episode_0063

The conference room in Elvengard.

The elders seated there remained silent with serious expressions.

A scroll of paper passed through the hands of the elders, making its rounds.

Finally, after the priestess, Mia, unfolded and checked it, one of the elders spoke up.

“What are your thoughts?”

“For starters, one thing is certain… It is not an existence from our world.”

“I agree.”

“Me too.”

The elders nodded in agreement.

The dungeon that had taken root at the base of the World Tree.

Upon dissecting the body of the spider monster that had appeared within it.

The investigation team presented evidence that this monster had come from another world.

In a way, it was to be expected.

After all, dungeons were originally summoned from another world.

So, it wasn’t a particularly surprising fact.

“Now, are you saying that beings with intelligence have crossed over from that world?”

Except for the fact that it was the only being from another world observed so far.

What emerged from the dungeon were creatures without intelligence, just lowly monsters.

The most intelligent of them all would be no more than a goblin.

But the spider monster that came out of the dungeon this time was different.

It spoke in a complex language and used deadly tactics.

It seemed like that spider monster was the mastermind behind the dungeon’s design.

It set traps to lure people in, and even fed the captured individuals to the monsters as nourishment.

As the survivors’ testimonies unfolded, the cruelty and high intelligence of the spider monster made them shudder.

“There may have been others who crossed over already. The spider monster is just one of them, it could have been unfortunate enough to be exposed.”

“In the case of this spider monster, it was large in size and had an alien appearance, but if a monster that can mimic or disguise itself as a human were to appear, it would be a big problem.”

“There is also the possibility that it could escape the dungeon and blend into society…”

The elders’ expressions grew even darker.

The more they delved into the situation, the more serious it became.

After the formation of large mercenary groups and their alliance.

The dungeon had fallen into a state where it was just spitting out a few monsters and vending machines that dispensed mana stones as rewards.

But with the appearance of beings like the spider monster, the story changed.

Now, for some unknown reason, they were invading the World Tree and hunting humans aggressively, as powerful monsters.

“This is like…”

“An invasion, isn’t it?”

Invasion.

At the mention of that word, the elders shuddered.

Everyone was thinking the same thing.

Perhaps the dungeon was not a blessing created by the gods.

Nor was it a random event or a sudden occurrence.

But rather a foothold for an invasion from another world.

“This information will be classified as Level 1 confidential.”

“That’s necessary. If it were to be leaked, it would undoubtedly cause great chaos…”

Rumors turning into false rumors.

False rumors turning into terrifying rumors, plunging the citizens into a whirlpool of confusion in an instant.

To prevent such a thing, it was best not to even let a rumor that could spark a fire spread in the first place.

“Should we share this information with other countries?”

“Of course. It’s important information-”

“No. We will share it with foreign governments.”

“Priestess, what is the-”

All eyes turned to Mia, who broke the long silence and spoke up.

Sharing Level 1 confidential information within Elvengard with foreign countries was unheard of.

Elven society was small.

Unlike the races and sub-races that pervaded the entire continent, such as humans, dwarves, and others, Elvengard was a large city made up of only elves.

Combining all the 100,000 cities and wandering elves in the world would barely reach a population of one million.

If it were a million, it would be comparable to a city like Cologne in the Empire.

With such a small elven society, it was inevitable that they would be closed off.

Even a tiny piece of confidential information leaking out would have a catastrophic effect on the entire elven race.

Frankly, Elvengard was a country that could be destroyed in one fell swoop by a single flaw.

So, it had always been very closed off.

Naturally, the elders reacted with agitation.

“This is unacceptable. Surely you must know that information is a great weapon and shield for Elvengard!”

“This case is different. It’s not just about Elvengard, but the fate of the entire world.”

“The fate of the entire world…”

“Not only have signs of invasion been confirmed, but it has been revealed that the invasion is already underway. It may have ended with just one spider monster and an attempted takeover of the World Tree, but the next attack will be more severe. If humanity is caught off guard when they launch a full-scale assault, there will be no choice but to collapse helplessly. If the entire world falls into the hands of beings from another world, what good will Elvengard alone be?”

“…”.

The elders’ expressions softened at Mia’s words.

It was a valid point.

Mia’s warning was never just a formality.

It was a matter of the world’s fate.

Not an exaggeration, but an objective fact.

“The priestess is right. This is an issue that requires close cooperation among nations. If this is all just our imagination, it would be great, but… If it is indeed an invasion from another realm, disaster will soon strike. It wouldn’t hurt to prepare for it.”

“Yes. There may be sightings of other intelligent monsters. To prepare, we need to gather information in one place.”

The conclusion was slowly taking shape.

Sharing information was already confirmed.

Now, the discussion was about which countries to share with and which ones to exclude.

There was even a suggestion to establish a joint alliance.

Of course, a decision couldn’t be reached in just one day.

However, due to the urgency of the matter, it was confirmed to immediately share with the Matap, the Holy Kingdom, and the four powerful nations.

Sharing with other countries would be decided gradually.

“What in the world is going on…”

After the meeting ended.

Mia found herself walking alone on the darkening path, sighing.

Darkness was looming over the world.

At first, she thought the unfortunate incidents that consecutively occurred in Elvengard were isolated incidents.

But now, she couldn’t help but think that it might be a sign of a great disaster.

“What should I do now?”

Mia slowly climbed the stairs leading to the tree hollow.

And crossed the curtain into the tree cave.

As she walked deeper inside, a large chamber soon came into view.

The newly discovered Eye of the World Tree.

It was a space where the World Tree could see and communicate directly with the priestess.

The Eye of the World Tree was fortified with mana stones placed throughout, making it impenetrable.

No one could invade or control the Eye of the World Tree anymore.

It was like fixing the stable door after the horse had bolted, but Mia felt relieved that it was fixed even after being lost.

“You look better.”

Mia smiled as she gently touched the wall.

Previously, she had been plagued by splitting headaches whenever she connected with the World Tree.

But ever since Eugene came, the headaches had completely disappeared.

It was so quiet now that the absence of headaches felt strange.

“I only occasionally suffered from it, so it wasn’t a big deal, but… I’m really glad that the World Tree is no longer in pain.”

She had known the cause of the headaches all along.

It was the headaches that started after the dungeon appeared, so she knew it was because of the dungeon.

But after even the Archmage was affected in the dungeon, she completely stopped touching it.

She never thought Eugene would easily solve it.

He probably doesn’t know how grateful I am.

He probably has no idea.

How big of a deal he pulled off…

“Yes? Another prophecy already?”

A clear voice resonated in Mia’s mind.

It was a signal that she was ready to deliver a prophecy.

Mia, puzzled but composed, prepared herself to receive and interpret the prophecy.

‘Why are they so frequent…’

It was strange.

Prophecies from the World Tree usually came once a year.

But this was already the second one this month.

Perhaps with the world in turmoil, there were more prophecies.

Even that thought made her uneasy.

“What is it this time…”

As Mia concentrated and closed her eyes.

The will of the World Tree gathered at her fingertips and seeped into her body.

Soon, that will began to take shape and form.

It was the priestess’s role to interpret that form into human language.

Mia began to read the meaning of the World Tree and interpret it letter by letter.

Now that the fate of the world was at stake, what kind of prophecy would the World Tree…?

“The priestess’s… spirit is… filled…”

The interpretation was complete.

She looked at the three words she had spoken and.

Mia’s face turned red in an instant.

“World Tree?! What on earth are you trying to say!”

As Mia expressed her intense anger.

The World Tree’s light, reminiscent of a playful tune, echoed in the chamber.

***

“It hasn’t been that long. Why does it feel like it’s been ages since I last came to Basel.”

This 13th run is a speedrun.

A speedrun without a second coin.

So, the need for strict time management is keenly felt.

Minimize the route.

Minimize time wasted.

The schedule for the next two days is as follows.

First, stop by Basel and entrust the Black Mana Stone ore to Tei.

While the work is in progress, visit Kueln to meet Cornelia.

Then return to Basel to receive the processed mana stones.

The schedule is quite tight.

What comes next?

That’s the problem.

Basel and Cologne are confirmed to have a two-day maintenance period.

After that, it’s still undecided where to go next.

“There are too many places to go. It’s overwhelming. I might get decision paralysis.”

Of course, it’s not that I can’t find a place to go.

There are just too many places to go, and I can’t seem to figure out where to start.

The urgency of preventing the corruption of the World Tree made me rush all the way from Elvengard without even considering anything else…

What should be the next urgent matter?

Belfast Academy?

Holy Knights?

Maple City?

Or maybe the Fortress of San Francesco?

This is driving me crazy.

They’re all so far apart that I can’t visit them all at once.

I need to think about this during these two days.

“Yujin. Back. Hurry.”

“What? Why? It’s not time for the water to go down yet.”

“Still. Anxious. Hurry. Back. Carry me uphill.”

“What’s making you anxious? I’ll carry you when the water goes down.”

“What’s making me anxious is making me anxious. Can’t help it.”

I was trying to quietly contemplate my thoughts.

But Mijeong kept tugging at my sleeve and whining.

It feels like she’s become more assertive lately.

“Sigh. Fine, get on my back.”

“Okay.”

It’s a bit of a hassle, but I don’t mind.

It means I can also consider Mijeong’s convenience.

It’s much better than keeping things to myself and causing problems later.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t taught Tei my real name yet.”

I realize that all my allies scattered around know my name.

Mijeong, Cornelia, and even Mia.

But Tei still only knows me by a pseudonym.

Thinking about it, I feel a bit neglectful towards Tei.

It seems like I’m a bit distant from him mentally.

“Do I really need to? I wonder.”

As I pondered, at that moment, I heard Mijeong gasp beside my ear.

Soon after, my mouth also fell open.

“What in the world…”

There should have been Tei’s workshop around here.

But the workshop is nowhere to be found.

Instead, there is a tall building standing in its place.