The meeting started with a shocking declaration, and the story that followed was profound in many ways. Questions flew as an outline of a plan formed, and many problems that Theo hadn’t considered or had an answer to came to light and were answered.

The discussion seemed long and short, but when everyone left for the evening, only two high elves were left in the room.

Lumia picked up the teapot and asked, “Ellenoa, do you want a drink?”

“Ah, of course.”

Lumia poured her a cup of gently steaming tea. Ellenoa held the handle of the cup carefully as she sipped the tea.

Lumia and Ellenoa were both high elves. However, Ellenoa had only just experienced her coming of age ceremony, while Lumia had the ageless grace of centuries. So, it was natural for Ellenoa to be a bit uncomfortable. Lumia and the other high elves knew this, so they had their own ways of being considerate of her.

Lumia waited until Ellenoa was focused on her tea before playfully wondering, “By the way, isn’t he a great gentleman? That Theo.”

“Cough!”

Ellenoa coughed loudly as she hastily swallowed her tea. To think she would be pranked by Lumia rather than Alisa. It was so surprising that Ellenoa forgot to manage her expression, and her flushed face revealed the betrayal she felt.

However, the high elf didn’t stop there as she mused aloud, “Ahh, I think it is a little sad. You’ve been here for half a year, but you still think of him more than us. Wouldn’t Naia be crying right now?”

“No, t-that...”

“What, am I misunderstanding? There was also a time when I burned with passion, so I will cheer for you!”

“Thank you—Ah wait, this isn’t that!” Ellenoa was now completely flustered.

As a high elf experiencing such intense and strange emotions for the first time, Ellenoa found it difficult to maintain her composure when faced with Lumia’s teasing, especially since Lumia had once felt it too. Lumia smiled inwardly as she recalled the young man who had been at the center of the table a while ago. The young man, who displayed his youth and skills, was undoubtedly attractive.

It is rare for a human to ignite such passion in us, but… he’s definitely different.

Theo had barely stepped into adulthood at twenty years of age, but he was already expressing clear opinions to wise people many times older than him. He had even earned admiration from the wise Naia. It was clear that Theo had a heroic nature which would get his name inscribed into the history books.

If Lumia were a hundred years younger, she might have been swayed by the fire inside her.

“... Oh my, I really had that thought.”

“Huh?”

“It is nothing. I forgot my age for a moment.”

Lumia lifted up the teapot again. She didn’t think Ellenoa could see her inner thoughts, but she would have to be vigilant. However, the girl beside her was very distracted. Lumia had already finished becoming a beautiful woman, so she would be a tough rival for Ellenoa.

That said, fortunately, there was no cold wind coming from Ellenoa in this meeting room. After taking a few sips of tea, Lumia spoke words which pierced through Ellenoa’s heart, “Do you want to fight with him?”

“... Yes.”

“I knew it. But in this situation, the right person is Alucard, not us.”

High elves within the Great Forest were overwhelmingly powerful. In addition to using mana at will, they could temporarily summon an elemental ruler who had already disappeared from the material world. And there were six elves who could accomplish such a feat.

Even if Andras and Meltor worked together, it would be difficult to guarantee victory. However, it was a power that was meant to protect themselves. Thankfully, the high elves weren’t the Arv and were limited in how they could exercise the abilities.

Lumia continued, “You aren’t familiar with Ratatoskr and can’t summon an elemental ruler. Additionally, Alisa and Alucard have already moved. Our role is to aid them from here.”

“... Yes, I understand.”

“You should bless them instead of worrying, Ellenoa.” Lumia grabbed Ellenoa’s trembling hand and whispered affectionately, “Our forest, parent, and the one you are thinking about, wish them luck.”

***

On the other hand, Theo had formed the teams they had decided on and was moving with Alucard, who had the same guidance ability Ellenoa had. Trees and shrubbery retreated, creating a straight route through the forest. Once a magician cast Grease…

Swiiik-

Six people skated forward rapidly through the forest, moving at a speed that surpassed a carriage. The White Tower magician who devised this method was deathly pale. Maybe a means of surpassing wind power would be born again.

“Look,” Alucard said as he skated next to Theo.

“Did you have a concern?”

Alucard scoffed, “... You don’t have to be so respectful. It can’t be helped in public, but you are Ellenoa’s savior. No, your help in this situation is enough to call you our friend.”

Theo felt nervous. He was participating in the campaign to suppress Laevateinn to prevent a global disaster, but he was also getting some benefits. Unlike Death’s Worship which had used black magic power, Theo might actually have a chance to absorb this legend-ranked grimoire. If he did, he would smash through the wall of the 6th Circle instantly. So unfortunately, it wasn’t as philanthropic as Alucard implied.

Alucard stopped talking for a moment as if he could hear Theo’s heart. “First of all, this is a report on the current situation. As planned, Alisa confronted Laevateinn and called the wind elemental ruler to form a vacuum around it.”

Theo asked, “The result… No, what is the result?”

Alucard nodded. “Not bad. The forest fire calmed, and the giant’s footsteps slowed considerably. It’s a pity that we couldn’t stop it completely, but the flames have been curtailed.”

Gluttony’s advice was correct. Theo nodded inwardly as he listened to Alucard’s report. Laevateinn’s flames transcended the rules of this material system, but the flames were still subject to the laws of ordinary combustion. If they maintained a vacuum around it, the damage would be somewhat contained.

Of course, it was only a stopgap solution, since the vacuum only slowed down the rate at which the giant ate up the surroundings. Sooner or later, the fire would burn away all the vegetation, and it would transform into the third form in five days. Then it would be reborn as the fire of destruction which burned all life.

Theo’s primary goal for the vacuum was to stop it and interfere with the full evolution.

However, that wasn’t the only news Alucard had.

“What? Are you serious?”

“I'm sorry, but that’s how it is.”

Theo’s face stiffened. When he started the meeting, he had told them that the ents and dryads should retreat. However, he just received news that they had refused. It was so unexpected that an absurd expression appeared on his face, but someone else answered his question.

Edwin skated closer. “Benefactor, the ents and dryads have a different mindset than elves.”

Theo frowned. “Mindset?”

Edwin nodded. “Yes, to them, the forest isn’t a place where they live.”

For elves, the forest was their home and the foundation of their lives. The origin of the elves was to live in harmony with the animals and plants. However, the elves couldn’t compare to the ents and dryads when it came to being connected to the forest. Dryads were fairies who were born from trees, while ents were trees which had accumulated mana over a long period of time.

The forest was family. So, despite knowing that their actions were foolish, they couldn’t step back. While dying in Laevateinn’s flames, they continued to fight by throwing rocks and spitting poison. Despite knowing that resistance was pointless, the dryads and ents threw themselves to their deaths.

Crunch. 

Theo unconsciously gritted his teeth.

Damn, if he continues eating dryads and ents… The mutation may occur faster than expected. Once that happens, it is the end.

The fairies and trees filled with spirituality were like nutrient-rich prey to Laevateinn. An ent was worth more than a normal tree, and dryads were useful offerings. Moreover, despite the fact that they respected the authority of the high elves, the elves couldn’t order them around.

As Theo’s mind spun quickly, he asked Alucard, “Alucard, how much further to our destination? It’s been two hours of traveling!”

“We’re here! Be careful!” The moment Alucard answered, Theo felt a feeling of weightlessness and regained his balance.

The six magicians, one high elf, and one elf had reached their destination in two hours. No one stumbled, as they were all highly alert. But when they saw the devastation in front of them, they all frowned.

“... How terrible.”

“How many trees...”

The sun was still high in the sky, but a red horizon was coloring the trees. It had only been a few days since Laevateinn had started its rampage. Alucard and Edwin took the vanguard as the team stepped carefully toward the burning horizon.

Hot.

They hadn’t even walked a hundred paces, and they were already soaked with sweat. Two hundred paces in, they could see visible damage to the trees. At three hundred paces, charred wood broke under their shoes. They finally reached the fierce battlefield at the border of the eastern forest in five hundred paces.

[Ohhh… ohh...]

[Stones… throw...!]

Trees that stood dozens of meters tall were hurling boulders like a catapult. Monsters would be crushed easily under the size of the stones they were so easily hefting. This was the power of the guardian species of the forest, the ents.

It was a sight worthy of admiration, but Theo approached them and shouted harshly, “Stop this and back off right now! You fighting this way won’t be of any help!”

The leader of the ents growled ferociously.

[... Hu... man! Your command… don’t… follow!]

The same was true for the dryads, who were floating over the ents’ heads and informing them of the enemy’s position. The small forms made of blue mana glared at Theo. They might show grace to the high elves, but they couldn’t appreciate humans who always invaded and damaged forests.

It was lucky they didn’t attack him, let alone cooperate.

“Stop it, Old Tree Elder!”

“We didn’t come to fight you!”

Alucard and Edwin tried to intervene, but the dryads and ents continued to fight. They didn’t care about the heat getting closer to them, as if they were going to jump into Laevateinn’s mouth itself. Some may regard that virtue as bravery but not Theo.

... Should I just move them through force?

It wasn’t impossible. He’d wanted to avoid any unnecessary power consumption, but it was better than giving offerings to Laevateinn. It might cause problems later, but his first priority was to overcome this crisis.

As Theo reached this conclusion coolly, magic power started to hum around his hands, while the other magicians who noticed this quickly grew tense. It was unspoken proof of their willingness to join him.

However, Theo didn’t have to do anything.

[Hoing!]

The sound of the ancient elemental, Mitra, popping out of the dry land caught the attention of all their eyes. Alucard exclaimed at the sight of the world tree’s bud, while Edwin started to wonder whether he should bow or not. The magicians were curious, and Mitra happily waved at everyone she saw.

At that moment…

Kuuong!

The ent leader fell to his knees with an audible thud.