Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Divine Tree's Trial
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Splish, splosh—.
Do-jae and Sari crossed the lake and stepped onto the land.
A circular patch of earth in the very center of the lake.
A small island, held fast by the roots of the divine tree, Aktria.
"Lady Aktria, the representative of the Nightgale Forest offers her greetings."
Sari knelt, bowed low, and kissed the ground.
The gesture was incredibly natural, a clear sign that, as she’d said, she had visited this place often.
Rustle—.
As if responding to Sari’s greeting,
the branches of Aktria began to tremble, though there wasn’t a breath of wind.
Then, its green leaves began to flutter down, one by one, a few landing at Do-jae’s feet.
*Should I bow too?*
Seeing the massive tree react to Sari’s greeting made Do-jae wonder if he should also press his lips to the ground.
He decided that since he was before a divine tree, a bow wouldn’t hurt, and started to kneel.
"Huh? Wait a minute…."
Sari said, her voice laced with panic.
Hearing this, Do-jae froze in a half-kneel and asked.
"Was I not supposed to do that…?"
But there was no reply.
Only the sight of Sari’s face, which was slowly filling with horror.
"Sari, what’s wrong?"
"Th… there! This has never happened before…."
Sari pointed a finger at Aktria.
Only then did Do-jae look ahead, and he too was left speechless by the bewildering sight.
"Don’t tell me… is it because of me?"
A thick pile of green leaves.
Aktria’s leaves continued to fall, adding to the growing mound.
*Is this some kind of rejection of an otherworldly being? Is there something wrong with me?*
Rustle, rustle—.
Just as the leaves had piled up to Do-jae’s ankles,
the tree’s trembling thankfully stopped.
"Phew. It stopped! I thought something had happened to Lady Aktria… Huh? Do-jae! The leaves…!"
The leaves had stopped falling, but what happened next was even more spectacular.
Whoosh—!
A fierce wind blew, strong enough to whip Do-jae’s hair about, and the fallen leaves were swept up into a vortex.
The leaves, carried upward by the wind, formed a swirling pillar that towered over Sari, a full head taller than even Do-jae.
And then.
Patter, patter—.
The gale vanished in an instant, and from within the gently falling leaves, a massive figure was revealed.
A humanoid being, its entire body made of Aktria’s leaves.
If there was a perfect word for it, this would be it.
"A Leaf Golem?"
Sari said, looking up with a dazed voice.
A Leaf Golem.
Unlike a Stone Golem, one that used leaves as its medium had appeared before them.
"Sari. Is it an enemy?"
Do-jae pulled Sari behind him and drew mana into the Heart of the Golem.
At the same time, he tried to create his Golem Armor using the surrounding earth and stone.
Unable to use the Eye of the Golem, he had no choice but to go all out from the start.
However, Do-jae’s plan went awry.
*Ah. Right. Here, I have to control everything manually…*
Unlike in his original world, where he just had to draw up mana and activate a skill, here he had to manipulate and focus his mana directly.
So, no matter how much mana he poured out, the Golem Armor wouldn’t form automatically.
*No choice. I’ll have to fight with my bare hands.*
Do-jae clenched his fists and took a fighting stance.
He was ready to strike the moment an attack came.
But then.
A deep and resonant voice was heard.
It was a different feeling from the Mind Exchanging magic.
It felt just like when Elatra and Altein had spoken to him.
—Greetings, incarnation sent by the great beings.
***
Step, step—.
"Do-jae, you were so cool back there!"
Sari, who had been walking beside him, clung to Do-jae with a bright smile.
Then, she put on a dignified expression, stepped away from him, and exclaimed.
"Sari! Is it an enemy! Stand back! I’ll protect you!"
Sari spread her arms wide, pretending to block an imaginary foe.
Her tensed forearms were impossibly slender compared to other gray—no, Gray Elves, but her spirit was impressive.
*I never said ‘stand back’ or ‘I’ll protect you’…*
After flailing her arms in the air for a moment, Sari came back to Do-jae’s side.
Then she said with a bashful grin.
"Humans really are a kind race. I’m so, so happy you’re my friend, Do-jae!"
"Sari, you’re wrong. Humans aren’t kind. And I didn’t try to save you out of pure kindness."
Do-jae hadn’t stood in front of Sari just to protect her.
First, without her, communication would be impossible.
She seemed to be the only Gray Elf who could use Mind Exchanging magic.
He would have been isolated again in this strange place, unable to communicate.
To be a little more selfish, he also needed to keep her alive until the earring was finished.
Moreover, her position as chieftain guaranteed Do-jae’s safety in this village.
He wasn’t sure about the other Gray Elves, but the memorable one named Kuhtan was keeping a close eye on him.
If any harm came to Sari, there was no telling what that cautious man might do, so protecting her was also a means of protecting himself.
"Who cares? It was a good thing, so it’s good! You’re kind, Do-jae! You’re human, so humans are kind!"
"Alright. Think what you want."
Do-jae patted Sari’s head and smiled.
How could this 245-year-old female Gray Elf be so innocent?
But the image of Rishun wouldn’t leave Do-jae’s mind.
*Rishun… just you wait. When I get back from here, you’ll be the first one I take care of.*
Do-jae bit his lip.
Do-jae, who had found a way back to his original world.
He recalled the events that had just transpired.
***
"Who are you!"
Do-jae directed his question to the giant Leaf Golem.
The Leaf Golem’s blue eyes flashed as it answered.
—I am Aktria. I am the one who governs the Kuran Mountains.
"The Kuran Mountains?"
"The Kuran Mountains are a beautiful and vast mountain range that runs from the north to the south of the eastern continent, Do-jae. It’s so big it would take me more than three months to cross it at my walking pace! Our Nightgale Forest is part of the Kuran Mountains, too. Hehe!"
Sari answered proudly when Do-jae expressed his confusion.
Despite her tone, however, she was pressed tightly against Do-jae’s back, only peeking her head out.
—Child of the Nightgale Forest. Do not be afraid. This form is my manifestation, brought forth to converse with the incarnation of the great beings.
At Aktria’s words, Sari slowly emerged from behind him.
She looked at Aktria and asked in a cautious voice.
"Are you really Lady Aktria?"
—I am. Did you not come to me yesterday seeking an answer? About what human men like….
"Aaaah! Yes! It’s definitely you, Lady Aktria!"
Sari shouted, cutting Aktria off.
She was breathing heavily.
Her face was so red it was clearly visible against her gray skin.
"Do-jae, this is definitely Lady Aktria! I… I’ll go back to the lakeshore! You two have a good talk!"
Sari hastily waded into the lake and left.
Left alone with Aktria, Do-jae relaxed and sat on one of the high, exposed roots.
"So you’re the divine tree, Aktria?"
—Hoho, even for an incarnation sent by the great beings, you are quite arrogant before me.
"Well, I’ve been through some things. It’s made me suspicious."
—A bold human, indeed. Well, you are the one the great beings have chosen… I already know why you have come to me. You wish to ask how to return to your original dimension.
"That’s right. I want to go back. I may have fled here out of necessity, but there are people waiting for me. I want you to send me back to where I came from, right now."
—Hoh. You wish to return at once… Of course, I can send you back to your dimension immediately.
"Really? That’s great. I’m glad I followed Sari."
—However, if you return in your current state, are you confident you will not simply flee again?
"What?"
—Do you not understand why the great beings sent you here? It is because they were disappointed in you for failing to carry out even a simple command.
"Ugh. But Elatra and Altein acknowledged me. I haven’t even seen the faces or heard the voices of the others. *They’re* disappointed in me? What do they want?"
Do-jae shot to his feet and shouted at Aktria.
Aktria moved the leaves on its face to form a benevolent smile.
—What the great beings, and indeed all of us, desire is one thing. Liberation from the traitors. You must become far stronger than you are now. Therefore, I, Aktria, shall give you trials.
"…Trials again? But like I said, I don’t have time. I don’t know how much time has passed, but Young-jin is in danger. Rishun might have already killed him!"
Do-jae’s mana flared, synchronizing with his emotions.
The animals and monsters relaxing by the lakeshore were startled by Do-jae’s sharp mana and fled.
In his original world, releasing mana like this was impossible, but since coming here, he had been constantly maintaining a sensitive control over it, so the outburst was reflexive.
—Calm yourself, incarnation of the great beings. You have plenty of time.
At Aktria’s words, Do-jae’s aura vanished in an instant.
"Plenty of time?"
—That is correct. This place and the one where you lived are separate dimensions. The movement of space, the flow of time, everything is different. So, even if days and nights pass here, not even a fleeting moment may have passed where you came from.
Thump—.
Do-jae sank listlessly back onto the root.
He felt truly relieved.
He was Do-jae, the man who had run to save his own skin.
Of course, dying to Rishun there wouldn’t have changed anything, but he still felt a sense of guilt.
But according to Aktria, he could return to the moment right before he fled from Rishun.
He had been given another chance.
Do-jae felt a great weight lift from his conscience.
"Alright. What are the trials? I’ll clear every last one and then go meet Rishun."
—Your expression has improved. The time I can give you is one month. Any longer, and the flow of time will begin in your original world as well. Therefore, you must complete all my trials within one month.
"Understood. And there’s something else I want to ask, about this world…."
***
That was his conversation with Aktria.
Having received his mission from Aktria, Do-jae was now heading somewhere to become stronger.
"Sari, is there a place where I can get a sword and some armor?"
"A sword?"
Do-jae had realized he needed a weapon.
For now, using the Golem Armor required immense concentration.
If a battle broke out and his concentration slipped, causing the Golem Armor to dissipate, he would be in immediate danger.
Until he grew accustomed to using his skills manually, he needed a weapon and armor.
"There’s an excellent blacksmith in our village! Should we go there?"