Golden Branch (2)

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,…Is that really the ending?”

“A truly unfortunate tale.”

Nothing but an empty sky and an invisible horizon. Only the ground rippled like the surface of water, with gentle waves spreading in all directions in this surreal space.

Aileen grumbled in her mindscape.

“The stories you tell always end in tragedy, making them boring. Don’t you have any happier stories?”

“Without understanding the deaths they left behind, there’s no meaning in distinguishing them. Now, let’s walk. The road is long.”

“This is my mindscape, you know. There’s no end in this world.”

Wandering through the empty mindscape was quite tedious, but the World Tree’s stories helped alleviate the boredom a little. Tales of Elves, Demons, and Humans… The branch of great nature, towering high and tearing through the clouds, could see everything in the world. Moreover, it thoroughly uncovered even the hidden stories buried deep within its roots.

Stories unheard, stories unable to be heard.

And stories that shouldn’t be known.

The World Tree’s stories were history itself, blurring the lines between comedy and tragedy. It exposed every flaw without reservation while simultaneously praising them. The truth spat out by great nature would become reason and dig into one’s head.

However, ignorance did not lead to awareness. The World Tree’s figurative expressions and abstruse word choices caused Aileen to give up on understanding.

That’s how Transcendents always were. Spirits and Transcendents cared about the world’s rules as little as they cared about their own destinies. The collection of morality and reason created for survival could not bind them. Because they had even transcended living itself.

“I don’t like it. Tell me another story. A happy one.”

Aileen pouted with a displeased expression. She wanted a slightly more unique story. She wasn’t seeking truth, after all. She merely desired happiness.

“Another story, eh? There are many stories I could tell, but…”

The World Tree stopped walking and turned its head. It swallowed. Aileen couldn’t gauge the World Tree’s gaze. The eyes of one who had broken free from the world’s framework… The aura of the being revered as a ‘god’ by the forest tribe pressured Aileen.

“There are no stories that please you, huh.”

“Really, really not even one? A happy story!”

“What about the story of a human giving bread to a cripple?”

“That’s…”

“Boring and plain. Stories shouldn’t be like that.”

The World Tree said as if scolding her.

“Aimless adventures only bring boredom, and journeys without narratives struggle to find meaning. I can tell you stories that simply wish for good deeds at any time. Is that what you desire?”

“…”

Aileen tightly closed her mouth and took shallow breaths. Then, she shook her head.

“A child like a lamp.”

The World Tree closed its eyes slightly and opened its mouth.

“Do you desire a happy story?”

“How could I not? The world I’ve seen is too, too…”

“It is possible.”

“…Yes?”

Aileen felt a moment of dizziness. A sensation as if something was breaking. It was faint, but clear.

“Ah…?”

• Jureureuk.

She blankly opened her mouth as she saw the scarlet droplets falling to the ground. The droplets falling, ttuk, ttuk, created ripples, and unpleasant noise filled the silent mindscape.

“Sometimes, watching from afar might not be so bad.”

• Jjeojeojeok.

Cracks appeared. Aileen lifted her head with a pale face. Her mindscape was collapsing. Her world, her magic, everything was crumbling.

A ringing sound echoed. Aileen knelt down, gasping for breath, as a piercing pain stabbed her head. The surface that had only reflected the black floor was now dyed crimson, reeking of blood.

“Child.”

• Kulleok.

Her eyes turned scarlet as blood vessels burst, blood gushed from her nose like a well, and she coughed up blood with every breath.

“It is your turn.”

Her vision blurred.

“This time, it’s your turn to tell the story.”

Despite the sudden pain, Aileen didn’t change her expression and raised her head towards the World Tree.

“Haha…”

A laugh accompanied by blood.

“…Yes.”

Soon after, her lips turned down.

It was a resolution.

“If possible, a happy story would be nice, right?”

The World Tree closed its eyes in response instead of answering.

As the World Tree closed its eyes, the world distorted. Aileen entrusted herself to the collapsing world and fell.

• *

When she opened her eyes, she was lying unconscious in front of the World Tree. Leaves were piled on her head. Her clothes were covered in dirt. Aileen shook her dizzy head to clear her thoughts and looked around.

More fallen leaves and branches than usual. If the Elves saw it, it would be enough to make them scream. They would surely think it was a disease.

“…There was no need to go this far.”

She got up and bowed her head slightly. Aileen expressed her small gratitude to the World Tree and ran towards the forest.

She ran like the wind with the Elves’ gait. Aileen headed towards the 2nd Barrier, Kardrasil.

Lanya. An Elf who became an adventurer. She had to find her. She hadn’t given any indication of when she would return, but Aileen didn’t mind. If she sought, she would find. So, there was no need to be hasty.

Soon, her prediction came true. She saw a silver-haired Elf leaning against the barrier, tending to her bow.

“―Lanya!”

Hearing the voice, Lanya lifted her head with a blank expression. Aileen landed in front of Lanya, calming the wind, and then a whooshing wind ruffled each other’s hair.

“Friend?”

She said with a slightly surprised face.

“I didn’t expect to see the World Tree’s child. It’s an honor. But friend, I heard you went to a human school. What happened?”

“Haha… I’m taking a break for a while.”

After Yujin and Shuriel left for Pandemonium, she couldn’t concentrate on her academy life. A magical proxy linked by a mental link. Every time Shuriel used magic, Aileen’s brain had to be overworked.

“I should be asking you. How did you come here? I heard you went to the Empire to start an adventurer’s life.”

“The Mother Goddess told me. To come here. But she didn’t tell me the reason.”

“How does that Ajumma know this… No, never mind. Was the human world fun?”

“It was fun. But dirty. Some humans… Yeah. I killed them.”

She rarely frowned, as if she had unpleasant memories. Lanya was known as the Elf with the least emotional expression among the Elves, so Aileen could tell how unpleasant it was.

Aileen changed the subject and immediately got to the point.

“I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories. I’m sorry. More than that, would you do me a favor?”

“Of course.”

“I heard that the Elven Knights periodically collect the leaves that have flown outside the barrier. That means they can sense them wherever they are. That bow you have is the same, right? A bow made from the World Tree’s branch… right?”

“Yeah. That’s right. Even if humans try to take the bow, I’ll go find them and rip off their arms―”

“There’s a part of the World Tree that I need to find.”

Lanya’s eyes became serious when the World Tree’s story came up.

“If it’s that, I can help.”

“Can you also know the exact direction and location?”

Lanya closed her eyes and shook her head.

“I’m sorry. I find it by feeling.”

The Elves’ command system was hopelessly vague, so she didn’t expect much. She didn’t really think she would get an answer.

“But I’m curious. Friend, you’re faster than Elves, and your magic is amazing. If it’s finding coordinates, I think you can do it alone. I can tell you the direction, though.”

Lanya asked with an innocent face. Aileen smiled awkwardly and mumbled. It was because she remembered what happened in the mindscape.

“The link is broken.”

“Link?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll explain the details later.”

Her mindscape had collapsed.

For a magician, the mindscape is essential for building a magical system. If there is no world, they cannot use magic. But not only was it shattered, but her body was even destroyed once.

“In summary, I can’t use any magic right now except for spiritism.”

Right now, Aileen was just an ordinary girl with high spirit affinity.

The power she felt in the mindscape was too much for a human to handle. Even if she was a Transcendent. A terrible sensation as if she had touched a power forbidden by the world.

She didn’t know what Shuriel had used, but the backlash broke the link and overloaded Aileen’s body. The reconstruction used to handle that power… restored her body thousands of times over.

She needed to find out the location right away, but now that she had lost her power, there was no suitable method. She had no choice but to rely on World Tree Ajumma. But to properly handle that power, she needed the Elves’ help.

“Lanya. Can’t we use that method?”

“That method?”

“The method the Twin Demons used. They used the World Tree’s leaves to use a special power. Can’t we apply that? The leaves will burn and disappear, but…”

Lanya’s face hardened.

“No.”

It was an immediate answer.

“I thought so. I’m sorry.”

“But.”

Her Adam’s apple trembled.

“That’s just my opinion.”

Aileen tilted her head at Lanya’s neutral attitude.

Elves couldn’t be neutral. The World Tree was more important than their lives. Even if it was just one leaf, they would gladly give their lives.

“Well, I don’t know. Just. Just…”

So, that kind of attitude was not like an Elf. Lanya said with a serious face.

“…Maybe I’ve been hanging out with humans for too long.”

This is an opportunity. She thought to herself. Aileen smiled without revealing her thoughts.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe? Friend. Tell me. I’m confused.”

“Maybe that’s why I was sent to the Empire. For this very moment. For this moment.”

The World Tree is much more flexible than they thought. Considering the time she’s spent, indifference and apathy might be more appropriate expressions.

“I’m kidding. If Lanya doesn’t like it, I’ll find another way.”

She knows that she’s not someone who would get angry just because she used a few leaves.

“―Friend.”

She got her.

Aileen smiled inwardly and apologized.

“But before that.”

“Yes?”

“Tell me the purpose.”

“Um….”

Aileen erased her smile and pondered for a moment. She couldn’t think of an expression to summarize this series of situations.

In Pandemonium, filled with magic, her mother was like a time bomb. She knew about Yujin’s condition through Shuriel, but Aileen didn’t take it seriously because her thoughts were different.

‘It wouldn’t have changed even if she wasn’t corrupted by magic.’

Magic doesn’t matter. Aileen knows what kind of decisions her mother will make in extreme situations. If someone has to get hurt, she will kill herself. The end of erosion is self-destruction. And that has nothing to do with corruption.

At least.

‘I can’t let her find Dad.’

Until her crazed mother finds her dying father.

After that, it’s a problem even if Dad wakes up. A great disaster will surely occur.

“…A marital fight.”

“Huh? A marital fight?”

Aileen tightly closed her eyes.

“I think I need to stop a marital fight.”