As everyone approaches, Orion licks my face while Sakura and Nix just give me a friendly pat on the back.
"How are you, master?" (Ragnar)
"To my surprise, I'm doing really well, I actually feel refreshed." (I)
"Of course he's fine, he stood still for a week doing nothing, we were the ones who had to fight..." (Layla)
"Even you don't believe what you're saying, so don't interrupt." (Sakura)
Layla as usual can't be honest with the things she says, but her expression always tells the truth, maybe it's because Fairies aren't a race known for lying.
"Your body looks fine." (Nix)
"Your Aura is normal, your presence is also a little stronger." (Orion)
"That's because he's been leveling up with the monsters we've killed." (Ragnar)
What Ragnar says reminds me that I didn't confirm my status in much detail, so I open my status and notice a change, I had reached the maximum level, besides that, I remembered that I haven't changed jobs in a while, but that's because I have avoided getting into battles.
I had forgotten that even if I don't fight directly, my Familiars still count as a part of me, meaning I get a share of the EXP from the monsters they kill.
"(I'll think about a job later, I'm more worried about my level, I didn't want to evolve while I'm still on this continent, I don't know if it's safe because of the energy density of that continent.)" (I)
"What's the problem?" (Hinata)
"From the look on his face, you must have seen that he's about to evolve again." (Nix)
"Doesn't he realize how fast his evolutions are compared to others?" (Sakura)
"Perks of being the child of a Goddess." (Ragnar)
"I think I would like to have one of those barriers to growth now." (I)
"Hasn't anyone told you yet?" (Nix)
"How to seal the experience by creating a barrier to growth on yourself." (Nix)
"Is there such a thing?" (I)
"I thought Diana or Irina had taught him that." (Ragnar)
"I didn't know about that either." (Sakura)
"Me either." (Hinata)
"Neither do I, now let go of my leg, my blood is going to my head." (Layla)
Layla lets go of my hand and sits cross-legged on top of my head, I follow the others to where the Elf Queen Lolth was watching us from a distance and greet her who was crying seeing the World Tree as if paralyzed.
My greeting seems to wake her from her momentary daze and she would hug me crying saying "thank you" over and over again, but her strength nearly crushed all my bones.
I didn't want to worry anyone, but the truth is, my body and energy may be fine, but my mind is beyond exhausted, all these days under the pressure of the World Tree and with energies in chaos around me, not to mention I have to use my power to save Silvia.
All this took a toll on me, I think if I blink my eyes I'll probably fall unconscious for a few days.
On the way to the village, Orion threw me on his back while Nix in his great Dragon form took the egg containing Silvia.
On the way Ragnar explains to me how to avoid evolving or leveling up, the truth is that since I haven't slept or sat down to meditate trying to integrate this EXP inside me, my level hasn't actually gone up yet.
It seems like all I need to do is accumulate this formless and ethereal energy of EXP in one place inside me and keep it sealed with my vitality, this can only be kept inside my body, besides being temporary, but it will serve to avoid evolve for now.
When we passed through the village, we saw that there was no village left, everything was destroyed, not a single tree was left behind, and even the ground was scarred by battle.
I was surprised to see all this destruction, but around the World Tree, it was much worse.
In the village I was hugged from behind before realizing it by Kira, soon she tells me everything that happened here, so we go near the gate where the Elves fought, everything was in chaos there, there were thousands of people seriously injured, in addition to a large number of bodies lined up with cloths covering the body, were the corpses of those who died during the battle, it seems hundreds died.
But before taking care of the corpses there were still more things to be done, the worst part of the Monster Wave had passed, but there were still many monsters loose in the Poison Forest that emerged from the Monster Wave.
After going to where the Dungeon people had fought under the command of Ivan, Diana, and the others, I could confirm that we had fewer deaths than the Elves, everyone welcomed me, but Erica and Diana hugged me with worried faces, and Vanessa also seemed being worried, I think they realized something was wrong, Ibuki was the one who gave me a hug and slept in my arms, she must have tried really hard.
For three days we focused on rebuilding the village's defenses as a priority, after which the Elves held a funeral service for their dead and we did the same for our own.
During those three days, I refused to sleep because I knew the result of it, I knew I would be sleeping for days and there were still many things I needed to do, the most important being the funeral ceremony where we pray for the dead.
I received a lot of thanks from the Elves, but I also noticed that many among those called by the Elves to help looked at me suspiciously, some even looked with hatred, maybe they blame me or those next to me for something, but for their own good I hope they stay quiet or meet their own deaths.
On the third day, the World Tree that had been quiet all this time lights up and soon flowers and trees started to grow everywhere hiding the destruction caused by the Wave of Monsters.
That night the Elf Queen Lolth herself came to me telling me about her coronation taking place in a few hours, it seems that the World Tree Spirit appeared before her forming a bond with her as her representative.
The coronation that will take place will only serve to make official what all the Elves in this place have already chosen to accept, they all adore the Elf Queen Lolth.
The coronation only had me, my group, the elders of this village's Elf council, and the most important people in the village, the coronation was the Tree Spirit appearing to deliver a crown made from its branches to the Elf Queen Lolth.