74 – 74th Episode – The Wood’s Maze –
After the negotiation with the headmistress, the place she headed to was the Tantalota Palace.
Because she needed to see if the princess was alright.
As one of the two people who could be friendly to me at this point and have the most powerful influence.
It is good to build a deep bond.
And there are things that need to be confirmed as well.
“Does the princess really like me? I don’t know either.”
From Noble mtl dot com
I have had relationships in Korea.
So, I could tell when young girls liked me.
But I have never saved a woman’s life when it was in danger in Korea.
The wisdom of a person mostly comes from experience.
I also do not know about the areas I have not experienced.
That’s why I have to meet and confirm.
The headmistress also seemed curious and followed along.
“Please come in. AbraXas Youngsik, Sergei Dalmore, Principal of Jelip Academy. Princess Alice Tantalota is waiting.”
No matter how close we are as benefactors of life, we cannot visit the princess without permission.
The only ones who can visit the princess without an appointment are immediate family members and spouses.
Of course, there are times when they don’t chase you away, even if you come rushing to find them, but even if they do, they don’t say a word.
The current Alice wouldn’t chase me away, though.
As I entered inside, it was the place I had visited a few times before.
The Tarlatota Hall. The most luxurious place in this academy.
The reason why this academy, which has a lot of money, doesn’t maintain the luxury of the royal level is because of the difference with Tarlatota Hall, rumors have spread about it.
After walking for a while, I came across a room I had never seen before.
It was the bedroom where the princess sleeps.
A personal space that I have never dared to enter.
And there, we stepped in.
Knock, knock, knock –
“Come in.”
The maid knocked on the door a couple of times and checked on the condition of the princess.
The princess answered right away as if she was waiting for us to come.
Two maids opened the door and entered, and the inside was ordinary.
There was nothing particularly luxurious.
Fortunately, the princess seemed to be fine.
The burdened gaze was still there.
To talk about what happened, I spoke to the angel.
– No, so what exactly happened? Why are you looking at me like that?
[I don’t know.]
– I can’t tell. And why did your way of speaking change like that?
[Just because it looks cooler this way.]
The angel had only recently gained self-awareness.
So, they were in a state similar to a young child with only experience.
They just imitate what looks cool.
That’s why it feels like raising a child.
Well, my mental age (surprisingly) is in my 40s, so I’m the age to have a child.
Inside the room, there were several chairs that seemed to have been used by some people.
We naturally sat down in those seats.
“Princess Alice, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Um, 14 hours?”
“Alright… First of all, I should start by expressing my gratitude. Thank you for saving me… for risking your life for me… I’m really thankful…!”
“Um… Your Highness, you also saved me, so let’s just let that go. So, you look better than I expected, right? Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m better than I thought.”
The princess smiled as she looked at me.
Considering that she had been expressionless just a while ago, she didn’t seem to be in good condition.
“So, why did you summon us here in the first place?”
I didn’t want to stay here for too long.
First, it was uncomfortable because there were other people besides the princess.
Second, there was the potential for this place to become entangled in politics.
And finally… it was the look the princess was giving me.
It was a gaze that could be confusing, but it had the power to make you think based on whether you accepted it or not.
“Is it real? No, there’s no way to know for sure, so I don’t know.”
To be honest, I wanted to ask her directly.
But on the other hand, I was afraid.
I was afraid that if I asked her if she liked me, Alice might say, “Yes.”
If this story spread from here, it would soon reach everyone through the servant network, and the rumors would spread uncontrollably.
If, after everything has calmed down, Alice still liked me, it would be okay to date her.
But right now, it could be a matter of life and death.
I didn’t want to leave my girlfriend alone and resign myself to the underworld.
One such experience was enough.
Various conversations came and went, and political situations changed.
If everything was normal, it would be an ordinary day.
Thinking that I had killed enough time, I was about to bid farewell to the princess.
“Well, I think I’ll go now. Your Highness. See you next ti—”
However, just as I was about to leave…
Alice quickly got up from the bed and grabbed my hand.
I was taken aback, and she hesitated before speaking.
“Wait… can you stay with me a little longer?”
The content of it… a blunt request thrown at me.
This is… some stranger is a jerk.
“Do I have to like her?”
Wow.
Another title. [Taunting the Empress] obtained.
It’s nice, I suppose.
Just nice.
If it were about five years from now, when everything’s over, I would have dated the Empress if she had a crush on me.
Right now, it’s a bit tricky to date, not knowing when I might die.
Some people are flustered.
The commander sent an intrigued gaze, saying, “Oh? Interesting.”
The maids in the corner either blocked their mouths or made harsh noises, and I could feel it all the way here.
That’s why I declined.
“Unfortunately, I have work to attend to. Can you leave?”
“Alright… I just asked just in case. Go on.”
The Empress, too, probably asked just in case, even though she knew it wouldn’t work.
She quickly gave up and let me go.
The Empress probably knew this as well.
Of course, considering the way she seemed disappointed, I could understand her feelings.
My head was a mess, so I quickly left with the commander.
With our rapid pace, we soon left the expansive Tan Tar Tarota Palace.
As soon as we stepped outside, the commander seemed to have caught some good information.
He grinned slyly, preparing to tease me.
“Hey. Congratulations.”
“It doesn’t seem like something to be happy about.”
“Why? Even if the Empress likes you, no one would say anything about it. Why? An obstinate old man would even become obedient if someone saved his life twice, right? Even a teenager?”
“Why is someone who knows women’s hearts so well still single?”
“I married magic.”
“Aren’t there many among the Grand Mages who have left descendants?”
“I got married to someone else.”
Nonsense.
She had been dating a girl from WFS right after it got difficult. Of course, it seemed like a political marriage, but calling it a marriage with magic was nonsense.
“So, if the princess confesses, will you accept or reject her?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“You don’t, do you…?”
“I’m not confessing; I’m just going to meet my fiancée one day, and the princess is likely to be there.”
“That’s probably the most likely scenario. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“It doesn’t sound like something a bachelor would say.”
“Damn brat.”
I should probably discard the hypothesis that the headmaster’s personality changed due to the academy incident. His personality was a bit different, but he’s just the same when you get to know him. Age aside.
“So, I have one request.”
“You’re not getting expelled.”
“If you’re going to do that, I’d rather be expelled for breaking in and winning by surprise.”
“Do you think I’ll allow that?”
“Anyway, the exams are over, and it’s the holiday season.”
The incident involving the kidnapping of the princess was kept highly classified. To avoid the saint’s prophecy, the evil cult did not cause any disturbances. So, the exchange event proceeded normally, except for the princess and me. And they conducted a thorough investigation by the end. Perhaps in their plan, the princess would be offered as a sacrifice as soon as she was kidnapped, and the adults would be resurrected, attracting the saint’s attention to the adults. Or maybe they thought the adults would cover up their sins for them.
“First, what I want to ask is, during the holiday, I won’t be able to come out for a week.”
“You don’t need to come to the academy during the holidays.”
“No, it’s not that. After it’s over, I won’t be able to come out for a week.”
“Why?”
“I have something to do. At least do that for me. Since you’ve already caught the Demon Cult this time, you can just say I’m delayed for some reason.”
The headmaster’s expression deepened in contemplation.
If I skip school without permission, it will negatively impact my grades.
So, according to the contract, I have no choice but to attend the academy compulsorily.
To bypass that, the academy just needs to ensure that my absence won’t affect my enrollment.
Then I can go.
“Fine. Whatever. Since you’re attending the academy regularly. Go ahead.”
That way, I could gain about a month and a week’s worth of time.
‘Finally…’
The time had come to execute the plan I had devised about six months ago.
—-
In this world, there are a total of seven realms.
Based on the days of the week, there are seven realms in total: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
I don’t know why the American game named the realms like that.
It would have been different in English, I suppose.
‘The place I need to go… is the Wood Realm.’
There are three realms that serve as the origin of living beings.
The Moon (月) realm, which was the origin of ancient dragons, the Wood (木) realm with spirits, and the Sun (日) realm.
Of course, calling Wood and Sun realms living beings might be ambiguous.
But since they have consciousness, they can be called living beings.
“Thank you.”
“Please… be safe…”
This is the Wood Realm.
The place where I’ll face the spirits.
The place where I must obtain the technique I need: the Noble Spirit Swordsmanship.
“Is this… really… it?”
And as I beheld the scenery of the Wood Realm, my mood became extremely sour.
Unlike the computer graphics I had seen, nothing was censored here.
“So… this is a realm?”
The lunar landscape was excessively peaceful.
The lunar landscape was a space originally created to hold onto the time when the ancient dragons passed by.
So, although it might be eerie, it wasn’t disgusting or creepy in the slightest.
But here, it was the opposite.
To someone who was color blind, it may seem like just a slightly peculiar meadow.
But to most people, it would probably be a hell on earth.
The grass was tinged red.
There were giant fossils on display, of which no one knew what kind of living organism they used to be.
In some places, there were giant eyeballs popping out, their preservation remaining a mystery.
The leaves of the trees seemed to wear bloody armor, as if made from flesh.
And unlike the lunar landscape, there were moving flesh bodies scattered all around.
Lastly, a river comprised of blood flowed in the middle.
Given these circumstances, I could understand why the person who brought me here ran away.
Even if vampires lived here, I would believe it.
Of course, since there were no shadows, this place would be like hell itself for vampires to live in.
“The sky is clear…”
Even so, the sky was truly clear.
To the point of feeling paradoxical.
I slowly approached.
The sky was clear, the ground was red, and the scent of blood permeated the air.
Truly a scene reminiscent of a battlefield.
Because it was a landscape I didn’t want to stay in for long.
I decided to approach the source right away.
“Hey. Are you listening, Gyeomgyu? No, should I call you Daecheonssal? Can you hear me?”
No response came.
But I felt it with certainty.
This guy heard me.
“Soon, a war will break out, where people kill and get killed. Not a one-sided war where one side dominates. It’s a battlefield where both sides kill each other. But you’re trapped here, aren’t you? So I’ll let you out.”
From Noble mtl dot com
“Really?”
A chilling voice responded immediately.
Such simple words can bring it forth.
“Well then. So shut up and just guide me.”
[hehehe. I like this guy.]
Once again, the earth opened its mouth wide.
That’s how it appeared.
Until the truth is known.
It looked like a massive cave created arbitrarily.
Just a few bones exposed on top, and if a cave were formed in the shape of a neck with eyeballs placed here and there, it would look exactly like this.
But I know well.
What this is.
“Can you show me the way instead of that stupid whale baby?”
[How interesting. hehehe. How do you not know that’s a living being? Amazing, right?]
Those bones are actual bones. Those eyes are real eyes.
That is a living organism.
Upon hearing those words, the creature immediately opened up another path.
Not a path made of flesh, but a real path.
“Damn bastard. Do you really make paths like this?”
It’s not just one cave, but a sinkhole is formed.
It’s not ordinary.
Because this is the path to that creature.
A monster that was subdued by the ancient empire in a distant past, unable to control its rage and causing chaos, called “the heavenly killer”.
In its lifetime, it was called “the heavenly killer”, and after death, it was called “the demonic spirit”.
Yggdrasil.
It was time to approach it.