Chapter 86

His head swayed slightly.

The old elf, Lagias, pressed his brow and steadied his vision, stopping the swaying of his head before turning back to his desk.

There were still many tasks to be completed, and a mountain of matters to attend to. The night had long since fallen, but he could not afford to rest.

The quill pen, held in his wrinkled fingers, ran across the parchment. The ink seemed to have thinned considerably.

It was about time for a messenger from the human kingdom to arrive. If so, he would have to write another letter of friendship. And he would have to prepare for the reception himself. Lagias' deep wrinkles formed even deeper valleys.

His brother was great, truly a great elf. After all, he had performed this arduous task for hundreds of years, maintaining the peace of Gazaria, a land of elves alone, for hundreds of years.

Lagias' hand tightened around the pen. His eyelids closed slightly.

If only the elves could live independently on this land, how happy it would be. If they could revel in the bounty of the forest and simply live, there would be nothing more to it.

But that was now a fairy tale, buried in the history of the past.

Lagias' eyes, still shining despite his age, had seen much in the human kingdom.

Soldiers clad in materials stronger than iron. Systematized magic, not dependent on individual wisdom. Goods flowing like a great river, never staying in one place, made possible by their craftsmanship.

These had evolved far beyond the human cities he had heard of in the past, while the elves, relying solely on spirit magic, had maintained their unchanged way of life for hundreds of years.

Some elves might call this development foolish, and some might say it goes against the will of the earth. But would such things torment humans?

Eventually, they will come to invade this forest. Customs will be swept away, reverence for the elves will fall, and the day will come when the trees are burned. Lagias understood this deeply from his time in the human cities.

Can we resist when that time comes? Can we, who value immutability and remain in the forest, stop them, who value change and expansion?

Lagias did not find the changing nature of humans terrifying. In just a few decades, they could change greatly. Watching this, he harbored a growing certainty in his heart.

Elves do not change. But the world has changed greatly in the meantime.

The appearance of monsters is also a sign. Recently, many monsters have been sighted even near Gazaria. Although there has been no attack on Gazaria itself, they might eventually erode this great tree.

It is no longer possible to remain unchanged. Not just for the elves, but for the world. If we try to remain unchanged in a changing world, we will be left behind and abandoned.

We need to change. Not to be left behind by the world, not to be swallowed by it, but to change in a way that envelops the world.

A deep cough escaped Lagias' throat, and a shiver and pain ran through his body.

How long can this body endure? He had lived for a very long time.

"It's Fin. I apologize for disturbing you in your busy state."

"It's fine," Lagias said, putting down his pen and sitting back in his chair.

Entering the dimly lit room was Lagias' direct subordinate, the only one he trusted.

Lagias well understood that among the nobles who served him and the palace guards, there were those who harbored hostility towards him.

Change always brings enemies, and resistance is inevitable. Especially for elves, who naturally resist change. Of course, enemies arise both inside and outside.

But if he was to bring about change, he had to eliminate that resistance. It would be endless to deal with each one individually. Such hostility and will to resist can be inherited.

If you kill the parent, the child will continue the will, and if you kill the child, the grandchild will carry it on.

Then, he had to root it out completely.

Lure them into a place with no escape, and in the name of a decisive battle, cut off not just the branches but the roots. This was the most crucial point.

The soldier whispered in Lagias' ear. Nodding vigorously, Lagias deepened his wrinkles.

"Finally, my niece has moved. Ah, this is good."

His face broke into a genuine smile, a smile of relief.

The elf princess, Lagias' niece, had begun to move, along with the elves who supported her. It might take some time for the movement to become clear, but that was fine.

Now, this country can no longer stagnate. For Lagias, the worst scenario was for nothing to happen here.

The princess would remain in her tower, and those with rebellious hearts would end up biting their own lips in the forest. Such an elf-like ending would be the most troublesome.

If they never desired change, even if a hated enemy took the seat of Fin and still did nothing, he would think that the elves as a race had no future.

But there are those who will move. That's excellent.

Lagias' shoulders shook with amusement.

"Very well. Continue the surveillance. You can even stir up their hearts. Give the cowardly ones a pale face."

Might as well bring them all in. Let's change Gazaria completely. When Lagias said this, the soldier nodded quietly and disappeared back into the darkness.

His eyes narrowed, gazing at the lamp that faintly illuminated the darkness.

Now, one way or another, Gazaria will be exposed to the waves of change. If I win, all those who oppose me and resist the pressure will be eliminated. That's fine. In that case, I will whip my old bones and strive to make Gazaria a single nation until my last breath.

But if the princess wins in the end. That, too, is a transformation. The rule of a young sprout will blow away the old customs. And if Fin changes so much in such a short time, even the dull elves will realize that the world is constantly changing, regardless of them.

What Gazaria needs now is change. It will come, no matter how it ends.

That's fine. But of course, the best outcome is always the best.

If asked who would be the best ruler, Lagias or the princess, Lagias would answer without a doubt.

—It's me. I have the power and wisdom to overturn this Gazaria from the ground up.

He has no intention of losing. To have the pain of killing his brother trampled by the princess is unbearable.

Using all he has, wielding all he can, he will cut off the life of his beloved niece.

That is his role, to be the one who killed his brother, the great Fin, Lagias' lips trembled.

Now, no one can stop his will.