In the dawn of the next morning, I'm crossing the mountain range on the back of the black dragon.
I want to ride on a dragon just once.
Coming out of the sea of clouds, I overlook the dwelling of the black dragon on the highest peak, and we pass the mountain range. The morning sun shines on the [Sea of Trees]. It's a forest that continues on to the horizon.
And then, at the center of the forest faraway, there's the thread that extends to the sky which I can always see ever since we've entered the duchy territory. Mia has told me the true nature of that thread.
The world tree.
However, it doesn't look like one no matter how I look at it.
If anything, it looks like nothing but an orbital elevator. Was this not a fantasy world but an SF?
"What's wrong, my kindred-spirit, Kuro. Do you find the world tree unusual?"
The Kuro that the black dragon refers to is me.
This is something that happened during the drinking bout, by the black dragon's request, I gave him a name, Heiron. He had intended to ask for a name when someone that could equal him appeared. Looks like dragons don't have habit to give inherent name among them.
Maybe because I was nanashi (nameless), I've also acquired the name Kuro from the black dragon Heiron. About this Kuro name.
From what I was told, it was the name of a child that the black dragon raised on whim 900 years ago. Since this name is pronounced with definite Japanese language, that child might have been a reincarnated person. It seems he doesn't remember the child's race nor hair color. Even the name Kuro seemed to have resurfaced like a flash from the corner of his memory.
Going back to the main subject (leaving that aside), it's about the world tree right now.
"Yeah, I'm thinking just how far it's extending."
"That continues on to the void. I don't know how many days it'll take even with my wings."
Is that so, dragons can fly to the space huh.
It must not have anything to do with aerodynamic.
Since I'm outside the duchy territory, I use the [All Map Exploration] after a long time.
The forest before my eyes is really [Bornean Forest]. However, although it's certainly written that the forest is on the neighborhood of the duchy in the traveler's journal, I wish the distance was also written. It's no wonder that the person who's written the traveler's journal doesn't have a description for Bornean Forest.
The place where the world tree is located is in another map, yet the area of these sea of trees are a little wider than the duchy territory. Merely thousands of elves live in such vast area. And then, about 10.000 fairykins beside the elves are living in small villages scattered on the edges of the sea of trees.
"I'd like to take you to the world tree, but the high elf hag will be noisy then. When I got close to it back in the day, thunder cloud descended upon me, and half of my top scales were torn. I was in pain for 100 years until it was time for shedding. Therefore Kuro, you too should only get close around here."
I see, so the defense mechanism of the elves can repel dragons huh, amazing.
I should contact Mia's parents with [Telephone] and have them come pick us up after we've crossed the mountains.
I sure want to meet a high elf once.