Etrion Royal Castle (1)

Around the time things were mostly settled.

Ethan secretly headed underground.

[The World Tree’s root conveys that it faintly feels the energy of a sibling.]

It was because of information that a new root was here.

“Was it the root’s ability that blocked mana?”

[It affirms.]

[‘Destruction’ says it knows a sibling with such characteristics.]

“Who is it?”

[‘Destruction’ says it is the fifth root, a sibling with the characteristic of ‘Maintenance’.]

“Maintenance?”

There are six roots of the World Tree in total.

The first root acts as a seedbed.

And the remaining five characteristics combine with it.

The characteristics are Creation, Destruction, Transformation, Maintenance, and Recovery.

While Creation, Destruction, Transformation, and Recovery have many uses.

Maintenance was not a particularly preferred characteristic.

It’s not an ability that helps with attacks like Destruction.

Nor is it an ability that can overturn the battlefield itself like Creation or Transformation.

And it’s not as versatile as Recovery.

Maintenance literally means maintaining the current situation.

Each of the World Tree’s roots inherited one of the World Tree’s abilities.

Among them, Maintenance is the root that prevents weeds from growing and.

‘Maintains’ the soil around the World Tree to always be fertile.

“Should I say it has the least presence?”

It’s the same now.

With its annoying ability to block magic power, it erased its own existence.

Wasn’t it hiding deep in the underground of Etre?

[‘Destruction’ cautiously expresses the opinion that it was also in the underground of an abandoned mine.]

“That’s true, but at least you didn’t hide your presence.”

[‘Destruction’ affirms this fact.]

Guided by the root, he headed into the sewer.

No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t see a passage, but as he followed the guidance, a real empty space appeared.

One side of the sewer wall seemed twisted, descending underground in a spiral staircase.

And there.

“Is that it?”

[The World Tree’s root answers that it is.]

Just like when he obtained Destruction, a quite stylish altar appeared with a root floating above it.

The color of this root was green.

[The World Tree’s fifth root startles and asks who it is.]

“You guys, handle it yourselves.”

[The World Tree’s root greets its sibling warmly.]

[‘Destruction’ orders it to bow its head to the elder brother who has come.]

[‘Maintenance’ is shocked, asking why its siblings are coming out here.]

The affectionate conversation between the siblings ended in an instant.

“Is it done?”

[‘Maintenance’ requests to be treated gently since it’s the first time.]

‘Is this one’s head a bit strange too?’

He was already feeling unsettled because of the perverted demon worshipper Berda just now.

Ethan thought this one seemed to be cut from the same cloth.

• Whoosh!

  The fifth root.

  ‘Maintenance’ decomposed and was absorbed into Ethan.

  ‘With this, the root’s level cap has expanded to 60. And a new passive skill has appeared.’

  [Passive Skill: Constant Mind]

  ●A tree stands in the same place whether it rains or snows. It maintains its position with the same mind in any situation.

  Only the life permitted by the tree can grow on the land within the tree’s sphere of influence.

  You are granted the World Tree’s surrounding control ability. Within a 500m radius at LV.40, it completely seals the magic power and holy power of 3 targets (or individuals) not authorized by the user.

  “???”

  Ethan’s mouth gaped open at this impossible ability.

  When used as an item or enhancement material, the root of ‘Maintenance’ was just something that fixed an item’s durability to its maximum.

  Of course, in other games, that effect might be considered good, but.

  While clearing <Isilium Legend Maker> 1000 times, he had never once used up the full durability of a single piece of equipment.

  ‘When the time came, I would switch to the next tier, and when the final equipment came out, it was soon the ending.’

  So he didn’t expect much from the passive skill of ‘Maintenance’, but.

  ‘It completely seals the magic power and holy power of beings I don’t authorize?’

  This is cheating beyond cheating.

  Even a 10th circle archmage, if you go “You? Magic power confiscated.” ^Click^ they can’t do anything and will just bang their head.

  Holy Spirit Realm’s Saintess? Cardinal?

  What can they do if you ^Click^ and confiscate their holy power.

  [‘Maintenance’ makes a statement of principle that it cannot lend its power if you intend to use it for evil purposes.]

  “Huh? No, I didn’t actually intend to do that.”

  [‘Maintenance’ shouts, P-power should only be used to benefit the world!]

  “I was just imagining, so calm down for now…”

  It was just an example.

  Ethan has no intention of rounding up archmages or saintesses and beating them up.

  That would only create countless variables.

  Controlling variables, the growth of his wards, and clearing the main story.

  That’s what Ethan wants more than anyone.

  [‘Destruction’ expresses its intention to explain in detail to its younger sibling.]

  ‘I’d appreciate that.’

  Having gotten what he came for.

  There’s no more business in this dirty sewer.

  Though he felt someone screaming while being disciplined in his mind.

  ‘They’ll handle it themselves.’

  When he shook his head lightly, it soon became quiet.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks, Kenny.”

Kenny took out water bottles from his backpack and handed them out to the children one by one.

Each water bottle had the children’s names written on them.

The contents were Kenny’s special juice.

Hwaryon and Ponya praised it, saying they could taste three different sweet flavors simultaneously.

A moment to catch their breath.

The children chattered and played around.

Levi also took a sip of juice and.

Praised Kenny.

“Thank you, Kenny. Thanks to you, things went smoothly.”

“But I couldn’t do anything at the end.”

The children who joined forces with Ethan all attacked the enemy with full force.

Especially Kenny, who mobilized Whitey, Blackey, and Gray.

Then attacked the demon worshipper with a hammer infused with Elyssia’s holy power.

But.

• Hnngh! Hah, hah. More! More!

  The opponent, as if ridiculing them.

  Provoked them to hit more.

  He seems to have been frustrated by that.

  “Even I can’t easily dispose of a demon worshipper on the verge of becoming a demon. So there’s no need to be too dejected.”

  “Yes. If Levi unni says so, it must be true. But I wonder why Ethan-nim just let that demon worshipper go?”

  “He must have had a good reason for doing so, don’t you think?”

  “Ah!”

  Kenny listened well to Levi’s words.

  So instead of questioning.

  He tried hard to think of the reason himself.

  Of course, Levi knew the reason.

  ‘If we killed the demon worshipper when the ritual was more than half done, the condensed evil energy and mana in him would spread around…’

  If that happened, the powerful explosion that would burst out would cause the narrow underground waterway to collapse entirely.

  Levi and the children might somehow escape, but.

  The kingdom’s knights and Inspection Bureau agents would be buried alive.

  ‘He’s a kind person, so he must have thought that far ahead.’

  There wasn’t time to evacuate people in advance.

  The ritual was progressing moment by moment.

  If they couldn’t stop it, it would be the same whether they were above ground or underground.

  He probably judged that it would be safer to keep them by his side.

  After calculating all the situations like that, he must have intended to beat up Berda moderately and draw ‘Its’ attention.

  As a result, his gambit succeeded.

  The demon voluntarily ordered its apostle to stop the ritual.

  It was deriving the best result through the best choice.

  ‘From now on, we need to prepare more thoroughly so this doesn’t happen again.’

  So as not to hold him back.

  She resolved to work even harder.

  “Kids, let’s go up soon.”

  “Okay~!!!”

  So that the peaceful daily life he desires won’t be shattered.

The next day.

Inspector Rudy came to visit.

“The Director is busy, so I came instead. I ask for your understanding.”

“Understanding? It’s fine.”

Just as Rudy, who kept apologizing, was starting to feel burdensome.

“I received orders to move your accommodation.”

“Our accommodation?”

Ethan, who had no complaints as this was already a fairly high-class inn.

He couldn’t understand Rudy’s sudden words about moving accommodations.

“For the hero’s safety… is what they say, but honestly, I doubt there’s anyone in the royal capital capable of harming Ethan-nim.”

“?”

“But it’s the king’s order, so we have no choice. His Majesty has commanded to bring Ethan-nim and his companions into the royal castle.”

From there, he had a bad feeling.

But by the time he came to his senses.

“Please rest comfortably.”

It was after he had stepped into a luxurious room.

“Wooow!!!”

“The bed! It’s so fluffy!”

Five beds so large that there was space left even with all the children lying down.

Plus, it was a room full of luxurious furniture, paintings, and decorations.

‘Is this a reward for dealing with the demon worshippers?’

If so, he could understand.

Even if it’s a bit burdensome, he just needs to endure for a few more days until the award ceremony.

Letting the children play.

He opened the door to go out for a bit of fresh air.

But then.

“Oh my.”

“?”

A beautiful young lady was standing in front of the door.

Long blonde hair and blue eyes.

She wore a silver tiara on her head.

And was dressed in an elegant sky-blue dress.

“Hello.”

“Yes, hello.”

As he tried to step aside to pass by.

She kept blocking his path, matching his movements.

‘What’s this, who is she to do this?’

“You’re Ethan, right? Don’t you know me?”

“Excuse me, but who are you…”

“It seems you haven’t been informed yet. I am Elizabeth Largen Schloss Etrion.”

If someone uses the surname Etrion in the Kingdom of Etrion…

“…Are you the princess?”

He had unintentionally committed a series of discourtesies.

“Could we talk for a moment?”

From Elizabeth’s smiling face.

Ethan felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.