121
121 ― The Severed Space
Memories of a past life. They surfaced there as well.
In one corner of the garden, there was a place identical to this one. The grown grass and detailed parts might be different, but the essence of that land was the same.
His past life self had also first discovered it there. The existence of the black energy that would later be named Erosion.
―This is.......
He couldn't leave it alone.
Everything in the garden had a lifespan-like limit, so nothing truly immortal existed.
This wasn't set out of malice, but rather as a minimum condition to protect the garden.
If even one thing appeared that didn't perish and existed eternally, the garden's balance would break, and circulation would cease.
That's why that black energy was alien.
An existence that shouldn't be accepted and an enemy that would collapse the garden.
―How can.......
How can this be eliminated? What method could isolate it from the garden? What if it were sealed in the deep sea?
He thought of all sorts of methods and tried them. But which was the most appropriate measure - that was completely unknown.
―Just where did such energy appear from?
He sighed. Where on earth had such ominous, sinister energy that would devour everything in the garden sprung from?
It first appeared from a pile of dirt in a corner of the garden, but that land wasn't its origin. Even after a thorough investigation and excavation, nothing was discovered in that vicinity.
Not only that. Even after investigating and searching every place in the garden, nothing that could give birth to the black energy was visible.
Then where exactly?
The world has many coincidences, but nothing exists without a cause. Even countless coincidences are born from countless causes and origins intertwining.
It meant that the black energy that appeared one day would also have an origin. If the origin could be discovered, a method to eliminate it would also be found.
So he continued to investigate. There was no need to hurry. What was needed wasn't speed but thoroughness.
Since he had plenty of time anyway, it was important not to be impatient.
―Ah.......
While thinking this way, he realized one fact.
He had thought nothing in this garden was immortal. That's why it could circulate as one world, and that's why he considered Erosion's existence a threat to the garden.
But in fact, there was one more. Another existence that would never perish and function eternally, just like this deep and dark Erosion.
It was I.
***
The Erosion spreading through the ground was abruptly cut off by the sword. It was helplessly sucked in and absorbed by Jin-woo.
The Erosion that climbed up the sword caressed Jin-woo's fingers, wrists, and forearms.
What seemed to be coquettishly flattering was actually a sign of rejoicing at its master, who had finally come to find it.
"......"
This place is a set stage to recreate the past.
The place that rose in Jin-woo's memory and this snowy mountain garden were completely identical. Though there were detailed differences, the fundamentals were completely the same.
The story Belkarim told about 'the place where Erosion was first discovered' was true.
At the same time, her purpose could also be understood. She wanted him to fully accept Erosion and become the master of that power.
Just as his past life self had.
"Your master's training method seems to be showing results. Congratulations, Jin-woo."
The maid spoke in a bright tone. Though her expression couldn't be seen due to the cloth covering her face, her manner of speaking made it obvious she was smiling.
"Is the simple task of absorbing the Erosion that appears here the training method Belkarim prepared?"
"Simple, but isn't it that much more effective? To me, it looks like Jin-woo has remembered something."
It was true that he had regained some memories.
Tsk, Jin-woo clicked his tongue and spread his palm to expand the Erosion.
He deployed a barrier to subdue only that space without ever touching the garden. Then he gathered it back and absorbed it into his body.
The series of processes was smooth. More so than in Kalesian's lair, and more than when he defeated Silvern.
Watching the Erosion move freely like his own limbs, Jin-woo organized his memories. For the current Jin-woo, there was no more efficient training method than that.
Thus days passed, and weeks passed.
During that time, Jin-woo devoted himself to organizing the memories that surfaced and handling Erosion. The maid always followed Jin-woo around with a joyful tone, assisting him.
She cared for him so that Jin-woo could devote himself entirely to training, and sometimes added a bit of advice.
Since she moved according to her master's will, her will was soon Lord Belkarim's will.
"Does Belkarim want me to regain this power?"
"Of course. She wants you to return to your original form."
"I heard she shares some intentions with Rondar......"
"Oh my, I don't know about that part. It's not knowledge permitted to a mere maid."
She could mention what her master had told her, but she couldn't talk about other lords she didn't know well. Especially if it was in the realm of speculation.
'Rondar also handed this sword to me.'
To be precise, it wasn't he himself but the thought he left in the 3rd floor that handed it over, but it's the same thing.
'For reasons unknown, that guy also wants me to regain this power.'
The expression ‘regain’ came naturally. How had he become so assimilated with his past life's memories?
Among S-rank Hunters, it was said that many identified their past life with their current selves. Conversely, some just felt like watching a movie protagonist when it came to past life memories, and only utilized the knowledge gained from it.
Either way, it couldn't be greatly determined just by briefly observing from the outside. Changes that were hard to notice unless spending quite a long time together.
'Was Shartia the latter?'
Though Shartia was the reincarnation of an Elf, she didn't show signs of thinking of herself as an Elf. She lived as a human who possessed an Elf's memories through and through.
Which was correct was unknown. Being assimilated with a past life didn't necessarily mean being unfaithful to the current life, and viewing the past life from a distance didn't mean being less influenced by it. It should be called case by case.
"Are you gradually remembering? How great an existence you originally were."
The maid whispered. It was like the devil's whisper approaching one who craved power.
But it didn't resonate with Jin-woo at all. It only sounded like nonsense being spouted from afar.
"If you could fully recall the past, you could be reborn as a magnificent existence. Casting off the soul of this petty mortal now......"
Her story was as sweet as a dream. Just by remembering how much power and authority could be obtained. Though her voice was like a baby bird's, its content was full of greed.
'Wrong.'
Jin-woo couldn't empathize with her words. Because his past life self wasn't a great existence at all.
'If he was such an omniscient and omnipotent being, why did he fail?'
He erased memories that couldn't be erased and lost a life that couldn't die. Since his past life self had an immortal body, if he died, wasn't it because he desired it himself?
Why had he gone through such troublesome work to arrange the next life? It was obvious. Because he couldn't find a solution in his own life.
"Gather all Erosion and dominate it to become king."
His past life self, whom they so desired and revered, was, however, a failed life.
***
The garden's Erosion appeared periodically. Each time, Jin-woo gathered and absorbed it while the maid watched ecstatically from beside him.
His power was steadily growing. But Jin-woo had already remembered that the end of this path wasn't the answer.
"Oh my, that's......"
Jin-woo planted a tree branch in the garden. The maid looked down at it with cold eyes. It was the first emotionless eyes he'd seen since coming here.
"It's a branch of the World Tree."
"I can see that...... But why?"
There wasn't really a big reason. He just thought it might become a trigger to recall more memories of his past life.
Thinking about everything so far, it was clear that there had also been a World Tree in his past life's garden. So he wondered what would happen if he planted a World Tree branch in this place that had been part of the garden, observed the reaction, and stimulated his own memories.
But her tone wasn't asking for a reason. It was a warning, meaning don't do it, pull out and burn that damn branch immediately.
Of course, he didn't listen. After planting the branch well, Jin-woo even added water and nutrients. It was one of the nutrients he had received from Shartia before.
"I want to see various reactions. Why. Is there some reason it shouldn't be done?"
"There's no such thing, but......"
The maid trailed off. Rolling her eyes this way and that, she seemed to be choosing what words to bring up.
"That tree looks quite impious."
This was the word she chose after much consideration. She didn't even show the will to hide their bad relationship, making Jin-woo chuckle.
'There was a reason why only the God of Ice Valley was desperately rejected in the 3rd floor.'
When Rondar caused trouble in the 3rd floor, the World Tree was desperately discouraged, entrusting itself only to the Ice Valley's temple. Instead, the place it went to was the God of Light and Dawn, the Temple of Light.
As a result, it formed an appropriate cooperative relationship with the God of Light and even reached the point of driving out Rondar's thought, so the World Tree's choice wasn't wrong.
"I'll take care of it myself, so you don't need to touch it. Well, it would grow well even without care."
"I suppose so. It's a vulgar tree that doesn't mind spreading its roots no matter how dirty the soil, isn't it?"
The World Tree branch planted in the ground flashed shortly and sharply as if protesting. The maid sent an even colder gaze, and the World Tree's light also shot more sharply as if trying to gouge out her eyes.
Then, Erosion appeared once again in the garden's soil. Jin-woo tried to cut it with his sword as usual, but the World Tree, extending its roots, was faster.
It sucked up the nutrients that should have lasted a month in one gulp and put down roots. They burrowed into the black pile of dirt and made all the Erosion's energy their own nourishment.
"......Keeping that beside you won't be helpful. That's all I have to say."
The maid finally shot a parting remark and left, fluttering her sleeves.
Regardless, Jin-woo's eyes were busy observing the World Tree's roots that had absorbed the Erosion.
'It's similar to what I saw in Belen Village.'
The Black Knight that attacked Belen Village. When he first saw a Lord's minion.
The World Tree's roots that appeared wanted to devour the Black Knight, and showed hostility to Jin-woo, who stopped it. Of course, the hostility was momentary and soon calmed down.
Jin-woo smiled bitterly as he examined the World Tree that had consumed Erosion, and some more time flowed by like that.
***
The maid was very pleased and helped when Jin-woo was training to handle Erosion. But when he was tending to the World Tree, she would frown and leave as if she hated being near it.
Once, he asked why she disliked it so much, but no proper answer came back.
―That is a tree that will ruin you.
She only uttered vague stories, not specific reasons.
Whether she actually held hostility, she tried to harm the young World Tree several times when Jin-woo wasn't watching. She tried to cut it, tried to pull it out, and sometimes set it on fire.
Of course, the World Tree wasn't weak enough to be broken by such measures, and Jin-woo also discovered it immediately and could prevent more violent actions.
As time passed, the tree grew vigorously, and in proportion, the maid's dissatisfaction seemed to accumulate greatly.
And at some point.
"Kalesian? Kalesian!"
The connection with Kalesian, who had been contacted regularly every day, was cut off. It meant the magic was completely severed.
The experience of a good call suddenly being cut off. Though slightly different, Jin-woo had experienced similar things several times.
'When caught up in Erosion on Earth.'
When Erosion spreads, everything inside and outside is severed. Since it's a space where not even electromagnetic waves can escape, all calls are cut off and signals disappear.
What was cut off this time wasn't electromagnetic waves but mana, but that wasn't important. What was important was being trapped in a severed space.