I had set my expectations too high.
I had let my guard down more than I should have.
All the kin who followed me out of the Great Forest willingly went along with my wishes.
I had unconsciously believed that, given a little more time, others would do the same.
But now, looking back, I realize that was a grave misconception on my part.
Perhaps I, too, am just an elf who can’t help it.
Maybe it could even be called arrogance.
I should have considered the possibility of something like this happening.
Yet, I was so at ease.
Me and Seril.
Kiyen and Hadishi.
And many other kin who came out with us.
Almost all of them were either yet to undergo their coming-of-age ceremony or had only recently done so.
Meaning, they had only heard about the world beyond the forest and the humans who lived there, but had never actually experienced it themselves.
This is crucial.
The fact that they still know nothing.
That’s why curiosity exists.
I succeeded in drawing that out and, at the same time, negotiated with the Empire to elicit a positive response.
But the kin who come after this are in a completely different situation.
Most of them have long since undergone their coming-of-age ceremony.
Their confidence as elves has already solidified into arrogance.
Some have even ventured out into the outside world and returned saying, “It’s as barbaric as ever!”
Our numbers as elves are not as vast as humans’.
It’s only natural, given our long lifespans.
Because of this, the number of individuals in each generation isn’t very large.
This, in turn, fosters a strong sense of camaraderie within each generation.
Their hostility towards the outside world and humans often depends on how their generation feels about it.
‘And the ones who are really messing things up right now are exactly those folks!’
The generation slightly above the parents of the kin who came out with me.
In other words, those who are at an age where they could easily be twice as old as the average human and still have some authority.
But in front of the real elders, they wouldn’t dare act out, so they’ve been bottling things up.
These overlapping factors might be why they’re unleashing their frustrations on the humans now.
“So, what are you going to do now?”
As we hurriedly made our way to the territory of Baron Heiner—no, Count Heiner—Seril asked me.
That question carried a lot of weight.
What would we say to the Empire?
And what would we tell our kin?
There’s no guarantee that something like this won’t happen again, so how would we handle that?
If it were the old me, I would have tried to fix this somehow, no matter what.
Even though it feels like we’re carrying a burden we shouldn’t have to, what else can we do?
They’re our kin.
My resolve to make the elves great again hasn’t changed.
So, giving up because it seems impossible isn’t the answer.
We have to keep trying until we succeed.
“…Honestly, I thought about just enduring it, Seril.”
But this has clearly crossed a line.
No, it’s gone way beyond that and shattered everything.
Disrespecting humans?
Inflicting direct harm on a noble of the Empire?
That’s not the issue.
What’s worse is that it has once again cracked the trust in our elven kind.
Just when we were barely holding things together and trying to rebuild, this has thrown everything into chaos.
This is a blatant act of deception, provocation, and a declaration of war against the name of the elves.
The ones who caused this incident are also elves?
No. They’re not elves; they’re “kanfs.”
Until now, I deliberately didn’t separate the two, but now the story has changed.
If I have to sacrifice one to save the other, then of course, the latter must be discarded.
“But, no matter how much I think about it, this isn’t right. Humans, the Empire—setting all that aside, we elves have been working so hard. And instead of helping, they ruin everything? And these are the same elders who have been treated with respect in the village all this time?”
If you’ve lived long enough, you should act accordingly.
Respect is something that is earned through respectable behavior.
There’s a reason why the saying “Don’t let age go to waste” exists.
“I can’t endure this anymore. No, I won’t endure it.”
At my words, Seril flinched slightly.
Perhaps she felt a sense of rejection at my display of violent tendencies.
For a brief moment, I even felt a pang of worry.
“…Actually, I felt the same way as you, Tyreal.”
“Huh?”
“I thought you were going to endure it to the end, so I thought I should too. But I guess not.”
“There’s a saying in the human world: ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child.’ Our kin often called that barbaric, but now it seems that’s not entirely true.”
Respect comes from fear.
The words of Lord Noah floated up in my mind.
It’s remarkable how well it fits the situation.
I pondered it again as I hurriedly moved forward.
*
“Ugh.”
Count Heiner let out a sigh as he glanced at his broken arm.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have trusted the elves so much.
Maybe the change was just a fleeting breeze.
I thought the world was changing and that Heiner was at the center of it all.
But I never imagined it could turn into the eye of a storm, ready to sweep everything away.
‘We’ve been doing so well for over three years. I thought something like this would never happen again.’
I’ve already heard that the Empire is in an uproar over this incident.
We went out of our way to consider the elves’ pride, elevating a mere baron to a count.
And then, an elf directly harmed that count—a noble of the Empire.
This is a blatant provocation.
A direct challenge to the Empire’s order.
There have been incidents like this before, but back then, there were at least plausible reasons.
For example, a noble approached an elf inappropriately and acted lewdly.
But this time, it’s different.
The elves were the ones who started it.
They claimed the villagers kept bothering them, but that’s all there is to it.
As a noble responsible for his people, it was only natural to react against such wrongdoing.
But the elves crossed the line, and now the Empire is once again turning against them.
This can’t be happening.
If it does, what will become of our Heiner territory?
We were harmed by the elves, but then again, it’s thanks to the elves that we’ve come this far.
Honestly, if there had been nothing in the Great Forest, would I have risen to the rank of count?
Or how many in the Empire would even know of the existence of Heiner territory?
It’s a love-hate relationship.
The Empire and the Great Forest may be separate, but the elves and Heiner territory are inseparable.
If our relationship with the elves completely falls apart, this place will return to what it once was.
If that happens, all the hope for progress we’ve barely grasped will surely disappear.
As Count Heiner’s worries deepened day by day due to these events…
“Count.”
“Tyreal?”
Having heard the news, Tyreal had immediately come to the territory.
“I heard what happened. Are you badly hurt?”
“Ah, it’s nothing serious. Just a minor fracture, they say.”
“That’s not nothing.”
An elf is furious at what other elves have done.
Considering the behavior of elves up until now, this is a truly unbelievable scene.
“Where are the kin who did this?”
“As you know, we couldn’t detain them. If we provoked them further, who knows what they might do.”
“So, they’ve left Heiner territory.”
“Yes. Right now, we have no idea where they’ve gone.”
At least the Empire has already located them and is keeping them under surveillance.
But how long will that last?
Sensing others’ presence is one of the elves’ specialties.
If they realize humans are tailing them, they might do something even worse.
“Count.”
But Tyreal didn’t seem particularly worried about that.
“So, there are no civilians around to get caught up in this. Is that it?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. I suppose so, but…”
Something feels off. It’s hard to describe—a feeling, perhaps?
No, it’s more than that.
This isn’t something so simple.
Yes. It’s a survival instinct.
A warning to sense danger and avoid it.
Count Heiner felt it acutely, and the source was none other than Tyreal standing beside him.
“Tyreal?”
“First, let me offer my sincerest apologies. I don’t speak for all the forest kin, but as one who wields the bow of the Mother Forest, I believe I have the right to at least offer this apology. Please accept it.”
“Your apology is more than enough, Tyreal. But this incident has put everyone in a very difficult position…”
“We will do our utmost to ensure such a thing never happens again.”
At Tyreal’s words, Count Heiner could only offer a bitter smile.
Doing their utmost.
It’s easy to say, but will it really work?
Looking at those elves, there’s nothing we can do, is there?
The open-minded elves have already all entered the Empire.
The ones who will appear from now on are incomparably more closed-off than them.
This is where the real challenge begins.
It might even have the worst possible impact.
“I understand what you’re worried about. It just so happens that Count Heiner and I have some connections. So, let me say this in advance.”
Right then, Tyreal revealed a side of herself she had never shown before.
“Those who don’t deserve respect must first be beaten like dogs.”
“Tyreal…?”
“I was worried that our kin might think humans are more important than the clan and treat them carelessly, but given the situation, I’ll just do as I please.”
If they can’t erase their “kanf” tendencies, then I’ll erase them for them.
As she said this, Tyreal chuckled softly, causing Count Heiner to shiver.
And for good reason—there she was, caressing a sinister-looking sword with a sweet smile on her face!