episode_0054

“Hey! Zeke! Saintess!! Are you ali…?” “Huh…?”

Alten and Veronica rushed over frantically, then looked bewildered when they saw me sitting on a rock, dyeing Aria’s hair black while she whimpered and hiccuped. Right… they’d probably wonder what I was doing…

“Hey, Zeke. What are you doing? And why is the Saintess whining?”

“Sigh… Earlier, Aria transformed into a strange form, and the hair I dyed had returned to its original color. So I was dyeing it again. But I was so tired that my legs wouldn’t move, so I was sitting on a rock dyeing it.”

“M-more than that! Earlier, the Saintess transformed as if she were a divine messenger…”

“Such a thing…? How dare you call it ‘such a thing’ when Zeke-nim is dyeing my hair with love…?!”

Aria, who had been whining, heard Veronica’s words, turned her head, and glared at Veronica with a distorted face. Seeing that expression, Veronica was greatly startled on the spot, and I, hearing a certain word Aria mentioned, asked Aria.

“Wait, what did you say…? ‘With love’?”

“Yes…! Oh… to finally hear such moving words from Zeke-nim…! At that moment, I felt as if immense happiness had burst forth from within my chest…! You want to be with me, right, Zeke-nim!? Right?!”

“What…? What are you talking about?”

“Oh my… you don’t have to be shy! You said you’d be with me even if you died~ That means… it’s Zeke-nim’s desire to marry me!”

“… Whaaaat?! Zeke actually said that?!”

Veronica, hearing Aria’s words, was startled again and stared at me. Alten was also looking at me with a greatly shocked expression… What is it? Why are they reacting like that? And why is Aria saying something like this?

“Oh… when I heard those words, my power suddenly grew stronger… Then I transformed into that form, and I neatly solved the problem Zeke-nim asked of me…! Could this be the power of love…?”

“… Uh… I don’t understand…”

“Hey… hey! Zeke, be quiet for a moment…”

When Veronica suddenly whispered to me, I turned my head to her. Then Veronica, with an anxious expression, asked me again in a small voice.

“Did you really say that?”

“Huh? Uh… I did.”

“Th-the meaning of those words… you know…”

Veronica began to explain the meaning of my words into my confused ear. Uh… wh-what…? So… that… that was the meaning?! N-no! It’s not a marital vow or anything, you damn it!!! I just said that because Aria is a precious companion. It didn’t mean I loved her as a lover!!!

“Ahhh… today is truly a commemorative day, Zeke-nim….!! To think that Zeke-nim and I are finally lovers…!! I’m so happy I don’t know how to control this feeling!!”

“N-no! It’s a misunderstanding, Aria!!!”

“Oh… wha… what wonderful love, Zeke….”

“Even I, an Elf, understood those words, so why didn’t you… Anyway, congratulations, Zeke.”

“Be quiet!!!”

When Veronica and Alten, keeping their distance, clapped their hands, seemingly with celebratory intent, towards Aria and me, I shouted at Alten and Veronica. Then, seeing Aria grinning widely at the sound of Alten and Veronica’s applause, I remembered Tiara putting ideas into Aria’s head previously, and recalling that, my face stiffened completely.

‘Ugh… how am I going to deal with this anger…!!’

“… L-Leader-nim. Aren’t we going to die by Zeke’s hand…?”

“… I was just thinking I shouldn’t have done that either.”

“Haa… Aria, the dyeing is done for now.”

“Oh! Thank you! Then… I should do what I couldn’t do before!”

“Huh?”

When Aria suddenly said she would do what she couldn’t before, a shiver ran down my spine. Surely… she’s not going to pounce on me like she did before…? I, feeling anxious anticipating Aria pouncing on me, saw Aria suddenly grasp her staff and turn her head towards a strange direction. Wait… that direction is…

“That direction is where Proserpina is.”

“What? You mean our village? What’s going on, Saintess?”

“… Ah! Hey, Alten! Earlier, the Elves in your village were in a chaotic state because the World Tree suddenly revived, weren’t they?!”

“…..!!! Oh, no!!”

In our excitement over defeating the World Tree, we had completely forgotten that the Elves around the World Tree were in a state of confusion. We had no time to worry about it while removing the World Tree’s vines… Aria still remembered that, huh…

“Aria… you actually…”

“Yes, Zeke-nim. I just realized I had forgotten to strike all the Elves with this staff, didn’t I?”

“Huh?”

“Wha…? What?”

When Aria declared she would kill all the Elves, everyone present froze on the spot. What now…? At that moment, as the slightly touching atmosphere completely vanished, Aria explained the reason to me.

“Even Zeke-nim must be wishing for that right now…! I absolutely cannot forgive those Elves who mercilessly trampled and tormented Zeke-nim… I couldn’t do it earlier because Zeke-nim asked me to stop the World Tree, but now that the World Tree is gone, I can punish the Elves to my heart’s content, right?”

“Wha… what?! You were still holding onto that?!”

“Yes, Zeke-nim~”

“But I asked you not to kill them…”

“Don’t worry! I’ll only punish them enough to render an arm or a leg useless, not kill them! So don’t fret, Zeke-nim!!”

“St-stop immediately! No, Saintess!”

“Oh! Alten-ssi and Veronica-ssi, don’t worry~ Since you blessed Zeke-nim and me earlier, I’ll make an exception for you!”

“What kind of criteria is that?! Stop, Saintess!!”

The three of us blocked Aria with our whole bodies as she tried to head towards Proserpina. While we were fighting desperately, the Elves in Proserpina became even more confused upon seeing the World Tree disappear in a sudden flash of light.

“What was that light just now?”

“The World Tree was hit by that light and shattered. Does that mean it’s all over?”

“Where are the Elder-nims? What’s going to happen now?”

“Everyone, pay attention!”

The Elves, who had been confused by the sudden appearance of the World Tree, now began to feel uneasy as the World Tree suddenly vanished. Then, Alten climbed onto the Judgment Stone behind the judgment platform and drew the attention of the Elves below him. At that, all the Elves looked at Alten, their leader, and asked him.

“Alten, Leader-nim! What exactly is this situation?! What will happen to us!”

“I know everyone is confused! I was also confused until I experienced everything myself! I will explain what happened!”

When Alten said he would explain, all the Elves fell silent. Good… I’ll leave the Elves to you, Alten. You’re doing what you wanted. As for us…

“I will punish all of them…!!”

“Uwaaah…. Stop, Aria…!!”

…we’ll be using our whole bodies to block Aria, who’s trying to attack all the Elves from behind…!! Veronica and I were blocking Aria with our whole bodies from behind a tree behind the Judgment Stone. Alten also seemed to have heard Veronica and me struggling to stop Aria from behind, as I saw him make a slightly bewildered expression.

“Everyone, listen carefully!! The Alraunes have not been living by helping us!! The reason Alraunes cooperated with us was to resurrect the World Tree that stood tall in the center of Proserpina! They! tried to resurrect the World Tree by absorbing humans with strong souls, and if enough power gathered, they even tried to absorb us Elves!”

“….? Alten, Leader-nim! What are you talking about!!”

“The World Tree’s true identity is the primordial Alraune!! The Alraunes were using us to absorb the World Tree, their great mother!!”

“…? What?!”

The Elves, learning the World Tree’s true identity, were greatly shocked. Then they began to murmur again. As Alten’s shocking news instantly turned the place into a pandemonium once more, Alten shouted loudly again.

“However!! Just now! The World Tree that threatened us Elves has fallen!! All the Alraunes who tried to deceive us have also vanished!!”

“…!! Is that true!?”

“It is! The sacred World Tree became corrupted and tried to kill us, but the corrupted World Tree disappeared from this world without killing anyone!!”

“…!! Oh… Long live Leader Alten!!!”

At the news of the World Tree’s death, the Elves began to cheer. The pandemonious atmosphere instantly filled with laughter and vitality, and they began to praise Alten. However, Alten, who was praised by many Elves, wore a bitter expression, as if he wasn’t pleased. Then he took a deep breath and shouted to the Elves again.

“Everyone!! There is one more important truth than that!!! A truth everyone must know!!!”

“Wha…?”

The cheering Elves, hearing Alten’s shout, slowly began to quiet down. As the crowd quieted down, Alten blinked his eyes wide, took another deep breath, and shouted.

‘Hang in there, Alten…!!’

“There is an important story concerning humans!!”

“Humans…? Surely humans didn’t resurrect the World Tree!!”

“What?! That race is still nothing but dirty… As expected, in this world…!!”

“That light just now was light emitted by a human… Humans saved us!! Not me!!”

“….? What?”

“Humans!! helped us by sacrificing their lives, and humans defeated the World Tree!!”

When Alten made another shocking statement, the Elves began to stir again. And rightfully so… How could they believe that the humans they despised and ostracized had actually saved them? And as if sharing my thoughts, an Elf shouted at Alten.

“Alten, Leader! Didn’t they resurrect the World Tree and then clean up the mess?!”

“Right!! They must have tricked us…”

“Humans had already asked for our forgiveness!! A very long time ago, humans begged the Great Elder-nim for forgiveness!!”

“….?! What are you talking about….”

“However!! The Great Elder-nim could not convey this news to the Elves!! Five Elders, who sided with the Alraunes, had threatened the Great Elder-nim, and because of that, the Great Elder-nim could not inform the Elves of this truth!!”

“W-what are you saying, Leader!!”

“The Great Elder-nim wished to inform the Elves of this truth… and in the afternoon, while fighting the Alraunes inside the World Tree to save me and a certain human, he fell in battle….”

The moment Alten was about to convey the Great Elder’s news, a sudden explosion occurred where the World Tree had been. Wh-what?! Is the World Tree still alive?! Everyone present was greatly startled by the explosion and turned their heads towards where the World Tree had been. At that moment, something fell from the sky onto the Judgment Stone. And Alten, seeing its true identity, was greatly astonished.

“Gr-Great Elder-nim?!”

“Ugh… my back…”

“Y-y-you’re alive?!”

“Ugh… Hmm? Leader Alten! It seems you succeeded quite nicely. You did well with the humans!”

Spes, who arrived at the Judgment Stone, praised Alten as soon as he landed. However, the Elves were greatly astonished by Spes’s sudden appearance, and Alten, I, and Veronica were so greatly shocked by Spes being alive that we couldn’t react to his words.

“H-how…?”

“Ah… I was fighting against the Alraunes… when suddenly, the Alraunes sank downwards. Then a great collapse occurred… and when I opened my eyes, I was buried in debris, but it didn’t seem like the afterlife, so I used powerful explosion magic to get out.”

“….. As expected of the Great Elder-nim…”

Is that even possible?! Or is that normal by Elf standards?! From a human’s perspective, that’s absurd, you know?! While I was greatly astonished, Spes looked around and then asked Alten.

“…. You were revealing the truth.”

“Uh… yes…”

“Gr-Great Elder-nim!!! Is what Leader Alten just said true?! That humans have already apologized, and…”

“Elves! Alten’s words are all true!! I had already received an apology from them! The reason humans haven’t apologized to the Elves now is because they already had!!”

“…. That can’t be…. I… I can’t believe it!!!”

“Th-that’s right! Considering what humans have done… I absolutely cannot forgive those bastards!!”

“Still can’t believe it?! We were already living with humans!! Contrary to our beliefs, they were not all evil beings!!”

At Alten’s words, the Elves were shocked again and couldn’t speak. Then Alten turned around and gestured to me. No… not me. It was Veronica. At that, Veronica swallowed hard and slowly approached the Elves.

“….That human was….”

“Veronica was human!! Former Leader Prosh deliberately brought her, knowing she was human!!”

“Wh-what?!”

The Elves, realizing Veronica was human, continued to be shocked. The crowd became a pandemonium once again. I heard some of their voices and sighed.

“Veronica is human?! Then really…”

“No… don’t be fooled!!”

“Veronica might have transformed into a human!!”

“Veronica might have been afflicted by an Alraune!!”

‘Haa… they really want to deny it so much that they’re making up stories…’

“Then I ask you all!!!”

At the moment the Elves were becoming increasingly distrustful of humans and I was finding such Elves displeasing, Spes shouted loudly. At that, the Elves looked back at Spes, and Spes spoke again.

“Thus, Veronica has proven that humans are not all bad beings!! Former Leader Prosh tried to erase the useless prejudices ingrained in us but was caught by the Alraunes and met his death!! Therefore, I ask you!! What kind of image do you wish to leave behind!!”

“What kind of image…?”

“Will you acknowledge your own mistakes and live by correcting them!! Or will you remain in this world, arrogant and constantly deceived because of your stubborn nature!!”

At Spes’s question, all the Elves fell silent. However, in less than 20 seconds, an Elf shouted at Spes.

“I-if we have become arrogant due to our sense of superiority… and so foolish that we couldn’t even recognize the changes in humans… then I will correct myself!!”

“I… I’ll correct myself too!! I don’t want to be used again!!!”

“Me too!!”

Starting with one Elf, everyone began to declare that they would abandon their reclusive nature. Spes and Alten, seeing that, were pleased, and Veronica began to shed tears, overjoyed that Prosh’s wish had come true. After that evening, as all the Elves cried out for change, we were resting secretly at Spes’s house, hidden from the Elves.

“You won’t be noticed by other Elves here. Everyone… thank you very much. For saving us…”

Spes suddenly bowed at the waist to us, who were in the bedroom, expressing his gratitude. Uh… we didn’t do it expecting anything like this… When you think about it, we defeated the World Tree for our own personal reasons, not for the Elves…

“Ah… hey… please don’t bow like that… I just did it because I wouldn’t be able to explore if the World Tree destroyed the world…”

“Hmm… But I haven’t punished the Elves yet… Ah! I can do it now!!”

When Aria suddenly picked up her staff again and tried to leave the room, we were greatly startled and began to stop her. But…

“Uh… huh?”

“No one can stop me!”

Uwaaaaah! We’re being dragged along too!! How can three men holding onto her like this not stop her…?!! Damn it, is it because it’s Aria?! Spes, Alten, and I blocked Aria with our whole bodies, and Veronica, seeing that, let out a small laugh and then looked at the Trahan next to the bed.

“…. Dad. It’s all over now. It might take some getting used to, but… the Elves won’t discriminate against humans anymore… Right…?”

The moment Veronica touched the Trahan, thinking of Prosh, she was instantly transported to a white space. At that, Veronica looked around, bewildered.

“W-what is this space…? What is this empty space…”

“Daughter?”

“…!!!”

A very familiar and longed-for voice reached Veronica. At that, Veronica slowly turned around. There, Prosh was looking at Veronica with a smile. Veronica, seeing Prosh, ran to him with tears streaming down her face and hugged him tightly.

“D-Dad!!”

“My daughter… you’ve been well. That appearance… it seems my magic has broken.”

“Yes…!! But it’s okay now!! Because just as you wished, Dad, the Elves won’t discriminate against humans anymore…!!”

“I see… that means… everything has already been resolved.”

“Yes… But Dad, how are you… here…”

“This is inside my heart, which I left in the Trahan. I had embedded a fragment of my soul in the Trahan. Well… since it’s just a fragment, it will soon disappear…”

“What…? N-no….. No, Dad!! Don’t go!! Please stay with me…”

At the news that Prosh would soon disappear, Veronica tugged at Prosh’s clothes, pleading. Prosh, seeing that, forced a smile and stroked Veronica’s tear-streaked hair, saying.

“…. Are you calling someone like me ‘Dad’?”

“Yes…. You truly loved me, Dad…. Even if you didn’t at first… you still loved me sincerely for a long time…. Of course, you’re my Dad…!!”

“…. Thank you, Veronica. Thank you…. I… there’s something I wanted to say…”

“… Zeke already showed me all of your last will…”

“I wanted to say more. Once I left that will… there were so many things I wanted to say… but when this moment actually came, the words wouldn’t come out easily…”

“It’s okay….. I’ve received all of your heart, Dad…..”

“… I see.”

“Dad, I handed the Trahan over to Zeke…”

“I see. Well… I asked you to bring me the Trahan because I wanted to talk to you like this…”

“Aren’t you angry…?”

“Me? Why would I be angry? As your father, I should respect my daughter’s decision, so how could I be angry?… Hmm?”

Prosh, who was stroking Veronica’s hair, let out a small laugh as he saw his hand slowly disappearing. Then he hugged Veronica with both arms and said.

“Still, I’m glad I could speak to you in the end, Veronica. I love you, my daughter. More than anything.”

“Me too, Dad… I love you more than anything… the most in the world…!”

“…. Hearing that makes me want to live even more… Hahahaha…. My daughter… be healthy… make many friends… I wish you happiness…”

Veronica remained in Prosh’s arms as he continued to slowly fade away, and Prosh continued to hold Veronica until he disappeared.

“Ugh… we barely stopped her. Hey, Veronica! Why didn’t you help…?”

I, exhausted after barely stopping Aria, was complaining to Veronica when I saw her asleep, hugging the Trahan. Seeing that, I said nothing more, quietly left the room, and closed the door.