The Corrupted Miracle
At first, Zeek couldn't comprehend it. Forty-seven years—far longer than her own age. Was it even possible to rule under someone else's name for that long? Yet what made it possible was greed. The power of the privileged far exceeded Zeek's imagination. That was what power truly was. Power could turn a deer into a tiger. All it took was killing everyone who called it a deer.
Zeek staggered, momentarily losing her composure. Isaac quickly steadied her. The world was still far too complicated and filthy for Zeek to understand. Isaac asked carefully, "Are you all right?"
"Th-thank you. I'm fine now."
Is what I'm doing truly right? She had once believed that simply saving people made one a hero. But after Salen, and now this, she couldn't shake the thought that saving humans might not be the right thing at all. Still, Zeek forced down the doubt rising in her mind. She didn't want her Master to notice. If he ever found out, he would surely be disappointed.
Once Isaac confirmed Zeek had recovered, he strode forward with his usual confidence. Zeek was struck anew by how remarkable her Master was. How could he remain so composed? How could he walk so boldly, as if nothing were wrong? Could she ever become that strong?
Turning these questions over in her mind, Zeek cautiously asked, "What do we do now?"
"Catch the culprit."
"Do you have a plan?"
"I've already cast the bait."
Zeek recalled Isaac handing the letter to the commander earlier. Just as she suspected, that letter was the bait. The commander would have understood immediately.
"But we'll need decisive evidence."
"Couldn't we compare handwriting?"
"They could always deny it."
They needed irrefutable proof. Fortunately, Isaac already knew exactly why the culprit had done it—and where they were hiding. He knew everything.
"Do you remember what I told you about the Red Fever Tree?"
"Yes. You said it was an extremely rare medicinal herb."
"That's right. It's known as a panacea worth a fortune."
In truth, it wasn't quite a complete cure-all, but it could treat most illnesses and injuries instantly and even slowed aging to some degree. Naturally, it commanded an enormous price.
"But what if someone could obtain a steady supply of Red Fever Tree leaves? They would amass tremendous wealth, wouldn't they?"
"But that wouldn't be easy, would it?"
"Exactly."
Zeek's doubt was understandable. If such a thing circulated freely, far fewer people would die from disease or injury. Yet the Red Fever Tree could not be cultivated by human hands. According to the original story, it was closer to a miracle than a plant. Once a year, it bloomed across the continent regardless of location or climate, then vanished without a trace. It might linger in one place for up to six months, but sometimes it disappeared within a single week. Obtaining its leaves was nearly impossible.
After hearing the explanation, Zeek exclaimed in shock, "And they're using those leaves as tea leaves?!"
"They're so rare that only a handful of people can even recognize them. Most have never even heard the name. That's why this was possible."
"That's not what I meant...!!"
Using such a precious medicinal herb merely for tea? While people were dying right in front of them? Zeek couldn't understand it. At least if they sold it for profit, she might have comprehended.
"Then why...?"
"A sense of superiority."
"What?"
"The satisfaction of believing they're different from those insignificant creatures. That's what drives them."
At least, that was how it had been in the original novel Isaac had read. What began as simple greed had twisted into arrogance. That was the nature of power—when it stagnated, it rotted.
Eventually, Isaac's steps halted before the valley. It was a deep cliff on the western side of Nemea Fortress—so deep the bottom was barely visible. Isaac considered his options. Returning would take too long, yet jumping straight down was dangerous. His hesitation didn't last. He swept Zeek into his arms.
Zeek, suddenly embraced by her Master, flinched and blushed. She didn't dislike it. In fact, she wished it could last longer—right up until they fell off the cliff.
"Bear with it for a moment."
"Kyaaaaaaaah?!"
What kind of scream is that? Sounds like a girl's. The thought crossed Isaac's mind for an instant before he shook his head to dismiss it. Zeek, a woman? Impossible. His knowledge of the original story had never been wrong so far. Therefore, Zeek was undoubtedly male, just as the story depicted. Zeek herself was too overwhelmed by the sensation of falling to notice anything else.
"Don't ever do something like that again!"
"Sorry."
Isaac bowed his head apologetically to Zeek, who was squawking like an angry chick. But there was no time to turn back. Zeek huffed and pulled away from his arms.
"So? Why did you suddenly jump off a cliff?"
"They dispose of corpses by dumping parts of them off this cliff at Nemea Fortress."
"Good heavens, they don't even bury them?"
Her anger had subsided somewhat, but Zeek's voice remained sharp. Isaac tried to calm her by explaining why they had jumped.
"Of course, this happens without the commander's knowledge."
"How could that be possible? No—why would they do it?"
"The reason is right in front of us."
With those words, Isaac walked ahead. Zeek followed closely, curiosity piqued. They hadn't gone far when they discovered an enormous, crimson tree. It was several times thicker than an ordinary tree. Its thick roots, embedded throughout the cliff like parasites draining nutrients, pulsed like a beating heart.
Is that... the Red Fever Tree?
"W-was it always like this?"
"Of course not. It's being sustained through abnormal means."
"What?"
"I mentioned it before—the Red Fever Tree is practically a miracle. But what if that miracle were no longer a miracle?"
[Aaaagh!!! Aaaaaagh!!!]
A piercing scream tore through the air. The blood-red branches trembled with the sound, making it seem as though the tree itself was writhing and shrieking. The horrific noise froze Zeek's legs. Even hearing it alone felt like the tree's agony was piercing her chest like arrows. She collapsed to her knees, covering her ears. Isaac pulled her back, realizing it was still too soon for Zeek to witness this.
"Zeek, Zeek!!"
"Hah! Hah!!"
"Are you all right?"
"Y-yes. I'm managing somehow..."
Once they hid behind the rocks, the screams vanished as if by magic. Only then could Zeek finally calm down. Tears had welled in her eyes. Isaac gently stroked her hair.
"It'll be over soon. Can you hold on a little longer?"
"Y-yes, I'll try."
"Thank you."
Even that brief moment of eye contact had sent pain coursing through her veins. Yet Zeek endured the hellish scene for one reason alone—her Master's presence. His calloused hand brought her an indescribable sense of relief.
Once Zeek had settled, Isaac moved without hesitation. Dragging this out would only make things worse. He kicked off the ground and charged forward. Before him stood the monstrous Red Fever Tree and the three mages maintaining it. In the original story, they had each been formidable mages, but Isaac paid them no mind. They would all die anyway.
Isaac's fist, moving like a cannonball, slammed into the Red Fever Tree's trunk. The trunk couldn't withstand the blow and burst apart.
"Wh-what?!"
"Intruder! There's an intruder!!"
"No! The tree will disappear!!"
One of the mages moved swiftly to stabilize the tree, but the half-destroyed trunk could no longer maintain its form. Blood seeped from the ruined sections.
[The Red Fever Tree is a miracle the gods bestowed upon humanity.]
[The gods wished for everyone to receive this miracle equally.]
[Ironically, it was humans who rejected that divine will.]
[And they did so by offering their fellow humans as sacrifices.]
The blood-soaked fragments of the trunk resembled human entrails. Isaac frowned. He had read the description in the novel, but seeing it in person was far more horrifying and repulsive than he had imagined.
The Red Fever Tree was a divine miracle. Therefore, it could not be bound by human hands. So they had chosen another path—transforming the miracle into a monster and binding it to this land forever. The price, of course, was human lives.
The mages unleashed their fury upon the intruder who had suddenly ruined everything. But their rage never reached Isaac. It was far too slow.
What... just happened?
They had tried to cast spells to deal with the intruder. Their comrades had done the same. But the magic never activated. Instead, they saw their own arms being severed. At least this mage was luckier than his companions—his colleagues had their heads cleanly removed without mercy.
As he knelt in agony, a voice reached his ears.
"If you don't want to die, move. Now."
To him, it sounded like the voice of a demon.