Upon returning to Ezer, Tia summoned the elves, who had been staying nearby, to a large open garden.

“What’s going on?”

“Is it about the Commander’s disappearance?”

“Hm…”

The sudden summons stirred questions among the elves.

“Is everyone here?”

Tia, already standing on a raised platform, began to speak.

“The reason I’ve asked you all to gather is simple. I will now be leading the elves.”

A sudden declaration.

The elves erupted in confusion.

“What did she say?”

“The Saintess is leading the elves?”

“What about the Commander?”

Despite the onslaught of questions, Tia remained composed.

“The Commander is dead.”

“!”

Shock filled the elves’ faces.

“T-The Commander is…”

“Dead?!”

“To be exact, he was betrayed—and killed.” Tia pointed to herself, “By me.”

“W-What are you saying…?”

“You killed the Elven Commander?! What does that mean?!”

“It means exactly what I said.”

She explained that the Commander had been a traitor—someone who harbored ambitions to rule over all elves as he pleased.

“He even raised his sword against me. I had no choice but to execute him.”

“You’re lying!” The elves shouted, “There’s no reason the Commander would target Your Majesty, the Empress of Ezer and the Saintess!”

“Do you have proof? If you do, show us!”

“I figured you’d respond that way.” Tia didn’t flinch at all, “But it’s not true that the Commander had no reason to target me. Have you forgotten my relationship with Yelena?”

Yelena had been close to Tia, almost like a comrade. Naturally, to the Commander, Yelena was a threat—especially because she might have interfered in the future of the elven race out of a sense of responsibility.

“You asked for proof, didn’t you?” Tia had been waiting for them to demand it, “Then I’ll show you.”

What she pulled from her robes was none other than a branch.

“That’s just a twig…”

But the murmuring elves widened their eyes in an instant. They had sensed the unique aura radiating from the branch in Tia’s hand.

“W-Wait a moment!”

“That’s…!”

They soon recognized what it was. It was a branch of the World Tree.

“That can’t be!”

Branches of the World Tree couldn’t simply be taken. The tree would die if a branch was forcibly removed.

For a branch to be broken and yet still alive, it meant the World Tree had willingly imbued it with a portion of its power.

And there had only ever been one such branch—Yelena’s.

“There’s another one like that?”

But Yelena’s branch had taken the form of a bow—and had vanished during a major event. It was believed to have been consumed when Yelena triggered a miracle to reach Clay.

Which meant the one Tia held now was a completely different World Tree branch.

“How in the world…?”

As the elves stood in dazed confusion, Tia lightly waved the branch.

“No need to overthink it. After what happened to Yelena, this came to me.”

“Huh?”

“You’re saying that branch came to you?”

Tia nodded.

“If you think about it simply, maybe the branch came to me for help. With Yelena gone, someone might’ve tried to exploit the elves. And in fact, the branch spoke to me.”

It told her the Commander was a traitor.

Tia relayed the message to the elves and sighed.

“I merely received the World Tree’s message and made my choice—to prevent you all from making a foolish mistake.”

The elves looked at one another. If what Tia held truly was a branch of the World Tree, they couldn’t refute her story.

Still, a few of them raised objections.

“But we haven’t heard the World Tree speak!”

“If Your Majesty is only saying that, how are we supposed to know it’s true?”

Thud!

Tia suddenly drove the branch into the ground.

CRACKLE!

Instantly, the branch took root and sprouted a trunk, from which multiple new branches began to grow.

“Then I’ll leave this here. If any of you are worthy—try listening.”

The small sprout, now grown into a young tree, glowed faintly with green light. The mystical sight left the elves swallowing dryly.

“The branch has taken root here…”

“That can’t happen unless the World Tree itself allows it.”

“Then did the World Tree really entrust its will to Her Majesty?”

Several elves rushed forward to touch the small tree. What they felt through it was the very intent of the Commander—his impure ambition to dominate the elves.

“Guh!”

Unable to endure the revulsion, they pulled away.

“I-It’s real.”

“The Commander was a traitor…”

“He had no intention of following Lady Yelena’s will.”

That was confirmation enough. The elves knelt before the small World Tree.

“We, the elves, accept the will sent by the World Tree.”

“Good. Now we can have a proper conversation.” Tia looked out at them, “What you must do hasn’t changed. Yelena—and the World Tree who was her friend—desired only one thing.”

For them to act in service of Clay.

“I’ll tell you what he needs.”

At her words, the elves held their breath. It was no different than saying a human—not an elf—would now lead them.

And yet, no one protested.

Just as Tia had said. Yelena had simply asked the elves to go to Clay. The elves had intended to follow that request.

However, having the entire elven race fall under the command of Clay, the Demon King, was no small matter.

That was what held the elves back. With their leader gone, it was unclear whether they were even in a position to uphold Yelena’s final will.

Tia had now resolved that ambiguity.

“You need only follow the will of the World Tree.”

Yes—elves didn’t individually burden themselves with complicated judgment. They were a race that maintained their identity by uniting under a single will. For them, there was no compelling reason to adopt any other way.

“Leave the responsibility to me.”

And now, someone had appeared who could unite them again. Someone who could return them to the familiar order they had known.

“Then I will free you from confusion.”

Tia stood tall as she addressed the elves. One by one, they turned their eyes to her.

Hesitation wasn’t in their nature. Their decision was already as good as made.

Seeing them, Tia smiled.

But it wasn’t a smile of joy for being able to help them.

“Let’s do our best together.”

As she brought them into the same arduous fate as her own, she gently stroked the small World Tree—

The replica she had made from a branch she herself had broken off.

♧

“Cadis, prepare to leave immediately.”

Valruel, the First Seat of the Guardian Knights, sought out Cadis and gave the order.

Cadis looked confused, “Leave immediately? To where?”

“That’s what we have to decide right now.” Valruel’s expression was grim, “We either find Yuru or strike at the Demon King.”

“What…?”

There was no clear mission. And neither target was even remotely easy. Cadis frowned as he asked, and Valruel let out a long sigh.

“His Majesty Lutan has ordered us to hurt the enemy.”

“His Majesty…?”

“Yes.”

He wanted damage done—enough to justify the name of the Guardian Knights.

Valruel clenched his fist tightly.

“After the Yelena situation, His Majesty is furious over our failure to anticipate the enemy’s moves. If we don’t prove ourselves useful now, even our competence will be called into question.”

“I see.”

Cadis replied quietly, running a hand over his sword. Valruel, watching him, pressed further.

“Why the hesitation? We need to decide now. The moment it's set, we move.”

“Valruel.” Cadis turned to him with a calm gaze, “There’s no guarantee we’ll survive, no matter where we go.”

After losing most of their sacred weapons to Yelena, they were weakened. And now they were expected to confront either the mysterious Yuru or the Demon King? It was clearly a suicidal mission.

“Ravi still hasn’t regained consciousness, and right now, we’re the only real fighting force left. Are we really doing the right thing by pushing ahead like this?”

“Didn’t you hear, Cadis?”

Valruel’s voice grew sharp, “His Majesty is angry.”

“We are not knights who belong only to His Majesty.”

The Guardian Knights were an order that represented the entire Holy Alliance. They did not serve any single nation.

“We cannot risk everything on a reckless mission for Krata alone.”

“Cadis!” Valruel gritted his teeth, “After everything you’ve done following orders—now you want to pretend you didn’t know?”

“No. And I’ll take responsibility for that.”

But even if they often bickered, Ravi had been a comrade to Cadis. Seeing a fellow knight sacrificed so casually had shaken him.

“Maybe now it’s time we make a choice.”

Whether to throw themselves off the cliff toward death, or—

“—whether to act on our own.”

Valruel had no immediate response.

“…Ha.”

Then—

“Hahaha!”

He burst into laughter.

“Cadis! You sure know how to joke!”

The Guardian Knights—especially the First, Second, and Third Seats—had essentially become Krata’s personal knights.

Even if they were officially an order of the Holy Alliance, in practice, they were bound to Krata.

“You really think we can survive by turning our backs on Krata? It was His Majesty Lutan who elevated us to this status!”

Without Krata, the Holy Alliance wouldn’t exist. And if the entire Alliance was shaking, leaving Krata would reduce them to nothing more than rogue knights.

No—worse. They would be branded traitors.

“Which means we—”

“Have no choice but to be dragged around like dogs? Is that what you’re saying?” Cadis shook his head, “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what happened to the Hero we followed to the bitter end?”

“Cadis, don’t cross the line!”

“We didn’t cross it first!” Cadis shouted, “I won’t throw my life away just for a chance at recognition. I’m leaving!”

“Cadis!”

Valruel called after him as he stormed out the door—

And came face to face with none other than Lutan.

“I see.”

The Emperor’s cold voice rang out.

“So that is your answer.”

He drew his sword without hesitation.

“Then allow me to give you mine.”

(End of Chapter)

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