Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Proof Ritual (3)
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The third trial was simple as well.
I immersed my body in the silvery liquid pooling in the split of the ancient tree without hesitation. The water was bone-chillingly cold, but refreshingly so. It felt as if the stream was piercing straight through my body. Purifying power spread through my veins to every corner. Ah, so that's why a body tainted with impure power would shatter. But my case was different. As someone who used purifying power as the foundation of my strength, I felt my energy surging instead.
“……!”
And that wasn't all.
“Gasp!”
“Heok!”
“Th-that's…….”
Gasps of admiration rose from all around. What was it? I followed their gazes and looked up. There……
-Hwaaaah……
-Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Small buds resembling bells or silver bells burst open. Each time, silver pollen carried on the wind sparkled in the moonlight.
“The Guardian Tree is blooming……!”
“Hasn't this only happened during the queen's coronation?”
“I wonder how many centuries it's been.”
“Beautiful, so beautiful……!”
The elf elders marveled endlessly at the sight. I was the same. But the reason for my awe was slightly different.
‘I can feel the purifying power inside my body…….’
For some reason, the mana pooled in my dantian was swirling, changing in nature.
‘Purifying power is infusing the mana.’
Unless one was an elf born with a god's blessing or a priest, it was nearly impossible for purifying power to infuse mana.
They said some even gained enlightenment through this trial—was I one of them? Or was it the Guardian Tree's blessing?
Either way, until now, I'd only been able to grow plants with purifying power thanks to Lynshaka's grace, but from now on, I could share my purifying power with already grown plants.
‘Dealing with demons will be much easier too.’
I closed my eyes peacefully, fully savoring the unfamiliar flow of mana, then slowly rose from my seat.
The surrounding elves were still staring at me with mouths agape.
“……So, what do you think? This should be proof enough, right?”
“…….”
“Or is it still not enough? Should I drink more?”
“Enough.”
Blanche glared at me with her usual icy expression, then raised one hand and addressed the other elves.
“There were no traces of impurity on him.”
The murmurs died down in an instant.
“……The proof ritual is concluded.”
A moment of silence followed. It seemed they had already decided internally that I was a druid wielding foul sorcery. They must have been confident, so this clear verdict left them flustered.
“The ‘proof ritual’ is beyond doubt…….”
“Then what happens now?”
“Wasn't it a credible accusation?”
“If that druid is innocent…….”
I glanced at the whispering elves, then met Blanche's eyes and flashed a bright smile. Behind me, the flowers blooming profusely on the ancient tree fluttered in the breeze.
“Now it's time to keep your promise.”
Blanche's face twisted.
* * *
“……So what are you going to do now?”
Only elves could make the Guardian Tree bloom.
Elf coming-of-age ceremonies were held beneath the Guardian Tree. The newly adult elf would pray day and night for a week under it, coaxing a single flower to bloom at the tip of one branch. That flower contained the Guardian Tree's purifying power and was usually made into jewelry to be worn for life. The Guardian Tree's flower was that important and symbolic.
Yet such an important flower had bloomed in the hands of an outsider.
As someone had said, the last time flowers had bloomed so profusely was during the distant queen's coronation.
Faced with this hard-to-accept reality, the elders fell silent. Some looked displeased, some excited, others lost in thought. Time passed in that state.
Finally, Grand Elder Blanche spoke first.
“It has been proven that the druid does not use impure sorcery.”
“Of course. If he had, he would have burned to death by now.”
“Moreover, the soldiers on Darión's ship said they never saw him use impure sorcery.”
“If he had borrowed a demon's power to summon the kraken, someone surely would have noticed.”
“Finally, Darión's testimony. He called the kraken a ‘friend.’”
“What……?”
“……Friend?”
Murmurs spread. It was only natural. No human could dare call the kraken—which could swallow an entire island whole—a ‘friend.’ Even if forcibly summoned with a demon's power, it was usually uncontrollable. Yet ‘friend’? The elders exchanged puzzled glances.
Blanche scanned their faces for a moment, then spoke in a serious tone.
“……The kraken massacring the sea goblins was mere coincidence, and the druid might have some slight mental issues.”
“That makes sense.”
“Could be.”
The atmosphere shifted to one of acceptance, attributing it all to Theodore's mental problems.
“By blooming the Guardian Tree's flowers, hasn't he also proven his ‘bloodline’?”
“And not just one or two flowers.”
“I never thought I'd see such a sight again before I die.”
“It was magnificent.”
“As Darión of House Sylvanus said, we should worry if he truly has ancient elf blood mixed in.”
“If that's true, why worry? It would be a blessing…….”
“We don't know what dirty blood might be mixed in, so we can't call it a blessing lightly.”
“But since he's accomplished this much, we have to acknowledge it to some extent…….”
Just as the conclusion that Theodore was an ancient elf descendant was forming, someone opened the door to the council chamber.
“……What is it?”
“Th-that is…….”
The messenger, who seemed to have run here in haste and was panting, approached Blanche and whispered something in her ear.
“……What?”
It was shocking news.
“It's confirmed. The High Priestess has already verified it.”
“…….”
Blanche's face darkened menacingly. Reading her expression, the elders sensed something serious had happened and waited quietly for her words.
“……Jayer has taken his own life.”
Jayer.
One of the three elves Theodore had met at Katarina's banquet, the elf noble with wealthy parents.
For Jayer—the one who had accused Theodore—to commit suicide was quite troubling for Blanche.
“No, why?”
“Does that mean Jayer framed that druid?”
“That seems likely now.”
“My god…….”
The elders sighed deeply. But Blanche neither sighed nor expressed regret over Jayer's death; she only gritted her teeth.
Jayer had grown up with every advantage thanks to his good lineage. For such a boy to frame a single druid and cause such a massive incident? Even going so far as to end his own life?
It was incomprehensible.
But……
“……It seems the ‘Crows’ made contact with him.”
“The Crows?”
“Them?”
If the Crows were behind it, it made sense.
Jayer was young among elves. Had sending such an inexperienced youth outside Lüset been the root of the problem? Blanche gritted her teeth. It hadn't been long since they had executed elves who had contacted the Crows and fallen to impure powers, and now this.
Blanche placed the fragment of ‘Black Worm’ she had received from the messenger on the round table. The elf elders didn't hide their looks of disgust.
“……He died after swallowing this.”
Sighs rose again.
The elves knew of the Black Worm's existence too. It had been found in several particularly vicious monsters emerging from the ‘Dark Forest’ from time to time.
“So Jayer was acting on the Crows' instigation?”
“Probably.”
“Why would the Crows target a druid?”
They pooled their vast knowledge and wisdom to find answers within the given information.
“……Maybe because he's an ancient elf descendant?”
Starting with someone's mutter, several elders nodded in realization with gasps of admiration. And soon, the theory that Theodore was an ancient elf descendant became accepted fact.
“If he's an ancient elf descendant, everything falls into place.”
“Even the Guardian Tree blooming so fully.”
“The reason the Crows are after him might be…….”
“Isn't that a big problem?”
Blanche listened to all their exchanges, then spoke after a long pause.
“If he truly is an ancient elf descendant.”
“…….”
“Then he has value to exploit.”
“…….”
The elders fell silent, realizing what Blanche meant.
The elf queen, who hadn't appeared in ages, slumbered deeply in the innermost maze-like part of the palace.
With the World Tree withering, the queen asleep, and no new elves being born, in a way……
It was an ‘opportunity.’
An ‘opportunity’ to usher in a new era.
If they could sustain the queen's life with outsider blood while gradually reshaping Lüset themselves……
‘Many things would change.’
The elders who shared the thought quietly exchanged glances.
* * *
“Achoo!!!!!”
Ah, what kind of sneeze is this. For some reason, I kept sneezing nonstop in the carriage heading to Darión's mansion. Was it dust? Why is this happening.
Anyway, it was a huge relief to pass the trial without issue. Honestly, it had felt ominous because I'd just spoken with Dimacushel right before. I was worried the hand that touched the scroll might burst into flames.
‘Phew, if I'd somehow contracted with that thing, my whole body would have burned away on the spot.’
I let out a sigh of relief and stared blankly out the window.
‘The flowers blooming on the Guardian Tree or whatever was unexpected for me too.’
The sight of those arrogant elf elders staring dumbfounded at the Guardian Tree is something I'll never forget until I die.
The problem is, even I don't know why the Guardian Tree reacted……
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? No idea.
I knew entering Lüset would be tough, but I never imagined it would twist like this.
“Well, for now, it should be okay…….”
Utterly unaware of the future bearing down, I muttered idly.