Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Those Who Left, Those Who Returned (10)
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We finished preparing to depart early in the morning. Today, we had to head to the Sequoia Forest for logging. Lewis and the architect would be waiting for us there.
After eating a simple breakfast prepared by the innkeeper, we hurriedly left the inn.
Lloyd rode his own horse, Callisto took Claudia, El and I boarded the carriage, and Isla and Argos followed behind it. The time was closer to dawn than morning, so the sky was dark and bluish, and the streets were quiet. We headed toward the boundary between Corin and the Sequoia Forest. The path had become much clearer than before because Corin's soldiers and priests had frequently traveled there to investigate the incident in the forest.
When we arrived at the boundary, we saw a carriage emblazoned with Corin's crest. It was probably Lewis's. As the guards around the carriage became alert, Lloyd sheathed his weapons and approached first to make contact.
Lewis and a short woman emerged from the carriage.
"Good morning."
I got down from the carriage and greeted them. Lewis, who welcomed us with a smile, introduced the woman beside him.
"Let me introduce her. This is Laven. She's the architect in charge of designing the Rinshaka Temple."
"Ah, hello...."
Laven, who wore thick glasses, bowed her head in greeting. Hmm, she looks quite young. Not exactly El's age, but she gave off the vibe of someone who had just become an adult. Was it really okay to entrust temple construction to someone this young?
"Haha. I can tell exactly what you're thinking, Theodor."
At Lewis's words, I gave an awkward smile and scratched the back of my head.
"Sorry. No ill intent, but she looks so young...."
"She is young, actually. But her skills are beyond doubt. Her great-grandfather designed Corin's castle. Her grandfather and father have also maintained the castle, built the clock tower, and contributed to Corin in many ways. And Laven is the same."
Ah, so it's a family of architects who have handled Corin's major structures for generations. Still, in this pseudo-medieval land, for a woman to enter the architecture field was quite unusual. I looked at Laven with admiration.
"That's impressive. Oh, I noticed the bell tower on the east side of Corin was newly built. Was that your work, Miss Laven?"
"Ah, no. That was my father's. But I helped with all the design and construction...."
"Ah! That's cool! The bell tower was sturdy yet beautiful. The harmony of wood and stone was great too."
"R-Really? That's the part I focused on, so I'm glad you noticed...!"
"It could have just been stacked up plainly, but I could feel the delicate attention to aesthetics."
"Ah, aah! Yes! I wanted to create a bell tower as beautiful as its resounding chime. So that when people turn their heads following the sound of the bell echoing through the air, they encounter beauty...."
"That's a wonderful intention. And you succeeded brilliantly. I found myself gazing at the bell tower until the chime faded."
"T-To hear such sentiments.... I'm truly happy."
Laven muttered in a voice that trailed off, her face flushing with embarrassment. She seemed skilled but introverted. If praised properly, she might produce amazing results?
After briefly introducing ourselves, we entered the Sequoia Forest—the site of the red moon ritual. Laven, who had only lived within the city, grew visibly anxious the deeper we went into the forest.
"It's fine, Laven. The ritual is over, and we've subjugated almost all the orcs. The remaining ones have probably fled to other forests."
"H-H-Ha, but...."
"Relax. The area has already been cleared by the guards. Right, Lewis?"
"Of course. That place now is.... just a vast clearing."
"H-H-Ha, but...."
After hesitating for a long while, Laven finally seemed to steel herself and asked me.
"Th-There are plenty of trees in the Sequoia Forest. Why go out of our way to log from that horrific place where terrible things happened...."
"......"
At her words, I fell silent for a moment. How should I explain this...?
"There are several reasons."
"S-Several?"
"Yes."
I nodded and slowly began to explain.
As Laven said, the Sequoia Forest was overflowing with trees—healthy, magnificent ones grown over decades or centuries. Yet, the reason I insisted on logging from the ritual site was....
First.
I didn't want the trees destroyed by the ritual to be left abandoned in place. They would surely be treated as eyesores, broken or fallen as they were. No one would use the fallen trees for lumber, calling them 'cursed.' As someone who had been there, I couldn't bear to see those trees left to rot. Rather than being neglected, abandoned, and forgotten, I wanted their wood to be reborn as part of the Rinshaka Temple.
Second.
Just as animals have souls, so do plants. Especially old trees like those in the Sequoia Forest, grown as part of it for decades or centuries—some housed souls as wise as humans. If those souls grew further, they could become mystical forest spirits. I didn't want to carelessly cut down such mysterious trees with that potential.
Third.
The final reason was simple. I hated 'waste.' With so many already fallen trees, logging new ones would be pure waste. Why not process and use the fallen ones? Waste was far scarier than superstitions about curses or whatever.
"I-I had no idea you thought that deeply...."
"I'm a bit of a thinker."
After hearing everything, Laven stared at me with a dazed expression.
"Well, if it really bothers you, I can do a separate purification ritual."
"Ah, n-no, that's not what I...."
"Actually, all life in the forest is like children to Lady Rinshaka. People seem to forget that. Put yourself in her position. If someone just kidnapped your kids? Wouldn't that piss you off big time?"
"Th-That...."
"Right? It would suck, wouldn't it?"
"......Y-Yes...."
Laven nodded reluctantly, her face still puzzled as she looked at me.
"Conversely, imagine taking in those injured kids and using them appropriately. And if it's for Lady Rinshaka.... How proud would she be?"
"Th-That makes sense...."
"In my homeland, a long time ago—really ancient history—they always explained it as the 'king's command' and got permission before felling old trees. To the trees themselves."
"......R-Really?"
"Yes, really. Ancient, but true. Explaining to trees that don't even speak, getting their permission.... That's how much they respected nature."
"Amazing...."
Laven nodded deeply impressed, then spoke with slightly less fear on her face.
"I-I never thought that deeply about the trees themselves. But if they have souls too...."
She paused, carefully choosing her words.
"Then we can build a structure infused with souls."
"That's a great idea, Laven."
"H-Haha. Thanks to you, Lord Theodor...."
"No, I just explained. The ability to have such thoughts is all yours."
"......!"
"With your talent, you can create a temple infused with the souls of the forest—one that would move Lady Rinshaka."
"......Yes, yes!"
Laven nodded vigorously. Oh, good! I could feel her enthusiasm. This job would go perfectly!
After about two hours of travel, we arrived at the ritual site. The clearing was as it was, but the ritual traces and surroundings had been cleaned up, so at a glance, it looked like an ordinary clearing. The spots where blood had flowed were washed clean by the morning rains, leaving no trace of color or smell. A fortunate thing.
Near where the altar had been, the trees I had moved using [Forest Giant] to block the void's closure remained tilted, rooted firmly in place. The moment I fell into the void, the skill released, and they rooted right there. Thanks to that, the stone slab etched with the ritual was shattered by the roots, its pieces scattered haphazardly around.
"Let's fell these two trees first."
"Ah, yes. They're tilted, but straight and fine in shape—perfect for pillars."
"Glad to hear it. Then, just a moment...."
I clasped my hands in front of the two leaning sequoia trees and offered a short prayer. Reborn as part of a space for Rinshaka, the one who tends to you—don't feel too aggrieved. After the prayer, I nodded to Laven.
Once Laven marked the cutting points, I pulled out a hand axe and precisely scored the bark. Then, inserting my hands into the wounded bark and using [Breath of the Forest], the base began to wither.
-Shwaaak!
At that timing, I scattered vine seeds, and the grown vines wrapped tightly around the trunk, pulling.
Below, the base withered; above, the vines tugged....
-Tzujjeok....
-Ggrrrk....
"Step back!"
"Back! Back!"
The massive sequoia tree toppled over.
-Kuwoong!!!!!
A heavy thud sent up dust, and the ground shook. It felt as if the entire forest wept for that one tree. I placed my hand on the fallen trunk and offered another short prayer of thanks.
We felled the next tree the same way, then began harvesting materials in earnest. While Laven inspected and measured the two giant sequoias, I started purifying the other trees destroyed by the ritual. What would take ordinary loggers a week or more was, well.... child's play for a druid.
Before long, dusk fell. I gazed at the distant sky, then said to the group.
"Shall we eat something first?"