Chương 64: We're Asking a Tree?

The closer he got, the less the World Tree root was a tree. At least, that was how it was for Kichan. When he had seen it from outside the forest, he had thought one colossal tree covered the village. But going deeper inside the village, a single root rose like a small hill. Moss had settled on it, young grasses grew, and veins like thin water channels slowly flowed between the bark. Below the root were low stone steps. They were half-buried in the root — calling them steps was generous.

The elves did not climb them but circled around the side path. The chieftain also stopped before the root. The elders stood further back, and Riphiel, having parked the saber-toothed tiger at the edge of the yard, walked up beside Kichan. Kichan raised his head and looked at the World Tree. Its branches covered the forest above. Sunlight caught between the low leaves, and faint gold passed through every leaf vein. From afar, it was the roof of the forest. Up close, the sky hung inside the tree. Kichan said.

"The tree is too big." Riphiel proudly puffed out her chest.

"She is the mother of our forest."

"Does she listen well, then?"

"Generally, she does not."

"Yep. That's a mother." Riphiel thought for a moment, then nodded.

"The analogy is very accurate."

"Don't agree." The chieftain gestured. Two elves placed the World Tree fruit before the root. The fruit sat on a flat leaf tray. Dust, on Kichan's shoulder, leaned its body forward. Kichan immediately blocked in front of Dust with a finger.

"You just watch." Dust flicked a leg.

"Just watch." The water drop slowly came out from the end of his sleeve. It did not pop out as usual. Neither blade shape nor shield shape. Just a small water drop, as it was. It wrapped around Kichan's wrist once and released, then rolled little by little toward the root. Kichan followed it and lowered his hand.

"You okay?" The water drop went pop — very small. It was unclear whether it meant fine or don't know. But it did not run away. The veins of the World Tree root brightened slightly toward the water drop. The thin lines that had looked like water channels opened one by one, and small lights moved within them. The elves held their breath. One elder brought his staff before his chest, and a young elf pressed the back of their hand to their mouth. Watching that scene, Kichan grew quiet.

The water drop did not touch the root. It stopped just before contact. The root's light also came toward the water drop, then stopped. Between them, only a thin water-light trembled. A distance where they recognized each other but could not reach out first. Kichan watched it and muttered.

"Looks like a runaway kid standing outside their old home." Riphiel said very quietly.

"That expression, before the chieftain—""He's already heard it." The chieftain had heard, but said nothing. His eyes remained between the water drop and the root. Just then, Dust moved. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. At first it was very natural. It came down from Kichan's shoulder and went toward the fallen leaves beside the root. It pretended to look at the fallen leaves. It pretended to look at a seed husk that had fallen beside them.

It poked the dirt with the tip of its leg, then stopped again. Kichan had been watching from the start.

"Hey." Dust stopped.

"That's not a fallen leaf." The tip of Dust's leg was pointing not at a fallen leaf, but at a slender branch hanging low over the root. At the end of the branch, a very small new leaf had sprouted. A leaf less than two finger joints long. But between the veins of the branch, water-light and gold light passed once each. It looked like just an ordinary branch, yet the shoulders of the surrounding elves stiffened simultaneously. Riphiel explained seriously.

"It is a live branch of the World Tree. Even a fallen branch must not be taken recklessly." Kichan looked at Dust.

"You heard. Even fallen ones are not allowed." Dust flicked a leg very slowly. It was unclear whether it meant it hadn't fallen yet, or that it would be fine once it fell. Kichan said immediately.

"You — don't touch. No, don't touch with your leg." Dust pretended to look at the fallen leaves again.

"Don't pretend either." Riphiel looked at the small branch, then at Kichan. Her eyes sparkled slightly. Kichan did not miss that look.

"Why are you looking at it like that too?"

"It is nothing."

"That line is the most suspicious."

"Nothing yet."

"Don't say yet." Riphiel shut her mouth. But her eyes still went to the branch. Seeing that, Kichan grew more uneasy. The chieftain knelt before the root. He did not place his palm on the root. He held it very close and closed his eyes. The elders followed, closing their eyes as well. The whole village grew quiet as if drawing distant. Even the sound of moving the wounded, the whispers of children, the sound of swaying leaf cloth — all of it lowered. Kichan stood in that silence.

Standing still was harder than expected. Especially when Riphiel was beside him, the World Tree root was before him, and Dust was behind him eyeing the fruit. Before long, the root's light changed. The leaf tray underneath the fruit lifted very slightly. No one had touched it, but the fruit rolled one turn toward the water drop. The water drop popped backward in surprise, then carefully went forward again. The chieftain opened his eyes.

"The fruit was not torn off by force." A low breath spread among the elders. Kichan immediately looked at Dust.

"You got lucky." Dust flicked a leg confidently.

"That still doesn't mean you can take it." Dust stopped. The chieftain continued.

"It is a fallen fruit. But it is also true that it was carried off without permission." Kichan opened his palm toward Dust.

"You heard." Riphiel said quietly.

"Legally, it is very subtle."

"It's not subtle. It just means don't do it." The chieftain looked toward the root again.

"The World Tree is not angry." One elder raised their head.

"Chieftain."

"But it is quiet." At those words, the elves' faces grew more complicated. Kichan asked.

"Is quiet worse than angry?" Riphiel answered.

"When a mother is quiet, it is usually scarier."

"I know that one." The chieftain looked at the water drop.

"The World Tree is watching that child." The water drop started to return to Kichan's wrist, then stopped. It looked toward the root again, then back toward Kichan. The water-light slowly turned within its small body. Riphiel marveled.

"The World Tree has acknowledged you." Kichan said immediately.

"It's not me, it's probably this one." He pointed at the water drop. The water drop went pop — small. A reaction that was neither denial nor affirmation. Just then, water welled up from inside the root. A very small drop of water. One bead of water that had formed between the veins of the root slowly rose, then paused in the air for a moment. The surrounding elves stopped breathing at the same time. Kichan narrowed his eyes too. That water drop slowly approached the water drop at the end of Kichan's sleeve.

The water drop did not retreat. It opened its small body slightly. The water that had come from the root seeped inside it. In that moment, faint leaf-vein patterns spread inside the water drop. Neither the sound nor the light was large. But a cold sensation reached all the way to Kichan's wrist. The water drop came back toward Kichan and settled on the back of his hand. And on the back of Kichan's hand, it formed a small leaf-shaped pattern. It was not carved in like a real tattoo.

The water-light pooled thinly on the back of his hand and formed a leaf shape. Still, to the elves, it was a great enough event. One elder nearly knelt, lowering their body, and the young elves opened their eyes wide. Kichan looked at the back of his hand.

"No tattoos." The water drop went pop. Kichan brushed his hand. The leaf shape disappeared, then faintly revived as the water drop climbed back up.

"I said don't." Riphiel said carefully.

"That could be a blessing."

"If you do it without my permission, it's graffiti."

"If it is the World Tree's graffiti—""It's graffiti." Riphiel shut her mouth. In that gap, Dust moved half a step toward the World Tree branch again. Kichan, with the hand that had been brushing his hand, immediately pointed at Dust.

"Not you either." Dust stopped. The water drop swayed small on the back of Kichan's hand. The light inside the World Tree root slowly subsided. After a long silence, the chieftain spoke.

"The confirmation is finished."