Chapter 238: The Elven Capital

The elven domain that Sieg and his companions were heading toward was one of the three grand cities of the elven race, nestled in the central region of the continent to the south.

Far to the north, past the glacial expanse of the St. Anna Snowfields, lay Aleisterre, which bordered the edge of the Endless Sea—an immense distance away.

Once Avia confirmed the viability of the alchemical motorbike, she immediately began modifying the prototype, adding a shock absorption system and other optimizations. With Wang Yu's help, she assembled a second machine.

Thus, with two people and two dragons mounted on alchemical motorbikes, they sped across the vast wilds, racing toward the heart of the continent and the elven capital.

The wilderness, naturally, lacked any semblance of paved roads. But with transcendent powers at their disposal, neither Wang Yu's earth-molding ability nor Avia's magic left them hindered. The motorbikes could cruise unhindered through any terrain.

Even when breakdowns occurred, they weren't a problem. Sieg watched with amazement as Wang Yu, invoking the Chariot, restored the damaged components to pristine condition.

After more than ten days of travel through unclaimed borderlands—which were deliberately left open between kingdoms to allow merchants and travelers safe passage—and through several human kingdoms and even a beastman domain, the party finally arrived at the forest near the elven capital.

They were at the outskirts of Liaheim, the city of elves—and this forest was known as the Forest of Origin.

Noelle, Sieg's younger sister, curiously prodded a towering tree nearby—only to leap back with a startled yelp when the tree suddenly twisted in place. She scampered back to Avia's side.

"You felt it too, didn't you?" Sieg chuckled. "That peculiar and immense vitality. This forest is known as the Forest of Origin for good reason.

"The roots of these trees stretch deep underground and are intertwined with the roots of the great Tree of Life at the heart of Liaheim. All of this forest draws nourishment from that mother tree.

"That's why everything here grows so tall and lush. That singular Tree of Life draws in sunlight and the energy of the arcane moon, as well as the ambient magic of the heavens. It transforms all that energy into pure vitality and shares it with everything nearby."

He looked fondly at the still-startled Noelle as he explained the situation.

"So that twisting tree just now... was actually a treant?"

Wang Yu expanded his senses and was surprised to discover that the tree in question had limb-like root structures underground.

"Correct." Sieg nodded. "The sheer abundance of life here makes magical lifeforms like treants far more common. What you saw was likely a young one."

He walked over to the old oak Noelle had touched and pulled a mana crystal from his pocket, which he gently pressed against the bark.

"These treants are generally friendly. Especially the young ones—they tend to..."

As he spoke, something remarkable occurred. The bark parted slightly as the crystal was gently absorbed by the tree.

The young treant, seemingly pleased, wiggled its trunk and branches with joy. Its leaves rustled. A moment later, a plump, emerald-green fruit dropped from above, straight at Sieg's head. He caught it effortlessly.

"Here, try it. Given the teeming vitality, the biggest challenge that young treants in the area face is absorbing ambient magic.

"They find it much easier to absorb the processed mana of mana crystals than raw ambient mana. These gifts they give—fruit, in this case—are their way of saying thanks."

He tossed the fruit to Wang Yu, who had correctly identified the tree's true nature, as he continued his informal lesson on the forest's peculiar ecosystem.

"This... tastes amazing!"

The fruit looked somewhat like a plum, but with an inedible layer of skin. Wang Yu peeled off the skin to reveal red, citrus-like segments and popped two into his mouth. He bit down in an explosion of tart, slightly sweet juice—like a lemon just sweet enough to balance the sour.

It was refreshing and invigorating. As the juice slid down his throat, he felt a surge of vitality. Small though the fruit was, it packed a punch.

"Try some—it's great."

He divided the rest up and handed it to Avia and Noelle.

"Woah!"

"It's so sour!"

Noelle and Avia popped the fruit into their mouths in anticipation. Then, Noelle scrunched up her entire face with an adorable yelp, while Avia stuck out her tongue in protest.

Sieg laughed. "Fruit from young treants may not contain much raw energy, but it's the easiest to absorb. And compared to the sweet fruit of older treants, it's also... intensely sour."

He easily slipped into the role of a good-natured professor sharing obscure but useful knowledge.

"Sour? I thought it was perfect..."

Wang Yu scratched his head, puzzled. He'd thoroughly enjoyed the fruit's tartness.

"Well, you can have the rest."

With a wry smile, Avia walked up to him, pried his mouth open with two fingers, and stuffed her remaining portion of fruit inside.

Wang Yu chewed in contentment. Yep, it was still delicious to him.

Not to be outdone, Noelle followed suit and shoved her half into Sieg's mouth.

Sieg's face twitched a little, but unlike Noelle and Avia, he managed to maintain his composure.

"It really is sour..."

He chuckled inwardly. He'd never actually eaten one of these fruits himself. He knew it was sour, but this—it was like a jolt to the brain.

As for Wang Yu—well, he clearly had a thing for sour food..

"Professor, that bird's been following us for a while. I doubt it's just a wild beast."

Wang Yu's voice pulled Sieg out of his thoughts and back to the hawk that had been shadowing them since they entered the forest.

The peregrine falcon had been gliding just out of sight, using the trees for cover—but that kind of stealth was no match for the group's heightened senses.

Though Sieg and Wang Yu had detected no malice from the creature, they were now nearing the boundaries of Liaheim. Before they encountered elven patrols, it would be wise to resolve this anomaly.

"If you mean us no harm, would you come down and speak with us face-to-face?" Sieg's voice rang clear and calm through the trees. He spoke in the common tongue.

There was a pause, then the sound of rustling branches. It seemed Sieg's words had startled the bird. For a moment, it lingered, uncertain.

Then, the foliage parted to reveal a small figure.

It was a young boy, slender and delicate, with pointed ears and the refined features of an elf.

He looked no older than six or seven, though by human standards he was likely already in his fifties. Elves only began their training in magic and combat around the age of forty. His mastery of shapeshifting magic despite his young age meant that he had considerable talent.

"You're outsiders," the boy began. "You don't seem like bad people, and the treants like you. But both the forest and the city are unstable right now. Most grown-ups don't welcome outsiders anymore. You should turn back."

He'd followed them for quite some time to judge their character. It was reassuring that Sieg had called him out instead of attacking, so he chose not to flee.

"Unstable?" Sieg asked, raising an eyebrow. "With the elves around, what could possibly go wrong?"

The elves were far fewer than humans or beastkin in number, but their long lifespans and natural gifts made them unmatched in both talent and power.

Second only to the winged in personal prowess, they boasted technological marvels and military might to rival any human or beastman kingdom.

Liaheim, protected by the Tree of Life and guarded by elven warriors, was one of the most secure places on the continent. It wasn't like Aleisterre's capital. Trouble in Liaheim was all but unthinkable.

"Adults say we're not supposed to talk about it..." The boy fidgeted. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then thought better of it and closed it again. "Just... don't go any deeper into the Forest of Origin. It won't end well for you."

Sieg gave a gentle smile as he politely refused the warning. "We're here in Liaheim to visit an old friend. We still need to go deeper into the forest. But if you'd like, you can come along. That way, you can make sure we don't do anything terrible."

"Um..."

The elven boy hesitated, unsure of what to say. Then, with a shimmer of magic, he turned once more into a peregrine falcon. With a sweep of his wings, he soared above Wang Yu and the others—seemingly having accepted Sieg's proposal.

"Let's go."

Sieg led Wang Yu and the group deeper into the Forest of Origin, toward the elven capital of Liaheim, nestled at its heart and embraced on all sides by ancient woods.

"Hm?"

They had only taken a few steps when Wang Yu frowned slightly. Without a word, he reached out his right hand and tugged at Sieg's shoulder. Sieg, ever quick to react, halted at once.

Several arrows, their wooden shafts glowing with verdant light, embedded themselves in the ground just two meters ahead of Sieg. If Wang Yu hadn't pulled him back, the arrows would have struck right by his feet—a deliberate warning.

"Robin, come here," a resonant male voice called out from the forest ahead. "You've wandered off again. Do you know how furious your mother would be to find you placing yourself in danger?"

From the trees emerged an elven ranger clad in a green hooded cloak. He stood atop a sturdy branch, a longbow of rejuvenating oak still nocked with arrows in his hand.

The falcon that had flown from behind Wang Yu fluttered down and landed dejectedly on the ranger's shoulder, its feathers drooping. He looked for all the world like a child caught misbehaving.

"Outsiders," the ranger continued, voice stern and low. "Though I sense no ill intent from you, Liaheim has grown wary of outsiders. Turn back. If you insist on pressing forward... I will not show you mercy."

Sieg glanced down at the oak arrows. A subtle vitality exuded from their tips. He nodded to himself. The elves truly were formidable within their forest.

Surrounded by the life force of the Forest of Origin, their arrows seemed all but invisible—he hadn't noticed a thing. It was only thanks to Wang Yu's uncanny perception that they'd avoided danger.

"We've come seeking an old friend," Sieg said, meeting the ranger's gaze. "I would not consider myself a stranger. I ask that you inspect my token."

He raised a small item in his hand and held it up toward the elven ranger perched above. The moment the ranger laid eyes upon it, his expression shifted. His eyes widened in unmistakable shock.

"A golden maple leaf..." he murmured. "I never expected someone of your standing. If that token is genuine, then you and your companions are honored guests of our people. I apologize for the earlier offense. Allow me to verify its authenticity."

In Sieg's hand was a golden maple leaf. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable. From it came no surge of magic, no visible enchantment. Yet Wang Yu could faintly sense a curious aura surrounding it, one he was unfamiliar with.

The ranger's attitude softened at once. Though his voice grew more respectful, his wariness didn't fade entirely.

Sieg stepped forward, then paused an appropriate distance away. The ranger examined the token closely for a few heartbeats before giving a nod and offering a slight bow.

"It is a genuine golden maple leaf. Honored guests, please follow me. I shall take you to your old acquaintance. But be warned: Liaheim is not at peace. I must ask that you—"

A deafening roar cut him off.

Wang Yu's head snapped toward the source of the sound. Dozens of trees were uprooting themselves from the earth and running for their lives. Fleeing treants...?

An enormous silhouette wrenched more trees from the ground and hurled them skyward. Moments later, they crashed back down, flattening swaths of verdant forest.

"A war-tree..."

Wang Yu stared at the destructive figure in the distance. From deep within his memory, a name surfaced—one that matched the colossal treant now rampaging through the woods.