The unfolding events were as follows.
As the elves of the Great Forest officially stepped onto Earth and began serious diplomatic relations, numerous nations dispatched diplomats to establish formal diplomatic relations with them.
Up to that point, everything was smooth sailing.
Considering the ability to communicate and the endless resources held by the Great Forest and the elves, fostering a good relationship with them would be more beneficial than harmful for the humans on Earth.
Perhaps after discussing whether to officially register the Great Forest of the elves as a nation within the World Hunter Association, a new country known as the Elf Nation would arise on Earth.
However, one problem arose: China.
In 2088, China could objectively be considered a powerful nation.
Although South Korea had the highest ratio of hunters per population, and the United States was next, by 2088, China had a population nearing 2 billion. With that massive population, China was the largest holder of Awakened Ones and hunters.
The number of unregistered Awakened Ones, which the government was unable to track, was also the highest in the world.
Anyway, the national power of modern hunter ages naturally depended on the number of hunters. Moreover, even without using mana, China was well-equipped with conventional weapons. So, despite internal issues, it was objectively a strong nation.
Thus, it wasn’t surprising for China, a great power, to hold its head high against the roughly 30,000 elves from the Great Forest.
For a long time, it had been natural for China to trample upon the dignity and moral codes of any beings or nations they deemed inferior.
It’s worth noting that the impression Shia had of the elves, having received aid from the Necromancer and their goodwill while visiting the Great Forest, was not particularly negative.
However, elves are not just any beings.
They are known to be picky and finicky, often labeled as fussy by dwarves, and they were a race close to the ruling class in the previous world.
Due to their long lifespans, looking down on other races, except for fellow elves, was not uncommon.
In addition, they possessed tremendous pride in themselves and their heritage as descendants of the World Tree, showing immense ego. While they may display some semblance of gentleness, fundamentally, they were a race that would not associate with outsiders and would never bow their heads.
Could the elves and China look down on each other?
What happened between the elves and the Chinese diplomats remains unknown.
In Shia’s case, she could have learned by later asking Olga or her close friend Yujin, but imagining what happened isn’t too hard.
After the Chinese ambassador left, the elves locked the doors of the Great Forest.
China, on its side, officially announced its disdain for the elves, stating that they were “vulgar and crude” and could not be considered part of the human race.
Thanks to this, several nations that depended on China economically had to follow suit, declaring a complete severance of relations with the Great Forest, even before the elves were recognized as a formal nation.
The Chinese side began preparing for war.
This didn’t mean they were genuinely preparing for a war.
They were merely gathering a few legions and Awakened Ones affiliated with the party, including those from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to commence a show of force against the elves.
[The People’s Republic of China will not respond to any external vulgar intelligences. We will firmly deal with all means at our disposal.]
However, the gate leading to the Great Forest had its location perfectly concealed by wind spirits released by the elves, preventing outsiders from pinpointing its exact location. Those who approached the airspace near it would be guided into the Great Forest by the wind spirits.
Due to the geography, leading an army to intrude was nearly impossible, meaning that China’s display of force was ultimately an attempt to demonstrate the disparity in strength to subdue and coerce the elves.
Ultimately, issuing a declaration of war against a place that hadn’t even been recognized as a formal nation would be meaningless. Showing a disparity in power was assumed to be enough for the elves to recognize their position.
However, a week ago, a gate to the elves’ Great Forest manifested in the Gobi Desert of China.
It didn’t just manifest quietly.
It openly declared, “I’m right here,” as an Erosion Dungeon, filled with the Great Forest, appeared in the center of the Gobi Desert. The problem was that, as a result, nearly 30% of the land where the gate opened was saturated with dense vegetation instead of being a desert.
It wasn’t just a small patch of trees or forest growing.
The once-sandy Gobi Desert became home to trees more lush and vast than those in the Amazon rainforest, often called the lungs of the Earth. This area transformed into a playground for spirits, teeming with newly sprouted life.
It was reminiscent of an explosion.
What this implied was clear.
While human nuclear and atomic bombs caused widespread destruction, turning everything to ashes, what about the elves’ bombs?
[What do you think would have happened if you detonated it in your city?]
The moment Olga threatened the People’s Republic of China with images of the tens of thousands of spirits and the leaves of the World Tree, the previously complacent Chinese side quickly realized that the situation had completely reversed.
With nearly hundreds of thousands of spirits, the leaves of the World Tree, and the fury and desires of the elves compressed into a Spirit Nuke, it created exactly the opposite phenomenon of destruction that humans typically described.
When compressed, the dense flora and life erupted in places previously devoid of life.
The dry atmosphere became humid, invoking rain clouds, and an immensely large forest was born, much grander than human cities, inviting spirits, insects, and small animals.
And what about the areas where life once existed?
They were pushed out, replaced by the explosive spread of new life.
With humans serving as fertilizer, plants blossomed, breaking through cement and concrete to build massive structures.
Flowers spread their pollen, feeding on the flesh and blood of animals. In mere hours, plants and animals that had never existed on Earth were born and grew, making everyone aware of the grandeur of life and nature.
Just once.
The elves’ Spirit Nuke didn’t aim to harm lives, and although it detonated in the heart of a desert with no damage, its one-time explosion was akin to a bolt from the blue for China.
Of course, they didn’t yield quietly.
Outwardly, they urged for peace, clamoring for diplomatic resolutions, yet in secret, the Public Security Hunters directly under the command of the Communist Party were dispatched to the elves’ Great Forest in the Gobi Desert.
The dispatched Public Security Hunters were high-level hunters, averaging B to A rank, numbering a whopping 5,000, but… the next day, not a single one returned.
What China overlooked was that all 30,000 elves were A-level capable beings on average, and an elf in the forest was absolutely invincible.
Whether the dispatched Public Security Hunters lived or died, only the elves and the involved parties in China would know.
In the end, within less than a week, China had no choice but to raise the white flag to the Great Forest.
Of course, they were disgruntled about not being able to properly wage war against those who hadn’t even been recognized as a nation and suffered defeat. They stopped their displays of power and refrained from mentioning the elves in any diplomatic channels, ensuring all internet discussions regarding elves and related news were heavily censored.
The mere existence of the term “elves” had left a deep scar on the pride of the People’s Republic of China.
○○○○
Meanwhile, Shia and Menelapie were in the National Assembly, using Yeonseo’s ability to access the relevant documents.
Given that the information hadn’t been released on the news and was confidential, it wasn’t something publicly available.
“Oh my…”
“This is quite impressive.”
As Shia and Menelapie examined the report from Yeonseo, it seemed the results were highly intriguing.
In truth, Shia didn’t fully grasp the report.
She just roughly understood that Olga’s Great Forest seemed to have launched an attack against China.
“The world of Earth is rather interesting. A mere 30,000 elves managed to outmaneuver a country with a population of billions in such a short time.”
“Well… Various factors must’ve combined, but the current largest guild in China, the San Guild, is preoccupied with clashes with this lady, so they don’t have the bandwidth to deal with the elves. Even though China has authority over the hunters, they lacked sufficient justification to forcefully mobilize them for a national-level conflict…”
“So, you’re saying that China had to rely on conventional forces and government-assigned Awakened Ones to confront the elves?”
“Indeed! Continue.”
“Well, it’s not that remarkable. Awakened Ones and hunters typically operate on a collaborative basis, not as direct orders from the state. So, naturally, the Awakened Ones in China would’ve concluded that confronting the elves on government orders would come with too much loss compared to any potential gain, and thus they had no reason to risk their lives against the Great Forest.”
During all wars and significant state matters, justification was critical.
In the first place, attempting to carry out a display of force against an entity that hadn’t even been recognized as a formal nation resulted in overestimating the elves and facing the backlash from a Spirit Nuke.
Thus, for China, their justification had long been ruined, and all that was left was their bruised pride and a desperate need to salvage what they could.
“There may have been a significant power difference, but it seems that there were many bureaucrats in China who held an overly complacent notion that everything would be fine without proper information about the opponent. Once this situation settles, there will likely be a political purge.”
“I see, Menelapie, it’s no wonder you were called the Emperor. It’s impressive how much information you can draw from a single report.”
At that remark, Menelapie shrugged, dismissing it as no big deal.
‘Hmm, I see. I’ve fully understood!’
Although Shia wore a confused expression, it didn’t matter much.
After all, it was likely that smart individuals like Yeonseo or Menelapie would figure things out.
“So, what does Shia think?”
“Eh…”
“It’s no big deal. Didn’t you meet the elves previously at the Great Forest?”
“…Even if you ask what I think, I…”
“In fact, we also sent diplomats to the elves.”
“I… But it seems that the elves are quite fed up with humans because of China? If this continues, they’ll likely live in seclusion as before, cutting off all diplomatic relations.”
Right.
Originally, that should have been the case…
“However, the problem is that the elves specifically named Korea… more precisely, you.”
“Me? Why?”
“Because of what you did at the Great Forest; even this lady received reports about it. I assume it’s related.”
What did I do at the Great Forest…
I saved the last two children of the World Tree.
Healed a mysterious plague.
And dealt with the issues involving the Chaos Ant mimics, including Antamia.
Of course, while broadcasting to identify the mimics in a rather dramatic fashion…
Now that I think about it, from an objective perspective, it’s no surprise to think of me as a benefactor to the elves.
“The reason you were summoned here is precisely that. Though it hasn’t been made public yet, the movements of the elves are worth significant attention.”
If the elves detonated another Spirit Nuke upon transitioning through the gate, it wouldn’t just be China but any country that would suffer devastating damage.
They believed there might be only a few strong entities, but nobody had anticipated that the elves would possess such an extraordinary strategic weapon.
“Thus, let’s move a bit. In a while, the elves are supposed to visit you here.”
“With them stepping out of the Great Forest, that seems like a promising sign?”
“While we might think that way, others, including the politicians, wouldn’t understand the circumstances and would feel anxious. There’s still some time, so would you like to grab a coffee? There’s a pretty decent café upstairs in the Assembly…”
Just then, a group of formally dressed individuals approached Shia, Yeonseo, and Menelapie as they exited the room.
Among them was Seoul’s mayor, Min Baekgyeong, along with several other assembly members.
It was quite a rare combination; what were they doing here?
“Oh, Yeonseo, greetings.”
“Mayor of Seoul, right? What was your name again?”
Though Yeonseo knew it was Min Baekgyeong, she had no intention of being cordial with him.
Yeonseo generally tried to avoid politics as much as possible, but why would she want to be close to someone who had been elected on a promise to support civilians rather than hunters?
“I’m Min Baekgyeong. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
“Is that so? So, what business does the Mayor of Seoul have here in the National Assembly? You weren’t summoned, were you?”
“Ah, it’s not that I have business with you, Yeonseo. Actually, I need to speak with that blonde girl behind you.”
“Uh, with Menelapie?”
Menelapie appeared surprised that she would be called upon along with Min Baekgyeong and his entourage.
“It won’t take long. Just a brief discussion.”
“…..”
At that, Yeonseo, Menelapie, and Shia exchanged glances.
Signaling that it was okay, Menelapie followed Min Baekgyeong and the assembly members. As Yeonseo observed the scene, she snapped her fingers.
“Just in case…”
Opening a hidden space directed toward Menelapie, she prepared for any unforeseen situations.
○○○○
“I believe you returned after the incident at the Erosion Dungeon in Mapo District?”
“That’s correct.”
“To be honest, we acquired some footage from that incident. Thanks to that, we’ve seen Menelapie’s achievements quite well.”
“Haha, it was astonishing! The golden light just split apart and then…”
Listening to the council members, Menelapie realized something.
Fortunately, it seemed they were unaware that Lirisia was alive.
Had they known, they wouldn’t have praised her with empty words but asked about the Witch of the Dark Star instead.
As Menelapie adequately responded to the council members’ remarks, she paused at the words from the mayor of Seoul.
“By the way, the Necromancer you encountered earlier…”
Shia, the topic of Shia came up.
Menelapie halted at that remark.
“It seems you’re quite close with Isia.”
“How deeply moved she must have been to shed tears.”
“…Just for your information, Isia has never used her powers for anything other than aiding others up until now.”
Yes, that would be the case.
What kind of child she was, after all.
“However… isn’t it overly individualistic how she’s using her powers? The powers of a saint could be utilized much more beneficially, couldn’t they?”
Shia as individualistic? What kind of nonsense was this?
“What do you mean by that?”
“There are countless people you could save! She has the power to help so many. Isn’t it a waste to use it just for broadcasting?”
“Indeed! Healing abilities are already rare.”
“Moreover, Menelapie, you might not have heard, but the international situation is quite chaotic right now. It might escalate to a situation resembling war, and depending on the elves’ moves, many lives may be at stake.”
“Our government sincerely wishes for both Menelapie and Isia to cooperate fully with the investigation and voluntarily apply for their powers to be state-registered.”
“And in that process, Menelapie’s cooperation will be essential.”
Menelapie quietly examined the faces of those speaking to her.
Ah, I understand their ulterior motives.
“Though we speak ordinarily, if the conversation doesn’t progress as intended, we may resort to coercive measures to subdue you for the investigation, should it come to that.”
“We hope you can contribute to the well-being of this country.”
While the assembly members spoke with an air of formality, Menelapie could see through their schemes and intentions.
Ah, I see, they’re trying to use Shia as leverage.
Menelapie, treated merely as a common returnee due to her memory loss and perceived as an ordinary returnee from the previous world, was expected to lack knowledge about the present world and be easily manipulated if intimidated.
Naturally, they presumed that by coercing her, they could utilize Isia, dubbed the Necromancer, as a puppet.
Of course, Yeonseo, Yeonhwa, and the Yeon family would never just stand by and watch.
They thought differently, mistakenly believing that the Yeon family wouldn’t jeopardize their position over merely two returnees.
Certainly, that was a rational thought.
Yeonseo and the Yeon family, being exceptionally close friends with the two returnees beyond anyone’s imagination, would never allow this.
Such an easy opportunity for them to capitalize upon, attempting to gauge the situation with Menelapie.
“Ha.”
Watching Menelapie’s chilling smile, Yeonseo mirrored that expression.
There was no need to step in.
“Indeed, it’s a nation.”
“Right. For the sake of the nation, perhaps some individual freedom…”
“A nation that exploits the money of its citizens to construct these vast structures, you mean.”
“Calling it ‘exploitation’ is a bit excessive, don’t you think?”
“Hahaha, you are from the previous world, so you might not know. All of this has been established through lawful taxes…”
With their obvious attempts to manipulate her, Menelapie smiled radiantly like the sun.
“I was an emperor, ruling over realms many times larger than this small nation, living a life as a sovereign.”
“Then we should be able to communicate with you. Why would someone like you…”
Boom!
“Ugh!?”
“Cough…!”
“G-get back…!”
At that moment, Menelapie’s Golden Eye sparkled.
“How dare you invoke the term ‘citizen’ in front of me…”
Previously, when she dealt with the nefarious during Shia’s broadcast, that was nothing compared to what she exhibited now.
At that time, it was merely a game and a lesson, but the intent radiating from Menelapie now could genuinely kill.
“Furthermore…”
“Y-you hunter…! Get this woman…”
G-guh…!
Yet the guards standing watch were frozen in terror too.
Not as hunters but trembling like civilians, they knelt, unable to utter a word.
“Do you truly understand what you’re calling trivial? Perhaps I’ll let it go as you say. Maybe you really thought that since I’m just seen as an ordinary returnee, it’s understandable to treat me like any commoner. I can comprehend that, given how pathetic and insignificant my existence seems to you.”
Menelapie lifted a councilman by the collar and slightly tilted her head.
“However, to degrade me, I never once saw myself as being this foolish.”
“F-foolish!? This isn’t the previous world, Menelapie! Please, this is excessive!”
“Shut your filthy mouth.”
Thump!
Again.
With each flicker of her golden eye, all present were silenced.
Not just the council members.
Even the Awakend Hunters hired to guard them couldn’t lift a finger.
“I am speaking. How dare a lowly dog open its mouth in my presence.”
Power is primal and brutal.
However, it was they who attempted to suppress with force.
Thus, today, I find myself wishing to act in a savage manner.
“In this place, I am no emperor. I possess neither wealth nor privilege.”
Gah…!
“Yet I still hold something precious.”
Standing here, I declare it.
Indeed, as you’ve remarked, Shia is my vulnerability.
She is my cherished one, my Achilles’ heel, my precious finger.
“I shall live for her! She may only engage in things she enjoys and shall suffer no grief!”
So do as you will.
“I will never allow anything to cause her so much as a twinge of pain.”
I shall repay what is given to me.
No, I will ensure that you do not lay a finger upon her.
“I shall continue living for her. Selfishly, and if necessary, I shall act with reprisal.”
As she spoke, Menelapie smiled.
With both kindness and cruelty.
Menelapie spoke arrogantly, dominantly, acting as if she were higher than everyone present, but none could resist her.
In fact, no one even dared to look her in the eye.
Every time her golden eyes gleamed, the excruciating feeling gripped their hearts, making it hard to remember even to breathe.
“How trivial your existence is matters not to me. Whether you are devoured by neighboring nations or corrupted away by debris… such things are of no concern to me.”
Indeed, they were not.
You aren’t even my citizens whom I pledged to protect!
“I find myself wishing to do just that. However…”
“Heh…!”
Huff, huff…
As Menelapie closed her eyes and let her golden eye glimmer behind her elegant lashes, the council members slowly grasped for air.
“Nonetheless, the reason I’m not drawing my sword here is that you have uttered something I hold dear, a precious friend, someone whom I cherish deeply. She is a girl named Isia, whom you deride as the Necromancer.”
“……”
“Thus, do not further provoke my temper. An emperor does not give warnings twice.”
“……Cough…”
“Do you have anything more to say?”
Although glares of resentment were cast towards Menelapie, the shine of her golden eyes prevented anyone from speaking further.
Menelapie felt her time was wasted. Turning without a second glance, she began to stride towards a room where Shia waited.
○○○
Yeonseo, who contemplated smashing those annoying fools, realized that it seemed she wouldn’t even have the opportunity to step in.
Restoring the broken space, she settled down.
“Shia.”
“Yes?”
“You have a wonderful friend.”
“Hehe, yes….”
Observing the spectacle unfolding, Shia wore a dazed yet pleased expression, grinning widely as she received Yeonseo’s praise.
“Hehe, that’s my hero!”
