Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 129

Chapter 129: White Elves and the False Creator
  “In conclusion, the forest people on the surface have enough leeway to hope for the revival of their race. There are various possibilities that remain out of reach for the white elves bound by the “Soul Pact,” even if they struggle.”
  
  Fau Homunculus, sneering with a hint of self-deprecation, looked up at the vast sky with her small body, trying to hide the strong envy that surfaced in her intelligent eyes.
  
  But it was only for a moment. There was no trace of lingering emotion in her gaze when she turned back.
  
  『Compared to other kin, the erosion of my soul is shallow. Therefore, I don’t have much interest in the ape-men. However, there are many of my brethren who make the same choice as the twins you have employed……』
  
  Perhaps it’s a spirit of hating their enemies. Or maybe because they are a race that has a long lifespan in exchange for weak reproductive abilities. It seems that most tribes haven’t forgotten their long-held grudges against the “Hour of Ruin” that caused the collapse of the prehistoric civilization.
  
  Although they are a very small number, the survivors who were lucky enough to not suffer from injuries or illnesses have risen to the rank of elders and seem to be operating mainly in the eastern countries where Nina Valer’s support is weak due to geographical factors.
  
  『The knights developed by the desert countries are also single-seater types, similar to “Mechanical Dolls.” Reports from the scouts indicate that a considerable number of my brethren have been coming and going to the workshops in various cities.』
  
  『If the active involvement of the elves is true, wouldn’t one or two of the rumors that the traveling merchants have heard reach the Knight Kingdom?』
  
  When I didn’t accept the given information at face value and presented a minor question, the slightly perplexed artificial spirit closed her eyes and focused her consciousness on sensory sharing for a few seconds.
  
  『As far as I can read from Mia’s surface memory, it seems the twins didn’t hide their bamboo-shaped ears.』
  『Rather, were they able to camouflage them?』
  
  『Oh, umm, when we snuck into the workshop to examine the Clawsolas, we got so excited about Bel-chan that we were caught with our ears out. So, we thought it was fine.』
  
  At that time, it was the period when we were starting the development of the domestically produced Clawsolas, Svel. I remember being apprehended by the Tsukigase siblings who were in command of the security forces and being subjected to a public parade through the castle as punishment.
  
  When I went there with Blaze, the Chief Magician, after receiving a report from the guards, I found the bamboo-eared twins on the verge of tears from Dino’s intimidation, and I had a hard time trying to appease and persuade them.
  
  『It’s nostalgic now, how we were suddenly given cookies in the interrogation room.』
  『You, were you actually a sweet tooth…? You’re a cute one, unlike your appearance.』
  
  『No, those were for feeding Revia, not me.』
  『Well, putting that aside, it’s easy for us to play the role of your magic-adept ape-men.』
  
  Indeed, if Fau’s replica, who had been in charge of Clawsolas development under the late Marquis of Rigsia for over a year and a half, says so, it probably wasn’t an exaggeration.
  
  Naturally, even though she has the isolated ability to stand at the top of the forest people, the White Queen wouldn’t act alone. Information was also disclosed that many of her kin, such as the maids she fought directly, were active within the city.
  
  『At best, you can solidify the core of power with those you can trust. For the sake of me and my brethren, you must overcome the Divine Hammer.』
  
  『Can you overcome the “Hour of Ruin” while being on the defensive?』
  『Unfortunately… It seems the ape-men are favored by the Consciousness Collective that pretends to be the Creator.』
  
  If the existence she spat out with such disgust was the root cause of the Aberrations, then I couldn’t feel even the slightest bit of goodwill, considering we were facing the crisis of civilizational collapse.
  
  When I cast a skeptical glance at the silver-haired, snow-skinned artificial spirit floating in the void, she looked back at me with a serious expression.
  
  『The era of the white elves was even more fierce. Despite being a more fragile and immature race than us, the fact that they are still holding their own means that the oracle and the fighting power given to them are not balanced.』
  
  『Are they being shown mercy…? That’s a heavy burden.』
  『But there’s also the reality that the damage has been kept to a minimum.』
  
  Mia, who should have already had some conversations with her during the pre-activation check, also chimed in. She timidly suggested that, whatever the intentions behind it, we should act in a way that prevents a catastrophic collapse.
  
  I wanted to respect the opinions of the elves who had once had the prosperity of their own race overturned. But I couldn’t wholeheartedly agree with their passive stance, and I was at a loss for words.
  
  『Don’t we even have a one in ten thousand chance of winning?』
  
  『Even I can’t see the bottom of the False God’s intentions, nor can I read their thoughts. Is it a game seeking pleasure, or does it have a clear purpose? However, I can make a few guesses. Do you want to hear them?”
  
  Suppressing the suspicion that the replica was created for this very purpose, I nodded and focused on the hypotheses she began to explain with a smug air.
  
  According to the little queen, judging from the few contacts made through the spiritual world and what she had gleaned from intelligent beings of other races leading the Aberration army, it was highly likely that the Consciousness Collective was attempting to “alter the planet’s environment and ecosystem.”
  
  『We spent many years arranging the vegetation and greening the land that the crude Giant Tribe had ravaged. After that, we were treated as if we were no longer needed and were driven out… I suppose we were in the way of the next race that was to prosper.』
  
  Sighing and lamenting, the lady’s theory wasn’t far off the mark. If we were being forced to participate in this grand and annoying experiment, with this planet as its sandbox, it was truly infuriating.
  
  Moreover, it was hard to believe that the False Creator would sacrifice its own world. The thought that it had likely come all the way from an unknown parallel world’s Earth only added to my despair.