A peach blossom flew in on the distant wind.
Flower petals falling with the rain.
The woman, with her face drained of color, gently touched the petals that had fallen on her hair.
The black peach blossom on her delicate hand rolled with the wind, then fell to the dusty ground.
‘This is.’
Hongyeon looked at the petal for a mont.
‘It seems like I’ve seen it sowhere before.’
Feeling like she might rember sothing, she was tempted to step away from the battlefield for a while to ponder what it could be, but she eventually tore her gaze from the petal and stepped forward again.
‘There’s no need to worry about trivial things.’
The fall of the cradle was not far off.
“Ugh, ugh.”
-Thump, thump.
Maybe because the mountain path was rugged. My body shook with every movent.
When my skin brushed against the steel bar or cloth, groans escaped.
“Hey, this guy is really overreacting.”
“You little shit…”
“Hey, Aori, now might be the ti to pounce on him.”
“Do you need any assistance, my lord?”
“I’m fine. I’ll recover soon.”
Taeyang and Aori, who were carrying the stretcher front and back, looked at with giggles.
“Your hand? Your foot? Just say the word. I’ll be your dedicated nurse Aori. Should I do so cosplay?”
“…Aori, you’d be fine if you just kept your mouth shut.”
“That’s .”
“My back hurts, so don’t talk to .”
“Yes.”
Power ca with a price.
The Black Path, which converted all of the body’s mana into magical energy, was a force incompatible with the frail human body.
Even the robust and resilient body of a tree person struggled to handle this power, let alone a human body trying to wield it, which naturally led to side effects.
‘If I try to maintain it, after just a few minutes, I’ll get blotches.’
Normally, it was not like this.
It’s normal to maintain it longer and draw out the power slowly. But this ti, I lost control.
“Hyung.”
While I was groaning with my head resting on both arms, Taeyang asked.
“What are you going to do now?”
“What do you an, what are we going to do?”
“Didn’t you reveal all that Cheonma power? At least the Korean and Japanese National Trees next to you must know.”
After Maehwa died and I collapsed in the pit, Taeyang ca to retrieve after hearing the commotion.
Perhaps he had prepared for this from the beginning.
Before Suyeon and Saku could even arrive, I was being moved to the mountain.
‘That woman might know, but… whatever. Is there a problem?’
In fact, there was no conflict happening between Cheondo and Mugung.
With Cheondo helping the Association now, there’s no reason for Suyeon to be hostile to , and given her personality, she might even look at favorably.
“Those two are trustworthy. They’re a hundred tis better than soone like . At least I don’t regret revealing my power this ti.”
“Even so, you’re still the king. Isn’t this too careless? We almost got exposed too. My subordinate’s power is so unique. If we hadn’t killed and silenced, we’d be dead by now.”
Taeyang interrogated .
Indeed, was it too rash an action considering we don’t have the force to contain yet?
Though I understood, those who know I was the Tree Spirit King already knew. Regret was sothing you felt when you have sothing to regret.
“Ah, shit. I miss Baekdo.”
“…Huh? Are you finally confessing?”
“No, it’s not that… never mind.”
-Buzz, buzz!
My phone, which Taeyang brought, has been vibrating continuously since earlier.
It must be Dallae or Seyeong calling after hearing the news.
These people, even though they knew I had spatial magic, didn’t let go of their worries.
“Aren’t you going to answer the call?”
“I feel like playing a prank.”
“Chuckle, your temper is really bad, Hyung.”
I moved my phone to send out a few ssages.
[: Nothing major. It might take so ti. The civilian residential area was handled by and the National Trees, so don’t worry too much.] - (Group Send)
-Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!!!!!!!!
As soon as I hit send, calls from the won started pouring in.
I chuckled and turned off my phone.
“You’re loved.”
“Sotis it’s scary.”
“Aren’t you going to talk?”
My voice was too terrible now for normal conversation. If I spoke, it would only add to their worries.
Plus, I still had a few things left to do.
As I slowly healed my body with the power of healing, we soon arrived where the Sage was.
Eyes turned towards as I was brought in on a stretcher, and the sound of footsteps ca rushing from sowhere.
Thump, thump!
“@#$%!!”
A voice mixed with so sadness.
But I couldn’t understand the aning well.
‘Co to think of it, did my translator break?’
I knew that voice well. There couldn’t be two people in the world with a voice that gave goosebumps just hearing it.
While Taeyang silently carried , Maronnie, who had run over, grabbed my cheeks.
Her surprised face filled my eyes.
“!#Shiheon%?? 3$^!!”
“Taeyang, what’s she saying? My translator’s broken so I can’t hear.”
“$@%5?”
“If you’re a couple, nationality shouldn’t matter for communication. Figure it out yourselves. And my translator’s been broken for a long ti.”
Taeyang nonchalantly threw the steel bar he was holding.
-Thud!
“Ugh!”
When I pathetically lay down on the ground, Maronnie, who knelt, patted my shoulder.
A sobbing voice ca from her wide-open eyes.
“Ok, ok?”
Not clear but pleasant Korean.
“Are you hurt?”
Though her clothes were slightly torn, Maronnie covered herself with a large garnt.
The dirt on her face tells the story of how she managed that long wire alone.
“Why are you talking when it should be asking that?”
It seed she still couldn’t understand long sentences. Blanche wiped her teary eyes, her lips trembling.
Maybe so dirt got in her eyes. Tears flowed from her squinted eyes.
‘People might think I’m dead.’
It was understandable.
I ended up like this while focusing on healing.
What could I do? As I patted Maronnie’s shoulder, Blanche wrapped her hands around mine and brought my hand to her cheek.
I hope this looked like a friendly gesture to those around us.
“Lee Shiheon!! Are you okay?”
“Shiheon oppa!”
Saku and Suyeon, who belatedly chased after, ca running right next to .
“How’s your body? You suddenly disappeared… There are no wounds, right? You’re really okay, right? How’s your dantian?”
I gently pushed away Suyeon’s hand as she rummaged through her pocket for a pill.
I could move a little by now.
“What happened?”
“Ah, well… the other National Trees escaped. All the students who betrayed us too.”
“Ah, what about the evacuation of civilians?”
“Everyone was sent away except for a very few and the National Trees. Now it’s our turn.”
Once the National Trees were evacuated, this incident would be over.
Thanks to their cooperation, we were able to minimize the damage.
“It ended well.”
“Ah, yes. If it hadn’t been for you, Siheon, things wouldn’t have gone this smoothly. Thank you.”
Suyeon bowed her head slightly to express her gratitude.
It’s quite unfamiliar to see soone with the title of National Tree not being arrogant but sincerely expressing thanks.
I also understood roughly why she didn’t make an issue of the power I showed.
I got up from my seat. Giving Maronnie, who was still in low spirits, a hug, she rubbed her face against my chest like a cat.
“Why are you crying? You did well.”
“…I don’t know.”
“You speak Korean well.”
Roughly wiping the dirt and tears from her face, I approached where the Sage was, dragging my aching body.
The exhausted-looking Sage spread her arms wide with a big smile as soon as she saw .
For so reason, feeling like hugging, I spread my arms as I approached, and to my surprise, the Sage accepted the hug, whispering in my ear:
“Didn’t you push yourself too hard?”
As I was montarily distracted by the soft touch of her chest, the Sage pulled away and chuckled at my face.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, no. Hehehe. Just, I’m happy to see you.”
“You look like a cute bear mom.”
“…Pardon?”
Her voice chilled like frost in midwinter.
I pretended not to notice, and the Sage glared at , then sighed.
“Anyway, once this magic is used, everything will be over. What are your plans? Are you going back to Korea or to El Academy?”
“I’ll stay here for now. I left so things behind.”
“I see.”
The Sage nodded and stood up, looking around.
Only a few people remained in what had been a bustling place, and the surviving National Trees were also covered in wounds.
They no longer had the strength to go help the cradle, so returning was the appropriate action.
It was nothing short of a miracle that we managed to stop things at this level.
“Despite the difficulty, I sincerely thank you for your excellent response, under my na as the Sage.”
The Sage deeply bowed in thanks and began teleporting the National Trees one by one.
Maple, who ca to on the third turn, smiled.
“Are you okay? There was quite a commotion earlier.”
“I got pretty banged up for what was just a big commotion.”
“Hehehe. I don’t see any injury though? Ah, I want to stay too, but my body’s a ss. I have no choice. I need to return to my family and start investigating all over again from the beginning.”
Maple, who was searching for the maple tree within Flower, returned to her holand.
“Oh, it’s been a while. Hehe.”
“Lee Hyang?”
The dog-like Lee Hyang, who I t during the first trial, survived without our connection breaking.
Thinking about it, I t many people during this Forester Selection Competition.
“Oh, I shouldn’t wash my hands.”
“Khuhuhu.”
Lee Hyang, gripping my hand with excitent. I have her number, so I can contact her anyti.
-Tap, tap.
Next was Blanche.
As the National Tree of France, she had to return now.
She had to go back to the daily life she disliked.
With slightly reddened eyes, Blanche grabbed my collar and stared into my eyes.
“What?”
Upon my question, she pouted her lips, then pulled my ear with her flower petal.
“Ah, aah!”
It didn’t hurt, but I scread and bowed my head, then Blanche whispered sothing in my ear before running away.
“…Answer the phone when I call.”
Like that.
Both Saku and Suyeon left too.
“Hyung. So, how do we et? Should I aim for enrollnt at El Academy?”
“We’ll sort that out later with a call.”
“Ah, okay.”
Taeyang and Aori talked briefly and then left.
“…Now, the cradle is your stage, right?”
“Sothing like that.”
“I hope you shake it as hard as you can.”
After exchanging so secrets only known to Taeyang and , only the Sage and I remained.
The Sage, whose mana seed nearly depleted, took a potion into her mouth for the first ti.
“I should go to sleep today too. Do you have enough mana?”
“Yes. Just need to finish what I have to do. Then I’ll return to El Academy.”
The Sage gave a sharp look and muttered quietly under her breath, as if she knew my intentions.
“Pervert.”
She left only that word before sticking her tongue out and running away.
Instead of feeling embarrassed by her childish behavior for a lady, I found it amusing.
“Ah, but aren’t you going to give a reward?”
“People usually leave a reason to et again right before parting.”
“Ah.”
“I’ll co to find you, so don’t wait too long.”
-Flash!
With those words from the Sage, I was the only one left on the mountainside.
I looked around for a while from atop the mountain, taking my ti to gaze at the moon in the sky.
After enjoying the brief mont of leisure, I reached for the luggage I had left by the tree.
A mask of invisibility and black clothes for disguise.
‘The cradle attacked by Flower.’
The cradle was where young World Trees grew.
There wasn’t just one or two World Trees or Trees in there.
However, the security due to artifacts is tight, making reckless actions dangerous, with the risk of losing your head if caught.
‘But.’
-Boom!
The sound of an explosion reached . A smile spread across my face.
‘Isn’t it different now?’
No matter what I did, it was perfect to pin it on Flower.
The cradle, now free of danger, was for nothing less than an experience point farm.
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