The Tree That Swallowed the Sun
“What time did you say we’re leaving, Doctor?”
Draksan asked as he shrugged on his leather coat. Two axes hung at his waist, one on each side. He was clearly preparing for combat.
“Eight o’clock. We’ve got… about twenty minutes left.”
I slipped into my coat while gathering my potions and scalpels. From the drawer, I carefully retrieved a single flask filled with liquid. I handled it with extreme caution, making sure it wouldn’t crack or spill. This particular potion demanded nothing less.
Longevity Herb Potion.
It was the longevity herb—also known as mandrake—that Director Justin had given me some time ago. After weeks of research, I had finally succeeded in refining it into an extremely pure liquid form.
I still didn’t know exactly what would happen if I drank it. My best guess was that it would produce effects similar to Call of the Dawn, only on an entirely different level.
Similar, but worlds apart from Call of the Dawn.
Even I couldn’t guarantee I’d come out unscathed after consuming the raw extract. The side effects were unknown. But the greater the risk, the more certain the reward.
Only in a true emergency.
After reminding myself of that rule once more, I tucked the flask carefully into my coat’s inner pocket.
“Let’s go.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve taken on a mission like this… I’m not sure I’ll be any good at it.”
“You’ll do fine. We should just hope nothing goes wrong before then.”
“Haha! You’re right about that.”
Draksan chuckled heartily while fiddling with the axes at his waist. The sound was bright and unrestrained.
He must be excited to finally have a real mission.
Born to a warrior race, Draksan had spent far too long dealing with troublesome clients at the counseling office. The chance to serve as an escort had clearly stirred something in him.
Once we had everything we needed, we left the office and headed toward the church where the Sun Church priests were waiting.
I looked up at the sky.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the sky like this.
Between expanding the office and the sheer volume of work, I had been eating and sleeping inside the building more often than not. With Erisa frequently away at the Magic Tower for research, I had been handling all the compounding and counseling myself, leaving me even busier. There were days when I barely had time to glance out the window, let alone step outside. That was probably why the sky looked so strangely clear today.
“It’s nice to get out of the office once in a while.”
“It really is! Dealing with clients nonstop was starting to wear me down. It was getting harder and harder to keep my temper in check…”
“…That was a joke, right?”
“Hahaha, of course it was. I have no problem controlling my anger.”
Watching Draksan laugh, I fell into thought. If he kept throwing himself into battle without restraint, his intermittent explosive disorder would only worsen. That was exactly why his condition had been so stubborn—he had ignored my advice and kept accepting requests to hunt magical beasts.
But the opposite was also true. Suppressing his anger too much could make the disorder worse as well.
Even just dealing with difficult clients at the office could aggravate his symptoms if he only bottles everything up.
Draksan had said it lightly, but he might have been carrying quite a bit of stress from his security duties at the office.
“Today we’re going out for an escort mission, but next time let’s take a proper vacation or a trip. Bring Lena Caligus along, too.”
“I’d love that. Ah, while we’re on the subject—how is Lena doing…?”
Lena Caligus, Draksan’s daughter, was still receiving treatment at our office. She suffered from PTSD caused by witnessing her mother’s death right in front of her.
I gave him a reassuring smile as he looked at me with concern.
“She still has some aftereffects—dissociative amnesia and difficulty regulating her emotions—but she’s improving steadily.”
“Slowly but surely, then.”
“It’s not slow. It’s fast and solid.”
I wasn’t just being polite. Thanks to the strong mind and body she had inherited from Draksan, Lena was recovering quickly. At first she had struggled even to face people and hold a conversation. Now she could manage long talks without difficulty.
“…That’s a relief. Truly. Thank you. I know I say this every time, but…”
“I should be the one thanking you. You’re the one who keeps dealing with all our difficult clients.”
Before long, we arrived at our destination—the Sun Church in front of the northwest gate of the royal capital Lumentea.
“You’ve arrived, Doctor Kain. Thank you again for accepting this unreasonable request…”
“Not at all. I volunteered.”
“And thank you as well, Draksan, for accompanying us…”
Jacob Priest was the first to greet me. The other priests gathered nearby glanced our way. In the distance, I could see Cassis surrounded by priests as if they were cheering for her.
There was no time for leisurely greetings, so we exchanged only nods. Cassis bowed her head slightly and offered me a careful smile.
“It looks like everyone is here. First, I’d like to thank all the brothers and sisters who have joined us on this consolation pilgrimage.”
Before long, Jacob Priest began addressing the gathered crowd.
“The destination of this consolation pilgrimage is the Eastern Sun Church, which nearly suffered catastrophic damage in the recent fire. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the young hero Yurion Lumein, there were no casualties.”
The priests nodded in agreement.
“This pilgrimage is both a prayer for the swift restoration of the fire-damaged church and a ceremony to honor the young hero Yurion Lumein who saved so many lives. We will also be holding his official paladin appointment ceremony.”
The fire at the Eastern Sun Church had been severe, but there had been no loss of life—thanks to Yurion Lumein. The Sun Church had decided to recognize his deeds by appointing him as an official paladin. This consolation pilgrimage would serve as the occasion for that appointment.
“Well then, let us depart.”
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage shook every time it passed over a bump. Honestly, the ride was far from comfortable.
They chose carriages over magical vehicles for symbolic reasons.
As a religious organization, the Sun Church placed great importance on symbolism and justification. That was why they insisted on using carriages despite the discomfort.
“Who is that man?”
“I heard he’s a doctor. The one who treated Prophet Cassis—the one who deals with mental health or whatever it’s called.”
“The prophet’s foresight has stopped working, after all. She needs outside help now. They say he played a key role in that police director kidnapping incident last time.”
“Still, if terrorists strike during the pilgrimage, there’s no way to stop them.”
“But he’s not even a priest, let alone a follower of the Sun Church. How can they bring someone like that on a consolation pilgrimage…?”
“Jacob Assistant Priest made the call, but it’s hard to understand. A doctor taking on an escort mission in the first place is strange enough.”
“More than anything, the Sun Church’s affairs should be handled internally. It feels like outsiders are getting involved far too much lately.”
Whispers about me drifted over. They weren’t speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear, but my sharpened senses picked them up clearly. The words were far from welcoming.
I glanced sideways at Draksan. These voices were only audible to me because of my unique constitution; he didn’t seem to have noticed them.
Their wariness is understandable.
The Sun Church was fundamentally a closed group. It was only natural that they would be displeased by outsiders like us. Jacob Priest and the other priests of the oracle faction had shown a relatively open attitude, but the doctrinal faction priests were probably seething at our presence.
“We’ve arrived. Let’s get off.”
We reached the Eastern Sun Church in no time. Preparations for the consolation pilgrimage and the appointment ceremony were already complete. The priests moved with disciplined efficiency.
Since this was a ceremony to console the victims of the fire before the appointment, there was no need for grandeur. Minimal preparations were sufficient.
“Let us begin the consolation service. Regarding the fire that occurred here, which destroyed the church where the faithful and devoted followers of Lumena once worshipped…”
Once the minimal preparations were finished, the consolation service began immediately.
I didn’t focus on the service—I wasn’t a follower of the Sun Church. Instead, I stayed alert for any possible attack or terrorist act. I kept my senses sharp, occasionally sniffing the air to catch the scent of hostility, hatred, or killing intent.
“How does it look, Doctor?”
While I was maintaining my vigilance, Jacob Priest approached cautiously and asked. I took a deep breath.
“There’s no sign of danger at the moment. At least not nearby…”
All I could smell was a faint trace of ash and the deep scent of grass. There was no hint of hostility or killing intent. Jacob Priest let out a small sigh of relief at my words, then turned to Draksan.
“What about you, Draksan? Do you sense anything?”
“No particular threats. No suspicious individuals either.”
“I see…”
Jacob Priest finally exhaled fully.
“Perhaps I was worrying too much. It’s far more peaceful than I expected…”
“The appointment ceremony hasn’t even started yet. We need to stay alert until the very end.”
“Thank you for your vigilance.”
“Next, we will hold the appointment ceremony to officially induct the young hero Yurion Lumein, who saved countless lives in the fire, as a formal paladin of the Sun Church.”
The consolation service concluded without incident. The appointment ceremony followed.
The atmosphere wasn’t much different from the service.
There are a lot of priests here. And paladins stationed throughout.
Since this was also the ceremony to appoint Yurion Lumein as a paladin, armed paladins were present. Just as the Sun Church’s prophet delivered genuine prophecies, its paladins were the real deal as well.
Paladins didn’t merely swing swords—they wrapped their bodies in an intangible power called holy power, enhancing their physical abilities as they fought. With such superhuman warriors stationed here, even heretics wouldn’t dare attempt an attack.
“We might not have anything to do after all.”
When I spoke, Draksan nodded quietly.
“That would be fortunate.”
Even as he said it, he looked slightly disappointed. I continued sniffing the air. Still, there was no trace of hostility.
I relaxed my guard for a moment and looked up at the stage. Cassis and Yurion Lumein stood side by side. Focusing my sharpened senses toward them, I could hear their conversation.
“It’s been a while, Yurion.”
“Yes, Cassis… Prophet.”
“We’re alone. No need for ‘Prophet.’ Call me ‘sister,’ like before.”
“…Yes, sister.”
“The little boy I used to know has grown so much and become a hero.”
“Saving a few people doesn’t make me a hero.”
“Even saving one person makes you a hero to that person.”
Their conversation wasn’t particularly important. From the tone, I could only infer that the two had known each other for a long time. Before coming here, I had considered the hypothesis that Cassis had lost her prophetic ability and Yurion had become the new prophet. It was highly plausible, but I still lacked definitive proof.
One thing, however, had become clear.
Yurion Lumein has feelings for Cassis.
Cassis also held considerable goodwill toward Yurion. But it remained within the realm of goodwill. In contrast, Yurion’s gaze toward Cassis was filled with admiration and shy affection—the unmistakable look of someone in love.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Whispers among the priests began to spread.
“Is Yurion, who’s being appointed as a paladin today, acquainted with the Prophet?”
“They grew up together in an orphanage under the Sun Church. The Prophet practically raised him.”
“To grow up under the Prophet’s care and become a hero! How admirable. It must be Lumena’s blessing.”
Amid the warm murmurs, the appointment ceremony began. The procedure was simple.
“Yurion Lumein, I bestow upon you the sword of the Sun Church. Swear that you will wield this sword solely for the Sun Church.”
Prophet Cassis spoke the prescribed words and presented the sword to Yurion.
“I swear it.”
Yurion drew the Sun Church’s holy sign—a circle over the left chest—as a sign of his oath to wield the sword only for the church.
“With this, the appointment ceremony is concluded. From this day forward, Yurion Lumein is officially a paladin. He shall use his power only for the Sun Church…”
Once the brief ceremony ended, Yurion officially became a paladin. The moment he descended from the stage, the audience began to stir.
It wasn’t because the ceremony had been too modest or the procedure too simple.
It’s dark.
The surroundings had grown unnaturally dark. Though it was still broad daylight, it felt like evening—or even the middle of the night.
“What’s going on? Why is the sun already…?”
Everyone present looked up in confusion. Their faces turned pale. Mine did too.
“What is that—trees! Trees are growing!”
One priest shouted. The situation was exactly as he described. Trees were sprouting at an unbelievable speed, rapidly blocking out the sky. Before long, the fully grown trees had become so massive that they completely obscured the sunlight.
The trees were enormous and densely packed, their grandeur crossing into the grotesque. On the thick branches, eyes gleaming with killing intent flashed.
I drew a deep breath. Amid the strong scent of grass, I finally caught the smell of bloodlust and hostility.
Bwooooooo—!
Right after, a horn sounded from somewhere. At the signal, the figures who had been watching from the branches began leaping down one after another.
“Idra! It’s the Idra Cult!”
I immediately reached for the Longevity Herb Potion, but stopped. I had to stop.
“Don’t move.”
I looked up at the stage, holding my breath.
“…If you move, we’ll kill your prophet.”
An Idra Cultist had pressed a blade against Cassis’s throat.