Chapter 286
Chapter 286
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 286
Chapter Title: Special Friend
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In the quiet library with only the two of them, the Sage solemnly declared.
"Cornus participant. Did you understand?"
Cornus nodded silently.
"……."
"Your body is in an extremely messed-up state."
To create a Wood Person who would live eternally, forever immortal, Cornus had been administered drugs over a long period, leaving her condition utterly wretched with no real comparison.
The Cornerus Family's secret research was one of the topics that even intrigued Sephirot.
Even Sephirot, who had lived for over 3,000 years and had killed herself and been reborn several times due to the overwhelming volume of information, knew that the path to immortality was exceedingly difficult.
"Your heart rate is elevated, all your organs are damaged, and the vessel holding your mana is on the verge of shattering. You know what happens if that vessel breaks, right?"
The vast capacity of high-quality mana residing in Cornus's dantian.
It was as enormous as a mountain, so no matter how much mana she used, it never depleted. That made sense. After all, the mana Cornus held wasn't solely her own.
Pure dragon mana from hundreds of years ago.
Mana from the Conqueror King who once ruled this land long ago.
The Heavenly Demon's mana.
Legendary elixirs straight out of myths, and body parts from those whose mere existence inspired terror in the world.
Based on the World Tree's status window, it was 18. Of course, she couldn't utilize it fully. No matter how hard she tried, the most mana Cornus could wield was 11.
Her condition was the worst. If the fragile vessel she barely contained burst, even the Sage couldn't predict what would become of her.
"You'll die."
Yet that much was certain.
Magical runes like a magnifying glass appeared in the Sage's eyes. She examined every corner of Cornus's body.
Below the pancreas. Above the right side of the heart. Beside the kidneys.
Countless mana stones visible in spots here and there.
Due to the mana being too dense, her body itself was beginning to mutate.
There were traces of someone recently healing her in desperation, but it was merely a stopgap.
It might look better on the surface. Her complexion had improved, making one think her state had gotten much better.
However, without addressing the root cause, Cornus's death was inevitable.
If Lee Si-heon didn't continue treating her, she might die as soon as within a week. At longest, two months. Assuming continuous healing, a year.
Sudden death in the midst of everyday life, as if nothing were wrong.
That was the future the Sage foresaw for Cornus.
"I can extend your lifespan. It's treatable now that we've caught it late."
By excising all the mana stones, replacing the organs with mana-engineered ones, and forcibly extracting the magic.
Regenerating the organs wasn't possible. That would reactivate the drug effects.
That way, her life could be extended by a maximum of 10 years.
Even using every means at her disposal, Cornus's body wouldn't last beyond 10 years.
"But doing so would end the Cornerus experiments."
Cornus nodded at the Sage's words.
She pondered for a moment, then lightly shook her head.
"It's fine."
"Really?"
The Cornerus Family's secret ambition. Perhaps because Cornus was of Cornerus blood herself.
She seemed to have an excessive obsession with immortality.
"Even though you won't see Lee Si-heon for a while?"
The Sage persistently questioned Cornus.
Was she truly okay with it?
After Marronnier left, the library had been filled with this back-and-forth argument between the Sage and Cornus.
For several hours, even.
"Si-heon, he..."
"He'll be sad. And yet?"
"That's……."
Cornus bit her lip as emotions tightened her chest.
"Don't you like that man?"
Yet Cornus merely repeated the same words.
"The reason I live... was decided from the start."
The Sage looked at Cornus with eyes full of complex emotions.
"It was something I had to do my whole life."
"Sorry. I pushed too hard."
"No."
"If there's something you can't say, tell me anytime. I took you as my mentee for recovery purposes."
To Sephirot, Cornus was a massive bundle of intrigue.
The sole being capable of achieving immortality.
If she gave up on her dream, Sephirot could harvest the organs from her body.
If not, she could observe Cornus as her research reached its extreme.
It was a win-win, phrased nicely either way.
'...But success seems unlikely.'
She knew Lee Si-heon had power.
The healing authority that could regenerate a body even split in half was undoubtedly the world's superior recovery magic.
However, Cornus's affliction was beyond even that.
The result of research spanning thousands of years.
No being capable of handling it existed in this world anymore.
Regardless, personally, the Sage hoped Cornus would abandon the experiment.
Wasn't it better to live a bit longer and enjoy happiness before going?
"You can go now."
"Okay."
Cornus rose, tucked the book under her arm, and left.
The Sage watched her go with a bittersweet gaze for a long while.
'The only one who can change a Cornus like that is Lee Si-heon.'
He was connected to every catastrophe in the world.
It was natural for Sephirot to take such interest.
It was foolish.
'Her opponent is the Wood Spirit King. What if she slips up and suffers terribly?'
This wasn't underestimating Lee Si-heon's character.
But the Sage, having lived for ages, knew people could change anytime.
The abilities the Wood Spirit King possessed.
And how the world's cruel treatment toward the Wood Spirit King could twist a person.
'When the Wood Spirit King first appeared, he was just a simple doctor.'
External circumstances inevitably change people.
Even someone as virtuous as him had eventually broken and devoured half the world.
The Sage stared blankly upward.
The tower of books accumulated over thousands of years stretched to the horizon of her vision.
It was too high for the ceiling to be visible.
*****
What was right and wrong?
Everything about herself had already been decided, leaving no room to judge such things.
Even as time passed and her personality grew blunter, Cornus was aware of that fact.
The feel of the Cornus fruit her mother had placed in her hand.
She endured the pain by recalling only that.
"Si-heon."
"Yeah?"
Lee Si-heon was human. Kindred to her mother.
The way he smiled with all his might when spoken to felt warm and reminiscent of her mom for some reason.
"Make me some tteokbokki."
"...Tteokbokki?"
"Yeah."
"Not sure if we have the ingredients. Let me ask the Sage."
So somehow, she ended up acting spoiled.
Doing pleasant things, taking care when she hurt.
Si-heon wasn't her servant.
She thought that every time... yet he helped her tirelessly, never growing bored.
It had been the same on the MT trip. When something came up suddenly and Lee Si-heon left without a word. It wasn't even something to get upset over, but she'd ignored him out of pointless offense.
Even then, he was the first to approach and speak to her.
As if it were the most natural thing, he'd come when called, solved everything, and offered friendship.
She always thought he was amazing.
A man who could do anything, soothing her no matter what mess she made.
-Creak!
My friend.
"The Sage said she'd get some!"
Cornus nodded expressionlessly as Lee Si-heon entered the door beaming brightly.
No expression, but she was happy.
Being with him was comfortable.
Because they were friends.
A slightly more special friend.
"What's tteokbokki?"
"It's super tasty."
Lee Si-heon's friends were her friends too.
Anyone he associated with couldn't be bad.
The Sun and Aori had some... odd quirks, but Marronnier showed none of that.
"Wait, I'll make it quick. You eating too?"
"You're making it for me...?"
Cornus clapped her hands watching Marronnier talk with Lee Si-heon.
Into the kitchen, gathered around chatting.
Sharing the tteokbokki that man made.
The warm atmosphere from using fire completely erased the initial chill in the air, turning it into a cozy space in no time.
"It's spicy."
"Spicy chewy taste."
"Spicy chewy...? Sorry, the translation doesn't work... Korean's kinda rough for me. And Si-heon, you always make it too spicy!"
"Want some water?"
"Th-that's the water you were drinking, right?"
"You don't want it?"
"I'll take it...."
Her remaining lifespan was short.
She thought it didn't matter.
This was plenty good enough as is.
Because these people had become precious. Being with him. That alone sufficed.
The friendship tickling her heart felt good to Cornus.
*****
"Isn't it nice to come outside after always staying in the hotel?"
"What is this at the crack of dawn?"
I thought it was Cornus pounding on my blanket to wake me because her chest hurt.
Thinking I'd finally use that milking machine of hers, I got up, only to see the Sage's face right there.
-Awake?
-...You startled me.
-Is my face weird?
-No. No. You're pretty.
-Of course.
Stammering nonsense, suddenly my nape was grabbed.
Couldn't even ask what, dragged outside.
"Didn't I tell you why we're here?"
"You didn't say anything."
"Besides that. What did I say I'd teach you for this trial?"
Teaching about the world, or something.
Scratching my neck, I let out a big yawn.
"Hwaaaah. So you brought me here?"
"No, a bit further."
The Sage walked the dirt path effortlessly despite her fairly high heels.
The unpaved road had no common landscaping trees, just unrecognizably rotted trash and old branches scattered around.
"Um... mind telling me the reason now? This place is secluded, feels like you're gonna slit my throat and bury me in these mountains."
"...Hmm?"
A grin.
Today it looked creepy.
"Kidding."
"…."
"Figured it was like when you called me Wiki."
"Sorry about that."
"Hahaha, don't worry. It's not that."
Walking further, dilapidated shacks came into view.
A village, but a slum with nothing proper.
Didn't suit the Sage's elegant attire at all.
Walking around dressed like nobility here would surely invite trouble.
I glanced at the Sage.
She was revered as the greatest mage, so probably fine, but hassle wasn't pleasant for her either.
That was when.
"...Sage!"
A little kid emerged from a near-collapsed ruin.
"Oh, Eric. Good morning. Hold on."
The Sage cupped her hands toward Eric.
Opening them gently, a large loaf of bread suddenly appeared inside.
Amazed at the casual space magic.
"Wow... Bread. Th-thank you."
"I'll give some for your sibling too, so eat up now."
"Always thankful."
Lessons about the world.
Maybe to show me this place.
The Sage smiled at me.
"What I'm doing today, you have to do every morning, Lee Si-heon. About nine places."
"...Pardon?"
Nine places?
"Why? Can't you use space magic?"
"Well, I can, but how'd you know?"
The Sage smiled brightly.
With a leisurely demeanor, she told me.
"Hwango. That kid learned magic from me. Told him not to tell others. But he did, even to you... Sigh."
"Ah, Master's Master?"
"If you say it like that, I'd be grateful. Grandstudent. But nowadays, grandstudents talk rudely?"
"...Sorry."
I've really gotten on her bad side.
Wiki must've stuck with her.
"Anyway, that's that. Watch what I do today, then replicate it. That's the first step of the third trial."
Before long, kids started gathering around.
The Sage never lost her smile, distributing food to the poor children who approached.
And without fail, she told me their names.
Saying it was my job from now on, she calmly and detailed the village's location.
"From the entrance to the middle. I've spoken to them, so the kids will come when it's time."
"But Sage."
"Yes?"
"Where the hell is this place?"
She hadn't said till the end, so as I approached finally asking, the Sage replied coolly, as if it were a good question.
"A place the state's hand doesn't reach. A place connected to you."
Connected to me.
"...Those who ever contacted the Wood Spirit King even once, or belonged to him. They hide in dungeons or wait for death in cold places like this. And at the same time, this is."
A cloaked adult approached nearby.
My face twisted at the familiar mana.
"One of Flower's hideouts too."