****(POV)

That's when I feel some wind behind me. It is also when I understand that there were not 12 woodcutters, but 13. Sorry mother, it seems I won't ever find our brethren…

I was full of hopes and dreams, but it seems this journey of mine will end here. Never will I find Yggdrasil, never will I…

"Wait! She's human!"

A girl's voice interrupts. I can feel the cold steel of the axe digging into my neck, it hurts! But then it suddenly stops. Just the tip, that's all that penetrated my flesh. Behind me, I can hear the grunts of the man and feel his warm breath on my neck.

"What?! She's not some kind of magical moving tree camouflaging as a human?!"

What is that even supposed to mean? I stay completely immobile. That's when he simply yanks his axe out. I feel faint, but then the girl that saved me approaches and bandages my wound. My whole back is drenched, this is the first time in my life I brush so closely with death.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yes."

Just answering that took all I had.

"It's understandable for you to be shaken. This must really be a first for you, am I right? Sorry about all that, they seem pretty dangerous but they are in fact harmless to humans."

What's with that "to humans" specification? She clearly knows how destructive they can be towards forests! Why?! I need to know!

"What was that all about? Why are they causing so much deforestation on their path?! Just why?"

"Well, it's hard to explain, it's-"

Then one of the rough-looking men comes nearby, suddenly interrupting.

"What are you talking about?! It's extremely easy to explain! We are woodcutters so we cut wood!"

"Exactly, at first it was just a job but now we are proud of our work!"

"Yes, someone showed us that there is no shame in doing such a task."

"*Nod nod* One day we will find the biggest tree in the world and take it down!"

"This is our resolve. We do not cut wood for money, fame, or power. No! We are nobler than that! We simply cut wood because it is our calling!"

"Indeed, we will keep doing so until we are as proficient at it as our mentor!"

As I hear that, I can't help but shudder. There is no way I am ever telling them about Yggdrasil! This is madness. What is the purpose behind such a thing? What kind of madman taught them too?! Then the girl takes control of the conversation back, shooing them away.

"Anyway, what is a middle-aged lady like you doing traveling all alone? Such a thing is dangerous nowadays, well it always was."

I blank out for a second. I'm so used to being a young woman (by elf standards) hiding behind an old woman's appearance. Then I remember the current physique I should have in her eyes. I need to calm down.

"I am looking for my family and my birthplace."

"Oh wow, where is it? Where are they?"

"That's the thing. I don't know. My mother is already gone. I never knew my father either. I'll keep journeying until I find clues."

"Wait, so how are you even going to search? With their name or something?"

I bring the necklace my mother gave me out. On it, there is a small branch engraving with exactly 7 leaves. It certainly has a meaning, but it is one unknown to me. All that matters is that it will help me find them.

"Is that a family keepsake?"

I simply nod. Before sighing.

"Actually, I know myself how hard the task will be. I can only hope to get lucky. Initially, that's why I didn't even want to attempt the journey, but then an amazing young man convinced me. That's the only reason I left Eaglevein."

"Wait! You were in Eaglevein too?! I used to work in a bakery there! We were a relatively small business, but we had some truly delicious pies. Well, the people would mostly come for our tables to be honest. They were made by an amazing woodworker, an old lady with legendary skills. Ever heard of her?"

*Choke* Yes, I heard. In fact, I believe I am this very same granny she is talking about. There is no way the usual me would have done something as banal as furniture for a bakery but there was one exception.

This is crazy how small the world is. She knows the man that convinced me to begin this journey of mine in the first place.

"Say, how is he? I mean the young baker that owned the place. That young ordinary-looking guy without common sense is the only one I can picture owning such priceless treasures."

"Let me see, he's probably fine? Last I saw him he was eating deadly poison, was selling some too, had just destroyed an entire branch of the Purity sect, and was pretty much wanted by the whole city. Then he simply escaped. Oh yeah, later I heard rumors about his death but he's probably just lying low somewhere cooking questionable stuff.

"What?!"

Poison? Sect destruction? Wanted? Dying?! What the Hell has he been doing since I left the city?! Also, how is she saying all that with a straight face?! Any single of these points would warrant extreme surprise and bafflement.

"Haha, you'll get used to it. Let's just say I've seen stuff even crazier than that while working for him. More accurately I've seen his nonchalance to anything anyone else would consider life-threatening. I've also seen him panic at seemingly common tasks. Reacting every time is a waste of energy."

"Just to be sure that we have the same guy, shall we describe him at the same time?!"

She nods. 1..2…3

*Both describing the most boring sounding possible human ever*

We can't help but smile, but that's when a lumberjack comes nearby with a huge smile on his face.

"You guys! You guys actually know our mentor! That's great!"

"So he can cook too? As expected of him!"

"He can eat and sell poison? He really is a talented man."

"We already knew he can fight! Remember how he went to destroy the whole taming association that one time?"

"Ah, didn't he spare them in the end?"

"Well yeah, but still."

"No matter, he remains the best woodcutter of all time and that's all that matters!"

"You are so right, brother!"

What is happening?! They too know him?! Wait, their crazy mentor is THAT guy?! I can't help but be taken aback. Somehow this man inspired all of us to find Yggdrasil but for very different reasons. I need to ask before it's too late.

"Say, won't you guys stop this crazy cutting madness? You can still train without actually pointlessly taking down trees and..."

"NO WAY!!!" (x13)

"Now, if you'll excuse us we'll go back to training."

I'm left at a loss with the girl. She sighs while looking at me with pity.

"It's impossible to convince them with logic once they get like that, just give up."

If it's impossible with logic, I'll just have to become stronger than them right? Looking at them go in front of the trees doing acrobatics and emanating a violent aura of pure destruction I can't help but think that this will be extremely challenging.

But there is no way an elf can tolerate such crime...