The world tree that the elves hold sacred is a legendary entity, revered as a symbol of life, wisdom, and divine connection.
It is said to have existed since the dawn of time, its roots delving deep into the earth and its branches stretching to touch the heavens.
Among the elves, it is not merely a tree but a living deity, an embodiment of their heritage and spiritual connection with nature.
...It said that only choosen few Elf have chance to see the world tree itself in glory.
So there's no way a human could see the world in person.
... Well that's how it's supposed to be.
'My life is big lie.'
Hadean thought with blank expression on his face.
Hadean thought as human being he would never get to see the world tree in his life before.
But turned out that is not the case.
Why? Because right at this very moment Hadean was at World tree.
In his whole he was being disillusioned by elven race.
...And now that disillusione comes to end with reality in front of him.
"Come on! Yeah that's it, you can do it! Let's go!"
"Slimefighters! You're too strong!"
The beautiful elves who surrounded the legendary world tree, which was not legend anymore in Hadean eyes, were spewing out screams that seemed to like drunken person shouting for more alcohol!
It's truly... Unrealistic secen in Hadean eyes but what can he even do? The reality was in front of him like open book.
And that's not all, In the midst of all the carnage, the most shocking sight of all was the headmistress of the school, the most beautiful of the elves, holding the snail's pole of the snail race, waving it around and screaming.
"Look! Look! Fleetslime is ahead of evryone! He's good!"
Hadean rolled his eyes at the ugliness.
'Why the hell am I here....?'
Thirty minutes ago.
"Well, Hadean, speaking of which, shall we go see him? He's about to start."
"What? What are we going to see?"
"The slime race."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I thought you were interested in slime racing?"
That's how he got pulled into the warp.
Hadean, who was pressing his brows to relieve his headache, grabbed the headmaster.
"Headmaster."
"Yes, that's it! You can do it"
"Principal!"
"What are you doing, don't let go...! Are you teacher Hadean?"
"Yes, this is Mr. Hadean, the human teacher you dragged into this madness."
The headmistress turned her head slightly, her radiant elven features glowing in the light of the World Tree, but the aura of grace was undercut by her frenzied enthusiasm. She blinked at Hadean, as though just realizing he was standing there.
"Oh! Mr. Hadean! Have you come to cheer for Fleetslime too?" she asked, waving the snail pole as if it were a scepter.
Hadean closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. 'Stay calm, stay calm', he repeated to himself.
"No, Headmistress, I'm here because you insisted. May I remind you, I am a human. A guest in your land. And yet, here I am, surrounded by what I can only describe as... an elven circus."
The headmistress giggled, entirely missing his tone. "Oh, come now! Don't be so stiff, Hadean! Isn't this just delightful? Look at the energy! The spirit! This is what life is about!"
Hadean glanced around again. Elves, typically depicted in human stories as serene and majestic beings, were yelling and chanting as though their lives depended on it. Some had painted their faces with symbols of their favorite slime racers. Others waved leafy banners.
He stared back at the headmistress, her composure shattered by the sheer chaos.
"Headmistress, I have a very important question."
"Yes?"
"I know that race is started and those Slimes were moving upword at world tree but I don't see any flag or anything saying when would this race ending, So I wanted to ask when would this race end?"
"Oh? That's what you want?"
I nodded my head towards her and at silence response she pointed her finger upward...In sky, and said.
"The race would end when one of those Slimes would reach the peak of the world tree."
"Peak of world tree...?" Muttering under my breath, I also tried look at world tree peak.
The top of the world tree was covered in clouds.
"Huh."
"I~ am happy!"
"Haha!"
"Fleetslime is happy!"
"Hahahahaha!"
I finally broke down and laughed.
The absurdity of the situation hit Hadean like a wave, and he found himself chuckling uncontrollably. The headmistress, ever oblivious to the irony, took his laughter as a sign of shared enthusiasm.
"See? Even you're getting into the spirit of it!" she said with a grin, twirling the snail pole like a baton.
Hadean wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "No, Headmistress. I'm laughing because I realize now that my life is a series of increasingly ridiculous events, and this... this slime race to the peak of the World Tree is the pinnacle of them all."
The headmistress gave him a puzzled look but quickly shrugged, turning her attention back to the chaotic race.
"Come on, Fleetslime! Don't let them catch up!"
Hadean sighed and turned to the elf who had dragged him into this mess. She was fun of her life at this very moment.
'Well look's someone is happy but what about me?'
Hadean crossed his arms, his gaze drifting between the cheering crowd of elves and the sluggish slimes crawling ever so slowly upward along the colossal World Tree. The elves were in complete rapture, their once-impeccable poise replaced by uninhibited revelry.
He muttered to himself, "How did it come to this? A human, standing at the base of a sacred relic, watching a slime race no human ever thought could exist."