Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The World Tree's Avatar
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Listening to the World Tree's words brought one question to mind.
What about people who couldn't even control themselves properly?
"Then what about Minotaur-type Mutants or Demon-type Mutants? Did they have those kinds of desires inside them too?"
[Yes. However, those desires don't always manifest in positive ways. Also, inheritance fundamentally selects only the entity from Paradise that best matches the individual's desires. It doesn't consider the inherited entity's tendencies or anything like that.]
"That's terrifying..."
In short, it inherits an existence from Paradise that responds to whatever desires a person harbors.
[That's why the full power of the Ancient Dragon was inherited. To minimize the damage caused by inheritors and restore order.]
Hm? But if that's the case, I thought the Second Mutation started from the World Tree...
"Then why did the Second Mutation happen?"
[To minimize chaos. What the Dragon wished for was the restoration of Paradise. But there were far more Mutants in Paradise back then than there are now.]
"...Ah."
I instantly understood what the World Tree meant.
What if people's mutations had all happened at once due to the Dragon's wish?
The world would probably have fallen into chaos.
Even the initial mutations caused massive disorder, but this would have been incomparable—a complete apocalypse.
[Fortunately, when the Dragon's wish swept over the world, my seeds were scattered alongside it, so I stored the power contained in that wish within those seeds. However... the power I had suppressed grew along with me, and I had no choice but to release some of it. That became the phenomenon you call the Second Mutation.]
"Ah, I see..."
In other words, the World Tree hadn't planned to start the Second Mutation so hastily either.
[In truth, I intended to release it once the world had stabilized more, but I didn't expect the power to grow with me... If I'd known, I wouldn't have pushed Sia so hard.]
...So in the end, you were the cause after all, World Tree.
"When will the next mutation... inheritance begin?"
[I'm not sure. But the inheritances will continue steadily until the original members of Paradise are fully restored.]
"Then what about the people who die in the meantime?"
[Someone else will fill those vacancies.]
"..."
It seemed like it would take quite a while for peace to come to the world.
[But there's no need to worry too much. I've now entered a stable phase, and you exist as well.]
"You're saying I'll have to work hard in many ways."
[...Regrettably, yes. But when the next mutation begins, I'll warn you in advance, so don't worry.]
"That's a silver lining. Ah, but I've heard there are quite a few problems in this city lately. Are you aware?"
[Of course I'm aware. That's why I've been waiting for the day you would contact me.]
Huh? What did that mean? It had been waiting for me to come?
"What do you mean by that?"
[In truth, I still lack a bit of power to create an avatar to manage the city. If I'd abandoned stabilizing my power and focused solely on gathering it, I could have made one already, but that might have triggered the Third Mutation...]
In summary, the World Tree's point was this:
Blindly growing uncontrolled power could accelerate the Third Mutation, so it stabilized its power and waited for me to give it some strength to create an avatar for city management.
A reasonable choice. But how do I give it power?
"So how do I give you that power?"
[Just place your hand on my trunk.]
"...Nothing weird will happen to my body, right?"
[No need to worry. The power you're giving me is like scooping a bowl of water from the ocean.]
...I'd forgotten. How immense the Dragon's power I inherited was.
Enough to terraform the world—giving a little wouldn't cause any issues.
Following the World Tree's instructions, I placed my hand on the trunk.
A strangely refreshing energy flowed into my palm.
The refreshing energy from my palm circulated once through my body before returning to the World Tree.
I'd expected some fatigue or something since it was transferring power, but there was no sensation at all.
"Did you receive the power?"
[Yes. I've received more than enough. This should be plenty to create the avatar.]
It felt strange—like I hadn't given anything, yet it had taken it.
But if it said it was fine, then it was.
And at that moment, my vision blurred once more.
* * *
"Sister!"
I opened my eyes at the sound of someone calling me.
It was the same place, the same scenery, but now my companions and Sia were there, which they hadn't been before.
So I'd been in something like an inner mental world created by the World Tree until just now.
"Are you okay? You suddenly collapsed..."
"Ah, yeah. I'm fine. The World Tree had something to say to me..."
"The World Tree?"
"Yeah."
"What did it say?"
"Congratulations, Sia."
My out-of-the-blue words made everyone's expressions turn weird.
Of course they would, without context.
It was so funny that I ended up laughing.
"Puhuhu..."
"Congratulations on what?"
"City management is going to get a lot easier from now on."
"Huh?"
"The World Tree said it's making an avatar to manage the city. It called me to get some power from me."
"What!?"
As Sia exclaimed in shock, a massive vibration shook the ground just like before, and the World Tree's trunk in front of us began to glow.
"What is this...?"
Then a branch of the glowing trunk tore away from the World Tree, soon taking the form of an Elf resembling Sia.
Oh ho, so this is what the World Tree's avatar looks like.
The avatar, shaped like an Elf about Sia's size, was cuter than I'd imagined.
To the point where I unconsciously thought about the texture of its cheeks.
...I wonder if the World Tree's cheeks are soft too.
It seemed to be created based on a High Elf.
Otherwise, it wouldn't resemble Sia this much.
The subtle difference was the hair color.
Unlike Sia's blonde, the fresh green gave off a mystical aura just by looking at it.
"So this Elf is... the World Tree's avatar? It looks just like Sia..."
At that moment, the World Tree's eyes snapped open.
"Yes. The last pure-blood left in this world."
"Ahh!"
As the World Tree suddenly opened its eyes, Yeonhwa unnie, who was watching from the side, jumped in surprise.
She wasn't the only one startled.
Even Sia, who communicated frequently with the World Tree, was equally shocked.
"World Tree...?"
"Calling me that feels odd, so use the name I told you before."
"Ah, yes! Lady Ermenia!"
"Ermenia?"
"It was a name I used in the past. The name your ancestor gave me."
"Ah, I see..."
"Ermenia is too formal, so just call me Nia."
We nodded at the World Tree... no, Nia's words.
She slightly raised her body, then stretched it out fully.
"Ugh...! It's been a while since I made an avatar, so I'm still not used to moving. I need a bit more practice."
"Oh ho... Ah, Nia?"
As I watched Nia stretch and do some gymnastics, a primal instinct welled up, and I gave in to it.
"Yes?"
"Um, could I touch your cheek?"
"...Pardon? Ah, sure. Go ahead."
Nia readily permitted it, and I gratefully poked at her cheek.
"...Oh."
The texture was slightly different from Sia's. But it was incredibly soft, smooth, warm, and chewy.
The supreme satisfaction from that cheek made my companions look at me enviously.
"Wow..."
Then Nia spoke to me.
"Come to think of it, your ancestor used to do this often too. She'd sit me on her lap and do it all day sometimes."
Ah, so that's why I'm so obsessed with cheeks—it's because of our ancestor?
Well, it did feel off.
I'd always liked cute things, but lately, I'd been even more fixated on especially cute ones.
So it was due to my ancestor.
I'd learned something new.
But anyway... I didn't hate it. Whatever.
* * *
After doing that for a while, Sia hesitantly spoke to me.
"Um, sister? It seems like the Dwarves have gathered now..."
"Oh, already? When did you call them?"
"I told them to gather before coming to the World Tree. They're probably ready, so shall we meet them now?"
"Sure, why not. Ah, Nia. Want to come along?"
"I created the avatar for city management in the first place, so of course I should step up."
Nia also agreed to meet the Dwarves.
Since I had a question, I asked her.
"Um, Nia, do you know why the Dwarves are acting like that?"
"I do. Elves and Dwarves were long-time enemies even back in Paradise. It's because those traits manifested."
"Eh...? Really? Then why didn't you tell us?"
Sia spoke to Nia as if hearing this for the first time.
"You never asked me. You were too busy to even visit properly."
"...Ah."
So she'd been frustrated because Sia never asked something she could've just gotten the answer to from Nia?
I could understand. Sia had been so busy.
...If the Dwarves' hostility came from racial traits, then why weren't the Elves hostile?
"Then why aren't the Elves as hostile to the Dwarves?"
"Elves under my influence fundamentally become more gentle in nature. They even laugh off things that would normally make them angry. That difference might make you think the Elves are staying calm while only the Dwarves are upset."
"...Ah, I see."
"So in truth, for this issue, I need your power more than mine, Seo-hyun."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. Your ancestor was what Elves and Dwarves feared most. When you face the Dwarves, the traits imprinted back then will activate."
Ah, so it'll be like the situation when I first met Sia.
I understood perfectly.