Vivian (11)

After that day, the atmosphere became abruptly awkward.

Excellia’s confession, which wasn’t quite a confession.

I pulled it out by the roots before it could even sprout.

It was unavoidable, but…

Excellia no longer spoke to me unless it was absolutely necessary.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, then let’s go.”

The atmosphere was not just awkward, but cold.

Yes, this was how it was supposed to be.

I had been too close to Excellia.

I even wondered if it was a betrayal of Vivian.

“Wait, this direction isn’t their nest, is it?”

“Let’s skip the extermination operation today.”

“Then where are we going?”

“We’re going to Mother World Tree. She wants to see you separately.”

“Just me?”

“Yes, just you.”

Her voice wasn’t cold, nor was it sulky.

Excellia had simply returned to a serene state, as if erasing all her emotions towards me.

This suited her, as an Elf, but…

‘It’s bothering me for no reason.’

Naturally, I felt sorry for Excellia.

I knew she had gathered her courage from her perspective.

“I’ll stay here. Please go and talk.”

“Okay. I’ll go.”

Leaving Excellia behind, I entered the World Tree’s root cave.

It was only the second time I’d seen this space, but it had a strange power to make one’s heart feel at ease.

“World Tree, I’m here.”

Woowoowoong!!

The sap on the ceiling began to glow, and particles of light scattered.

And in the midst of it, the World Tree’s form appeared.

Then, an avatar of the World Tree, in the form of an Elf, slowly descended before me.

“It’s been a long time, O Dragon-isiyeo.”

“You said you were looking for me.”

“That’s right. I heard you’ve been dealing with the Termites with Excellia recently.”

“I have.”

“How were they? Those bugs.”

A single individual would never be a threat to me.

However, their numbers and cunning.

Those were things that couldn’t be ignored.

“It depends on your perspective, but there’s no denying they’re dangerous beings. We need to reduce their numbers as quickly as possible.”

“That’s a relief, that you see it that way.”

“If I had my way, I’d persuade Vivian and borrow the Empire’s strength, but…”

It definitely wouldn’t be easy.

And even if I went to Vivian now, she would secretly be suspicious of me.

“The power of humans is dangerous. It might even give the Termites an opportunity to spread further.”

“But the Imperial Army is useful. I’ve laid the groundwork for that.”

Unintentionally, the current Imperial Army is armed with anti-Termite weapons.

The Empire’s formidable military power played a significant role in keeping those creatures subdued for now.

“It might be difficult right now, but I think we’ll have to join forces someday.”

“If you say so, I understand. We’ll consider that direction as much as possible.”

“The Imperial Army might even be more useful than me, you know? I’m just one person, but they’re an army of millions.”

“What good are millions if they can’t be truly trusted?”

Indeed, that was true.

After all, until recently, and even at this very moment, they were still fighting each other.

“O Dragon-isiyeo, was Excellia helpful in the battles against the Termites?”

“Of course she was. She’s probably the strongest person I’ve seen in my life.”

Excluding me and the World Tree, of course.

Transcendent beings were out of the question from the start.

“Is that so? She’s working hard.”

“Yes, and her will to protect you is strong.”

“…”

“Well, I just wanted you to know that.”

The World Tree took a step closer to me with a complex look in her eyes.

She reached out her hand to me, so close that her face almost touched mine.

She gazed at me for a long time with wistful eyes, as if recalling someone.

“Of course, I know.”

“…”

“How hard that child works, and how much she loves this forest.”

“Good, as long as you know.”

“And… I also know that she’s a surprisingly tender-hearted child.”

The conversation paused for a moment.

In the World Tree’s eyes, as she quietly looked at me, I felt her longing.

She still desired something from me.

“O Dragon-isiyeo, if I may be so bold, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”

“I have a feeling what it is. It’s not what I’m thinking, is it?”

And sure enough.

The World Tree uttered exactly what I had been dreading.

“Would you please accept Excellia as your companion?”

“So you were the one who put ideas into her head.”

“Yes, I won’t deny it.”

“I told Excellia, didn’t I? I’ll help you even without all this. Those bugs are definitely beings that must be eliminated.”

The World Tree shook her head silently.

“Your will has been sufficiently accepted. This is merely my own desire.”

“So you’re trying to tie me to Excellia?”

“No. You may not know this, but… traditionally, the Daughters of the World Tree have a custom of taking a Dragon as their companion.”

“There was such a thing?”

The World Tree nodded calmly.

As if reminiscing about the distant past, her pale green eyes were filled with longing.

“The World Tree and the Dragon are the only transcendent beings in this world. Living for eons, we are perhaps the only beings who can truly understand each other.”

“I don’t really know about that.”

“Huhu, that’s right. He was like that too, you know? I’m the only one who’s heartbroken… why do Dragons love freedom so much?”

“…”

So that was the true nature of her longing.

Perhaps the World Tree had a reason, born from her own experience, for pushing her daughter.

“Still, you seem to prefer staying in one place. You also try to be faithful to your family.”

“I don’t really like wandering.”

“Yes, that’s a good attitude. I like it.”

The World Tree smiled faintly.

“Actually, I say this, but I’m not in a hurry. After all, isn’t a human Emperor’s lifespan at most about 100 years?”

“Probably.”

“Humans will eventually die someday. Are you prepared for that?”

“No, not at all.”

That’s right.

No matter how much I liked Vivian now, or how much she tormented me…

She would only live for a fleeting moment in my entire lifespan.

So perhaps choosing Excellia, who like me would someday become the World Tree and live for thousands of years, would be the wise course of action.

But…

“A Dragon never changes their chosen companion. No matter what happens.”

“Then is it impossible even as a second companion?”

A second wife.

If I did that, Vivian would strangle me to death.

I let out a hollow laugh and made a gesture of slitting my throat with my thumb.

“If I did that, I’d die. You must have heard about it, right?”

“Surely… the Empress of the Empire is your wife?”

“Yes, she’s infamous as the worst villainess on earth. Excellia could never handle her.”

“…”

“You don’t seem to know much about human lives, but the life of a second wife is usually miserable, you know? If you think about your daughter, it might be better to just leave her alone.”

At my words, the World Tree suddenly let out a small laugh.

Truly, completely out of the blue.

But it wasn’t a mocking laugh.

“Why are you laughing?”

“He… he said something similar a long time ago.”

“He…? Are you talking about another Dragon?”

“That’s right. He asked me to accept him as a second companion, but he was coldly rejected. What a mean Dragon…”

“…”

I was speechless at the World Tree’s bitter expression.

Wow, now that I think about it, it’s true.

From the World Tree’s perspective, the current situation must seem exactly like her past.

“Did that Dragon also have a companion?”

“Yes, she was an Elf. That’s why I secretly disliked Elves ever since.”

“What was your original race?”

“I’m a Dryad.”

A spirit of the trees, a Dryad.

Unlike elemental spirits, they were a general term for spirits who bound their souls to plants and had a physical form in the real world.

“But you still accepted Excellia as your daughter.”

“Because Excellia was the most outstanding among the candidates. I couldn’t prioritize my personal feelings over the greater good.”

“For someone like that, you seem to care a lot about your daughter?”

“At least I have to act like a benevolent mother. Excellia wants that too.”

It felt like I had glimpsed a new side of the World Tree.

Before being a transcendent being, she was, after all, a Dryad and a woman.

“Please, I hope you’ll reconsider Excellia.”

“…”

I didn’t answer and exited the root cave.

Under the bright sunlight, I saw Excellia dozing off under the shade of a tree.

“Excellia.”

Perhaps she was deeply asleep, as Excellia showed no sign of waking up.

I had no choice but to wait for her to wake up.

“Did she not sleep while on guard duty?”

Her innocent face, devoid of her usual bluntness.

To think that such a child would someday become the World Tree and have her soul bound to the earth for thousands of years.

Could she truly endure an eternity of such a life?

I felt worried, but it wasn’t my place to interfere.

For the residents of the forest, becoming the Daughter of the World Tree was an honor beyond anything else.

I certainly knew that.

“Haaahm…”

“Did you sleep well?”

Startle.

At my voice, Excellia flinched and slightly raised her head.

“How long have you been here?”

“Not long.”

“Why didn’t you wake me when you arrived?”

“I tried, but you didn’t wake up.”

“…”

Excellia, perhaps embarrassed, brushed off her clothes and stood up.

Her cheeks were redder than usual, as if she thought she had shown a shameful side of herself.

“What did you talk about with Mother?”

“Just, we discussed what to do about the bugs in the future, and told some old stories.”

“Old stories about Helix?”

“No, stories about your mother.”

“Mother told her own stories…?”

At that, Excellia’s eyes widened…

Then, she quickly became downcast.

“She never told me such things…”

“Well, the World Tree wants to be a kind and dependable parent to you, at least.”

“…”

“So perhaps she just doesn’t show her weak side in front of you.”

She might say she acts like a kind mother for the greater good, but…

From what I saw, she just seemed like a doting parent.

“While we talked, I felt it strongly. That the World Tree loves you.”

“Mother does?”

“Yes, very much so.”

“She doesn’t usually express it that way…”

“Yes, she doesn’t seem to have a straightforward, honest personality.”

Still, Excellia seemed happy, as the corners of her mouth subtly turned up.

Is she that happy?

I don’t really know what the joy of being acknowledged by a parent feels like.

“Is today’s schedule over?”

“Ah, there’s one more thing.”

“Really? You said we weren’t hunting bugs today.”

“The Empress of the Empire has come close to the forest. Leading a massive army and equipment.”

“…”

Vivian.

She came herself.

And her Imperial Guards must have come with her.

“It’s a number that cannot be ignored. If we clash head-on, our damage would be considerable.”

“We don’t have the luxury to fight the Empire when we should be fighting the bugs, do we?”

“That’s right. So, I think Helix will have to step forward personally.”

She’s going to let me go willingly?

This was somewhat unexpected.

“The choice was yours from the beginning anyway.”

“I wish you would stay with me a little longer, but… that’s just my own desire.”

“Excellia.”

“If you leave, I won’t stop you. Though I wouldn’t have the power to stop you anyway.”

Excellia smiled wistfully.

The time for choice had come.

Would I fulfill my duty as a companion?

Or would I make an exception for the future of the forest?

Whichever it was, it was clear that it would not be an easy choice.