Chapter 134 : Chapter 134
Chapter 134
The Fairy Queen turned into green shimmering dust, absorbed into the World Tree’s cradle.
The entire fairy race willingly chose to be absorbed by the World Tree.
I stood silently, watching the scene.
Once the last fairy was absorbed, a crack split through the barrier surrounding the hideout.
But the World Tree began growing at an astonishing rate.
Green sprouts formed a hard brown bark, sprouting lush leaves… growing larger and larger.
In moments, the World Tree, now 5 meters tall, spread its influence around.
‘That was simple.’
The protagonist party had done well to draw the demon’s attention as planned.
Honestly, all I, Martin, did was enjoy the snacks the fairies offered.
‘Ahem.’
I used the protagonist party, but… considering what I’d been through, wasn’t this fair?
It wasn’t just for my benefit; it was for a world the protagonist party would love to save.
‘It’s starting.’
Soon, the World Tree’s overflowing vitality radiated outward… and new fairies began to be born.
It was a wondrous and astonishing sight.
But that wasn’t all.
Colorful threads formed in clusters, and from within the fruits, human-like beings of exquisite beauty emerged.
Born from small fruits, they grew to human size.
‘The Birth of Elves!’
Fairies, half-spirit-like, were granted full physical bodies through the World Tree, reborn as Elves, the guardian race of the World Tree.
This was the Birth of Elves.
“Oh, Hero.”
Among them was an Elf, mystically elegant beyond the others—the Elf Queen.
“I can no longer sit on your shoulder.”
Even as the Elf Queen, she retained the Fairy Queen’s memories and emotions.
All fairies likely did.
I shut my eyes tightly.
“Please put on some clothes…”
“You’re naughty.”
As the Elf Queen brushed her hand down her body, plants and trees enveloped her, transforming into eco-friendly clothing.
It was flawless, like a master artisan’s work.
As the dark clouds that had long covered the sky parted, the sun began to shine on the earth again, and the Elf Queen looked relieved.
“…Do you feel it, Hero? The demonic energy that dominated this island is crumbling like dried leaves under the World Tree’s majesty.”
“That’s the World Tree for you.”
“I don’t know how to thank you, Hero…”
To the demon, my team’s sudden appearance was an unforeseen calamity, but to the Elf Queen, it was like land appearing before a fisherman lost in a stormy night sea.
“But since this world is merely the past… it’s unfortunate that you can’t take anything with you.”
“It’s fine…”
What did I just hear?
“…Merely the past?”
“Yes.”
…So that’s how it was.
“You realized this isn’t reality, Elf Queen.”
“Yes. With my ascension… my ability to perceive the essence grew stronger, and I understood. This is the past. You come from the present. For you, heading to the future, items from the past can’t be taken.”
The Elf Queen smiled wistfully.
“Suddenly… there’s nothing left for us to do together. I have nothing to give you. I’m sorry.”
“I’ve already received it.”
The Time Chaos Dungeon yields items based on the conquest rate achieved.
In the original story, even a disastrous failure yielded the World Tree’s seed, so… whatever, it’s a win.
“But the World Tree will remember.”
“Hm?”
“Even I, lowly as I am, felt the dissonance of this world, so the great World Tree will surely remember this world.”
“Are you certain?”
“…Probably…?”
It wasn’t definitive, after all.
You have cleared the Time Chaos Dungeon. The distorted past will soon collapse.
“Hero.”
“Yes.”
The Elf Queen had climbed onto the World Tree’s cradle.
She took the Rosary placed beside the World Tree and handed it to me.
“You must take this.”
“Yes, thank you.”
As I reached for the Rosary with my fingers, the Elf Queen’s hand gently covered mine.
“Your Majesty?”
She gave me a soft smile.
“May your journey be filled with blessings. Please… farewell…”
***
My eyes opened.
It felt like waking from a long dream, hazy.
My outstretched hand held the Rosary, no longer glowing, but it still felt warm.
The person who should’ve been in front of me was gone.
I swallowed a strange loneliness.
I’d remember the first person to call me a hero.
‘The Rosary of Grace…’
As expected, it had lost most of its Stellar Force.
It would recover over time, but having been depleted this much, I couldn’t predict how long.
I turned to look at the cradle.
In the original story, Gilbert found a seed in the World Tree’s cradle.
‘This is the World Tree.’
It was a massive tree.
Not the 5 meters seen in the Time Chaos Dungeon, but easily 100 meters tall.
…But it was already withered and dead.
‘What did the original say?’
The World Tree, weakened after producing a new seed, was attacked as the Time Chaos Dungeon’s corruption began.
‘Was that really a coincidence?’
The Cosmos Empire believed a Time Chaos Dungeon caused its fall, but I’d learned in the desert ruins that the Demon Lord had a hand in it.
‘If that’s true.’
The Demon Lord and Time Chaos Dungeons were likely closely linked.
‘First, the seed.’
Pushing aside worries, I searched for the seed.
As expected, a small seed was hidden beneath the withered giant of the World Tree.
As I picked it up, the withered hulk turned to dust and scattered in the wind.
“…?”
My heart felt like the World Tree, carried away by the wind.
‘…That’s it?’
No, even a total failure yielded a seed.
A perfect success, and still just a seed.
I even poured the Rosary’s Stellar Force into it.
‘What a lousy deal.’
The Elf Queen’s blessing wasn’t all there was, right?
Even if it had an effect, it’d likely vanish upon leaving the Time Chaos Dungeon.
At that moment, I dropped the seed.
Tremble, tremble.
My hand shook.
As if touching high-voltage electricity, every cell in my body quivered under the overwhelming power in my hand.
‘What… is this?’
Even ordinary plant seeds contain nutrients, taking root and sprouting when planted, absorbing nutrients afterward.
The World Tree’s seed was different.
It required immense energy to germinate, drawing nutrients from the soil over a long period before sprouting.
But this.
What was this?
‘It’s brimming.’
The seed held so much energy it seemed it could burst at any moment.
It felt like holding a nuclear bomb.
‘Could this be… the reward?’
I dug into the soil of the World Tree’s ruined cradle and planted the seed.
“…!”
I felt it.
The pulse of life.
A newly born life yearning for a warm touch.
“….”
Silently, I summoned Stellar Force to envelop the World Tree’s seed.
I didn’t care that my deep green robe got soiled in the dirt.
***
“It’s unbelievable.”
“It’s… real.”
Meanwhile, the Academy—no, the entire continent—was in an uproar.
News of Fog Island’s liberation, ruled by the World Tree and home to Elves and Fairies, had spread.
Especially the southern continental nations bloomed with joy at this miraculous news.
“My goodness, we had to nearly abandon the seas due to marine beasts and poison crossing the coast!”
“We can resume fishing and maritime trade!”
With the southern seas blockaded, maritime nations that had amassed wealth through fishing and trade had fallen to relying on international aid.
Now that the blockade was lifted, imagining the economic revival brought happiness.
Observing that the Time Chaos Dungeon covering Fog Island and its seas had completely vanished, the continent dispatched rescue teams without delay.
They had to hurry, as the heroes who conquered the dungeon might be in dire straits.
***
“….”
“….”
“….”
A strange standoff persisted.
Gilbert’s party, Prince Kazaks’ faction, Princess Adela, Luri, and Anette sat silently at the coast facing the continent, resting.
“….”
“….”
“….”
The awkward, uncomfortable silence lingered.
Of course—it was a mix of rivals, enemies, and tangled interests.
Yet, despite the absence of Martin, the catalyst who brought them here, they were awkwardly united.
A cold breeze, as chilly as the atmosphere, blew Elisha’s hair.
She wrapped her arms around herself.
“…Ugh, it’s cold. Isn’t it getting dark soon? Autumn night winds are chilly.”
At Elisha’s words, Bord stood and uprooted a withered tree nearby.
Thud!
As he set it down, Mary, dozing nearby, jolted awake in surprise.
She was so startled her words jumbled.
“S-Surprise…!”
Laughter rippled around, except from Mary’s sister, Shuga.
Bord scratched the back of his head, chuckling.
“Haha, sorry. Thought I’d start a fire. It’s getting dark.”
Gilbert and Lina drew their swords and stood before the tree Bord uprooted.
They intended to chop it into firewood.
“Let’s see…”
“Be careful, Lord Gilbert. When the Time Chaos Dungeon was active, this place was a hellscape where nothing could breathe unless it succumbed to demonic energy.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I have Stellar Force.”
Once the firewood was stacked, Luri walked over and touched it.
The logs burst into flames.
“Oh, that’s the Fire Spirit.”
Empress Anette marveled.
“Pretty impressive, right?”
“Indeed, it suits Cadet Luri well.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
As evening approached, they began preparing dinner.
With enough emergency rations from Martin to last a month, there was no worry.
Each took on a role—some gathered firewood, others cooked, some washed dishes…
“Hey, isn’t the Princess doing anything?”
Luri gave Adela a pointed look.
Adela, arrogantly perched on a tree stump, snapped back:
“You dare tell me, a noble, to prepare food?”
“Wow…”
Luri’s expression screamed, ‘What a piece of work,’ but Adela was unfazed.
How dare anyone ask a noble royal to cook?
Before the mood soured, Elisha, who’d volunteered to cook with Anette, muttered while looking at the emergency ration bag.
There were more raw ingredients than instant meals.
“It’d be nice if Martin were here.”
“Hm? Why’s that?”
“Martin’s really good at cooking. I saw it during club activities… it’s not just a hobby. He loves it.”
Adela shot up.
“Huh, what? Where are you going?”
Passing Luri:
“Eek!”
“Whoa?!”
Adela looked at the emergency ration bag Elisha and Anette held.
It contained ingredients suitable for long-term storage.
“Hmph! I’ll take charge of cooking!”
“Uh…”
“Well…”
Unable to protest to a noble royal, Elisha and Luri exchanged uneasy glances.
Meanwhile, Anette, the Empress, asked:
“…Um, Cadet Adela. Do you know how to cook?”
Adela looked at Anette.
“I don’t!”
She answered with her usual confidence.