World tree

The long trunk of the World Tree appeared before our eyes. Its long branches stretched over us as it reached all the way into the clouds.

The World Tree, which is too vast to be seen with normal eyes, is the tree that nourishes this land and is indispensable for elves.

It pumps great fertility and mana into the soil, typically forming around concepts like life, rapid growth, healing, light, and poison. There may be a few additional concepts, but they're not all the same.

The World Tree can shape itself according to its environment, being influenced and nourished by the powers, concepts, or even emotions of the people living on and around it, if they have sufficient sensitivity.

Of course, not all of them are like this. There are also World Trees that grow around death, or more specifically, negativity, darkness, and harmful concepts.

Hmm? I don't think it's too large. It may have just reached adulthood; it should be around ten thousand years old.

As I walked, elves started to fill the surroundings. Most of them had brown hair, with a few having green or yellow. I could call them handsome men with brown eyes or beautiful women.

Normal forest elves. However, their standards are certainly above humans.

Still, to me, they are like the beginners among them.

"Who is this, the princess's guest?" whispered a man quietly from afar.

"Is it a human? But it feels elvish," a woman said to the elf next to her.

"I don't know, but he's handsome," said another brown-haired woman.

As their bloodlines develop, elves grow their hair color based on their lineage or the concepts they are associated with.

Of course, let me clarify, an elf at ten years old is worth ten adult humans—both in terms of strength, mana, and beauty standards...

As I continued walking, I could see them giving me strange looks. The women stared in awe and blushed, while the men bowed their heads, then looked at themselves in surprise.

Really? Proud elves bowing their heads?

I'm used to people looking at me like that after I show my powers or after my battles. But this feels more like an inherent pressure between races.

Still, I don't think it's the same as feeling pressured by fear. The racial pressure they feel right now isn't the same as that.

As a human, I could say that I had the lowest blood pressure compared to other races...

I focused on the new organ I had started using on my forehead and could feel it not moving or reacting.

I'm not even using my racial pressure right now, let alone my powers or suppressing my mana and conceptual waves.

While I looked around at the elegant houses made of trees, I watched some elven children running or talking with elemental spirits.

We reached the trunk of the World Tree, and I could see the guards looking at me with strange expressions, then looking at the princess.

"This is my guest," Elie said.

The guards, one male and one female, exchanged glances before opening the way.

But the village seemed new, or is it just that my standards are too high?

Since I've been suppressing myself so much, I can't feel it properly, but there is an air of destruction around the World Tree.

Elie immediately started to move forward, and I followed her. When we reached the trunk of the World Tree, I saw wooden stairs leading upwards.

I could call them old-fashioned, typical elven homes. Honestly, I prefer modern-style elven homes.

After climbing for some time, we reached a large, thick branch where they had built a mini palace, truly different in size from the other homes.

As I looked at the carefully carved and crafted creamy white walls, I could clearly see the craftsmanship in its creation.

When we entered the door, the scent of wood mixed with the fragrance of various flowers filled the air, a distinct aroma of elven homes.

"Hey Elie, was this village recently established?" I asked as we walked toward the throne room.

"Yes, we just emerged from a war and suffered heavy losses. I wish you could have seen our old city... It was so beautiful," she said, sadly.

"Who did you fight against?"

"Bad people and vile demons attacked us," came a voice from the throne room.

When I looked inside, although it didn't exude the majesty and nobility of a throne room, I could still call it beautiful, I suppose.

The elf sitting on the throne had yellow hair that reached her waist, and honey-colored eyes.

A slightly fuller figure, large breasts, and beautiful, thick legs. Yes, I'd say she was a well-grown elf, at least a thousand years old.

Her silk dress in shades of navy, with golden embroidery, gave off a lovely air, and the blue earring she wore on one ear was a perfect accessory to complement the dress.

"Sister, what are you doing here?" Elie asked as she approached the throne.

Her sister stood up and walked toward us, her breasts swaying with the slit in her dress...

I could feel the tightening of the concepts around me and the shifting mana waves.

It was coming from the elf in front of me.

Elf lady, even if you trust your magic so much, approaching like this as a long-range mage... What great confidence you have.

"I feel pressure from you. Tell me, who are you? No, what are you?" she said, pulling Elie's hand and bringing her closer.

"Sister, wait. He's a human I just met, he got lost in the forest. He's really a good person, he even gave me special leaves!" Elie said passionately to her sister.

The woman in front of me and I both turned at the same time and looked at Elie's face.

I'm sure we're both thinking the same thing.

"Hello, I got lost in the forest, actually, I was planning to make a small barbecue and head to the human continent. Then I met Elie and she invited me," I said, trying to draw her attention away from Elie.

Don't worry, Elie. I won't let her scold you in front of me!

"A barbecue?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes. Would you like some?"

"You found yourself alone in the elven forest, and even though you knew that if any elf saw you, you'd be killed, you wanted to make a barbecue?" she continued.

"You met Elie, she invited you as a guest, and you casually walked through the elf village and came to the palace?" she said, staring at me with her honey-colored eyes.

"Yes." I thought she might be silent, so I added, "I also have champagne."

I could see Elie looking at me with a confused expression, as if asking, "What are you doing?"

I felt the intensity of the mana waves rising and the air crashing into me.

A nice breeze came my way. As my hair flew, the scent of the elf in front of me reached my nose.

"I like your shampoo."

"Eh?" The yellow-haired elf squeaked in surprise.

Oh, now I understand. She must have intended to throw me out of the room as a punishment. Or maybe from the palace, I'm not sure...

"Hey Elie, we just ate, so I don't want to cook again," I said sadly. Sorry, Elie, no food for your sister...

Elie immediately hugged her sister and said, "Sister, wait, he really doesn't mean any harm, let's talk, please!" as she held her sister.

"Elie, don't you realize? My magic didn't even affect him. He's strong and human. He may have evil plans, we need to call our father right away!" the blonde elf said.

"Sister, calm down. If he wanted to do something, he could've done it already!" Elie said, looking at her sister.

I scratched my chin, watching the sweet elven sisters bicker.

Five minutes later.

We were sitting at a round table, drinking green tea.

Her sister, whose name I learned during their argument, Alie,

Looked at me, furrowing her brows, then tried to look into my eyes. When I made eye contact with her, she looked back at the table, still furrowing her brows.

Elie was looking at me, then at her sister, and then back at me.

This had been going on for about a minute, and it seemed like it would continue if I didn't speak.

"My name is Kylin. Nice to meet you, Alie," I said, looking at her face.

"I don't understand why you smell like an elf. You're human, but you feel like my race. Or have humans started eating elves to deceive us?" she said, frowning at me.

"Now, now. Princess Alie, humans have been eating elves for years. But I don't think that's what you meant," I said with a grin, looking into her eyes.

Alie looked at my face in shock and then blushed. I could see Elie turning bright red as well.

"You," Alie said, but it seemed like she couldn't find the words she wanted to say.

Elie looked at me and started to frown.

"Come on, Alie, I'm trying to be friends with you. You shouldn't be so prejudiced," I said, looking at her with a sad expression.

"Sister, come on, give him a chance. He's not a bad person," Elie said, looking at her sister with hopeful eyes.

Alie looked at me, then at her sister, and sighed. "Fine. I'll ask you two questions, and you answer me properly," she said, looking at me again.

"Okay," I said.

"Why do you smell like an elf?"

"Because I'm a perfect human."

"How strong are you? Why didn't my magic work on you?"

"I could destroy the planet with just one finger."

The closer a planet is to the center of the universe, the stricter the laws are, and controlling concepts becomes harder. Since it's not close to the center, the laws aren't as strict, so I'd consider myself at an intermediate level.

Although I couldn't do something as absurd as a single finger before, I think I could now.

It seems like my honest answers made her even more angry.

What can I do? When you talk about honesty, it should be me you think of.

The task of correcting humanity falls to me, the true emperor of mankind!