Teacher and Disciples (4)
Over the course of those five years, Asterios and Vivi had learned so much from me. With just the two of them, reclaiming the throne should pose no real problem. Asterios's strength—hammered into him through years of rigorous training in all sorts of disciplines—had already edged just beyond the limits of a mere human. No one could likely match him in swordsmanship now. He could probably handle hundreds of soldiers single-handedly without breaking a sweat. Thousands might be another story, but gathering that many troops would require something like a full-scale war anyway. Moving on.
And with the sword I gave him, plus the body reinforcement technique that draws on his internal mana... he might even cut down ten thousand. As a rough comparison, anyone short of a lizardman great warrior wouldn't stand a chance against Asterios's blade.
And finally, with Vivi recognized as the Dragon Maiden, she'd have the full backing of the Life Church. I wouldn't even need to tag along. Especially with her position as the Dragon Maiden, able to steer the Life Church at will—that alone would let her do pretty much anything. Controlling the Life Church, spread across the entire world, meant wielding power beyond any nation. Its value was incalculable.
Disguised as pilgrims from the Life Church, slipping into Silius, the capital of Romania, would be a breeze. After that... if Asterios set his mind to it, he could probably take the emperor's head and seize the throne all by himself. Of course, what came afterward would be a different matter entirely.
If the long-lost child of the previous emperor suddenly reappeared, claimed the throne as his own, and lopped off the current emperor's head... would the lords across the land blindly accept it? Or would they brand him a reckless usurper and scheme to seize the power for themselves? It might be a bit of an overreach in my imagining, but I couldn't be certain it wouldn't happen.
Which was why Asterios needed to build some groundwork first. Hm. I'd emphasized that point to him time and again... He should handle it fine on his own, right? He'll do well? Yeah, he will. Hm. Not sure.
For some reason, a nagging unease was creeping in... Should I help them out? Or send them off beyond the forest and just watch from afar? From what Vivi said yesterday, both Asterios and Vivi seemed to take it for granted that I'd come along. Hm. Would it really be okay if I did? Watching from up close might be more fun than from a distance anyway. And they both seemed to want me there. Urgh... Hmmm... Should I just go with them?
What could go wrong if I did? Oh, right—I lied about not being able to leave the forest. Hm. A little white lie like that could be covered with another fib. Would that be fine? One lie leading to another? Is that okay? No idea. But it'll probably be fine. What's the worst that could happen?
The only real worry was how long this rock body of the Deep Forest Sage would hold out. Hmmm. If I use it carefully, it might last. Screw it—I'll go with them! If it breaks, I'll just fix it! And this mission... it feels like a fitting finale for this body. I never expected it'd last this long; it's already starting to crumble in places.
So... I'll help those two and bring this body to a proper end. A sage from the mythic age lingering around would cause trouble anyway. The Deep Forest Sage needs a period at the end of his story. So, just a little longer. A bit more, and it'll make for a pretty decent tale.
The Tree of Life. Sephirot. The staff symbolizing the authority of the Life Church, possessed only by the Life Church's saint, the Dragon Maiden.
A staff shaped like a tree, its branches entwining ten magic stones. Though it has not taken root in the earth, it remains alive even now—a testament to the greatness of life itself. It protects its owner, restores mana, and drastically reduces mana consumption. This legendary staff, coveted by countless mages, will not even allow the unworthy to grasp it.
Its storage method seems shockingly lax for such a priceless artifact. In the Dragon Maiden's absence, it roots itself in the gardens of the Life Church's main temple, awaiting her return. This is due to its trait: should one with impure intentions touch Sephirot, its branches root into their hand, draining their life and mana until they teeter on the brink of death.
… It is said that Sephirot originally differed from its current form. At the time of its creation, only a single gem was entwined in its branches—a massive magic stone. Though it bore just that one, it passed through the hands of many Dragon Maidens over the long years. They added exceptional magic stones from the monsters they vanquished, one by one, until it took its present shape.
Sephirot surely holds the tales of the Dragon Maidens who have guarded the world across the ages.
"The Tree of Life?"
"Yes! It's still alive even in the shape of a staff, right? And since it's something for me, the Dragon Maiden, to carry... it'll be an important item for the Life Church. The name Tree of Life fits perfectly!"
Hm. Indeed. Yeah, it does have a nice ring to it. Especially the vibe of a tree brimming with life. But calling it just the Tree of Life feels a tad empty... Let's add a little flourish.
"Sephirot."
"Pardon?"
"Call the Tree of Life Sephirot."
Just Tree of Life alone feels lacking. Sephirot should suit it nicely.
"That's great too! Tree of Life, Sephirot! From now on, your name is Sephirot!"
I gave a small smile as Vivi beamed with delight.
Alright, then...
"Vivi. Asterios. Time to get ready to depart."
"Ah, yes!"
"Y-Yeah..."
At my words, Vivi dashed inside to grab her pack, while Asterios watched her go with a faintly listless expression.
Hmmm... Was he getting cold feet now that their long-planned mission was finally starting? I didn't raise him to be that fragile. Hmmm.
"Why the long face, Asterios?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Just... um..."
Asterios hesitated a moment before speaking up.
"Vivi told me. That you wouldn't be coming with us, Master."
Hm. So Vivi had already spilled to her big brother. Such a loose-lipped girl.
"I'm worried if Vivi and I can pull it off without you. I've trained hard, but... can we really do it...?"
Asterios's confidence was in the dumps. Probably because he hadn't fully grasped his own prowess. He had the skill to storm a castle solo and cut everyone down.
"You seem quite anxious."
"Yes... Can I really succeed? Can I reclaim what's mine? I'm scared of failing. If I fail, it won't just be me—Vivi could be in danger too."
During training, he could empty his mind and push the anxiety aside. But now, on the cusp of action, it was swelling up.
Hm. No helping it, then. Really. He couldn't accomplish anything in this state.
"Looks like I will have to come along after all."
"Pardon?"
Asterios's face filled with surprise, and Vivi, emerging with her bag, froze in shock.
"You're coming with us...? But Master, you said... you couldn't leave the forest?"
"True. I can't under normal circumstances. But..."
I snapped my fingers lightly, and an illusion cloaked the stone body of the sage. No longer a hulking rock figure, but the guise of a living human.
"If I limit my power and accept the risks... I can leave the forest. Though I won't be able to wield the same overwhelming strength as here."
Smiles began to spread across Asterios and Vivi's faces. Was my company really that reassuring?
"With you along, Master, it's like having a heavenly host at our backs!"
"Please take care of us from here on out too, Master!!"
Truly, these two were hopeless.
One thing first, though.
"Calling me Master outside the forest could cause complications... Use a different name."
"A different name?"
Let's see. What would suit... Hm... A body of rock, like the sage, so something tied to the earth.
"Gaia. Call me Gaia."
No Baal remained to remember that name. It should be safe to use here.
And so, I left the Deep Forest with Asterios and Vivi. First, a journey to gather allies for Asterios.
