Chapter 414 – Part Two
Compared to humanity's great metropolises, this grand swamp was beyond comparison in sheer vastness.
The waters, though stagnant, were so clear that the bottom could be seen plainly, and the air, which should have been damp, was instead crisp and refreshing.
He lifted his head toward the sky.
At an immeasurable height, upon tree trunks so massive they could engulf castles within their girth, countless wooden structures clung irregularly.
Stairs, ladders, vines, planks, and wooden bridges twisted together in a labyrinth, yet the residents moved through them with practiced ease.
Buuuuung—
Off to one side, spirits, each ranked Platinum by adventurer guild standards for subjugation difficulty, frolicked in groups, playing as if in jest with young Elves.
'I've seen the World Tree of the past through Karans's memories before, but… this is the first time here.'
The place overflowed with Elves.
Truly, it was a cradle for their race.
Karans made the introduction.
"This is the sanctuary of the Elves, the 'Forest of Life'. What do you think?"
"…It's mysterious, and deeply comforting."
At Verden's heartfelt words, Karans nodded as though it were natural.
"The Forest of Life is filled with magic power purified by the Great Mother. To a brother who possesses pure magic power, it must feel all the more cozy. More so than even to us Elves."
From an Elven perspective, Karans judged Verden to be an Elf.
Race unknown.
Though he had become a Quasi-Transcendent, shedding humanity in body alone…
'I suppose I'm the exception.'
If other transcendent Mages had been treated as Elves in this way, Karans would already have mentioned similar cases.
"But brother, who are those?"
"They are my companions, who share my purpose."
"As expected. Surely, as those chosen by you, they are far from ordinary."
Karans turned his head slightly, glancing past his shoulder at the two.
"The human has formed a bond with the Merquien sisters, while that other, abnormal one's magic power… it is similar to yours, yet tainted. Ambiguous, but from an Elven view, she could be considered a sister."
Sister?
"Merquien despises her, saying she is like a twisted, corrupted World Tree though."
"The Merquien sisters are extreme, even among us. Especially toward beings far from purity, they keep a greater distance than they do from humans."
Indeed, these past days, Merquien quarreled often with Adrian, yet rarely spoke at all to Isabella.
'So it wasn't all Elves, only Merquien herself.'
The common notion was that Elves were absolute collectivists.
Thus he had assumed their dispositions hardly differed, yet up close, each proved more diverse.
"Karans, those two won't be attacked in the Great Forest, will they?"
"Elves do not forget grace. To invite you into the Great Forest was a decision of the race, a gesture of repayment. Though your companions were not on the invitation list, the World Tree's administrators have already acknowledged them and permitted entry into the Forest of Life."
Karans declared firmly.
"So rest assured, nothing of the sort you worry will occur. We are not treacherous humans who betray even our kin."
Elves kept their promises no matter what.
His voice brimmed with the pride of his race. And as for his disparagement of humans—it was grounded in fact, leaving no room for rebuttal.
'Not that I intended to argue anyway.'
Verden had never once felt belonging to any race.
What concerned him was elsewhere.
'The World Tree's administrators granted permission to enter, he said…'
Adrian and Isabella's companionship must have been permitted directly by the World Tree.
Yet what Karans understood was different.
Feeling the inconsistency, Verden glanced at Merquien. She secretly shook her head.
She was concealing the will of the World Tree.
But why?
At that moment, the Elves who had been watching from a distance began to approach.
No hostility in their manner.
Each gaze upon Verden shimmered with the surge of nature's magic power.
"Greetings, unfamiliar brother."
A cautious Elven woman extended her hand and clasped Verden's.
She gasped.
"I… truly feel magic power akin to the Great Mother's… just as Karans said."
"No human could possess such pure magic power. Perhaps this brother is not an Elf, but part of the World Tree itself…!"
"A human with the Great Mother's blessing, unheard of, yet it makes sense. Then should we not call him the Great Father instead?"
"That, we must consult the administrators of the World Tree. Until then, it is proper to call him the Great Brother."
"Welcome, Great Brother, to the Great Forest."
"I want to, I want to shake hands too!"
Suddenly, it turned into a handshake gathering.
Elves crowded earnestly around Verden, their gazes filled with reverence, admiration, and respect. It was rather burdensome.
Isabella, too, faced a similar situation.
"Strange, though her magic is tainted, still a trace of the World Tree's purity can be felt… blasphemous, yet alluring."
"Like an Elf whose inner self has been corrupted by filth. From now on, I shall call this sister the Wicked Sister."
"Wicked Sister! Come play with us!"
"…Master, they keep calling me wicked, am I supposed to like this?"
Somehow, Isabella was… popular among the younger Elves.
At the very least, she wasn't rejected.
As Karans said, she was treated as a sister.
And Adrian…
'He's being ignored.'
The Elves didn't even glance his way.
He wasn't treated as an enemy—since he was invited—but neither would they show him warmth.
"Pfft."
"…"
As Merquien mocked him, Adrian's hand brushed the hilt of his sword, face expressionless. Was it better to be ridiculed, or to be utterly ignored?
Verden couldn't tell.
"Karans, what's next on the agenda?"
Verden's purpose was to speak with the World Tree, yet Merquien demanded secrecy.
For now, it must remain hidden.
"Traditionally, invited guests cannot remain in the Great Forest for more than four days. But for the reward prepared for you, five days are required, so this time an exception was made."
"Also by the judgment of the World Tree's administrators?"
"Yes."
Too convenient to be mere kindness.
At the very least, it proved the administrators knew the World Tree's will.
"And what is this reward?"
"I cannot reveal it beforehand… but recall what I told you when we parted from the Eastern Kingdom. That when you visited the Great Forest, a satisfying gift would await. I assure you, there will be no disappointment."
Karans swore.
As a Guardian Elf, he was not one to speak frivolously. Surely, it was something extraordinary.
"I look forward to it."
"Haha, please do. Then, until the 'Fruition' begins five days from now, spend your time freely, and rest well in the Great Forest…"
Karans added belatedly.
"Oh, and my elder sister will soon visit you. She said she wishes to thank you for rescuing me and avenging the Elves in human lands… you'll likely meet her within three days."
His sister—one of the World Tree's administrators—'Serendia.'
He had glimpsed her memory when searching through Karans's mind for Leonil's hidden laboratory.
'It's intentional.'
A meeting with Serendia would surely lead to contact with the World Tree itself.
Exactly what he wanted.
Verden nodded in understanding.
***
Verden's party stayed at an Elven mansion tucked away in a corner of the Forest of Life.
It was quiet, being far from the dwellings of other Elves. The structure, built solely of wood and plants, was spotless, without a single insect.
It had two stories and was spacious enough that three people and one mini golem lacked for nothing.
"But why are you all gathered in my room?"
"Because it's comfortable?"
"We thought our lord might feel lonely, so we came."
Isabella lay sprawled on the bed, leisurely reading through a notebook filled with theories Verden had taught her.
Adrian sat on the floor, tending to the demonic sword, Cadence, while Alpha busied himself roaming about and performing [Scan].
Verden, watching them, leaned his weight back against a slanted chair.
"Five days… Alpha won't be bored, since he's curious about every twig and chip. Isabella and I can study magic proficiency and theory. Adrian, do you have something in mind?"
"With the Great Forest's conditions so favorable, I thought I might attempt deep meditation."
"I see. What do you think about sparring with the Elves? From the looks of it, besides Merquien, there are others who seem strong."
Though inner cultivation was necessary for a warrior of high attainment, sparring with an opponent unlike any he had ever faced would surely be of even greater value.
"Well, I doubt conversation is even possible, since I'm human. If I had your assistance, Master, a spar could happen, but I wouldn't want to trouble you for that."
Isabella cut in.
"You're more cautious than I thought. As expected of one of the former Central Continent's Four."
"I know what Elves are like. But, what was your first impression of me?"
"When I first saw you, not knowing who you were, you just gave off the vibe of a thug. Sorry for the misunderstanding."
"..."
In the past, Adrian would often crash headlong into nobles or anyone else who displeased him, relying only on his own strength.
So Keirel had testified.
Adrian turned his head silently, shifting the subject.
"When do you think the administrators of the World Tree will arrive?"
"Elves keep time more loosely than humans, so maybe not until the last day."
It was pointless to dwell on it.
Whether early or late, they would meet within days regardless.
By evening, Karans and Merquien visited the mansion.
They carried baskets filled with bright yellow fruits and strange kinds of berries.
They said even Elves valued them highly, and indeed, their juiciness was beyond comparison with anything found in human cities.
"Since I gave you these, give me something in return. Dessert, strawberry cake please."
"Hmhm, I too find myself craving human food after some time, brother."
So they had come partly to be guests, partly to taste human cooking.
It made no difference. He had stocked up plenty in preparation anyway.
Verden opened subspace and summoned the ingredients. Alpha took charge of the cooking.
It was only then that Karans noticed the mini golem, not cloaked in invisibility, and his eyes widened.
"A golem infused with your magic power… I've never seen one. Did you bring it from 'there'?"
"Yes."
It was Karans himself who had guided him to the second great taboo of the Kingdom, the Eastern Marshlands, and to the tomb of the Demon King.
He was one of the few who knew one of Verden's secrets.
The dishes were emptied one by one.
When the task was done, Alpha climbed up the robe's hem and settled on Verden's shoulder.
"Well done, Alpha."
[Recharge… required…]
So his energy had run down already.
No wonder—he had spent all day wandering restlessly scanning everything, then finished by cooking.
Activating his mana circuits, Verden directly infused magic power into Alpha.
It was a process only Verden could perform.
[Thank you, Your Majesty Verden.]
In an instant, Alpha brimmed with vitality again, bowing its little body.
Thus the day passed.
When morning came, warm sunlight streamed through the window.
"Good morning, Asher."
Serendia had come to the mansion.
***
Even among a race famed for beauty, Serendia stood out as exceptional.
She came alone, meeting with Verden in private. Adrian and Isabella waited outside so as not to intrude.
Verden greeted her first.
"It's an honor to meet you, Serendia. I didn't expect we would meet so soon."
"We could not keep a guest invited by the Great Mother waiting. And you have no reason to use honorifics with one such as me, a mere administrator."
More special treatment.
'What exactly does the World Tree see in me?'
It was for that reason he had accepted the invitation to the Great Forest.
Verden nodded at her words, then continued the conversation.
"You concealed the World Tree's will from the other Elves. Why?"
"It was the Great Mother's will. Of course, the decision to invite you into the Great Forest was not solely Hers. It was also our pure will…"
Serendia lowered her chin slightly.
"I am grateful to you, who rescued my brother Karans, and slew the humans, including Leonil Bertanas, who used Elves as experimental subjects. That is why we have left the Kingdom of Estiria alone. To this day."
If not for Verden, they would already have exacted vengeance upon the nation.
Her intent was genuine. It was no wonder the world feared the Elves.
"Of course, we do not think such deeds alone suffice to repay our debt."
"I already heard from Karans about the reward."
Verden steered the topic forward.
"So, when will I be able to meet the World Tree?"
"You shall meet Her at the Fruition, four days hence. But before that, Asher, heir to the fragment of Oldarc Ruin Arkenad, there is something I wish to ask you personally."
"…Wait. What?"
Oldarc—the First Demon King.
Verden tilted his head.
That Serendia believed him the successor of the Demon King was expected—she must have heard it from Karans.
But why now, and why would a World Tree administrator bring up the First Demon King? He could not guess.
[...?]
At the sudden name of the Demon King, Alpha poked himself out.
Fixing her gaze on him, Serendia asked.
"Do you, by chance, know how to repair an ancient golem?"
***
Among the Elves, a few were chosen by the World Tree as administrators, each tasked with overseeing one sector of the vast Great Forest.
Serendia was responsible for its heart, the central Forest of Life.
Within it lay a hidden space, known only to the administrators.
"In all of history, only the rarest few guests have ever been invited to the Great Forest. Naturally, not one of them was ordinary… but among them, one was held as truly exceptional."
The sole being who ignored the strange phenomena of the forest's depths, walking freely in and out of Elven lands.
A living natural disaster.
One who reached the pinnacle of transcendence yet did not lose his humanity, and who forced even the administrators to acknowledge him as the equal of the World Tree—a monster without precedent.
"Surely this place is…"
"Yes."
Serendia confirmed.
"This is the dwelling Oldarc left behind in the Great Forest, abandoned exactly 413 years ago."
A place sealed by colossal green roots, each like a towering building.
There, atop a vast magic circle decayed by time, sat a massive golem, its body largely destroyed.
[…Demon King, my liege.]
At that sight, Alpha recalled his creator.
Verden had found a second trace of the Demon King, following the golem research facility.
Coincidence?
Impossible.
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