“—And so, I’ve come here seeking the secrets of longevity passed down among the Elves.”
“Ho ho, so the destination of human desire is always the same, regardless of the era. Immortality, longevity, health, and safety—once someone has wealth and power, that’s always the next thing they set their sights on. But you’re not at an age where you should be worrying about that yet, are you?”
“It’s not for me; it’s for my family. They all work too hard. It would be a problem if they didn't live a bit more healthily.”
“Bwah! You’re going to use the Elf Secret Arts just to help them live healthily? You’re as entertaining as ever!”
The Holy King let out a boisterous laugh, but health really is everything.
If your body isn't working right, you can’t get anything done. In the long run, how much time you spend in peak condition is vital. In my previous life, I was constantly collapsing from overwork or from eating whatever scraps I could find. It was a terrible waste of time. Truly.
“Oh, if there are any other interesting places, please lead the way.”
“I know, I know. Rest assured, I’ll guide you to the kind of places you like.”
The Holy King gave me a wink.
Ah, he understood. When I said ‘places I like,’ I was, of course, referring to things related to magic. That was my true objective, after all.
Since I’d come all the way to the Land of the Elves, there had to be a spell or two I didn’t know. I was starting to feel excited.
After being guided through various unimportant locations, just as I was starting to feel fed up, the Holy King finally came to a halt.
“There it is.”
He pointed toward the base of the World Tree.
To be precise, we were looking at the back of it. I thought he might be fooling around again, but the atmosphere was certainly different from the front.
“We are at the opposite side of the World Tree. I wonder what is here?”
“I see some kind of hole at the roots. Could that be—”
“The entrance to a dungeon.”
A hollow born from the mana of the earth, a den for monsters—that is a dungeon.
Every dungeon emits a distinct mana frequency. I’d sensed something the moment we arrived, but seeing it from this angle made it plain as day. Considering the World Tree has lived for countless ages, it wasn't surprising at all that it had become a dungeon.
“This is the secret to their longevity and a unique phenomenon found only here. The Elves have lived for generations under the influence of the World Tree, which possesses enough mana to dungeonize itself. That is the factor that grants them their long lives.”
“Does that mean we can live a long time if we stay here too?”
“No. It seems several humans have visited this country in the past, but not a single one had their lifespan extended... however! The story doesn't end there. Hidden within the World Tree Nucleus at the deepest part of the dungeon is a power that could be called the source of life itself. It’s what makes the Elves so long-lived. Take a look at this.”
He pulled out a small bottle. It was labeled ‘World Tree Life Fluid.’
“This is the stuff they were selling on the street earlier.”
“I thought it was just a souvenir or something...”
“It’s filtered sap collected from the World Tree. Give it a try. Come on, chug! Chug!”
“It’s a bit hard to drink when you put it like that... Whoa, amazing! I can feel power surging through me!”
As soon as Ren of the Poison Moth, who had volunteered as the taster, took a sip, her entire body began to emit a soft light.
“Ren's skin is glowing?! And her hair is so silky... What is this incredible liquid!?”
Sylpha suddenly became animated.
Setting aside the hair and skin, it seemed Ren’s internal mana had been activated. Mana is, in a sense, life force. That was likely why it was affecting her physical appearance.
I see; calling the World Tree Nucleus the source of life wasn't far from the truth.
“Hehehe, surprising, isn't it? Though this concentration doesn't have enough potency to actually extend one's lifespan. ...Hm? How do I know that? Well, in the Holy King Court, we treat these kinds of occult items as Holy Relics. I know a thing or two.”
In this world, there exist mysterious objects that cannot be explained by modern knowledge. They are known as Holy Relics or Ancient Magic Tools and are handled with strict care. If I recalled correctly, Birgitte-neesan possessed a few of them herself.
I’d felt a strange mana wavelength from that odd violin the Holy King was using before, so that was probably one of them too. He’s just keeping it for himself... I’m a little jealous.
“At the moment, it’s just a highly effective energy drink for us humans, but they say the source—the World Tree Nucleus—possesses the power to grant even humans immortality.”
“So it’s the dungeon's nucleus... but wouldn't seizing it from the deepest part cause the World Tree to vanish? Even I would feel a bit hesitant to do something like that.”
“Oh! So you do have a heart after all. But don't worry. Entering the dungeon isn't particularly forbidden in this country. In fact, it’s actually encouraged.”
“Why is that?”
“Dungeons are alive. You know they grow over time and their threat level increases, right?”
I nodded. When a dungeon grows too much, monsters overflow from within and attack the surrounding area. That was the cause of the Stampede that had attacked Saloom previously.
“Well, that wasn't the only reason, though...”
“Master Lloyd was the primary cause, to be honest...”
Grimo and Jiriel were muttering something, but I decided to ignore them. That was a tragic affair. It couldn't be helped.
“However, the World Tree has been rooted in this continent for a very, very long time. Legend says it’s been here since before the Holy King Court was even founded, so there’s no telling just how much it has grown. If a Stampede were to occur here, it would be an unprecedented disaster. Moreover, an eerie mana pulsation has been felt from deep beneath the tree lately. Momentum is building for an investigation.”
“...I see. I certainly feel something strange coming from the depths.”
When I probed with Magic Detection, I felt a suspicious mana wavelength. It felt a bit different from a monster... but there was no doubt that something was happening. It was a reasonable judgment that an urgent investigation was necessary.
“But the Elves aren't acting like anything is wrong.”
“If the general public found out, it would cause a panic. They’re keeping it quiet until they have confirmation. ...It seems they’ve been trying to investigate at night, but they’re not having much luck. A wall of ultra-high-density wood blocks and repels every attack. I tried going once myself, but I had to throw in the towel. Man, what a headache.”
The Holy King shook his head with a sigh. Despite his personality, what he can do with his Magical Song is quite versatile. He is proficient in methods other than brute force, yet even he couldn't break in?
It’s no wonder the Elves are helpless. A foreign object lurking at the bottom of a dungeon, and treasure to boot. I was starting to feel a thrill of excitement.
“Personally, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Capturing the place should be easy for Master Lloyd, but wouldn't it be bad if he accidentally destroyed the Nucleus?”
“Why are you assuming I’ll destroy it? I’d never do that.”
“Because it’s Master Lloyd... Besides, if he forces open a door that’s shut that tight, the whole dungeon might come down.”
Hey now. It’s rude to talk about me like I’m some weapon of mass destruction. For your information, I’m quite confident in my control.
“And yet, even while controlling it, you’ve managed to blow quite a few things up...”
“His base firepower is just abnormal. There’s only so much ‘holding back’ can do...”
W-Well, that might have happened once or twice. Yes. I’ll be careful this time, so don't look at me with such worried eyes.
“At any rate, if I investigate the World Tree Nucleus, I might be able to make medicine for everyone’s health. The journey there seems like it’ll be interesting, too, so I have to go.”
“...Well, I know it’s useless to try and stop you.”
“...In any case, we have no choice but to follow along.”
Grimo and Jiriel seemed dissatisfied, but having come this far, the option of not going never existed. Let’s go, World Tree Dungeon. I want to see this Nucleus for myself.
“...Heh heh heh, curiosity incarnate as always, Lloyd-kun. That’s how it should be. With his power, he should be able to force a path inside. I don't know if anything remains, but he might just find a lead on ‘that’...! Now then, dance in the palm of my hand, Lloyd-kun! Fuhahahahaha!”
The Holy King was muttering something to himself, but his words didn't reach my ears as I had already started running.
Now then, time to go conquer the World Tree Dungeon.