Whether You Call Me a Guardian Dragon or Not, I’m Going to Sleep

Chapter 29: Subrace (4)

The elves began to prosper quickly.

Using bows and arrows from trees to hunt animals in the forest and cultivating various trees to expand the great forest, they quickly expanded their territory under the shade of Yggdrasil.

There were also those from outside the great forest who wanted to join the elves, and eventually, they were transformed into elves by Yggdrasil and joined.

With the great forest where Yggdrasil is located as their base, the prosperity of the elves took its first step.

However, there was also an element of unease for the elves.

Those who settled near Yggdrasil first and were transformed into elves by me, began to differentiate themselves from those who joined later.

They claimed to be more pure and noble elves since they had been around the World Tree from the beginning.

The beginning of discrimination was such a first-come-first-served reason, but over time, various other reasons began to be added.

Elves transformed by me were said to have longer and more beautiful ears, more sensitive senses, and better communication with spirits.

The difference arose from the difference in magical proficiency between Yggdrasil and me... but it was a very small difference. It seemed they were just looking for reasons to discriminate.

Anyway, it was still a very minor difference, but... over time, it could cause a major rift within the elf race.

Should I leave it alone? Or should I intervene?

If it were humans... I would have intervened without hesitation. Hmm... I guess this is why Yggdrasil said I was too biased.

Leaving it alone might result in the so-called noble ones becoming High Elves, and those who rebel and flee becoming Dark Elves... Hmm, I can't just watch.

I went to Yggdrasil and said,

"Are you going to just leave their disputes alone?"

[I do feel the need to do something... but even if I scold them, it's only for a moment, and they soon start fighting again... How can I make them stop fighting?]

What if you just tell them fighting is bad? They're not children, would they stop with that?

Well, maybe it's okay to prescribe a bit of a harsh remedy at times.

There was a myth in another world. A myth about the sun goddess who, tired of tyranny, hid in a cave and deprived the world of light.

Wouldn't it be alright to imitate that roughly?

"How about doing this?"

It might be a bit spicy for them, but for those causing strife within the same elf race, it would be an appropriate remedy.

"After you scold them, completely ignore them. Until they realize their mistakes and reflect on them."

[Ignore them? But those children are fragile and can't survive without my care!]

"That's why it would be an effective remedy. If they don't realize their mistakes on their own, it will directly threaten their right to survive. However, this method should only be used this time as it might backfire if used frequently."

[Hmm... Okay. I'll trust you. But what if they don't realize their mistakes and keep fighting?]

"Then I'll step in. What they are doing wrong, how you will return. If I pressure and scold them, they might reflect, right?"

Is this a kind of carrot and stick? No, it feels more like both are sticks.

Well, at least I'm suggesting a solution.

[Okay, then please take care of the kids.]

"Leave it to me."

And so, Yggdrasil began to scold the elves.

[Why do you divide yourselves like this! All of you are children under my shade! I can't stand it anymore! Until you reflect on your mistakes and swear not to make the same mistakes again, I will not listen to your voices!]

Yggdrasil's stern voice reached the elves, and they were greatly alarmed.

Though they had started hunting with bows, it was still in the early stages. They can't make a fire properly, so they're eating mostly raw meat.... Their main food was the fruits of Yggdrasil.

The elves had thought Yggdrasil would not withhold the fruits, but...

Days passed, and what they thought impossible became a reality, shocking them greatly.

"World Tree! We were wrong! It's all because of those impostors!!!"

"What?! You guys ignored us! Yggdrasil said we are elves too! Then why do you guys ignore us?!"

"What did you say? I can't hear the words of those with short ears."

Wow. Look at the hate speech.

No. This isn't the time to just watch.

The elves began to blame each other and fight when Yggdrasil stopped bearing fruits.

There hadn't been any physical conflicts yet... but it was only a matter of time.

It's time for me to step in.

I jumped down among the elves gathered in the square, and they were greatly surprised by my sudden appearance.

"Stop."

I spoke in a low voice and slightly increased the gravity in the square to immobilize the elves.

"You were told not to fight, yet here you are, fighting. You foolish ones."

The elves, pressed down by the sudden increase in gravity, couldn't move properly and were shocked by my sudden appearance.

Even the elves, confident in their keen senses, hadn't noticed my presence at all.

I wonder if this is what it feels like to see something that shouldn't exist.

"You are..."

The elves I had personally transformed seemed to remember me, unable to easily start speaking.

If they remembered me shattering rocks with arrows, that would make sense.

But.

"An outsider...?!"

The elves who didn't know me seemed to be in disbelief.

Well, that makes sense. Those who joined the elves later wouldn't know me since Yggdrasil had transformed them directly.

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"Outsider, get out! This is a matter for the elves..."

"You idiot! Do you know who this person is?!"

"What?! Did you just call me an idiot?!"

Here they go again, fighting among themselves. Even though their bodies should be heavy due to the gravity, they're still trying to punch each other.

"Quiet."

I increased the gravity in the square even more, and the elves could no longer stand and fell flat on the ground.

"Yggdrasil started ignoring you because it's sick of you fighting like this, and yet you try to fight again. You truly are fools."

"Ugh..."

"Grgh..."

The elves, flat on the ground like bugs, groaned. They looked somewhat pitiful.

"I came here because I have a way to solve this problem... But in this state, you won't be able to use that method. It's regrettable, truly regrettable. To think this is the end for the elf race."

I sighed softly and released the gravity magic pressing down on the elves. Slowly, they caught their breath and got up.

"Are you.... able to solve this problem?"

"Of course. Don't you also know how to solve this problem?"

The problem itself isn't difficult. If they're willing, it could be resolved quickly.

But, they don't seem to have the will to solve it.

"That's..."

"We don't know who you are, but this is an internal issue for the elves. This problem arises because they don't treat us as equals."

The voice of someone who didn't know me. Indeed, they were the ones who discriminated first.

"Can't we all live together peacefully under the shade of the World Tree as elves?"

They had no answer.

Such pitiful creatures.

"First, you need to understand each other's feelings."

If they experience each other's situations, maybe they'll understand a bit.

I used magic. I swapped the races of those divided into two sides, like choosing sides.

The elves transformed by me became like those transformed by Yggdrasil.

And those transformed by Yggdrasil became like those transformed by me.

The difference is very subtle. But to them, it will definitely be felt.

T/N: TEAM SWAP! HAHAHAHA

"What is this?!"

"Huh..."

The change in perception is severe, but the reverse will be severe too.

"How do you feel now that you've become each other?"

"Very... frustrating..."

"I can't believe there's such a difference..."

Good. It seems they're starting to understand each other's feelings.

"Do you swear not to fight anymore?"

"Yes! We swear!"

"Could... Could you change all of us like this?"

Huh.

Well, it's not difficult. But what about the elves who come later?

Am I supposed to change them all? Yggdrasil would be annoyed, right?

"Yggdrasil personally changed you. Are you dissatisfied with that?"

"No, it's not that..."

To the elves, Yggdrasil holds an absolute position. If they're dissatisfied with what Yggdrasil has done, I wonder what would happen.

It would be quite interesting, wouldn't it?

"Understood. We will also not fight with them anymore."

"Them? Aren't you all elves? Get along well. Be friendly."

Anyway, after mediating the elves' fight like that, I returned the elves to their original forms.

The elves, whose senses had become dull again after being sharpened, seemed a bit disappointed.

"Now that you've reconciled, I'll tell you how to appease Yggdrasil."

I called over the spirits that were hovering around.

The spirit of fire. The spirit of water. The spirit of wind. The spirit of earth. And the spirit of trees.

The spirits of light and darkness are a bit fewer in number.

I shared my magic power with those spirits and materialized their forms.

"This is...!"

"You can talk to spirits, but you've never seen their forms directly."

If I share my magic power, I can materialize them like this... but there were no beings on the surface that could do this.

Ah, dragons can.

"I will teach you how to borrow the power of these spirits."

After all, if it's elves, it has to be spirit magic! Of course!