This transpired when the four Kobolds led by the jade-eyed Elf were making their way south to the Ancient Forest… In Elfast, the Royal Capital of the Elf Country “Grove of the Village Shrine”, hundreds of Black Elves were gathering in one of the city squares.

“Why did they kill Minister Marcus!? The man only wished for peace! Are we not allowed to freely express our opinions anymore!?”

In the crowd, Gregor, who led this demonstration, shouts out. The dark-skinned, silver-haired, sharp-eyed Black Elf is surrounded by his allies which were reform extremists.

“Brothers, I would like you to consider this. More than half of the Elves living in the Royal Capital are people like us, the Black Elves! So why are they keeping us from joining the political assembly!?”

“That’s right!!”

“That’s tyranny!!”

In response to his call, several voices arose from the crowd. Several of his companions who were mixed into the crowd shouted to incite the people, but… Gregor’s words were not entirely false.

Of the 12,000 people living in the Royal Capital, approximately 7,000 of them belonged to the Black Elf clan, while the remaining population was composed of around 3,000 Bronze Elves, and about 2,000 White Elves. Apart from the Royal Capital, the population ratios were almost the same for the other 3 cities.

“Certainly, it’s true that we are unable to control the World Tree’s life force. However, must we continue to follow the rule of the White Elves forever to continue receiving the Tree’s blessings? That makes us no better than livestock!! We have to stand up for ourselves somewhere along the way! We’ve earned that right!!”

“OOOOOOOOOOU!!”

Gradually, Gregor’s speech became more and more passionate, and the crowd was drawn in by it.

“Just like I told you before, everyone gathered here will march up to the castle to express their sentiments! There is power in numbers; follow me!!”

“Count me in!”

“For the sake of our Black brethren!!”

Dozens of his companions who were blending into the crowd raised their spirits and called out to the other Black Elves around them. Originally a gathering for those who questioned the dominance of the White Elves, hundreds of Black Elves gradually began to march towards the castle…

“Ugh, I smell trouble brewing…”

The Bronze Elf Apothecary Mira commented as she quickly glanced from her window and watched the Black Elves make a commotion with their marching.

… The Elves’ cities were designed with the World Tree at its center, surrounded by the White Elves’ quarters on the inner ring, followed by the Bronze Elves’ residential area, and lastly, the Black Elves’ territory.

In other words, if the Black Elves were heading to the castle, then they were sure to pass through the Bronze Elves’ quarters. And if a riot breaks out between the White and Black Elves, then the Bronze Elves’ area would get caught up in the mayhem.

“Looks like the Guild Master was right when he told us to stay out of it… In case of an emergency,  maybe we should also think of evacuation routes too.”

As she moved her long ears which peeked from her blue hair, she took out a map of the surrounding underground tunnels and studied it with a serious look on her face. In the first place, they were Production Elves so as long as they were able to freely create things, then that was all that mattered.

That’s why she was so upset at the fact that her childhood friend was imprisoned because he was accused of making things.

Like Mira, most of the Bronze Elves in the area had also closed their windows and shutters and were quietly waiting for the protesters to pass through, but…

Hundreds of Black Elves led by Gregor had just stepped into the Black Elves’ residential area and were being pushed back by the armed White Elven guards.

“You guys should back off peacefully!!”

“This behavior is getting out of hand!!”

“Why? We just want to make a petition to the Queen!!”

“That’s right!! Get out of the way!!”

While the leader of the advancing Black Elves and the White Elven Guards were struggling with each other, a fist unexpectedly flew out to the guards’ side.

“Gaah, y-you bastard!!”

The beaten guard reflexively fights back against the Black Elf man who was about to strike him again, but the man who was struck back cries out immediately,

“One of the guards just hit me! Do not let the guards harm the people!!”

“What!?”

“Is this how you White Elves deal with things!?”

“Are we just like livestock to you people!?”

Similar voices were raised elsewhere, and shouts of rage were exchanged between the Black Elves and the guards who were trying to push each other back.

Additionally, those who were mixed in with the crowd and attacked the guards, and those who agitated the people with their radical statements were all reform extremists who had received instructions from Gregor. They were trying to divide and create a confrontation between the mainstream conservative White Elves and the mainstream reformist Black Elves.

(… We outnumber them by far. Right now it’s just a little skirmish, but if the spark grows and a conflict erupts, then we can beat those White Elves! I’m going to teach those White Elf bastards a lesson for looking down on us!!)

Gregor, who had kept on adding fuel to the fire and who was also behind the attack on the General Assembly, secretly smiled in the midst of the crowd.

Aside from being blessed with a good physique and excellent hunting skills, Gregor was also highly respected within the Black Elves’ Clan… That’s why he did not want himself to be limited by what he could do just because of the color of his skin.

(I can’t just stand here and let the minority do as they please! Managing the World Tree? I’d like to see them try to threaten us by force!!)

Additionally, some White Elves belonging to the reformist moderates questioned the imposition of equality based on skin color, but… Gregor also intended to dispose of them once his goals were accomplished.

And to that end, he needs to increase the number of Black Elves he could mobilize in protests and also recruit more reform extremists who would follow him.

With the idea of freedom and equality gradually becoming more and more prevalent, so does the gap between the status quo and the dissatisfaction caused by it grow day by day, allowing him to gradually grow in power…