"2 + 2 = ?"
"4!"
"5 + 10 = ?"
"15!"
The fifteen-year-old children answered the calculations confidently, instinctively after two years of education.
"I'm happy... Knowing how to calculate is usually reserved for nobles and high-ranking merchants. To say that our children can have the same chance as the elites is truly a blessing."
Clever turned to me, shedding tears.
Contrary to his previously childlike demeanor, he began to show a more mature side for his age.
Clever, soon to be thirty, had become the de facto mayor by my choice.
We built a two-story building with sturdy foundations and a meeting room that could accommodate a hundred people.
Enough to gather the entire population of Tree City. By the way, Tree City was the name of the village I had chosen.
Moreover, large quantities of potatoes were stored in the warehouses, the pale skin had become a bad memory, and only smiles remained.
At this rate, it would be possible to trade with other villages, right?
"How is communication with the other villages progressing?"
"It's difficult..."
"They refuse our potatoes? Ha. Of course, potatoes with a bad reputation aren't very beneficial to our brand."
"Brand? No, it's not that. Rather than saying they refuse, they've simply disappeared."
Disappeared? Vanished?
Roan, Clever's second-in-command at the head of Tree City, scratched his head. He handed over a map of the region with crossed-out marks around our position.
"Originally, we built this village here to avoid repercussions from the elven race against us. There were also four other villages. We originally formed a single group, which facilitated exchanges."
Roan paused.
"...However, as you know, we were invaded by the elves. Most are dead, and the villages have been destroyed."
Yeah.
In the end, the answer was that it was impossible to trade our surplus foodstuffs with other humans.
Trade with the elves?
According to our information, an elven kingdom was on the outskirts of our lands. However, it wasn't an optional choice; they would kill us all if they knew we had survived.
"But there exists a certain human kingdom that coexists with other kingdoms to the north." This was the first time he had heard this information.
"A human kingdom? They should be persecuted, right? How do the other kingdoms tolerate them?"
Imagine persecuting blacks as slaves, then suddenly learning that the surrounding countries allowed a country governed by blacks, whom you had previously labeled as an inferior race?
"They manage to survive thanks to a fragile alliance between the elves, beastmen, and orcs. They serve as a neutral zone."
'Ah, yeah.' A neutral zone in name, but in reality, it was just an intermediate area in case of major conflict between races.
The royalty in this kingdom must always be on alert.
"If I remember correctly, every year they face food shortages due to trade restrictions, causing thousands of deaths."
Roan was trying to remember.
"These are coordinated policies with other races to weaken the human kingdom. Even though they're aware of it, they can't stand up to one race, let alone three." I thought.
A typical strategy to create a buffer zone while keeping their power in check.
"Well, let's send merchants to the human kingdom. I'd like to see the landscapes of another place."
"See?"
Instead of responding, showing actions would be more useful. I dropped a branch on the ground and asked him to pick it up.
"Look? As long as one of my branches is in your hands, I can stay in contact even kilometers away."
A bit like Bluetooth.
Following the exchange, we finalized our plans, Roan set off on a mission with other villagers, including two promising boys to become qualified merchants.
Roan, before being persecuted by the elves, was a merchant from the human kingdom.
According to his information, merchants were organized by a continental body like the Merchant Alliance.
They provided certificates divided into several categories:
honorary merchants, qualified merchants, apprentice merchants, and unqualified merchants.
Roan, having retained an apprentice merchant status, had access to certain rights, such as opening shops in stalls and a guaranteed sales certificate.
Unqualified merchants had difficulty finding clientele due to their status.
As not having a status meant selling poor quality goods or worse, being a scammer.
He also thought that the Merchant Alliance could manipulate certificates behind the scenes to eliminate competition...
Well, that's just unfounded speculation.
The human kingdom was located to the north, precisely in a valley with 3 entrances. Elves to the east, beastmen to the west and orcs to the south.
We were close to the east; Roan would certainly arrive in a month at the kingdom.
Transportation in this world was backward; we built carts, but it was insufficient.
Maybe I should develop mobile cars... Launching an industrial era in this world wouldn't be a bad idea.
It would be amusing to see the reaction of the people in this world when faced with railways puffing out thick black smoke.
But that would have to wait for another time.
The current situation demanded focus on the present obstacles.
It's often said that focusing on too many things drastically reduces efficiency.
That's precisely why assembly line work was promoted as an unparalleled system at least when you ignore the psychological toll.
"What is this?"
「Heat Resistance」
「Enhanced Hardness」
Meanwhile, I continued eating various fruits and vegetables I came across.
Whenever villagers found toxic plants or ones with unique traits, I would take them and eat them. It had become a habit whenever I was focused on writing.
Thanks to that, I'd gained quite a bit of resistance.
Heat resistance was particularly appealing. If you asked someone about the biggest threat to a tree, they'd probably say a lumberjack. How many trees have they wiped out?
However, fire has always been the top danger. It was the one true weakness of a tree. If a forest fire broke out, it was practically a death sentence.
Even if firefighters were called, they had only try to contain the flames and protect human settlements. And for trees, well… They'd burn to ashes.
That's how fire became the ultimate enemy of trees.
Back to reality.
Where was I again?
"Divine Tree?"
Suddenly, I heard Roan's voice in my head.
Since the branch worked like a phone, the 'bluetooth' kept us linked through thoughts. Such a convenient function in a world without the internet.
I sighed nostalgically.
It reminded me of the first time I had to explain the device's function and all the logic behind it to Roan, a native of this world.
I've always been amazed by the achievements of humanity. The development of the Internet is truly a miracle born of chance.
"Stop right there! This area is under elven jurisdiction! Show us your goods."
"S-sir! These are just food supplies, I beg you!"
"Oh? Food supplies? Without prior request to the Elven Security Guard? You must be a traitor! Arrest him!"
"No!! Forgive me! I'm sorry!"
A merchant transporting nothing but grain in his cart was tied up and dragged into a dimly lit barracks.
Judging by people's reactions, this was a common sight. The man's pale face showed he was already imagining the countless tortures that awaited him.
"Why did he bring food? Tsk. Didn't he know that food transport is strictly controlled by foreign powers?"
"I thought he had a plan since he came so confidently, but he's just an idiot who thought he could walk in like he owned the place. Must be an outlander from beyond the kingdom."
"Outlanders" was the nickname given to humans living outside the kingdom.
There were no other human nations besides the one and only human kingdom. A persistent rumor said that humans beyond the walls were uneducated and no better than beasts.
These were words repeated by other races and slowly implanted into human minds, shaped by racial dominance.
It was clearly intentional.
"What should we do..."
Roan stood at the guard post with his two companions. They should probably turn back.
"Hey! Stop and show us your goods!"
However, one elven guard who had been watching them from the beginning didn't let them leave.
Judging by his smile, he was certain he had found prey…
As Roan imagined being tortured to death by elves, the elf who opened their cart showed a conflicted expression.
"What's wrong?" asked his colleague.
He stepped closer and tilted his head.
"Oh? They're transporting Orus?"
Orus appeared to be the official name for the yellow vegetable. "Should we let these merchants through?" the elf wondered aloud.
Instead of finding crates full of food, they simply found vegetables filled with toxins capable of killing a human with a single bite.
Roan stepped forward carefully.
"Mr. Elf! We're not transporting food! We're here to sell inedible produce to ignorant villagers…"
Roan was just repeating my words.
The elf who checked the cargo rubbed his chin. "Alright then, you may pass."
Roan quickly left.
"Wait."
He stopped as if frozen.
I also stopped breathing.
Was he going to change his mind?
He approached slowly.
The elf whispered in his ear, "Don't forget to give it to lots of people. Especially the children, alright?" He smiled from ear to ear.
Roan nodded mechanically.
"Hey you over there! Show me your goods! It's food, isn't it?" As if that interested him more, he went off to bother another innocent merchant.
He was probably thinking that bringing toxic vegetables would benefit the elves.
Citizens dying in agony after eating what they thought was food? How entertaining.
Tsk. Wicked elves.
At first, like any average reincarnated, I thought elves were welcoming and warm-hearted, but they are just jerks. Who did they inherit that personality from?