Volume 5 Chapter 2 The Silence of the Silver Moon Village
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Sylvia pointed toward a towering wall of thorns that seemed to recoil from the forest trees. It was a dense, physical barricade of thick vines and jagged barbs, effectively sealing the path ahead. While a clean, pure aura emanated from the other side, the stench of decay still hung heavy in the air on our side.
”So, this is the wall protecting the Elf village?” I asked.
”Yes,” Sylvia replied with polite restraint. “It is a ‘Wall of Rejection,’1 woven from the roots of the World Tree and poisonous thorns. It serves as a natural fortress, physically blocking invaders and filtering out even the miasma.”
Sylvia stepped forward to the wall, pressed her finger to her lips, and emitted a high-pitched, bird-like trill. A signal, no doubt. A few moments later, a rustling sound echoed from behind the barrier, followed by the unmistakable sound of movement.
”Sylvia? Is that you? You made it back safely!” a young Elf shouted from behind the wall.
Part of the wall—a massive vine—groaned with a heavy, grinding noise as it was lifted, creating a gap just wide enough for a person to pass through. The face that appeared was a young Elf holding a bow. Behind him, I could see another Elf clutching a spear. It seemed this small group was responsible for guarding this sector.
”Yes, I have returned. Open the gate, please,” Sylvia requested, maintaining her composed, standard tone.
”Understood. Proceeding immediately,” the young guard replied, his voice clipped and procedural.
The young men worked the mechanism from the inside, causing the thorn wall to part further.
”Come, let us go,” Sylvia said, gesturing ahead. “Beyond this point lies our home, the ‘Village of the Silver Moon.’”
The moment I stepped through the opened gate, the world shifted. The oppressive, sticky humidity and the gut-wrenching rot vanished as if they had never existed. In their place, my lungs were filled with the crisp, cooling air of a mountain morning. I had entered a sanctuary of silence and beauty, completely severed from the rotting forest outside.
”…So this is the Elf village,” I muttered, taking it all in.
Looming ahead was a single, colossal tree that pierced the very clouds. Its trunk was wider than any skyscraper I had ever seen. The branches spread out like a canopy, blotting out the sky and dappling the village in gentle, filtered light.
”That is the ‘World Tree’… our mother,” Sylvia explained, her voice carrying a soft, sorrowful resonance. “The Village of the Silver Moon is cradled here, beneath its roots.”
We were led by the young gate guards down what appeared to be the village’s main street. I say ‘street,’ but it wasn’t paved. Thick, gnarled roots were intertwined to form a natural path.
All around, beautiful homes were built in symbiosis with the trees—some nestled in thick branches, others carved directly into the hollows of the roots. Warm, golden light spilled from windows, and unknown, radiant flowers bloomed in the eaves. It was the quintessential fantasy world.
But even within that beauty, I noticed a definitive “wrongness” gnawing at the edges.
”…It’s too quiet,” I observed, frowning.
There were plenty of houses. It was a settlement large enough for hundreds. Yet, there was almost no sound of daily life. No children running about, no chatter of a bustling community. The few Elves we passed were all uniformly beautiful, yet somehow… fragile. When they saw me, they would either gasp and duck into the shadows or whisper to each other from a distance.
”A human…” one whispered.
”Did he… break through the barrier?” another asked.
”Lady Sylvia is with him, though…” a third added.
The gazes directed at me weren’t filled with curiosity. They held “fear,” “caution,” and a deep, settled resignation. A dying village. It was the same atmosphere of stagnation I had seen in Japan, perhaps even worse. The younger generation was alarmingly absent, and the whole village felt like it was quietly drifting toward oblivion.
In the midst of this, I locked eyes with a young female Elf peeking out from behind a tree. She was small, and her face still held a childlike innocence. When she caught me looking, her face turned bright red, and she ducked away.
”Ho. Not bad. There are some cute ones here, too,” I said with a light, amused smirk.
”I am terribly sorry,” Sylvia apologized, her expression darkening slightly. “The village lacks vigor these days…”
”No, it is a quiet, pleasant place,” I replied. “Besides, the Mana concentration in the air is quite high.”
We continued walking toward a grander structure at the base of the World Tree—the Elder’s residence.
That was when it happened.
”――Halt!” a sharp voice commanded.
An armed group emerged from ahead. They were elites wearing armor that looked like polished bark, of far higher quality than the gate guards. About ten of them. They instantly spread out, surrounding us. Bows were drawn, and the tips were aimed directly at me.
”Wha… what are you doing! Lower your bows!” Sylvia screamed, stepping in front of me.
From the center of their formation, a man stepped forward. He was a tall Elf with long, golden hair tied back and a piercing gaze. A slim, ornate longsword hung at his hip.
”Sylvia. I am glad you returned safely,” the commander stated with formal, cold authority. “However… what is the meaning of bringing a human into the heart of the village?”
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Summary:
The protagonist enters the hidden Elven sanctuary through a magical thorn barrier, finding an eerily silent village struggling with decline. While he marvels at the majestic World Tree, the residents react with fear and hostility toward a human presence. The peaceful arrival is interrupted by an elite Elven guard commander demanding an explanation.
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Trivia:
The thorn wall, or ‘Wall of Rejection,’ is crafted from World Tree roots and poison thorns to filter out miasma.
The protagonist’s perception of ‘Mana concentration’ highlights his status as a Spirit King.
The village’s silence is contrasted with its large size, suggesting a demographic collapse.
The commander’s elite armor is distinct from the common gate guard equipment.
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Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Sylvia – Sylvia is a voluptuous, platinum-haired elf adventurer known as “Crimson Lotus.” Wielding a longsword and bow in a hooded green coat, this loyal Silver-rank warrior serves the Spirit King. Reverent toward the protagonist—from whom she received essence—she proudly guides them to her declining home village. She travels as Ryu’s servant, tutors John, and works with Nier as a protective companion.
• Man – A roughneck wearing a hat who participated in a group assault. He suffers the loss of his right arm and later his left arm during an experiment by the protagonist before being stored.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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