Chapter 596: Tree
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 596: Tree
Under the azure sky lay pale green fields.
Clouds drifted lazily, casting massive shadows across the land. A gentle breeze carried the scent of hearth smoke, creating a scene as tranquil and beautiful as a masterpiece painting.
Gurgle, gurgle.
The soup was boiling.
In front of a simple little tent, a young girl with streaks of dirt on her face was focused on tending to a clay pot over a campfire.
From time to time, she tossed in small flowers and herbs that Muen didn't recognize at all. Occasionally, she would shake a few grains of powder from her treasured jars. After some stirring, the wild vegetable soup—which contained no delicacies, nor even a hint of oil—began to emit a mouth-watering aroma.
"Do you want some?"
As Muen stared blankly at the pot, the girl ladled out a bowl and held it out to him with both hands.
She looked up at him, her large, dark eyes sparkling with life. Her small, freckled face no longer bore the previous pallor or ferocity.
She looked like a perfectly ordinary little girl.
"Thank you."
Muen took the soup and, without hesitation, took a light sip.
Instantly, a strange fragrance, as if from the deepest parts of the forest, filled his mouth, invigorating his spirit. The seasoning was perfect, adding layers of flavor. It was hard to imagine that such a delicious taste, rivaling that of a top-tier chef, came from a simple bowl of wild vegetable soup.
"It’s delicious," Muen praised after finishing the bowl.
"Thank you."
The girl smiled slightly, revealing cute dimples, but then her eyes dimmed. She said regretfully, "But it’s a pity you can’t truly taste it."
"...Yeah. What I’m tasting now is just what your consciousness believes to be... the most delicious thing in the world. It isn't real."
Muen turned to look to the side.
Beyond the peaceful, idyllic fields lay countless flickering, chaotic images, like a shattered monitor.
The entire world was split in two: one side was the place where the girl felt most at peace, and the other was a terrifying, unhealable rift.
This was only natural. When something rooted in this space is forcibly torn away, it inevitably leaves a scar.
"Seeing that guy go mad, using any means necessary to save you, I thought... you two shared some deeply moving, epic story."
Muen watched the images, gradually piecing together the past of the Indra King and the little girl through the fragmented shards.
"As it turns out... it’s so ordinary," Muen couldn't help but sigh.
There was no complex karma.
No tear-jerking grand purpose.
Stripped of their identities as a Crown Bearer and a Source Blood Awakener, the broken images showed only an old man—going from clumsy to skilled, from initial reluctance to having his entire heart captured... a very ordinary story of a father’s awkward attempt at raising a child.
Such stories happened every day in this world. Even if recorded or told, they would seem far too mundane.
"Yes, it’s as ordinary as can be."
The girl tilted her head, smiling as she watched the images.
"But for me, this is the best!"
"I suppose so."
Muen patted the girl’s head. "You’re right. Why would a father need a grand reason to save his daughter? But... putting that aside, he did indeed do many wrong things."
"...I’m sorry."
The girl lowered her head and tugged at Muen’s sleeve. "It’s all my fault. I..."
"It has nothing to do with you."
"But, that Beast Nature..."
"Beast Nature is Beast Nature. It isn't your true nature."
Muen comforted her, "Someone once told me that the danger of power doesn't lie in the power itself, but in the person using it. You were just being used. No one blames a knife for being sharp when it cuts a finger."
"Thank you..."
Hearing this, the girl bit her lip, her eyes turning red. She thanked him again, "Thank you, Big Brother."
"Don't mention it, Becky."
Muen gently pulled the girl’s afterimage into a hug. "I only did what I had to do."
*
"Whew..."
Muen opened his eyes. The darkness in his gaze receded, the Black Flame dissipated, and he slumped to the side as if all his strength had been drained.
A gentle breeze suddenly blew, supporting Muen as he sat down slowly. The rainwater on the ground had long since evaporated, leaving not a speck of dust.
Muen glanced sideways and saw the Indra King, who had been unstoppable just moments ago. Now, he looked like an ordinary old man, staring at Muen with a tense expression.
"Is... is she saved?"
One of the world’s top experts, an Indra King who could crush two opponents of the same rank simultaneously, now appeared timid. Facing Muen—the enemy he had just tried to kill with his own hands—his aged face didn't know what expression to make.
"In a sense. Her life is preserved."
Muen looked at the girl on the ground.
The stitched marks on her body had been consumed by the Black Flame. She no longer looked hideous or terrifying, but anyone could see how weak she was.
Fortunately, her chest rose and fell slightly, indicating that her life had indeed been pulled back from the brink of death.
"It’s just... the erosion of her consciousness by the Beast Nature was too severe. Her spiritual space is clearly damaged. I don't know how much of her memory or intellect will remain when she wakes up... In the worst-case scenario, she might have to start over from scratch, like a blank-slate infant."
"An infant..."
The Indra King’s lips trembled. He shook his head and let out a long, weary sigh. "That’s enough... it’s more than enough," he said seriously. "This is already much better than I imagined. As long as she is healthy and can recover, even if she has to start over... Thank you. I apologize once again for what I did before."
"You don't need to thank me. I didn't save her for your sake, but because I wanted to save her. After being led by the nose by the Inner Council for so long, I had to actually save something, didn't I?"
Muen glanced at the heads of the two powerhouses on the ground, his eye twitching slightly. Then he turned toward the Lower District. Judging by the brightness of the fires, the chaos there seemed to have subsided significantly. "With this, those Beast-transformed Ones should be able to recover as well."
"...They should."
"However... apologies aren't important. Your atonement, however, is required."
Muen stared directly into the Indra King’s eyes. "Even though you didn't strike directly, by participating in this, you indirectly caused harm to many innocent people. You must bear that guilt."
"Rest assured, I will not run from it."
The Indra King pressed his palms together, looking once again like a devout ascetic. He made a solemn vow:
"No matter how much time it takes or what price I must pay, I will atone... I only hope you won't take your anger out on her."
"What a good father..."
Muen smiled. He leaned against the wall and stood up shakily. The Indra King moved to support him, but Muen raised a hand to decline.
After steadying his breathing, Muen bowed to the other three nearby.
"Thank you three for your help."
"I’m ashamed. In truth, we didn't help much," Archbishop Canterbury sighed, stroking his beard.
In this battle, they hadn't managed to resolve a single enemy, and they had nearly caused a disaster by failing to win a two-on-one fight. For him, it was quite embarrassing.
"It’s fine, as long as the agreed-upon money is paid."
Adolf didn't care about things like embarrassment. He slung an arm around Muen’s shoulder as if there were no age gap between them.
"But kid, that Black Flame of yours... it seems quite extraordinary. Tsk tsk... I haven't seen something that powerful in a long time."
"I’d appreciate it if Lord Adolf could keep it a secret for me," Muen said with a wry smile.
"Keeping a secret is fine, but..."
Adolf’s eyes darted around as he plotted something, but his gaze shifted and caught the Indra King silently staring at him. His expression froze, and he sheepishly swallowed his words.
"Haha, I’m just joking, just joking."
"..."
"Since you’re fine, I’ll be heading back."
Professor Prang walked over, leaning on his silver staff. He studied Muen seriously for a moment, then pointed a finger. A large amount of pure mana poured into Muen’s body, causing the weakened young man to let out a long breath of relief.
"Does the Professor have other matters?"
"The turmoil has yet to fully subside. I must return to oversee the Academy."
"...Right. The turmoil isn't over yet."
The scent of smoke, carried by the cold wind, drifted toward the majestic and imposing palace walls.
Regardless of what happened in the Lower District or here, the outcome within that palace was what truly concerned the future of the entire Empire.
"But... if it’s Celicia, there shouldn't be a problem."
Even though the current course of events had deviated tens of thousands of miles from the original novel's plot, Muen remained completely confident in the Princess’s abilities.
"Alright, regardless, next I should... hm?"
As if sensing something, Muen’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and he looked up.
Professor Prang, who was about to leave, also stopped and looked toward the sky.
"This is..."
In fact, it wasn't just Muen and Professor Prang.
At this moment, everyone within the city couldn't help but raise their heads, staring at the sky in shock.
A brilliant golden light reflected off every stunned face.
In the deep night, long before the arrival of dawn, an infinite radiance surged upward, illuminating everything as if it were broad daylight.
First, a massive pillar of light rose from the palace. Then, those streams of light branched out like a river into countless tributaries.
Then, upon those branches, countless indescribable, profound points of light and patterns traced an outline, constructing lifelike flowers and leaves...
A trunk... branches... flowers and leaves...
It was a tree. A Golden Great Tree that blanketed the entire Imperial Capital, Belland!
"What... is that?"
Muen stared blankly as the tree grew and unfurled, its radiance bathing the entire city. This completely unexpected development caused his brain to stall for a moment.
Then, for some reason, he suddenly remembered something Celicia had said.
"This country... is like a tree..."
A tree with partially rotten roots, but whose branches and leaves were still lush.
"No way, Comrade Celicia..."
Muen’s lip twitched as he murmured, "You were being literal..."