Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Someone Among Them Is Flower (2)
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A vast stadium stretched out long from the enormous outer wall.
Dozens of different kinds of trees grew along the wall.
[Forest Keeper Selection Tournament]
Of all shapes and sizes. Some leaves yellow, some green.
The trees' tender leaves served as the stadium's roof.
It felt like they'd built the stadium inside an overgrown botanical garden.
-Whirrr! Squeak, squeak.
Transparent camera artifacts floated through the air, filming our faces one by one.
-Click! Click!
The reporters clustered along the outer wall had come to capture the opening ceremony of the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament.
They all had to return to their home countries after just one day.
Because filming and distribution rights for the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament were under the World Tree Foundation.
"I had no idea it was this big until I got off the plane."
"Hah."
As I muttered that casual impression while standing in line, a mocking laugh came from behind.
Im Jong-hyun.
His voice was like someone sneering at a country bumpkin visiting Seoul for the first time.
I ignored Im Jong-hyun's veiled jab.
The guy was armed to the teeth with chosen-people ideology.
His attitude had turned like this ever since cadets started comparing me to him.
He wasn't my superior anyway.
What I had to do right now was pick out Flower from among these hundreds of people.
'Not becoming a Forest Keeper.'
There was no need to show off my power where World Trees were present.
It was awkward to advertise just how strong I'd become so openly.
I could make a name for myself to the extent of my promise with Cheon-do without unleashing my status window.
'As long as I don't clash with those guys.'
A long line of Korea's representatives.
I looked at the woman with black straight hair clutching the Korean flag on the platform.
Hard to tell from afar, but she wasn't ordinary.
Her body looked like it had been remade from birth with a spirit of breaking bones and shattering tendons.
The aura emanating from her was no joke.
National Tree—they'd called her that, but I hadn't expected this level.
Was there a reason for academy cadets to even participate in the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament?
The gap between cadets and National Trees was so huge it wouldn't be strange to wonder.
-Bwoooooh!
The trumpet announcing the opening ceremony echoed through the entire stadium.
A massive song that made your flesh tremble.
-Ahhhh~!
With stirring vocals, dozens of orchestra members moved.
This grand musical procession was the Forest Keeper's Song, composed solely to honor this day, this festival.
I knew this from my prior research.
-Forest Keeper's Song: Untitled.
This symphony had no name.
The performers intentionally left it unnamed.
The World Tree's blessing and its bright future.
It was majestic even on its own, but there were awkward gaps woven in between.
An elegant piece deliberately crafted with those blanks.
The world's top-rated musicians would gradually alter the song as they watched over the selection tournament.
Only after months would it finally be complete.
And the one who earned the title of Forest Keeper would become the song's protagonist.
Their name etched eternally into the song's title.
'They really go all out pumping up the World Trees. No wonder faith skyrockets.'
Even I, who harbored negative thoughts about World Trees, found this song incredibly uplifting.
What if my name became the title?
Huh, might as well shamelessly give it a shot? Just a passing thought, but still.
-Whoooong!
The trumpet blared again.
Dozens of dignitaries ascended the platform.
The current Pope of the World Tree Church and the representatives of the Five Great World Trees. And the Saints.
Among the representatives was someone I'd seen before.
Angelica, representative of the World Tree of Justice.
The one who'd eyed me warily and suspiciously. Principal of El Academy.
Our relationship was too ambiguous for outright hostility, so we'd only spoken once and had no further contact.
I mentally recited the names of those standing up front.
'Angelica, Elisa, Edward, Perpetua, Azeline.'
Representatives of the Five Great World Trees. In charge of [Justice], [Diligence], [Resilience], [Sacrifice], [Prosperity] respectively.
People I might have to oppose someday.
I committed their faces to memory.
And finally, the old man at their center.
'Bed II.'
The Pope. Head of the Church.
Behind him in his red papal robes, hundreds of knights in gleaming armor shook their banners.
-Flutter!
The knight order, inspired by the colors of leaves.
Tree Guard. Protectors of the World Tree Church and Foundation.
I'd fought one of them once before.
'Yellow hair... can't remember who.'
Her magic properties were so unique I'd taken a major wound.
A single strike that inflicted an unhealing injury.
An attack that even the World Tree of Healing's power took ages to mend—I'd first experienced it then.
'In a way...'
I'd tumbled right into the heart of enemy territory.
Watching the knights' grandeur, I wondered if I could even escape if we clashed.
But they weren't enemies yet.
Potential foes. That's all.
'Not what's important right now.'
One reason I'd come to the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament, and my current goal.
I scanned the surroundings widely.
Cadets and National Trees standing before their nations' flags.
I grinned slyly at them.
A few among them were Flower.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ — Anonymous Holy shit (France's National Tree, Marronnier waving the flag GIF) Holy shit. — ㅇㅇ ? — OP ↳ Reply She's fucking gorgeous. — ㅇㅇ Pedo — OP ↳ Reply Ahem, call me a tree enthusiast. — ㅇㅇ Wtf these knot-holes are making me wanna pound some fresh paulownia juice fr. — 00 ↳ Reply Is that even Korean? — Anonymous Looking forward to this Forest Keeper Selection Tournament. (Premium Knot-Hole v23. Plump Paulownia Young Edition photo.) Looking forward ㅇㅇ — Mokujin Argh fuck insane bastard — Anonymous But where's Jeong Si-woo? Wouldn't he be worth pitting against National Trees? Korea's pride, always in the articles, why no-show? Early elimination? — ㅇㅇ Saw a post on Trista saying personal reasons kept him away. ↳ Reply Fr? Bummer. ↳ Reply ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ — Anonymous How far would Jeong Si-woo have gone if he'd entered this time? — ㅇㅇ Mid-tier prediction. ↳ Reply ? Jeong Si-woo?? What bullshit ↳ Reply Hunters in the know said so. Can't hang with National Trees yet. Posts about the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament were popping up in real-time on internet community sites.
Regardless of political divides, tastes, or inter-community beef, everyone was buzzing about the tournament.
It surpassed even the Olympics from my old world.
And with the National Trees' beauties shattering men's ideals, the chatter was inevitable.
Of course, crude fantasies mixed in too.
— Anonymous Oh, she's here too (Photo of masked guy) El Academy short on talent? — ㅇㅇ Lmao fr — ㅇㅇ ?? Why him. Still got some articles tho? ↳ Reply Water rocket level at best. Even if not, like 150th place or something. Still growing, why send to tournament? 'Fuck.'
That stings.
There was plenty of talk about Korea's representatives too.
Me and Bead were the hottest topics right now.
Bead's name wasn't public, and I was treated like a flash-in-the-pan, so the buzz followed.
But what could I do?
This was the conclusion after strict screening and meetings.
-Crunch.
The sound of baguette crunching from beside me.
I pocketed my phone and picked up a piece of bread from the plate, popping it in my mouth.
Freshly baked, fluffy baguette.
Even this had passed through a top chef's hands.
Smooth, deep flavor. You could eat just this and never get tired.
-Crunch.
The mechanical crunching came from the side again.
Cornus was tearing into her bread expressionlessly.
"Not tasty?"
"...I want tteokbokki."
Like a giraffe mechanically grazing on grass.
Eating something this delicious so tastelessly was a talent in itself.
I tore off a piece of bread and popped it in.
Crispy crust, fluffy inside.
Ohhh.
"This is what I usually eat."
Cornus looked sullen.
"...You eat stuff like this usually?"
"Yeah. Si-eon, want some?"
She held out a piece, so I took it with my hand and ate.
Tasted the same. Pure bliss.
"You devour tough plane bread but can't handle this? Doesn't make sense."
"Dunno."
"Look at those people, eating fine."
I pointed to the table two over.
The moment they'd changed clothes for rest and mealtime, a guy and girl were wolfing down food.
They shoved that huge steak into their mouths in seconds.
First time seeing people eat like that.
-Eating is saving it. Stuff it quick.
-...Agreed.
-Fuck, hotel food after so long. Sob sob.
A blond guy with tanned skin and a red-haired, red-eyed woman.
Cornus watched them, then stuffed her mouth full trying to mimic.
Whoof, thick baguette.
-Munch munch.
"...Tasteless."
Guess so.
Steak and sides arrived just then.
Even I couldn't stay calm with such delicious food in front of me.
The billions poured into the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament meant food from top chefs rivaling Tree Michelin.
I left Cornus slicing her meat daintily and cut myself a hearty piece.
Right as I brought it to my mouth.
"Excuse me."
A clumsy Korean came from right beside.
My hand froze, mouth open, as I turned to look.
A fox mask straight out of a Japanese festival.
The shadowed mask approached, startling me enough to nearly drop the meat.
"...Can I sit?"
A high-pitched voice from inside the fox mask.
Her clothes and the stares around suggested she wasn't an ordinary Wood Person.
Cornus spoke upon seeing her.
"Saku?"
"Ah, Soo-yu! Hi!"
Spotting Cornus behind me, Saku approached happily, extending her hand.
High nobility held get-togethers sometimes, I'd heard.
Cornus impassively grasped the hand of the woman called Saku.
"Kyaa~ It's been ages!"
The two shook hands like in a cheer chant.
Then the woman standing behind Saku spoke up.
"Sorry. Mind if we sit here?"
Long black straight hair. Striking features, classic Korean beauty.
I recognized her from earlier.
"I'm Kim Soo-yeon."
"Ah, Lee Si-heon."
Korea's representative Rose of Sharon.
Hadn't expected a National Tree to approach me.
Then Saku beside her... Japan's cherry blossom National Tree, I suppose.
Why were they here?
'I'm not famous enough to warrant scrutiny.'
After the opening ceremony, there was a three-day adjustment period.
Time to mingle at assigned lodgings and restaurants, build rapport.
Of course, these moments aired on broadcast at set times.
With the two joining, our four seats filled.
Saku finished chatting briefly with Cornus and sat in the seat across from me, staring openly at my face.
Well, my mask.
I get it, but why the mask on her?
Her gaze was too blatant.
"Si-heon, right?"
She asked right before the meat hit my mouth.
"Yes."
Even with auto-translate earpieces, Saku spoke in awkward Korean instead of Japanese.
Kim Soo-yeon sighed watching her.
"Good person! Let's be friends!"
Hand extended for a shake.
"Good person?"
"Saw your video. Ent!"
Ent... probably that incident with Cheon-do and Cornus.
It had been big news, spreading everywhere online.
People I'd saved even went on TV sharing heartwarming stories.
But a National Tree saw it?
'Flower?'
Suspicious for now. Not unbelievable, but caution first.
Unlikely a National Tree joined Flower, but better safe.
I took Saku's outstretched hand.
"Yoroshiku!"
Saku's eyes visible through the mask were so purely innocent it made me feel foolish for suspecting.