## Chapter 1127 – Elven Forest

Graceful, feminine monsters with light green skin. Right now, these dryads were acting like servants to the elves.

These are the elves’ slave race?

“Slave race?”
“That’s right. We’ve been taming and using dryads as slaves since long ago.”
“…”

Slaves.

Slave.

The enslaved dryads didn’t show any of the ferocity typical of monsters, simply doing whatever the elves ordered. It was also unusual that they wore proper clothes instead of underwear-like garments made of leaves.

Monsters.

To enslave them like this.

“Amazing!!!”

There was nothing but admiration…!

To domesticate monsters!

This was something humans should learn! I knew how convenient it was since I had used Arirang like a slave back then!

ㅡClap clap clap clap!

I clapped, taking in the glorious sight.

Dryads are quite powerful monsters by ordinary standards. Unless you’re a skilled warrior, you can’t guarantee your life in a fight. Of course, they’re nothing to someone at the superhuman level enhanced by mana, but they’re stronger than most humans.

As expected of elves.

Because their basic specs are superior to humans, they were able to subdue and domesticate this ferocious race. This transcends the level of ordinary livestock. Dryads may not be more intelligent than humans, but they are strong and possess many abilities.

They would be effective not only as simple laborers but also as serfs.

“A technique that inspires nothing but admiration!!!”

I had thought about using dryads to farm when I became a great lord later on, so I couldn’t help but be amazed.

The elves were realizing what I had only thought about.

“You seem to like it. I suppose it’s natural since humans don’t have such livestock.”
“How did you domesticate them?”
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that, as it’s a unique elven technique.”
“A secret technique, I see.”
“I’m not a tamer myself, so I don’t know anyway.”

I wonder what method they used.

Because Arirang is an Alraune, she can freely enslave wild dryads. That’s their instinct and way of life. Alraune is their queen.

The power of Alraune, a powerful monster.

But elves are not like that.
They don’t have that kind of power.

They probably domesticated them through a tremendous amount of time and countless trials and errors. Elves have long lifespans and excellent individual skills. It must have been possible because their technology is better than that of humans.

I wonder how they even thought of domesticating dryads.

“Are they not aggressive?”

The dryads working there seemed very docile.

“If they were aggressive, we wouldn’t have been able to domesticate them. The history of this dryad taming is quite old. We’ve been slowly improving it since our ancestors.”
“Amazing.”
“You can say they’re completely different from wild dryads outside.”

Is it like the difference between wolves and dogs?

They’re saying it’s a breed artificially created by the elves.

“I can only say it’s truly wonderful.”
“Human. As expected of someone skilled, you have an eye for things.”

Saintel smiled, seemingly pleased with my reaction. This wasn’t just lip service; I was genuinely impressed, so I was praising them sincerely.

“I just know how convenient this is.”

Anyway, it was an amazing technique.

“If you think so, there will be more surprises to come.”
“More surprises!”

What are they planning to show me!

“I’ll show them to you slowly. First, you must be tired from the long journey, so let’s rest in the village before departing.”
“Hmm… I’m not particularly tired.”

It seems they’re going to treat me in this village, but I need to finish this task as quickly as possible. I’ll get my fill of such treatment when I go to the elven capital anyway.

The World Tree must be in the elven capital.

The queen is there, so I’ll receive the utmost hospitality.

“Can’t we go right away?”
“Right away?”
“I have a mission. I have a duty to deliver the king’s decree to your queen as quickly as possible.”
“As quickly as possible… As expected of a human, you’re very concerned about speed.”

Then don’t elves use quick service?

“Is it because your lifespans are short? Certainly. Then you can’t help but be concerned about travel speed.”
“…”

I couldn’t understand what she meant, so I stared at Saintel’s face. She tilted her head and added as if to clarify.

“No. It’s not that I think it’s strange. It’s just that I know about the necessity of an alliance, so I need to understand the characteristics of humans, so I was analyzing it.”
“Is that so?”
“Anyway, I’ll respect that you need to go as quickly as possible. But if you don’t rest here, your speed will be reduced. It’s better to rest and go in situations like this, human.”
“Then, well, let’s rest for one day and then quickly head there. Would that be alright?”
“I agree.”
“We understand each other well.”
“You as well.”

In any case, I followed Saintel’s guidance and entered the building.

“Oh.”

The inside was quite neat and spacious. So elves don’t live like primitive people. It seems we need to change our common sense. In fact, any race with a brain tends to pursue convenience.

“You’ve arrived.”
“Can I rest here?”

There were diplomats and other elves inside.

“Let’s have a meal first.”
“Oh! I like meals!”

Hearing the story, it seems they’re going to treat me to a meal first. Alright. I’ve come a long way, so they should give me food. Let’s find out what elves eat.

“Hehehe, I wonder how delicious it will be. What do the elves of Elven Forest eat?”

I sat down in a suitable seat and spoke to the diplomat sitting across from me.

“I don’t know if it will suit human tastes.”
“It’s okay. I eat anything well.”

Anyway, as I spent time chatting appropriately, the dryads began to pull carts.

ㅡGuru guru.

These guys even know how to use carts.

On top of the carts were high-quality dishes containing meat-based menus.

“Oh! Meat menu!”

Looking at the meat, they were all proper dishes. There were steaks and menus marinated and grilled in sauce. Just looking at them made my mouth water.

We started eating.

Starting with me, the other elves also ate the meat with refinement. The meat tasted better than I imagined, so I couldn’t help but keep emptying the dishes.

These guys know how to treat people.

“Quite delicious. What kind of meat is this made of?”
“This is… a steak menu made from the meat of domesticated Forest Drakes.”
“Forest Drake! It tastes very good!”

Elves also know good taste.

“Hmm.”

But it’s all rare.

Personally, I prefer to eat it medium.

“But it feels a little undercooked. The inside is very red.”
“Hahaha. That’s not undercooked, human.”

Saintel, who was sitting next to me, said with a smile.

“That’s how it’s cooked. The inside is red, but it’s already cooked. It’s just that the color inside hasn’t changed yet, so you can eat it with confidence.”

I know that too.

“But if you want meat that’s completely discolored, it’s polite to cook it more. In fact, that’s the more popular taste. Hey. Bring the chef.”

When Saintel gave the order, a dryad entered the kitchen and soon brought an elf. He was a green-haired elf dressed in clothes that looked like a chef’s.

“The guest wants more cooked meat.”
“Understood, Saintel-nim.”

ㅡSnap.

It was the moment the chef, who had come closer, snapped his fingers.

ㅡWhoosh!

Suddenly, a fire spirit in the form of a girl appeared in the air!

“Spirit!!!!”

ㅡFlash!

I immediately kicked off my seat, performed a backflip to create distance, and drew my sword. To dare summon a spirit in front of me! Were these guys spiritists!

“This bastard isn’t a chef, he’s a human chef!”

Were they planning to roast me!

“W-wait a minute!”

When I started preparing for battle, all the elves panicked and tried to stop me.

“That’s not it. This person isn’t a human chef, he’s just a chef.”
“Then what the hell is that spirit!”
“He’s an elven spiritist.”
“Spiritist?”

A spiritist?

They’re using such a professional serial killer as a chef?

“That’s right. I know humans also have spiritists? They’re beings who handle spirits. It’s not dangerous, so you can put your sword away.”

What is this nonsense?

“Surely you didn’t think we were trying to cook you using a spiritist. So that’s why you said human chef. Haha.”
“…I seem to have made a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright.”

I put my sword away, apologized to the surrounding elves, and sat down.

It seemed that there were many differences between the spiritists spoken of in the human world and the elven spiritists. In fact, they’ve tamed dryads, so there’s no reason they can’t do the same with spirits. It was probably like that.

Anyway, I observed the chef and the fire spirit.

ㅡWhoosh.

The spirit in the form of a girl didn’t show any aggression, simply continuing to grill my meat. Her appearance was so docile that I almost mistook her for a real girl for a moment.

“…The spirit listens well?”
“Isn’t that normal? We’re the ones who domesticated dryads. It’s not strange to use spirits as tools.”

I see.

“Hmm… It’s very different from human spiritists.”
“How is it different?”

I explained about the spiritists active in the human world.

They are cursed beings possessed by spirits, and they are targets that must be exterminated. In the first place, spirits hate humans who destroy nature. Therefore, spiritists also hate humans. So they try to massacre humans with spirits wherever they go.

“Ha, hahaha! That’s a very interesting story. A being who excessively communicates with spirits and whose ideology is twisted, resulting in the killing of fellow humans? Such a ridiculous story exists. Haha!”

Saintel burst out laughing at my story, and the other elves who were listening also covered their mouths with their hands and laughed. Why are these guys bursting out laughing after hearing such a murder story? There’s no normal person who likes murder stories.

“Anyway, that’s why spiritists are targets of extermination. That’s why I was surprised. Spirits usually don’t think about anything other than killing people.”
“I never even imagined that such a story would exist. Haha.”

Saintel continued to laugh, and the chef next to her continued.

“Communion with spirits… It’s an unthinkable thing. They are just beings who carry out orders. Nothing more, nothing less. If they try to harm the elves, we will just kill them.”

The chef said, briefly explaining how spiritists tame spirits. Listening to the story, I could clearly see that this chef was a born thug.

Elven spiritists beat and subdue weak spirits, then tame and train them using magical tools to make them their tools. They develop their power by raising spirits in that way.

“Spirits are just convenient tools. In other words, they’re similar to livestock. Of course, there are no examples of using high-level spirits as tools yet, but low-level or mid-level spirits can be handled without problems. You can say they’re completely different beings from human spiritists.”
“Is the elven way to use everything that can be used?”
“That’s right.”

As expected, their way of life is very different from humans.

Well, only ordinary humans tremble at such spirits or dryads. There’s no need for elves, most of whom are professional warriors, to fear such things.

So they domesticated spirits and dryads.

“Amazing.”

That was my impression.

Amazing.

Even ferocious beings like spirits are tamed like that. It’s something that human spiritists would be shocked to see, but it would certainly be good if humans could handle spirits like that.

So I ate the meat served by the dryad and grilled by the fire spirit, putting their culture into my head.