How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World[part1]

Chapter 181: Bait (2)

Council of Elders.

Boasting a history long enough to rightfully claim a place in the annals of Alvenheim, the political institution with a storied past. In any civilization, a 'leader' to guide the civilization forward is essential, most often taking the form of a 'king'. This king holds the duty and responsibility to ensure the people's more stable lives and the nation's robust growth against surrounding threats.

However, during the founding of Alvenheim, there was no 'king'. A king, by nature, reigns over the people with formidable power, a being to which ordinary citizens must look up. At that time, the Elves vehemently resisted being ruled by anyone due to their pride in being chosen by the gods. They believed that only the gods could govern them and thus decided to operate the nation under the guidance of their trust in the gods.

Consequently, the initial leaders were 'priests'. The clergy offered high-quality offerings to the gods and received their direct guidance, efficiently managing the nation. Despite some grumbling among the people of Alvenheim, life continued without issues.

Until the event of the 'Devil War', which led to some doubts about the gods' power.

Fortunately, having received the seed of the World Tree as a gift, the Elves managed to repel the threat, but they realized the potential danger. They understood that it might be too late to heed the gods' voices in the face of a similar crisis in the future.

They came to the realization that it should not be the gods, but the Elves themselves who must oversee Alvenheim's progress. This realization gave birth to the political institution known as the 'Council of Elders'.

At first, the elves were wary of being dominated by mortals rather than gods, but as time passed, that thought gradually faded. Furthermore, as is often the case with beginnings, the Council led Alvenheim wisely, with pure hearts and uncompromised beliefs. Among them were also the Dark Elves. In truth, one could say that this was the last true era of the elves.

However, power has a tendency to corrupt and decay as it grows stronger. The Council of Elders began to restrict other forces in order to secure their own interests. Dark Elves were a prime example. They were a convenient target for oppression due to their distinct ethnicity, skin color, and even the deity they worshiped. The result was the exile of the Dark Elves.

In a sense, the involvement of the Council of Elders in the exile of the Dark Elves was substantial. Externally, the religious disputes had escalated into madness, but the Council of Elders had ignited the fuse of that powder keg.

Subsequently, through divine intervention, the madness subsided, and the Council of Elders, in an attempt to hide the worst aspects, even erased records. Despite its inherent corruption, the political entity of the Council of Elders managed to persist instead of being dissolved.

The Dark Elf exile incident was a major event in itself, but it triggered a full-scale racial war, revealing the Council of Elders's corruption. They imprisoned even the capable warrior commanders who could have turned the tide of war, and led the nation to defeat.

What used to be silent discontent erupted all at once, causing an increase in demands for the dissolution of the Council of Elders and ultimately leading to the birth of the "monarch." Nevertheless, the Council of Elders managed to persist relentlessly.

The Council of Elders, merely by its existence, symbolized a part of Alvenheim's history, whether positive or negative. Erasing this symbol would be a significant loss for Alvenheim.

It can be said that elves, unlike other races, particularly dislike 'change'.

"Please, have a seat. Ah, is there anything you'd like to eat?"