The Oracle's Chosen Is Likely the World Tree, Not a Dragon

The village restoration was in full swing, with Khan at the center, directing everyone’s movements. "Start by re-erecting this pillar. The roots have been shaken." The goblins nodded and hoisted the wooden beams into place.

"Kwoong! Kwoong!"

"Kwoong!"

Tabu and the Totoris carried supplies and cleared away the scattered debris.

"I think we need to wrap this part as well."

"We have to make sure the knots don't come undone!"

The elves used their nimble fingers to re-weave the damaged fences. "It would be better to place a Fire Branch here." Hylen carefully selected a few Elemental Branches and inserted them into the key points of the fence.

"Kkuriring!" "Kurong!" The Honey-Ring tribe didn't just stand by, either. They flew around with short, sharp cries, applying beeswax to the tops of the fences, meticulously filling every gap. Riri flew among them, inspecting everything.

"Here too! You have to apply it here!" At Riri's command, the Honey-Ring tribe followed swiftly. "Kkuriring!" "Kurong!" Perhaps because they had already been through one battle, their movements were much more organized than before.

-That goes over there!
-Call me if you need fire!

The spirits were also flying here and there, doing their part. The wind spirits darted between the goblin elites, using gusts to gather light debris into one pile, while the fire spirits helped cauterize the ends of broken wood. The busiest of all were the earth spirits and Genie. They were frantically flying about to repair the ground, which had been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠left pitted and scarred by the monster horde.

-Uuuung... this part is sunken too...

Genie placed both hands on the sunken earth. Ku-gu-gu. After a short vibration, soil rose up to fill the empty space. -Done...

Seeing Genie like that, I spoke up. 'Genie, you're working so hard.' At my words, Genie beamed. -Uung... I have to work hard... because you asked me to. 'We're almost done, so let's keep it up!' -Uung!

Just as Genie’s eyes sparkled, a clear voice popped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up from the side. -I'm working hard too..! It was Rin, looking pouty. I gave an awkward laugh. 'Uh... Rin is working hard too.' -Really?

As Rin brightened, Khan clicked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his tongue. "As if. The Master is just being kind because they're too good-natured." -What? No, I'm not!

Khan let out a dry laugh at Rin's protest. "Not? Shall we look at what you're doing right now?" -What about me!

Rin, who was saying that, was lying on top of a round water droplet. She looked incredibly comfortable. Khan said quietly, "Aren't you lying down?" -Just because I'm lying down doesn't mean I'm not cleaning up, right?

Rin flicked her finger. The water droplet wiggled and began to crawl, sucking up the debris ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scattered on the floor. Scattered branches and pebbles were pulled into the droplet one by one, and they floated around inside. Khan watched for a while, then shook his head. "..." -Hey, why!

Rin shouted as if she were wronged. Khan said, "It's not good to be lazy like that. You should move your body." -It's not laziness, it's using wisdom! "What if it bursts while you're doing that?"

Rin shouted with her eyes shining confidently. -I'm a middle-rank water spirit~! If I can't even manage this much, I should return my title!

Khan watched her with weary eyes before saying briefly, "Something to be proud of..." Genie, who had been working diligently nearby, blinked. -The two of you... look like siblings...

At that moment, Khan and Rin glared at Genie in unison. "No!" -No!

Their voices overlapped perfectly. Seeing that, Hylen, who was nearby, muttered quietly, "They really do look like siblings." Tori, standing next to him, nodded. "Kkung!"

The atmosphere was bustling. I briefly took my eyes off the kids. It was only natural, as I needed to do some maintenance of my own.

I muttered to myself after looking at the village window. 'Satisfaction and cleanliness have dropped.' It was expected. There was no way a village that had just been through a monster wave would be clean. Still. 'Safety went up.' From level 5 to level 6. It must be thanks to Riri and the Honey-Ring tribe joining. 'Let's be satisfied with that for now.' The rest could be restored later.

Just as I was about to close the village window, Riri flew over, tilted her head, and asked, "Did the flower bloom well?" She wasn't asking me. She was talking to Luan. Luan answered without taking his eyes off the flower. "Ah. Yes. The flower is healthy!"

Luan was currently standing in front of the flower bud. I had asked him to check if it was possible to bear fruit. Luan had a great talent for alchemy, but he was also someone who had handled herbs and plants for a long time. Since he was so knowledgeable about plants, I thought he might be able to give me more detailed information. 'Plus, Riri can make pollen now. And Hylen is here too.' Two of the three conditions were met. Now, the final condition—the flower itself—just needed to be in full bloom.

'The problem is when that will be.'

Luan examined the flower slowly. Very carefully. Very cautiously. He checked the flower with the softest touch possible. But... 'Luan...' Why are you trembling so much? He was shaking like a leaf, as if he were touching something sacred. He touched a petal with his fingertip ever so slightly, held his breath, and peered inside the flower again. He focused without even wiping the sweat from his brow.

A moment later, Luan slowly stood up and wiped away his sweat. "Whew... I've seen enough." Only then did he wipe the sweat running down his forehead. Riri flew over and shouted, "Riri knows! There's lots of honey here... but not enough pollen!"

Luan nodded and said, "That's right. It hasn't fully bloomed yet. It will take another half a year to fully bloom." Half a year. That’s longer than I thought... 'Can't be helped.' Just as I was thinking that, Luan smiled slightly and continued. "But I wouldn't have come to see it myself if that were the case."

Oh! As expected of the sub-male lead! Does he have a way? Luan said slowly, "I will make an accelerator." 'An accelerator?' "Yes. It's a medicine that hastens the blooming of the flower." He looked at the flower bud once more and continued. "It won't be easy to find the ingredients... but they are all within Pirel Forest. I can make it in a few days." 'Any side effects?'

"None." Luan said firmly. "My job is to make sure there is no strain on the flower." Then he added carefully, "If you use the accelerator, it will be in full bloom within a week." 'A week would be great!' It wasn't just great; it was excellent! A week was much faster than I had anticipated. Excited, I rustled my leaves. Luan bowed his head and said, "I'm glad I could be of help to you, World Tree." He looked genuinely happy. 'Thank you.'

Then, if I wait about a week, I'll be able to bear fruit. Finally. Anticipation began to fill me. At that moment, I heard the voices of Rin and Khan from afar.

-Hey! Being siblings with you! It's a disgrace! Ugh, am I really that ugly? "I'm considered handsome among goblins!" -Ack! Liar! "It's not a lie!" -Yeah, yeah~ Keep that up and your nose will grow long?

Luan smiled faintly at the two of them bickering. "Everyone gets along really well." At that moment, Rin's voice erupted loudly. -Oh! Your nose grew long! "I'm really not going to let this slide!!!" Khan shouted with a red face. -Yeah, yeah~ Rin flew away laughing. Watching the two of them, I awkwardly flapped my leaves. 'They... get along, right?'

"I heard you weren't feeling well... did you rest well?" The High Priest who came out of the prayer room asked Lilia. Lilia smiled softly and replied, "Yes. Thanks to that, I rested well for a few days and feel refreshed."

"That is a relief. Everyone was worried about the Saintess's well-being. Please, do not forget that fact."

"I will keep that in mind."

The two walked quietly down the hallway. When they finally reached near Lilia's room, the High Priest asked, "Are you returning to your room?"

"Yes. I have prayers left to do."

"Understood. Then have a good day, Saintess."

With that final conversation, Lilia entered her room. Thud. Lilia closed the door. She collapsed onto the bed. Half a day had passed since she moved from Pirel Forest to the temple. She was quite tired, but her mind was wide awake. 'Ha... I came back without confirming anything.'

Still, it wasn't a total loss. The fact that Luan was looking for the World Tree. It didn't feel like he was looking for the existence of the World Tree. It felt more like he was looking for its location. 'I'm not sure, but could the World Tree be there?' She began to feel a little more certain. Lilia, lying quietly on the bed, muttered to herself. "More than that, is Luan okay?"

Luan, the mysterious man she met in the forest. Leaving him behind amidst the pouring monsters weighed heavily on her. What might have happened to him... He must have encountered the monsters, so she wondered if he had survived. She kept worrying. 'To think monsters would pour out so suddenly.' No matter how strange Pirel Forest was, it hadn't been to this extent. 'Something is very strange.'

Moreover, all the monsters didn't seem to be in their right minds. They were running in only one direction with their eyes rolled back. 'I have to go one more time...' But she had run out of movement scrolls to go to Pirel Forest. And if she acted alone any further, the temple might notice. Lilia closed her eyes and thought. 'I must see Princess Aselia.'

If it were the Princess, she would try to go to Pirel Forest as quickly as possible to retrieve the dragon egg. Then she could join that party and go to Pirel Forest one more time. 'I must find the World Tree no matter what.' If the World Tree had returned, the Oracle's Chosen would not be the dragon, but the World Tree itself.