Chapter 233
Chapter 233
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 233
Chapter Title: Teaming (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, come on in, kitten."
"Shut up, Bell."
Bell sneered at Marronier, who was perched on the golem's shoulder.
"So short you had to climb up there just to breathe some fresh air? Pathetic."
Marronier's disheveled lavender hair and her hastily thrown-on clothes. Bell mocked her while slapping Evie on the shoulder.
"Cut it out. Let's just welcome her since we're finally all together on day two."
Despite Evie's mediation, the two glared at each other.
England, France, Germany.
Economically and geographically, they were bound to interact frequently, and relations between their national trees were usually like this.
Whenever arguments heated up like this, Marronier would always shout one of those mocking jabs aimed at countries, the kind popular on internet forums.
"Bell, how about speaking a little more humbly? Why don't you go scrounge some British food from over there?"
"What's wrong with British cuisine?"
"......Ugh. Fish and chips. That's all you've got. And even that would taste better fried by my grandma."
"You done?"
As national trees, their national pride was second to none.
As Bell ground her teeth, Marronier's eyes curved like a mocking cat's.
Evie let out a sigh.
"Bell, you started picking on her first."
"Evie, she's insulting our country right now! She needs to fix that attitude. Who'd want her like that? She's gonna die a virgin."
As national trees, they couldn't marry, date, or even have sex until they stepped down from their title.
To form a marital bond with another tree, they had to be at least fifty years old.
By then, a second-generation national tree would have emerged.
Of course, that was just the rule in principle—scandals still cropped up among national trees.
Secret flings weren't crimes if they didn't get caught.
"V-virgin?! You said enough?!"
"Kuhahaha, look at her freaking out."
Marronier's cheeks flushed bright red as she shrieked.
Suddenly, that incident flashed in her mind.
The humiliating event of being toyed with by a man's rough hands. Lewd acts. The indecent memory of being groped against her will, unable to even close her thighs.
Screaming in terror, her arms trembling, yet her own voice echoing desperately. The memory exploded in Marronier's head.
"Ugh... uuu."
Her strawberry-red face contrasted with her blue hair.
Like a threatened cat, she tensed her shoulders and bit her lip to vent her rage.
"You bastard, Bell!"
"Kahahaha!"
That hit the mark.
Unaware of the truth, Bell cackled and turned back to Evie, seemingly relieved.
"Bell, what if Marronier spreads rumors that you're sleeping around?"
Bell gulped at Evie's words.
It was a joke, and nothing like that would actually happen.
It was an unwritten rule among national trees: personal words and actions must not escalate into public issues. They all knew the weight of their positions well.
"Anyway, that's that. Marronier?"
Marronier snapped out of her strange whimpering at Evie's call.
"Y-yeah? W-what?"
"What's with that reaction? Get ready quick."
"Ready for what?"
Evie immediately drew his sword from his waist.
He murmured lowly.
"Now that the team's together, we need to start thinning out the cadets."
As many as possible, as quickly as possible. The faster cadets dropped out, the fewer competitors remained in the forest keeper selection.
Eliminating cadets didn't require mana, so it was an efficient way to spend the week.
The national trees?
No worries once three gathered on day two.
Right now, even national trees were solo or duo at most. Evie's group was likely the first trio.
As long as they didn't run into freakishly strong national trees who could wipe a team solo, they'd be fine.
"We'll operate in the western sector."
"Western?"
Evie nodded at Marronier's question.
"East is... saturated right now. North has that guy."
"You mean the weird white-haired one?"
"Yeah."
Plum Blossom.
No matter how trees in the forest hindered each other's growth, lone trees always stood tall.
Even among the talented, some shone exceptionally.
Jeong Si-woo from the academy was one such existence.
Those pearl-like figures who forged the pinnacle through overwhelming talent and effort.
This tree demanded caution. There were a few like him.
They thought the unthinkable, achieved it, and always aimed higher.
Their explosive growth was merely a bonus.
"But doesn't he lack a team? Why bother guarding against him? He's solo anyway."
Bell nitpicked Evie's serious words.
"Have you ever fought Plum Blossom?"
Bell shook her head at Evie's question. Evie rubbed his forehead.
Recalling Plum Blossom from long ago, Evie spoke to his teammates.
"You know the word 'genius' comes from 'genius loci,' the guardian spirit of a place?"
"Out of nowhere?"
"Just listen, Bell. When Evie's saying stuff like this, there's a reason."
The two fell silent and watched Evie. He smiled awkwardly, downplaying it.
"Isn't it fascinating? The origin of 'genius.' The forest keeper selection praising World Trees must be a contest to find those geniuses."
Guardian of the land.
Protecting the World Tree born of that land.
It fit perfectly in meaning, even if a bit forced. He had to say it because that man was that strong.
"...I don't know the strongest national tree. But the closest to genius? That's him."
National tree strengths were opaque. Comparisons existed, but they were mere speculation.
Evie narrowed his eyes, recalling that man's face.
White hair swept back, white pupils. A delicate face that seemed frail.
Yet he casually made flowers bloom from enemies' blood.
What to call that talent.
Even Evie, rated among the top, judged himself far from touching him.
A terrifying man in every way, plummeting one's self-esteem effortlessly.
"Hoo..."
A detached breath escaped Evie's teeth.
*****
Aori and Mok Taeyang.
Graduates of Seoul Academy, here for the forest keeper selection thanks to their outstanding combat skills.
Like a self-PR session, Taeyang and Aori earnestly listed their strengths with serious faces.
Versatile despite appearances, and so on—they detailed it so thoroughly, it felt like they'd come just to brag.
But no matter how interview-like their words, poor posture ruined the impression.
-Crunch, crunch.
No matter how shiny the achievements, gobbling fruit while boasting doubled the listener's awkwardness.
"Fruit's delicious."
Aori's deflating conclusion.
Why am I listening to these kids brag?
"Sorry. I lived without, so... if it's there, I eat first on instinct."
"Right. We're paupers."
"Hey, don't say it so bluntly."
I'd noticed at the cafeteria, but they ate so savorily.
Look at I-hyang. Feeding them fruit like puppies, she kept peeling more.
"Aori, want this too?"
"Yeah."
She's got a annoyingly good personality too.
I sat on a suitable tree stump, staff propped beside me, watching them.
Gold Taeyang. Unlike his comic-book-villain looks, he was surprisingly polite. Of course, it was superficial. You could tell from his eyes. Eyes that read people well.
The woman called Aori had spouted oddities from first sight, so I still couldn't pin her personality.
Seemed thoughtless.
Stoic face, short but busty. That's it.
These types could snap unpredictably.
'Why'd they seek me out anyway?'
They found I-hyang, sure, but it felt like they tracked me.
Following my exact path and direction. More likely after me than her.
Flower.
I shelved the hypothesis. Something more important.
'What the hell was that.'
Seeing these two had hit me like a blow to the back of the head.
Similar to first seeing the World Tree's daughter, who told me to take care of her mom just before entering this world.
I'd seen plenty of Flowers by now, but never this sensation.
'World Tree?'
Why else would they seek me?
Even with the odd White Poplar case, World Trees generally rejected me.
"So, what do you think?"
Taeyang asked after devouring a whole bunch of grapes.
What do I think.
There was a reason for their sudden self-praise.
It's fate, so team up once.
No choice to survive where national trees dominate. Obvious recruitment pitch.
'Pretty direct.'
Not entirely out of left field, and Taeyang's gaze suggested he already knew.
Something off. He felt it too.
That simplified things.
Prior chat irrelevant if intentions aligned.
"Teaming up, right?"
"Yes."
Somehow, I was casual, they polite.
"Dunno about me, but she said she'd forfeit."
I brought up I-hyang first.
Teaming was ideal for probing the unknown phenomenon.
'Cornus.'
But I had to tend to Cornus.
Might need to milk her; couldn't form a team then.
"Yeah, hehe. Different from Aori and Taeyang. My mana’s drained, and I'm tired."
"Dungeon clears drop potions anyway, right?"
"Hyang, come with us."
"Hmm..."
I-hyang trailed off, glanced at me, and shook her head.
"Still a burden. Three's good. Right?"
Gaze shifted to me naturally. I replied flatly.
"Got a teammate already. Can't decide without her say-so. So even if yes, only till we link up."
After joining Cornus, strictly duo.
Only then could I heal freely and do awkward stuff away from eyes.
"Ah... okay. How about till then? One or two days."
Compromise. Not bad for either.
"Fine."
"Then Hyang, team with us."
"Uh, s-sure?"
With me in, I-hyang flipped agreeable.
Temporary team. Four Koreans.
I could reach Cornus without heavy mana drain.
Practical too.
"Hold up, gotta hit the bathroom."
Taeyang stood, bundling his coat on.
Glanced at me, winked subtly.
"How's that side?"
"What, guys together?"
"C'mon, no gender these days."
I got the implication.
I rose, following Taeyang. No need for weapon.
Leaving fruit-peeling I-hyang and Aori. We moved far, like by silent pact.
Overgrown bushes. Not here to empty bladders.
Hated chit-chat while peeing.
Behind Taeyang dropping trou, I asked lowly.
"So?"
"Whoa, impatient. That's my line."
Not urgent.
Taeyang glanced back sharply.
His gaze was keen.
"Curious?"
He continued.
"...Not totally sure. Could be suicidal to say. But I felt it too, and not just me. Aori's no total idiot. Wouldn't drop sex jokes on a stranger outta nowhere."
His cheerful tone dropped low.
Short intro over, he asked.
"Wood Spirit King."
From his lips tumbled the name of a world-famous mass murderer from over a century ago.
My mouth tightened instantly.