Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 223
Chapter Title: Ronier (3)
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You're a genius.
Those words, drilled into her ears since childhood, were something she still reflected on even now.
"Am I... a genius?"
Of course. A genius. Who else but you? Everyone said it. They had to.
In truth, she was what people called a precocious genius.
Maronnier (Horse Chestnut).
Her family, the Maronniers, were a symbol of France. The spark of revolution, the first flame. When everyone raised their banners, when they lined up screaming, when they soaked the revolutionary path with blood and tears. Always by their side was a Maronnier.
The embodiment of France. Wood People who always led the charge, bearing that honor.
All the Maronniers who marched ahead waving the tricolor flag shared the same name.
The first to lead the revolutionary legion was a Maronnier. The one who quelled its aftermath and fostered growth was also a Maronnier.
To the French, Maronniers were more than common landscaping trees. Every time they saw one, they felt the lingering scent of revolution.
The Maronniers had become their idols.
They had no names. Well, they did once, but it had been far too long since anyone called them by it.
"Maronnier Blanche · White Horse Chestnut."
The reason she became Maronnier from Blanche was nothing special. Her older sister, who was supposed to take the role, had gone missing.
And because she was deemed far more talented. Because she possessed a unique ability.
A National Tree must be backed by the nation.
Trained rigorously, they had to abandon their lives to symbolize the country's dignity.
That was what a National Tree was. Always lonely. Always melancholic.
But they couldn't show it.
Unlike past Maronniers, this one's leaves were darker and more turbid than before.
It was a natural outcome.
"Genius."
Maronnier thought of herself as a genius. Because everyone saw her that way.
She could read other people's minds well.
What was dismissed as coincidence grew more accurate with age.
Now, past twenty, she could directly see every scene a person imagined.
It was a useful achievement. But compared to other National Trees, she still fell short.
Genius (天才) and mere talent (淺才) were different. No matter how hard she tried to cover her shortcomings with shallow tricks, there were always those who surged ahead.
As time passed, her speech grew sharper. Like all National Trees, she became endlessly weak when national pride was at stake.
Every night, she repeated to herself several times.
"Why am I alive?"
There was no purpose.
Symbolizing the nation was grand. She knew not just anyone could do it, yet she dreamed.
Of ordinary academy student life or a common Wood Person's days. Of what she'd be like born to other parents.
What did they think as they lived and grew? What soil did they sprout in, what processes did they go through to bloom their dreams?
Maronnier would hum a tune carrying a handful of longing.
"......♬"
The flute-playing girl.
Under the linden shade. Sitting on the windowsill in a wide-brimmed hat, singing wishes on a short summer night.
The soft fur of the cat by her thigh.
When children chase green dreams. The dark, pathetic side of the National Tree guiding them.
Maronnier in early summer, scratching mosquito bites while singing. Her story. My story.
The mansion maids packaged her song as hope and dreams, spreading it to others.
The Maronnier songs floating online were interpreted without her true wishes.
France's marching tune.
Another hobby slipped away from her.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Why am I in this mess...?"
Maronnier grimaced inwardly as she took the lead.
Staff in hand, one step, two steps. But recalling her earlier defeat made her chest tighten unbearably.
"If only the forest and dungeon weren't such a mess."
She'd be scolded for losing anyway, but she still had excuses.
She hadn't planned to go all out from the start.
Mid-tier magic. That alone dropped most cadets.
She'd used it to intimidate or chase them off. Perfect if they got hit and failed.
But the opponent was stronger than expected. His movements quicker than imagined. And she was a long-range mage focused on firepower, hopeless up close.
A convergence of factors... online articles would say.
The cells in Maronnier's head echoed the same.
[Tough opponent, Maronnier. You know the gap between you and that guy now, right? It's not your fault.]
"Right?"
But then another cell would scream at her.
[You're showing your lack of talent, Blanche. A mage who can't handle close combat? Does that even make sense for a National Tree? If you had real talent, you'd handle that too!]
At the new cell's cruel words, Maronnier's lips pouted.
"......"
She stopped midway, sticking out her tongue. It cleared the chaos in her head a bit.
"What're you doing?"
The man behind spoke, and her shoulders jolted.
"N-nothing."
With a trembling voice, she replied and pressed on with the dungeon clear.
The scary masked man.
Lee Si-heon from El Academy, was it? The stuff of nightmares.
That staff crashing down with the barrier, ready to crush even her. She might've really died if hit.
-Gulp.
Why did her throat keep tightening?
Maronnier scanned warily with dizzy eyes.
The golem ahead spread its arms, enveloping her and Lee Si-heon.
-Kiiing.
Spiders crawling up the stone walls right on cue.
Maronnier extended her hand, summoning lightning to obliterate them instantly.
-Zzzzt!
Electrocuted, they fell from the wall, twitching broken legs wildly before spewing fluids and dying.
Watching, Maronnier thought: Yes. This is how it should've been.
Lightning magic was especially fast. Hard for the human eye to track.
Assassination over power. Dodging was impossible.
Even experts preferred blocking.
Yet he twisted away fluidly. Dodging just barely by the skin of his teeth—could she even see it right?
"Definitely not a mage."
El Academy, home to Jeong Si-woo.
How did someone like this emerge from there?
His wind magic was beyond imagination too. Beginner level mocking mid-tier power. Like a veteran sage in his prime.
And above all, that skilled footwork.
"......Flower?"
A dizzying thought flashed through her mind.
"Yeah..."
Recently, the church had commissioned her.
Read certain people's minds. Report any suspicious ones immediately. Suspicion of Flower presence.
"No way talent like this sprouts from barren wasteland without reason, right?"
Baseless suspicion was bad, but his strength defied explanation.
If he were famous like Jeong Si-woo, maybe.
But she'd never heard of Lee Si-heon before.
Moreover, he was human.
Humans made up 70% of Flower's organization. Compared to others, a human Wood Person like Lee Si-heon had markedly higher odds of being Flower.
Maronnier glanced back at him.
"...?"
Emotionless eyes from the mask met hers. Her breath caught.
"Why am I like this?"
Heart pounding. Arrhythmia? Was her time up?
Definitely not affection or anything like it. Legs shaking, desperate to flee—this was...
Trait Update Coward (C → A) An unknown trait of Maronnier.
Clueless, Maronnier just trembled in fear.
A National Tree. Even as one.
Forgetting to exhale, she kept inhaling until her lungs filled, finally breathing out.
"Why the sudden freakout?"
The man's awkward gait, as if inconvenienced.
Maronnier blinked and stepped back.
Recalling her duty and the church's request late, she slowly activated her unique ability.
Mental Image Realm.
Directly reading an opponent's thoughts and imaginations with her eyes.
A faint cross appeared in her eyes, vivid scenes flooding her mind.
The problem was—
"...Huh."
Her unique ability had grown two stages too.
Trait Update Lewd Demon (B → S) And Lee Si-heon, excluding the Wood Spirit King's uninterferable unique ability and traits, had risen two stages too.
S-rank traits were practically his identity.
Maronnier's ability made her experience the man's imagination as if beside him.
-Thud!
"...Urk, ugh."
A hallucination echoed in her ears.
So vivid. Like the sound of gritting teeth enduring something.
Maronnier frantically looked around.
Imagination? What was this?
The sign from before. Her ability had grown as it said, one stage for everyone entering the dungeon.
But this direction felt off.
Stepping back, she felt the limestone brick texture. Even in imagination, never this real before.
"Ooh... oh hoo oh."
The grating voice in her ears lately.
Maronnier turned toward it.
-Ziiing.
The moment she took in the sight, a needle-piercing headache hit.
Incredulous, her pupils dilated.
What she saw: debased man and woman entangled.
Thighs on his arms, bound helpless. Eyes rolled back, violated grotesquely.
"S-stop... please..."
The Maronnier before her couldn't be more vulgar.
Blue twintails long undone. Stray hairs sweat-stuck to nape and his skin.
Her melted-face words denied her true intent in tone.
"Ahng, aaahng... ahng."
The man gripping her small ass, lifting her. Now slamming her onto stone bricks face-down, pressing her head.
Maronnier gulped unwittingly.
"...Like a beast."
"Ahng! Aaahng! Stop with the cock... aaaaahng!"
The Maronnier before her screamed in pleasure.
Small ass wiggling, flaunting her allure to the beast.
Craving slaps on flushed thighs.
-Splatter.
Urine soaking the dungeon floor. Man pounding relentlessly.
Weak body, knees might scrape. But she focused only on pleasure, pain irrelevant.
Really enjoying it that much? Why?
Just sex.
A National Tree far removed from carnal hobbies.
Yet that Maronnier—herself—was being ravished pitifully before her.
-Gulp.
Indescribable disgust surged.
The hidden curiosity within annoyed her more.
Head hurt.
-Thud!
Bounced from the Mental Image Realm like a rejection.
Lee Si-heon stared at her oddly.
"......Hah, huff."
"What's wrong? Suddenly."
The man asked casually. Was he even human?
Flower—deeper abyss glimpsed.
Maronnier trembled her thighs in shock.
-Gulp.
What if he knew she'd read his mind?
Still just imagination now, but caught fantasizing... he might make it real.
Lewd thoughts about a National Tree.
Unforgivable blasphemy. Might as well act on it. Not impossible.
Maybe a deathmatch.
"...Play dumb."
Act oblivious.
Her fault for peeking. As long as it stayed unreal... imagination wasn't illegal.
Face burning.
Maronnier whipped her head away, striding ahead briskly.
"L-let's clear it fast. Clear."
"Sure."
His flat voice. Recalling the fantasy, Maronnier shuddered.
Felt like a coward's tear welling.