Chapter 260 – Twist the Tree (1)
Find the Flower hidden in this place.
That is my mission and the order given to me by the Hunter Association.
After an hour of taking turns to explain, Marronnier cautiously mentioned that she had received a similar request as well. Surprisingly, Marronnier and I had the same task to accomplish.
I was contacted by the Hunter Association, while Marronnier was approached by the World Tree Foundation. Although the institutions differ, both sides are on high alert regarding the Flower.
A secret agent of the Association. Did Marronnier interpret my words in that sense?
“…So that’s why you’re so powerful.”
Fiddling with my fingers, I acknowledged the strength I had demonstrated.
“Anyway, I understand… You want me to examine the national trees?”
“Yes.”
In this situation, you are the only one I can trust.
While I don’t think Flower is vulnerable enough to be caught by Marronnier’s abilities, I do believe her presence can cause some degree of fatigue to Flower.
“If you help… will you take me somewhere else?”
“Is taking you there a problem? If I find even a hint of Flower, I will immediately take you on a tour of popular local eateries, and I will be responsible for anything beyond that.”
“…Something more than that?”
Marronnier blinks her eyes, her pale cheeks blushing. Her lips quiver, and she nods her head up and down.
– Nod, nod, nod, nod.
“Alright. I’ll do it. You too… let me know if you have any suspicions.”
“Of course.”
A dramatic conclusion.
Although we couldn’t shake hands due to Marronnier’s unknown symptoms, we exchanged trusting glances with each other.
As we discussed work, time flew by, and before we knew it, two hours had passed. It wasn’t impossible to extend our time, but typically, we wouldn’t. Two hours was quite lengthy for a first encounter. I got up from my seat and said to her:
“Time’s up. Let’s go.”
I had things to do as well. By now, Baobab and that woman might be wreaking havoc in my room.
As I turned to leave, I suddenly heard a pitiful sound from behind me.
“…Ah.”
It was a cute noise, like one made by an abandoned street cat.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Didn’t we only talk about work and nothing else?”
“Did we?”
Blink.
Each time she blinked, her gaze shifted elsewhere. It was fine when we were discussing work, but why was she like this all of a sudden? I bent my knees to match eye levels with her, and with a semblance of courage, she clenched her teeth and cautiously spoke:
“Ugh… Should we extend it just once?”
“Huh?”
“I still have so many questions…”
I can hear the sound of her eyes rolling from here.
With such a request, it’s hard to refuse.
Watching her reactions is quite entertaining. It’s amusing to observe.
A cat.
The more I look at her, the more cat-like she appears.
If every household practiced having one Marronnier, perhaps peace would be maintained throughout the world. Even if I were to say this in jest, some people might nod in agreement.
“Alright.”
After our first meeting, I managed to get Marronnier’s phone number before parting ways with her.
* * * * * * * * *
I enter the room and remove the mask.
The longer I wear it, the more unbearable it becomes. It’s drenched in sweat, making it difficult to use.
Azalea insists on me wearing it, but I wonder how much longer I must endure this.
The mask was neither as comfortable as wearing an Infi cotton ball nor as if it were not worn at all. As the gem slipped out, the mask grew increasingly uncomfortable to wear.
‘Is Baobab not ready yet?’
Cornus thought as she changed her clothes.
Baobab didn’t show up in the morning, nor did he make an appearance at lunch. It seemed that the previous incident had been quite a shock, causing him to keep his distance. If not that, he might be suffering a headache from the second ordeal. Regardless, it was better for Cornus if he didn’t come.
Knock, knock, knock.
The knock sounded at that moment. Judging by the fact that it wasn’t a loud banging on the door, it wasn’t Baobab. It had to be either Tae-yang, Aori, or one of the others. Thinking it was one of them, Cornus put on her clothes and went to the front door.
Just as expected, A and B were softly waving their hands in front of the door.
“You came just in time. Come in and sit down.”
“Huh? Did something good happen to you? You’re not cursing at us as soon as you see us today.”
“When did I ever curse as soon as I saw you?”
Although I may treat these two more harshly compared to others, I’m not overly cruel.
“Really? Hehe.”
Tae-yang tapped his head and stuck out his tongue.
Suddenly, I’m overcome with the urge to curse.
Tae-yang makes a hand gesture, seething with murderous intent. As I contemplate how to handle him, Aori, who is standing nearby, slaps Tae-yang’s side.
“Ouch!”
Her fist digs about 5 cm into his stomach.
Aori approaches with quick steps, takes my arm, and leads me toward the sofa.
“Your Majesty, please sit. What are you talking about?”
“Aori, you little…”
“Tae-yang, you should be grateful to me. I stopped you from getting hit by His Majesty.”
“What nonsense. Ugh.”
I ignore the banter between the two. I brought some cola and snacks to the table.
Most things were prepared, but I had too much tea and needed a change.
“So, what is it? Is this another counseling session for your troubles?”
The true sun asked me.
He hit the nail on the head. It’s always a matter of counsel.
Since both of them tend to cross the line like jumping rope, there is the advantage of being able to talk without hesitation. They know a lot about me, and above all, they are the closest to King Mokryeong. There were many aspects to discuss.
I drank a Coke before speaking. The carbonation flowed down my throat, making me dizzy. As my throat grew damp, I felt somewhat relieved. My throat had grown quite tired from recounting tales of commoners to Marronnier.
“Ahem, well, how about you two?”
“How would I know if you just blurt it out like that? Ah- are you talking about the ordeal?”
“Yes.”
“Sadly, I’m a male tree.”
Regretful…?
That wasn’t what I intended to discuss. Aori, who was seated, teased Tae-yang.
“Why do you think you can’t be with a man, Tae-yang?”
“No way, I’ll never do that~ Why would I? It’s up to you to nail it to the branches.”
“…Tsk.”
Once again, I found myself at a loss.
“Calm down, and listen to me.”
Tae-yang and Aori looked at me. I wasn’t sure where to begin, but I gathered my thoughts and started to talk.
“In a nutshell… I don’t think they have any intention of letting me pass.”
“Why?”
“It seems they’re extremely hostile towards humans. No matter what I say, they just lash out with insults, and they don’t provide any trials… What should I do?”
“Aha~”
Tae-yang clapped his hands as if he understood.
“What’s the document? Do you have the handout they gave you?”
I handed him the paper with information about Mary, folded in half from my pocket. After reading it, Tae-yang chuckled.
“Well, this is easy.”
Easy?
In response to my question, Tae-yang made an obscene gesture.
“Just have sex with her. Push her panties aside and go for it. Once you’ve done that, it’ll be over.”
“…”
“Why are you making that face?”
“Isn’t there another way?”
Though Mary is a tree, she is not a World Tree.
I doubt there’d be much benefit in returning to me after assaulting her.
Of course, I’ve never tried grafting with a tree other than the World Tree, so I can’t be sure of the outcome…
“That enslavement thing, does it always ensnare them when applied?”
“No, it doesn’t. It only works when the target has submitted to some extent, or when their mind is weak, and so on… Essentially, it’s ineffective against World Trees or those with strong spirits.”
“So, it’s conditional?”
“If there’s a significant difference in strength between you and the one you’re having sex with, it’s safe to assume it’s 100% effective. It’s due to the disparity in mental strength. However, how high could the mental fortitude of a delicate flower in this greenhouse be?”
It seems like she’d wail uncontrollably at the mere fall of a single leaf.
Tae-yang tapped the photo of the tree, as seen on the paper, with his index finger.
I concur with the subsequent statement. Mary would never be able to endure even the slightest injustice inflicted upon her.
“In summary, all you need to do is to penetrate it just once, and that’s it. Then the trial will be passed automatically.”
“…….”
“What else is unclear to you?”
“No matter how I think about it, wouldn’t it be disastrous if I just barged in and thrust in?”
As far as I know, there are no cameras in the room.
It’s not being broadcasted, but regardless, wouldn’t the tree have some means of protecting itself?
What if I were to engage in a harmful act and get caught?
The heretic might face some sort of summary execution.
“Isn’t that something the person who devoured the national tree in the first trial shouldn’t say?”
The stage of the first ordeal is nearly impossible to monitor.
It’s a place that was created with only slight alterations from the existing dungeon.
There’s a reason for going through the trouble of deploying artificial intelligence camera artifacts. It means that monitoring is not possible by other means.
“But it’s different there.”
“Hmm… I’m not sure. My thoughts differ.”
Tae-yang pointed once more at the trees.
“Will these creatures really stand idly by as we film their home?”
“It might be possible if we do it secretly.”
“No… Trees are not such unfeeling beings. Especially regarding their sensitivity to magical power, they far surpass wooden people by over twenty times. They would surely recognize an artifact.”
Indeed, that could be the case.
The self-proclaimed tree expert had a unique perspective. Listening to him offered many valuable insights. It was absurd to think of using this knowledge to exploit the trees.
“The impure flow of mana unique to artifacts is like unpleasant electromagnetic waves to trees. Some trees may take this into consideration and protect themselves, but… Listening to you, it doesn’t seem like that’s always the case, does it?”
Tae-yang laughed.
“They might have a sense of complacency. Listen carefully. Consider their position. They are superior trees after all; would they care about a mere touch from us? It’s likely only the inferior species would be bothered. It’s amusing.”
The tone was uncannily similar.
“Is it the same?”
“Did I meet just one or two trees? When I was young, I was their pacifier.”
Tae-yang, who evokes even his melancholic past to instill confidence in me.
Give it a try. Gradually, I find myself being pulled along by Tae-yang’s logic. The problem is that I, too, have started thinking positively about it.
“I’ll consider it as a last resort.”
“Is there another way?”
“Isn’t King Mokryeong described as the best husband for the trees?”
“That’s right.”
That method is far too extreme. If I slip up, it would be like crossing an irreversible river.
It was dangerous. And it wasn’t good for my mental health either.
Having made my decision, I cautiously spoke.
“I’ll try it my way this time.”
“Can I trust you?”
I responded to Tae-yang’s smile with a smile of my own.
“It’salright.”