#863 The Elven Forest’s Restoration

It’s me.

Congratulations on the establishment of the Republic.

The primary issue of selecting a new representative has been resolved, and, incidentally, we’ve also captured a war criminal who was on the run, eliminating all concerns.

The Human Kingdom is being reborn, and a fresh start is just around the corner.

Therefore, before that happens, I want to take a moment to reflect on the Human Kingdom’s journey so far.

I myself have been quite busy here in the Human Kingdom, initiating various projects, pushing them forward, or, sometimes, leaving them hanging for quite a while.

Now seems like the perfect time to check in on those abandoned projects and see their state.

So, seizing this opportunity, I’m going to take a look back at a few things.

The first thing that comes to mind is the Elven Forest.

Currently, they should be amid reforestation. The land had lost its vitality due to the overuse of magic by the human race, causing plants to wither... 

The elves bore the brunt of these effects, much to their dismay.

Elves are a race that coexists with the forest.

So, its diminishing size is a significant problem for them.

The elves, with their living space being eroded and their homes taken from them, pushed to their limits, turned to banditry, causing new problems for both humans and demons.

However, now that the war has ended and the old power-holders of the Human Kingdom who misused magic have been defeated, the land is regaining vitality.

And so... the movement to rejuvenate the devastated Elven Forest has begun.

The main activity involved replanting trees in the barren lands stripped of vegetation.

The growth of trees is a slow and steady process...

From a human perspective, it might seem long-drawn, but that’s the kind of timeline needed for the revival of a forest meant to last for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

But a considerable amount of time has passed since these reforestation efforts began.

We’re talking years.

The local elves are mainly in charge of this work, but I wonder how much of their land they’ve managed to restore.

I’m heading out for an inspection, full of curiosity!!!

***

And now, I’ve arrived at the destination. 

Gather around, Elven Forest.

The first to greet me was an elf named Elzariel.

“It’s been a while. We thought you’d forgotten about us, considering how long it’s been since we’ve seen your face.”

Got me with a bit of sarcasm there.

Well, that aside, I’m counting on you for the tour today.

“Even when you were playing ignorant, we’ve been pushing forward with the reforestation work. After all, elves are naturally diligent.”

“I know that all too well...”

I’m well aware of the elves’ tendency to get obsessively involved in things once they start, almost to the point of no return.

The best example is the elves living on my farm. 

Once they start making plates, statues, and bags, it’s a non-stop affair.

I admire their dedication, and it’s thanks to the income generated from these crafts that we’re able to fund these reforestation efforts.

“So, how successful have these efforts been? I hope Aileron and the others’ hard work has paid off...”

“Of course, you’ll be stunned when you see it.”

With that, Elzariel blindfolds me.

I can’t see a thing.

Is this some sort of surprise event? 

Will I be awestruck by the sight when the blindfold comes off or something?

Or is there a chance I’m being led to a cliff’s edge?!

Engulfed in a mix of anticipation and anxiety, I allowed myself to be led by the hand, walking forward...

Rustle, rustle goes the grass underfoot as I step on them.

“Okay, we’ve arrived. Take off your blindfold.”

Being led around by Elzariel with my vision obscured, I couldn’t help but feel a bit like I was being marched to the gallows.

As my anticipation and slight dread peaked, I remove the blindfold...

“Ohh...!”

Lush greenery stretches out before me.

A forest.

It’s a forest as far as the eye could see!

To the right, forest.

To the left, forest.

An endless expanse of verdant woods! 

It’s vast!

Looking up, the sky!

Well, I guess that’s obvious...

Looking down, a gentle hill!

So that’s it... she brought me to a slightly elevated spot for a better view of the entire forest...!

Thanks to that, I get this breathtaking view...

But the reason the view is so magnificent is that all below is cloaked in rich greenery.

The forest is vast. It’s spread far and wide...!

“Looks like this forest is fully revived...!”

I’m reminded of a scene I once saw.

Before the reforestation project started, the Elven Forest was nothing more than a desolate wasteland, barely deserving of the name ‘forest.’

The ground lay bare, with only dried-up, bleached grasses poking through.

Its bleakness was aptly summed up by the phrase “Land of Death.”

To think, this plain, once deemed incapable of ever hosting life again, is now teeming with lush greenery...!!!

“Is this all thanks to you, Elzariel...?!”

“It’s not just my doing. Many have collaborated in this effort.”

Even so, Elzariel trembles, overwhelmed by the deep emotion of the moment.

“Aileron’s group generously provided the funds, and even the Demon King’s Army stationed here chipped in some relief funds. Not only that, they provided manpower too, and human volunteers helped out, leading to progress...far beyond what we expected.”

First, they nurture saplings in the prepared nurseries, then transplant them once they’re sufficiently grown.

Then, repeat the process to expand the forest.

That’s how Elzariel diligently continued the work.

“Thanks to the fertilizer supplied by your wife, the saplings are growing splendidly. Normally, it would take much longer to achieve such widespread reforestation.”

Now, as far as the eye can see, the forest is a sea of green.

It’s no exaggeration to say the Elven Forest has been completely restored.

“To think I’d see the prosperous Elven Forest again, a sight I believed was lost forever... There’s been no better time to be alive.”

“Lady Elelelelcy.”

The newcomer is the leader of the Elven Forest in the Human Kingdom.

High Elf Elelelelcy. 

L4C for short.

Her porcelain-like pale skin and youthful appearance are distinctive among the elves of this world.

“As the ruler of this forest, I must express my gratitude. We were prepared to perish along with the forest. We High Elves can only live in the purity of these woods.”

“High Elves, superior among elves, harness the forest’s pure mana for their extraordinary powers. But outside the forest, they cannot survive. Tainted mana is poison to their bodies.”

L4C must have felt like a bird in a cage when the forest was on the brink of disappearance, but now she has an endless field to roam.

The expanded forest now connects to another Elven Forest in the neighboring Demon Kingdom, allowing for foot travel between them.

“All of this is thanks to you. We elves tend to be exclusive, rarely heeding the words of other races, but it was truly a blessing to have listened this time.”

“No, Lady L4C! The credit goes to the direct efforts of our reforestation! This person’s contribution is but a drop in the ocean!”

Really now, Elzariel?

Even if that were true, isn’t it customary to first praise others?

“Well, Elzariel, from the outside, it might be hard to grasp the magnificence of this feat. You should guide the ssaint through the forest.”

“Absolutely!”

Huh, you’re going to show me around in such detail?

It’s great and all, but in a vast forest such as this, can we really see it all in a day or two?

“We planted various trees in the reforestation efforts, focusing on expanding the forest’s area. We just went along planting whatever we could. In doing so, we inadvertently created different areas based on the types of trees planted.”

‘Inadvertently.’

What an unsettling word.

“For instance, this area is full of cedar. The cedars you provided were the easiest to grow, making reforestation a breeze.”

They did plant cedars, after all...?!

Is that okay? But what about the pollen...? Won’t this world, having resolved various issues, face a new calamity?

“Over there, we have a tea tree area. Come early spring, the elves will be busy picking new tea leaves.”

Their love for tea is becoming legendary...!

“There’s also a pine area, a birch area, and a bamboo grove, among various other realms. ...Forest realms, that is.”

“Is that so?”

“And now, a new conflict is unfolding there.”

I’m sorry, what?