Everything Ripens (3)

Elf. Elcidoir didn't move. To be precise, he couldn't move. He couldn't defy the [Hierarchy of Blessing].

Elcidoir vented his killing intent like he was taking out his frustration. "Urgh, uwaaaaaah!!" He wanted nothing more than to slaughter those two sniveling insects, but his body wouldn't obey. He could only watch helplessly as they backed away, whimpering.

"W-We won't bother you again!!"

"P-Please, just this once, show us mercy……!!"

"……."

"Eeeek!!"

It took a long while for silence to finally settle in. After shedding tears and snot, they eventually crawled away on all fours. Only then did the surroundings grow quiet. Even so, Elcidoir couldn't easily withdraw his killing intent.

Why must I, an elf... be toyed with by lowly humans and suffer such humiliation?

'……Tell me to grow these pathetic flowers?'

I'll kill you for sure, Lee Hoyeol.

Elcidoir muttered curses inwardly, beyond mere grumbling. Yet, contrary to his vows, mana flowed from his body. The mana volume that surpassed human limits precisely because he wasn't human. Sparkling— the elixir herbs that absorbed Elcidoir's mana boasted a fresh presence even in the darkness.

Elcidoir recalled Hoyeol's voice.

—"There's a saying in this world."

—"……?"

—"He who does not work, neither shall he eat."

—"……!"

Ever since the day he was brought to reality, Elcidoir hadn't left the detached chamber in the Golden Palace. Was he treated harshly? If someone asked, he couldn't just nod blankly.

—"I grant you limited freedom."

He could roam anywhere in the Yusra Kingdom. Provided he strictly refrained from harming others. Naturally, it was freedom in name only for Elcidoir. What was the point of wandering outside when all he saw were vermin-like humans? It only made his chest tighten, knowing he couldn't kill them.

—"Your meal."

Confined to the detached chamber, Elcidoir racked his brains. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠How could he escape this situation, this [Hierarchy of Blessing]? But no matter how hard he thought, no solution came to mind.

"……My damned mother."

The blessing of the World Tree that granted his kind eternal life—it was precisely that kind of thing. Moreover, Elcidoir realized something else.

"Even favoritism has its limits."

That his great mother's blessing resided solely in one human. In Hoyeol. With his collar held by such a being, escape was off the table.

However.

"……Who said anything about fleeing?"

Until he reclaimed the blessing. Elcidoir had no intention of submitting. Which was why he couldn't ignore Hoyeol's words.

He had definitely said it.

—"If you desire it, why not take it?"

Take it if he could.

—"It means you too must prove your pride before the World Tree."

Elcidoir's dilemma inevitably turned toward 'pride.' And then Hoyeol had come to him. And now.

"……He who does not work, neither shall he eat?"

Yes. Elcidoir was earning his keep right now. No one in the Golden Palace ate for free—not even him.

Elcidoir gazed at the garden flowers. Incomparably more beautiful flowers and grasses filled the elven lands of Sisli. To fuss over these pathetic things.

"Hmph."

It was so trivial, so ridiculous, he snorted. For the first time, he felt like he'd bested Hoyeol. Soon, Elcidoir intoned solemnly.

"However, this humiliation ends once I reclaim my pride."

A resolute declaration. With that, Elcidoir infused mana into the garden with a lighter heart. Glowing magic circles and healing spells illuminated the elixir herb garden all through the night…….

*

Even a caterpillar knows how to roll. I assigned Elcidoir to manage the garden.

Truth be told, in my heart of hearts as Lee Hoyeol. I wanted to work him even harder. It irked me that he was freeloading while others slaved away.

Should I just throw him into the demon king struggle? I seriously considered it.

Because with the [Hierarchy of Blessing] in place. Elcidoir couldn't pull any nonsense.

'The ultimate force.'

Including myself. From the Yusra Kingdom to the Mage Tower, no one could confidently claim to be stronger than Elcidoir.

Well, except maybe the Mage Tower Master floating in that mana sphere…….

But Grandfell's pride wouldn't approve of my petty scheme.

"Regrettably."

The demon king struggle was part of the Holy War. There were conditions to participate in the Holy War. Namely, proving one's pride.

"I have no intention of granting the honor of joining the Holy War to one who has not comprehended pride."

……Calling a quest full of nothing but Holy War drudgery an 'honor'! Really.

I finally get why I suffer every day, Grandfell.

Entering the portal. My view shifted in an instant.

A rift formed on the beach. So it looked like a sandbar floating on the sea. Quite the spectacle.

Honestly, I'd submit a vacation request. Strip off this jacket and shirt, soak up some sun.

"High El."

Vacations my ass. Despite the leisurely appearance. My insides were grinding, no, tsringing.

Soon, High El appeared.

"High El responds to your call."

Always excessively elegant, High El. I spoke with High El, who gracefully clasped his robe hems and bowed.

First, the situation on the Arcana Continent.

"No movements by organized forces have been sighted."

As expected. The demons participating in the demon king struggle were those with throne-worthy power. Now that such powerhouses had vanished cleanly from the Arcana Continent. Only the existing demon kings remained.

"At last, they comprehend their place."

Why even those demon kings were quiet? As fellow demon kings, they knew better than anyone. What upper demon kings truly were.

Evil so transcendently beyond language. With the fourth throne, Gamigin, cast into hell. Gamigin's eyes resembled demon eyes exactly. Perhaps the demon kings shared that vision.

That would explain it perfectly.

—"Tremble in fear. Akkshan has returned."

I'd declared it clearly before Gamigin. Akkshan has returned.

……Wait, I didn't think much of it then. But looking back now, well done, my mouth.

'Looks like the bluff worked perfectly?'

With hell's gates closed. Neither Akkshan nor demon hunters exist on the Arcana Continent. But I'm the only one who knows that.

Moreover, demon kings would surely remember. That I died on the Arcana Continent.

Put myself in their shoes?

'True terror for the demons.'

Me, who died without a corpse. Leading the demon hunters annihilated in the Holy War, declaring Akkshan's return?

High El bowed once more.

"High El humbly apologizes for being unable to accompany you on that journey."

Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠High El, who always overestimates me, reacts like this. I could guess the dwarfs' response on the Iron Castle Ho without asking. Probably a festival atmosphere seeing cowed demons.

Of course, contrary to my overwhelmed feelings, I spoke as usual.

"Such things are neither journeys, nor hardships, nor trials. Merely a passing breeze. So raise your head, High El."

"!"

Just riding my seniors' coattails— if only I'd said the truth. Dressing it up as 'passing breeze' and such. Grandfell's packaging skills improve by the day.

You have nothing to apologize for, High El.

"For your abilities are needed."

Even in his nameless low spirit days, High El's {Nature} ability was potent. Now elevated to unique spirit, its effects were beyond even my guess.

As in London. I thought the Aquarius oak was just flashy, but it had life force recovery.

So turning elixir herbs into spirit medicines…….

'Might not be an empty dream.'

If successful. Greater than turning stones to gold, no?

Considering spirit medicine effects and rarity from records…….

[Unique] what's that, [Epic] grade at least.

'Infinite farming of Epic items!'

For a moment, golden dreams swelled. But before my mouth could blurt it, I erased the thought.

Yeah, yeah, I know, Grandfell. Can't pursue material life because of that damn integrity.

"I am delighted that you still require my abilities."

No need to be that glad, High El. I'll probably need them ongoing.

Soon, High El's blessing settled over the oasis.

'Good.'

Moving the blessed water outside the rift is easy. Not a skill, but magic.

See, cast 『Spatial Expansion』 on a suitable bottle like now…….

Whoosh— water endlessly sucked into the bottle, as visible.

Though calling this a 'suitable bottle' is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a stretch.

'……Well, teatime is teatime.'

Teatime essential: teapot. Scooping oasis water elegantly for a bit.

'This should suffice.'

As I stored the teapot in inventory. High El handed something over.

"And I have reclaimed another pride."

……Reclaimed pride? What’s with that exhausting-sounding phrase!

My heart tsrunged involuntarily. But looking closely, it was Quirnburk Mechanical Tower wreckage.

'Right, levels matter too.'

Entering a Lv.150 rift shows it. Normal rift clears no longer level me easily.

'Unless demon monsters overflow.'

With demons slowed. Hard to expect levels from next regular update rifts.

In that sense, Quirnburk Mechanical Tower's accumulated EXP was rain in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drought, more.

"May you find peace. My liege."

With that excessively loyal farewell, High El returned to Arcana Continent. I quickly exited the rift, manifesting a portal to Yusra Kingdom.

Lessons from experience. Reversal magic consumed considerable mana for the wreckage. With circles like shackles-not-shackles.

Need to manifest reversal magic in optimal state.

Click—

"Indeed, one truly senses the sun's setting."

……Turning 'the tea is good' into such grandeur. Anyway.

Nothing brings you mental peace like teabag green tea, eh, Grandfell.

I accepted it and slowly drew up mana.

Rooooar—

Grateful to title system again. Without [Transcendent] effect unsealing circles. Couldn't manifest magic like this.

That's why pre-learning is useless.

Clank—

Gears meshing and turning. Mana stones regaining light. Vast energy emanated from the machinery.

Second time already. Yet momentum still hard to adapt to……!

Hair whipping wildly, desk papers scattering. In Grandfell terms.

Yes. The Mechanical Tower's pride seeped into my body.

Messages cluttered chaotically.

…….

Maybe aim for the cap, 50 levels again? Can't know till I check status window.

'But before that.'

Something to confirm first. Witness the end of an Akkshan member, the Quirnburk Mechanical Tower.

Soon, the Mechanical Tower's memories unfolded before my eyes.

"……!"

But it was odd. The decade-plus blank in my existence. Like Dreadsden village feeling alien from last memory.

Most Arcana cities and villages shouldn't be familiar to me. Yet this scene felt strangely so.

Majestic walls. fluttering flag emblem. Even the solitary man atop the walls.

Familiar to the point of déjà vu.

I soon realized why.

"So you too thirsted for the throne?"

Yes. The struggle wasn't just for demons.

Empire. Capital city, Antonium. The man on the walls, emperor—with rebel blade aimed at his neck.

That instant, a message appeared.

"……!"