#491 The Elf Monarchy Invades

It’s me again.

The synthetic Yggdrasil we recently grew had an unexpectedly large impact, most notably on the demon merchant, Mr. Shax, who said, “By all means, I would like to sell you these leaves to us!”

Aren’t we already selling you Platy’s aojiru?

But you also want the raw ingredient itself?

Well, we don’t mind sharing them with you, but only the excess portion, okay?

Money?

You don’t have to bother about that. 

This synthetic Yggdrasil was created based on the sakura tree, so it will surely defoliate in winter.

If so, it’s better to be generous than be stingy.

Besides, sweeping the fallen leaves is tough work...

I wonder if fallen Yggdrasil Leaves will still be as potent, though? 

That should make an interesting research topic.

Still, a sakura tree with the World Tree’s power is more difficult to maintain than expected. I’m even scared of making sakura mochi a second time since the last incident.

Then again, the potency of Yggdrasil Leaves alone wasn’t to blame. My ability, the Hand of Supremacy, also had something to do with how Platy turned out like that.

Nonetheless, I still collected some leaves, but I preserved them in salt this time without using my ability.

Hopefully, we’ll be able to eat a safer sakura mochi next year. 

I was gazing at Yggdrasil and its young leaves with this in mind when...

“Mwehehe...So, this is the scoundrel’s hiding place.”

What was that voice just now?

At this point, it’s no longer surprising to hear an unfamiliar voice, as it’s a common occurrence on the farm. Even so, I cannot help but be on the alert.

Who’s there???

“I... No, we are the messengers of damnation. We have descended to bring sanctions against those who have insulted the true Yggdrasil by creating a phony!”

Suddenly, a haze appeared before my eyes, and when it cleared up, a group of people appeared.

Not to mention, a dangerous bunch.

There seemed to be about a hundred of them, all armed with their bows pointed at me.

They all had one thing in common: dark-skinned women with strangely long and pointy ears. 

“Elves?”

“Hm, to think you’d recognize we’re elves at first glance... Well, I suppose it’s only natural that you would, considering you had the gall to create a fake Yggdrasil. You’ve really gotten yourself involved with something you shouldn’t have, eh?” 

“Wait, involving myself with something I shouldn’t have?!”

What in the world is she talking about?!

Sensei the Lifeless King? Veil the dragon? The deities of heaven, earth, and sea, or the angels Horkosfon and Songokufon?

Or is it perhaps Queen Mahi who uses solmization magic...?

“I’m sorry, I happen to have plenty of that in mind, so I can’t tell...!”

“Plenty?!”

Anyway, what are these uninvited elves so angry about that they raided our farm?

...This is considered a raid, right?

They’re armed and everything, so...

“...No matter. Allow me to tell you what your sin is! You picked a fight with the Elf Monarchy!” 

“Huh?! I remember doing no such thing, though...!”

“We, the warrior corps of the Elf Monarchy, are the most powerful and elite group that once repelled the invasion of the Demon King’s army. Prepare to be annihilated, for that is your punishment for opposing us!”

The group leader, an aggressive-sounding elf, fires a warning, and the other elves shoot arrows at her command.

“Ahh!”

About ten seconds later...

* * *

The subjugation was over.

“That should do it!”

If we were to break down the ten seconds it took to subdue the situation, it’d look like this:

It took the residents roughly eight seconds to sense something was wrong and rush to the scene.

It took two seconds for the first goblin to arrive, swinging his sickle and destroying all of the opponents’ weapons.

So, a total of ten seconds.

Not long after, other orcs, goblins, and the wolf pack surrounded the elves, making our opponent raise the white flag abruptly.

“Wha...?! What?! What are these creatures...?!”

Well, to answer your question, they’re my farm buddies with whom I share life’s joys and sorrows.

“What’s going on, Dear? Did weird people show up again?”

Platy comes at a much later time, holding Junior in her arms.

It’s nothing major, though, so she shouldn’t have bothered coming here and just stayed at home with Junior.

“Some elves came. They said we picked a fight with them...!”

“Wow! Actually, isn’t that a stereotypical way of how fights start?”

Uh, Platy? Could you not say that with sparkles in your eyes?

“They will talk as if we are at fault and attack one-sidedly. Sorry to burst their bubble, but this farm is impermissible to such a charade! Orcs and goblins! Hang these elves! Let them know what will happen to those who oppose our farm!”

“UNDERSTOOD, LADY PLATY!!!”

Hold it right thereee!!!

I understand we need to defend ourselves, but this unjustifiable self-defense is too much!

“Let’s hear a little more of what they have to say! Oh, I know! They mentioned something about Yggdrasil earlier! I guess we are somewhat at fault, after all...?!”

“Exactly!” says the leader elf, chiming in. “This is a false accusation among false accusations! It was clearly you who harmed us first! You’ve been distributing fake Yggdrasil Leaves in an attempt to weed out our real tree! Your vile intent is as clear as day!”

“Whaaat?!”

Fake Yggdrasil?!

I have no idea what she’s talking about!

“You simply caught us off guard today! I had no idea you had such a defensive force at your disposal! I will admit that it was a mistake on our part to set out with such a small force of a hundred archers!”

The pompous elf continues.

“Heed my words! The next time, we will attack with the entire elven army and win this war!”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you understand the situation you’re in?”

I get what Platy is trying to say.

The elves are now disarmed and surrounded by our orcs and goblins.

It would be extremely difficult to find an opening in their circumstances, and as such, returning home is impossible.

I’m not the type to simply prioritize peace and release them while this situation is still in limbo. 

“Nfufufu...! Have you forgotten how we got here in the first place?”

Oh, now that she mentions it, they appeared out of thin air, didn’t they?

It was almost as if they teleported.

Wait, don’t tell me they can use teleportation magic?

“Hohohohoho! Did you think that teleportation is exclusive to the demon race? As the Elf Monarch, I can do many things none of you have ever imagined!”

Elf Monarch?!

What an ostentatious name!

A haze of mist forms once again, covering her and her fellow elves!

“Is this the elves’ magic? They use that mist to distort dimensions and connect them to faraway places, right?!”

“It’s nature magic exclusive to High Elves! No matter how much military power you have, you’ll never catch us across dimensions! Farewell! We will meet in the near future when we are ready to get our revenge!”

The elves make their escape after an abrupt parting threat.

They hid in the haze, and when the haze cleared up...

...they’re still there.

“Huh?”

The haze is gone, but they haven’t disappeared at all.

“What’s going on?! I could’ve sworn my Hi-sen Haze was active, so why didn’t we leap dimensions?”

“I don’t know how great your magic is, but...” says Platy. “You shouldn’t have used it in front of me. I can use my potions to block any spell activation.”

As expected of the merfolk’s best potion compounder!

“That’s not all. I can eliminate the magic of you twerps with one glare.”

Veil?!

“I did not even need to step in. But just to be on the safe side, I cast a spell that nulls spatial distortion...”

Even Sensei, the Lifeless King, is here!

“I-I also did something in my own way......?”

Belena, too!

How can there be way too many people on our farm who can cancel elf magic?

I fear another unexpected phenomenon will arise because of this!