The Possessor Mistook the Genre for 20 Years

62 – The Elf Slave Met His Master.

Franz’s steps halted at the sudden voice of the World Tree.

‘A tree is talking?’

He knew well that the World Tree was an extraordinary tree.

It often appeared as a significant entity in subcultures.

Even Franz, who had fought the World Tree himself, felt the same.

With the beams of light emanating from its flowers and its infinitely regenerating life force, it was hard to see it as an ordinary tree.

Its name was already ‘World’ Tree, so what more could be said? It was that remarkable of a tree.

But he didn’t know it could talk.

If an animal had talked, he would have understood it somehow.

They have brains and can think to some extent.

But a tree is different.

It doesn’t have a brain, so it shouldn’t be able to think. How could it talk?

[Child, it seems you are having very disrespectful thoughts.]

Franz was momentarily stunned by the World Tree’s words, as if it had read his mind.

‘It must be my imagination…’

Even if it could talk, it shouldn’t be able to read thoughts…

[If you are within the Great Forest, it is possible to read thoughts.]

So it was.

Even though Franz hadn’t spoken out loud, the World Tree answered him, proving without a doubt that it could read thoughts.

‘This is a bit scary.’

Isn’t it said that humans feel fear from ignorance?

It was his first time encountering a transcendent being like the World Tree, so it was natural to feel fear.

Above all, the thought of being seen through was unsettling.

[I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.]

‘It’s alright.’

The World Tree had only told the truth, so there was no fault in that.

In fact, it could be considered kind that it answered Franz’s question honestly.

‘But what business do you have with me…?’

Franz was inwardly anxious.

Every time something unexpected happened, it led to troublesome incidents.

And this time, the World Tree itself had spoken to him.

Thinking about the scale of such an event made his vision go dark.

But fortunately, Franz’s worries were unfounded.

[I just wanted to thank you, so don’t worry too much. It’s not like I would give a task to the benefactor who saved me.]

‘Ah, I’m sorry.’

Having his thoughts read like this, he ended up thinking unnecessary things.

How embarrassing.

Anyway, since the World Tree had directly confirmed it, Franz could relax a bit.

‘But I didn’t really do anything.’

[You don’t have to be modest. I’m saying this because I saw everything.]

It wasn’t modesty; he really hadn’t done much.

He had used magic to fight, but it was just like doing some light stretching.

His fingers were a bit sore from flicking them too much, but that was no big deal.

Honestly, Eustia did all the hard work.

When the purification was done, she was drenched in sweat.

[I don’t know what stretching is, but I understand that you didn’t exert much effort.]

‘Well, yeah…’

It wasn’t that he didn’t exert effort; it was more like he held back on purpose.

If he had used too strong magic, the World Tree might have been harmed.

[Thank you for being considerate.]

‘…’

Franz stopped thinking.

It was because the World Tree kept reading it, causing an awkward situation.

Anyway.

‘Please thank Justiana Hera later.’

[Unfortunately, that’s impossible. Honestly, I spoke to you with half a mind. Usually, people can’t hear the voice of a god.]

‘Is that so?’

[Maybe the little goddess can hear it, but that child is already loved by another god.]

Hera would be very happy to hear praise from the World Tree.

Well, I can tell her later.

Whether she believes it or not.

It was when Franz, who was walking while talking with the World Tree, arrived near the elves’ dwelling.

“Who goes there-!”

This time, the voice came from outside, not inside his head.

Franz turned his head in the direction of the voice and found an elf drawing a bowstring from a tree.

“Oh, you are…!”

Fortunately, the elf recognized his face, lowered his guard, and came down from the tree.

Franz lightly bowed his head in greeting.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Sorry for not recognizing you. You are Franz, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

He never thought the day would come when an elf other than Hera would call his name. Life is full of strange experiences.

[If it’s a strange experience, isn’t the World Tree calling your name the strangest?]

Of course, that’s true, but hearing voices from both inside and outside at the same time is driving him crazy.

It feels like his thoughts are going to spill out of his mouth.

“The chieftain ordered us to escort you to the village as soon as you arrived, Franz.”

“Oh, yes. Let’s go right away.”

[Oh my, are you ignoring my words and answering that elf?]

“It’s not that….”

In the end, Franz blurted out what he should have thought in his head.

The elf tilted his head in confusion.

“Pardon?”

“…No.”

The elf nodded and resumed walking.

Franz sighed and followed him.

[Sorry, I went a bit too far with the joke. It’s just that it’s been a while since I’ve met someone I can talk to, so I hope you understand?]

‘I understand.’

Franz never expected the World Tree to apologize.

In any case, there was no way to block the voice that kept flooding into his mind, so Franz could only hope that the World Tree would be patient with him.

Following the elf, Franz eventually arrived at their dwelling.

The traces of the time when it was eroded by magic were still visible here and there, but the situation seemed to have improved significantly since then.

“Oh my, a human.”

“Isn’t he the one who saved those elves before?”

The busy elves turned their attention to the short-eared human.

Perhaps because he was with an elf, they didn’t seem to dislike him too much.

They just seemed curious.

“Please wait a moment. I will inform the chief immediately.”

The elf who had been guiding him left Franz’s side after saying that.

Left alone among the many elves, Franz felt burdened by their gazes and looked around aimlessly.

Had there ever been a time when he missed Hera this much?

I want to see her. I hope she comes to save me soon.

It was then.

“Floaty brother!”

“It’s really him!”

Out of nowhere, small elves appeared and hugged Franz’s thighs with nimble movements.

Even if they were small, they were still elves.

By the way, when will they stop calling me “floaty brother”?

It’s not a bad feeling, but I wish they would call me by my name.

“Franz.”

“Franz?”

“Yes, my name is Franz.”

“Floaty Franz…!”

That blasted floating feeling just won’t go away.

I guess I’ll just have to give up.

It’s faster than expecting anything from the kids.

“It’s our festival! The chieftain said we’re having a festival!”

“Franz, did you come for the floating festival too?!”

“Yeah, I came for the festival.”

Do they even know what a festival is to be this happy?

The children’s faces were truly beaming with joy.

If I hadn’t saved them that day, they’d surely be shivering on the cold ground.

Franz felt a bit proud of having saved the elves.

[Thank you for protecting our children.]

‘Well, it was all Hera’s doing.’

If the status window hadn’t ordered it, if Hera hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have saved the elves.

All I did was follow orders.

Snap.

Franz thought this as he snapped his fingers.

A transparent sphere enveloped the little elves.

“Wow! Floating!”

“It’s the floating festival!”

As the sphere floated in the air, the elves rolled around and laughed gleefully.

I used to think the kids were just a nuisance, but seeing them like this, they seem kind of cute.

I guess this is why people get married and have kids.

Franz was playing with the little elves when it happened.

“Franz…!”

There was only one elf who called him by name.

It was Hera.

She was panting, as if she had run over.

“Are the kids bothering you…?”

“Not really? I’m just playing with them because I want to.”

“That’s a relief then…”

“Why did you run here? You could have just come slowly.”

“The master has arrived, how could I walk? Even if I was working, I had to run.”

…?

Franz felt like he had been hit on the head with a hammer.

How on earth does he come up with such answers? It’s worrying to think that his brain might be enslaved too.

But the important thing is that he wasn’t the only one who heard those words.

[Are you planning to make our children slaves…?]

‘He said he wanted to be a slave on his own.’

Judge, I’m innocent.

He said he wanted to be a slave on his own.

Fortunately, the World Tree said nothing more after that.

Whether that was a good or bad thing, I don’t know.

“Oh, by the way, the World Tree asked me to convey its thanks to you.”

“…W-What do you mean? Are you saying you talked to the World Tree?”

Hera’s eyes widened.

She even stuttered, she seemed quite surprised.

Well, it was only natural, since he had talked to the god that the elves worship.

“Well… that’s how it happened. If you call it now, it will appear.”

“F-Franz, that’s too much of a joke. No matter what, the World Tree…”

It seemed Hera couldn’t believe it at all.

Honestly, it’s hard to believe.

It’s not an animal, it’s a tree that spoke, so it’s even more unbelievable.

[Didn’t you say it was a god, not a tree? Besides, it seems like she doesn’t believe it, so come forward with me.]

It seemed like it wanted to prove something by calling them forward.

Franz conveyed this to Hera immediately.

“The World Tree wants you to come forward for a moment.”

“…W-Well, let’s go for now.”

Suspicion was still all over Hera’s face.

But it didn’t matter since the World Tree would take care of it.

Soon, the two arrived in front of the World Tree.

“Is it… really true?!”

Hera was startled when the World Tree proved itself.