—First, lay her down properly.
The flustered droplet laid the unconscious girl down the right way.
Termia herself had tried to brush it off bravely, but there was no way she was fine.
She didn't seem to be in very good condition.
When her mind and body grew exhausted, the lifespan issue that had been quiet until now seemed to have burst out. Like an illness whose incubation period had ended.
Why are elves short-lived?
I think I know the cause.
Because the only intelligent beings I had seen so far were elves, it was hard to be certain, but elves felt like a race very close to nature. Like some unusual creature that could only live in pristine water.
It was only a feeling, but I think it was a very reliable sense. After all, I, who possessed pure mana closest to nature, felt that elves were close to nature.
The concrete cause was probably......
Food, wasn't it?
In nature, whether carnivorous or omnivorous, food isn't usually cooked with fire.
Jerky made by drying meat in the sun also counts as raw food, so there was no need to insist on vegetarianism, but they should stop cooking with fire.
Whether grilled meat or vegetable soup, food cooked with fire didn't suit an elf's body.
Just because fast food is delicious doesn't mean it's good for one's health.
Yes, junk food is the problem.
Their species is different from humans, so eating the same things gives them trouble.
Though if someone beside you is eating something delicious, it'd be hard not to eat it.
The droplet worriedly examined the girl.
Not knowing what to do, it placed its horned helmet on the girl's forehead. The horned helmet, only the size of the droplet, sat alone on her forehead.
Does it mean, wear this and get better? It's too small for her to wear, though.
—You probably don't have to worry. I think I can help her recover. Could you place Termia against my base?
If she had grown distant from nature, then I only had to bring her closer to nature.
When Termia touched my body, I focused my mind inside the girl's body. Her internal mana showed signs of being affected and muddied.
I should circulate it once according to nature's principle.
Like ventilating the stale air in a room.
My mana might burden her body, so should I try using a mana stone?
—Where did we put the mana stone?
The droplet hurriedly picked up the mana stone that had been left in the grassland.
I made a miniature mortar and pestle. When I handed them to the droplet girl, she eagerly crushed the mana stone. The mana became powder.
—Yes, good job. That should be easy to feed her.
I placed the powder in the girl's mouth. She couldn't eat while unconscious, but simply imitating the act of eating was enough.
The powder dissolved and became natural mana. I carefully touched the natural mana. The mana was guided into her body.
Then, suddenly, the natural mana resisted. It protested as if asking why I would try to confine it, which should wander freely, inside a small body.
Was that rabbit unusual for calmly consuming it? But it's fine. I soothe mana every time.
I focused my senses.
People naturally inhale and exhale. By swallowing the world and breathing it out, they recognize that they are part of nature and soothe the soul.
So this isn't strange. It's merely an encounter the mana that would wander the world might someday experience, happening now.
The natural mana softened.
During the time I had gained, I moved the girl's original mana. I guided the muddied mana so it would leave her body. The murky mana was exhaled with her breath.
Natural mana took the place where greed had been reduced. Its pure nature slowly grew muddied, matching the balance of her body. The mana settled splendidly.
The girl's complexion clearly improved. Her breathing became even.
Woohoo. Ventilating the mana inside her body succeeded.
Since I had only experienced my own pure body, I was a little startled that natural mana would resist this much, but it worked out in the end.
Termia only came to her senses at noon.
Perhaps she had gone from fainting into sleep, because she wiped away drool with a half-awake face.
"Where is......?"
Her voice was dazed too.
—In a dream. Sleep more.
"So it's a dream."
Her gaze looked up blankly.
"Wow, tree's super big."
The girl muttered groggily, then lay down and went back to sleep.
How should I put this?
It's polite to pretend not to hear sleeptalking, yes.
***
Dawn sparrows chirped.
When the droplet approached and startled one with a "Wah!" it flew away with a flutter.
"Just as you said, Lord Tree, everyone does eat a lot of meat. Jerky is for wintering, so we usually grill raw meat. Soup is a basic menu too."
Termia put fruit in her mouth.
—Then I think my guess is right. Elves have to eat raw food because of their constitution, but since you cook with fire every time, your bodies suffer.
Termia sank into thought blankly.
"You only have intuition, so objectively speaking, the basis is lacking."
Thaat's true.
"But after nearly dying and coming back, I find it very convincing. And you're not an ordinary tree, Lord Tree."
The girl chewed the fruit and furrowed her brow.
"From what I studied separately, one of the mysteries is why elves, who should have gone extinct long ago, are spread widely through the world. If it was somewhat fine in the old days, but now society, culture, and technology have developed so fire is easy to use, leading to short lives, that sounds plausible."
Waaah? You're thinking that far?
—I see. I don't know that much, but how do elves judge life expectancy? What was the basis for saying you in particular would die young?
There must be a reference, right?
Termia flinched.
—What's wrong?
After fidgeting, she spoke.
"Appearance."
Waaah?
"From our experience so far, beautiful men and women die young."
—The prettier and more handsome someone is, the shorter their life?
"......Yes."
Termia avoided my gaze.
—So someone exceptionally pretty and handsome dies young?
The girl gave no answer, but her ears reddened.
—I see.
The girl's face gradually turned bright red.
At some point, her whole face flared red. The girl looked at me sharply.
"I'm not saying I'm pretty and cute! Just, just, that's what the adults said! They said I'd die young! Yes!"
I didn't say anything.
I really didn't say you were cute, either.
But a girl who had heard she was pretty and cute since childhood ends up with confidence that she's pretty and cute. Wonderful.
Termia, her face bright red as she fidgeted with only her hands, seemed unable to endure it herself and sprang to her feet. Her stamina was low, so she staggered briefly, but she stood straight.
"Anyway, I'll tell the village about this! We only need to drastically change our eating habits to know, so it's not hard to confirm. I'm going now!"
After greeting the droplet too, the girl ran away in a hurry.
Her golden hair fluttered.
I'm glad she feels better.
Watching her back, I spread my branches wide.
I felt warm sunlight.
Thank you, sunlight. It's thanks to you, who are warm to everyone.
***
I transformed the mana paper. Its surface changed, and letters were written. I wrote different letters one by one, then stopped once I had written them all.
I compared the basic vocabulary dictionary and the vocabulary I had written.
—Did I get them all right? I think I got them all right.
The droplet girl compared the answers with a solemn expression.
Then she smiled brightly and nodded.
—Waaah. I memorized them all.
I had mastered the basic vocabulary dictionary.
Even if it was basic, I could now read writing. There must be no sapling in the world as smart as me.
To celebrate, I examined the neighboring communal cemetery. I could clearly read the letters on the gravestones. Dates, of course, and the occasional written sentence became roughly readable too.
So this elf died after taking a bite of an unknown mushroom to see if it was poisonous.
Waaah? If they write something like this down, won't it be embarrassing forever? What happened to honoring the dead? It's a cause of death with no honor left to lose, but still, that's too much.
It feels like writing on a gravestone that someone died after stepping on a banana peel. A sense of kinship forms on its own.
When I took my gaze from the stone marker, I saw Termia not far away.
The girl had her forehead pressed against a tree trunk. With a sulky yet gloomy expression, she muttered.
"Why am I young?"
Did something not go well?
"It would have been nice if I were ten years older. No, twenty years? Thirty would not be bad either."
That's a tremendous thing to say.
After thinking over specific ages, the girl shook her head sharply.
"No, no. This kind of escapism is unnecessary."
Both hands slapped her cheeks. Her eyes grew clear.
"Once I catch a wolf, age itself will become meaningless. The village chief will take my words seriously, and I will be able to participate in the village meeting too. Everything will improve."
Ah.
There's no adult anywhere who would seriously listen to a girl who returned after sleeping rough for two days and having delusions.
Moreover......
"After hallucinating for two days after my mother died, I thought of a way that might have saved her" would be even worse.
Add "a talking tree told me" to that, and it'd be the perfect finishing touch.
Oh dear.
This was my fault.
If I didn't handle it properly, bad rumors might even spread through the village.
I sent the droplet to call the girl over.
Termia approached awkwardly.
"Hello. It's been a day."
Awkward greetings passed between us.
—How is the situation? Was there no precedent related to eating habits? If there had been, the conversation would be faster.
Termia avoided my gaze.
"I haven't said anything yet. Just as you said, when I returned to the village, it was full of questions. Answering everyone made the day pass quickly."
Her gaze returned, and her lips formed a smile.
"Today, I came out because I was exhausted and wanted to catch my breath."
Did she end up telling everyone, "I heard it from a talking tree," while answering them? I feel truly sorry.
—I see. I thought about it, and you're busy with the aftermath of the funeral too, aren't you?
"......That's true?"
—So I thought I might arrange the eating-habit improvement myself. Elves come around the gravestones from time to time anyway, so I can call them over and speak with them.
"What?"
Termia was flustered.
—Since I'm the one who said it, it's right for me to take responsibility. You can step away from this matter now and—
"No!"
The girl who shouted flinched in surprise at herself.
Then she steadied her heart and hurriedly cried out.
"Let me! Please let me do it!"
Her gesture pointed to herself.
"I simply haven't said it yet, but I can do it! I know I look unreliable! I know I've never shown results worthy of trust! But!"
—Calm down. I'm listening.
I spoke gently.
—You and I are here, and we have plenty of time. Even if you don't speak in a hurry, the tree won't leave.
The girl exhaled, her breathing already quick.
Her panting calmed, and her shoulders gradually lowered. Her head bowed.
"I'm sorry I got excited."
—It's all right. That can happen.
I thought for a moment.
She wants to do it with her own hands, does she? Well, of course.
—If you want to do it, then you can. To be honest, since I'm a tree, I'm shy around strangers. Speaking with people I don't know felt burdensome, so if you do it, I'd actually be grateful.
The girl looked relieved.
—But what exactly do you plan to do? Wouldn't it be hard for people to take seriously the claim that one eating habit can solve everything?
The girl calmly organized her thoughts.
"There's a way. We elves have a tradition that has been passed down from long ago. It's a culture where an elf who has become an adult must catch a wolf to be recognized as a true adult."
Waaah, so there's such a coming-of-age rite.
"Though it was old-fashioned, so it was abolished."
Ah.
"It only caused deaths for no reason and had all sorts of problems. Given elven traits, people who aren't hunters are precious, so what about them?"
She added,
"But."
Termia's eyes shone.
"The atmosphere of recognition remains. In this village, out of respect for wolf hunters, there is also a tradition that their first statement in a village meeting is heard seriously. I confirmed it with the village chief, so it's certain."
Waaah, then it's worth trying.
The goal was not a difficult proposal either. It was only asking a few people to temporarily change their eating habits, so they'd accept it for the sake of preserving tradition.
To begin with, it'd be too harsh not to accept even that after someone caught a wolf.
—That's a good idea. But how will you catch a wolf? I've never seen a wolf here.
Wouldn't finding one be work in itself?
"In spring, the village subjugated a wolf pack, and I heard one wolf survived alone and fled then. Perhaps because it was frightened, it runs whenever it sees people, so they haven't bothered to catch it, but its activity range is clear."
Waaah, you really prepared everything. How did you do that in one day?
—Then how will you catch the wolf once you encounter it?
The girl, who had been speaking without hesitation, stopped.
Her gaze grew subtle, and she awkwardly mimed drawing a bow.
"With a bow......? If I shoot it from far away, won't it die?"
That could happen. Since she had caught a bird, there was no reason she couldn't catch a wolf.
I let out a laugh.
—You're not alone, so there's no need for that.
I moved a branch. A leaf stretched out, and the horned-helmet droplet, which had been silently pretending to be dew, was brought before the girl.
—Our droplet is kind, so she won't turn away from a friend.
The droplet thought for a moment, then nodded its horned helmet.
I made a mana shovel and showed it to her.
—You can dig a pit trap and lure the wolf together. It may not fall in on the first try, but once it does, the match is won.
It wouldn't be as easy as it sounded. In actual combat, her body would stiffen too.
"Even if it was abolished, it's still a proper coming-of-age rite. Shouldn't I do it entirely with my own strength?"
Termia was flustered.
—That'd be nice, but.
I added,
—Connections are your strength too, aren't they?
The girl stared blankly.
Her gaze wandered aimlessly.
"That's, that's true."
Then it was settled.
From that day on, Termia prepared for the wolf hunt.
She spent all day digging and covering pits to grow used to the shovel.
When she half-collapsed from exhaustion and rested, the droplet, who had only been watching quietly, slipped in and made a pit with a single gesture, leaving her stunned.
Then, seeing the droplet giggle at her reaction, she realized this child had a slightly mischievous personality.
Thaat was my fault for hiding it. Sorry.
Still, our droplet is kind at heart.
In any case, Termia finished her preparations and set out.
On the first attempt, she returned without finding the wolf.
On the second, when she actually encountered the wolf, her mind went blank, she forgot the plan, and she shot the bow. She hit the wolf's eye and drove it away, but she had to spend the day calming her startled heart.
On the third, the wolf, which had been waiting outside my territory while holding its breath, ambushed her. She hurriedly blocked with the mana shovel, but had to see the wolf's fangs right in front of her nose.
If the wolf, whose fangs had trembled after biting the wrong thing, hadn't seen the angry droplet and fled in terror, it would have been dangerous.
The girl realized that the mana shovel was extremely reliable.
The fourth time was......
She should be here by now.
I anxiously watched the edge of my territory.
Fallen leaves were stepped on, and the girl entered my vision. She was covered in blood, and there was even a scraped wound on her elbow, but it didn't seem to be the girl's own blood. The droplet followed, carrying the wolf's corpse.
Waaah.
"I caught it!"
The girl ran over with flushed cheeks.
—Did the pit trap finally succeed?
The blood-wet shovel was lifted high.
"I beat it to death!"
Wolf flesh gleamed.
Thaat's not why I gave it to you.
Still, catching it was a good thing.
Termia calmed her panting breath. Her hand wiped the blood from her face. Then she washed her face in the mass of water the droplet floated for her.
"Thank you."
Her gesture shook off the moisture.
"I came because I wanted to tell you first, so I'll go to the village now. Before it spoils, I should hand it over to someone experienced in butchering."
—Don't use fire. Turn it all into jerky.
"I'll do that."
Termia turned and walked away. She brushed the blood from her clothes and pushed through the thicket.
The girl arrived at the practice grounds, looked at the target board briefly, then continued onward.
Green trees and white stone markers filled my vision. Her steps reached a certain grave. Her gaze stayed on the stone marker for a while.
Her hand clenched tightly into a fist.
A moment later, her body turned, and her steps passed the stone marker.
Footprints continued all the way to the village.