The World Tree's Final Gift
Alicia Melote let out a stunned, bewildered voice from her lips.
Her knowledge had insisted that the colossal tree before her was the World Tree Yggdrasil.
Yet here she stood, unwilling to accept that the withered, dead tree in front of her could be the same.
“This… what on earth is this…”
Her words stumbled and faltered as she began walking forward again, unable to tear her eyes away.
She needed to get closer. Much closer.
The thought burned in her mind as she clutched the orb tightly and pressed on through the grassland, finally entering the sacred forest where the World Tree had once stood.
She gazed up at the once-mighty Yggdrasil, now a shadow of its former glory—massive, blackened, and utterly desiccated.
The sight tore at her heart like nothing she had ever experienced.
“Ah… this can’t be…”
She had carried a sliver of hope all the way here. Now that hope lay shattered at her feet.
The World Tree Yggdrasil, the entity that had sustained the world’s mana circulation and kept their land alive, was gone.
Despair washed over her as the raw truth crashed down.
But then a single, piercing question cut through the fog in her mind.
Why had she come looking for the World Tree in the first place?
She had been drawn by a divine oracle she could not possibly understand. The World Tree’s true nature had been what she sought.
Yet it was dead.
So who exactly had delivered that oracle to Cardinal Gerald?
Cardinal Gerald could not have lied. Many witnesses had seen him receive it.
Even if they had all been part of the same conspiracy, it was still impossible for devout church members to fabricate such a message.
Among the witnesses were even priests from the Pope faction.
So what had really happened here?
While Alicia lingered in deep confusion, a faint rustling sound reached her ears.
She immediately held her breath and pressed herself flat against a tree trunk, hiding completely.
Soon, something emerged from the underbrush.
It was a fairy.
A tiny, crimson-eyed fairy with vibrant green hair fluttered through the air.
Alicia froze, breath still held, refusing to move even a muscle.
Although she could simply ask the fairy what had happened, she had no intention of contacting one. As a Pope faction priestess, she had always maintained a wary distance from the little beings.
“For the World Tree to end up like this… yet these fairies are strolling about without a care? How strange.”
She remained perfectly still, hidden.
Then the fairy seemed to sense her presence.
“……Did it notice me?”
Alicia’s face paled with unease.
But the worry proved groundless.
“Ehehe? Is something here…?”
The fairy tilted its head, as if searching for her, but it never spotted the hidden priestess.
Alicia’s heart raced in silent panic, yet she dared not breathe.
“Tired, maybe…?”
The fairy muttered to itself and fluttered off in another direction.
Only when every trace of the fairy had vanished did Alicia finally exhale, stepping out from her hiding spot with a long, shaky breath.
“Huu… what in the world was that…?”
The World Tree had died. Yet the fairies moved as if nothing had changed.
And the oracle Cardinal Gerald had received—its source remained a mystery.
One thing after another defied explanation.
Then Alicia’s eyes caught something glowing in the distance.
“……Eh?”
A luminous figure.
It moved like a person, waving its hand.
Did it realize Alicia had seen it?
The waving stopped. The figure began to approach.
“……Are you trying to lead me somewhere?”
A faint suspicion stirred in her, but there was no hostile intent.
Compared to a fairy, this felt far safer.
She had no choice but to follow.
For an hour, Alicia trailed the glowing being as it led her deeper into the forest.
They reached a spot where the World Tree’s massive roots had once formed a cavernous space beneath its base.
Though it looked like a cave, it was merely the clustered roots creating a hollow area.
The luminous figure stopped at the entrance and pointed.
“Go in.”
“……”
It gave no reply and simply vanished.
Alicia was left alone for a brief moment, weighing her options.
She could not linger. She had to act.
“I’ll go. Whatever happens, happens.”
With that resolve, she stepped inside the root-formed chamber.
The space was surprisingly vast.
Although it had appeared dark at first glance, shafts of light pierced through the gaps between the massive root structures, filling the area with a soft, ethereal glow.
She walked deeper, and ahead, nestled among the roots, stood a small wooden table-like structure.
On the surface lay a faintly glowing orb.
Alicia approached cautiously.
Suddenly, brilliant light erupted from the orb.
“I have been waiting for you.”
“……!!”
No figure was visible, yet Alicia could hear a woman’s voice—calm, yet carrying an unmistakable ancient dignity.
“W-Who… are you?”
The tone sounded like an ordinary woman’s, but Alicia sensed a profound, otherworldly authority.
“I am the World Tree Yggdrasil. I have awaited your arrival, descendant of the Melote family.”
“W-World Tree…?! You are still alive?!”
It was a claim that should have been doubted.
Yet the aura emanating from those words confirmed everything.
Alicia immediately dropped to one knee and began praying.
The World Tree’s voice continued gently.
“No. I am already gone. Please consider this remnant of me as all that remains.”
“I… I cannot accept that…”
“Alicia Melote, descendant of Frania Melote. I have a request for you.”
Again, the World Tree’s message reached her.
“Please deliver this to my child.”
“T-This?”
Alicia’s gaze shifted to the luminous orb.
Feeling an unfamiliar warmth that had not been present before, she reached out and took the glowing sphere into her hands.
At first glance, it was simply an ordinary orb.
But the immense power radiating from it as she touched it lent the World Tree’s words undeniable weight.
“Please give this to my child.”
“The child… whom do you speak of, World Tree Yggdrasil…?”
“The child’s name is…”
Alicia listened, eyes widening in surprise, then nodded with understanding.
But one question still lingered in her mind.
“World Tree… how did you die?”
“……”
“I know you are gone. Yet your blessings still flow through the world, and those who received your oracle are still appearing.”
The World Tree offered no further explanation.
Alicia waited in patient silence.
Minutes passed before the voice returned.
“Someone took my power by killing me.”
“!!”
Alicia recoiled, shock rippling through her.
She had suspected foul play in the World Tree’s death, but deliberate murder? Who could commit such a heinous act?
“The power I stole still sustains the world’s blessings, but since I am gone, it will eventually fade.”
“If that happens…”
“Mana will run wild. The earth will crumble, unleashing unimaginable catastrophe.”
“Who… who could do something so monstrous?!”
Alicia could not forgive it.
Why would anyone need to kill the World Tree just to manipulate the world?
“Her name is Belia.”
“Belia…? Saint Belia…?”
“Yes. One of the few who once participated in the party that sealed the Demon King four hundred years ago. Saint Belia.”
Four hundred years ago, the sealed Demon King had begun to stir once more.
Fortunately, world leaders had anticipated the threat and swiftly assembled forces to contain it.
The campaign to completely destroy the Demon King had involved a small party: beast warriors, human witches, human fighters, knights, and a saint.
They had fought at the forefront of the global effort and, after a fierce battle, successfully annihilated the Demon King.
The beast warriors and witches had quietly retreated.
The fighters and knights had gone on to rule their own nations.
And the saint had remained at the World Tree’s side.
She had served the World Tree faithfully until the end, even after centuries of life had taken their toll.
Yet as time passed, the World Tree began to weaken.
Having lived for so long, its power naturally began to diminish.
The World Tree chose its “child” as its successor.
All it wanted was to bestow a great blessing upon that child, ensuring they would live a happy life.
That alone was enough to restore a measure of its strength.
Enough time remained for the new World Tree to grow and take root.
Everything should have unfolded perfectly.
“World Tree.”
“……Belia?”
The saint who had knelt before her appeared.
Her soul alone remained, yet the Saint Belia who had once stood beside the World Tree in support was here.
The World Tree, still weak from the blessing it had given its child, answered weakly.
“I sensed an immense surge of power earlier.”
“……”
“What happened?”
Belia had no intention of hiding anything from the child she had raised for so many years.
The World Tree told her it had chosen Belia as its child and bestowed its blessing upon her.
The World Tree Yggdrasil smiled warmly at the sight of the young child with scattered red hair.
May she grow strong and healthy.
May she find wonderful family and good friends, and live a joyful life.
That was all it asked.
So the World Tree Yggdrasil never noticed the twisted, jealous face of Saint Belia.