Chapter 35: 35 – Picking Up

Picking Up

 

After waking up early and heading towards town with Elder in a painful silence we finally arrive at the gates. I get showered with looks of pity and even a few glares. It's been a few weeks since I’ve been in town and I know most of the people here but no one is calling out to me. I'm surprised that everyone seems to know what's going on already. I get enraged thinking that this girl came to town to tell on me for yelling at her, my fear at what was to come now warping into anger.

 

Finally we made our way to the Central Elders house. Southern Elder knocks on the door. Central Elder's wife opens the door and looks at me with a gentle eyes.

 

“I’ll take you to him.” She leads us through their house, while walking she says to me. “It seems you're not fully repentant for your actions. I hope you can treat Yui a little better next time. That girl has quite a few special circumstances.” It seemed my face was still showing my earlier feelings, before I could reply we arrived at the Dining Room, Central Elder is sitting at the end of the table having tea and looking over some documents.

 

“Thanks for coming. Have a seat.” He puts down his papers and arranges them out of the way. After we sit down on the side of the table he starts talking. “I have heard your side of the story from the Southern Elder. Is there anything you want to say before we continue?”

 

“No. I feel my actions need no explaining. Although I feel annoyed that she came to complain so soon after our interaction.” I see the Elder face twitch a little from my statement, maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. 

 

“I understand. Well taking everything into consideration, I have decided your punishment.” He hands me a Magic Bag. “You are hereby exiled from living in any elf village.” Exile!?!? For telling off a stupid girl!? I’m about to get up to complain before I’m cut off “Settle down. I said living in any village you can visit anytime and you're not barred from staying for a few days or so. In return you are given a mission.” I settled down a little. “You are now assigned to be the Child of the World's guardian while she resides in our territory and temporary guide when she decides to move on. You shall be at her side constantly unless she asks for privacy.”

 

“Do you want me to spy on her for you or something?” This gets me a glare from both Elders.

 

“Listen here. I don't know what preconceptions you have about her but I can promise you they are wrong. You said she complained about you to us? She didn't, she didn’t even mention your interaction to us. As a matter of fact, if you ignore all of the actual important stuff, she has been a boon to our territory since she arrived. She has killed the most Humans since arriving and handed over just as many. She has killed many of the aggressive monsters nearby and has even performed quite a few errands without asking for a reward. Although we haven't been treating her as one, She is an honored guest of ours. People are even asking if we are going to accept her as one of us. The problem is that she has the mind of an extremely intelligent newborn. The only things she has learnt is what she has experienced in her limited life and information from a high leveled appraisal skill. She has been wary of people in her life so she hasn't spent much time with others, even now she prefers to live on her own. We need someone to stay with her and teach her common sense.”

 

What the hell. Damn, I keep forgetting how quickly she wiped out those Humans and captured their Leader. Now that I think about it, she did carry the Leader on her shoulder while flying with me in one hand. She is pretty amazing. 

 

“Now I want you to collect her and bring her here so we can get her to tell her side of the story.”

 

“You haven’t talked to her yet?”

 

“Yesterday we saw her fly over our settlement and land in the World Tree. She hasn't come out since. We had to do our own investigation to figure out what happened. Now come.” He stands up and leaves the room. I’m still in shock at the turn of events but I get up and follow him whenever I slow down I get a shove from the Southern Elder. He’s always been gentle with everyone so it comes as a shock. I get the feeling they are not telling me everything but he did leave enough clues to imply that she is more than an honored guest. Eventually we make it to the World Tree. Aaah. It’s been too long, Grand Spirit. I put my hands together in prayer but get another push from the Elder.

 

“Your punishment starts now. Go collect Yui and bring her to me.” I tilt my head. Silence. I gingerly point towards the top.

 

“Up there?”

 

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“Indeed.”

 

“No way!!! I can't climb that high! Not on my own!!” We all hear some creaking and see the smooth surface of the World Tree change and it seems a few tiny protrusions have come out of the World Tree. 

 

“It seems the Grand Spirit has agreed with your punishment. No worries, if you fall we will be sure to soften the blow.” Soften? Not stop me from falling but soften the blow. You bastards! I know you are good enough at magic to save me. I sigh and accept my fate. It's true that the Grand Spirit has agreed with my punishment. I could ignore the Elders easily enough but I don’t think I could deny the World Trees will. I start climbing on the small protrusions the Grand Spirit has granted me and start heading up.

 

It's been a few hours and I have finally reached the top. The Grand spirit didn’t lead me straight up though. It seemed to make me climb in various directions that didn't matter at all. It seems I truly am being punished by the Grand Spirit. I am finally fully repenting my actions. I stand up and wipe my sweat, casting a cleaning spell while I’m at it. I look around but don't see anyone amongst the large branches. I start half walking, half climbing around the crown of the World Tree. Eventually the branches begin to make way and lead me somewhere. Thank you Grand Spirit. Eventually I walk into a rather open area and see that girl curled up in what looks like a mass of branches. She is hugging a branch and it seems that several branches are embracing her back. When I approach the branches fold away from her except the branch that she is holding. I sigh again. She truly is loved by the Grand Spirit. I tap her shoulder.

 

“Yui. It's time to get up.” With a flash of movement that I don't understand, I am suddenly standing stiff with a knife to my throat. “I’m sorry! I was sent by the Elders!” After a few seconds of silence she pulls away from me. She puffs her cheeks and looks over her shoulders.

 

“You didn't have to hide her presence! I wouldn’t have scared her if I woke up when I sensed her.” The branches rustle and she blushes. “Stop it! I don't sleep that much because I don't need to! And stop messing with my Alarm!!” A branch bends over and pokes her face. “Stop it.” She pushes it away. Eventually I step in.

 

“Excuse me.” Her face drops any expression and she backs a little away from me.

 

“Did you come to get loud at me again? Call me more names?” Names?

 

“No. I came here because the Elder wants to speak to you.”

 

“Fine.” She spreads her wings and the branches covering us open up. Right when she is about to take off I call out to her. 

 

“Wait! Can you take me with you?”

 

“I thought you didn't like flying?”

 

“It’s not that. Its-” I get cut off as branches grow in between us. I hear her take off and sigh. I go turn around but lose my footing as a hole opens up underneath me. I scream for a little before I calm down and it seems that I am sliding down a hole in the World Tree. It seems that it is creating it as it goes since I can see things changing ahead of me. Right when I start to enjoy the ride a turn comes up and then I am ejected from the tree. I roll for a few meters before coming to a stop in a rather ungraceful position with my face in the dirt and my butt in the air.

 

“Interesting way to come down.” I look up to see that Yui has landed next to me. I sigh for the hundredth time today.