On another battlefield, Hemris the red hair of Wylderkeep is critically mapping the set-up borders against the monsters of the Dark Forest.
With hundreds of Einherjars under his commands, Hemris makes sure to not make a mistake too aware of the critical eyes watching out for him... with vague intentions.
"Guardian Hemris," His aide calls to him from the partially opened flaps of the tent. "The Einherjars are retreating to the borders as you instructed. They are also leaving substantial traps and trenches to impede the monsters."
Hemris nods to his aide.
"Good," He gives his aide a light compliment, while he raises the map he has been busy with for the past few days. "We clear this area. Cut trees from here to here. We need to build a wall. However, the designs must be something that stone walls can acclimate to with ease. So that we don't waste our resources."
Hemris gives the map he has drawn to his aide as the basis of the wall-building project.
"You do that, while I talk with the fairies and arrange the military units for fighting the monsters."
Hemris leaves the aide to his own and walks in a direction in mind. He already has the battle plan in his mind.
"It is time we return to our roots."
For the first time, the profession of Hunters will be elevated. The occupation of a 'Hunter' has a long history to it, however, it has not seen a level of improvement since who knows when.
To successfully defend the wide rear of the Elf Kingdom, where most of the Dark Forest's resources are yet to be tapped, Hemris must make innovations.
Hemris stands on a podium and looks at the gathered hunters. It is a small assembly as there are meagerly less than fifty who gather in front of him.
"Please be comfortable."
They are all Einherjars and Hunters by profession. What makes them special is that each and every one of them has 80 years of life experience as a hunter and more than 5 years of job experience as an Einherjar.
They are true veterans to the core.
"Greetings, Einherjars. I know you lot don't like me much but as a Guardian Tree, it is my great responsibility to defend our nation from threats."
It has become common knowledge that Hemris is a Guardian Tree. After instating him on the temp job, the princess makes sure for the elves to learn his standing.
This is because he has no official post. The name 'Gatekeeper' of Wyldergard doesn't really sound appealing and commanding, especially for someone who is tasked to defend the Elf Kingdom from monster threats.
"The monsters go to places for many reasons. To hunt for food, to migrate, or to spread their population."
Hemris has done his research, and while the Einherjars might already know this, he is only saying this so that he can make a point.
"Our tactics in invading the Dark Forest were simple. We push through while others develop behind us. We do not actively defend. We merely exterminate the monsters in front of us. However, that will not work now given the lesser number of elves in our ranks."
Hemris raises his fist to emphasize his point.
"We need to change that."
Hemris knows the only solution right now is to rely on their assets. For a long time, the elves engage in hunting for a daily leaving. Beasts and monsters are not so different in behavior... that they are both mindless... that they re not self-conscious.
"The hunters shall lead a team of a dozen and hunt in certain areas. This will only be temporary. The hunter teams will hunt the high-priority monsters to reduce risk. While at it, we shall optimize the number of elves required to hunt the various specific monsters in the Dark Forest."
Hemris takes out a book from his satchel and explains what it is.
"These are the Academy of the Hunts' records of monsters of the Dark Forest. It has names of monsters, their paintings, and a few descriptors however this are not enough."
Hemris waves the book in the air and flips the pages inside to see the assorted monsters that the Einherjars have hunted.
He gives the book to the nearest Einherjar for him to skim. "Have the others take a look at it," Hemris adds.
Hemris waits for the crowd to skim the book and quiet down. It seems they are not aware of the Academy of the Hunts' record keeping. From the accounts of a few Einherjars, personnel from the Academy of the Hunt visits the Dark Forest Frontlines quarterly a year to investigate the monsters and record them.
After learning this, Hemris immediately sets off to acquire a copy of these records.
"The information inside this book is not enough. For this, your inputs are of grave importance— habits, traits, physical characteristics, weakness, recommended actions when fighting, the recommended number of elves to confront and etcetera."
The Einherjars raptly listen to his words, and understanding dawns on them of the merits of this book.
However, the work that requires its completion is enormous.
"Do not fear the work, but fear the danger. Each elf is as important as the other. There will be safe areas that the fairies will be building around the hunting grounds where you can bail out if things get tougher. Moreover, there will be nests in the hunting grounds too that have storage of supplies, and sentries who can help as reinforcement with their ballistae."
There are so many things to do. Hemris did not even have the necessary ballistae yet, not to mention talking with the fairies. In his mind, he needs to take care of the harder matters more.
Talking to the fairies looks like an easier task than talking to the hunters. Moreover, the issue with the ballistae is simply logistical matters.
"I trust that you already have a team tomorrow morning. Now, dismiss!"
At their dismissal, Hemris sets off to meet with the fairies. He is feeling good as his words are able to persuasively get through the hunters. This way, he might improve his 'standing' with the subordinate elves under him.
The title 'Guardian Tree' does give him power over them with the standing it carries. But Hemris prefers it if the people he is working with are more comfortable with him, thus his 'persuasion' of the Einherjars who once have been hunters.
His feat should also spread by tomorrow morning.
Arriving at the quarters of the fairies, Hemris cannot help but be speechless. The fairies are either drunk with honey, dreamily sleeping, or playing with random stuff.
Hemris frowns at the sight of the fairy swimming in a mug of coffee.
"Hello? Miss Jam?" He addresses the fairy swimming in coffee.
The representative fairy flies in a zigzag with explosive speed thanks to her overflowing energy. "YO~ HELLO THERE! HOW ARE YOU DOING? DO WE START THE JOB? WANNA BE MY HUBBY? HOW IS LIFE TREATING YOU? LET'S MAKE BABIES. YIPEE-KA-KEY. I AM SO FULL OF ENERGY. I FEEL SO ALIVE. HEY, WHY ARE YOU TALKING SO SLOWLY? HEY. HEY. HEY."
"..."
Hemris has no words for her as he forgets what he is even here for.
"AH~! OK. I UNDERSTAND. THE WARDS, RIGHT? WE FAIRIES ONLY NEED A DAY TO WARD THIS PLACE. I SAW THE AREA YOU WANT US TO WARD. THAT WILL TAKE A YEAR! A YEAR!"
Jam the fairy talks so fast Hemris can hardly keep up, but he understands the gst of it.
"A year? Is there a way to speed it up?"
"NO. ACTUALLY, IT WILL BE SLOWER, BECAUSE FAIRIES ARE GENERALLY LAZY..."
"...what?" Hemris asks in disbelief.
And here Hemris thinks that the elves are the only race with laziness.
"I MEAN WE FAIRIES LIKE TO PLAY AND FOOL AROUND. WE ARE NOT REALLY LAZY TO THE CORE. ELVES CAN BE LAZIER THAN US. JUST SAYING. FAIRIES ARE AN IRRESPONSIBLE BUNCH. JUST THINK OF ME AS THE MORE RESPONSIBLE ONE. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO INCREASE WORKFORCE AND INCREASE INCENTIVES."
Hemris feels a strong headache at the little fairy's demands.
In the end, he agrees.
"HONEY! MILK! CHEESE! CAKES! SWEETS!"
"Yes, Miss Jam... we will monthly supply the fairies with a dozen crates of these goods... four crates of honey... four crates of milk... four crates of cheesecakes..." Suddenly, Hemris feels like he is cheating the fairies as he recalls that these races are too small in terms of their physical aspect.
A dozen crates of sweet goods does not mean anything big to them.