TL/ED – Miso
Dersia touched a lot.
Both directly and indirectly. It’s just sad that she’s too powerful for the Empire to judge.
However, she ultimately never realized my true identity.
Even though she’s a 9-Star wizard.
“…”
I kept my words to a minimum.
How much does she know, what has she inferred?
Azrael, seeing like that, snorted.
“Why that look?”
“…To be honest, I had sowhat expected it.”
Though I didn’t know that I had two worlds.
Still, the fact that I could use ordinary magic despite having an Inner World allowed for a similar kind of deduction.
“But it was surprising that the shaman noticed sothing even Master didn’t.”
“It’s not that she didn’t know, it’s that she couldn’t even assu it. A wizard cannot possess two worlds. That’s an unchanging law that is an absolute premise in the world of magic, so she probably only looked for solutions within the bounds of that law.”
“Is it possible in the world of shamanism?”
“Absolutely impossible. In the first place, shamanism doesn’t even have the concept of a world.”
“?”
“I believe only what I see with my own eyes. You fell into the Abyss and yet you still have a star, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t use any magic, so how did you know?”
“If you want to hide it, start by wearing an blindfold. Traces remain where the star rises.”
Was there such a thing?
“Anyway, then it just ans you have a second world. Isn’t that simple?”
I stared at Azrael in disbelief.
The shaman’s conclusion was simply that it looked like I had two worlds, so I must have two.
As I was thinking that he lives such a simple life, whether he knew it or not, he reached out his hand.
“Now, try using magic. At least in this domain, I can guarantee I know better than that Dersia, so rest easy.”
“…Yes.”
Half in doubt, I brushed his hand with wind.
Azrael, feeling the wind for a mont, examined as if pondering sothing.
Soon, his expression sank deeply.
“This… hmm. Wait a mont.”
“What is it?”
“Hah. This… is this right? Try it again.”
“??”
Azrael, saying sothing trivial, examined for quite a while.
It felt like he couldn’t believe the conclusion he had reached and was repeating the process over and over.
Once. Twice. Three tis.
Just as I was starting to think he might be a quack, he opened his mouth with an expression close to shock.
“How bizarre and wondrous. Truly, it is so.”
“What is that supposed to an?”
“…Human child. What do you think is the reason you survived the burden of the world?”
“Well, because I worked hard enough to almost die.”
It was an obvious fact. But Azrael shook his head.
“Well, yes. That might be true. Then what do you think gave you the ti to make that effort?”
“I assud it was because I wasn’t yet used to the Abyss, so the burden was lighter.”
“Why is your world waiting for your growth?”
“…?”
I couldn’t understand what Azrael was trying to say.
Seeing my puzzled expression, he began to explain calmly.
“Your Abyss Realm is deep, wide, and vast. In other words, it is what we call a Great World.”
“Um, yes.”
“But the other world is small and pitiful. Crushed by that imnse world I ntioned before, it is so despairingly weak that it can’t even form a proper domain as a world.”
“…Yes. I’ve often heard that my world is insignificant.”
“-No. You’re under a strange illusion. It’s exactly the opposite.”
When I frowned and responded, Azrael shook his head with a solemn expression.
“I have seen the tallest mountains, the deepest oceans, and the longest rivers. But more than anything, from you I am learning how mysterious a world can be.”
“Why do you keep speaking in riddles since earlier?”
“Your talent for magic itself may be low, but your potential as a wizard is terrifying.”
“…What?”
It was exactly the sa evaluation as Dersia’s.
As I stood flustered, he, wearing a more serious expression than mine, began to explain.
“Listen carefully. The burden is proportional to the size of the world. That’s why, even if one creates a Great World, it must not be made ‘too large’. If it is, one won’t be able to handle it and will explode and die. But your Inner World is unimaginably, overwhelmingly large. Whether the burden cos late or early, a child’s body can’t endure it.”
“But I’m alive and well.”
“The reason is your second world.”
Azrael gently patted my shoulder with a touch full of regret and reverence.
“Your other world gave up everything it was supposed to have as a world just to save you, its master. Space, objects, everything was consud and it clung tightly to your body.”
“…?”
“It was a chillingly quick and precise decision. The mont you suffered the Awakening Fever, your Inner World must have started pressing down on that world. It created such a domain in a single night. In that brief ti…”
He looked at , face stiff, and delivered the final blow.
“You possess the largest world I have ever seen, and the smallest world, simultaneously.”
In other words.
The Inner World of the owner of this body is the Abyss, the largest and widest world.
The second, presumably the world of the from Earth, beca the smallest world to save within that Abyss.
That’s how I, at ten years old, was able to survive, so it seems.
…Then that ans the from South Korea was also a wizard.
I raised my hand and examined it closely.
“You’re saying a world is attached to my body?”
“Yes. Even now, this mont, it is protecting you.”
Fascinating. It’s like having an invisible guardian spirit.
“Can you tell how long it will protect ?”
“Until it bursts under the pressure of your Abyss Realm.”
Then it won’t be long. The burden is steadily growing. If it reaches the point where it could kill , it becos aningless.
I knew my world was working hard, but in the end, nothing really changed?
As I made a bitter expression, Azrael shook his head.
“You mustn’t let it go that easily. It’s one of your greatest weapons. It’ll be a huge help in buying ti.”
“How do I grow it?”
“The way a wizard grows is always the sa. Enlightennt.”
“That’s not possible.”
I denied it and clenched my hand.
“I’ve already attained it once.”
Flas, and the mory of almost dying, ca back to .
“But then the burden ca, so I intentionally forgot. It was an enlightennt related more to the Abyss Realm than the small one, anyway.”
“Rember that your small world is struggling right now to protect you from within the Abyss. Enlightennt about the Abyss becos information on the enemy, and thus enlightennt for the small world. In the first place, the Abyss Realm is already a completed world, so even if you gain enlightennt, you can’t advance further from it.”
Its purpose is to protect within the Abyss.
If I gain understanding about the Abyss, I use that to grow, then?
Like knowing that arrows will be shot and gathering cloth to make armor?
…Then why does the burden happen?
“It’s probably because, during the reconfiguration process, it cannot protect you temporarily.”
“I see… No, wait, then I die.”
In the end, there was no way to evolve the world.
If my small world extinguishes now, I won’t be able to endure the burden and I’ll die.
“Here, if you wish, I can provide the additional reward I ntioned earlier.”
“…”
I glared at Azrael, who said that so confidently.
He was, in essence, telling to entrust my life to him.
“It’s simple. While you gain enlightennt and reconfigure your world, I can keep you alive through the burden, for just that brief mont.”
“I’ll decline.”
Just because the reward is visible doesn’t an I should jump at it right away.
Whether Azrael has the ability to montarily erase my burden… Hmm. I suppose he probably could.
But whether he would actually do it was another matter entirely.
This was our first eting, and thinking about how this man had rendered all Elves ntally deficient for the sake of so ‘greater cause’, just accepting his offer with a yes would’ve been foolish.
“Just the fact that you’ve shared such interesting knowledge is more than enough. Let’s get to the main point now. I have to find Master and stop her.”
“…Alright.”
Azrael, wearing a slightly regretful expression, changed the subject.
“According to others, the World Tree directly raised its branch and wrote letters on the ground.”
“If it’s Master you’re talking about, she could do sothing like that from behind hundreds of mountains.”
“That’s not quite right either.”
Azrael snorted and shook his head.
“Do you think I just picked any random tree behind the mountain and called it the World Tree? That tree has lived the longest, and I further grew it from sothing with a circumference of over ten ters into one tens of ters tall. I also cast all sorts of spells to prevent human wizards from gaining control over the Elves.”
“Ah, yes. Great job turning the Elves into morons.”
“Watch your mouth, you little… Anyway, no matter how skilled Dersia may be, unless she made direct contact with the World Tree, she wouldn’t be able to break through my spell and manipulate it. But apparently, no one saw her physically attached to it.”
“Then what does that an?”
Azrael pointed to the ground with an exasperated look.
“The roots.”
“…What?”
“She’s underground right now.”
“…”
It seed Dersia had beco a cicada larva.
*
Elf Village, Inn.
“So Master has beco a cicada larva.”
Ciel, after hearing the explanation, voiced exactly what I had been thinking.
Well, if she’s latched onto the roots of a tree and is controlling the World Tree, it’s hard to imagine anything else.
Nodding in agreent, I was t with Brimdal mumbling in disgust.
“If you know where she is, finish it quickly. I can’t keep dealing with this deranged pointy-ear runaway drama.”
“Do we have to dig the ground?”
To Linl’s innocent question, Azrael shook his head.
“No. First, we have to talk. I don’t know what Dersia’s intentions are. I want to avoid a fight as much as possible. And also…”
Azrael soon turned his glare to Ciel.
“You were with her. You couldn’t stop her?”
“I’m sorry. I should have been firr…”
Ciel let out a sigh and lowered her head.
More connected than expected. If she’s known by both Brimdal and Azrael, maybe she used to be sothing like a ssenger?
“Before we go, one last thing. Make sure this is clear.”
Azrael looked over us one by one and warned firmly.
“If talking is impossible, run imdiately. If Dersia has made preparations, we won’t be able to respond.”
“Understood.”
Of course, I didn’t really think a fight would break out.
I didn’t believe Dersia would try to harm , or my companions. No matter how far gone she might be, I trusted that she’d have at least that much judgnt left.
“And you.”
“Yes.”
“Do you truly not need my help?”
On the way to the World Tree.
Azrael kept clinging to the matter, as if unwilling to let it go.
“I don’t think enough trust has built up between us yet. If you can help in front of Master, I’ll accept it then.”
“You’re going to throw away a golden opportunity over sothing like distrust?”
“The director who raised at the Orphanage told to never accept a gift from soone I don’t know well, no matter how nice it looks.”
“…That’s a good teaching.”
Azrael shrugged his shoulders.
“Then fine, I’ll do it in front of Dersia.”
He seed determined to help no matter what.
Of course, that only made more suspicious.
“Why are you trying so hard to look after ?”
“Because I want to see it, you brat.”
What the hell does that an?
As I tried to calm down Linl, who was gleefully skipping ahead like she was enjoying all this, we passed over a mountain.
And there it was.
No, I mistook it for a mountain.
…It was a tree.
“What the f- What is this?”
I almost cursed without realizing it, but held back because Linl was there.
Azrael chuckled and nodded with pride.
“How about it? Makes you want to worship it, doesn’t it?”
“It does seem that way.”
Even knowing it had been enhanced, I had assud it was just a bunch of trees rged together.
But this- this was no joke. It was the size of an apartnt building.
Looking up hurt my neck. Amazed by its sheer scale, I approached with a new sense of understanding, maybe shamanism isn’t entirely baseless after all.
The closer we got, the more it felt like a massive brown wall ca into view. Just the roots alone would probably take months to fully search.
“What do we do now?”
“Leave it to .”
Ciel approached the World Tree with a confident expression and clicked open the bag she had been carrying.
“I’m very experienced at getting Dersia-nim to co out.”
Inside the bag, was a whole lot of oil.
I frowned and looked at Azrael, but he just shrugged.
It was a silent permission, I suppose. Ciel went ahead and flipped open a lighter.
I couldn’t help but voice my concern.
“Are you seriously going to do it?”
“Yes. I used to do this at the mansion sotis.”
…That explains the burn marks I saw in the room.
Still, setting fire to the World Tree, or even just a tree this massive, would be an outright disaster if it burned…
I stared worriedly at Ciel, who looked like she really ant to go through with it.
Just before the lighter touched the tree. At that very mont.
[…Did I not clearly write it at the end of the letter?]
The highest branch bent in a grotesque way and ca down toward us.
It took on a human shape. Though made of leaves and branches, on closer look it resembled none other than Dersia.
Branch-Version Dersia crossed her arms and glared at us.
[I told you not to believe Ciel’s words.]
It was definitely Dersia.
She really ca out like this, huh.
“The contents were too strange to believe.”
So conversation is possible. I took a step forward and t eyes with Branch-Dersia.
“Your actions are incomprehensible. Why are you causing such a ss here? If you’re doing this for , all I can ask is that you stop.”
[Jern.]
Dersia.
Was not flustered. She wasn’t angry.
She didn’t even look like she was trying to hide anything.
She simply answered, with the usual calm and composed deanor of Dersia.
[I am perfectly normal, not the slightest bit off.]
“You certainly look that way.”
For all the fuss about a Fall or ntal illness, she looked absolutely fine.
[I apologize for not explaining in more detail. However, I had no intention whatsoever of slaughtering all my kin. There’s no reason to, and even if there were, it’s sothing that must never be done. What I did to make them into wizards was only temporary, and can be reversed at any ti.]
“Is that really true?”
[I stake my na on it. No elf will be hard in this matter.]
“…”
She wasn’t soone who would lie.
Dersia touched her forehead, shook her head slightly, and muttered.
[I caused you unnecessary worry. I’m sorry for writing such a confusing letter. I had sothing urgent to do here, so I had no choice.]
…What.
[But after you woke up, rather than confirming your condition first, I decided to act right away, just in case the worst had happened, and report to you afterward. That’s all.]
This is way too normal?
At least during this conversation, I couldn’t tell any difference between the old Dersia and the current one.
Thank god. I let out a breath of relief.
Dersia had not Fallen. Not even a trace of it.
“Ah, so she says. Seems like we overreacted a bit.”
The situation fizzled out anticlimactically. When I turned around, Ciel was pursing her lips tightly as she stared at Dersia.
“…!”
Her expression was tense.
What’s wrong? Just as I opened my mouth to ask.
Soone took a heavy step forward.
“Dersia Aspandil.”
A deep voice.
It was Brimdal, who had been silently following without a word until now.
He stood just within arm’s reach, looking down at Dersia, and asked,
“Do you know who I am?”
[I’ve heard of the deranged Dwarf knight who sees humans as swords.]
It was such an appalling remark, it was almost shocking it wasn’t said with hostility, but Brimdal didn’t seem to care at all.
Rather, it was Dersia who looked puzzled and asked in return.
[If it’s Ciel, Jern, Azrael, and that knight cadet, Jern’s friend, I can understand, but… why are you here? An interesting face.]
“I’ve co to tell you sothing.”
?
Wait, wasn’t I just here to not skip out on my Enhanced Mana Body training?
It was the first ti I heard that Brimdal had a purpose with Dersia.
[As far as I know, we’ve never even t.]
Whether Dersia refused or not.
Brimdal took a step forward and glanced behind him.
-He looked at .
“To be precise, I ca to make a request.”
[I suppose I’ll at least hear you out.]
“Hand over your disciple.”
?
For a mont, in a silence sharp enough to cut, I doubted my own ears.
Was that a joke?
Was Brimdal the kind of person no, Dwarf who could even make a joke?
[Excuse ? No… what?]
I wasn’t the only one taken aback.
Even Dersia, rarely seen flustered, stamred her words, but Brimdal confidently declared,
“While you were gone, I took on the role of Jern’s master.”
[…What did you say?]
“At first, it was a hassle. I only intended to teach him half-heartedly and be done with it, just to get that gold, Linl, behind him.”
Brimdal was looking at Dersia as he spoke.
But his words were ant for .
“A good sword is forged from good materials. That’s obvious. A truth so unquestionable I’ve never doubted it even once, but that talentless hunk of stone, no matter how much I hamred and struck, simply wouldn’t break.”
[…]
“And then, at so point, I ca to a simple realization. If no amount of beating will break a stone, what does it lack compared to the hardest steel in the world?”
[What are you trying to say?]
Brimdal declared in a low voice.
“I will forge my final sword with that boy.”
[…]
“Hand him over. He’s too precious for you to keep. I’ll raise him well.”
[…Hmm.]
After Dersia’s nasal hum.
Even Linl, sensing the mood, swallowed hard and stayed silent.
…It was a silence so heavy, it felt suffocating, and it lasted a long ti.
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