episode_0279

Episode 279

Even after returning from San Seine, there was still a lot of work to do.

This was even more so considering the information Luna provided.

The first thing I had to do was to get paid for what I did.

Right here, at Gerrard’s mansion.

This time too, a familiar face greeted me. Von Gerrard. Now I’m starting to wonder if there’s anyone else in this family.

The moment I entered the room with the Tree of Knowledge and the door closed behind me, a loud sound rang in my head.

– Sarah Lustier!!!!!!

Strictly speaking, it is not a sound. But it felt like the sound actually rang out. They even added six exclamation marks.

“It’s noisy, Tree of Knowledge. Even if you speak quietly, they will understand.”

– Why didn’t you punish her? They even brought it here! What are you thinking!

“Aila is in my hands. You’re the one who asked for something on your own, right? I blocked your plan to exploit your extremities. So you have to give me what I promised.”

Aela attempted to use part of the roots of the Tree of Knowledge. In exchange for stopping it, the Tree of Knowledge promised to answer one of my questions.

The Tree of Knowledge was silent for a moment without even moving. Since it’s a tree, it’s natural that it doesn’t move.

– great. As promised, I will give you the right to ask questions. But you said you were holding the woman’s leash, right? Then kill her as soon as you leave here.

“I don’t like it. That’s up to me.”

– How dare you not listen to me?

“If there is a good reason, I will kill you even if the goddess herself comes down and tells me not to kill you. On the other hand, there is no reason to do so, so I will not kill you. If you want to move me, start with an explanation that makes sense.”

– You don’t think that the little branch in front of you right now is me, do you? I am bigger and greater than you think. Do not think that you, a small and insignificant mortal, can understand the whole meaning of the Great One!

I folded my arms and remained silent, just as the Tree of Knowledge did.

Of course, I have no intention of quietly following this nonsense.

He claims to be a great being, but in the end, he is in a position where he opens his hands to me because he cannot even deal with Aela. It is unlikely that any major disaster will occur if you go against it.

Additionally, I had a card prepared in case the Tree of Knowledge came out like this.

“Then, I also have an idea. I’ll take the roots from the Seine region that Eila was trying to get. I have already prepared the means to do so.”

– Well, what?

“Isn’t that obvious? It is a basic of all contracts in the human world to prepare a means of coercive execution in case mutual trust breaks down.”

-Seo, no way…! Was the reason you kept that witch alive so that you could learn that magic? Is that your true purpose, Sarah Lustier…!!! All for the purpose of usurping the throne of the great being!!!! Are you saying that even the position of human king was not enough to satisfy your thirst?!!!!!

“Stop adding exclamation marks, it’s driving me crazy. And I’m not interested in things like the throne. As long as you faithfully pay me the price you promised, I will never touch the root.”

– How can I believe you?

“If you don’t like it, quit. If you don’t get a fair price, I will find the equivalent utility in your roots.”

– Uhm…

The Tree of Knowledge fell silent again. I don’t know if it was his mood, but he looked equally scrawny but seemed filled with agony.

The silence this time was a little longer than before. After breaking it, the Tree of Knowledge spoke in serious handwriting.

– Okay, Sarah Lustier. I give you the right to ask questions. Ask anything.

It will be like that from the beginning.

“What are the scope and conditions of the question?”

– Is that the question you chose?

“Please don’t even try such boring jokes.”

– Within the scope of my knowledge. I won’t put any conditions on it.

“The sentence doesn’t have to be a question, right?”

– Well, that’s good. Do it in whatever format you want.

There are plenty of questions to ask.

But I had already decided what questions I would ask before I came here.

“Tell me everything you know about the biggest threat to me.”

– That’s comprehensive.

“It’s been a long time coming.”

– Then, please lightly hold the end of my branch. To answer that question, I think I’ll have to read your fate… a little deeper.

I did as the Tree of Knowledge said. I lightly held the end of a small branch.

Nothing special happened. In the midst of silence, the Tree of Knowledge suddenly asked.

– Have you ever met a man named Quintras?

“Quintras? Quintras… No, it’s a name I’ve never heard of.”

– The black-faced merchant, the owner of treasures, the faceless merchant of all things, the seller of fate. We’ll use a variety of names. Basically, they are most likely posing as suspicious merchants or nobles who have crossed the sea. Don’t you have something in mind?

Suspicious merchant? When I heard that, there was a person that immediately came to mind.

Escarade.

The one who appeared before me when I needed it so much and made me sign a contract that would incapacitate me for three days.

“I think we’ve met before. He was a suspicious merchant with his entire body covered, including his face. Named Escalade.”

– The name won’t mean much to that person. I’ll probably give it a different name to each person I meet.

He’s my biggest threat? In a situation where the empire might invade?

Well, considering the incapacitation contract he has, I think that might be the case.

“What does that person called Quintras do?”

This too is a question. But what I used the right to ask was to ‘tell me everything.’ If so, then this should be seen as tied to the first question.

The Tree of Knowledge also answered obediently, as if there were any objections to the interpretation.

– The closest thing to human concepts… I would have to say the devil.

“Devil…?”

Is something like that real? It would be extremely foolish to ask. If you think about it that way, it’s strange that the talking tree in front of you actually exists.

– yes. That person, Quintras, was the equivalent of me in the past. But now it’s gone. Their power as great beings has almost disappeared, and they have become no different from humans. A person who lives in hiding among humans and is not human. The most appropriate word would be the devil.

“…I understand first of all. Please keep talking.”

– He still has the ability to read fate like me, although it is limited. Thanks to that, he appears in front of desperate people and offers them a deal. Instead of giving what they want, they take what is most valuable from them.

What he took from me was power and authority. Although it is only 3 days. That’s probably because the price equivalent to the Basilisk antidote is that much.

If you think about it, it was an unfortunate timing. At a time when I desperately need an antidote to the basilisk, what are the odds of running into a merchant who has a medicine that even the royal doctor can’t find?

“Just as you said… he appeared in front of me when I needed it most. I also made a deal.”

– In that case, he will try to create a place where the collected fees can be used most effectively. However, he does not have that much power. Perhaps they are trying to set up a stage where they can utilize it in a similar way to humans.

It is definitely a method of activity worthy of the word devil.

If he had the ability to appear in front of someone the moment they needed him most, like he did to me, Escalade would probably be taking advantage of the weaknesses of countless people through contracts.

What are you trying to do with it?

– It’s hard for me to guess his purpose. As great as he was, it is not easy for even me to read his fate. What is clear is that he is moving towards causing chaos and conflict in the human world.

“Because then the number of desperate people will increase…?”

– That might be possible. But that would be a means and not the end. I’m not sure of his true purpose. But if I were in his shoes… I would definitely want to regain my lost divinity and power as a great being.

Suddenly, it feels like the story has gone too far into the realm of myth.

Iscarade is the decline of a great being? The devil? And the goal is to return to the original great being?

I tried to give a sense of reality to the story. But it still doesn’t feel right. Even considering that this is a world where magic and mystery exist.

“Okay, first of all… I understand. So then what is the way to regain the power and divinity as a great being?”

Knowing that, you can at least guess the purpose of Escarade. What kind of stage does he want to set?

– that…

“Is it?”

– This is a question beyond what I can answer.

“So you don’t know?”

– It’s not that I don’t know, but it’s a question beyond what I can answer.

The category of questions was decided to be what the tree of knowledge knows. So you’re just saying you don’t know.

I was lost in thought for a moment, with the naughty thought of trying to break one of those thin branches.