The Chaos Ant is a monster that varies in appearance, but its essence remains the same no matter which world you go to.
A swarm of intelligent and irrational pests centered around a queen.
The brutality of numbers is terrifying, yet it makes for a simple monster.
As long as you can find and eliminate the queen, it doesn’t develop into a significant threat.
However, a soldier ant mimicking the appearance of the Lotus Lake Knight Order, which protects the Elf Great Forest, has appeared.
The current situation is clearly an unusual state for both Shia and the elves.
It wasn’t just a simple disguise.
According to the testimonies of the elves belonging to the Lotus Lake Knight Order, they claimed to have never felt discomfort around someone with a completely unfamiliar face and name before.
That means the ability to alter widespread perception or mental manipulation must be involved, or even the ability to allure, similar to pheromones. Even if such allurement exists, to live among the elves requires intelligence and reason to understand and follow their lifestyle.
Thanks to this, the elves of the Great Forest have gone into emergency mode, and the Council of Elders has immediately called upon Elanar, the leader of the Knight Order, and Shia, the first to discover the mimicking Chaos Ant.
Inside the grand tree where a tense atmosphere prevails, elves dressed in luxurious attire, looking like they belong to a higher class, sit at high positions.
“Hmm, are you the guest that Olgania invited?”
The first person Shia faced was a seemingly strict grandfather elf. Next to him, Olgania, who had cooked Leaf Pancakes with Shia the previous night, secretly waved at her.
Shia responded with a faint smile, making eye contact with Olgania, lightly bowing while placing one hand on her heart to show respect, which signifies “I respect you” among elves.
“Hello, I am Seongnyeo Isia.”
While it’s uncertain if the greetings follow the same customs as the elves from Shia’s world, it appears to be a somewhat successful first impression, as the elders don’t show any signs of discomfort.
“Hmm, for an outsider, you have quite good manners.”
“Your name seems to be from Northeast Asia on Earth.”
“Is it from China or Korea?”
“I heard it’s called Hunter or something.”
“Anyway, I’m not currently staying in the Great Forest as a Hunter but as Seongnyeo Isia, so please feel free to address me as you wish.”
“Hmm…”
Although each elf’s political system differs, typically in cases where there’s a child of the World Tree, they are treated as a divine being above emperors, leading the elven society and embracing all. The roles of the elders are merely to assist this child of the World Tree, but currently, due to various situations, an oligarchy led by several elders is in place.
“Then, before we start the meeting, I will ask the head of the Lotus Lake Knight Order, Elanar.”
“Yes! Elder.”
“First, please provide a detailed account of the Lotus Lake Knight Order’s activities since yesterday.”
“Understood. The Lotus Lake Knight Order has been operating as usual, but signs of Chaos Ants rising have been detected….”
As the black-haired female elf beside Olgania spoke, Elanar knelt on one knee.
That black-haired elf was probably an elder too.
Listening earnestly to the report from Elanar about the Lotus Lake Knight Order, she nodded in agreement.
“All testimonies from other elves match the timetable of the location Elanar stayed at. Understood. I confirm that there are no falsehoods in the testimony of Elanar, leader of the Lotus Lake Knight Order. Elanar and the 62 knights under her command have been found innocent of all allegations.”
Elanar bowed her head and retreated.
She had nearly been wrongfully accused and punished for harboring the mimicking Chaos Ant without knowing.
“And according to Elanar’s testimony, it was reported that this morning at around 9 AM, the outsider Isia realized that one of the Lotus Lake Knight Order members was a mimicking form wearing the shell of our kin. Is this true?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then how did you come to know about this mimicking form?”
At those words, Elanar’s mouth went dry.
It wasn’t the kind of thing she could honestly disclose to the elders.
Initially, Elanar was almost neutral towards Isia, showing no particular opinion. While it was instinctual to feel hostility towards an outsider, her primary role was to protect her people. Thus, despite previously treating Shia coldly, it could not be overlooked that her finding the mimicking Chaos Ant was a significant boon.
“That is…”
While Elanar kept looking at Shia, the latter stepped forward with her characteristic bright smile.
“When I smashed the head, an ant’s head came out, you see.”
“…What did you say?”
“What!?”
“What do you mean right now…”
The atmosphere among the elders turned cold due to Shia’s abrupt words.
“Just a moment, Isia. Did you just say you smashed its head? Are you implying that you attacked our kin without proper material evidence?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Huh!”
“No, how could you do such a thing without evidence!!”
“What do you mean outsider! You are currently in the land of elves…”
“But if I hadn’t done it, that Chaos Ant would still be deceiving you and Mother World Tree, right? Or did you all want to coexist with the Chaos Ant?”
“…….”
However, in reality, Shia did have evidence.
The scent of malice, the aura of evil.
Yet, she saw no need to explain this energy, which could be perceived by a malignant predator, to elves who weren’t particularly kind to her.
In an extreme case, revealing she was a malignant predator might lead to her being treated as a monster, ultimately resulting in grotesque misunderstandings, so it was better to hide it if possible.
Eventually, the elder elf with a grizzled beard and hair sitting at the highest position opened his mouth.
“Then let’s ask the outsider what they desire.”
“Ah, yes. I would like to conduct an inquisition. I hope the elders will assist with this.”
“…What?”
“An inquisition you say?”
At those words, all the elves’ faces stiffened.
The inquisition.
It possesses a high degree of criminal, coercive nature, surpassing the limits of a typical religious trial. In an inquisition, it is permitted for the interrogator to inflict torture on the accused, compelling confessions that inflict tremendous physical and mental pain.
“Are you out of your mind!”
“How dare you in a place like this…!”
“Be quiet. You should at least listen until I’m done speaking.”
At Gallard’s words, the voices of enraged elders quieted down.
“Alright, then go on.”
“Thank you. Though I’ve called it an inquisition, I’ll clarify that it is not merely a circus show of torture and pillaging disguised as a trial as you might think. I merely wish to uncover the truth and identify the impure that deceives the elves.”
“Isn’t that precisely an inquisition?”
“I just want to distinguish between ordinary elves and those harboring different motives. That’s all. During that process, I will not inflict any torture upon elves. I would just appreciate it if all elves could be gathered in one place.”
At this remark, the Council of Elders began to murmur among themselves.
In fact, Shia had held the title of “Mangja Seongnyeo” in her previous world, but that was not her only role.
She had also served as an interrogator in the imperial torture facilities known for their terror and notoriety.
While Shia generally possessed a mindset of forgiveness and tolerance toward all humans, there was always the possibility of becoming vicious and cruel if necessary.
After a while, Elder Gallard spoke up to Shia.
“First, I’d like to ask you, Isia. I hope you will answer my question sincerely, without a single lie.”
“Even if you say so, I will not utter falsehoods, as I’m a saint.”
Shia casually smiled as she spoke.
“I can vouch for that, elders. Shia really is a saint….”
“Olgania.”
The old man interrupted Olgania’s words, smiling kindly.
“I trust Olgania’s words, but after all, she is an outsider. I understand that you trust her, Olgania, but in such times, thorough verification is necessary.”
“That’s…! Yes…. You are right, Elder Gallard…”
“Olgania, this old man simply wishes to protect our kin and you, Olgania. I sincerely apologize if I offended you.”
“….Yes. Thank you, Elder Gallard.”
Gallard, ignoring Olgania’s opinions, rose from his chair and approached Shia.
“First, let me ask about you. Is your name indeed Isia?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have proof of being a saint?”
“Um, well? A healing miracle?”
“If an elf blessed by Mother World Tree, healing isn’t a difficult task in the Great Forest. Olgania will likely be able to do it too.”
While Shia’s healing miracle was indeed a very rare capability, it wasn’t that uncommon among elves.
Moreover, since the worlds they lived in were different, even if she had proof of being a saint, it was unlikely to hold significance among the elves here.
“And according to Olgania, you said you are an S-grade hunter from Korea.”
“Actually, I have abilities equivalent to S-grade but haven’t been rated yet as I just returned from my previous world.”
“Then it means you have nothing to prove to our elves, no meaningful connection, and you don’t even have a hunter’s license to demonstrate your skills…. Apart from being a guest of Olgania, what basis do we have to believe you and support this inquisition?”
Gallard looked at her incredulously.
“Well, if you don’t trust me, there’s nothing I can offer for you to believe in.”
“Like you’d know, you are merely an outsider to us without any credibility. The only reason you haven’t been thrown out is that you are a guest of Olgania here.”
“But.”
For a moment, Gallard’s gaze sharpened as he scrutinized Shia.
“But since your arrival, that bizarre ability of the Chaos Ant to mimic has appeared without any prelude. Is this truly a coincidence?”
“Elder Gallard!”
As he suddenly tried to push Shia, Olgania stood up, appearing furious.
“Elder Gallard! No matter what, that statement is too rude! Are you suggesting that Shia, who found the Chaos Ant, is the cause of this situation?!”
“That’s right, Olgania.”
Gallard shamelessly agreed with Olgania’s words.
“It all began with this outsider arriving. The fact that a Chaos Ant unexpectedly appeared among our kin indicates that this Isia woman is sowing discord among our people.”
Although it wasn’t an unreasonable argument.
The news that a Chaos Ant was mimicking among the Lotus Lake Knight Order spread rapidly among the elves of the Great Forest.
Thanks to that, the emergency meeting aimed at calming the ensuing chaos was being held right now.
Though it was still in its early stages, fears were slowly spreading that a family member, neighbor, friend, or mentor might actually be a Chaos Ant in disguise.
“And coincidentally, it was Olgania who called this outsider.”
“…..!”
“The feat of Isia finding the mimicking ant is commendable, but… did she truly find it? Perhaps this outsider is just trying to win our favor or stir up internal discord?”
At those words, Olgania’s face hardened quickly.
“That is true.”
Even other elders began to side with Elder Gallard’s words.
“An outsider shouldn’t even be entering the Great Forest in the first place.”
“Now, elders! What do you mean by that? This is nonsense!”
“Olgania, you are still too young. How can you invite an outsider when you can’t even discern situations properly?”
“What do you mean!?”
Olgania tried to protest angrily, but the noise around drowned out her voice.
“Weren’t there testimonies of the head of the Lotus Lake Knight Order? If those filthy pests truly had intelligence and cunningly disguised themselves, it wouldn’t just be one among them in a pivotal place like the Lotus Lake Knight Order.”
“That’s a valid point.”
“Perhaps there might just be one unique specimen, like a mutation.”
“That’s my point. There’s no need to foster an atmosphere of fear and worsen the situation.”
The other elders seemed to have coordinated with Gallard ahead of time, moving in perfect harmony.
As Shia watched the scene, she let out a small sigh.
Sigh, I didn’t want to use this method…
“Everyone, shall we all calm down for a moment?”
Just as Shia was about to clench her hands discreetly, the black-haired female elf spoke up.
She was the elder who had interrogated Elanar earlier.
“Even if Olgania is young, she is the final child of the World Tree. Isn’t it somewhat disrespectful to speak so rudely to her?”
“…Cough.”
“Hmm.”
At that, the chatter from the elders diminished, and the black-haired elf bowed her head towards Olgania.
“Apologies, Olgania. I apologize on behalf of the other elders.”
“….. Yes. Thank you, Antamia.”
As the heated atmosphere calmed, the black-haired elf continued to speak.
“I understand all the opinions from the elders. It’s unnecessary to spread unnecessary panic. I also understand that the mere fact that an outsider is staying in this forest is bothersome. Additionally, I agree that it’s likely that there is only one Chaos Ant that is mimicking.”
“Could it be alright to prepare for possible contingencies? As the elders mentioned, this situation is indeed delicate. The rising of the Chaos Ants should be manageable with just our faithful Lotus Lake Knight Order, and if we can prevent it without any losses, it would be the best option, wouldn’t it?”
“Hmm, I agree with that.”
“Do you have any alternatives, Elder Antamia?”
“Well, let’s discuss that as we go along.”
Afterward, the meeting ended without any significant progress.
The only conclusion reached was that the mimicking Chaos Ant was found to be a single entity discovered by the Lotus Lake Knight Order.
Thus, after the council concluded, Shia and Olgania took a walk in the forest to relieve their sour mood.
“……..”
“…….”
Naturally, Olgania’s expression wasn’t good.
However, the elves here in the Great Forest had lost the Mother World Tree from the previous world, and in that process, the child of the last World Tree went missing.
Fortunately, there was Olgania, the child of the World Tree, who was in a successor position; however, due to not having gone through proper succession procedures, her appearance and mental state were quite immature, leading the elves to operate under a political system more akin to an oligarchy led by several elders rather than being governed by the child of the World Tree.
And Olgania’s position, to be frank, wasn’t high.
Though she was respected as the last child of the World Tree, her current standing was close to that of a princess who had lost in the struggle for status within elven society.
In such a situation, Olgania could only quietly observe the current state of affairs.
No, she likely didn’t even have the power to do anything.
“It’s okay.”
“Hyuk!?”
Suddenly lifted by Shia, Olgania was taken aback, finding herself in Shia’s embrace.
“You called me here. That’s enough.”
“But……”
I was of no help at all.
I couldn’t do anything.
Those words climbed up her throat, but Olgania swallowed them down.
Showing disgraceful images in front of Shia would likely crumble her heart.
“I really mean it! I’m not lying, Olgania.”
“…But, you failed your attempt at the inquisition.”
“Calling it an inquisition makes it sound really frightful.”
Shia shrugged her shoulders and patted Olgania’s head.
“And Shia, you can see through lies, right? Why didn’t you mention that?”
“The elders believing that I can discern lies and then saying in front of elders that I can see through lies is another matter altogether. If I said I could find the Chaos Ants without any evidence, they’d probably freak out.”
“Freak out?”
“After all, there might be mimicking entities even within the Elder Council; I can’t just reveal my cards rashly.”
“Ah…”
“Well, I mostly have an idea of who it is.”
“Really!? You really do!?”
“Not yet! It’s just an idea. I’ll let you know once it’s confirmed.”
Shia smiled lightly, carrying Olgania as they moved somewhere.
“Where are we going?”
“That black-haired elder who helped us earlier.”
“Oh, Elder Antamia? Did she invite you, Shia!?”
“Yeah, yeah. She’s pretty.”
Before they knew it, they’d arrived at the front of a house perched high up in a tall chestnut tree. With one hand holding Olgania, Shia hopped up the branches like an elf and knocked on the door.
Antamia opened the door as if she already knew someone was coming.
“Welcome! Good evening, Olgania.”
Antamia respectfully acknowledged Olgania with a polite bow, causing Olgania to hesitate slightly at the greeting.
“Yes, Elder Antamia…”
“Hello, excuse my intrusion, Elder Antamia.”
Inside, a steaming teacup made of leaves was set, ready for Shia and Olgania.
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“What do you mean?”
“I had to protect Olgania, so I couldn’t show support for you openly.”
“Oh, that? It’s fine. As the elders said, I’m an outsider.”
“Thank you for understanding. Would you like some tea?”
At Antamia’s words, Shia felt uplifted by the rich, sweet aroma.
“Oh, it smells nice! What kind of tea is this?”
“It’s yuja tea grown on the southern hills.”
“Heh, yuja tea grown directly by the elves…”
“I apologize; I meant to serve a better tea, but the sudden meeting left me short on preparation time.”
Antamia bowed deeply, expressing genuine regret. As Shia took a sip of the sweet yuja tea, her face transformed into a cheerful grin.
“Now, Olgania, you drink too.”
“A… okay…”
Olgania, initially hesitant, took a sip of the sweet tea at Antamia’s urging.
Seeing that, Antamia wore a warm smile and sat down.
“Please, while you drink, listen to me. I believe there are already issues within the elves.”
“What?”
“Some of the other elders might have a vague understanding as well.”
Glug, glug…
“Then why didn’t the other elders dismiss Shia’s opinion…!?”
“They probably don’t want to stir up trouble.”
“Trouble…?”
Antamia shrugged her shoulders, looking sympathetic.
“The current elven society is quite a stable political system in the eyes of the elders. The time it will take for Olgania to grow will likely be far in the future, and for the ruling elders, this situation is just a bothersome issue. If the existence of mimicking entities were publicly revealed, unavoidable turmoil would ensue, and if the kin’s bond were to split, the support for the elders would naturally wane.”
“…Are they really choosing to leave a hidden bomb among our kin just because of such a trivial matter?!”
“Olgania, many of the elders probably wouldn’t care about a few of their underlings dying at the hands of a mimicking ant if it didn’t pose a direct threat to their power or lives. They received reports about evildoers among kin meeting deaths without clear causes, and each time, those incidents were just brushed aside as unfortunate accidents; I had my suspicions about issues within elven society since then.”
If Antamia’s words were indeed true, the situation was genuinely serious.
“But, I couldn’t support the inquisition as you requested. Gathering every elf in one place in this climate is not easy, and considering a contagion is currently spreading… we were trying to limit contact among elves as much as possible.”
“Gulp…. So? Are you saying you just want me to understand this situation?”
Shaking her head, Antamia replied.
“No, though it’s a makeshift arrangement, I am on your side. Moreover, Elanar, the Squadron Leader, has also expressed his agreement with your viewpoint.”
That was unexpected.
I never imagined that the rigid commander would agree with me.
“Thus, while it may not be an inquisition, I, Olgania, and the Squadron Leader have decided to grant you temporary authority to investigate the houses of elves… to put it in human terms, perhaps a search warrant could describe it? In any case, with the permission of Olgania and me, that authority will be granted.”
“Oh….. Can you put it simply?”
“It’s simple. You, Isia, can visit the houses of elves as a temporary sub-officer with Elanar’s authority, and with the endorsements of the elders like me and Olgania, it can be accomplished.”
Oh, that’s to say it’s basically a search then. In truth, that means I can go house-to-house looking for impurities among the elves.
Shia nodded as things seemed to be moving smoother than expected.
“But let me ask one question.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“How many elves are there?”
“I haven’t counted them precisely, but excluding the elves out hunting on Earth, there should be around 30,000 of us.”
“………..30,000…”
At those words, Shia let out a small sigh.
Great, I’m in trouble.
In this vast Great Forest, I’ll have to go and meet every one of those 30,000 elves.
Feeling a headache coming on and contemplating whether I should just give up, Shia refocused her mind as she looked at Olgania, whose face was already shrouded in shadows.
‘….Huh, no. I need to stay strong for my beloved little hunters.’
Right. I’ve rested well during this time…
Let’s do some labor after a long while.
Menelapie said so, didn’t she? The results born from honest sweat and labor would never betray you.
