episode_0052

Now the sun, high in the sky, was watching me.

Clouds slowly creeping out announced their presence by obscuring the sun from me.

After bringing Faust to my side, I smiled, gazing at the sun.

Chirp chirp.

Now, I could tell without sending out magic to perceive my surroundings.

That the World Tree had almost finished restoring the [Garden].

“You’re not saying anything. Shall I start?”

“……”

Those who arrived with trudging steps.

The ones who had abandoned the World Tree and fled when the Chimeras appeared.

Beings who believed only they were right and refused to listen to a single word from outsiders.

The Elves weren’t looking straight at me now.

No, to be precise, they couldn’t look straight at me.

No matter how noble a race they were, shame was something sentient beings possessed.

Perhaps that very shame prevented them from raising their heads.

“Rapier.”

Did she also realize that the Elves before me wouldn’t apologize to me?

Ellicia, who had already finished preparing to guide me from afar, was calling my name.

Clenching her hand as if holding something.

“Ah, I’m coming.”

With a brief reply, I silently bowed towards the World Tree, then rose and began to walk towards her.

Even if they were Elves capable of thought, I had expected them to at least say they would help me later as I left, but they remained silent, letting me go.

Thud thud.

How long had I walked?

When the bowed-headed Elves grew smaller and smaller until they were mere dots, then disappeared from sight,

When I passed through a plain made of light and entered the forest,

Ellicia opened her mouth.

“Rapier, don’t you… hate the Elves?”

“What?”

“No… I mean… even though you tried to help, they first imprisoned you… and even after you resolved everything just as you said you would, they’re still like that…”

Her voice was gloomy.

Did she feel guilty as a fellow Elf?

Because she was walking ahead, normally only her back would have been visible,

But my magic illuminated Ellicia’s face, making her appear even sadder.

“Aren’t Elves originally like this? Noble, prioritizing the [Garden] above all else, and looking down on humans. So, I didn’t particularly expect any favors.”

At my words, her body flinched momentarily.

Did she think my words included her?

Ellicia, who had been silent for a moment, uttered a single word.

“Me…”

“What?”

“Then what about… me?”

Her tone was hesitant.

Had my words hurt her slightly?

“Ellicia is a special Elf to me. The word ‘originally’ doesn’t apply to you.”

“….Really?”

I heard it.

I clearly heard it.

From beginning to end, there was no great change in emotion visible on her face,

But in her reply to my words, there was a hint of joy.

Thud thud.

How long did we laugh and talk?

Ellicia began to tell me about the [Garden].

Small, personal stories like her first mission, or how she first saved a child of the World Tree—topics perfect for sharing with someone you’ve formed a bond with.

I told her stories about the Academy.

Stories about dungeons, fights with instructors, events that happened during admission—topics perfect for sharing with someone you’ve formed a bond with.

After walking for a long time, Ellicia’s steps halted before a tree.

Reaching that tree, she spoke to me.

“…We’ve arrived. If you go straight for about five minutes from here, there should be a village. I originally wanted to see you off all the way to the village, but…”

“Isn’t the outside of the [Garden] unfamiliar to Elves? There’s no need for you to strain yourself to see me off.”

I said, bowing my head slightly.

“Then, thank you for all your help until now.”

Just as my staff was about to pass that tree,

Ellicia’s white hand grasped my arm.

“Wait a moment… I have something to give you…”

Something she had been holding all this time.

She loosened her grip, allowing my magic to sense it.

A leaf.

Not an ordinary leaf, but a leaf from the World Tree.

A leaf in which every single one of Ellicia’s magical energies had dissolved into its cells.

“It’ll be useful someday. Consider this… a token of my gratitude.”

She said, pressing the leaf into my hand.

I bowed my head again in gratitude for her favor.

Perhaps I had bowed too deeply, as I left the flustered Ellicia behind and walked towards the village.

‘Now I can distinguish the trees…’

What was I like when I first entered the [Garden]?

Didn’t I wander, unable to distinguish even a single tree?

Chirp chirp.

What was the state of the [Garden] when I first entered it?

The birdsong that should have spread widely across the sky was buried in the abyss below.

The river’s gurgling sounds, which should have filled my ears, had dried up, leaving only dust to swirl.

Was what my magic was sensing truly the World Tree?

I had even harbored such doubts.

But what I was feeling now was the [Garden] itself, in its original state.

A [Garden] where nature itself had melted in.

Was it because I was too immersed in my achievements?

My footsteps no longer felt the grass.

People.

People who were not the long-eared, noble Elves.

They were looking at me, who had returned from resolving the issues in the [Garden] without a single scratch.

But weren’t they waiting for me?

They held massive barrels in their hands.

Did they not know that I was the one who solved this problem?

The people, who had briefly stared at me as I emerged from the [Garden], began to transport the massive barrels.

I walked further into the village, treading on the vibrant earth.

Elgard.

Elgard, which had been so dejected, was stirring again.

The old man who had worn a tearful expression, claiming there were no potions, now pressed money into the hands of those bringing the massive barrels, uttering only words of gratitude to the gods.

Were the adventurers, who had been gathered in the guild drinking, perhaps preparing to go investigate the outskirts of the [Garden]?

They were all maintaining their weapons with lively expressions.

Was it because all the adventurers who had been holed up in the guild had come out?

The streets of Elgard looked much livelier than before.

I smiled at the hopeful sight and entered the guild.

There were a few adventurers smiling broadly and drinking, but perhaps most had gone back into the [Garden] to investigate further.

The adventurer named Kuhn was also nowhere to be seen.

I,

I, who had returned after completing such a huge task, looked at a person sitting on a chair in front of the counter and spoke.

“The request, it’s resolved.”

I said to Ibn, who was sitting on the chair, with a confident expression.

“……”

No answer was heard.

“Being under me won’t be an easy position.”

“…..”

Silence.

Ibn, who had seen me enter the guild, leaned back in her chair, covering her face with her arm.

“If you say you resolved it, where’s the proof…? It might just have been resolved by coincidence…”

A powerless voice.

But at that voice, nearly resigned, I rummaged through my pocket.

‘I didn’t know I’d need this so soon…’

I handed her the leaf Ellicia had given me.

Ibn, who stared intently at the leaf for a moment, sighed and asked me.

“Wait a moment…”

Had she finally realized her place?

Or was she simply displeased about coming under me?

Just moments ago, she had seemed lively, but now she was dejected, writing something on a piece of paper.

“I’ve seen that uniform somewhere… It’s from the Academy, you see… It would be good to accept this first… For now, coming under me immediately with this is…”

She rolled up the paper and handed it to me.

It’s Ibn, indeed.

True to the description of her character, which states she always keeps her word.

But what could be better than having Ibn under me?

To face a god with a character full of romance—what a trustworthy companion, one you could turn your back on!

There’s no way I’d ever change my mind.

“Well, to order around someone who was once even a Knight Commander…”

Had my playful voice annoyed her even a little?

Her eyebrows twitched.

“Just listen first.”

Even I, who had faced a god, couldn’t continue speaking at the sudden surge of killing intent.

“Haa… This is a recommendation letter that even I can only write once… I never used it even when I was active…”

Her voice was full of sighs.

A tone that expressed how much she really didn’t want to write it, making me wonder why she bothered to say anything if she felt that way.

“What kind of recommendation letter is it that you’re saying such things?”

I was now starting to wonder what this recommendation letter was.

“It’s a recommendation letter… to receive private instruction.”

Did she naturally consider herself beneath me, or was she just annoyed at having me as a subordinate?

Or did she genuinely dislike being associated with this person at all?

But why would I give up having Ibn as a subordinate over something like that?

To face a god with a character full of romance—what a trustworthy companion, one you could turn your back on!

There’s no way I’d ever change my mind.

“Who is providing this private instruction that you can only write a recommendation for once?”

“The former Sword Saint, Regulus-nim.”