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Chapter 308

Anyone with life possesses desires. Among them, there are those born with desires that surpass the ordinary.

This was also true for the relatively less ambitious elves. The current Rose Duke was such a person.

He often pondered while looking at the queen. Why was he wearing roses on his head while that brat got to wear the glorious mistletoe crown?

Why did the first duke not don the mistletoe himself and instead allow that clan to wear it? Had it not been for that…

“Heh heh, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

His once magnificent golden hair, symbolizing his family’s honor, had already lost its shine. The completely dried white strands were now in disarray, making him look far from a nobleman.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Heh heh, heh heh heh! What difference does it make if I say something? Do you expect me to confess? Huh?”

“No, that’s unnecessary. I’ve gathered all the evidence.”

The armored man aiming a long sword at the Rose Duke said this and glanced behind him. Men in the same armor were carrying goods.

“You desired the position of the flower so much that you even allied with demons.”

“I did desire it. Of course, I did!! The World Tree’s staff, the mistletoe crown, the omnipotent power!! I still desire it, enough for saliva to drip!”

Madness glimmered in his eyes. Just not long ago, he had been a dignified nobleman, but now he couldn’t contain the greed roaring within him.

Seeing this, the knight commander, Julius, frowned.

‘…Could this also be the Demon King’s machination?’

The Rose Duke he knew was, well, I suppose a greedy character, but he wasn’t someone who would fall apart like this.

If he were to do something, it would be even more thorough. More secretive, ensuring no one would find out in the far future.

He wouldn’t have relied on just two demons and proceeded without a proper plan.

The fact that such a man had come to this state left no choice but to suspect the Demon King’s involvement.

“…Leave your final words. This is your last chance, granted for our past relations.”

“Heh, so even Julius the Knight Commander shows compassion to a scoundrel like me. Unlike the Swordmaster, huh?”

Coughing, the Rose Duke spat blood. Despite his bravado, he couldn’t escape his position due to the sword pointed at him, as well as the tendons in his arms and legs being severed.

Julius was thorough. He only showed consideration for others when everything was certain.

Julius sighed while watching the Rose Duke chuckle foolishly and raised his sword. It was then.

The Rose Duke raised his arm. Julius’s expression turned sharp as he looked at him in shock, but the Duke merely flailed his wrist, stretching his arms toward the sky as if acting.

The man’s mouth opened.

*

“‘Accept my love, O World Tree. And look to the north,’ he said.”

Though the tone was clearly theatrical, the voice was not. Chloe, speaking in a dry tone, walked a few steps ahead of Yeon-woo.

Listening in confusion, it seemed the words of the betrayer who allowed the demons into Yggdrasil were being recounted.

In the Great Empire, only two crimes exceeded treason. One was the attempted arson of the World Tree. The other was the actual crime of setting fire to the World Tree.

The culprit behind this series of events, the Rose Duke, was said to have been executed on the spot for attempting to set fire to the World Tree.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. It seems my beauty causes these kinds of incidents.”

“…What?”

Yeon-woo’s eyebrows furrowed at Chloe’s sudden nonsensical statement. What’s with this person all of a sudden?

“In our country, the queen is called the flower. It means the flower of the World Tree.”

“Yeeaah….”

He remembered that from before. Nodding, as if to say she should continue her nonsensical chatter.

“Loving the World Tree means loving the flower, which is the most beautiful part of the World Tree—me, right? You can’t even make this simple association?”

“Hmm….”

“Do you have something to say?”

“No, I don’t. It seems the queen is correct??”

Though he had plenty to say, Yeon-woo chose to stay silent and act mature.

After all, he wouldn’t be meeting her for a while once he got his prosthetic, so it might be better for both of them to end things on a pleasant note.

“Hmm, that reaction is a bit annoying….”

Even Chloe couldn’t spit venom with a smiling face, muttering as her pace quickened. Perhaps she desired to quickly finish the prosthetic and move on.

“But what does it mean to look north? Is there something in the north?”

“Right, you wouldn’t know, huh? There’s an empire up north. They’ve been ramping up military activity lately. They claim it’s to prepare for a fight against the Demon King’s army, but they’re not really that close.”

It seemed they were suspicious of trying to expand their territory while taking advantage of the Demon King’s threat. Oh ho. Yeon-woo inwardly exclaimed.

“Damn, if I had known this, I should have met that Rose Duke person.”

Indeed. Before the regression, the Demon King of Alkeion had incited the emperor of the empire to start a war.

It was only natural. With so many nations on the continent in close quarters, the Demon King must have felt frustrated.

Thus, he chose to instigate internal conflict. Especially from the empire, located at the opposite side of the tainted land where he resided.

The Rose Duke must have been tainted by the empire’s demons. It was evident from external assessments that he was not someone like that and had been behaving strangely lately.

It was a unique case. Once a demon is born, they cannot refuse the call of desire. Even on the brink of death, they wouldn’t regain their senses like a phoenix returning to life.

Once one becomes a demon, they can only live as one unless every drop of demonic energy is extracted from their body.

In other words, it meant that even after becoming a demon, that man sincerely loved the World Tree and his country.

He loved his country sincerely and offered advice that would benefit it as a demon.

“It might be best to be cautious, even if I don’t know much.”

“That’s quite an irresponsible thing to say. Come in.”

They were now beneath the royal palace. Following Chloe, who walked ahead, it seemed they had arrived without hesitation. Yeon-woo entered the room, following Chloe who opened the door.

“Did you create a personal workshop in the palace?”

“Yeah. The queen is granted the right to have a private chamber within the World Tree.”

That was quite a peculiar right, hard to discern whether it was impressive or trivial. However, if it meant that his prosthetic could be made because of it, he should be grateful.

Yeon-woo was inadvertently overwhelmed by the sight of the workshop filled with various woodcrafting tools.

Is it really okay for the leader of a nation revering wood to have so many tools for carving it…?

“Sit down and put your leg up here.”

Following Chloe’s instructions, Yeon-woo sat in a chair and placed his leg on the desk. Measuring with delicate hands, Chloe wrote in the air.

She casts such a mana-consuming spell casually…?

He realized why she was known as a great magician and leaned back, thinking it was fine to rest until the various measurements were done.

*

“Bring me water or some tools.” The tasks entrusted by Chloe were such that even a child could do them, let alone Yeon-woo.

However, the scene appeared as if everything was progressing seamlessly due to his presence, making him feel a strange sense of pride.

“Then….”

Chloe, who easily crafted a prototype as a warm-up, pulled out a massive box from deep within the materials shelf.

“Just make it like that, okay? If you have any requirements, just say them now.”

“Yes, that would be fine. If you could also cast some supporting magic, I would appreciate it.”

“…Tch, well, fine. Since it’s not just anyone but my sister’s son, I can do that much.”

Oh, this is a chance to ask for anything. Thinking so, Chloe opened the box’s hinges.

With a click, the dim workshop was suddenly filled with brilliant light. Yeon-woo covered his eyes, and Chloe’s body shook slightly in surprise.

“Whoa!? What is this!?”

“What do you mean, it’s the branch of the World Tree you wanted.”

Chloe spoke nonchalantly as she pulled out the branch. It was a huge size to call it a branch, but realizing that the World Tree was that enormous, it made sense for the branch to be too.

“Ooh, that’s the branch of the World Tree….”

“Well, from here on, let’s keep it a trade secret. Go out and play.”

“The most crucial scene!? ”

“Since it’s the most crucial scene, it shall be a trade secret. Don’t worry; I’ll make it satisfactory.”

As Chloe waved her hand dismissively, Yeon-woo could only be pushed out the door. Once outside, Yeon-woo stared blankly into space before suddenly standing up.

“No, if you’re going to kick me out, at least give me the prototype!! You’re not giving me crutches or prosthetics and just kicking me out!?”

Hearing this, a prototype prosthetic, freshly made, was suddenly tossed through the door frame. Wait, really!?

Thinking so, Yeon-woo hurriedly picked up the prosthetic and strapped it onto his leg.

“…Damn, it fits perfectly.”

What can he do if they tell him not to look? He briefly contemplated using his magical sight and spells to sneak a peek, but such tricks would be easily seen through by a great magician.

In that case, he might end up losing the high-performance magical prosthetic he just received.

Grumbling about why he even got called in only to be dismissed, Yeon-woo decided to leave for the place where the children were playing. After all, if he had free time, playing with the children would be the best way to enjoy it.

*

“O World Tree, do you have something to say?”

In a rare respectful manner, Chloe picked up the branch of the World Tree.

After all, the branch that had fallen wouldn’t glow. That was a signal. A signal that the World Tree wanted to speak.

And as a queen and priestess, Chloe had the duty to heed that wish. Hence, she had expelled Yeon-woo.

Listening attentively to the voice that flowed in like a gentle breeze, Chloe focused her ears.

The prophecy and oracle were audible only to elves. It was unprecedented for it to suddenly come in such a situation.

“…Is that so?”

Having heard the World Tree’s voice, Chloe scratched her cheek as if troubled.

(To be continued in the next chapter.)

 

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