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Translator: Kazumi
Editor: Kabur & Silavin
While the new nation was being discussed, Kousuke was visiting the other races on the different Tower Floors.
The first place he visited was the village of the elves, who have now moved to the Southern Tower.
In the elven village, there was no interaction with the outside world, so no major changes took place here.
Two couples had previously been confirmed to be pregnant, but Collete had told him that they already had borne the children.
Although Collete had not heard of any new reports since then, it was not so easy for elves to have children in the first place. The elves were a race that rarely had children in the first place. Thus, there was widespread optimism among the elves because new children were added.
However, it was not as if they had no hope for children, like what they had felt in the past. New children were being born to coincide with the growth of the new World Tree.
This meant that now, many of them thought that they, too, would eventually have a chance.
Kousuke had heard from Lilace, the representative, about the current situation of the elven village. It was not that he was planning to do anything in particular after hearing the story. He simply wanted to see how the village was doing.
Of course, Collete was with him.
“…So, you are not experiencing any particular problems?”
“Yes, we do. But those are simply minor problems that can happen, and that’s the extent of it everywhere.”
For example, skirmishes between villagers, no matter how close-knit the elves were, such situations would still occur from time to time. Such problems occurred even when they were not living on this Floor.
“More than that, it is wonderful to be able to live beneath the World Tree, which is growing well.”
“I see.”
Kousuke smiled as Lilace laughed as she came over to him and said so.
The expression on her face showed that she was relaxed.
It was not a bluff, but a genuine smile, so the governance of the village must be going well.
Furthermore, the following words also gave the villagers some leeway.
“Above all, it is great that we can have children too. It is really thanks to Kousuke-sama and Esena-sama.”
Lilace said and bowed her head toward Kousuke.
“Haha. No, I only offered you guys a place to stay, you know?”
“…That’s not true. It’s all thanks to big brother.”
Esena, who suddenly appeared beside Kousuke, said so.
The moment that Esena appeared, Lilace lowered her head.
To the elves, Esena was a legendary being, a being equal to God.
The fact that Kousuke was a living god was also conveyed to the elves through Collete.
However, they were also told not to behave in an exaggerated manner when meeting Kousuke, so no one behaved in a strange and awe-struck manner.
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Kousuke: “Esena, it’s been a long time.”
Esena: “Yes, it’s been a long time. I’m sorry I couldn’t show up to see your face.”
Kousuke waved his hand at Esena, who was lowering her head towards him.
Kousuke: “No, it’s okay. You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”
Esena: “I was able to incorporate the connected Floors smoothly, but when I tried to incorporate the other floors, things happened.”
Kousuke, who had not heard this story, blinked and looked at Collete.
Collete also looked at Esena with a surprised expression.
“By ‘other floors’, do you mean other floors that are connected to this floor?”
“Yes. I tried it and it worked.”
Esena had been experimenting to see if she could incorporate the power of other Floors’ veins on her own.
Kousuke had no particular comment to make in response.
Esena had her own will, even though she used to be a gigantic tree.
Of course, Kousuke believed that she should do what she wanted to do.
More than that, there was something else he wanted to ask Esena.
“So, how is it? You don’t feel sick or anything?”
“It’s fine. It’s like I’m extending my roots to other Floors. If something did happen, I can just cut off the roots.”
The reply was very tree fairy-like.
Every single branch and leaf, every single root was important to the World Tree, but even so, they could easily be cut down if they were to hinder the tree’s growth.
“I see.”
“Yes. If the roots can be successfully established, it is possible to extend branches and leaves in the same direction as well.”
“I see. That is interesting.”
Kousuke nodded in admiration at what he was hearing for the first time.
Aside from the two casually conversing, the two elves were frozen stiff.
They wanted to say, “We haven’t heard anything about that”.
“E, Esena-sama! I have not heard of such a thing…!?”
“Ah, yes. Maybe I forgot to mention it?”
Collete was astonished at Esena’s blunt reply.
Kousuke laughed at the elf group, who were saddened to hear Esena’s words.
“So there’s no problem for now, right?”
“Yes! No problem at all.”
Kousuke looked at Collete and remarked to Esena, who nodded cheerfully.
“It looks like there’s no problem for now, so I guess we can let Esena do whatever she wants, right?”
In the first place, no one had the means to stop Esena, who was the World Tree herself.
If Kousuke strongly stopped Esena, there was a possibility that Esena would stop, but Kousuke had no particular intention of stopping her.
“However, if something is about to happen, be sure to tell me or Collete. Also, don’t force yourself.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Esena nodded in agreement to Kousuke’s reminder.
“That’s fine then, right?”
Kousuke said, looking at the group of elves.
The two nodded reluctantly as they were told.
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While they were talking about this, the unusual ones arrived.
“Oh. What a rare sight.”
The one who came in saying that was Liston, the High Elf, with two other High Elves following behind him.
“That’s our line… But maybe not?”
At least, what Liston said was not wrong in itself, since it was unusual for Kousuke to come here.
“From my point of view, it’s both of them… Is something wrong?”
“Nothing really. I had a feeling that Esena-sama was over here…”
Kousuke was surprised to hear Liston say this.
“Huh? You could feel Esena’s presence?”
Initially, they would have been surprised just to see a fairy from the World Tree.
Liston, who was told, returned a wry smile.
“Kousuke-sama… I suppose in a way it’s inevitable that you would say that, but even we are growing, you know?”
“Ah. That’s rude of me.”
It seems that even the High Elves, who Kousuke had thought were unchanging, could also change after such a period of time, to the point where they could sense Esena’s presence.
“Well, we don’t mind, but in regards to Esena-sama. Her main body seems to be changing, is something wrong?”
Apparently, the main reason they appeared was to ask this question.
It seemed that the all-knowing High Elves, as they should be called, were firmly sensitive to the changes in the World Tree.
Kousuke thought that Esena would explain when asked, but Esena pulled on Collete’s sleeve and let her explain.
It seems that Esena decided whom she was going to talk to.
Currently, she seems to have decided on Kousuke and Collete to deliver her message.
Not particularly dissatisfied with that, the High Elf group listened to Collete’s explanation while nodding.
“So that’s how it is. It certainly looks like there are no problems with growth, so we’ll leave it at that.”
“What? That’s all?”
“Yes. As long as you can tell us the cause of the change, there is no problem.”
Liston simply said that and left with his companions.
It was really all that they needed to hear regarding the cause of the change in the World Tree.
After the trio of high elves left, Kousuke also decided to leave after hearing a bit about their daily routine. He was originally about to return to the Administration Floor when Liston and the others arrived. The only reason Kousuke was here this time was to check on the elves, so there was nothing special going on.
It was enough to confirm that the elves were going about their activities without much change.
