Chapter 215 – Among Them, There is a Flower (1)

A colossal transport aircraft.
A luxurious airliner, grand enough to rival a mansion floating in the sky, hosted a gathering of several individuals.

“Soo-yeon, who do you think we will meet here?”

The pink-haired woman wearing a mask inquired innocently, her feet clad in traditional footwear tapping lightly.

She was dressed in a Japanese kimono based on a pink color palette. Faintly glowing cherry blossoms adorned her attire, delicately painted in every corner.

“Why are you asking me? I am not the world’s capital, you know?”

“Good point! Will Si-heon be here, though?”

“Si-heon…? Oh, you mean Lee Si-heon.”

The national tree of Korea, the Rose of Sharon.
A person who reached the pinnacle, the granddaughter of the Hunter Association’s president.
Kim Soo-yeon casually listened to Saku’s words.

“Saku, don’t get your hopes up too high. At best, he’s an academy cadet.”

“But he’s wearing a mask.”

“It’s just like wearing the same mask.”

The cherry tree family has a peculiar custom of never removing their masks unless they are in front of their own home or husband. Kim Soo-yeon tapped the cheek of Saku’s mask.

With a white base, the mask had elongated, cat-like eyes and ears. Additionally, bright red curved lines formed patterns on the cheeks and forehead. It was the guardian spirit that is always depicted beside a cherry tree – the mask of a wooden fox.

“You have a fox mask. And he… What, what was it? Anyway, the masks are different types.”
“Isn’t it romantic that we all hide our faces? Perhaps? He must be someone who takes off his mask only when beside Kanojo.”
“Romantic? Honestly, ever since you were little, you’ve been fixated on such trivial matters.”
“Eh, isn’t romance a good thing?”
“There’s no such thing.”
“Sona!”

It’s true, being usually confined to a cage with little opportunity for meetings, one could understandably feel excited. Even Kim Soo-yeon’s heart was pounding on this occasion.

Saku, the cherry blossom maiden, sat in her seat, her thoughts bustling and flowering like the blossoms themselves. The yukata she wore swayed gently with her movements.

“We’re not here to play,” said a woman, chiding Saku.

Her skin was sun-kissed, and her eyes seemed unfocused. With stacks of books piled up in front of her desk and a thesis firmly grasped in her hand, she was known as Prajna, the living embodiment of India’s national tree.

Like Saku, vivid red patterns were dispersed evenly across her lower abdomen, shoulders, and back.

Korea, Japan, and India.

Naturally, at other tables, lively conversations bloomed among close acquaintances.

“Ha ha ha! Is everyone ready?” boomed a man with a hearty voice.

His golden hair gleamed as he lounged on the sofa, a member of the esteemed Oak family and representing the national tree of Britain—Beech, named Bell.

He glanced around, surveying the room.

“…Could you please sit with your legs a bit closer together? And lower your voice! You nearly deafened me.”

A woman shot back at Bell, visibly irritated.

A petite woman with blue hair, the national tree of France: Marronnier.

At her words, Bell placed his hand on his forehead, looking around, and then feigned surprise upon seeing Marronnier.

“Oh, was there someone here? Ah~ I didn’t notice because you’re so short.”
“…Hah. Has she gone mad just because she’s taller?”

Marronnier’s eyes turn fierce due to Bell’s taunting.

A chestnut-haired man who had been watching their conversation from afar laughed softly.

“Hehehe. Are you two fighting over something imagined?”
“Bell constantly acts so cocky. She’s not even a proper fistful.”
“A tiny girl sure talks big.”
“A large orc-like guy. Why don’t you go over there and paint your skin green? To match the orcs in the game you play. Oh~rc.”

A German Beech tree, A.B, stepped in to mediate between the two.

“Calm down, friends. There’s nothing to gain from fighting here. We should get along well.”

The 20-year-old national trees.

In a few more years, they might ascend to prominence and be confirmed as individuals capable of effortlessly supporting one of the nations.

Marronnier confronted A.B.

“So? There can only be one Forest Keeper among us, right?”

“You won’t become a Forest Keeper, so why don’t you just go over there and make some friends, Marronnier?”

“Shut up, green liquid monster.”

“Gasp.”

The two glared and gnashed their teeth at each other like a dragon and a tiger locked in combat. A.B, unable to intervene, opened his eyes wide, revealing his brown irises.

He placed a finger on his philtrum, speaking softly.

“With an unknown number of survival rounds ahead… Do we really need to increase our enemies?”

It was said that these individuals with overwhelming abilities were like national pillars, their numbers easily surpassing dozens. To become a Forest Keeper, one had to compete with all of them and claim first place.

But were they limited to just these national pillars?

Rumors abounded that this year’s Academy cadets were far from ordinary as well.

“Think carefully. What if you both fight for the national title, only to be eliminated? The moment you lose to an academy cadet… You understand?”

A.B’s warning.

-Gulp.

Marronnier and Bell shuddered.
What if they lost the national title to a mere academy cadet?

At that moment, it would be a national disgrace. A fall from grace. They might have to endure the public’s scorn for a while.

“Be aware that when you return to your country, you might be pelted with eggs instead of showered with flowers.”

As if A.B’s warning had hit its mark, Marronnier and Bell swallowed hard.

“No way… We won’t lose, right?”
“Right, right. Orc’s right. A.B, aren’t you worrying too much?”

Bell, though still boisterous, shrugged her shoulders with feigned confidence in a more subdued voice than before. Marronnier agreed, but couldn’t help but wonder what the outcome would be.

A.B chuckled softly, scratching his chestnut-colored hair.

“…Let’s see. The Korean I encountered before had some talent. Although it’s still far from enough.”
“A Korean from before?”
“Jung Si-woo.”
“Ah, that guy… He indeed had talent.”

Marronnier nodded in agreement with A.B.’s words.

World Tree’s husband candidate, Jung Si-woo.
Of course, compared to them, he was an academy student who fell far behind.
He was gaining immense popularity worldwide as a candidate for the World Tree’s husband. However, his skills were severely lacking in comparison to his fame.

‘Still, his perseverance was commendable.’

He had mentioned that he wouldn’t participate in this Forest Keeper Selection round.

That was undoubtedly regrettable. Nonetheless, it was uncertain when someone similar to Jung Si-woo would appear. A.B. sighed and glanced around.

A gathering place where the National Trees convened one by one to form groups.
At first glance, it appeared as a warm and friendly fellowship, but clear boundaries existed between the different groups.

Naturally, even among the National Trees, there were those that were close and those that were not.

“Three Asian women… Have Plum and Ginkgo not arrived yet?”

Kim Soo-yeon, Saku, and Prajna.
All of them are formidable individuals, not to be underestimated.

“Then those three must be a team.”

A.B reached a tentative conclusion.
Forming a team of three to four people would be the most effective.

The Forest Keeper Tournament is promoted as an individual competition, but forming a team wasn’t impossible.

A survival challenge starting with hundreds.

Teaming up is one of the main strategies to easily outpace competitors.
In a mission to survive on a remote island, a team’s assistance was often indispensable.

And so, the contenders began to group together one by one.
A.B, Marronnier, and Bell were seated here for a similar reason.

“How will this selection round turn out?”

A.B clasped his hands together and placed them behind his head, a grin playing at the corners of his eyes.

“Well… it’s not going to end nicely.”

Outside the window of the airliner, a massive building gradually came into view.

– Again.

And in a corner of the plane.

A dark-skinned woman, with no one nearby, nervously tapped on her cellphone.

‘The one most closely connected to Do-won.’

The national tree of Africa, the baobab. Even on the continent where the terror of the Gate and Flower had virtually brought the functions of the state to a halt, the national tree still stood.

Black hair. Yellow eyes. A garment that barely covered her chest.

Baobab.

A people of battle who had fought against terror, Gate monsters, and Ents since childhood.

“…Where are you?”

Her eyes narrowed fiercely as she repeated a man’s name.

“Lee Si-heon.”

The individual closest to Do-won in the selection for the Forest Keeper. The man wearing a mask in the photo was displayed on the screen of the cellphone that Baobab held.

* * * * * * * *

[Reporter Yoo Seung-ah?]
[Yes, I’m Yoo Seung-ah from MBS. I’m at the site where the Forest Keeper Selection is being held.]

On the screen, news and broadcasts about Jeolchanri and the Forest Keeper Selection were being shown.

The national representatives and Academy cadets were disembarking the plane one by one.

Lined up in a single row, they stood next to each national flag. They represented not only the Academy but their respective countries as well.

In front of each flag, the national representatives stood, waving their flags.

-Crunch.

White Peach was chewing on a hard peach, watching the scene. Nearby, Bob, Koroshi, and P were also chewing peaches together.

[Kyaaak~ A statue! White Peach, there’s a statue over there! A statue! The statue is on TV!]

‘…As if that’s something unusual.’

[Watching it on TV is so different! But they’re wearing a mask?]

-Square.

Enjoying the sweetness of the firm peach was short-lived. Rossi, who had been watching the screen, pointed at Lee Si-heon and said,

“Oh, there they are. A prospective member of Do-wonhyang.”
“Yeah, I saw it too. Videos have been coming out well recently.”

P responded to Rossi’s remark.

“P, your sister isn’t going out as a mentor this time, is she?”
“Well… I wouldn’t know unless I’d heard from her.”
“That Champi?”
“Damn it, I told you not to mention that name.”
“How can someone’s name be Champi?”
“Right, Goroshi.”

-Bickering.

Baekdo’s brows furrowed at the noisy squabbling of the two fighting overhead.

“Both of you, be quiet.”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”

Both of them closed their mouths.

Baekdo blankly stared at Lee Si-heon on the screen while chewing the peach. The quietness was perfect. For some reason, the peach seemed to taste even sweeter.

“Huh? Wait a moment… Hey, Bob.”
“What’s the matter?”

At that moment, P opened her mouth again.

With a slightly bewildered expression, she pointed her finger at a corner of the TV screen.
A long line of people.
A dark-skinned woman waving an unusual flag in a somewhat secluded location.

P pointed at her and asked Bob.

“Isn’t that your sister?”
“YES?”
“It seems she went there searching for you.”

Originally, Bob should have been in that place.

However, he had avoided his responsibility as a national representative and immediately fled to Dowonhyang, a mercenary group.
Had his sister filled the vacancy left by him?

“…Oh, it seems so.”
“You’re such a nuisance. Shouldn’t you go after her and take your place instead?”
“I don’t want to.”

Bob said firmly.
The reason why Bob had suddenly left Africa and joined Dowonhyang.

“Until I encounter the mightiest tree, I shall not return.”

Such was the incomprehensible goal of Bob, which neither Rossina P nor even White Peach could fathom. This objective was both preposterously grandiose and utterly absurd. When he initially attempted to leave home, his family vehemently opposed the decision.

The most fervent opposition came from the very person standing before them: Bob’s sister. It was Baobab, who even now continued to stir up the world as she pursued her brother’s movements.

Unexpectedly, Baobab participated in the Forest Keeper Selection. This also signified that she had uncovered Do-won’s whereabouts.

The person she sought was, of course, the sole individual maintaining contact with those from Do-won’s faction.

“Ah.”

Si-heon heaved a sigh.

“Si-heon is in deep trouble.”