I’ve Reincarnated into an Elf

“……What did you say?”

Irian muttered in a weary voice, as if his words were stuck in his throat.

To him, I responded just as sharply as he had to me.

“You mentioned that you’re the El Sentinel of this village. To attain that position, you must have not only the necessary abilities but also the trust of the village people, which has been built over centuries. So, I’ll ask you this: In all those centuries, how many times have you ventured outside the forest? Not for the purpose of conflict with enemies, but purely for interaction, perhaps even just for leisurely walks.”

Irian’s expression faltered in response to my question.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke with a bitter expression.

“…Never once.”

“That’s what I thought.”

I had expected it, but hearing the answer still made me smile bitterly.

“Of course not. We’ve only ever shouted about the First Era in words, never putting it into practice even once. Never. Do you understand what that means? Our elves have never considered interacting with other races, never seeking harmony with them, not even once. Why?”

Harmony.

A virtue highly regarded by elves.

But I believed there was something twisted about it.

The harmony the elves in this world practiced was simply adapting endlessly to others, never taking the initiative to find common ground or something that could harmonize with both parties.

True harmony implies a reciprocal act where both sides adapt to each other, but elven harmony was perpetually one-sided.

If the other party was friendly, they were too. If the other party was hostile, they were too.

Because of this, the current elves had distanced themselves from all other races, resulting in the stagnant “harmony” of the present.

“What kind of harmony is this? Damn it.”

I found myself cursing without even realizing it.

This wasn’t harmony; it was conformity, and a highly twisted form of it.

“Is this really what elves call harmony? What on earth turned this closed-mindedness into harmony for us? When did this flawed mindset take root in our way of thinking?”

My fist clenched involuntarily.

Due to this damn mindset, the elves had become hostile to other races or even whole continent. As a result this led to the elves’ first-ever destruction in the Race Wars. This clearly demonstrated that this way of thinking was nothing short of a cancerous and pathological mindset for the elves.

“I don’t want this. If you truly care about our race, you should break free from this kind of closed-mindedness and strive for true harmony. If this closed-mindedness is supposed to be the teachings of the forest, then fine. Maybe I’ve truly forgotten my identity, as you say.”

This is the true feeling I’ve been harboring in my heart all this time.

While playing the game and living a life reincarnated as an elf, I’ve contemplated the elven race countless times.

Is the way of life of my current race really the right one?

Was initial elimination in the Race Wars truly due to being pushed aside by the pure strength of the race?

I’ve thought about what went wrong every time, and as a result, I was able to find the answers that only I could conceive.

Something was wrong with the elves.

The teachings of the forest refer to the First Era and teach harmony with the world.

The beauty of that era when all races came together in harmony.

Harmony with the world.

Where can you see such a thing as elves now?

Why is there such closed-mindedness in their lives as they shout the forest’s oath, sing about harmony with the forest, and teach the spirit of the forest?

That’s why I became a heretic.

I expressed dissatisfaction with their way of life, and they walked through the village with unimaginable ideas.

Of course, their methods weren’t entirely right, which is probably why they were called heretics, but regardless, I didn’t agree with their ways.

“Many people scolded me for having the wrong mindset and labeled me a heretic. They asked why I defended them. They laughed, saying that I could have such rosy thoughts because I hadn’t fought them.”

To such people, I laughed at them back.

Battles with the Beastmen?

I’ve fought them to the point of trembling.

I’ve fought life-or-death battles with them, taking their lives to survive.

I’m not defending them.

I’m saying I’m not an idiot who mocks my own people and idolizes myself.

It simply didn’t sit right with me.

Because of that background, I accepted the company of Kelis and the others.

If I don’t like something, shouldn’t I try to change it myself?

──If the elves won’t take the first step, then I will.

First, let’s try to improve relations with the beastmen ourselves.

Even though they are a race on the brink of extinction, showing that I can befriend them first might change the minds of others.

Perhaps I could entertain such thoughts because I am a being who possesses both the memories of my past life as a “human” and an “elf” at the same time.

I have no intention of denying that.

But isn’t it possible that I’m not in the wrong?

I’m just an elf with a flexible way of thinking.

That’s right.

It’s nothing more than a “flexible way of thinking”.

“Irian, I will befriend them. Next, the orcs. And after that, the werewolves. I’ll focus on befriending the races near this forest first. I’ll show them that what the elves call harmony isn’t just ‘harmony for the forest’. You are wrong! The harmony we should achieve is not one-sided harmony or harmony for the sake of isolation.”

Harmony is not conformity.

I wanted to tell them that.

“…That’s, well…”

Irian’s eyes, having heard all my words, held a strange enthusiasm.

“…Orcs tried to kill you. Just two days ago, you almost died at their hands. And yet, you’re saying you’ll befriend them.”

“And I also killed them. While their invasion was the first move, I was their enemy even before that. If we can make them abandon their ambition to invade the World Tree, we can all become friends.”

This process won’t be easy.

The fact that the World Tree could become an egg yolk for them was no empty statement.

Although there are beings, including Dark Elves and a few human kingdoms, who display such a bizarre desire towards the World Tree to the point of irrationality, the races located near this forest do not have such a strong desire for the World Tree. They settled here simply because being nearby has its advantages, and now, through a long history of who knows who started first, the accumulated grudges have made everyone hostile to each other.

“Perhaps we should consider making concessions. In order to achieve true harmony with them.”

“What… Are you saying we should let those savage races into the World Tree?”

This time, Irian, who was not in a debating mood but purely enraged by my words, spoke with an angry voice.

“The First Era. True harmony. Elves who proclaim these but ironically seal themselves off as if the World Tree were their possession, never sharing the mission to protect the continent with anyone else. Irian. Is the World Tree our property?”

“Eldmir! The World Tree is not an object!”

Irian shouted in an angry voice, but I responded with an even calmer tone.

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to convey. Yes, the World Tree is not an object. Therefore, it should not be the exclusive subject of our protection, and continuing with this system could eventually lead to the true enemy of the World Tree, which all of us might face without help. It’s something we can’t defend on our own.”

The elves’ isolation in order to protect the World Tree had become poison.

They had turned the entire continent against them, and as a result, they ultimately perished without anyone’s help.

“How long do you think we can protect this forest on our own? Can we keep holding on? Think about it. What if someday the Dark Elves are ready to reveal their sinister plot and invade the World Tree? What if there’s a massive invasion by the orcs who will cry out the blessings of Kha’Varan for vengeance against our hostility? After surviving that, what’s next? And after that? How long can we keep relying solely on our own strength?”

“…That’s…”

Irian had an expression as if he had never thought about it.

It’s understandable that he was tongue-tied.

But that’s the norm.

Who could have predicted the future of the Race Wars?

Who could have foreseen the sudden resurrection of the ancient evil dragon from myth?

Who…..

No one could have anticipated the fall of the elves.

That’s why only I can say this.

“Irian, we need to break free from this stifling isolation. It’s not about me being right. It’s about finding a solution, and at least the answer I’ve found lies with those children.”

“…Anyway, they are a race on the brink of extinction. Even if we show them kindness, it may not be of any help to our race…”

At his words, I couldn’t help but erupt in frustration.

“Come on, Irian! Did you even listen to me properly? Do you understand why I want to help those kids? It’s not about making them into tools to break our elven isolation. It’s because I genuinely want to help them! When did I say I’d use other races to turn them into guards of the World Tree? Achieving harmony with them doesn’t mean turning them into soldiers! It means coexisting with them!”

“…I apologize. I’ve once again been rude.”

“Don’t twist my words and misunderstand me. Such thinking is poison to the elves. I’m talking about finding another path by making concessions and compromises with them to achieve harmony. Even if we can’t go as far as coexistence, we might be able to reach a non-aggression pact.”

There’s no guarantee that we can even create an opportunity to talk to them in the first place. Just as the elves consider them as enemies, they also consider the elves as enemies. Hoping for coexistence from the start is an overly optimistic perspective.

I let out a deep sigh.

I didn’t expect Irian to fully comprehend my words.

I’ve said before that the ideologies of this era are overly primitive.

It was by no means an exaggeration.

Enlightenment was nonexistent in their ideologies; they were beings who had the intellectual level of infants, simply repeating speaking, listening, writing, and learning by themselves.

“Irian, I hope you can understand my words. Truly.”

“To be honest, I couldn’t fully grasp everything. It’s probably because I still lack knowledge.”

“No, I don’t blame you. …I wasn’t called a heretic for nothing.”

With a bitter smile and self-deprecation, Irian lowered his head.

“No, I realized it when you shouted just now. Your ideology is… profound. It’s the answer that only those who genuinely worry about the future of us elves and look back on our existence can reach. I can only admire how you could think that far.”

His gaze contained sincerity.

He was telling the truth.

He had the same intense fervor as before.

It was a gaze filled with a desire akin to longing.

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. Until now, I’ve been a foolish creature enslaved by personal grudges, unable to truly grasp the teachings of El Lyradelle. It’s you. Only you have understood and acted upon the true meaning of El Lyradelle, the teachings of the forest.”

He stood up abruptly, his voice filled with excitement.

“When I first met you, didn’t you say that you were the model of all elves? That statement wasn’t wrong! You were the true savior who would guide all elves on the right path!”

“Uh… Isn’t that a bit over the top?”

“Not at all!”

With a thud, he slammed both his hands on the table.

The sound echoed loudly in the room to the extent that I wanted to ask if his palms were okay.

Suddenly, Irian transformed into quite a burdened person.

His pupils were filled with what could only be described as reverence.

“Eldmir! I want to hold a festival in your honor. I want to spread your words not only to all the elves in this village but even to the ‘El Rele’ elves!”

‘El Rele’ refers to the village located at the heart of the forest.

In essence, it signifies a village that directly protects the World Tree.

“No, don’t overdo it, please. I appreciate the sentiment, but I hope the process unfolds gradually. Rushing too much might do more harm than good.”

If ideologies change at an excessively fast pace, there might be resistance and rejection of those changes. Well, I’m not a real philosopher or anything, how can I be sure of that, but I’m just thinking of potential scenarios.

“Um. Well… Thank you for thinking that way. Really. You’re the first one who has empathized with my ideologies to this extent.”

Honestly, it was unexpected.

I had expected Eilian to misunderstand my beliefs and call me heresy like Istein and the other elves in the village.

But when he showed such support and empathy for my thoughts, I couldn’t help but feel both surprised and delighted.

As I awkwardly smiled and scratched my cheek, I heard a soft voice from beside us.

“You never really said all this in the first place. How could he empathize with something you never said?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Oh boy, my mother is upset again.