The Peerless Kobold - Chapter 126
There is an area of the forest called The Ancient Forest where the Elves’ country, the Grove of the Village Shrine is located. And currently, four World Trees exist there.
A World Tree will drop 1 to 2 seeds in its long life span of several thousand years, but it is not a tree that could grow densely either. Also, the seeds can become mature trees in about two years if the conditions are right, and if they are carefully taken care of by the members of the Porcelain Elf Clan.
And because of this, the Elves’ residential areas roughly cover the World Trees’ area of influence.
The World Tree has the property of circulating the earth’s vitality by stretching its roots around the earth’s veins and sharing a portion of that power to the Elves, who turn it into magic power, which plays a vital role in their daily lives.
… They depended on the life force of the World Tree.
In other words, most Elves, except those who truly have magical qualities, could not use magic beyond a certain point in the World Tree’s area of influence, despite the fact that magic is heavily incorporated in their everyday lives.
In the center of their cities was a Forest of the World Tree, and from there, concentric residential areas in the city which divide the Porcelain Elf Clan Quarters, the Bronze Elf Clan Quarters, and the Obsidian Elf Clan Quarters are built in that order.
Furthermore, since there are 4 World Trees, there are roughly the same number of Elf cities of varying sizes around each tree. The largest of them all is the Royal Capital Elfast, which houses about 12,000 residents. And within that city lies the Royal Capital branch of the Industrial Arts Guild which is located in the Bronze Elves’ area.
“I’m still not convinced! Why was Asta imprisoned!?”
“… Because he was the one who made the magic tools and armor used in committing the crime.”
The angry, pale-skinned Apothecary Mira admonished Sheyard the Guild Master.
The rejection of the bill stipulating that “..any Elf, regardless of the color of their skin, can become a Senator…” was still fresh on their minds when the extremist side of the group of Elves who supported Freedom and Equality attacked the legislature with weapons in their hands.
It was the day before yesterday when the magic tools and weapons used in the attack by the extremist reformers were investigated and the Blacksmith Asta, who was Mira’s childhood friend and the one who created the magic tools and weapons in question, was imprisoned.
“But Mr. Sheyard. We have no idea how our creations are going to be used, don’t we? That sounds just like an accusation from a bunch of old conservatives…”
After the attack, it was announced that the Prime Minister, Delphys, who was a moderate conservative, had been assassinated by the reformists and Lord Theodore, who was a conservative radical, became the new Prime Minister.
Since then, Queen Aristia, who had been pushing for reform policies, disappeared, and the conservative extremists gained strength and cracked down on the reformers.
“Wido, don’t think of such unnecessary things… The Chief has already decided that the Bronze Elves will take a neutral stand on this case. We can’t take sides.”
“I don’t care about that! I want to know what happens to Asta!!”
With a loud thump, Mira hit the table in the Guild Master’s office.
“I have already made an appeal for them to consider the extenuating circumstances… He will only be charged with the crime of aiding and abetting at best, so there probably won’t be any severe actions.”
“…!”
Shaking with anger, the petite, Bronze Elf girl stormed out of the room, and after a slight shrug, the Alchemist Wido also followed after her.
After seeing them off, Sheyard called a guild officer and asked him to keep an eye on Mira, then let out a small sigh as he slowly leaned back against his chair’s backrest.
“As long as I can comfortably experiment and develop things, that’s all that matters…”
That was the long-cherished desire of the Bronze Elves, who were a clan of engineers with various specializations.
(Now, I wonder how this will pan out…)
Since the reform extremist raids, the idea that “it is foolish to insist on liberty and equality through violence” has been gaining ground among the dark-skinned Obsidian Elves.
Ironically, the words of Lord Fors, a moderate conservative who became the first casualty as he tried to stop the reform extremists’ attack, had been spread through propaganda.
If the idea of nonviolent resistance could reunite the Elves beyond their conservative and reformist views, then the situation could be turned around, but…
“I hope it works out…”
