My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness Chapter 178

#178

Elegantly decorated, like other areas within

the Elf and Dwarf royal palaces.

“Hmm hmm. indeed.”

Harris, who also greeted others, looked around and nodded while chatting casually with the gardener who claimed to be his guide.

In the first place, elves had a strong tendency to prefer harmonious and neat things rather than flashy things, so it would not be particularly strange.

However, as all of their work involved physical movement, there was nothing special to see here.

It was just a place to rest after returning from shifts, with a restaurant and training facilities attached.

In other words, it wasn’t something special enough to make me wander around and react like I do now.

“Um… Mr. Harris?”

“yes? “Why are you doing this?”

“…Is there something you are looking for? “If you tell me, I will guide you there.”

“Oh—no. As you know, it hasn’t been long since I came to the Elven Kingdom. So, you don’t have to worry about it because you just haven’t gotten used to it yet.”

He looked around with keen eyes at the question of the gardener, who looked puzzled, and smiled softly again.

There was something else I was aiming for, but it wasn’t that urgent anyway, so there was no need to show it.

“Oh, I definitely heard it. You came from the Aeon Continent, right? “The two most recent recipients are both from other continents, so fortunately, it appears that the elf tradition is still alive and well there.”

Finding it difficult to respond to the gardener’s admiring words, Harris just smiled.

‘Honestly, I’m not sure if the line is continuing properly.’

Cecily was lucky enough to have been saved from being sacrificed to warlocks, and she had not heard much about the other elves.

Of course, I’ve never done any separate research on him, but if there was something special going on, I couldn’t avoid his wide-ranging information network.

The fact that there is no other news probably means that they have hidden well in remote areas or have naturally blended into society.

“By the way, I heard that the Second Continental Congress will be convened soon. This time, it seemed like quite a few people said they were moving to Aeon, but there was so much noise here and there that even we who were not interested in other things could hear it.”

“Oh, it certainly was. “Because the scale of the work is large.”

As he said, a second meeting was scheduled at the main church’s sacred site along with the dispatch of a fairly large reinforcement force.

In order to finalize the issues decided at the first meeting and continue further discussions.

But unfortunately, Harris could not participate in this delegation.

And that was the same for Cecily, who went with me last time…

‘Actually, that’s natural. There’s no way we’re going to keep throwing out babies who have just opened their eyes.’

Even if it was allowed just once for the sake of experience, there was no way that promising youngsters with bright futures would always be sent to a place where they did not know what dangers they might face.

Moreover, wasn’t it decided that three veteran high elves, including Lafori Granwood, would be dispatched this time due to issues related to sending reinforcements and building a temple?

In many ways, it was a situation where there was no room for him, a rookie.

‘If you think about it, Harris is in the prime of his growth, so there’s no need to step forward already. I guess being near the World Tree is the most effective.’

As a high elf, all the spirits he could handle had evolved to the upper level, and the lightning spirit was about to evolve to the highest level, but he still felt like he was lacking a lot compared to other avatars.

‘Now is the time to prioritize growth and strengthen our internal stability.’

And it won’t take that long.

Skills such as “World Tree’s Red Hat,” “Nature’s Assimilation,” “Star Observer,” and “Nature’s Call” and all kinds of growth corrections will not leave him alone.

“hmm? …This place?”

Then at some point.

While wandering around the gardeners’ residences, Harris finally found what he was looking for.

“Ah, it’s a storage place for by-products acquired during work. Although it is nothing more than scraps compared to the object imbued with the power of the World Tree, it is still material. “It is a catalyst used in many high-level magic techniques, so it can be considered a warehouse for valuables.”

“…okay?”

“In fact, it is often used as a gift to those who have contributed or in trade with other races. “They say it is an ingredient that dwarves especially like.”

“Yes. No matter what anyone says, they are by-products of the World Tree.”

He responded to the gardener’s lengthy explanation as if it was no big deal and entered the storage room.

Naturally, it was originally a place where no one could enter, but as a high elf, this did not apply to him.

“Huh—this is all…!”

And right before his eyes.

A pile of dry branches and leaves, neatly organized and piled up, came into view.

No matter how you looked at it, saying it was precious was meaningless.

“Ah, the things here have been collected steadily for several years. “We keep a certain amount of stockpile in case of an emergency and release it externally.”

After listening to the story, I heard that there are many places in the Elven Kingdom that are secretly used, and that there is a system in place so that even ordinary elves can obtain small quantities of it, so there are more than one place that would be in trouble if the supply suddenly runs out.

For that reason, trade does not occur very often despite external trade requests.

‘Yes, it is the size of the World Tree, so this amount may be natural.’

Actually, if you think about it that way, you could say it was rather small.

Considering that the branches are so large and spread out that they cover the entire capital city, it would be difficult to say that they could even fill a single warehouse.

Even if this is the amount accumulated over several years…

‘But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s enough to be used alone.’

It was a natural fact, but as a high elf, Harris had no restrictions on using these.

“It’s more than I thought. “Can I take some of these and use them?”

“of course. Normally, these are items that are difficult to take out, but for high elves, this is an exception.”

High Elves, the legitimate children and priests of the World Tree, were a communication channel connected to the World Tree through their very existence.

Of course, we can’t impose complicated restrictions on them.

Of course, even if you could use it to your heart’s content, the number of high elves was so small that it wasn’t noticeable.

At best, all they can do is take the leaves and make tea or use them for various experiments, but with only five or six people, they don’t know what to use and how much to use.

So so far, no one has paid much attention to it, and there has been no shortage of supplies.

okay.

until now.

“Uh… Mr. Harris? Are you planning on using them all?”

“Ahaha, I need it for my personal training these days.”

“ah-! okay. If it’s training… there’s nothing you can do about it. Surely using these will help you grow your natural power quickly. Haha….”

The gardener, who was embarrassed as he watched Harris diligently putting tree branches into the subspace magic tool, nodded his head in agreement.

And Harris quietly smiled at his understanding and continued talking.

“Then I’ll come back later when I’m done using it all.”

“Uh… yes yes?”

With so much stuff piled up, there’s no way you’d be satisfied with just a few items, right?

However, he had no intention of taking these and selling them.

‘I didn’t lie. I was really planning to use it for training.’

However, if you take too much, you will be noticed, so it was essential to do it in moderation so as not to cause problems with distribution within the kingdom.

Of course, it was necessary to take into account that trade, which had been carried out with surplus, would become more strained in the future.

There won’t be anything left now.

***

Taaang—! Taaang—!

Inside the workshop, where cheerful sounds resonate.

“What on earth is this…?”

As usual, Jaonic, who entered his personal workshop, could not hide his embarrassment at the hot heat he felt on his skin.

The heat itself was nothing particularly strange, but the unusual energy within it was something that could not be easily encountered in normal times.

It was an unusual fire that he had only experienced a couple of times.

“Stand… no way!”

After realizing something, he hurriedly ran towards the furnace inside the workshop.

Inside the furnace spewing out fierce flames next to Howard, who was swinging his hammer in a trance as if he was already engrossed in his work… there was exactly what he had guessed.

“…Branches of the World Tree?”

He opened his mouth without realizing it.

It was definitely true.

It was a hard-to-find ingredient that even he could only get a small piece the size of his palm by pestering a village elder when he was young.

A firewood several times larger than that was burning brightly in the brazier of his workshop!

“Oh, is the old man here? Are you a little late today? Ugh!”

At that moment, Howard, who had wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, looked back at him with a refreshing laugh.

Zaonic looked at him as if he were dumbfounded and opened his mouth, then pointed to the brazier with one hand.

“Ha Howard? “That thing that’s in there right now…”

“As expected, you recognize it right away. “You are indeed an old man!”

“No, I mean! “That’s really a branch of the World Tree?!”

At Howard’s carefree answer, he pounded his heart as if his stomach was exploding.

How did he get this precious thing that makes ordinary iron ore extraordinary, something he had only ever touched when he was in Titania, on this continent of Aeon?

“Hehehe! “A friend sent it to me as a gift.”

“friend? Hubert? Or Harley?”

“His name is Harris… There is an elf I have a relationship with. He was a colleague who once went on an adventure with Harley.”

“…Harley, that friend is everywhere. Well, I guess it would be worth it if I heard about that adventure.”

In response to that answer, Zaonic, who had already seen ‘Harley’s Great Adventure’, showed a shocked expression.

“But your elf friend sent you a branch of the World Tree as a gift? “Oh, really…”

Then he remembered the main topic again and exhaled as if he was in despair.

I don’t know what kind of relationship it was that the elf sent such a gift to the dwarf, but that wasn’t an important issue right now.

‘How dare you waste something so precious like that! Even if you save and save and use it once your skills are on track, it won’t be enough! At my current level, I wouldn’t be able to control that fire properly…’

He clicked his tongue in bitter regret.

In fact, it is none of his business how the person in question uses the item he received as a gift, but no matter how much he thought about it, the material was too precious to simply think of it that way.

Of course, even if I used it like I do now, it would help improve my skills.

It’s a matter of handling flames lit by the branches of the World Tree. Even if you can properly control the experience, you will gain quite a bit.

How much worse would it be if Howard was not a stupid guy and was growing rapidly every moment.

‘But it’s too much! ‘It’s such a waste just to save a little growth time!’

If you had told him in advance before using it, he would have spared no effort in helping you use it most efficiently.

He even felt sad, wondering if it was because he was afraid that he would steal it.

“Phew—I guess it can’t be helped that it’s already been used up. But the flames still remain, so let’s take this opportunity…”

“Please don’t do that, how about you, too?”

A sudden suggestion.

Howard, who was looking at Zaonic, who was suffering alone, as if he were wondering, cut him off and said something insignificant.

“ok? Oh well, if it’s that big, the flames will stay on for a few more hours, so I guess I can at least get a taste of it for a little while.”

His eyes turned to the burning brazier with the branches of the World Tree in it.

Now, only about half the size of his forearm remained, but as the material was the material, the burning flame would be maintained for several hours.

“…Tsk, but if you approach it clumsily and unprepared, you will only end up regretting it. I’m done. Howard, you can finish your work. “Don’t waste your time.”

Zaonic tried to console himself with regret and turned his head.

Of course, how could one not be greedy, but since Howard used the items he received as a gift, he hoped that this opportunity would help him grow even a little more.

“Oh, you mean that? it’s okay. “Because there are more!”

But the answer he received from Howard was something he had never expected.

“ok? what?”

“Ugh! Something good happened to my friend this time! They sent me a lot to use! Come on, there’s no need for seniors to decline! “Come here!”

And Zaonic, who was led by his hand, held in his arms several branches of the world tree that were really as big as his forearms, and made a bewildered expression.

After performing all kinds of tricks and tricks on the village elder, all I got was a small piece the size of my palm.

What on earth are these sturdy firewoods in your arms right now?

Sniff—

the scent of dried wood penetrated his nostrils.

As expected from the branches of the World Tree, the scent was unusual.

“…Hmm, then… Should I try it too?”

Then, the creative drive that was dormant inside him slowly began to raise its head.

I was trying to hold back for the sake of Howard, but if there were this many, wouldn’t there be any need to hold back?

“I was just wanting to watch the elder’s demonstration because I was lacking in skills! Let’s teach this ugly junior! “Puh-huh-huh!”

“Hahahaha—! “How lucky you are, Howard! Alright, let’s run all night today!”

Zaonic felt his friendliness toward Howard increase twofold today and immediately began preparing for work.

Now that things have come to this, there is nothing to stop him!