Chapter 232
Chapter 232
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Incarnation of the World Tree
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The spirit of the World Tree.
When that existence was first mentioned through the prophet Salea, the elves could not easily accept it.
"The spirit of the World Tree...?"
"There's been no report of such a thing until now! Isn't it some kind of mistake!?"
The long history of elves living alongside the World Tree.
Even across its entirety, there had never been a case of encountering a being called the World Tree's spirit.
"For some unidentified entity to suddenly appear in times like these—doesn't it seem suspicious?"
"On the contrary, isn't it precisely because of these times that it appeared before you?"
"Prophet, what does that mean?"
It was the prophet Salea herself who stepped forward to actively persuade those elves.
"The World Tree is withering for some unknowable reason, and because of that, we can no longer hear its will. This is the moment when the great World Tree's direct guidance is more desperately needed than ever."
"...So, it's not that the World Tree is withering and thus unable to convey its will anymore, but that we can no longer sense the great World Tree's will?"
"That is correct. To that end, the World Tree has sent its herald to guide the lost ones back to its side. It is the World Tree itself that has first broken the longstanding convention—the unwritten rule—of maintaining a minimal distance. All for us elves."
The elves revered the World Tree as their root and foundation.
Thus, their spiritual bond with it could be said to be closer than anything else.
Even so, the elves took the stance of refraining from direct contact with the World Tree as much as possible.
For that great and benevolent tree bestowed its energy without reservation upon all beings around it.
For example.
The elves had refrained from contact to avoid rashly drawing upon its sublime energy.
No matter how great the World Tree was, its power was not infinite.
"The World Tree has approached us first..."
But.
What if the World Tree approached them first?
Moreover, in a situation where repeated taboo contacts to heal the ailing World Tree had yielded no results whatsoever.
"In that case, Prophet. As you say, all this might truly be the great World Tree's guidance..."
In the end.
The stubborn elves came to acknowledge as the World Tree's incarnation a being that only a single individual could see and sense.
A lone human had slipped through the crack born of the elves' desperation and traditions, monopolizing their immense faith in the World Tree.
The Night of Deception.
She regarded her completed masterpiece with utter satisfaction.
A diseased tree silenced, unable to speak.
As long as the elves continued to worship it, her deception would never crumble.
'That guy—'
Croen, the Night of Deception.
She finally stopped her soliloquy.
Because she had begun to feel wary of the man named Rishir.
The conversation he had with the prophet.
That somehow unnatural exchange had felt like he was aware of her and probing, which she dismissed as imagination, but his current actions led her to hypothesize it might not be a mistake.
'The World Tree's spirit spoke to you? No way. No such thing as a World Tree spirit exists.'
If it had existed, would she be standing here now?
Would she be impersonating the World Tree spirit, deceiving the prophet—the sole elf capable of communing with the World Tree through her exceptional affinity for nature?
Like recognizes like.
Croen was convinced Rishir was lying.
Then.
Why was the man telling such a lie?
The answer came immediately.
"Rishir!? Another World Tree spirit spoke to you?"
"Yes."
"W-what did it say!? What on earth did the World Tree's incarnation—"
Rishir answered the elf princess's question.
"Someone... is impersonating it and distorting the World Tree's will."
That pathetic worm.
Croen muttered through gritted teeth.
As expected, the bastard was aware of her presence and trying to check her.
'How did he pierce my perception hindrance magic?'
Croen felt extreme confusion upon realizing her power had been breached, but it didn't take long to regain her composure.
'No. Calm down, Croen. It changes nothing that one guy is free from my power's influence.'
Before long, Croen wore her signature sneering smile.
Because she realized how pathetic his move was.
Croen observed Elf Princess Lafita's reaction.
He seemed to have unusually earned the princess's trust for a human, but that shallow trust ended here.
'Idiot. He has no idea what he's doing. Denying the prophet in front of the elves, denying the World Tree incarnation she believes in. Does he really think the elves will side with him?'
Thus, Croen leisurely awaited the elf princess to interrogate the fool in her stead.
"...Is that true? That we've been deceived by a false entity all this time?"
However.
The elf princess's response was unbelievable.
That high elf had fully trusted the human's words.
And cast doubt upon the prophet and the World Tree incarnation she believed in.
"Lafita!?"
"You're believing that!?"
"...Yes. I believe it. And Rasnian, Yulin—you must believe him too."
She even persuaded the other prince and princess.
"Lady Lafita... what—"
"...Salea."
Finally, Lafita stared at the prophet.
"He is not one to speak nonsense. I can vouch for him."
What on earth had she experienced?
Absolute trust shone in the elf princess's eyes.
'Stupid bitch—'
Croen let out a scoff at the elf princess.
'There's a limit to tantrums. You think a princess's vouch will make this okay?'
Come on.
Prophet.
Do what you must.
Croen silently pressed Salea.
The pitiful, foolish prophet dancing in her palm.
"...This is confusing. The will of the World Tree that even I, its great herald, cannot sense. However, as you say, Princess—it must exist."
Yet Salea betrayed her expectations as well.
Croen, the human Night of Deception, did not know.
"Lady Sylph says so as well..."
The great wind spirit, Sylph.
The meaning that being held among elves.
"Actually, I have a confession! The one chosen by the World Tree wasn't me. I never lent Rishir the spirit's core, and his selection by the World Tree had nothing to do with any spirit core."
Whoosh!
The overwhelming, pure flow of air swirling in the room seemed to lend weight to the elf princess's words.
-It is true. He possesses an indescribable mystical energy. Just as I was drawn to it, the World Tree must have been too.
The shocking admission that a human had truly been chosen by the World Tree.
Yet in the current situation, it was no big deal.
The fragments scattered in the confused elves' minds busily clicked into place.
Leading to one conclusion.
"Then the prophet really has been deceived by a false entity?"
Prince Rasnian glanced around at the prophet and the 'World Tree spirit' beside her.
"..."
Croen briefly pondered whether to make the 'World Tree spirit' that only Salea saw visible to the high elves too.
'No...'
But she quickly shook her head.
It would undoubtedly be a bad move.
Was the current deception possible solely due to her transcendent mental interference?
No.
It was because she had discovered and thoroughly exploited the loophole in the elves' faith-formed thoughts and consciousness.
The moment the World Tree spirit only the prophet could see became visible to others, this exquisite deception would crack.
That was why Croen felt even more wronged in this situation.
'Just because one spirit vouches, they'll see a human as the World Tree's herald!?'
As Croen agonized.
The prophet finally spoke.
With great difficulty.
'Lady Sylph. And descendants of the World Tree. I assure you, I have no intention of doubting you. However... consider the role and position granted to me by the World Tree... I believe you will all understand.'
The prophet's face was etched with deep worry.
"I too... have not been entirely without doubts about this entity. However—"
She removed her eyepatch and looked at them.
Her frail eyes, like withered grass, shook without focus.
"Now that the World Tree can no longer convey its will. Who among us can truly judge?"
"..."
As the prophet said.
With the World Tree unable to convey its will, debating its true intent was meaningless.
And.
In such a situation, the prophet—the only one who could hear the World Tree's will—naturally carried weight.
"At the very least... I believe this entity is the great World Tree's spirit."
The prophet gazed at Croen.
In her eyes was not a smirking purple-haired woman, but a spirit brimming with fresh verdant hues, born from the forest's heart.
Croen seized the chance to stimulate the world the prophet saw.
"Ah..."
The prophet sighed.
The 'World Tree spirit's' grief infected her in real time.
Before long, Croen had regained her usual leisure.
Knowing who would laugh in the end if this stalemate continued.
Suppose the young high elves were convinced by the human for now.
But.
What of the temple's ultra-stubborn elders, who styled themselves 'World Tree Guardians' after stepping back per nature's law of pruning dead branches for healthy growth?
Their influence didn't vanish just because they relinquished real power.
Especially regarding the World Tree, the elves' foundation.
Just look at how they flipped out when their trusted prophet mentioned the 'World Tree spirit'.
Even Salea, the Turquoise Star—the most pure-blooded elf of glory—had endured immense hardship convincing the elders.
An outsider?
A human, no less?
Croen was certain.
The elders wouldn't even listen to this.
"Lady Lafita. If it is your wish, I intend to report this to the Guardians. In that process, might I seek your advice on how best to convey it to them?"
The prophet's words sounded purely respectful of Lafita's opinion.
Yet Lafita's face twisted as if hearing biting sarcasm.
Just thinking of convincing the guardians with this made her vision darken.
-Wouldn't killing that human solve everything?
The ultra-stubborn elders would have no issue accepting the great wind spirit's vouch that way.
Lafita pondered.
'Rishir clearly... wants to help us, help the World Tree.'
How to convey his true intent to them.
At that moment.
All eyes in the chamber focused once more on the human.
"Huh? What?"
Rishir looked down at his feet, starting a conversation with something.
Likely the World Tree spirit he mentioned.
"Come to where the World Tree is?"
"R-Rishir!? What on earth are you talking about!?"
The elves asked in shock, and Rishir replied.
"Instead of bickering among ourselves, why not go to the World Tree and hear its will directly? That would settle everything, right?"
"The World Tree right now...!"
The prophet cried out in alarm.
"Is in a state too ill to clearly convey its will!"
"Perhaps—"
"Pardon?"
Rishir glanced at his hand before continuing.
"If we go to it, its condition might improve?"
Thus revealing his final plan.
'The disease afflicting the World Tree... maybe this power can do something about it.'
"Caroer!!! What nonsense is that!!! Handing nature's blood to a human!!! "
"Do you intend to disgrace our pride, nature magic!? Forest's Night!!! Wasn't sullying that name enough for you!?"
At the same time.
Caroer was under concentrated fire from the same elders in the Turquoise Temple's conference room.
The meeting convened days ago to discuss implanting nature's seed in Rishir was finally underway.
"..."
Even as the awaited meeting began, Caroer's expression was dark.
As expected, with the elders charging at her like they meant to devour her?
No.
'Human... what the hell are you doing out there...! Ratisil, was it a mistake entrusting it to that child with less aversion to humans!?'
After hearing the human she'd brought to the city was causing a commotion.
'If word reaches them that a human was chosen by the World Tree... how do I even explain that...!'
Caroer's mind conjured the worst scenario of frenzied elf elders boiling and grilling the human.
Knock knock.
Then.
A knock sounded at the conference room door.
The elders around the round table turned to it in unison.
Interrupting the guardians' meeting?
What could it be?
"W-what is it!!! "
Caroer, sensing something, cried out urgently.
The voice from beyond the door far exceeded her expectations.
"The prophet... requests an audience with the World Tree? Together with the human chosen by it...?"
Bang!
The guardians rose, eyes blazing with fury.
"Wha-what is that supposed to mean!!! A human chosen by the World Tree!?!?"
"..."
Caroer closed her eyes tightly and looked to the heavens.
Even craning his neck fully upward, the colossal tree's form wouldn't fit in view.
Ilatdain's deepest heart, the Turquoise Temple.
And at its deepest, the Turquoise Heart.
Rishir, arrived there, faced that wondrous existence.
The World Tree.
However.
Rishir had no leisure now to savor the awe-inspiring sight.
"..."
Rishir felt as if letting his guard down for a moment would crush him.
Ilatdain's elf elders.
The World Tree Guardians encircled them, watching.
They had come believing the prophet's words that a human's presence might aid the World Tree.
If proven false.
If confirmed the human had pointlessly touched the sacred World Tree.
With intent to unleash their overwhelming stubbornness.
"Rishir."
Caroer, the only elder with a different air, approached and spoke to him.
Her composed face was tinged with deep fatigue.
An expression brimming with questions.
Rishir too had much to say, but first nodded confidently.
'Please.'
Having come this far.
There was no other path.
He must heal the World Tree and end this 'deception' with its true will.
After a deep breath, Rishir approached the World Tree.
And as he reached to touch its pillar-like trunk supporting the heavens—
"...!"
Rishir sensed an anomaly.
The World Tree.
No energy emanated from it at all.
As if it were already dead.
"This is..."
Rishir muttered unwittingly.
He realized it the instant he drew near the World Tree.
The factor sickening the World Tree.
Even his power couldn't handle it.
"W-wait—the World Tree's condition...!"
Then the prophet cried out urgently.
The confusion spread instantly to all the guardians present.
"No World Tree energy... at all...?"
"Wh-what's happening!?! It was fine as of this morning—"
"Th-this isn't just worsening!!! It's like—"
A dead tree.
The elf elder swallowed the words, but all elves present already sensed the possibility.
"..."
Before long, their gazes turned to the human.
After the hero.
The first human to touch the World Tree—they saw him as the cause.
As all their resentment was about to turn toward the human.
"Eh...?"
Rishir looked at his feet.
"W-wait—everyone, look there!"
Caroer shouted next.
"That's..."
The prophet murmured blankly.
Even without Rishir voicing his improvised lie, they looked in the same direction as him.
At the tiny grass spirit standing there.
"..."
In that instant.
Rishir felt a strange sensation and pulled something from his bosom.
The seeds the World Tree had given him.
"This is..."
One of the seeds had sprouted.
The moment an old life shed its dying body to bloom anew.
Then.
The grass spirit looked up at the human.
Its small mouth opened cautiously.
The true World Tree spirit.
That wondrous being's first words.
They held mysteries beyond Rishir's comprehension.
-Mommy?
"Mo—...!"
Rishir's eyes widened.
A relatively mild reaction.
"!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The elf elders' response.
And—
"..."
Compared to a certain 'World Tree spirit's' reaction.
The turquoise body born of deception appeared unusually turbid.