Reincarnated Elf Chapter 55

 Reincarnated Elf (??), Discovering the Mentor's Role as Clan Leader

A week had passed since Lulu, the girl bedridden by illness, had recovered.

"Please come again! I'll be waiting forever!"

"Thank you, Mister Reese!"

Lulu, now full of energy compared to when we first met, and her sister Kikka bid farewell. In just a week, I had become unexpectedly close to the village.

"I will surely repay this favor and pass it on to the next generation."

The village chief deeply bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.

Next generation... The chief probably realized that he might not live to see me again.

In my 200 years as an Elf, I had lost track of even my recent age. Time's flow had made me increasingly oblivious.

"When I'm near again, I'll be sure to visit."

As I waved goodbye, Lulu and Kikka, even in their real ages, looked much younger than they were.

●●●

And so, a while had passed since I left the village where Lulu and Kikka lived.

'Coo, coo.'

Suddenly, a familiar cooing sound reached my ears. I shifted my gaze toward the direction of the sound, and there was a pigeon.

"Magic Transmission Pigeon, Merseltaope? How does it know my location? There shouldn't be any tracking function..."

Magic Transmission Pigeons, Merseltaope, have been used as magical tools for communication for a long time. The arrival of one meant that someone wanted to convey information to me, but this pigeon had nothing attached.

Curious, I looked on as the pigeon made a soft noise, and its eyes began to glow. A screen appeared in mid-air.

"Ah, there it is. Yeah, it seems like it found you safe and sound."

"...Lahab?"

On the screen was Lahab Lourie, my revered Elf mentor.

"Hey, Reese. It's been a while. How's life on your journey outside?"

She said while casually eating the fruit of our homeland, Kuuko.

Still the carefree expression. This system is like a fantasy world version of a video call. In the past, it was only possible to carry letters, but magical tool advancements are indeed rapid.

"I happened to visit a village where Lahab had been. There was a girl suffering from illness, clinging dearly to the withered... 'Ancient Tree Branch' that Lahab gave her several decades ago."

While responding on the other side of the screen, Lahab seemed a bit dissatisfied.

"Mm. Even though this is the latest magical tool released in the Kingdom not too long ago, you don't seem surprised at all. It's as if you already knew what this is about."

As the conversation continued, Reese shared information about the village and the state of the Ancient Tree Branch.

"And so, despite being a branch, it was undoubtedly a part of the 'Ancient Tree.' I've never heard of the all-knowing and all-powerful Ancient Tree, Yggdrasil, that protects us Elves, withering away. What on earth is happening?"

"Well, this is perfect timing. The main topic I sent with the visual Magic Transmission Pigeon, Shi Merseltaope, is precisely that. I want you to see this."

With a solemn expression, Lahab said this and gracefully disappeared from the screen. A colossal tree filled the entire screen. It was the most magnificent, mysterious, and divine Ancient Tree – Yggdrasil's Ancient Tree, the sacred symbol for all Elves.

However, upon closer inspection, leaves were sporadically falling, and its color seemed slightly faded.

"And... the magical power emanating from Yggdrasil is decreasing?"

The magical power released by the Ancient Tree is directly linked to the Elves' well-being. It is this magical power that allows the 'Invisible Barrier' protecting the Elf village to function, preventing diseases from entering and ensuring a stable supply of fruits, the main diet for Elves.

"As expected, if you can see it through the screen, it's conclusive. It's not surprising. The current tree has been guarding the Elf village for a whopping 600 years, ever since the current chief became the chief. ...In simple terms, it means the Ancient Tree has reached the end of its life."

"Life span? The Ancient Tree has been passed down through the Elf village for generations."

"Oh, yes. The 'Ancient Tree' forms a contract with the Elf chief through generations. We, the Elf chiefs, supply magical power to the 'Ancient Tree,' and in return, the 'Ancient Tree' provides us Elves with peace and a place to live. That's how we've been living in symbiosis."

"...Until now, the chief was doing that?"

To my question, Lahab nodded slightly, saying, "Yes."

I should have read and understood all the books in the forest library, but I never heard about such a significant unknown factor right under my feet. I never considered that Yggdrasil's Ancient Tree had a lifespan... And that our peaceful lives were thanks to the depth of our chief's kindness. No, does that mean—?

Lahab understood my intention and, through the screen, let out a small breath as he muttered.

"So, in essence... the current chief's magical power is reaching its limit. In connection with that, a change in chief is taking place. The current chief, Goldeau LaRau, who has held the position for 580 years, is retiring. The new chief will be me, Lahab Lowry. The ritual of succession and the oath to the Ancient Tree are performed with the approval of all Elves. I contacted you because I need to inform you about it."

Lahab spoke with deliberation.

"...Wh-what about Lahab's own journey...?"

"I've been wandering on my own quite recklessly until now. I'm about to reach 600 soon. At the very end, living for the sake of the race doesn't sound bad. When you've walked a long life, you might realize a few things."

There was a somewhat clear brightness in his expression.

"Even so, the Ancient Tree and the chief won't die immediately. When I talk about the village I've passed through, it's quite a distant place. Take your time... yes, until around the next 50 years, come visit your hometown once. Until then, let the current chief do his best. Also, about Sphere... there are things I want to tell you about it—"

At that moment, Lahab, being considerate, said those words, and I had already finished setting up the teleportation magic array.

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