Iyue witnessed everything. She stood in place, but a complex, indescribable emotion welled up inside her.
This was a hunt where efficiency was paramount. Iyue was familiar with every aspect of it… because she had once participated in hunts like this herself.
Since ancient times, the Sea of Trees had been a convergence point for the Earth Veins’ magic power.
Within it lay countless Magic Realms, steeped in magic power and rarely visited by people.
And like all Magic Realms… the ones here also gave birth to various kinds of Magical Beasts.
Therefore, participating in Magical Beast hunts was a way for Elf Warriors who could wield weapons to demonstrate their strength, and it was also a supreme honor…
But the main purpose of the hunt was still to protect the residents from harm by Magical Beasts and to guard the order of the forest and nature.
Seeing that this millennia-old tradition remained unchanged, Iyue felt a wave of nostalgia… but she couldn’t help but glance at the [Silver Moon] at her waist.
As the master of this gun, she knew its power very well—even if that Magical Beast could survive the volley of arrows from the Ranger Corps, it would never withstand a single bullet from this gun.
‘If you had let me act, Se La wouldn’t have had to risk herself like that.’
Of course, she couldn’t say that to Alexis. And just then, Alexis walked to her side.
“It’s over.”
Iyue saw a composed and confident smile appear on Alexis’s face.
……
The faint, steady light of a campfire was barely discernible in the distance as Alexis and Iyue strolled through the forest.
Most of the Ranger Corps members had already returned to the trees to rest, but a few were still scattered throughout the woods, maintaining their guard.
“That Magical Beast was ferocious… It shows its mutation had progressed quite deeply. Were the Magical Beasts you encountered in the Demon Realm like that too?”
Alexis’s voice came from beside her.
“No. There are hardly any wild Magical Beasts there. Most of them are tamed by the Demon Race and the High Demonkind… They use those things as tools of war. Didn’t you even know that?”
“After all, I’ve never left the Sea of Trees. Most of us Elves are like that, right? Freaks like you who love to run around everywhere are in the minority… So, in your view, is it possible for us to tame these Magical Beasts like the Demon Race does?”
“I don’t know… but I think it’s probably impossible. After all, we are a different race from the Demon Race. And our ancient kin in the Demon Realm… the Spirit Demons… they also hardly tame Magical Beasts.”
“Hmph…” Alexis snorted coldly. “Then what we are doing is correct. For these outsiders that intrude into our forest, there is only one path available: to be hunted and killed.”
She turned to look at Iyue.
“Is that what you think? Yet you eat human canned food with such relish.”
Iyue naturally understood that Alexis wasn’t just talking about Magical Beast hunting.
“You know what?” Alexis ignored her sarcasm. “Actually, the number of these dangerous Magical Beasts that require our Ranger Corps to hunt and kill has been decreasing more and more these past years.”
“Heh… isn’t that a good thing?”
The corner of Alexis’s mouth lifted slightly, but there was no trace of a smile in it.
“For the humans entering the Sea of Trees, perhaps it is. For those compatriots who detest danger and detest the unknown, perhaps it is as well. But have you ever thought about why these Magical Beasts are decreasing?”
Iyue fell silent… Of course she had thought about it.
“Because the forest is undergoing unprecedented changes.” Alexis answered for her.
“Humans are developing the Sea of Trees. And their reach has even extended to these Magic Realms within the forest where the Magical Beasts dwell. The forests are being logged, or designated as hunting grounds… The Magical Beasts in the Magic Realms are hunted, minerals are mined and extracted, the magic power from the Earth Veins is being channeled out—”
“So the Magical Beasts have decreased.”
“…It’s an inevitable change. The entire Human Realm is changing. And if our compatriots, the families, and the Royal House truly resisted these changes you mentioned, then the humans would never be able to set foot in the Sea of Trees with their weapons and tools.”
“You’re right. The changes brought by humans have indeed made our lives more convenient, and have brought us unprecedented wealth and benefits… Even our Ranger Corps has no choice but to trade with those human merchants and purchase some of their products.”
Alexis stared at Iyue, her gaze growing sharp.
“Even someone like me, who has spent my whole life in the forest, understands this—the tide of change cannot be avoided. But don’t you think the speed at which it’s advancing is a bit too fast? In just over a decade, the millennia-old traditions and culture we Elves have passed down have been scattered, disrupted, and reshaped by the things humans brought into something so bizarre I can hardly recognize it…”
“And the most terrifying thing is… our once sincere, simple compatriots have changed too.”
Hearing her words, Iyue’s heart sank.
“I’ve listened to Reiya’s report again. Combined with the things you told me, I can largely guess what you experienced in that village.”
Alexis looked directly at Iyue.
“That village has no tree houses. They sold all their forest land for money… Those villagers have learned, and are becoming more and more proficient at, calculating profits, negotiating prices, concealing desires… deceiving others.”
“They are becoming more like humans. Don’t you think this change is familiar? Just like the process of ordinary beasts being mutated by magic power and turning into Magical Beasts.”
“…What exactly are you trying to say? That village is the family’s Duchy. To sell resources from the Duchy, it ultimately requires the permission of the family’s authorities… Didn’t you tacitly allow this to happen?”
Iyue interrupted her heavily.
“Our family is not one person, Iyue Nelf.” Unlike the indignant Iyue, Alexis’s voice was very steady. “It is a whole, that’s true… but it is also composed of hundreds of members with different thoughts and positions, and the countless factions under them.”
“Those within the family who actively embrace the change… their leader is your younger sister—Neftalia Neirth.”
“What did you say…?”
Her words caused Iyue’s expression to change.
“And I, and the people behind me, belong to those who are not so fond of the change… A more apt description might be, we do not like the speed at which this change is currently being implemented.”
“We are different from humans who live only for the present moment. We have long lives… It took us a thousand years to adapt to the forest and become what we are now—”
“And now, in just over a decade, we are in a hurry to sell off the forest and learn to live like humans?”
Alexis’s words caused Iyue to lower her gaze. She remembered the felled trees along the forest path, the pen that was about to draw lines on her mother’s body… she remembered the villagers she had once trusted.
Even though they had rejected her father, they had still been very kind to her mother and herself… and that had lasted for hundreds of years.
How could they have changed into that state so quickly?
“The reason you’re going to Fenglin City… isn’t just to respond to the Royal House’s summons, is it?”
Alexis nodded, as if commending Iyue for noticing this point.
“It’s not just me. The entire family is gathering towards Fenglin City. Because the girl your sister is currently hosting is the young woman hailed as the New Hero.”
“She is the daughter of the Hero and that remarkable human Duchess… and in a few days, she and your sister will be granted an audience by Her Majesty the Queen.”
“Even though you’ve never been interested in family or politics… you understand what this means, don’t you?”
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