Meeting Those Problematic Women (2)

The swirling killing intent trembles violently but quickly subsides in response to my voice, as if nothing had happened.

Ludicer’s expression says, ‘I didn’t do anything~’

‘Her expression changed in an instant….’

“Ludicer?”

“Ah! Yes.”

“Is something wrong…?”

“No.”

“…Alright. Hazel, from what I see, her appearance and physical data are clearly human, yet she firmly believes she is a high elf? But to dismiss her as human because of that, what about the Comess? When that ritual was performed, I also felt something definitely happened. What on earth is it?”

“That audacious and cheeky woman… ahem. She is indeed a high elf.”

“No, you just said ‘woman’ in a crude way…”

“Pardon? What did you say?”

“…Never mind. But Hazel is a high elf?”

I have never seen a high elf, but even elves have pointed ears and possess beautiful appearances regardless of age or gender.

Above all, elves are imagined as beings loved by spirits, evoking the feeling of the forest, and being rational.

High elves are revered among such elves. And yet this high elf has a human appearance?

“Strictly speaking, she is a ‘human’ elevated in rank by the recognition of high elves. However, once she receives the blessing and recognition of the high elf chieftains and elders, she can be considered a high elf.”

At first, I thought it was some song lyric. It was so strange I didn’t understand it, but I caught one important word.

“Recognition?”

“Yes. That audacious… Anyway, that high elf was originally a human. From the moment of birth, or rather, persistently continuing life inside her deceased mother’s womb, she was discovered by Hazel’s mother, Religens, and brought into the world from the womb.”

“…What?”

“For an ordinary fetus, it might have been difficult, but Hazel was a unique being in some sense. Religens, who received the newborn Hazel in her hands, felt deep maternal affection. From this point, Hazel’s life completely changed. Originally, she should have just died, but the moment she was recognized as a child by Religens, she began to live as a high elf.”

It’s a beautiful story. Like something out of a fairy tale, the birth of a hero.

But it defies common sense. I’d sooner believe the ancient Korean legend of a king born from an egg.

“Can the characteristics of a species change so easily? No, even looking at Hazel, she doesn’t seem changed at all. At a glance or close up, she’s human.”

Even in the Battlefield of the Gods where divine power rules, the earth cracks, and mountains crumble by magic, this is truly incomprehensible.

But Ludicer shakes her head from side to side.

“No. That’s why Hazel cannot summon spirits. To understand, Kim Han, you must first understand the nature of high elves. Strictly speaking, high elves are a different species from elves. Elves simply respect them and call them high elves. The Creator made the high elves when the current demon realm was first called the demon realm.”

“Demon realm…”

“Yes. So the Creator wanted a higher-dimensional being who could understand His heart better. Half spirit like a spirit, half physical body. That is the high elf.”

“Spirit body?”

“Yes. Therefore, high elves have unique traits in them. First, high elves are born not by birth but by a process similar to creation. There is only one dimension where high elves exist, and the fruit of the dimensional tree in that dimension becomes the next generation high elf.”

“…Fruit?”

“Yes. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but the fruit is not something you can pick and eat. The dimensional tree is enormous and its fruiting cycle is very long.”

“Ah, no… but then… do high elves not form families by man and woman meeting?”

“I will explain that later. The child born that way has a physique roughly equivalent to a 15-year-old human. When the parents who feel drawn to the child recognize the child as their own, the child begins to live fully as a high elf. Another trait is that from the moment of recognition, the child begins to resemble the parents as if inheriting their genetic traits.”

“…Honestly, I should be thankful for my improved thinking and the talent ‘Insight’. What kind of nonsense species is this?”

I grumble sincerely, but suddenly a bright and clear laughter like birdsong is heard from somewhere.

“Hohoho. Anyway, that’s how the parent-child relationship forms among high elves. Although Hazel was not born from the dimensional tree, she was recognized by her parents Religens and Animismus, establishing their relationship. With the approval of the high elf chief, Hazel became the first case of rank elevation. She is not a complete high elf but can be considered a ‘half-high elf’, neither fully human nor fully high elf.”

It’s complicated but not incomprehensible to me.

Nodding and organizing my thoughts, I think I understand why Hazel acted that way.

“By the way, what about Comess? How does that work?”

Gnash—

I think I hear teeth grinding somewhere. But looking around, it’s just Ludicer and me in this space. Just in case, I call Ludicer.

“Ludicer?”

“No. You don’t need to worry about that.”

‘You’re the one making me worry!’

“Alright… answer me.”

“I will answer the question you asked earlier. High elves also form families through love between man and woman. They love like humans, or even more deeply and purely. For high elves, a partner, Comess, is not a legally physical relationship like humans but a being connected mentally.”

“…What is that?”

No matter how much my thinking improves, I have no answer for a concept I’ve never encountered. I simply don’t understand.

“Half-spirit high elves connect their minds through the Comess’s vow to their partner. They don’t read each other’s thoughts but understand each other’s emotions and psychological states, and love each other until death. Thus, gods say high elves are beings who truly love in a good sense, and mockingly say they live their whole lives dreaming false dreams.”

“Then something happened between her and me that day?”

“…Gnash. Yes, that’s right. That audacious Hazel… she swore the Comess vow in the name of the forest, and she said she would die the same day. Yes. For a high elf, Comess is someone to whom they devote everything.”

“…Sigh.”

“The song of high elves rivals divine words. Since they originated as spirit beings, humans cannot understand it; only high elves can pronounce and express it, and the song holds tremendous power. Hazel sincerely considered Kim Han her partner, and the primordial will, the will of the forest that high elves believe in, accepted it.”

“My will?”

“…Probably, the ‘will’ judged that Kim Han did not reject it, so Hazel’s vow was accepted.”

What is this now…

“Will? No, you mean I didn’t reject it?”

“Yes. They probably couldn’t read your psychological state or thoughts at the time, but analyzing your behavior and tone after entering the Battlefield of the Gods… you seemed a bit lonely and troubled.”

I have no words to refute. My 31 years as a representative ended with betrayal by comrades and death by the woman I loved. Then I experienced an unheard-of regression and entered the Battlefield of the Gods again. It’s true I complained about the hardship.

Honestly, it felt like wearing ill-fitting clothes, and I was often irritable.

Recently, with Biosis and Talis helping, and after the talent ‘Insight’ blossomed, I could think more deeply, so it lessened a bit…

Still, for me who has no experience leading others, receiving a legion family and planning and executing plans is no easy task.

“Is that… so?”

“That’s just speculation.”

“Sigh… I understand. I have to solve this…”

“Yes, try to relax a little.”

“…Alright.”

“And…”

“Hm?”

“And as advice, it’s better for you to accept Hazel… ugh, for her sake. For a high elf to be rejected by their own Comess is like their spirit dying.”

“Phew…”

I shook my head to clear distracting thoughts. There are still many questions I need to ask.

Just as I was about to start another topic, Ludicer’s expression subtly changes.

“Um… Kim Han?”

“Hm?”

“Aetas, Genesis, Mors, Spatium, and Ister have all requested a meeting.”

“Really? That’s good. Tell them to come immediately.”

“…Yes.”

Ludicer sighs and agrees, and the surroundings change into a garden full of blooming flowers on a warm spring day.

I already know Aetas and Ister, and the other three goddesses appear as if they had been here all along.

A goddess with bright pink hair flowing down to her chest, gentle eyes, a small face, and a cute expression.

But oddly, she wears tight black leather-like clothes that don’t match her face or hair color.

Next is a goddess with silver sparkling hair neatly flowing down, giving a calm impression. Her loose flowing clothes don’t hide her excellent figure.

What draws the most attention is her bursting chest. Chest, chest. A goddess with a slender figure carrying two things that don’t suit her at all.

Finally, a goddess with blue-black hair that glimmers faintly blue in sunlight, flowing long down to her waist.

What stands out is her indifferent expression. Unlike the other goddesses, no emotion shows on her face. Even Ister, with a fish-like face, shows emotion.

“Kim Han, come quickly!”

“You have to come, not me. By the way, Aetas, who is Mors?”

“That’s me.”

“You… ? And a goddess?”

“Yes.”

“Damn! You crazy woman!”