Chapter 254: A God...? Me?? (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 254: A God...? Me?? (1)
After a brief greeting with Magrina, Alon postponed their long-awaited reunion and asked to visit the roots of the World Tree first.
Magrina’s cheeks puffed out in a pout, but she soon nodded. Thanks to her consideration, Alon was able to descend into the depths beneath the World Tree.
There was nothing left beneath the roots now, so he didn't need an escort. Accompanied only by Evan, Alon arrived and gazed at the vast greenery that had formed beneath the roots.
"Marquis."
"Yes?"
"This feels a bit... strange."
"...Suddenly?"
Evan shrugged his shoulders out of nowhere.
"No, well—I mean, I heard the gist of it last time, about you going to the past and all."
Alon had already told Evan what had happened inside the Strange Gate after they were sucked in along with the Hungry Ghost on their way to Ashtalon.
"You heard the gist?"
"It just feels like... I don't know, like I've been left out? What exactly happened back then?"
"I believe I explained it to you last time."
"You didn't mention that the Elf Queen would be looking at you with eyes practically dripping with honey."
"...Hmm?"
"You didn't look much different, but you had the face of someone deeply moved... and that Elf Queen? Her eyes were overflowing with affection."
'It's on a whole different level than before,' Evan muttered incessantly.
Alon searched his memory and asked, "Did I not explain it in detail last time?"
"You just said you went to the past, stopped some guy named Baarma, and that an accident happened which forced Line to make a sacrifice. That was it."
"The explanation was a bit sparse, I suppose."
"Well, it looks like it'll take a while to get down there, so why don't you tell me more? It's not like we have anything else to talk about."
Alon hesitated for a moment before beginning to speak. By the time they reached the deepest part of the roots, the long story was finally nearing its end.
"So, to summarize: in the process of defeating Baarma, you helped a lot of people, and one of those people happened to be the Elf Queen."
"That's right."
Evan nodded as if he finally understood the situation, though he looked somewhat disappointed.
"I should have gone with you."
"...Suddenly?"
"No, I mean, if I had been standing there next to you looking cool, wouldn't I have been recognized as some kind of god too?"
[Pfft—]
"What are you laughing at?"
[Oh, nothing—]
Basiliora, who had apparently been listening from the ring, suddenly popped out and stared at Evan.
[No, never mind. I suppose one could think that way.]
He let out a blatant sneer.
"This damn snake... does he need to get beaten within an inch of his life to snap out of it?"
[Hmph, do you really think you could even touch me?]
The two immediately fell into their usual bickering.
"…Kyu."
Blackie, resting his paws on Alon’s chest pocket, looked at the two of them with a judgmental expression.
It was a familiar sight. Alon felt as though he had finally returned to reality. Feeling a warmth blooming in a corner of his heart, Alon walked in silence for a while until they reached the edge of the roots.
"Is this the place?"
"It is."
Alon looked around. Nothing seemed particularly special. Immediately after Alon had dealt with the Mother of Greed here, he had used his divinity to fill the underground roots with greenery. Thus, only fresh sprouts existed where Alon stood.
However, Alon did not stop and continued along the end of the roots. At that moment—
Rumble—!
The green foliage parted, revealing a spiral staircase. It was the staircase leading to the place where Alon had once seen his reflection in the mirror and received a seed from the tree beneath the World Tree.
He descended the stairs without hesitation. Finally reaching what could truly be called the 'end of the roots,' Alon was met with a vibrant interior scene: a lushly cultivated garden and a massive old tree standing in its center.
And—
"……."
Behind that old tree, he discovered a tunnel leading further underground—one he hadn't noticed last time.
* * *
Alon had a concern while coming to Greinif. It was because of something Magrina had said when they first met.
'However, if I were to give a rough estimate of the years... I believe it was about 600 to 700 years ago.'
'600 to 700 years?'
'Yes, because that was when I heard the stories.'
That had been her answer to Alon's question when he first discovered the Mother of Greed—the Ash Scatterers—underground.
...From there, a worst-case scenario began to form, making Alon uneasy. He knew that the Mother of Greed only appeared when the 'Sin of Greed' awakened.
'If that estimation is correct—'
It meant that Line, who was sealed away, had become the Sin of Greed. And if the one sealed was not Line, but the Sin of Greed itself—
"...Whew."
Alon stopped his train of thought there and let out a long sigh. Honestly, it was a hypothesis he didn't want to entertain.
Deciding to reserve judgment for now, Alon entered the underground tunnel.
"This is strange. It should be dark, but I can see everything clearly."
[...This place is certainly peculiar.]
Listening to Evan and Basiliora—who had been at each other's throats just moments ago—marveling in unison, Alon moved deeper inside.
And then, once he was fully underground—
"!"
He discovered a massive sealing array. It was the exact same form as the seal Line had cast to save Alon in their final moments together. That magic circle was drawn in two places, like a set of doors.
"Phew—"
Alon unconsciously felt tension grip his entire body. The sealing array before him looked incredibly ancient, as if it held the weight of all the passing years.
Walking forward calmly, Alon began to prepare his magic. Breaking the seal wasn't particularly difficult. If he could just cause a small flaw in the array with magic, the seal would break.
Knowing this, he was about to cast his spell when—
"……?"
Alon saw it. Words written beneath the sealing array. As if anticipating that Alon would see them, the words were written right at his eye level. Alon stopped his magic and moved closer.
And then, Alon was able to read them.
[I have a request. Godfather, if you are reading this, please wake me up exactly 10 months from now.]
It was a message left by Line.
* * *
"Did you have a good look?"
"Yes."
Magrina greeted Alon warmly. In the end, he had emerged from the roots without releasing Line from her seal. The reason was the message she had left behind.
'...10 months later.'
He couldn't fully understand why Line had left such a message. The moment he read it, he realized there was a possibility that Line was conscious, and he wanted to pull her out immediately.
But would it be right to ignore her wishes and pull her out just to put his own mind at ease? Alon ultimately had no choice but to suppress his impulse.
"...I'm so happy to be reunited with you, Brother, but it seems you don't feel the same way."
Magrina’s voice reached him while he was lost in thought. Alon snapped back to his senses.
"I'm sorry. I had some things on my mind."
"What kind of things?"
"Just in case... did you know exactly what was happening at the roots?"
"No, I haven't known the exact details until now."
At Magrina's answer, Alon briefly explained what had happened at the roots. After hearing the whole story, Magrina’s eyes wavered.
"...Does that mean Lady Line is currently beneath the World Tree?"
"Yes. However, she doesn't seem to want the seal broken right now."
When Alon spoke, recalling Line's message, Magrina also took on a strange expression after some thought.
"...That is strange to me as well."
"Isn't it?"
"Yes. But—if that's what Lady Line wants, then breaking the seal 10 months from now isn't that difficult."
Alon nodded as well.
'Of course, it's true that many questions remain unanswered...'
In truth, Alon's mind was still a mess.
'If Line is okay while sealed, then how was that Mother of Greed there?'
But the doubt was short-lived. Alon reminded himself that it was rude to think only of Line while Magrina was right in front of him, and he cleared his throat.
"Have you been well?"
"Eh, Brother. Isn't it a bit late to be asking that?"
"My apologies."
Magrina put on a mock-sullen face. When Alon hurried to apologize, she quickly broke into a smile.
"No, you don't have to feel that way. I'm sure you had a lot on your mind."
"Thank you for understanding. By the way, there's something I'm curious about. May I ask?"
"What is it?"
"Did you know from the beginning?"
"Know what...?"
"That I would go to the past and return."
Magrina shook her head.
"How could I? I didn't even know you were alive, Brother."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. That's why when I first heard your name, I was really unsure. I only believed it after seeing you in person."
"I see."
Recalling that time, she let out a sigh as if she were still quite upset.
"And do you know how hurt I was? I was so happy to see you, but you kept saying you weren't the Primordial Elf and that you didn't know me at all—I knew you weren't that kind of person, so I wondered what kind of 'concept' you were playing at."
'Just thinking about it makes me dizzy...' Magrina said, shaking her head.
"Ah—"
Alon let out a low exclamation. Thinking back now, it made sense that Magrina would have felt deeply slighted.
"But don't worry too much about it. I figured it out halfway through."
"...You figured it out?"
"Yes. When you showed me the seed of the World Tree."
"Ah..."
"I knew then. That the 'you' at that time wasn't the Brother I knew."
Only then did Alon fully realize how the situation had unfolded. The two continued to talk about various things after that. Then, Magrina smiled mischievously.
"Come to think of it, Brother, aren't you going to praise me?"
"...Praise you?"
"You told me to lead the elves well, didn't you? That's why I worked so hard."
She squared her shoulders proudly. Alon belatedly remembered the words he had left for Magrina just before he disappeared.
"I see. Thank you for working so hard."
He praised her, feeling a sense of pride in his heart. Magrina, her face flushed with joy, stood up.
"Well then, now that we've finished our reunion, let's do what needs to be done."
"...Is there something to do?"
"Now that you've returned, Brother, you must take your rightful place."
"Rightful place...?"
Seeing Alon's bewildered expression, she nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Yes. I plan to officially proclaim you as the God of the Elves. Everywhere!"
She declared, spreading her arms wide.
"???"
Naturally, Alon's mind was once again filled with question marks.