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“You all shall be given suitable punishment and restrictions in regard to Ianette.”

I couldn’t help but cheer inside.

After all, it was a rigged game from the start. The most important truths had already been communicated to her, the High Elf, even before the trial commenced. She must have closely investigated Ianette through my loyal companions, who solely follow the High Elves, to grasp the situation in her own way.

With the verification of our wind spirit’s magic holding Cenya’s voice, there was no way a woman who appeared so composed could ignore the seeds of doubt blossoming in this turmoil of the Great Forest.

The outcome of the trial was already set. The actors merely elevated the drama upon the stage, escalating their disputes and showcasing the clash of opinions and twists.

Now, we just had to watch the judge who would beautifully conclude this play.

‘All High Elves are nothing but monsters, I swear.’

The High Elves I had seen until now and the one right before my eyes, Edelin.

Just looking into her properly furious eyes made my skin tingle. Just how much of a monster could she truly be?

But one thing was clear.

Click—click—

The moment she stepped down from the podium and approached Aina Ianette. Even just a glimpse of her displayed abilities was more than enough to call her the embodiment of the Great Forest’s might.

“Among the many Ianettes, the first to stand before the judge will be Cenya and Aina, the two who shall serve as the initial examples of punishment.”

The space around her vibrated. The distortion created by her strikingly high mana and the resultant pressure filled the air.

Being a Spirit Mage, the High Elf, so adept in magic without relying on spirits, had reached a level beyond any flaws that I, an archer, could perceive.

“Cenya, you had knowledge of the head of the family’s betrayal yet did not act as an Elf to prevent it, and your transgression of defending it is all the more grievous. Moreover, you foolishly got involved in actions that harmed our allies while being unaware of the task I had specifically instructed you to manage.”

“Such actions cannot be forgiven in a time when the fate of the clan hangs in the balance.”

Cenya, properly crushed under the High Elf’s complete intent to kill and pressure, couldn’t move at all as Edelin slowly approached, enumerating her offenses.

It was unavoidable.

This was the difference between High Elves and common Elves.

High Elves were born rulers, beings meant to reign. That arrogant Elf was merely a worker who follows the commands of such High Elves. The hierarchies of predator and prey, engraved in their very genes, were not something that could easily be overturned.

With cold sweat pouring down, Cenya, like a cornered rat, stared up at Edelin. The moment Edelin’s delicate hand brushed over her trembling heart—

“The first punishment is the annihilation of your heart’s mana.”

“Ugh…!”

Numerous magic circles manifested around her, and simultaneously executed magic. Perhaps the magic had shaken her insides, as Cenya weakened and collapsed helplessly to the ground.

As Cenya rolled several times, she attempted to find her footing but the moment she pressed her hands against the earth, she buried her face into it and vomited blood.

“To the second punishment, I will take away your swift legs and agile arms, so that you no longer bear the dignity of a forest guardian.”

With that, circles of magic appeared around her ankles and wrists. As they manifested, it seemed that the strength supporting her limbs had failed. Although Cenya tried to rise, she couldn’t maintain her balance and fell again.

“Ugh…!”

She lay there, forehead pressed against the stone floor of the square in a posture that practically worshipped Edelin.

“…!”

Edelin leisurely placed her right foot atop Cenya’s head and called to her Royal Guards.

“Prison this one.”

Thud.

As Edelin gently pushed Cenya aside, she, as expected, rolled back to the ground lifelessly.

The moment the Royal Guards lifted her up, the continuation of Aina’s punishment began.

“In particular, Aina Ianette, your charges are exceedingly grave. Just what kind of punishment is appropriate for you?”

“Captain—”

“How disrespectful. Have you not heard that my words are not yet finished?”

Once again, magic was invoked.

Though Aina collected her mana to resist her magic—

Thud.

In the end, she too fell to her knees before Edelin.

“I have spoken to the elders many, many times about this. How evil the demons were thousands of years ago. That enormous scar on my back is a wound inflicted by them, and how much blood we elves shed back then.”

“And how much effort I exerted to nurture that single branch of the World Tree that had once died into this Great Forest’s World Tree. You, a young Elf of the three families, must have heard all of this to the point of earwax forming at this point.”

“But what on earth is this uproar?”

Aina shut her mouth.

It wasn’t that she had no excuses.

Even being an Elder with powers equal to the formidable Fletta Arielte, ultimately before the High Elf Edelin, there was no path other than submission. Edelin simply did not allow Aina the chance to speak.

“When I first heard you might have betrayed us, I doubted my ears. Yet perhaps my insight has not dulled, as I finally caught a glimpse of the hidden truths left behind by the World Tree deep within.”

“How sorrowful. However, more than that, it has been a long time since such intense rage bubbled within me.”

“Let us commence by entirely sealing your mana.”

Whack!

Edelin kicked Aina.

As Aina fell backward, Edelin stepped on the very place where she had been.

Click—!

The sound of her heels echoed through the square as a gigantic magic circle spread out. In the center of the formation was Aina Ianette. Only she existed within it.

The magical knowledge accumulated over countless years began to shine.

Wonder and fear descended upon the square. The overwhelmingly thick mana was intoxicating, and the elves felt with their very skin that their queen still stood firm. They sensed it deeply through their connection with nature’s spirits that resonated with her mana and emotions.

The humans of the Count’s House and the Marquis Family merely gazed at her, wondering how they had been living alongside such a creature that vastly outclassed them in this manner, mixed feelings of admiration and terror in their eyes.

‘…If this goes wrong, I might get caught up in it.’

What kind of magic was she about to use?

The area near Edelin was practically a tempest of mana around me and Shione. The frantic concentration and compression of mana swiftly swept past us. For someone with a sensitive constitution to mana, this was quite troublesome.

‘What about Shione?’

Our Shione was more sensitive to magic, but seeing as magic could be described as primitive, or perhaps untouched and unrefined mana, it was hard to say what her situation might be. So, I checked her expression.

“Ugh…”

I was right to check.

Shione’s expression was deeply wrinkled from the sudden mana upheaval.

I lightly tapped her hand.

“Ugh— Ah!”

I startled her with the sudden tap.

She raised her voice a bit too loud before quickly quieting down, looking around nervously.

As I quietly watched her as usual, Shione drew her hair back over her ear, trying to hide her now-flushing cheeks.

Be that as it may, I calmly spoke to her.

“Take a deep breath.”

“…A deep breath?”

“Yes, when dense mana swirls about, nothing is better than using my mana to take leisurely breaths.”

“Really? Then…”

Upon following my advice, Shione gradually began taking deep breaths.

“Ah.”

“How is it? Feeling better?”

“Much better. Thank you.”

Shione smiled faintly.

Once satisfied that my master looked better, I turned my gaze back to Edelin, who was finally completing the spell that surrounded Aina.

“The severity of your crimes is unmatched by anyone else. From now on, I will restrict Aina Ianette’s mana and blessings, and all her other powers to below a certain threshold—”

Aina, reacting even more intensely than Cenya had, collapsed, spewing blood.

“Alongside the stripping of your position as Elder and the head of the Ianette House, until the complete truth of this matter is revealed without any blemishes, I find the Ianette House unworthy of standing on par with the three families representing the Great Forest.”

Not only had she stripped away Aina’s abilities, but also—

“I will declare you expelled from the illustrious three families, and all the benefits therein will be reclaimed.”

The status and wealth she had painstakingly built were taken from her.

“The vacancy left by the three families will be filled directly by me.”

Edelin scanned the gathered elves with a self-satisfied glance.

“Those who have gathered here, witnessing the fate of the traitor who consorted with demons, lend me your ears.”

Enticed by the mana’s telekinesis, the pitiful form of Aina rose high into the sky.

Diminished of her nobility, her body stained with blood. Evidently overwhelmed by her unbearable suffering, even as an Elder, tear streaks marred her face, making her appear pitiful.

The High Elf, showing Aina Ianette’s wretched form to the crowd without hesitation, declared arrogantly with crossed arms.

“After countless centuries, I have finally emerged beside the World Tree, so prepare for the great war and upheaval.”

“And thus, let it be known that those like Ianette who have turned against us shall receive punishments befitting their actions.”

“Those who achieve great deeds, like the past Arielte and Chelness, and now this Ianette stripped of her status, will be graced with long-lasting glory.”

So long as she wasn’t losing her mind from living too long, it would be wise to avoid replicating Ianette’s foolishness and instead focus on preparing for war.

 

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