Chapter 61: Oliver and the Elven Forest

I came to the Elven Forest because I had something to discuss with the Elven Elder, and near the forest, someone was sketching. Since this is an ordinary forest with nothing special about it, there is usually no one here.

Wondering what kind of person would be drawing here, I approached and saw that the person sketching the forest on a canvas was Oliver. Today, he wasn’t wearing makeup, and his clothes were a shirt and long pants that looked easy to move in. Lately, Oliver has been appearing without feminine attire more often. I wonder if there has been a change in his state of mind.

“Hello, Oliver.”

“Wha-! Oh, Lord William.”

Oliver, who seemed focused on his drawing and hadn’t noticed me, was so surprised that he nearly jumped up.

“Sorry for startling you. I just called out to you.”

“No, please don’t worry about it. It’s embarrassing, but I lose sight of my surroundings when I start drawing.”

“It seems so.”

Conversely, that is incredible concentration. Perhaps thanks to that, Oliver is very skilled at drawing. I was impressed when he drew the sketch of the Leather Armor.

He showed me a few recent drawings, and he was good at landscape painting too. However, instead of just realistically depicting the scenery, it felt like Oliver‘s internal landscape was also being depicted. Even so, only this forest was being drawn.

“You like this forest, don’t you?”

“Yes, it looks like an ordinary forest, but it catches my attention for some reason. I’ve been coming here often lately.”

He is perceptive. To notice that there’s something here. The Elves’ ‘Forest of Illusions‘ Magic prevents the interior from being sensed from the outside, so there shouldn’t be any sign of people living here.

Come to think of it, Oliver likes beautiful things and once said he wanted to visit the Elven village someday. This might be fate. If Lucelina and the Elder say okay, I’ll take Oliver with me.

“Are you going to be drawing here for a while, Oliver?”

“Yes, I took the day off today. Mother told me to take a break once a week, so I don’t work continuously without noticing.”

“Ahaha, Oliver is a hard worker. But I think resting is important. I have some business in this forest. I’ll see you later.”

I entered the forest and asked Lucelina and the Elder. They happily agreed to let me bring Oliver. It seems they are grateful to Oliver, the Branch Manager, because the Levant Trading Company buys the Woodcrafts the Elves make at a good price. Yes, Oliver is making everyone happy through commerce.

When I stepped out of the forest, Oliver was still drawing.

“Oliver, if you’d like, would you like to come into this forest?”

Oliver smiled brightly.

“Does that mean I might be allowed to go in too?”

“Yes. Wait, when you say ‘allowed to go in,’ did you realize it somehow?”

“Yes, actually, I tried to enter the forest several times and couldn’t for some reason. But Lord William went right in earlier, so I thought perhaps this was the place.”

As expected, Oliver is clever.

“As you suspect, this is the forest where the Elves live.”

“Ah, it is! I’m excited.”

Oliver hurriedly put away his canvas.

I entered the forest with Oliver.

“I can enter the forest with Lord William?”

“No, that’s not it. I don’t quite understand the mechanism, but there is Magic cast over it that only allows people approved by the Elves to enter.”

“Ooh, such Magic exists.”

“Yes. Since I just got permission to bring you, Oliver, I think you can enter now.”

“I see.”

After walking for a while, the Elves’ Hidden Village came into view. We could see the Treehouses.

“Do the Elves live on top of the trees?”

“Not all of them. But some people feel more settled up in the trees.”

“What wonderful houses, harmonized with the forest. The appearance is beautiful, but the concept of living on top of living trees instead of cutting them down is brilliant.”

“I agree. They are houses typical of the Elves, who cherish the forest.”

As we walked through the Elven village, we encountered an Elven woman holding a Ceramic Pot.

“The pattern on the Pot is something I’ve never seen before, but it’s complex and beautiful.”

Now that he mentioned it, it had a complex vine pattern applied to it. I hadn’t properly looked at the Pot patterns before.

Further on, there was an Elf playing a string instrument in the shade of a tree. Oliver stopped and listened intently.

“This is the first time I’ve heard this tune. Yet, it makes me feel somewhat nostalgic and melancholy.”

“I agree.”

Listening closely, it somewhat resembles the Zigeunerweisen I heard in my original world.

I usually just leave immediately after finishing my business or just borrow a Hammock to read the book I brought, so I hadn’t carefully observed the Elves’ way of life. New discoveries happen when I’m with Oliver, who has a keen sense of aesthetics. Eventually, we reached the center of the village, and the Chieftain Lucelina and the Elder greeted us.

“Welcome, Mr. Oliver. This is the first time we meet here.”

“Yes, Lady Lucelina. It has been a while since we met for business negotiations. Thank you for allowing me to visit the Elven village today.”

“Everyone is grateful that you buy the things we make at a good price. And you are Lord William‘s introduction, after all.”

“Thank you. Lord William is my life’s benefactor, but it seems he is also a special person to the Elves.”

Well, I would appreciate it if he didn’t delve into that too much.

“Nonetheless, this village is beautiful. Not only because the beautiful Elves live here, but the tree-top houses harmonized with the forest, the Pots with their beautiful patterns, and the soul-stirring music. I am impressed by the beauty of your way of life.”

“Hoh, many humans praise the appearance of the Elves, but rarely does anyone praise our way of life as beautiful. You are insightful.”

Ooh, the Elder is praising him. As expected of Oliver.

“Yes, I am deeply moved by the beauty of your way of life. Until I came to Northernford, I only pursued outward beauty, but I was captivated by the beauty of Lord William‘s relationships with the people around him. I realized that true beauty is not about appearance.”

Oliver looked up at the sky and spread his arms.

“Ah, the world is so beautiful.”

At that instant, a Divine light enveloped Oliver.

What happened? I feel like I’ve seen this light before. And when the light disappeared, to my surprise, Oliver had collapsed on the spot.