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Chapter 115 - Ismera’s Great Forest (14)

Ismera hugged me tightly and began to cry her heart out.

It’s a bit funny to be thinking this in such a situation, but today is really something special.

An elf bowing her head, an elf begging, an elf expressing her apologies and gratitude, an elf kneeling, an elf performing a full prostration, an elf baring her soul, and an elf crying her eyes out.

These are all rare sights, each of which would be difficult to witness even once in a lifetime, yet I’ve seen them all in a single moment.

I wanted to make a joke about it, but Ismera was crying so bitterly that I decided to just quietly pat her back.

After crying for a long while, Ismera finally pulled back, sniffling.

"Have you cried it all out?"

"Yes... I feel relieved now..."

"Then get up. Let’s head back."

I reached out to help her up, but suddenly, Ismera grabbed my hand tightly.

"What’s wrong?"

"Mister... would you... like to bathe together?"

"What are you talking about, all of a sudden?"

I stared at her, and Ismera looked back at me blankly before suddenly recoiling in shock.

"Did I... did I just say that?"

"You asked if I wanted to bathe together."

"Eek?!"

She quickly yanked her hand away from mine as if my touch had burned her, then scrambled backward on her knees.

Ismera, who had retreated quite a distance, stared at me with a dumbfounded expression before violently shaking her head.

"I must be crazy... I must have lost my mind..."

"Given your usual behavior, you might be onto something."

"I’m so sorry... I got too caught up in my emotions..."

"Enough with the apologies. My ears are going to start bleeding soon."

I approached with a smile and helped Ismera to her feet.

"What exactly does it mean for elves to bathe together? Nierta warned me quite seriously about it."

"Nierta did? What kind of warning?"

"She kept telling me to absolutely refuse if any elf asked me to bathe with them. She warned me several times, saying it was for your sake."

"For... my sake?"

Ismera tilted her head in confusion.

"I’m not sure either. Oh, by the way, do you happen to know what the World Tree\'s Oath is?"

"The World Tree\'s Oath?"

I told her what I knew—that when the other elves started flirting with me, Nierta sternly reminded them of the World Tree\'s Oath and drove them away.

She also told me to be careful of the other elves and that it was all for Ismera’s sake.

"I asked, but no one would tell me. Linus didn’t seem to know either. I’m curious."

When there was no response, I looked at Ismera and saw that she had lowered her head.

"Is it some kind of secret among your kin? If it is, you don’t have to tell me."

But it wasn’t that Ismera was refusing to answer.

She was speaking, but so quietly that her words were barely audible.

"The World Tree\'s Oath... Nierta did it for me..."

"What did you say?"

Ismera stopped mumbling and slowly lifted her head.

She stood there with her mouth half-open, staring into the distance.

"Are you okay? You look like you’re in a daze."

"Mister..."

Ismera stiffly turned her head toward me, almost like a broken doll.

"There’s somewhere I need to go. Please, follow me."

"Where are we going?"

Ismera didn’t answer and instead grabbed my wrist and started running.

She led me deeper into the Great Forest.

Suddenly, an enormous tree came into view, towering with overwhelming presence.

It was so massive that its circumference could easily encircle an entire apartment building.

It was the World Tree of Tyraellen, the one the elves had risked their lives to protect.

Even though it had burned down ten years ago, leaving only its base, it was still an awe-inspiring sight.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Shh."

Ismera looked around cautiously before leading me toward the base of the World Tree.

There was a long, vertical crack in the trunk, wide enough for two carriages to pass through side by side.

"Whoa! What is this?!"

As I stepped inside the World Tree, I couldn’t help but shout in surprise.

There was a forest.

Inside the hollowed base, bathed in the moonlight streaming through the open ceiling, was a forest.

Trees similar to those outside grew densely, and I could hear the mysterious calls of nocturnal birds.

A forest within a tree. It was like another world within this world.

"This is your World Tree. Why did we come here?"

"There’s a pond. You can bathe there."

I was still marveling at the sight when Ismera grabbed my wrist again.

"Wait. Is this really okay? A human bathing inside an elven World Tree feels... like blasphemy."

"It’s fine. It’s to fulfill the World Tree\'s Oath."

"Hmm, I feel like I’m getting involved in something here. Shouldn’t you explain what this World Tree\'s Oath is first?"

"Oh, right."

Ismera seemed to realize her mistake and let go of my wrist, looking sheepish.

"I’m sorry, Mister. I was so nervous that I wasn’t thinking straight."

"It’s fine. Just explain it to me."

"The World Tree\'s Oath is, as the name suggests, an oath made to the World Tree. Humans have a tradition of swearing oaths on the River Styx, right? It’s something like that."

"Then it’s really serious. What exactly did you swear?"

But instead of answering, Ismera blushed and fidgeted.

"The World Tree\'s Oath is something you must never break. It’s a kind of pact or contract. If the oath is broken, it’s voided, and there’s no turning back."

Then, instead of answering, she suddenly started talking about something else.

"Okay, I get it. It’s a serious matter with the World Tree and an oath involved. So what did you swear, and why are Nierta and the other elves so sensitive about it?"

"You’ll help me keep the World Tree\'s Oath, right?"

Unlike her usual composed demeanor, Ismera seemed almost deaf to my questions, focusing only on what she wanted to say.

"Well, of course. I’ll help."

"In that case..."

Now that she had my confirmation, Ismera glanced around and then spoke.

"First, let’s bathe..."

"What does bathing have to do with keeping the World Tree\'s Oath?"

"It’s... related."

"Well, if you say so..."

I suppose it’s part of some ritual involving purification and preparation before performing an act related to the World Tree.

Ismera led me further into the forest within the World Tree.

What exactly is this oath that she made...?

We eventually stopped at a small pond.

The sight of the pond reminded me of the small pond where I had first found the unconscious Ismera years ago.

It was when I was desperately trying to evacuate the elves from the burning Great Forest after taking down the detachment force that had invaded.

I had just barely managed to convince the stubborn old elves who wanted to die with the forest to come with us, when a young elf came running up, crying.

She had been running in a panic and had lost sight of her friend, begging us to help find her.

The young elf who asked for help was Nierta, and the missing friend was Ismera.

After leaving the elves in Linus\'s care, I came to this area and finally found Ismera, who was collapsed and inhaling smoke.

Back then, Ismera was so small and light that I could carry her while running...

Lost in reminiscing, I belatedly realised what Ismera was saying.

Ismera was holding her hands above her head as if in reverence, speaking to the forest, to the World Tree.

"World Tree. I have come to fulfil the vow from ten years ago!"

To my surprise, the forest emitted a faint green light.

"World Tree! May I fulfil the vow from ten years ago?"

As if in response, the forest\'s light flickered on and off.

What is this…? This is really amazing, isn’t it?

It really does look like… a deity.

So this is the World Tree that the elf clans revere...

I understand now why they would risk their lives to protect it.

"The World Tree has granted permission. Now, go bathe. I have some preparations to make."

Ismera said this and then walked away, turning her back to me and hunching down.

What is she doing? I peeked over and saw she was rummaging through a small crossbody bag she always carries.

She seemed to be trying to take something out.

What Ismera pulled out was a small book.

"Let me see, where is it…"

Ismera muttered as she diligently flipped through the pages of the book.

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for information on what to do in a situation like this."

I then realised that what Ismera was holding was not a book but a notebook.

I had seen it briefly before when she was preparing for the competition. It was a personal notebook where Ismera had handwritten important things she must not forget.

It was densely filled with notes on academy administration, theoretical subjects, and so on. When I first saw it, I thought it might be like an encyclopaedia where you could find almost anything.

"Mister, go bathe. There’s not much time."

"Alright, I got it."

I took off all my clothes and entered the pond to wash myself. Perhaps because it was an elven forest, the water seemed especially cool and clean.

"Ismera, what should I do next?"

After finishing my bath and sitting in the water, I asked, but Ismera didn’t answer.

Ismera kept sighing as she turned the pages, seemingly unable to find the information she was looking for.

"What should I do…."

Ismera was getting anxious and started biting her nails.

It was a familiar sight from when she was preparing for the competition. It seems this behaviour comes out when she feels she hasn\'t prepared thoroughly.

"What are you looking for? And do we have to stay here like this? You should at least tell me something."

Then Ismera suddenly looked up.

"Oh, I have a good idea. I’ll be back in a moment."

"Suddenly…?"

"I’m going to ask the Elder for advice. The Elder is also my mother. She will have the wisdom related to this."

"Wait, Ismera! After getting me to bathe, what are you going to ask her about?"

As I blocked her from exiting the water, Ismera screamed and covered her face with her hands, turning away.

"Hey. Tell me exactly what the World Tree’s Oath is. Otherwise, I’ll run around the Great Forest like this."

"Oh…"

Ismera hesitated but eventually spilled everything.

"I made an oath to the World Tree…. That if I ever met the one who saved me and my tribe again, I would give them my everything."

"Huh? Everything?"

"For example…"

Ismera’s face turned bright red.

"Things like… my purity I’ve kept until now…"