The Right Attitude (5)

“So what was the gift that kid said he’d give?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know if this has great value to humans.”

Ellua showed a glass bead. It wasn’t a simple glass bead, but an object called a snow globe.

Surprisingly, this glass globe wasn’t handmade, but a relic from the mythical era that purified impurities. The proof was the alphabet engraved inside. It seemed to be a snow globe made for Christmas gifts.

Judging by the faces of the people around, it seemed to be a truly precious item. Surely he didn’t secretly bring it without even talking to his ministers.

‘It’ll probably take a few years before he can even bring it up.’

I understand that the boy king Micail had fallen for Ellua, but while Micail was attracted to the beautiful and mature woman Ellua, to Ellua, Micail was just an immature youngster.

Although elves’ sense of age is completely different from humans, it still seemed that it would take at least a few years for Ellua to see him as a man.

And for those few years to come, we first need to stop the calamity that’s happening right now.

“Then, High Elf, are you really going back there again?”

“The World Tree matter isn’t finished yet. We’ll come back, so you go back as you are.”

Ellua seemed surprised that I was leaving again, but the reason we came this far in the first place was to fight the enemies lying in ambush here.

Since I hadn’t yet harvested the seeds I had sown, I planned to operate outside for a while.

It wasn’t like the elven city was my home in the first place.

Ellua and the other elves seem to unconsciously think that I will live with them, but well… I didn’t like living so close to them. It made me feel self-conscious.

“We’re going back to enter the Order. Let’s see where we can use the true holy water we receive.”

Patrick, Lina, Laila, and even the elf representative Arisa.

After sending off the elves, I took out the World Tree seed I had been carrying around. We needed to revive this shriveled seed.

It didn’t matter what kind of miracle it would be.

“Then, are we just going to confirm that and return to Suan?”

“Probably. Although there are some things I’m concerned about.”

I answered Laila’s question somewhat ambiguously. As things have grown this big, I’ve become interested in other things as well.

For example, the seed of a hero. Someone who might be a descendant of my kind from long ago and could possibly become an important fighting force.

* * *

“I’ve been waiting for you, High Elf from the distant past.”

“Don’t call me that. It makes me sound really old.”

Lebevre, whom I met again in a secluded and secret place, bowed to me with an even more respectful attitude. The reason for his increased respect was obvious. In the end, he had resolved the internal factional fight within the Order with our help.

Now the Order moves as one body again. It’s only natural that we, who provided strong favors to Lebevre, can have a say in it as well.

“Isn’t it a deal where it’s enough if we both get what we want?”

“Indeed it is. The true holy water, a sacred relic. If it can save the world, how could I refuse?”

He had no reason to break the deal. I’m not asking for much or interfering, just taking exactly what I wanted.

As if it wouldn’t be a problem even if other Order members found out, he showed something he had brought.

“This is the true holy water, a sacred relic created by the first saint. I hope this will be effective in reviving the elves’ sacred tree.”

At first glance, it’s just colorless and odorless water, but I sensed something in that water.

“No, could this be…”

I looked down at the holy water with a surprised face. I felt it so strongly from this water. The power of spirits, that is.

“—!”

Other spirits started to make a fuss too. One wind spirit was jumping up and down on my head, urging me that they could meet their friends.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“…Pardon?”

“Guide me. To the ‘source’ of this water.”

Lebevre’s eyes widened, but it can’t be helped. This is an opportunity I can hardly miss.

If it were an ordinary water spirit, I’m sure I could meet one someday, but this might be a chance to compress that time and effort in an instant.

I didn’t want to soak in water until my body swelled up like a boiled chicken for who knows how long.

“N-No! That place is strictly guarded by other priests and holy knights! You absolutely cannot evade their eyes!”

“Aren’t you now the second-in-command of the Order and the most influential person after the young Pope! Can’t you even do this?!”

As a result, there was a small commotion with Lebevre.

When I grabbed his collar and shook him as he slumped down overwhelmed by my aura, he stammered in confusion.

“Th-The saint’s awakening ceremony.”

“What are you talking about now?”

“At the moment of the saint’s awakening ceremony, that sacred place is opened. You should be able to enter then.”

The words he muttered blankly were a kind of compromise. The only way to approach the sacred place without fighting the Order by force.

It was the moment of the ceremony where a new saint awakens and receives baptism there.

“Shouldn’t there already be a saint now?”

“There’s no law saying there can only be one saint. At times, there were even five. Now that the hero’s star has appeared, surely a saint must have appeared too.”

Find and bring a saint who may or may not exist. Then there will be an opportunity. That was the method Lebevre suggested.

“It’s certain. Order members are already searching the entire continent.”

“I’m sure they are. I have some idea too.”

I nodded because I had a sense of who this saint they were talking about might be. It was exactly the same as the hero. Among the climbers I knew, those who were exceptionally strong and could be called heroes.

The saint that modern people speak of was also, like the hero, a descendant of such a climber.

‘It shouldn’t be impossible to find.’

While the hero might be easy to find with a star floating above their head, the saint isn’t so easy to locate.

However, as I listened to the explanation about those called saints, I thought I might be able to find them. After all, I, who admired the heroes active in the Tower, knew things they didn’t.

“Let’s go back for today.”

“Are you really just leaving?”

“We’ve obtained enough to try awakening the World Tree.”

In the end, I decided to return with just the small amount of holy water I was initially promised.

I decided to solve the World Tree problem first, then look at the other issues.

“It’s not that difficult, right? Let’s pour it right away. If it really comes back to life with this, we can take it to the elf city as it is.”

In a safe place, in front of everyone, I started pouring the holy water onto the World Tree seed.

It was a tense moment for everyone. Even the usually frivolous spirits watched quietly as if tense.

“Did it really work?”

Although the water just flowed over the surface of the shriveled seed, we could all predict the result.

The seed began to absorb all the holy water poured on it directly into its body. I didn’t stop there and gave my mana as the seed wanted.

“Ah… The World Tree seed finally!”

Arisa, overcome with emotion, covered her mouth with her hand and shed tears.

The World Tree, which went extinct several thousand years ago, is now coming back to life. With the holy water I obtained, in my arms.

“Lady Isilia!”

Although I staggered from the loss of strength due to the mana the seed was absorbing, it wasn’t fast enough to make me lose consciousness.

With Lina’s help supporting my body, I picked up the seed. Its shriveled appearance was gone, and it was now ‘shouting’ at me to plant it in the ground immediately.

‘The High Elf is the guardian of the World Tree.’

I recalled the elves’ testimony that communication with and management of the World Tree was all the responsibility of the High Elf.

For this barely revived one to properly sprout seeds in the current era, my help was absolutely necessary.

“We’re going back to the elf city. I need to go myself. Patrick, you take the two people and return to Suan first.”

It had been a forced march lasting several weeks. If I took the group all the way to the elf city from here, it would be physically beyond the limit.

I decided to send the other companions back to our base, while I decided to go with Arisa, who had to return anyway.

“If that’s your wish.”

Patrick nodded without complaint. The tired Laila was the same, and Lina hesitated as if worried about me, but Lina was at her limit too.

“And Lina, when you get there, give this to Ethan.”

And I gave one more special order to Lina, who would be with Ethan. The note I handed to her contained clues on how to find the saint.

If my guess is correct, we might be able to find and bring the saint before the Order does. If that really happens, I intended to boldly demand that the Order hand over the source of the holy water.