The Possessor Mistook the Genre for 20 Years

19 – The Elf’s Revenge (4)

In front of numerous elves, Hera pronounced the death sentence.

“If anyone has any objections, speak now. I will listen.”

Everyone had confused expressions, but no one could open their mouth.

Betraying the elves was the same as betraying the Great Forest and the World Tree.

It was a denial of the elves’ noble mission and their ancient history.

So it was only natural that the traitors who committed such acts were sentenced to death.

“It seems there are no objections, so we will proceed.”

At Hera’s signal, several elves stepped forward.

They were the patrol elves who had joined on the way.

They each tied Harris and Sarah with the ropes they were holding.

“It’s all lies!! That traitor is trying to frame me!!”

Harris shouted something to the elves, but they just turned their heads away.

Then, an elf suddenly rushed towards Harris.

With a clenched fist.

The patrol elves tried to stop him, but he struggled to reach Harris.

To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that the patrol elves subtly let him go.

Whack-!

He punched Harris in the face.

“You, you sold our daughter!! Why on earth!!”

“Th-that woman is responsible for everything….”

“Isn’t the evidence! The witnesses! All clear!! Or are you still mocking our daughter who became a slave?! After selling her off with your own hands?!”

That was the beginning.

The elves, who had hesitated at the word ‘execution,’ began to turn towards Harris and Sarah one by one.

What followed was a brutal revenge.

No one could stop it anymore, and the patrol just watched from a distance.

At that moment, Hera approached Franz and spoke.

“Franz, will you release the captives? We’ll handle the rest.”

“Alright.”

Franz released the minions he had trapped in a transparent sphere.

They immediately tried to flee without looking back.

Of course, Hera wouldn’t just let that happen.

Roots rose from the ground and wrapped around them, preventing their escape.

“I-I only did what Harris told me to do…!”

“Me too! It’s all his fault!”

Unable to escape any longer, they offered feeble excuses.

They struggled desperately to survive.

Hera looked at them coldly and spoke.

“I know everything.”

“Th-then….”

“So what changes? If someone orders you to do it, does that absolve you of guilt? In the end, it was your choice to follow.”

The verdict did not change.

Eventually, Harris, Sarah, and the five minions were dragged before the World Tree.

And there, the execution began.

Hera drew her sword and shouted.

“I will judge those who have lost the noble will of the World Tree.”

The elves executed in front of the World Tree because of such a tradition.

All life returns to the embrace of the World Tree upon death, symbolizing a return to nature.

“Death is not death; it is a return to the embrace of nature. So please, reflect on your sins in the embrace of the World Tree and become a righteous soul.”

Hera recited a kind of prayer and raised her sword high.

And then, thud-.

Thud-.

Thud-.

The heads of the sinners fell one by one to the ground.

Red blood flowed down, seeping into the earth.

In the long run, their bodies would also become nourishment for the World Tree.

The elves bowed their heads in silent prayer at the sight.

As if it were a sacred ritual.

Franz was merely watching it all.

Honestly, it was impossible to empathize with their actions.

Eventually, all the executions were over, and Hera’s speech began.

“Fellow kin, to be honest, I still vividly remember. The looks you gave me, the murmuring voices. But I will forget it all after this moment. You were also victims who were deceived.”

Franz looked at Hera and sighed in relief inwardly.

It seemed she had somehow avoided the path of becoming a villainess.

‘Still, it would have been okay to vent her anger at least once.’

Hera must have been upset too.

Considering she was destined to become a villainess, how could she not be?

‘But well…’

It was Hera’s matter, after all, and he had no choice but to respect her decision.

That was the answer she had come up with.

“Lastly, regarding the position of chieftain, I will temporarily take on the role.”

Temporary…?

Countless question marks popped up in Franz’s mind.

In this kind of situation, wouldn’t it be normal to just take on the role of chieftain?

Other elves seemed to have similar thoughts, as voices began to emerge from here and there.

Scratching her head awkwardly at their words, Hera said,

“It’s difficult to explain the reason, but there’s something I must do.”

Hera’s gaze slowly turned to Franz.

At that moment, Franz realized.

The reason Hera was temporarily taking on the role of chieftain was because of her promise to become a slave.

‘I did make a promise, but….’

Honestly, it didn’t matter if he broke it.

No, rather, Franz was hoping to break it.

After all, having an elf slave was against the law.

Even if it wasn’t discovered, he had no desire to keep a slave.

He had hands and feet, so why would he need a slave?

While Franz was deep in such serious contemplation, Hera’s speech ended.

Numerous elves began to return one by one with complex and subtle expressions.

In the midst of this, a few elves approached Franz.

“Um… thank you so much for saving our daughter.”

“No, I just helped Hera. Thank her instead.”

“Still, thank you.”

Elves never incur debts, only give….

For some reason, Hera’s words came to mind at that moment.

Even to the humans they so despised, they expressed gratitude.

Soon, the elves left his side, and as if to take their place, Hera approached.

“Franz, thank you so much for this. If it weren’t for you, I would have given up again.”

“It’s fine. Well, I’m glad it worked out.”

It was truly fortunate that both the elves’ problem and the villainess’s problem were resolved.

Only, there was still one important issue left.

“Franz, about that promise… could you wait until the elves are a bit more stable?”

“You don’t have to keep it. The elves need you. Just become the chieftain…”

“Franz, are you saying you don’t even want an elf slave like me by your side?”

The life gradually faded from Hera’s eyes.

At the same time, a familiar translucent display appeared before Franz’s eyes.

＜Warning!＞

＜Elf Archer Hera’s emotions are running wild! Neglecting this could negatively impact the outcome!＞

Why on earth is this real….

Franz stared blankly at the notification window before cautiously asking.

“Hera, why are you so obsessed with being a slave?”

“First, it’s to repay the debt I owe you. Even if it’s not a common elf, an elf who has made a pact with the Spirit King should have some value. And the second is…”

The second is…?

Hera hesitated for a moment, then scratched her head awkwardly.

“I want to do it. Just like you showed me kindness. But since I have nothing to give you, I’m trying to do at least this.”

“If that’s the case, next time you need help…”

“If you really, really don’t need it, I’ll have no choice but to give up…”

A shadow fell over Hera’s face.

What kind of grace is it that makes her go this far?

‘I should accept it.’

Taking in an elf slave and the destruction of the world.

When weighing the two, the latter is obviously heavier.

“Do as you wish. Let me know if you change your mind at any time.”

“Really…! I’m glad I can repay the favor. Oh, it might be a bit confusing, but would you like to have a meal? If you liked the meat mushroom stew you made, I’m sure you’ll like our food.”

Hera’s expression brightened.

Just by allowing her to become a slave.

‘This is crazy…’

An elf obsessed with being a slave, I’ve never heard of such a thing.

* * * * *

Time passed and it was already evening.

“Franz, are you sure it’s okay to leave at this hour? You can stay for a day…”

“It’s fine. The other elves are uncomfortable.”

“Hmm…, I understand. If you say so, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll write you a letter next time.”

“Yes, see you next time.”

After a brief farewell with Hera, Franz set off for the magic tower.

He was finally returning after completing his dispatch.

Franz’s figure, using teleportation, flickered and reappeared repeatedly.

After a while, a towering magic tower stood before Franz’s eyes.

‘Let’s see…’

Franz looked at the guide window as he headed towards the top floor of the magic tower.

＜Elf Archer Hera 20.00%＞

A whopping 20 percent.

It was twice the amount of the saintess.

Of course, the amount of work done was almost double as well, but seeing it confirmed in numbers brought a new sense of joy.

‘But what exactly is this?’

Helping with a lot of work makes it go up, and fighting makes it go down.

I have no idea what this percentage really means.

‘Well, it must be something good.’

Thinking so, Franz quickened his steps.

And soon, he arrived at the top floor of the magic tower.

But the light in the tower master’s room was brightly lit.

As if someone was inside.

‘Could it be Arian?’

But they had hired a clerk recently, so Arian’s workload should have decreased.

With a sense of curiosity, Franz slowly stepped forward and soon heard a strange sound.

“Franz, ah, no…. Not anymore….”

…?

It was definitely Arian’s voice.

But what on earth is this…?