The first contact with Flower was over.
That night, I didn’t do anything and went straight to bed.
There were many thoughts and emotions to sort through. When I realized that Guseul was part of Flower, I couldn’t count how many tis I thought of quitting.
Once I had a bad impression, it was hard to change it.
‘Seyeong died because of Flower. So then…’
I wondered if joining Flower could prevent that future.
Then, what about Sansuyu’s future? What should I do about my master, Hwangdo, and Baekdo’s future? The more I thought about the future, the more it felt like my head would split.
-Knock, knock, knock.
A light knock echoed. After a mont, Taeyang entered the room.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah, what brings you here?”
“I just wanted to talk.”
Taeyang casually sat in the chair next to my bed, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.
I lay back down and stared blankly at the ceiling.
We both stayed silent for a long ti, lost in thought, with my hands resting behind my head.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Want to tell you about the slums, from chapter 1 to chapter 9?”
“No need.”
“Tch.”
A brief silence followed.
“So, what are you going to do? About Flower?”
“I don’t know.”
“Personally, I don’t think joining would be a bad idea.”
That was an unexpected comnt.
Up until now, Taeyang had left the choice entirely up to , without expressing his opinion. Apart from suggesting we pick fruit from trees, I don’t rember him being this direct. Ɍ𝘢Νổ𝔟ЕS̈
“Is it because of Guseul?”
“No. Do you think I’m crazy? Just because I talked to that girl, do you think I would recomnd joining? I’m saying this because I know your personality. Hyung, you’re too soft on won.”
“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”
“It’s going to be a long conversation, so let’s explain bit by bit.”
I was not the type to be overly attached to people. But for so reason, I had a tendency to cling to the relationships I ford before returning to the past.
The reason… well, there were a few things.
During the painful training under Cheonma, the people who ca to mind were those I had t.
Without them, my life wouldn’t have been guaranteed in the first place.
Taeyang knew a bit about my situation.
Just when I thought he might offer so advice, he said,
“If there’s too much to handle, maybe it’s ti to let go of a few things.”
“Is that so?”
“…What you’re doing might be a big offense to the won in your life.”
That could very well be the case.
“In order to utilize the power of the Tree Spirit King, you’ll need to seduce or forcibly bond with won. Do you think your lovers will be thrilled about that?”
“Probably not.”
“And what if you delay the decision?”
Then, I’d die.
“On the other hand, if you take a half-hearted approach, the lives of your lovers will be in danger.”
“So you’re saying to give it all up?”
All the relationships I had built so far. Honor. Money.
Give up everything, even my na and status, and go sowhere unknown where Seyeong, Jin Dallae, Sansuyu, and Cheondo wouldn’t know .
“…It’s hard to decide.”
“Khehehe.”
Taeyang laughed at my hesitation.
“Stubborn hyung. Do you know why I entrusted the position of Tree Spirit King to you?”
“What’s the reason?”
“Ah, this will be a long story too. Let cut to the point. Hmm, it’s because you have soone you can hold in your arms with that power, don’t you? Like Princess Shiba or Sansuyu.”
Taeyang muttered this without any care, almost cheerfully.
“But for , they’re all long gone.”
Taeyang shrugged once.
His legs trembled as he crossed them. Over and over again. His lips turned blue, and his face was pale, like he could die any mont.
“Because I couldn’t be strong enough. Because I couldn’t choose my enemies.”
Taeyang spoke.
“Hyung.”
Quietly.
“I accepted you as king because, even if I gained power, there was nothing I wanted to achieve.”
It was an honest statent.
In that mont, the suspicion that Taeyang might have so ulterior motive vanished completely.
“Don’t live foolishly like .”
He was the one who inherited the power of the Tree Spirit King.
Perhaps, just like , this guy had his own complicated history with the World Tree and Flower.
His voice carried a sincerity that was hard to find these days.
Listening to Taeyang’s words, thick with regret, I couldn’t muster a reply.
The third trial was a class concept I was fairly familiar with.
ntor. ntee.
I vividly rembered the first ti I t Baekdo, when we argued about whether the peach was hard or soft.
[Ziiing, ziiing]
The cara artifacts appeared again, floating in the air. By now, I was used to them, so when my mask appeared on the lens, I nodded slightly in greeting.
The number of participants had significantly decreased. After a few more trials, the Forester Selection Competition would be over.
It felt like just a little over a month had passed, but the competition was progressing quickly.
‘Maybe it’s to prevent Flower from having any ti to prepare.’
I snapped out of my thoughts and stared ahead.
In front of , a line of A and S-rank hunters, as nurous as the participants, stood before the Pope.
“You are young blood, just now beginning to bloom with talent.”
A long speech followed. The surrounding hunters slightly bowed their heads at the Pope’s words.
“And these heroes before you. They, too, were once prodigies like you, participating in the selection long ago.”
The hunters who had previously participated in the Forester Selection chuckled at his words.
They, too, had once sought guidance from more experienced hunters.
“Teachings are passed down. Whether it’s great magic, swordsmanship, the wisdom of life, or the blessing of the World Tree.”
With those words, the Pope descended from the platform.
“As previous Foresters have done, the young Foresters will also experience more. Now, it is ti for that power to be passed on.”
Hunters, heroes, and other powerful figures began to step down from their positions.
The selection of ntors was entirely free.
The ntors, having observed the first and second trials, would select ntees based on whether they could provide valuable guidance or advice.
Once the ntors made their choices, it was then the ntees’ turn.
If a ntee believed they could benefit from a ntor’s teachings and trials, they would accept, completing the third trial.
There was no need to worry about not being chosen.
Just being here proved one’s talent.
“Anyway.”
I opened the guide I had received and checked the nas of the hunters.
So were familiar, while others I recognized from articles on the internet due to my recent extensive browsing.
There were national representatives who frequently appeared as guests on variety shows, famous hunters, and hunters renowned for their skill in guilds.
“…Why are there so many S-ranks?”
There were many A-ranks as well, but I counted over forty S-ranks alone.
Not counting the Tree Spirit King and Cheonma, just how many were there?
Considering the number of hunters in Korea alone, it wasn’t surprising that so many had gathered from around the world.
It was, after all, a global competition, and the level of participants was staggering.
[Flap, flap]
As I flipped through the pages, morizing nas, soone tugged hard at my sleeve.
“Hey.”
A familiar, snappy voice.
When I turned, there stood a short figure, grinning mischievously. It was Champi.
“Why are you here?”
“Why the hell shouldn’t I be here?”
“I thought you hated these kinds of competitions.”
Flipping through a few more pages, I found Champi’s photo, flashing a peace sign.
Next to it was Elena, soone she didn’t get along with.
“There are a lot of S-ranks, huh? They’ve been churning them out lately.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Since ’98, the colors of hunter licenses have gradually brightened. But the real skilled ones are the ones from before that.”
“Why is ’98 the standard?”
I asked, confused by Champi’s comnt. She smirked and showed her hunter license.
It was mostly black with a tinge of purple, issued in 1998.
I guess it was just because she was from ’98.
“So, will you be my ntor?”
“Are you nuts? What would I even teach you? If it were Sansuyu, maybe.”
I had a feeling it would be a no.
Champi crossed her arms at her waist and snorted.
I wondered what kind of growth period would lead to her childlike body.
That thought crossed my mind, but I decided not to say it out loud.
“…Besides, you already have soone. So does Sansuyu.”
“Soone?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Ah, she’s coming now. Look over there.”
Champi pointed to the right.
As I followed her gaze, I heard the sound of heels clicking.
Clack.
A woman was walking toward us.
Her attire was entirely different from everyone else around her.
A long dress that hid her white shoes, and a black butterfly insignia.
A wide-brimd, white hat large enough to cover her face, reminiscent of a witch’s hat.
Her clothing was like sothing out of early modern Europe.
It was strange, yet enchanting. Even though she stood among other ntors and ntees dressed in modern attire, she didn’t seem out of place. She wore it that well.
I had felt a similar aura from Baekdo once.
The woman walked slowly toward us.
Her pace was relaxed, taking each step deliberately.
“Well, I’m off.”
“Wait, who is she?”
“You don’t know?”
Should I?
The only person I know who would dress like that is Aori, who’s obsessed with cosplay.
Champi gave a bored look before pointing at the woman again.
“The Sage.”
The Sage. The Tree of Sephirot.
The protector of the World Tree of Knowledge.
The woman Champi pointed to stopped, her hand raised to hold her hat against the breeze.
As the brim lifted slightly, her face ca into view.
Her silver hair was tied in a half-up style, and she wore a gentle smile that reminded of a duchess.
As soon as our eyes t, she smiled softly.
“Hello, Lee Shiheon, participant.”
She was quite tall, unlike other won who had to look up at .
She wasn’t taller than , but if she stood on her toes, we’d be eye to eye.
The Sage of Sephirot. I had heard of her before.
Although I had never seen her appearance, I recognized the na.
“Is there a ntor spot available?”
“…Ah, yes.”
I was so srized by her appearance that I blanked out for a mont.
The Sage smiled gently at my response, completely ignoring Champi standing behind , and narrowed her eyes.
“Since you’re a magician, Lee Shiheon, I’d like to ntor you. What do you think? Would you like to hear what the other ntors have to say first?”
Her words made it seem like this was my only chance.
Her voice was kind, but listening to it gave chills.
The Sage.
The greatest magician, scholar, and intellectual in the world.
When people were asked to na the strongest person, opinions varied, but when it ca to the greatest magician, everyone agreed on one na.
There was no need to elaborate.
The spatial magic I was using right now was also her creation.
Everything, from the theory to the manifestation, was pioneered by the Sage.
I simply followed her lead.
There was only one possible answer in this situation.
“…Let’s go, ntor.”
I didn’t know what the Sage had in mind, but her na carried as much weight as Cheonma’s in the modern world.
There was no way I could turn this down.
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