Chapter 313
Chapter 313
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 313
Chapter Title: Collapse of the Cradle (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There was a large hole in her chest.
The emptiness that seemed like it would never be filled in her lifetime would probably fade away gradually in the not-too-distant future, as if it had never been there.
Once she shook it off, she would wonder why she had acted that way back then.
She would mock herself a little, and tease herself with a touch of nostalgia.
The person was gone from the spot where she opened her eyes.
When she sat up and touched her chest again, she realized the emotion that had slipped away so cleanly.
I no longer like that person.
The man who had forcibly raped her mind.
She narrowed her eyes slightly at the rough but handsome face that flashed through her mind.
For some reason, Lee Siheon wasn't as hateful as she had expected.
Even without the enslavement, she must have viewed that man's personality somewhat positively.
She could now look at herself objectively.
She knew full well how foolish the feelings she had harbored and the love she had whispered back then had been.
Lee Siheon had been right.
The will that had sung of love was mere stubbornness, and now those emotions had cooled completely.
Now, she was grateful to that man.
Because he had fixed the future where she could have been brainwashed and manipulated.
Still, she couldn't easily adjust to the empty feeling in her heart.
At that moment, she had truly felt like she owned the whole world in happiness.
She had rarely felt happiness before. This current emotion was probably not so much longing for love, but a greater sense of loss from letting happiness slip through her fingers.
'Where is Lee Siheon?'
The kitchen had seven empty wine bottles rolling across the table.
He must have had a lot on his mind; the amount of alcohol he had drunk alone was no small quantity.
She picked up the empty wine glass that had been at his spot. The smooth texture of the glass felt against her fingertips.
For some reason, a sense of emptiness and unfamiliarity washed over her.
In the end, she let go of it.
"It's over."
It was an emotion that would never return in her lifetime.
Her mind was as clear as if the fog had lifted, but her mood was unbearably bittersweet.
She felt like a round pebble lying on a deserted road during a long night.
A pebble trembling in the dim sky and icy air, wondering when a car might run it over.
The corners of her mouth turned downward. It was because the inherent loneliness she had always felt enveloped her body.
The emotions she had originally felt. Experiencing them again was excruciating.
But this was the truth.
Even if it hurt, she intended to accept it.
'I'll just live like I always have.'
Marronier thumped her chest once and took a deep breath.
"Suuuuup. Haa!"
The slight stuffiness in her chest eased a bit.
Marronier rubbed her slightly reddened eyes and clenched her fists tightly.
"I have a lot to do."
She was France's National Tree.
With natural movements, she tidied up the messy kitchen, and when she stepped out into the hallway, the Sage and Siheon were already seated there, though she didn't know when they had arrived.
A table with tea seemingly spilled once.
The two were sipping their tea without a word.
"Good morning, everyone."
She greeted them casually.
The atmosphere was down because of last night's events, but she couldn't let it drag on.
Especially not in front of the Sage, who had even brought wine that one could never normally taste.
"Come on in, Marronier. Did you have a good night?"
But for some reason, the Sage's face was redder than usual.
*****
After breakfast, the Sage maintained a perfect poker face.
She thoroughly hid the innocent side she occasionally showed. From her gait to the movements of her hands, everything exuded elegance.
Marronier got up first, followed by Sansu-yu who joined them.
They grimaced at each other's hangovers a bit. But the heavy atmosphere from yesterday didn't carry over.
"...Shall we start the discussion soon?"
The Sage continued in a voice full of poise.
There was no trace of familiarity.
In her dry tone, she explained Flower's expected appearance locations and times, and above all, what we needed to do.
"In short, initial suppression and notifying the Association and the Church—that's it."
"To reiterate, have you not considered notifying the Hunter Association directly? We could do that."
"I'll refrain from commenting on that part."
The Sage answered my question firmly.
The Hunter Association could be notified through the stars.
Reading my gaze, the Sage raised a finger as if to add something.
"To elaborate, nothing good comes from information leaking to the Association or the Church. They've already been infiltrated to the core."
"Then what about Marronier asking her country?"
"Well, it's similar there too."
Marronier hesitated before speaking at my words.
"...Not that we've said it, but people deeply concerned with human rights have all received contact from groups related to Flower at some point."
It seemed Europe had a significant stake held by Flower.
"Korea will be different. Even a little evidence of involvement with Flower is practically a death sentence crime. Other countries aren't like that. Their societal trends have been twisted for a long time."
I turned to look at the Sage.
She nodded. It appeared to be true.
"The Sword Saint. Thanks to him, Flower has almost no presence in Korea. Because of the hostility, terrorist attacks happen just as frequently."
Sword Saint.
Hearing that name again, it now seemed rather impressive.
Setting aside personal feelings, it was pure admiration.
Mugung's achievements couldn't be fully described in words.
The man who subjugated the Heavenly Demon during a global crisis, and seized control of South Korea's leadership and the Hunter Association.
One of the most important figures in modern world history, who elevated South Korea to a major power.
His martial prowess was overwhelming.
For nearly a century after the war-ravaged South Korea, he held it firmly, achieving economic indicators and political stature single-handedly.
When calling someone a great man, Mugung was the first name that came to mind.
An idol for children and a living legend.
"Other countries aren't faring as well. They outwardly oppose Flower... but in reality, they don't."
Comparing numbers, humans vastly outnumbered Wood People.
Even by absolute figures, dozens of times more.
In a society where awareness of freedom had spread to some extent, divided classes only bred resentment.
It wouldn't be strange if there were social issues I hadn't noticed.
And that resentment would never fully dissipate.
Flower was the monster born from those cracks.
"Some politicians are already aware of the changing world. Many support Flower's side. It's different from Asia. Europe... is in Kanna's grasp."
The cadres were spread worldwide.
Flower's perception varied wildly depending on the cadres' actions. In Asia, thanks to Sistus, it was extremely hostile.
The Middle East could be called Flower's home base.
Europe was heavily influenced as well.
Kanna, Flower's saintess, wielded that much influence.
Cleverly, they didn't stop at just the 'Flower' group. They often changed names to masquerade as simple human rights organizations.
Dozens of such conglomerates had been established.
"The Church is trying too, but it's tough. The scars of the past run too deep."
"Siheon hasn't learned much about the world's history yet, has he?"
"Ah, yes."
Sansu-yu and I listened intently to the Sage's story.
I had received various educations from her recently, but it still wasn't enough.
Still, I had learned quite a bit from listening by her side.
"Do you know why the Church currently lacks power?"
"To unite humans and Wood People, they brought in a large number of human-origin figures into key Church positions, and that backfired."
The nerves between humans and Wood People.
The World Tree side wasn't unaware of it either.
To overcome discrimination and differences, they established various policies and doctrines.
Using talented humans in high Church positions.
The Sage nodded in satisfaction, flashing a small smile.
"Correct. It was too sudden, with many side effects. Discrimination doesn't vanish overnight, so backlash intensified. As Flower gained power, Church insiders approaching Flower increased."
The Wood Spirit King was the fatal blow.
What she had just described was the weakened Church's attempt to avoid repeating the Wood Spirit King's past.
With that first step broken, collapse was inevitable.
They maintained their forces through the World Tree's power, but how long it would last was unknown.
"Flower is practically the mainstream now. We're just a rundown building facing a tidal wave."
The Sage's words were grim.
Marronier bowed her head dejectedly.
Sansu-yu glanced at us both and followed suit somewhat similarly.
"A turbulent era in history. Marronier knows it well too. Your family was born from the revolution."
"......Yes."
Who would be the righteous and who the wicked.
It would probably be decided within a decade or two.
I organized my thoughts. I had learned a lot.
Thinking the World Tree's authority gripped everything tightly was largely because I had been with the cadets from the still-vibrant South Korea under the Sword Saint.
They were all hostile to Flower. What I had seen and heard was the same.
Only Heavenly Path had spoken rationally about Flower.
The places I had been active were always where the World Tree held strong sway.
The Flower disasters were particularly exposed because I was the Wood Spirit King, but also because they were key locations and major countries for the World Tree Church.
Then, the orphans' district she had shown made sense too.
She wanted to show me the parts I had missed.
"If it's that bad, isn't suppression impossible for just the three of us from the start?"
I voiced what I had been pondering.
It's true that Sansu-yu, Marronier, and I ranked high even among National Trees.
We wouldn't lose even compared to S-rank Hunters beyond A-rank.
The problem was what three people could do against such an assault.
"Yes. We can't stop the news from spreading. Even if we know and prepare."
"Then?"
"We can reduce casualties. If I entrust it to you all. Even if word spreads that Flower's assault is imminent, the Hunter Association and Church won't care much about civilian lives."
That's how urgent it was.
The World Tree Church did disregard civilian lives to some extent.
The 'young trees' and 'World Tree' in the Cradle.
Compared to their lives, the cadets were mere trifles.
"They'll make some effort to evacuate the cadets. But only the bare minimum."
"...And you want us to help with that?"
The Sage nodded.
"When a disaster strikes, that's all I can do. Use spatial magic to move them to their homes to escape the flood. Even for me, teleporting hundreds at once is hard. It takes time."
The World Tree Church and Association would act, but it wouldn't be enough.
They'd be focused on suppressing Flower immediately. Help with relief efforts.
And at the end, stall for time.
That was the final trial the Sage had left.
"We need to prepare gradually from today. Right, Siheon?"
The Sage's face had shaken off this morning's emotions.
It was quite different from anyone I knew.
I nodded in a dazed expression.
'But no matter how I think about it, it seems too much for us to handle.'
Especially if the goal was to minimize cadet casualties.
The answer came soon enough.
I needed someone to help me.