279. Qualifications of a Master (3)
In the Velvetsra game, stories about the 'Sword Emperor' didn't come up very often.
Actually, if I hadn't sorted through the story again back in that pit,
I doubt even I would've remembered—so little information about the Sword Emperor ever appeared.
In the game's world setting, the Sword Emperor was mentioned only sporadically, as if they were some legendary figure.
'Most likely, the full story about the Sword Emperor was supposed to be released as Alice's Personal Story, once Alice launched.'
But right on the very day Alice came out—
that was the day I got dropped into this world.
Which, in other words, means I know absolutely nothing about Alice's Personal Story.
So, when you ask if any of what's happening now gives me a clue? Then...... my answer would be, 'No.'
There were little scraps to go on.
Back in my Player days, when I'd roam around Velvet Hunter Academy, every now and then characters would mutter things to themselves,
or have conversations while interacting with other characters.
- Sigh... If only the Sword Emperor were in good health, I'd love to ask them to take a look at my swordsmanship... Where in the world could they have disappeared to?
A female sword-wielding character sighing in the hallway, tossing those words out.
- Is it really true that the Sword Emperor is bound to a strange tree? I heard they say all these filthy lines like, 'Kh, kill me!' and... Kyaa!
A character with a head crammed full of R-18 thoughts, cupping her own face with both hands, blushing bright red and blurting that out.
- Both past and present, the Sword Emperor is a figure worthy of respect. Though I've heard rumors their current circumstances aren't the best......
Words a homeroom instructor let slip just before she began her lecture.
- Apparently, there really was a Demon that took the form of a tree! It's so, so terrifying...... If it weren't for that sword-wielding person, something horrifying might've happened right here in Korea......
A random extra mob character at the academy cafeteria, talking while she ate.
- Sword Emperor, you stupid fool......
Even Chairwoman Rina, muttering to herself as she gazed out the window at the grounds of Velvet Hunter Academy.
Normally, the lines that trickled out through character interactions were rarely important, most of them just idle jokes, so I'd always just shrugged them off—
but collected together like this, they carried a weight of meaning.
Let me pull out the clues from those conversations.
1. The Sword Emperor is not in good health.
2. The Sword Emperor is bound to a strange tree.
3. The Sword Emperor stopped a Demon that takes the form of a tree.
But the Sword Emperor I met this time was, just by looking, not in noticeably bad health.
Nor were they bound to any tree.
'Which means, those events are still in the future.'
And the decisive factor—'a Demon that takes the form of a tree.'
'No matter how I think about it, that's gotta be the bastard who shows up in the final chapter......'
Just as I was pulling my thoughts together,
Kang Do-hee and Lee Yu-ri, whom I hadn't seen in a while, gathered before me along with the Sword Emperor.
"Jin Yu-ha!"
"Yellow Dog!"
The two of them broke into wide grins and dashed toward me, hair streaming behind them,
but before they could reach me, the Sword Emperor shoved them aside and reached me faster.
"Truly, you have some notion who took my granddaughter......?"
The Sword Emperor's voice was desperate.
I stroked my chin and nodded.
"Yes, but before that, let me ask you something. Do you happen to know about a Demonic Tree?"
At my question, the Sword Emperor's face froze in an instant.
"......Demonic Tree? Disciple. Are you referring to that tree Demon?"
Just then, my Master, who was standing beside me, cut in to ask.
"Yes."
"I had heard that creature was dealt with by Chairwoman Rina long ago......"
Having listened to the exchange between my Master and me, the Sword Emperor spoke in a shaking voice.
"D-don't tell me, you're saying it was that Demonic Tree that took Alice......!?"
"Most likely. Sword Emperor, do you know what the Demonic Tree's distinctive traits are?"
"No, I don't. I, too, had only heard that Rina dealt with that creature."
"It absorbs life force and Mana."
"!"
At those words, everyone's eyes flew wide open.
Because they could all start to guess.
Here on Mount Taebaek, there existed a strange phenomenon.
The moment you set foot in this domain, your physical abilities and Mana plummeted.
And your recovery was slowed.
In other words—a phenomenon that existed because that Demonic Tree had settled here and made this place its territory.
The Sword Emperor's expression hardened, rigid as stone.
"Then, that bastard, how could he......"
"Hmm, the Demonic Tree is an incredibly annoying bastard, you see."
It was true.
The Demonic Tree that shows up in the final chapter was notorious for being a truly annoying piece of work.
A crappy tendency to absorb the opponent's Mana and counterattack with it.
Roach-like survivability that, so long as even a single root fragment remained, would drain the stolen life force to heal and resurrect itself.
And on top of that, an NTR pattern where it parasites your own character and turns them into an enemy.
Enough that even countless veteran Players would practically go into seizures just hearing the name Demonic Tree.
- That firewood fucker, today for sure I'm gonna stomp him to pieces......
- Aaaaargh!!! Argh, getting NTR'd by a tree is such fucking bullshit!!!
- You clueless dipshit lol I actually kinda liked it though? I'd get caught on purpose so I could watch the scene where they're tied up by the tree tentacles and biting their lips lol
└ bruh.
└ bruh.
└ Kih, kill yourself.
Long ago, I was smashed to bits by Rina once, but a tiny fragment of root remained! The Demonic Tree recovers its strength and takes its revenge!
—that was the basic backstory setup for the Demonic Tree that showed up in Velvetsra's final chapter.
'Though, outside of that, there wasn't much more to it, so it was a little murky......'
If you figure that more information would've been released after the Alice character launched, it pretty much makes sense.
'If we can nab that bastard right here and now, there's nothing better.'
Like I've said, there's no gacha in this world.
Within the setting, we've got the Sword Emperor, the overpowered force Chairwoman Rina herself acknowledged, plus my Master—so I do think it's a fight worth attempting, but......
As expected, there was still a catch.
To completely deal with that bastard and rescue Alice, who's being held hostage, a character who can wield a strong Ice attribute is absolutely essential.
"Then, right this instant—"
Now that she knew a Demon had taken her granddaughter,
the Sword Emperor's body twitched as if ready to bolt out the door at any second.
"Hold on, Sword Emperor. Alice will be all right. A Demonic Tree has a habit of capturing humans and keeping them in reserve. If you just charge in there, it'll drag Alice out and use her as a hostage first."
At my words, the Sword Emperor faltered.
"......Th- that's."
The Sword Emperor bit down hard on her lower lip. You could plainly see her fist trembling violently.
'Ah, now I have a good idea why the Sword Emperor got tied to that tree.'
Thanks to all my experience playing Velvetsra, just from seeing her reaction, I could roughly sketch out the whole situation.
With Alice taken hostage, what other choice did she have? She exchanged herself for Alice.
And Alice, in order to save the Sword Emperor who was now captured by that Demonic Tree, came to the academy on her own two feet.
The conversation probably went something like this.
- G- grandma...... my b- body is acting strange. It won't listen...... I don't want to attack grandma...... I don't know why this is happening......
- S- stay still...... I- I will save you!
- Heh-heh-heh, Sword Emperor. If you kill me, this child dies too.
- What......?
- Do you want to save this child? Then give me your body in her place. If you do only that, I will guarantee the child's safety.
- ......There will be no lie in those words, I trust?
- Come now, I am a Demon. A promise, once spoken aloud, must be kept absolutely.
- ......Understood. Take my body, and release Alice.
- Grandma! N- no!!!
- Go to Velvet Hunter Academy. Go there, and seek Rina's aid. Alice.
The pieces fit together neatly in my head. Only now did the whole flow of events seem to clarify.
"Rather than that, the important thing is to make a plan to catch the bastard first, then go."
"......A plan?"
The Sword Emperor's gaze shook, pitilessly.
Guess the words of some academy cadet seem a little untrustworthy to her.
But we're short on time, so I've gotta push it.
"Sword Emperor, by any chance, can you wield an Ice attribute......?"
At my question, the Sword Emperor shook her head.
"No, I cannot. My attributes are Earth and Light."
'Tch, then we're screwed......'
Like I said, to counter a Demonic Tree, you need a powerful Ice attribute.
I'm No Attribute, Kang Do-hee is Fire, Lee Yu-ri is Earth.
What me or my party members have is meaningless from the get-go.
You need someone of the Sword Emperor's caliber to bring it, or it isn't a fight worth trying.
'So do we just rescue Alice and run for it......'
That was when it happened.
"Disciple."
Beside me, Master called my name, her face void of expression.
"......Yes?"
"Is an Ice attribute required?"
"Yes, unless we have that, we can't securely rescue Alice and dispose of the Demonic Tree."
Shing—
At my words, Master drew her sword.
Saaaah—
The air turned cold in an instant.
A chill, crystalline frost began to creep across the blade of her sword.
"My attribute happens to be Ice."
"......!!!"