassed by the sudden situation.
Some would be saddened by having to leave the land where they had lived for so long.
Some would be distressed by having to part with the object they had deeply believed in and relied on.
But there was no need to worry about their grief.
When the next morning dawned and the sun began to rise and illuminate the forest.
They were standing together in front of the World Tree, holding each other’s hands tightly, just like when their ancestors first arrived at this place, carrying only the luggage they could take with them.
‘You guys have worked hard too.
Thank you for answering the call of your master.’
Were they preparing to leave the world with their master, with whom they had spent a long time?
They had drawn out their last strength to rescue the elves safely and greatly helped transport the patients.
I gently stroked the wriggling heads of the giant Swarmbies, who were slowly lying down on the floor inside the lair, with my tentacles.
Finally, I slowly concentrated my mind and was able to return to the spider’s body where I was supposed to be.
Awakening in Leah’s chest, who was holding the spider’s body preciously in her hands, I turned around one last time and waved one of my legs towards the World Tree.
I don’t know if it would understand.
It was probably more likely that it wouldn’t understand.
But still, as the same monster and fellow species, I wanted to say a final goodbye.
‘I’ll try to watch over you as much as I can.
At least I’ll never abandon you.’
Having finished my last greeting to the World Tree, before the elves who were quietly praying towards it, Leah and I turned around and slowly began to move, so that the elves could follow us.
How many steps had we taken?
“World Tree…!!”
“Ah!! Ahhh…!!”
At the startled murmurs coming from the elves, the very moment we turned around.
‘You……’
The top of the huge, collapsing old tree.
Looking at the several large flowers blooming at the end, visible from afar, we all suddenly froze in place.
Was it signifying the end of Enic, or was it a farewell gift from it to us?
‘I really can’t understand that guy……’
Unlike my flower, which resembled a sunflower, we looked at the flowers, which somehow resembled marigolds, with its last gift in our hearts.
I felt a sentimental feeling for no reason, and I imagined that it might have felt affection for the elves, and a corner of my heart ached.
Under the magnificent World Tree, under the cool yet warm shade of the tree, we were walking out with lighter, hopeful steps.
Firmly believing that the blessing of the World Tree would surely come to us someday.
