10 – Episode 1. How a scoundrel regains trust (完)
“Did you not even realize the energy emanating from the item you possess?”
Of course I didn’t know.
That seed called Magi Jung Hwa-su was an item not mentioned in the original work. And Abel doesn’t have the ability to sense any energy, so how could I possibly know?
By the way, a fragment of the World Tree…
The World Tree is a tree that overcomes causality and eventually reveals the prophecy of the gods. That’s why it’s also called the Tree of the Gods.
And a fragment of the World Tree can be described as a piece imbued with the power of the gods that has fallen from the World Tree itself.
The fragments of the World Tree imbued with divine power were advanced materials used in the creation of various items.
One of the representative items crafted from the fragments of the World Tree was the ‘Holy Sword’ in the Beatrix sect. And, as mentioned in the quest details, I was aware that the Holy Sword possessed the power to form sanctity. However, even if this seed could also form sanctity like the Holy Sword, recognizing it as a fragment of the World Tree was not an easy task.
“…It happened when I visited the Beatrix sect.”
Houston spoke as I hesitated to open my mouth.
“When I unavoidably visited the sect due to business, I happened to see the Holy Sword by chance. I remember gazing at it, captivated by the sacred sensation that could be felt from the inside of my chest, no matter how holy it was.”
Houston, who was speaking with his hand on his chest, couldn’t take his eyes off the seed I was holding.
“If I had been a little more captivated, I might have become an ardent follower of Beatrix myself.”
Is it really to that extent…?
Although it seemed a bit exaggerated, it didn’t feel like he was lying.
“You possess such an item now. How did you obtain it?”
“…I can’t go into detail about how I obtained it, but I can assure you that it wasn’t acquired illegally. It certainly wasn’t stolen.”
“Even if you didn’t use illegal means, contacting the Elven race was essential to obtaining fragments of the World Tree. It’s an item that cannot be obtained without a connection to the Elves.”
I know.
The location of the World Tree exists beyond the Limes Gorge in the Elven Forest, located on the southern border of the Empire, so it wasn’t something that could be acquired immediately. Even if I were to go, the Elves inhabited the area, and entering incorrectly would only incur the Elves’ wrath.
Especially since the Elves regarded the World Tree as a deity, it was hard to imagine them sharing fragments with anyone.
So, Houston must have suspected me of stealing.
“…There’s only one thing I can tell my father right now. I intend to plant this item in the garden to prove that Clara is not a witch.”
As my secrets pile up, trust with Houston will inevitably become more strained.
However, he didn’t care much. Trying to gain his trust was merely to comfortably exploit the Duke’s privileges, nothing more.
Besides, even if there was no trust, if I could prove that I was useful, he had no choice but to extend his hand to me.
“What kind of ability have you awakened, exactly…?”
“Well, you see.”
If the quest was something like a divine prophecy revealed by the gods, I might be the representative of the gods guiding the destiny of this world.
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I chuckled inwardly as I thought so.
“Follow me. I’ll prove it.”
I turned away, cutting off the conversation.
I’ll probably find out for sure if the magical purification water is a fragment of the World Tree when I plant it myself.
* * *
“It seems like a good place to plant a tree here.”
The gardener in charge of managing the garden showed me the spot to plant the tree. It was a location that wouldn’t interfere with the well-kept garden.
“Sorry for calling you at night.”
I unintentionally made her work overtime.
I broke the unwritten rule of not contacting someone after work as a modern office worker.
“Oh no! It’s okay. If you ever call, I’ll come running.”
The gardener clapped her hands with a kind smile. Houston, who was standing next to her with crossed arms, muttered quietly.
“… Apologizing for something so trivial.”
“It’s because it interrupted your rest.”
“Even so, don’t show that attitude anywhere else.”
“Why is that?”
“There’s a possibility it could harm the hierarchy.”
“I see. Understood.”
I considered following his words. Living in a medieval caste system, having a modern mindset only brought discomfort.
But if someone were to help me in a difficult situation, I would willingly bow my head for that person.
I’d do anything if it helps clear the quest.
“Should I plant this here?”
“Oh, yes.”
The gardener, who had laid out the entire ground like confirming with me, answered, “Understood,” and promptly planted the white seed, covering it with soil.
The moment the seed was completely enveloped by the earth, the ground began to shake.
“What, what is this?!”
“Step back!”
At Houston’s shout, everyone present there retreated. Knights patrolling nearby, feeling the tremor, hurriedly ran towards us.
“My lord!”
Thump—!
Suddenly, a thick stem shot up towards the sky from the ground where the seed was planted. Rapidly transforming, it instantly took on the form of a tree.
Though it had no leaves, the thick trunk resembling something that had lived for centuries and the towering skeletal structure reaching high into the sky conveyed overwhelming majesty just by looking at it.
Furthermore, even though the evening twilight had set in and the land was veiled in darkness, this tree alone was shining brilliantly.
[Magic Purification Water is bound to you.]
[Quest details are expanding.]
[When you sow the seeds, the tree grows!]
[+Additional Content+]
“Magi Purification Water holds the power of the holy sanctuary. If you are within the sanctuary, Magi Purification not only enhances the abilities of those who harbor no enmity towards you, but also temporarily boosts the abilities of non-hostile individuals.
Furthermore, those with sacred power who stay within the domain for an extended period can purify and communicate with the Purification Water, permanently enhancing their sacred power. This effect is limited to the individual you designate.
The exclusive right to the Purification Water belongs solely to you.
If anyone attempts to draw the Purification Water without your permission, they will incur the divine punishment of Veraetra, resulting in a permanent loss of their mana or sacred power.”
Veraetra’s divine punishment…?
Is Magi Purification Water related to Veraetra?
“This is… “
As I momentarily lost focus on the quest, everyone gathered in front of Magi Purification Water was staring blankly, without anyone uttering a word.
“Hmm… “
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the sense of fascination that Houston mentioned. I simply thought it was somewhat pretty.
But the others were completely absorbed, as if they were worshipping a god.
[Confirmed the presence of a being infected by Magi.]
[Target, “Clara,” removing Magi.]
Apart from the quest window, a sentence appeared in the air, but I couldn’t see anything, so I couldn’t be certain if the Magi had actually been removed.
However, I knew that the information provided by the quest was absolute.
“Clara.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to give it a try?”
“But….”
“Trust me.”
“…Okay. I’ll trust you, Abel.”
Clara takes a deep breath and clasps her fingers together, offering a prayer. With a desperate longing, she tightly closes her eyes.
Suddenly, instead of a dark aura, a bright light begins to radiate from her entire body. Those who couldn’t take their eyes off the magic purification water all turn their heads in Clara’s direction.
“…What’s happening? I feel lighter.”
“My back pain is gone?”
Just like what others are saying, the fatigue I felt just moments ago has completely disappeared.
Could it be the power of the Saint?
[Clara has awakened the “Ability of Recovery”.]
As if knowing that the original story didn’t include Clara becoming a Saint, it informs me of the information. Perhaps it even read my mind.
Either way, it was clear that the entity who gave me this quest is the one who brought me into this world.
“A Saint….”
As Houston mumbles, everyone present opens their eyes wide and gazes at Clara.
Clara opens her eyes slowly, a bit belatedly. She immediately looks around and then hastily hides behind me.
Seeing everyone’s astonished expressions, it was understandable to be startled. It’s likely that their expressions were not much different when she first revealed her magic in the village of Bemone.
However, the reactions she faced in the village of Bemone would be somewhat different. Now, they were looking at her with admiration.
“You did it, Clara.”
“What?”
“You’ve proven that you’re a saint.”
“!”
Today, in this place, not a witch, but a saint was newly born. Different from the original.
“Father, with this, my proof is complete.”
I approached Houston, who couldn’t take his eyes off Clara, and handed him the badge.
“I see….”
He slowly nodded as he received the badge from me. I turned back to Clara once again.
“Clara.”
“Yes.”
“I know it’s still hard for you to trust people. Maybe I can’t trust them either.”
“Oh, no. Abel is…!”
“There’s no need to force yourself to suppress your anxiety right now.”
“!”
To her, doubt was a defensive mechanism and a means to protect her life. It was natural for her not to easily believe anything other than what she could see with her own eyes.
“From now on, you’ll have to watch for yourself. Until the anxiety is gone and I can trust them.”
Although the wording was somewhat different from the quest content, the meaning was similar. Even if I said I was glad that she was suddenly with me, there was no reason to be pleased.
It hadn’t been even half a day since I found out.
“…Yes. Abel.”
And as if my words were the right answer, she smiled comfortably.
[“Plant a seed, and a tree will grow!” The quest has been completed.]
Now Clara will develop a liking for you.
So I thought everything had ended smoothly. Without even realizing, it was the real beginning.
* @ *
“Did you call, Master?”
Wearing a robe with a pattern of horns on the skull, the deputy leader of the Vera Sect, wearing a skull mask, opens the iron door and steps inside.
A single candle burned brightly, illuminating the structure of the room.
The interior was filled with numerous torture devices and corpses.
The deputy leader’s face momentarily twitched at the smell of rotten flesh and the stench of blood, but he didn’t show any signs of hesitation as he walked in.
“Hoo… Perhaps I should change the plan.”
Blood dripped from his hands.
“What do you mean, Master?”
“A saint has been born.”
“What?”
The deputy leader muttered unconsciously.
It was inevitable to be bewildered when the existence that would become the biggest obstacle to summoning demons in this world was born.
“What happened to those who were dispatched to the city of Fran, where the witch was said to be?”
“They were attacked by the Sirius Knights. They say that a person named Phylas is returning to the hideout alone.”
“The Sirius Knights… Maybe it’s them.”
“…Should we prepare?”
“As soon as that person returns.”
“I understand.”
The sub-leader bowed towards the leader, whose face was not even visible, and then turned around.
As the iron gate closed with a chilling sound, the leader murmured.
“Who on earth would dare to threaten Veral’s will….”
* @ *
Beyond the Limes Canyon on the empire’s border, in the Aldorado Forest.
“Oh my. This energy….”
A fair-haired woman, gently caressing a tree, murmured. The pointed ears of the elven chief twitched.
“My children.”
With her leisurely tone, the dark-skinned dark elves around her gathered. They knelt before the woman, bowing their heads.
“It seems that a new sanctuary has been established in the human realm. Someone seems to have obtained a fragment of the World Tree. Investigate and report back to me.”
“Yes.”
Before the woman’s eyes could even blink, the dark elves had all disappeared from sight.
“We will not forgive humans who misuse the power of our father.”
* @ *
The Beatrix Sect.
Inside the building where the Holy Sword is enshrined, within the city of Impola.
A bishop, in the midst of prayer, opened his eyes at the faint sound. Seeing the Holy Sword trembling and resonating, he couldn’t close his mouth.
“The Holy Sword is trembling…?”
The bishop, in disbelief, stared at the phenomenon for a long time. The door of the building suddenly opened, and a believer entered.
“Bishop! It’s an urgent call from Chugyekyung!”
“Is it something urgent?”
“He says there’s an emergency meeting about the immense divine power that emanated a while ago!”
“Immense divine power…? I see. I’ll go right away.”
And thus, with Abel’s actions, the frozen time of the world began to move.