Chapter 214 – The Big One Approaches

The day of the Forest Keeper selection.

I returned home early in the morning, washed myself thoroughly, and donned the neat academy uniform I seldom wore.

Shiba sat at the table while Azalea tied a necktie for me. The height difference between us forced her to raise her hands high, which made me chuckle.

“Why are you laughing?”
“Just because.”
“Really now.”

Was it because I giggled at her? Azalea puffed her cheeks after removing her hands from the necktie, then lifted her flower-like lips and leaned in for a kiss.

– Smooch.

An unexpected peck on the lips.

“Make sure to wear your mask.”

She handed me my old mask, which I hadn’t used in a while.

“Do I really need to wear this? I haven’t used it lately.”
“What if more women join us here?”

It wasn’t obsession, just a desire for exclusivity.

As they spent time together, the venom that once plagued Azalea dissipated, and she became a gentle, amiable soul.

“Shiba probably wouldn’t want to see more mothers around, right? Isn’t that so, Shiba?”
“Mom?”
“Mhm, Mom.”
“Yay!”
“……”

Azalea’s face hardens in response to Shiba’s tactless comment.

“Hehehe, is that so? Mom likes it.”
“Enough, just put on the mask, please.”
“Alright.”

Though it lost its functions as an artifact when the gem fell out, it’s still an adequate mask to conceal my appearance.

Having changed into all new clothes, I stood before the mirror. The attire was designed with shades of blue, intended to mimic the hues of verdant tree leaves. But from my perspective, it appeared somewhat old-fashioned.

“It suits you well.”
“The more I think about it, it seems like wearing something else might be better.”
“Anyway, they’re going to provide different clothes once you enter the preliminary match, right? Just bear with it this time.”

Azalea comforted me with a gentle pat on my behind.

Feeling a sense of regret, I find myself akin to a son who whines about not wanting to go to high school. Isn’t that a bit bad too? Azalea has been taking care of all the housework, making life quite comfortable lately.

However, I now have to leave this place for some time.

Instead of creating a new mask, I put on the one I wore when I met Azalea during my days at the academy. I fashioned the mistletoe that Heaven generously gave me into a bracelet, which I now wear on my wrist.

Among the items I packed was the suspicious robe that had passed through the hands of the tax collector.

With a little jolt, I grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, prompting Azalea to come see me off with Shiba in her arms.

“Shiba, I’ll be back,” I say, bringing my face closer to hers. Shiba squirmed out of Azalea’s embrace and bumped her face against my cheek.

_Smooch._

A smile spreads across my face, amused by this unexpected cheek kiss.

“You should say, ‘Take care,'” Azalea advises.

“Take care,” I repeat.

As I left the house, I felt the weight of my luggage on my back. Taking a step down the stairs and looking behind me, I saw Azalea and Shiba, both smiling.

When I waved, they both happily waved back.

‘Ah, it’s like a complete family.’

I wonder if this is how the head of a household feels every morning while going to work.

My worries about Shiba had lessened. After all, when I’m not there, Azalea and Shin Hye-young are around. Shiba seemed to have grown attached to the two of them and was getting along fine without me.

*Knock, knock!*

A notification sound from my pocket. I picked up my phone to check the message, and it was from Star.

– Star : (Photo)

The photo Star sent was of the two of them sitting across from each other in front of the TV, with snacks placed at the center of the table, both looking at their phones. Star had a bright expression, while Lee Se-young was looking at the phone’s lens with a surprised look on her face.

What stood out was that Lee Se-young had taken off her top.

The overwhelming presence of a 75F chest.
Soft and healthy white skin, distinct from Azalea’s.

-Byeo-ri: Watching it live!
-Me: Aren’t you working?
-Byeo-ri: Ah, lol, my boyfriend is on TV, I can’t resist watching, lol
-Me: Why is Se-Young like that?
-Byeo-ri: Dunno? Probably bragging about her big breasts.
-Byeo-ri: (Teasing emoticon)

A faint chuckle.
I send a message to Lee Se-Young with a light smile.

-Me: (Photo)
-Me: ???
-Lee Se-Young: I didn’t ask her to take it, she did it on her own
-Me: Lolololol
-Lee Se-Young: Cheer up
-Me: Yep
-Lee Se-Young: And keep in touch

I put my phone in my pocket, ending the conversation with them.

Now, there’s a lot to do.
I hurried toward the academy.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Hey.”
“Mm?”
“Isn’t it exciting?”

At Tae-yang’s words, Aori tilted her head and looked at the cellphone screen he was viewing.

“The list of participants for this Forest Keeper Selection Tournament.”

A few hours before the start of the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament.

7 AM.
The faces of the students, who had their photos taken in real-time at the academy, were posted on the tournament’s homepage.

Tae-yang and Aori, who were participating from Seoul Academy, were also included in the list of participants.

The number of participants’ faces grew with each refresh.
Among them were members from some of the most prestigious academies in the world.

“Wow~”

All of them were stunningly beautiful.

As expected, when it comes to forest keepers, there are handsome men and gorgeous women.
Tae-yang zoomed in on a few photos and began to enthusiastically describe the women’s faces to Aori.

In this regard, his research was thorough, as if he were a ghost.

“National beauty. That phrase isn’t wasted. Now, let me explain each one in turn.”
“I want to see the men, though.”

“Silence, and listen. First and foremost, the National Trees.”

These are the representatives of each nation, participating under a single flag. Regardless of the academy, they are among the best-educated individuals on Earth.

Even if they are cadets from top-tier academies, there are few who can be compared to the National Trees. Even the renowned Jung Si-woo has a record of fighting and losing against one.

“The basics are A-rank Hunters. There are many S-rank Hunters as well.”

The National Tree symbolizes the dignity of a nation.

Born with overwhelming talent from the cradle, they receive all the support they need to become the ultimate force of their respective countries, at the expense of their nation’s resources. They inherit the concentrated essence of the World Tree, enabling them to naturally utilize Lignification.

Their growth is aimed at reaching the pinnacle of power.

In addition to safeguarding the World Tree, they must undergo rigorous training to take on the responsibility of protecting their nation from the Flowers.

The debut stage for these National Trees is the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament.

“The World Tree dislikes those who have reached enlightenment, doesn’t it?”

Tae-yang scoffed at Aori’s words.

“When was that ever the case?”

King Mokryeong. The Heavenly Demon’s providential connection.
With the Flower holding sway, the foundation of the World Tree was on the verge of crumbling.

In order to confront the countless titans that would appear in the future, the World Tree needed to ally itself with these titans as well. Thus, from the very beginning, it bestowed various blessings and power to help someone grow.

“That would be the World Tree’s husband candidates, the National Trees… Those are the ones we have to face.”

Tae-yang spoke as if it were nothing.

“Damn, the cat’s out of the bag. But that’s not the important part.”
“What’s the important part?”
“They’re beautiful.”

Japanese cherry blossoms.
Chinese plums. Ginkgo.
Canadian sugar maples.
Indian banyans.
Russian pear blossoms.
American dogwoods, and so on.

All of them possessed a visual appeal that would make anyone involuntarily gasp in awe.
Their personalities and beauty were each unique and distinct.

However, it was undeniable that they were strikingly beautiful and impressive.

It was already a proven fact that the lineage of those who inherited the World Tree’s blood more intensely was of superior quality. The breathtaking beauty of the World Tree’s descendants with the densest blood could easily surpass dozens of idols, even when described crudely.

And so, humans were considered lesser choices for romantic partners.

“How beautiful must the elves have been, the ones who lived for thousands of years with such a concentration of the World Tree’s blood?”

As Tae-yang indulged in his fantasies, Aori stuck out her tongue in disgust.

“…Disgusting.”
“What, you witch?”
“Ah, ah! Don’t pinch me!”

As Tae-yang stretched Aori’s cheek like a taffy, she let her stoic expression go and shrieked.

“Be quiet.”
“Yes.”

At the instructor’s immediate reprimand, Tae-yang and Aori closed their mouths. One thing was clear:

“Anyway, the national tree… is divine.”

A god for men.

Remember well, why do men from all over the world eagerly watch the seemingly monotonous Forest Keeper Selection Tournament, which spans several months?

There was a reason for the thrilling scenes of national trees struggling within the dungeon being shared as animated GIFs.

You need not worry if your parents ask, “What are you watching?”
“I’m watching the wholesome, documentary-style Forest Keeper Selection Tournament.”
Upon saying that, they would peel an apple for you, saying, “Ah, our child is enjoying something fun.”

“…So repulsive… Ah, it hurts. It hurts. Stop gripping me.”
“Though it is a star that can never be obtained.”

If you mishandle a national tree, you could be wiped out in the blink of an eye.
At least not until you encounter King Mokryeong of the future generations.

‘After meeting King Mokryeong and conveying all the information he needs to know… perhaps it might be acceptable to throw away my life and sleep with her just once.’

By surrendering my life,
I would allow her to bear a child.

Could that not be the epitome of a true man?

After examining all the photos of the national tree, Tae-yang immediately turned to the next page. There, he found photos of students taken at El Academy.

Though ranked below the national tree, El Academy was a top-tier institution. Its students were all highly skilled.

‘Being skilled means having sufficient talent.’

If someone had talent, it meant they had inherited a great deal of the World Tree’s blood. Consequently, the individuals at El Academy were all attractive and good-looking. True, there was the occasional exception, but overall they were all outstanding characters.

As Tae-yang perused the photos, savoring each image, a man caught his eye. He was a black-haired individual wearing a mask. His name was Lee Si-heon.

“A mask? What kind of mask is he wearing?”

It didn’t really matter, as there were plenty of ways to identify someone even without seeing their face. But Tae-yang wondered what the point of wearing an uncomfortable mask was. Aori, clinging to Tae-yang’s arm, glanced at the photo and her eyes sparkled.

“Is it because of his appearance?”
“No.”
“Why?”

“This guy is handsome.”

Aori firmly declared her assessment.
The sparkling stars etched in her eyes showed no sign of fading.

“Wasn’t it just a while ago that someone said searching for a pretty girl was repulsive?”
“First-rate. Might be on par with a national treasure.”
“What? This guy?”
“Yes. Seeing him gives me goosebumps.”
“You’re saying that much?”

Tae-yang furrowed his brow and closely examined the faintly revealed face beneath the mask.
His eyes were sharp, and his jawline was sleek; he was indeed impressive if one were to admit it.

“Am I not more handsome than him, though?”

At Tae-yang’s remark, Aori spat.

“Ptui.”

Saliva flowed thickly from her cheek.
The corner of Tae-yang’s mouth, hardened like stone, twitched.

“There’s a limit to nonsense.”
“…This wench.”

A journey to find King Mokryeong.
It seemed it would take a bit longer.

The Forest Keeper Selection Tournament takes into account various factors, such as individual and team competitions, as evaluation criteria.

The evaluation criteria are not too strict, as the broadcasting period spans a few months. Having grown during this time, I believe I won’t stumble and fall in a strict situation.

[…Nothing will happen to Lady Sansuyu during the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament. There’s a possibility of assassination, but the World Tree wouldn’t try to do that, even if it meant ruining the festival.]

Sansuyu’s experiment success rate is exceedingly slim.

If the festival were to collapse, the loss would amount to trillions, making it difficult for the World Tree to decide easily.

It seems the Cornus family has made that judgment. Seong Ji-ho, Sansuyu’s secretary, told me this.

[At least in the Forest Keeper Selection Tournament, it might be good to make cherished memories with Lady Sansuyu.]

Don’t ruin the atmosphere.
That’s the plan.

The tense standoff between the World Tree and the Cornus family seemed to be put on hold for the time being, until the end of the Forest Keeper selection event.

‘The problem is that it’s not the only thing I need to worry about.’

I glanced at Sansuyu sitting next to me.

Sansuyu dipped bread in balsamic vinegar and ate it with relish.

“Sour.”
“Are you on a culinary adventure?”
“?”

In addition to yesterday, I infused Sansuyu with heightened powers this morning, making her much healthier. As long as I keep looking after her, nothing major should happen.

That’s the biggest concern.

‘…The terror of the Flower.’

From the edge of my vision, I looked at Guseul sitting next to Lim Jong-hyun, pretending to be an ordinary person in her cosplay.

“Huh? Good morning, Siheon~”

That damned woman is definitely suspicious.