Chapter 30: The Elves' Legend

The season changed, and the mornings and evenings have become cold. I can’t let go of my coat even during the daytime. The season for delicious, warm Soup has arrived.

I visited the Elves’ Hidden Village to confirm there were no problems with the houses Theo and I built. I remember doing the same thing for the Dwarves. Theo had errands at the Workshop, so I came alone this time.

The Elves have cast specialized Spirit Magic on the forest they chose as their dwelling. The Magic is called “Forest of Confusion“, and anyone not recognized by the Elves who tries to enter the forest will get lost and eventually be led out of the woods. Since I have been accepted by the Elves, I don’t quite understand the mechanism, but I can enter just like them.

“My, Lord William. It has been a long time.”

When I entered the village, the woman who had asked me to build a Treehouse greeted me. “It has gotten cold, but do you have any drafts blowing through?”

“Thank you for worrying about us. It is fine, this house is very well made.”

While we were talking, Lucelina arrived. “Lord William, everyone is happy and living in the good houses.”

“Is that so? That’s good then.”

Other Elves gathered, and they all thanked me. I was glad they seemed to be living without problems. Then I took out some Bookshelves and Bags that I had made in bulk previously and kept in my family’s Storage Room, telling them they could use them if they liked.

“My, this Bookshelf has such elaborate decoration.”

“This Bag, the Leather is incredibly soft and feels so nice.”

“To think there is a human who is better at woodworking and Leathercraft than us.”

“Lord William can make anything, can’t you?”

“I feel like I’m going to lose my confidence.”

No, I don’t think they’re that amazing. As I stood there, bewildered, a voice called out from behind me. “Are you Lord William Fairchild?”

“Ah, Elder,” the Elves said, making space.

She seemed to be a highly respected person among the Elves. When I turned around, she was an Elf woman with a very calm demeanor. “Grandmother, what is the matter?” Since she is Lucelina‘s grandmother, I wonder if she is the Chieftain‘s mother.

When I asked Lucelina later, she said the woman was actually an ancestor much further back than a grandmother, but they call her “Grandmother” because it is easier. That’s a story only possible with long-lived Elves.

“Yes, I am William Fairchild.”

“Pleased to meet you, Lord William. I am the oldest Elf in this clan. My name is no longer used, and I am simply called the Elder. Actually, there is something I would like you to see; would you accompany me to the back of the village?”

“Eh, Grandmother? Lord William is certainly our benefactor and a kind person, but are you sure about taking someone outside the clan to the back of the village?”

“This time is special. The World Tree is calling.”

All the gathered Elves looked surprised.

The World Tree, huh… It’s a fantasy staple, but it actually exists. The books in our Library said the World Tree was a legendary existence. The place the Elder guided me to seemed to be a secret space deep within the Elf village. Lucelina, along with a few other Elves, followed us.

As we approached a large tree, the Elder chanted a spell, and an entrance opened in the hollow of the tree. I was surprised by this. What kind of Magic could that be? Passing through the entrance, we found a garden where lovely flowers bloomed, and in the center stood a single, slender tree.

“This is the World Tree Sapling. We carried it when we escaped the Sea of Trees. Our mission is to protect the World Tree.”

I see. The Elves must have protected the World Tree for a very long time.

Suddenly, I felt like something was calling me, and I vaguely walked toward the Sapling. When I gently touched the bark with my hand, a gentle green light overflowed from the World Tree, and something like a Stone Slab appeared from the base of the trunk.

“Oh, for the World Tree to shine! This is surely the proof of the Savior.”

The Elder knelt down, and Luna and the others followed suit.

“Eh? What does this mean?”

“It is foretold in our clan that the Savior shall descend.”

Saying that, the Elder began to recite the Elves’ Legend as if singing:

The Elven Legend

When the darkness threatens the world, one blessed by the Gods shall descend upon this land. That person shall possess knowledge not of this world, and shall harbor the power of Arms, the power of Magic, or the power of Creation within their body. When their hand touches it, the World Tree shall begin to shine. O, that person is truly the Savior sent by the Gods. With great power, they shall lead countless people and dispel the darkness. O descendants of the Forest Dwellers, gather beneath the Savior and offer your support. Let us praise the Savior who came from the outer world. Let us praise our Savior.

There was such a Legend? The power of Arms probably refers to the Hero, and the power of Magic to the Sage. And the power of Creation must mean a Producer. Speaking of which, when I was reincarnating, the Goddess gave me a choice between Hero and Sage. The Goddess said she barely had any memory of reincarnation as a Producer—so why is a Producer in the Elven Legend?

“Since we are an ancient clan, we have inherited old Legends that others have forgotten. From what Lucelina told us, you are a Producer. Most of the Saviors who descended in the past were Heroes and Sages, but the story of a Producer Savior who descended long ago has also been passed down to us.”

I can’t try to hide this. “Please stop kneeling and stand up. I certainly came to this world, guided by the Gods, from an outer world.”

“Ooh,” escaped the Elves in exclamations of awe.

“However, I’m not good at fighting, and I don’t think I possess any special power to become the Savior.”

“No. It is passed down that the Producer Savior who descended in the past was also poor at combat. The Savior‘s power is not limited to fighting. Furthermore, the Savior does not face the darkness alone. When the Savior appears, their Apostles also appear in the world.”

The Elder picked up the Stone Slab that had appeared from the World Tree. “This is called the Savior’s Stone Slab or the World Tree Stone Slab. The names of the Apostles are inscribed on the slab. We can read: The General, The Blacksmith, The Jester, The Spirit User, The Negotiator, The Night Walker, and The Shrine Maiden.”

A Savior and Apostles, huh? This story has gotten quite big.

“Savior-sama, please look for your Apostles. They will surely be your strength. Of course, we will also support you.”

To be honest, hearing so many things suddenly, I was confused. For now, I asked them to keep this matter secret from anyone outside the Elves.