Chapter 81
Chapter 81
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Three Days of Happiness (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-Tick.
The thread called fate stretched taut before snapping limply.
In response, pitch-black branches of resentment shot wildly toward the sky.
"…How, how could this…!"
"World Tree. Please calm down."
"Shut up!"
A whirlwind of high-concentration mana laced with emotion raged, and Raymond broke out in cold sweat as he grabbed those branches.
Several apartment complexes' worth of massive tree filled the temple entirely.
"Even if you vent your anger like this, it will only deplete your strength, World Tree."
"Find a solution right now."
"Yes."
Raymond bowed his head as if slamming it into the ground.
At his devoted appearance, her rage subsided slightly, and the resentment calmly began tidying up her disheveled branches.
"We have to kill him. No matter what it takes."
Lee Si-heon, the World Tree's husband candidate.
At first, no Wood Person paid him any attention.
That was why it had been so easy to alter the quest or tweak Lee Si-heon's personality and common sense.
'The opportunity was sealed from the start, so how in the world….'
"Does that make sense? What kind of woman in the world would let a rapist off the hook?!"
The resentment knew nothing about Lee Se-young. She only knew she was a noble and had ordered her to make Lee Si-heon act that way.
"The bitch who hated that bastard more than anyone is suddenly all wide-eyed now?!"
A World Tree couldn't alter Wood People unconnected to her.
The World Tree's blood in Wood People grew thinner over generations, and it would grossly violate reason and causality.
Lee Si-heon, who came from another world, had been like perfect clay—easy to mold.
She thought he'd be easy to ruin, so why?
What change could have let him overcome fate itself?
With her connection to Lee Si-heon severed, the resentment could do nothing now.
All that remained was a purely physical solution.
The reason for this must lie with the World Tree behind Lee Si-heon.
'What kind of bitch is protecting that bastard….'
Protecting her rapist?
The resentment scattered her branches wildly, as if denying she'd been outmaneuvered. Her hair tousled like mad.
"Kill him as soon as possible."
"Yes."
"Use the Six Divisions to drag him before me."
A hint of hesitation clouded Raymond's face as he knelt and nodded.
His dry lips trembled before he resolved himself and asked her.
"World Tree. What about Alpha and Beta…?"
"Who the hell are they?"
Though he'd mustered the courage to ask, the resentment had no interest in the twins whatsoever.
With revenge on her plate, she wasn't even thinking about them.
Raymond took her words as the World Tree's will.
'She means to abandon them.'
Alpha and Beta must have already fallen into enemy hands.
That was what Raymond thought.
'…….'
A miserable memory flashed through his mind: under a rain-lashed alley, a young sapling shivering, wrapped in newspaper.
Alpha and Beta. It would be a lie to say he didn't think of those nameless trees like daughters.
Even Raymond, who had devoted body and soul to the World Tree, couldn't easily utter words of abandonment.
He wanted to save them, but he couldn't.
Raymond bitterly bit his tongue. The taste of blood filled his mouth.
"Go now."
"As you wish, World Tree."
A short while ago, word came that Alpha and Beta had barely escaped the organization.
He wanted to help, but now the situation made it impossible.
Raymond stepped out of the temple with a short sigh. But the emotion passed in an instant—his eyes reverted to the fanatic gleam of a devout believer.
As Raymond left, the resentment retracted her branches and spewed curses one after another.
"Hic… Fuck."
Her knots itched.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Connection with the World Tree has been regenerated. After some time, the status window returned.
"About two hours."
The time it took to shatter the status window.
This power, barely qualifying as a skill, had no official name, so at Baekdo's suggestion, he casually named it Heukdo.
'Status window.'
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 6.5 💨 Agility: 5.2 ✨ Magic Power: 7.7 💪 Stamina: 6.7 🍀 Luck: 10 🛡️ Endurance: 5.6 ============================
【 Name 】
Lee Si-heon (World Tree Husband Candidate)
【 Age/Height/Weight 】
20 / 183cm / 69.18kg
【 Abilities 】
-Charm 9
-Intelligence 5
-Potential 20
□ Unique Traits (2)
[Tree Encyclopedia (S)] [Combat-Type Physique (S)]
□ Possessed Skills (1)
[Heukdo (-)]
□ Temperaments (4)
[Wood Spirit King (-)] [Sword Talent (B)] [Magic Talent (B)] [Lewd Demon (F)]
============================
He'd thought his painstakingly raised charm was useless, but upon checking, his overall appearance hadn't changed.
Anger Management Disorder was gone, and his stats had skyrocketed after brushing death repeatedly.
Sword and Magic Talent were abilities he'd drawn to defeat the Ent. Compared to before entering the dungeon, the gap was huge.
'…How much do the stats grow when I release the status window?'
It was a nonstop stream of surprises, but it made sense.
When trapped in purgatory, he'd wondered if he'd be done for.
"Oh, right, Master."
"What is it?"
"What happens to the quest now?"
Outside the dungeon, a bit farther away.
As the collapsed dungeon lost its form and crumbled, we settled in the forest nearby.
"Naturally, you don't need to die anymore."
Now that he knew how to escape the status window, death-related penalties were irrelevant.
Hearing Cheondo's confirmation made his chest sink with a thud.
Not shock, but relief.
"Really…?"
"Yes. Though I didn't expect this."
All the abuse he'd endured flashed by like a montage.
Crimes for survival, deceptions for survival.
He brushed off the surging joy with a single breath.
"Feels great."
"Still, with rewards on the line, it's best to clear them whenever possible."
True enough.
The current top-grade potion was something Cheondo could easily obtain anyway, but no one knew what future quests might offer.
In other words, he could cherry-pick what he wanted.
"How do you feel?"
"Mixed. Really good, grateful. So, do we head to the academy right away?"
"Probably."
I smiled at Cheondo.
"We still have plenty of time, right?"
My actual age: twenty-four.
Prime age for fun.
*****
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "What's so great about this crap?"
Hunter city, Seoul.
Cheondo followed behind me, having shed her eye-catching gonryongpo for a cloak-like robe buttoned to the top, grumbling all the way.
"What do you want to eat?"
We ducked into a humble diner and took a corner seat. She pondered briefly before pointing at one menu item with her index finger.
"This."
Ketchup-drenched omurice.
Obviously sweet.
"…Master likes this stuff, huh."
"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
She shot back coldly at my teasing smirk.
I hurriedly picked something similar and nodded vigorously.
"Omurice is delicious. Yes. Uh, I'll have that too."
Two omurices and tonkatsu.
The menu touted it as perfect for kids—loaded with ketchup, screaming child-pleaser.
When the food arrived, I felt eyes from around the diner.
Wondering if Cheondo's outfit was the issue, I scanned about and realized some gazes were fixed on me.
'Why?'
The question was fleeting.
"Not eating?"
"Oh, right, gotta eat."
At Cheondo's prompt, I picked up my spoon.
She'd already sliced the soft-boiled egg omelet, stuffed a mouthful of fluffy rice inside, and was rolling it around savoringly.
Bits of undercooked egg tumbled out—did it taste divine? A smile spread across her lips.
Why does she make it look so good?
Thinking it might be a hidden gem spot, I tried mine. Utterly ordinary.
Too kid-oriented, overly sweet. I could make it myself, easy.
Then again, she'd demolished spicy-sweet chicken skewers last time too.
Loves sweet and sour? Omurice fit her perfectly then.
Her blissful eating grin didn't suit a master.
I dunked sweet potato pizza tonkatsu in hot sauce and offered it to Cheondo.
"Here, try it."
"…Have you finally lost it?"
"Nah, just gratitude. Thanks."
Cheondo eyed me dubiously, then reached as if to take the fork herself.
With eyes gathering around us.
Of course I didn't hand it over. Cheondo sighed, tilted her head back slightly, and let me feed her.
Licking sauce from her lip with her tongue—it was mildly provocative.
"How is it?"
"…Delicious."
Like raising a haughty cat.
Rejects the owner's touch, but caves to a single treat. A feral stray.
Not a fitting title for the supreme being, so I held my tongue.
Meal done in a flash.
-Thud.
We left the diner and strolled for digestion.
Next: grab a room, find fun things to do.
"Know any nearby hotels?"
"……."
"Master?"
Thinking of splurging on a nice one, I wandered until I noticed Cheondo's gaze fixed somewhere.
Following it led to a massive movie theater.
Wants to watch a movie? Movies are fun.
Among the posters, her eyes were on…
'Precure?'
An anime.
I stared blankly at Cheondo, who cleared her throat and turned to me.
"Got lost in thought. Hotel? I'll book one quick."
Her impassive face gazed back casually.
I pondered, then smiled wryly. Sometimes, sacrifice is needed.
"…That one. Wanna see it?"
Cheondo feigned surprise at my pointed finger.
"…You like that stuff?"
"Yeah, big fan."
A thank-you gesture. And she seemed to like it—couldn't pass it up.
"Really want to?"
"Absolutely."
"…Sigh. Fine."
Self-loathing hit—did I have to?—but if she enjoyed it, fine.
Even emperors and white paths need secret hobbies.
'She even used similar lines, and seemed to like that stuff subtly.'
-Statues… you like that?
-Fits you.
Thinking of the Peach sisters' potential disillusionment, I second-guessed.
'No, whatever.'
About to suggest going anyway, I glanced at Cheondo—expectation glimmered faintly in her eyes.
The impassive woman, eyes like that over a mere movie.
"Let's go."
"No helping it."
Couldn't hold back.
Popcorn and cola for two, couple seats. Inside the theater, plenty of adults too.
Kids aplenty as well—popular anime, huh.
Curious how it'd differ from what I knew.
-Ssssh!
Ads ended, movie began.
Decent enough—straightforward good triumphs over evil.
Arm on the rest, chin propped, yawns came naturally.
Not my taste.
'Does she really like this? Misread?'
Boring plot wore thin; I glanced at Cheondo.
"……!…!!"
Fists clenched tight. Forcing a blank face, staring at the screen.
All those emotions crammed into her pretty face, leaking感動 despite herself. Mesmerizing.
Cheondo oblivious even to my gaze.
-Fufu.
I stifled a chuckle, openly admiring her face.
So what if she calls it weird?
Seeing her hidden side warmed my face too.
This was enough. This was it.
Our movie time flew by.
Ending credits rolled down at last.