I Picked Up the Hero Who Banished Me - Chapter 49



48 – [In the Elven Lands – 16]

“Why didn’t you question it back then?”

“Curious, are you?”

“Yes.”

Titania, slicing her steak with grace and putting it in her mouth, looked far more relaxed than I felt.

If we revealed that Livia did it, we could’ve shifted the blame.

Was there something else on her mind?

“I didn’t know.”

“Uh, what did you say?”

“Who could’ve known that a wound like that would suddenly worsen? Even if I wanted to press it, Hero Olivia Reinhart had already left Elven Heim.”

“…….”

“I didn’t even say anything, but when I heard she left because of the pressure from the young elves, I felt dizzy.”

I felt like I was about to get dizzy too.

So, in other words.

Titania knew about the World Tree’s wound, but originally, that level of injury was nothing to the World Tree, and she treated it as such, and it turned out it *was* something, but even if she wanted to question it, Livia was already gone from Elven Heim.

“And even if I had known, I wouldn’t have been too keen to argue.”

“Why is that?”

“What Hero Olivia Reinhart did just expedited things slightly. The World Tree’s problem was already on the verge of erupting.”

“I see….”

“Rather, I noticed it faster, which allowed me to somehow respond. The fact that the World Tree looks perfectly fine now is thanks to my magic. It was already down to bare branches, without any leaves.”

“Is it an illusion? You’re incredibly skilled.”

“There’s a reason I’ve lived for so long.”

I looked towards the World Tree, but there wasn’t even a hint of strangeness.

Moreover, the fact that the elves guarding the World Tree hadn’t noticed meant that, at least visually, there was no strangeness at all.

I’ve also improved my ability to see through such magical elements since I became one with a spirit, but even *I* couldn’t sense anything off.

That’s absurd.

He wasn’t called the Elven Hero for nothing.

“But that doesn’t excuse what happened to Livia.”

“Indeed, it’d be better to hold her accountable. Whether intentional or accidental, she wounded the World Tree, and its condition has worsened since then. It would have been easy to shift all the blame.”

“But you didn’t. Not only that, you didn’t breathe a word of it to anyone.”

“There are many reasons, but,”

Titania said, setting down her utensils.

“I believed she would save the world.”

“……I didn’t expect you to handle things so emotionally.”

“Maybe I’m getting more emotional as I age. ……She was strong, and though it was faint, she shone brightly. Even when she first arrived in Elvenheim, she was at a level where she could defeat a Demon Lord’s officer.”

“……”

“The more combat experience she gained, the more that experience accumulated flawlessly in her body, and her combat instincts were the best I’ve seen among swordsmen.”

An elf, known for their long lives.

For Titania, who’s lived even longer than the long-lived High Elves, to call her the best, Livia’s combat ability might not be a joke but a power that could encroach upon the realm of gods.

It was as if she didn’t just receive the power of a goddess, but plundered it all.

“In combat, she had no hesitation, and once she decided to strike, appealing to her with emotions would have been impossible.”

“……”

That’s right.

Recently, Livia had been somewhat hesitant to draw that sword.

The extreme mindset of, *’Well, they did something bad, so just cut them down,’* had shifted somewhat, and so she naturally found herself pondering, *’Is this life I’m about to sever really mine to take?’*

But once she’d decided, *’Let’s just cut them down,’* she didn’t hesitate.

Especially not in real-time dangerous situations; then she’d move even faster.

You could see it clearly when she dealt with the Death Cult’s leader.

Not a shred of hesitation when she cleaved the Death Cult’s leader.

For Lyvia, combat contained the meaning of, *’You were trying to take someone else’s life, but didn’t you think you could be the one to lose yours?’*

“I believed we shouldn’t interfere with her capturing the Demon Lord.”

“But the Demon Lord is gone now.”

“Now that she’s captured the Demon Lord, she’s a hero. There’s no way *I* can mistreat a hero.”

“……”

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought you disliked Lyvia. Or rather, humans.”

“……”

*Thump*, Titania’s expression froze for a split second.

“I do dislike them.”

“……”

“But that’s that, and this is this. I am objectively treating you well right now. I’ve rented out the best inns for you all, placed no restrictions on your movements, and I don’t even require a request to be allowed to meet me.”

Normally, there are complex procedures required to have an audience with Titania.

To have all of that removed and be able to see Titania meant this was a remarkably exceptional treatment.

“The hero, Olivia Reinhardt, is regrettable. But that spirit of hers seems to shine like the sun.”

“Is that so.”

“There’s no need to even ask whose influence it is. People despair because of people, but they also find hope because of people.”

Titania smiled.

“You’re the very one who led me to the light of the sun. I don’t know what your initial intentions were, but it’s magnificent.”

“Hoo, it’s so different from the image I had, to be honest, my head is a mess.”

“That image isn’t wrong either.”

“…….”

Titania put the meat in her mouth and chewed.

I followed, putting a piece of steak in my mouth.

It was certainly delicious.

It was tender, and more than anything, I liked that the sauce wasn’t too strong.

“Under the guise of helping the elves, I made selfish choices countless times. But since current elves are still human, I only respect the hero.”

“Indeed.”

“Anyway, do you happen to know why I’m telling you this story?”

“The World Tree is a collection of nature, a gift from the Goddess, a sacred tree, it has many names. But the important thing here is that it’s a ‘collection of nature’.”

“And so?”

“It’s safe to assume you have a request for me, a high-level spirit, who happens to possess two high-level attributes?”

“You’re right. ……Actually, I considered that possibility from the first time I saw you, but I didn’t think you had any reason to go that far for me.”

“Then why did you decide to tell me now?”

Titania drank some water, then slowly turned her gaze toward the window and spoke.

“There are several reasons, but… I thought you seemed more sensible than I expected, that we’d be able to talk.”

“To receive such praise from Titania, it’s an honor.”

“And skilled spirit mages are hard to find, you see. There aren’t many spirit mages to begin with.”

I reckon, even including me, there are probably only enough spirit mages to count on one hand?

So if the profession disappears, the chance of spirit mages disappearing would be high too.

No matter how overflowing with talent you are, if you don’t have the basic ability to communicate with spirits, you can’t even learn Livia.

“And…”

“And, what is it?”

“Well, a man naturally wants to look good in front of a woman he loves.”

“…….”

I can’t say that isn’t true.

“I don’t know if that’s what I’m feeling yet.”

“You’re young. But that feeling of being lost in those kinds of emotions, even that’s the privilege of youth. As you get older, you feel more shame about those clashes of emotion than you do when you’re younger.”

“Is that so.”

“If you cooperate, you’ll naturally receive the sap, and beyond that, I’ll grant anything you desire in the name of Titania.”

“…Couldn’t you just say to clean up what you messed up?”

“Say I should take responsibility for an accident that happened while dealing with monsters? I do have my pride, my ego, you know. A trade is fine, but a request might be a bit of a problem.”

“I see.”

I was actually surprised at how easily we could talk.

I was expecting someone a bit more rigid and closed off.

But, he had this slightly old-fashioned vibe, sure, but considering the life he’d lived, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say his way of thinking was pretty open.

“Livia will probably want the Elixir.”

“Elixir? Ah, right, she’s trying to fix that body. There isn’t any in Elvenheim right now… but I can put out feelers. If I can find it, I won’t hold back my help.”

“What exactly do you need me to do?”

“Go inside the World Tree. Go in and awaken the World Tree Spirit and make a contract.”

“The World Tree Spirit?”

“Would you say they manage the World Tree, or are they the World Tree itself?”

From noble mtl dot com

Titania swallowed a bite of steak and continued.

“…Normally, you’d be able to talk to that spirit, but that’s not happening right now. Something’s definitely gone wrong, but unless you’re a spirit mage, you can’t find a spirit that’s in trouble.”

Until now, the spirit had contacted Titania, so it was fine, but now that the spirit had an issue, Titania, not being a spirit mage, had no way of finding the World Tree Spirit.

So, she wants me to do it, since I can find spirits.

The choice of person isn’t bad, I guess.

“Can I ask for a favor?”

“Tell me, if it’s reasonable, I’ll grant it.”

“Talk to Sylphie, please.”

“……!”

Titania’s eyes widened, and she looked flustered.

It’s the same.

She’s wearing the face of a wise, calm, elder, but as soon as Sylphie’s name comes up, she becomes emotional.

“It’s not something you should be involved in.”

“We traveled together, though it was brief, and we entrusted our lives to each other, even fought the same enemies. I think that’s reason enough to care. And I need to talk to you, for your sake too.”

“What do *you* know, talking like that?”

“Even if I don’t know everything, I can see things. Someone who regrets their choices but doesn’t have the courage to undo them.”

“…….”

“Then I think it would be good to gift them with a single step that *could* give them that courage.”

Titania had a complicated expression on her face.

“Silphi will take your hand if you just reach out. It’s not too late to decide if it was worth it, after you’ve done it.”

“…….”

“At least while Silphi still looks up to you, try taking her hand.”

“……She said she defiled the blood of royalty.”

Huh?

Ah.

Come to think of it, Silphi did mention something like that while talking to Titania.

I remembered she appealed by saying that she had committed a sin by defiling the royal bloodline, but the other half-elves hadn’t.

“It was absurd. …But the one who made her say such a ridiculous thing was none other than myself.”

“……Titania.”

Titania rose to her feet.

“Come to the audience chamber again tomorrow.”

“Wait a moment.”

“What is it?”

“How was Reyna? Did you check her neck?”

“……For some reason, she stubbornly avoided it. It was the first time she rejected my words so forcefully. Still, I attached a tracking spell. Whatever she does, she’ll be within my sight.”

“Is that so.”

Titania let out a short sigh.

“Then, let us meet tomorrow.”

“…….”

Slowly, Titania faded from my view.

I popped the remaining steak into my mouth and thought,

‘Tomorrow, huh.’

For some reason, it felt like it was going to be an unbelievably busy day.