Academy’s Undercover Professor Chapter 476: Mother and Daughter (2)

Ella’s gaze toward Sedina was complicated.

There was the heaviness of knowing her daughter had returned to this dangerous place.

And there was also the joy and delight of seeing her beloved child once again.

—Why did you co back? You could have just gone.

“Because you’re here, Mother.”

—My daughter is so admirable. You’ve really grown so much.

Let hold you again.

Ella spread her arms, but Sedina did not run into them as she once had.

Instead, Sedina hesitated, as if worrying about sothing.

—My daughter, have you grown too old now, embarrassed to be held?

“......Are you really leaving?”

At Sedina’s aningful words, Ella’s eyes widened.

With a faint smile, she shook her head.

—Where would I go? I’ll always remain here.

“But you’re......”

—Dead? And yet here I am, speaking with you.

“How... how is that possible?”

—Normally, the souls of the dead vanish at so point. But the World Tree is different. The souls of us elves remain here. Ventmin may have called it nothing more than mory and data, but no. The World Tree is not sothing so simple.

The wood zombies brought forth by the World Tree—

They were not re reconstructions based on stored DNA of dead elves. They were true embodints of the elves’ souls, given form as wooden bodies.

Unbelievable, yet real.

That was the power and mystery of the World Tree.

—Ordinarily, I too would have vanished and lost myself as Ventmin did. But it seems that in this event, the World Tree has suffered a great wound, and so it has chosen to leave here specially. It must need a guardian to protect this place.

“T-then... does that an... I can still see you again?”

—Yes. As long as you are one with the World Tree, you will be able to see . Not often, but sotis.

Ella had work to do.

The World Tree had been gravely damaged by Ventmin, and she had to stabilize it and erase the malignant codes planted deep within.

That process would take a very, very long ti.

It was not sothing Sedina could simply call forth whenever she wished.

Still, the re possibility of being able to et her mother again filled Sedina with joy.

“I, I...”

—You don’t have to say anything.

Ella said this as she stepped forward and embraced Sedina tightly.

Sedina squird like a child throwing a tantrum, then gave up and sank quietly into her mother’s arms.

—Your hair has grown longer since I last saw you. And the color is strange, too. Your original hair resembled his, but the new growth looks more like mine.

“Does it look weird?”

—Not at all. If anything, it’s beautiful. You are truly our lovely daughter, his and mine.

“Father...”

Sedina’s expression darkened as she thought of Walter.

She had been rescued by Ludger, and those who had helped along the way had surely been sent by Walter.

But it was hard to feel gratitude, given the way their relationship had been.

After Ella’s death, Walter had cut himself off completely from Sedina.

Knowing this, Ella spoke to comfort her daughter.

—Yes. He can be terribly frustrating in such matters. He must have thought it didn’t matter if you hated him, as long as he could keep you safe. I can see it clearly. I often fought with him about that very thing.

“......Really?”

—Of course. I scolded him often for being so oblivious.

Ella stroked the long silver hair that now flowed down Sedina’s back.

—But still, he truly does love you. He only acted that way because he couldn’t be honest. I should have been there at his side, always.

“Mother...”

Sedina wanted to speak words of comfort.

Just as she herself had grieved, Ella too had been grieving.

For she too had been torn away from her family.

Ella carried guilt in her heart.

Though it had not been her intention, she had left her husband and daughter behind, and that absence had been the very cause of their broken bond.

But even knowing this, there was no way to repair it.

She could exist only within the World Tree, while Walter, being human, could never et her again.

Sedina understood this too, and bit her lip.

“Mother. I’m all right.”

—Hm?

“Even though... Father hurt a lot, and I suffered deeply...”

Sedina thought back.

What if her father Walter had treated her kindly?

At the very least, to the grieving child who had lost her mother, it would have been so small comfort.

Her personality might not have turned out the way it had. She might have grown into a brighter child.

She would have carried scars, but they would have healed.

Together they could have endured the sorrow, comforting each other.

Perhaps soday, they could have rebuilt a happy family.

Such a future might have been possible.

But—

“I... I like things as they are now.”

Indeed, Sedina’s past life had been nothing but hardship and pain.

She had hated her father, resented her family.

She had even lost her dearest friend and entered the Black Dawn.

Even there, she had never fit in, always living on the fringes.

She had thought she might spend her whole life alone and isolated.

“It still hurts when I think of those days...”

Then one day—

She t the man who would change her fate.

The man she now called teacher.

At first, she had been terrified.

He was a figure whispered about even within the Black Dawn, one said to bring death to any who approached.

She had been forced into his presence, driven from behind.

“But now, I’ve t so many good people.”

She had t Ludger, and through him, the mbers of Owens.

Hans, who was prickly but always answered when she asked.

Alex, playful and sly, but considerate all the sa.

Phantos, silent but always willing to grant her requests.

Arfa, pure and childlike, who treated her with innocence.

Bellaruna, odd though she was, in whom Sedina still felt the kinship of her race.

Seridan, who oddly shared her sense of stature.

Even Violetta, who showed familiarity simply by standing at Ludger’s side.

All of these bonds had beco precious to Sedina.

If she and Walter had reconciled, she would never have entered the Black Dawn.

She would never have t Ludger.

Having endured hardship and co through it to these connections, Sedina cherished them all the more.

“So I’m fine now.”

—......Truly, you’ve grown so much I hardly recognize you.

Ella hugged her daughter tighter, as if brimming with pride.

The two stayed like that for a long ti, quietly sharing each other’s warmth.

After a while, Sedina spoke first.

“What should I do now?”

—What do you an?

“Ventmin Lifret is dead. The kingdom has fallen into chaos. And now I’ve connected with the World Tree and gained its authority.”

The seat of the World Tree’s guardian now stood empty.

Though she had not sought it, the most fitting successor was none other than Sedina herself.

She had been placed in a position where she must bear the burden.

Rationally, it was sothing to rejoice over.

It ant more than rely serving as an assistant at Seorn Academy. It ant she could beco the new leader of the elven kingdom.

For elves, the authority to wield the World Tree’s power was imnse.

Even Ventmin, who had used only a fraction of that power, had raised Lifret into the foremost house.

With far greater authority, Sedina could do more than restore the fallen Plante family—she could unite all seven houses into one absolute monarchy.

She could beco the queen of a unified elven kingdom.

There would be no opposition.

Lifret and the Shadewardens were gone, and the Three Noble Families had been devastated.

The relatively intact Dentis and Burke would surely support her.

—And yet, your heart does not welco it.

Sedina nodded silently.

—Do you think you are unfit for that seat?

“Partly that, but... if I take that seat, then... I won’t be able to see those people anymore. And I don’t want that.”

Sedina knew it in her heart.

The power she had awakened with was sothing of imnse importance to the elves.

Inevitably, she had beco their focal point.

Even if she wanted to cast it aside, she could not. Nor could she pass it on to soone else.

Sedina was not yet ready in her heart to bear the heavy duty that had been granted together with that power.

—Then why not simply give it up cleanly?

“W-what? H-how could I possibly do that!”

—If you force yourself to do sothing you hate, that too becos a problem. I was the sa. People around always kept forcing, nagging. So I always hid and ran away. Still, sotis I regret it. Perhaps I should have given everything up and left earlier.

“Wasn’t it hard outside the forest?”

—Of course it was. There were tis I thought I’d suffered for nothing, that maybe it had all been a mistake.

Ella t Sedina’s eyes and gave her a reassuring smile.

—But still, it was out there that I gave birth to you.

“......”

—You don’t have to do things just because soone else forces you. What I want is for my daughter to do what she truly wants.

“What I... want?”

—Yes. Sedina, what is it that you want to do?

“I...”

Shaken by hesitation, Sedina soon opened her mouth as if she had made a decision.

* * *

“Ah.”

Sedina opened her eyes.

As she sat up, the sap of the World Tree flowed down her body with a wet sound.

She looked around.

Everyone was watching her around the small pond ford by the collected sap.

“You’re awake.”

Ludger spoke to her.

Sedina staggered to her feet and raised her head toward the sky.

The World Tree, whose branches had spread out in all directions to form a cage, had now returned to its original form.

Though parts of it were damaged and deeply wounded, its vitality made it certain that recovery would co swiftly.

Beyond the World Tree, the blue sky and white clouds stretched out, beautiful and unconcerned with the affairs of the ground.

The war was over.

And it had ended in their victory.

“You’ve done well.”

Ludger grasped Sedina’s hand, pulling her out of the pond.

It was then Sedina realized how long her hair had beco.

Perhaps because it was drenched, it felt much heavier than usual.

But as she stepped out of the pond, the newly grown silver hair gradually shortened, returning to its usual length.

Sedina touched her hair again and again in wonder, marveling at her state.

“So it’s really over? Whew! I’m exhausted!”

Alex collapsed on the ground with a thud.

No one rebuked him for being improper.

They were all just as drained.

“It isn’t over. There is still far too much to resolve. Even the aftermath alone... where do we even begin?”

Vierno looked bitterly upon the ruined Serendel Castle, the wounded World Tree, and the shattered outer walls.

His proud holand had been reduced to ruins.

The kingdom that had symbolized Renar Tyrone was destroyed, and the Forest of Life would inevitably fall into turmoil for a long while.

Especially with what had just occurred—the World Tree itself awakening and acting—the mory would ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) remain forever engraved in the minds of elves.

How long would it take to return to what once was?

No, could they even return at all?

“Do we not also have sothing to deal with?”

Lutus’s business was not yet finished.

His sharp gaze, like a well-honed blade, turned to Sedina.

“The witch has vanished, but now it seems a new maiden has taken her place.”

Lutus sensed that Sedina had beco the new caretaker of the World Tree.

Monts ago, he had learned firsthand how perilous the World Tree could be.

That soone capable of wielding it had appeared again was not sothing he, as one responsible for the Empire’s safety, could simply ignore.

Sensing his intent, Ambella stepped in front of him.

“Hey, Lutus. Must you dampen a mont of relief with such words?”

“Please move aside. No matter who it is, I do not wish to harm an old benefactor.”

“Hah. The pup has grown bold. Do you think you can?”

“Facing one who is already so gravely injured, I doubt I would lose.”

The atmosphere grew heavier, more serious.

Ludger and Hans, Alex and Vierno all heightened their guard.

They were ready to join Ambella in battle at any mont.

At that tense instant—

Contrary to everyone’s fears, Sedina stepped forward.

“I have no intention of opposing the Empire, so please stop.”

“And why should I believe that? A greater threat than before has just arisen, and I should retreat simply because you say so?”

“......The kingdom has already suffered too much. The World Tree as well. From now on, the World Tree must devote itself solely to recovering until it returns to its forr state.”

“So you claim it is safe? Even a tiny fraction of that tree’s power would be enough to threaten the Empire.”

From Lutus’s view, the World Tree was sothing that ought not to exist.

If it awoke again, and if Sedina harbored reckless intent—

The continent would be engulfed in calamity.

“I am certain that will not happen.”

“And why is that?”

“Because, I am still half a person of the Empire.”

At the wholly unexpected reply, Lutus’s eyes widened.

“Despite how I look, I am also a student of Seorn. How could soone like ever fight against the Empire?”

“Heh. Hahaha.”

Seeing Sedina stand firm and speak without wavering, Lutus could not help but burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! So, it’s fine because you are half human and a citizen of the Empire? What an absurd argunt!”

Everyone around stared at Sedina with faces asking if she truly thought that was persuasion.

After laughing for so ti, Lutus stopped, his face refreshed.

“If you put it like that, then once at least, I should believe you.”

He slid his sword back into its sheath.

“......!”

The tension that had gripped the air so tightly shattered in an instant.

Those who had expected battle looked at Lutus in surprise.

They had not thought he would back down so easily.

Not that Lutus truly believed Sedina’s words.

But sotis, a single flash of spirit outweighed a hundred explanations.

When he had looked into Sedina’s eyes, Lutus had decided: once, at least, he would trust her.

“Yes. At the very least, I cannot deny that you are a comrade who fought to prevent war.”

“Ha.”

Ambella, relieved, slumped down on the spot.

With one arm gone, even though it had been bound, the dizziness lingered.

“That arm...”

Sedina approached, gazing at Ambella’s severed limb.

“There’s no need to worry. Losing just one arm is a cheap price.”

But of course, it was not fine.

For a swordsman, the arm that held the blade was as precious as life itself.

To say there was no regret would be a lie.

Yet Ambella did not wish to place such a burden on Sedina’s heart, so she chose to think of it lightly.

“This isn’t sothing you need to trouble yourself with.”

“No. I also bear responsibility, so let help you.”

Sedina spoke in a voice full of conviction.

Ambella stared into her eyes, searching for aning.

“How?”

“I can restore your severed arm.”