Yggdrasil (1)

Our group—consisting of me and Riel, Phyllis and Emilia, Senior Iris, plus the two unfamiliar people Aria and Feris—gathered in a lounge inside the arena.

As matches for other groups were currently taking place, the lounge was empty.

There, Riel explained everything about why she was late.

As expected, the cause was Allen.

I was a bit uneasy when Riel was acting separately, but I never dreamed that he would make contact with her directly.

“He said he’s quitting the academy. Looks like he was planning to leave today…”

Hearing Riel’s words, I remembered the rumors about Allen that had been spreading since yesterday.

Starting with match-fixing allegations and ending with his miserable defeat by Senior Iris.

He even wet himself, which was going too far.

Though I really dislike him, I felt a bit sorry for him about that part…

“But then he tried to forcibly drag me, saying I should come with him…”

“What did that bastard say?”

I take back my sympathy.

Next time I meet him, I’ll beat him to a pulp.

Fortunately, thanks to Phyllis’s intervention, nothing serious happened…

Now that he’s quit the academy, the class difference will affect him more strongly, but it seems his liver has grown outside his body.

I’ve thought this before, but the real Allen Ludwig was an unpredictable lunatic.

“But then… when we ignored him and tried to leave, he apparently tried to attack us from behind with a sword.”

“……”

Not just a lunatic, but a great lunatic.

So anyway…

Allen’s surprise attack was prevented by the two people who intervened, Aria and Feris… that’s the story.

Hearing this, I glanced at Phyllis, who nodded.

It seems Phyllis had noticed Allen’s attempt to launch a surprise attack.

Anyway, the two tried to stop Allen, and Allen, having been interrupted, attacked them instead.

During this, the military police who were dispatched due to reports from residents arrested Allen, and all of them accompanied the military police as witnesses.

“So, what happened to that guy Allen?”

“He’s probably been taken to the royal palace by now. It seems this isn’t a matter the military police can handle…”

That’s certainly true.

If it had been a typical attempted assault case, the military police would have handled it appropriately, but this case is different.

First, minus points for trying to ambush a group of three women from behind.

Another minus for attacking the two women who tried to stop him.

Even more minus points because two of the three women he tried to ambush were nobles.

And one of them is a duke’s daughter. An even bigger minus there.

It’s clearly too serious a matter for the military police to handle.

In the end, Allen’s actions were referred to the royal palace, and normally, the palace would have to notify Duke Ignis’s family about this and discuss how to deal with Allen.

The problem is that the head of the Ignis Duke family, Duke Ignis himself, is currently missing.

The royal palace knows this and is searching for him, so discussing with the Duke is impossible.

The Duke’s wife and the heir are also missing, and Riel who is here is not yet an adult.

That leaves only Eve to discuss with, but she is currently away from Ignis Duke territory participating in the search for the Duke.

Even if they were to summon Eve immediately, the situation could take days to resolve, so ultimately the royal palace will decide Allen’s fate.

“That stupid guy has done something that could easily cost him his head.”

There was someone who gasped “hik” at those words.

It was none other than Feris Baltreia.

…Well, she must be shaken by the mention that Allen might die.

I couldn’t know what would happen to Allen.

It would all depend on the king’s decision.

And a few days later, I heard that Allen had been permanently exiled from the Palaginya Kingdom.

“We secured the ‘hero,’ but our church’s position in the kingdom seems to have diminished even further.”

The World Tree Church headquarters. The Continental Central Church.

In a room there, a man with a long black beard spoke while reading a report.

The room was filled with expensive items and furniture—walls, shelves, and all manner of costly things—reflecting the man’s high status in the church.

…Rather, this man who lived in a room more luxurious than the usually frugal Pope was Cardinal Gerald, the true power in the current World Tree Church.

“…Yes. I never expected the ‘hero’ to commit such an act.”

“And to think his intended target was the ‘priestess’… He’s an unpredictable person indeed.”

“He claims he wasn’t trying to attack but to protect her… but honestly, such an excuse won’t work.”

Archbishop Marconi, his head deeply bowed before Cardinal Gerald, continued speaking.

“Frankly, his obsession with the priestess is abnormally strong.”

“So, in the end, we had to give up most of the church’s privileges in the kingdom to extract him… Well, if the hero is worth that much, I suppose it’s acceptable…”

Taking his eyes off the report, Cardinal Gerald looked at Archbishop Marconi.

“What is he doing now?”

“He’s receiving holy knight training. Fortunately, befitting a hero recognized by the World Tree, he seems to have an aptitude for holy power.”

As soon as he arrived at the central church, they assigned him to the holy knight order in the church.

In accordance with his wish to become stronger, he was undergoing harsh training without any complaints.

“It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t secure the priestess. But having failed once, targeting her again would raise even more suspicion.”

“Yes. King Gallarus was already suspicious of the church.”

“Given the circumstances, it’s only natural to be suspected.”

Cardinal Gerald’s eyes sharpened as he spoke.

“What about the ‘demon’?”

“To be honest, it’s difficult. Since he’s the legitimate son of Count Wentos, we may get bitten if we try to do anything more.”

“Count Wentos…”

Count Wentos.

For the World Tree Church, the entire territory, including the Count’s family, was like a thorn in their side.

Disrespectful people who had fallen into the heresy of local religion and forgotten to serve the World Tree.

They had sent missionary groups several times to guide them, but they always returned without results.

To think that someone designated as a demon by the World Tree was born into such a family…

“Well, perhaps that’s only natural when you think about it.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Was there any other concerning information?”

“Yes, I believe this is quite important information…”

Archbishop Marconi pulled out one of his investigation results that he considered a major problem.

“It seems that the priestess and the demon are suspected to be in a romantic relationship.”

“…What did you say?”

“It’s not certain… but based on our inquiries, that seems to be the general perception among academy students.”

When he learned this fact, Archbishop Marconi felt like his heart had dropped.

In the divine revelation the Cardinal received, there was an item stating that the demon would interfere with the love between the hero and the priestess.

“This is troubling… According to the divine revelation, the love between the hero and priestess is necessary…”

“Yes. Instead, she’s in love with the demon… In fact, she seems to strongly dislike the hero.”

Hearing Archbishop Marconi’s words, Gerald fell into thought.

In truth, what the priestess thought didn’t particularly matter.

What was needed was for the hero and priestess to love each other.

If that was the case, they could force the two together.

The problem was that the church currently couldn’t directly influence either the priestess or the demon.

And because of what the hero had done, it was impossible to make moves in the kingdom as well.

“I’ll need to think about how to proceed from here. For now, let’s focus on training the hero.”

“Yes. Then now…”

At that moment, someone rushed into the Cardinal’s room.

It was one of the priests in the church who belonged to the Cardinal faction.

“Cardinal Gerald! I have something to report!”

“What is it?”

“Well, that… Ah, Archbishop Marconi is also…”

“Don’t mind me, just speak.”

The priest hesitated briefly, then spoke.

“It seems that the Melrot woman has disappeared.”

“Her, you say?”

Alicia Melrot.

A priestess who could be said to be at the forefront of the Papal faction, which opposed the Cardinal faction.

Because of this, her position in the church was diminished by the hands of the Cardinal faction, but since her power was real, the Cardinal faction frequently monitored her movements.

And now she suddenly disappeared?

“Yes. When she didn’t appear, we looked for her, but she couldn’t be found anywhere in the church.”

The Cardinal felt like troublesome matters were about to increase.

Several days had passed since she left the church and set out on her journey.

Alicia Melrot had traveled diligently following the guidance of her treasured possession, the World Tree’s Jewel, which she had carefully kept at her home.

It was a difficult journey, but overcoming all hardships and continuing to move, she was able to reach a forest.

“Just as Mother said…”

She clearly remembered the传legend that was passed down along with this jewel.

She had memorized it diligently because someday she would have to pass down both the jewel and the legend to her descendants.

“Then… in this forest… that way…”

Fifteen steps west from the large rock, thirty-two steps north.

After arriving at the tree trunk there and knocking on it five times in a regular pattern…

“So this actually works.”

“Eek?!”

Startled by the sudden voice, Alicia let out a short scream.

“I didn’t think what Mother said would be true… That jewel…”

“Ah…”

A girl with long platinum blonde hair loosely tied back, looking down at her with blue eyes and long ears.

Regaining her composure, Alicia immediately knelt down and paid her respects.

“It… it is an honor to meet the noble Elf who protects the World Tree.”

“Ah~ You don’t really need to do that…”

Her blue eyes clearly showed her annoyance.

Fairies who serve the World Tree and work for it, and Elves who guard and protect the path to the World Tree.

Alicia, who had actually laid eyes on an Elf, was inwardly impressed that it was just as the legend described.

“Umm… what was it… Guardian of the World Tree and… umm…”

The Elf, who seemed to be trying to recall something with her eyes closed and head tilted, spoke with apparent irritation.

“Ah, I don’t know. I’m Lilu. I inherited the role from my mother and have been guarding this place.”

“Yes… yes!! I’m Alicia!”

“Since you’ve brought that, you’ve come to find the World Tree, right? Follow me.”

The Elf, Lilu, led the way, and Alicia followed behind.

The blonde Elf girl moved quickly through the forest, and Alicia followed diligently for about an hour.

Then Lilu stopped in front of a cave.

“We’ve arrived. You can enter through here.”

“Yes… then let’s go.”

“Huh? No, I’m only coming this far.”

When Lilu expressed her refusal, Alicia looked at her in confusion.

According to the legend, she was supposed to advance all the way to the end with the Elf guide.

“W-why not?”

“Ah… I’d like to guide you all the way, but…”

Lilu scratched her head and lowered her gaze.

“We Elves can no longer go to the World Tree. It’s been about ten years and a bit more?”

“Such a thing happened?”

“Yeah, the fairies said it was by the World Tree’s command… Actually, even if we try to go, the path becomes blocked…”

Lilu pointed at the orb with her finger and said:

“With that jewel, Alicia should be able to enter. Never separate the jewel from your body.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Right, when you meet the World Tree, please send our Elves’ regards as well.”

Alicia entered the cave with Lilu’s send-off.

As Alicia continued advancing into the cave, the jewel she possessed began to emit a bright light.

“Whoa…!”

Eventually, Alicia was enveloped in bright light.

She suddenly found herself standing in what looked like a vast meadow rather than a cave.

“This… is just like the legend…”

According to the legend, the World Tree visible from afar is not the actual World Tree but its shadow.

To go to where the real World Tree is, this jewel was necessary.

So, the real World Tree should be here…

“……Huh?”

And as Alicia looked around earnestly for where the World Tree might be, it came into her view.

A tree of immense size, larger than any tower, castle, or mountain.

That tree with exactly the size described in the legend. The World Tree Yggdrasil.

But it was a massive World Tree that had withered and died.