Chapter 135 : Chapter 135
Chapter 135
“What kind of island is this desolate?”
“….”
Muller of the Amulrent Family, polishing his spear, merely glanced over.
“Hey, Your Highness! Say something!”
“…It’s fine.”
Prince Kazaks, slouched casually, gazed at the distant sea.
“Ugh, our Prince is in his sensitive mood again.”
“Hey, you tactless fool, shut up!”
Shuga scolded Muller.
The sunset’s glow illuminated the three.
‘They’re all strong.’
Empress Anette of the Defardly Liberation Army was the weakest among them… relatively speaking.
Luri of the Elidore Family, once an ordinary flame mage, had become a rising powerhouse after contracting with the Fire Spirit King.
Adela, his same-aged sister, had suddenly become the master of one of the Nature Five from ancient texts.
Elisha, Bord, Muller, Mary, and Shuga of the Four Great Ducal Families were undeniably strong.
But… Muller and Shuga thought they’d grown stronger, yet now they seemed weaker than Gilbert’s party—Elisha, Bord, and Mary.
Clearly.
‘And Gilbert.’
He’d considered him a rival.
Before the summer break, they might’ve been somewhat equal.
But now… the gap was too vast to call it rivalry.
“Haa.”
Born the noblest in the world.
‘Nothing’s easy.’
But it was fine.
Kazaks wouldn’t fall now.
‘The Black Knight told me. I’m honorable. I’ll be a wise ruler.’
The world was vast, with much to do.
Being confined to this small group wasn’t his style.
‘I have my strengths. No one surpasses me in Emperor’s Studies, politics, or strategy.’
Strength wasn’t the only virtue of an emperor.
‘With a benevolent heart…’
“Hey, you lazy bum!”
Crack, Kazaks’ hand made a sound.
Standing, he turned to face Princess Adela.
“Lazy bum…?”
Two pairs of golden eyes sparked with lightning.
Bickering was common between them, but this time was different.
“You, Prince.”
“…Cooking?”
Finally snapping out of his mood, Kazaks looked around.
Except for Muller and Shuga by his side, everyone was dividing tasks to prepare camp!
“Hah!”
He scoffed.
What did they take him for?
“Foolish little sister.”
“What?!”
Adela’s eyes turned fierce.
“You can’t even cook?”
“And you…!”
“Of course I can.”
Kazaks snatched the emergency ration bag from Adela and strode to the group’s center.
“The essentials for cooking—fire’s here.”
He straightened his neck and commanded:
“Muller! Bowls!”
“Yes, sir!”
A blue spear moved like lightning, carving stone and wood into bowls.
“Shuga! Water!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Shuga conjured purified water and began washing her hands.
“Foolish little sister, watch closely.”
Kazaks pulled something from his magic backpack with flair.
“No way…!”
“That’s…!”
“Why…?”
The item that shocked everyone was a set of cooking tools.
Opening a luxurious box revealed various spices and utensils.
“I’m not someone who only pays lip service to the people.”
Flutter~!
A golden apron, magically coated, tied itself around Kazaks.
He picked up a gold-coated knife and began preparing ingredients.
His movements were skilled and precise.
“I’ve studied everything to serve the people.”
He mixed spices, prepared seasonings, and in no time, a dish was complete.
“Just simmer it like this.”
A vibrant stew, Glory Imperius, was revealed.
Kazaks presented it with flair.
“An improved imperial delicacy, ‘Glory Imperius.’”
“….”
“….”
Aside from Muller serving the stew and Shuga preparing water, the group was silent for a while.
***
A delicious aroma spread.
Holding bowls of the fine stew Glory Imperius, the group sat around the campfire and began eating.
Exclamations burst out.
“It’s delicious!”
“Really…”
Around them were structures not visible earlier—temporary shelters and workbenches made of stone and wood.
Food after labor tasted especially good.
…The chef mattered too.
Bord smiled awkwardly.
“Y-Your Highness, I didn’t know cooking was your hobby.”
“Hm, I’m an onion of a man.”
“An… onion?”
“Yes. Peel me, and I’m always new.”
Watching from afar, Adela glared, displeased.
“…Insolent Prince.”
Hahaha! Laughter echoed around.
They’d overcome hardships together for a shared goal, built a resting place, and now ate delicious food together.
‘Wow…’
Mary gazed around blankly.
“Oh…! My chopsticks!”
“Heh, Elisha, you can’t even keep track of your chopsticks.”
“Ugh, shut up, Muller.”
“Here. New chopsticks.”
“Oh, uh…”
It was strange.
“You! Gilbert!”
“Y-Yes? What is it, Prince Kazaks?”
“Eating just one bowl? Are you insulting me?”
“Huh?”
“Eat more! Here, bring your bowl!”
It was a rare sight.
“…Back to earlier. Empress Anette, Martin likes cooking?”
“Uh, I only heard it…”
A scene you’d see nowhere else.
“Hey, Cadet Lina. Try this. I brought it myself.”
“Oh, yes… Thank you, Lady Elidore.”
“No big deal! It’s nice to have a chance to talk like this!”
Something she’d thought she’d never see.
‘Beautiful.’
There was no malice here.
Only camaraderie and pure hearts.
Mary found this scene so beautiful she wished time would freeze.
She wanted to treasure it in a jewel box.
“Hey.”
Even in a world full of malice, could it be this beautiful?
“Sis.”
With them, she could go anywhere…
“Hey!”
“Ah, uh, w-what?!”
Mary turned in surprise.
Shuga, her same-aged sister…
‘Oh.’
She’d hate this.
Shuga always disliked her timid side.
“Hand it over.”
Shuga snatched Mary’s bowl.
Then… she went to the simmering pot.
“Here.”
She served another bowl.
“Eat a lot and grow. I’m embarrassed, really.”
Then she turned, sat a bit away, and resumed eating.
‘Oh…’
Mary felt tears welling up.
She’d never imagined such a day would come…!
Thus, a beautiful evening passed.
As the sunset faded, a serene night sky descended.
In the chilly night air, they entered the shelters they’d built.
Even inside, they chatted for a while before naturally falling asleep one by one.
As time passed into dawn, the still-dark sky began to turn deep blue.
Just before sunrise.
Fog Island was anticipating something.
Waiting.
Soon, the sun rose above the horizon… and dawn began to break.
Withered trees cheered, and cracked earth blessed.
Oh, soon He would awaken.
“…!”
“Mm!”
The conquest team, asleep, jolted awake.
Something was happening.
“The earth is singing.”
It was Princess Adela.
The Desert Hierophant had been shimmering gold and resonating.
[Oh, ohhh… She comes. Is she being reborn…?]
“What does that mean?!”
Even the Fire Spirit King couldn’t contain its joy at this grand occasion.
The group, as if entranced, stepped outside the shelter.
They could only stare upward, dumbfounded.
A pillar of light.
From the island’s highest point, a beam of light pierced the sky, reaching the heavens and proclaiming its birth to the distant cosmos.
“What… is that?”
Who said it?
No idea.
But… everyone thought the same.
They felt compelled to go see, yet were overwhelmed by the awe, unable to move for a moment.
Soon, through the immense light… a massive lifeform stirred and grew.
It was a giant tree.
The revival of the World Tree.
***
The Time Chaos Dungeon of Fog Island has been spectacularly conquered! The future from the original story, where thirteen Platinum Knights and forty-five Gold Knights were lost, has been erased. With a conquest far surpassing the original, the seed of the Second World Tree gained the energy prepared by the First World Tree, enabling rapid growth. The World Tree’s revival is a turning point for this world.
You have acquired 15,000 achievement points.
The pillar of light.
The World Tree growing within it.
“….”
Even watching from a ship’s cabin with soft classical music, it was awe-inspiring.
I silently sipped my tea.
‘…Not bad.’
I turned, walked to the tea table, and set down my cup.
Picking up a pastry, I tasted it.
‘Delicious.’
Savoring it, I walked to the bed and lay down.
The classical music from the record seemed to gently envelop me.
‘This is the service of the Four Great Ducal Families?’
You could enter a dungeon through the Dive Tunnel regardless of distance.
But after a successful conquest, you didn’t return to your original location, so recovery teams were typically dispatched immediately.
The first recovery team to reach the Time Chaos Dungeon of Fog Island was none other than the Harmadun and Deminiyan Families, two of the Four Great Ducal Families.
‘…Not ideal.’
Those two families were likely involved in the disciplinary committee I faced early in my possession.
‘Damned old monsters.’
A derogatory term for Wilhelm and Frohadin, the patriarchs of the Red Bow Harmadun and Raincloud Deminiyan.
‘But no choice.’
I couldn’t stay on the island, so I boarded the ship.
Not seeing Lilac for even a day made me itch, and it’d been three days.
‘Think of it as gathering intel on the enemy.’
The classical music, the type and skill of the tea served, the selection of pastries—all were valuable to me, Martin.
‘And there’s good news.’
The points from Brahmus’ terror and this World Tree revival alone neared 35,000.
The points trickling in as my fame spread weren’t small either.
‘I should enhance my skills.’
There was nothing to buy at the Extra Privilege Item Shop.
Matthew’s item remained, but he seemed to have new trauma.
‘…Should I buy it anyway?’
Just in case.
The Brahmus incident taught me I needed to trust others too.