Chapter 281 – The Third Trial

The initial encounter with the Flower had come to an end. That night, Se-Young lay down in bed immediately, without engaging in any further activity.

She had an abundance of thoughts and emotions to process. She couldn’t count how many times she’d considered overturning everything when she discovered that Gu-seul was the Flower.

Once an impression was made, it was difficult to alter.

‘Se-Young had perished at the hands of the Flower. So then…’

She entertained the idea that such a future might vanish if she were to enter the Flower herself.

But in that case, how should the futures of Cornus, the Master, Zodiac, and White Peach be shaped? The more she pondered the future, the more her head felt like it would split open.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

A soft knock resounded. After waiting a moment, Tae-yang entered.

“Brother,” he said.

“Ah, what brings you here?” Se-Young asked.

“I just wanted to talk.”

Tae-yang took a seat on the chair next to the bed, nonchalantly crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

I lay on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
With both hands clasped together under my head, we both zoned out for a while.

“Brother.”
“Yeah?”
“Should I recite chapters 1 to 9 of ‘Ghetto Sun’?”
“No need.”
“Fine.”

A moment of silence.

“So, what are you going to do? Flower.”
“I don’t know.”
“Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with going in.”

It was an unexpected statement.
Up until now, Tae-yang had left the decisions to me and never directly expressed his opinions. It was almost a first, aside from picking and eating from trees.

“Is it because of Gu-seul?”
“No. Do you think I’d recommend it just because I talked to that crazy girl? I’m saying this after considering your personality. You care too much about women.”
“Why bring that up all of a sudden?”
“I’m saying let’s explain it step by step since the story takes a bit longer.”

I’m not the type to be overly concerned about the connections around me.
However, the relationships I formed before traveling to the past strangely tended to be more obsessive on my part.

The reason is… there are various factors at play.
As I underwent the Heavenly Demon’s grueling training, it was those people who occupied my thoughts amidst the pain.
From the very beginning, my life would not have been guaranteed without them.

Tae-yang was aware of my situation to some extent.
Perhaps he was about to offer advice, I thought.

“If you have too many things to handle, it might be right to give up on a few things you’re holding onto.”
“Really?”
“…Perhaps the tasks you need to carry out could be a great disrespect to your lovers.”

There would likely be many instances like that.

“In order to draw out King Mokryeong’s power immediately, you must seduce women or force them into a relationship. Would your lovers approve of that?”
“I don’t think so.”
“And what if you postpone the choice?”

Then, I would die.

“On the contrary, if you adopt a half-hearted attitude, the lives of your lovers will be in danger.”
“So you’re suggesting I should throw everything away instead?”

The relationships cultivated thus far, the honor, the wealth—all laid down.
After abandoning my social status and even my name, I was told to do what I must in a place unknown to Lee Se-Young, Azalea, Cornus, or Heaven.

“…It’s a difficult decision to make.”
“Hehehe.”

Tae-yang laughed at my hesitation.

“Do you know, my foolish brother, why I entrusted the position of King Mokryeong to you?”
“What is it?”
“Ah, this is a long story. I’ll just give you the gist. Hmm, you still have someone to embrace with that power, right? Princess Shiba, as well as Cornus.”

Tae-yang murmured quite cheerfully, as if nothing was amiss.

“But I fell behind a long time ago.”

Tae-yang shrugged once and crossed his legs.
My feet trembled several times. My lips turned blue, and my face became pale, as if I was about to die.

“Because I wasn’t ruthless enough. Because I couldn’t choose my enemy.”

Tae-yang said.

“Brother.”

Softly,

“The reason I acknowledged my brother as the king was that even if I gained power, there wasn’t much I truly desired to accomplish.”

An honest admission. Mok Tae-yang, perhaps this fellow had some hidden intentions. It was the moment my suspicions completely vanished.

“Don’t live foolishly like me.”

A being who inherited the power of King Mokryeong. Possibly, just like me, this person had experienced various events between the World Tree and the Flower.

His voice carried a sincerity that is hard to come by these days. I was unable to respond to Tae-yang’s words, heavy with regret.

* * * * * * * *

The third trial was a lesson with a concept I was quite familiar with.

Mentor. Mentee.

I can still vividly recall my first encounter with White Peach, as we engaged in a heated debate over Ddakbok and Mulbok.

[Ziying, ziying-]

The camera artifacts reemerged and floated in midair. By now, I had grown accustomed to them, so when my mask was reflected in the lens, I discreetly bowed my head in greeting.

Before I knew it, the number of participants had dwindled. Only a few more trials stood between us and the conclusion of the Forest Keeper Selection. It felt like just over a month had passed, and the selection process had progressed at a rapid pace.

‘Are they trying to leave Flower with no time to prepare?’

I regained my focus and stared intently ahead, where as many A and S-class hunters as there were participants stood in a line before the Pope.

“You are all young talents, just beginning to come into your own,” he said.

His speech continued, and following his words, the hunters around me slightly lowered their heads in acknowledgement.

“And these heroes standing before you were once prodigies like yourselves, participating in the selection process long ago.”

The hunters who had once participated in the previous selection trials for the Forest Keeper snickered at his words.
They, too, had sought guidance from even more experienced hunters in their past.

“Teaching endures. Great magic and swordsmanship. The wisdom of life and the blessings of the World Tree.”

With those final words, the Pontiff descended from the stage.

“As the previous Forest Keepers did. So that the young Forest Keeper can gain more experience, it is now time to pass on that power.”

Hunters, heroes, and other individuals possessing exceptional abilities began to rise from their seats. The selection of mentors was entirely free.

First and foremost, the mentors who had observed the first and second trials would select and choose their mentees independently. The primary criterion was whether their abilities would be beneficial to the mentees, or if they could provide better advice to them.

Once the mentors made their choices, it would then be the mentees’ turn.

Upon witnessing the mentors’ abilities and desiring to undergo their trials and lessons, acceptance marks the completion of the third trial.

Worrying about not being chosen is unnecessary. Merely reaching this point serves as proof of one’s talent.

“Anyway…”

I unfolded the notice I received and checked the names of the hunters. Some were familiar, while others I recognized from recent articles I came across while browsing the internet.

National representatives and famous hunters frequently appeared as guests in TV variety shows. Additionally, there were hunters who had proven their exceptional skills within their guilds.

“…Why are there so many S-grades?”

A-grades were abundant, but from what I saw, there were over forty S-grades.

How many were there before King Mokryeong and the Heavenly Demon? It wasn’t just one or two in Korea, but with hunters flocking from all over the world, it’s no wonder the number was jaw-droppingly high.

The world-class competition boasted an impressive roster of participants.

-Flutter, flutter.

I spent a considerable amount of time memorizing people’s names as I flipped through the pages. Suddenly, someone yanked my collar forcefully.

“Hey.”

A familiar, lively voice reached my ears. I turned my head to see a short figure smirking, standing beside me. It was Champi.

“Why are you here?”
“Can’t I be here?”
“I thought you didn’t like these kinds of competitions.”

As I turned a few more pages, I found Champi’s ID photo with her hands forming a “V” shape. Next to her was Elena, a person she despised.

“There are a lot of S-rank competitors, huh? Must be because I’ve been taking some recent photos.”
“Ah, I see.”
“As of 1998, the color of the hunter certificates has been gradually brightening. The ones who’ve been around longer than that are the real talents.”
“But why is the cutoff year 1998?”

In response to my question, Champi smirked and proudly presented her hunter certificate.

Hunter ID tinged with black and a hint of purple. The issuing date stamped at the top read ’98.

Perhaps it’s because they’re from the year 1998.

“So, will you be my mentor?”
“Are you out of your mind? What could I possibly teach you? Why would I be your mentor? If it’s our Sansuyu, then maybe.”

I had my suspicions, but it seems they were unfounded.

Champi, with both hands on their hips, let out a snort. What kind of growth spurt could lead to such a childlike physique? The thought briefly crossed my mind, but I decided not to voice it.

“…Anyway, you already have Cornus. She’s yours.”
“Mine?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Ah, here she comes. Look over there.”

Champi’s finger pointed to the right. As I shifted my gaze, I heard the lively sound of shoes.

– Tock.

A woman was approaching. Her attire, exuding an entirely different aura from those around her, caught my eye.

A long dress with white shoes concealed within the folds of the skirt, accompanied by a black butterfly emblem. The large, white hat—extensive enough to obscure her face—called to mind the image of a witch. The attire harkened back to Europe during the Enlightenment era.

How curious, how mysterious. Despite being surrounded by other mentors and mentees dressed in modern apparel, there wasn’t a noticeable sense of incongruity. She carried off the outfit with such grace. This sensation had been experienced before with White Peach.

The woman slowly approached us. Step by step, her gait relaxed and unhurried.

“I’ll be going, then.”
“Wait, who is she?”
“I’m not sure.”

One would expect to have an inkling. Among those I knew, Aori—the one obsessed with cosplay—was the only one who would don such a garb.

Champi gazed at me with a sullen expression before pointing to the woman once more.

“A sage.”

A sage. The Tree of Sephirot. The guardian of the World Tree entrusted with the domain of knowledge.

The woman standing where Champi’s finger pointed halted, raising her hand to secure her hat against the gusting wind. As the brim lifted slightly, her face came into view.

A beaming countenance framed by silver hair in a half-ponytail. Her appearance was reminiscent of a duchess. She smiled the moment our eyes met.

“Hello, Participant Lee Si-heon.”

She was quite tall, so she didn’t peer up at me like other women did. Not taller than me, but if she were to stand on her tiptoes, our gazes would align perfectly.

Sage Sephirot. I had heard the name before. Her appearance was not well-known, so this was my first time seeing her.

“Do you have any spots left for a mentor?”
“…Ah. Yes.”

I had been momentarily captivated by her visage. The sage raised her hand in a light-hearted gesture and smiled at my reaction, while narrowing her eyes without even glancing at Champi standing behind me.

“Participant Lee Si-heon is also a mage, so I would like to be his mentor. What do you think? Would you like to hear from other mentors?”

As the conversation continued, it seemed as if this might be the only opportunity.
The voice was gentle, but it sent shivers down one’s spine when listened to.

The Sage.
The world’s most renowned wizard and scholar, and an intellectual.

When asked to name the strongest person, opinions diverge; however, when discussing the pinnacle of magic, everyone unanimously mentions a single individual. What more is there to say? The spatial magic I am currently employing is also this woman’s creation. From the underlying principles to the manifestation, everything was crafted by the Sage herself.

I have merely followed in her footsteps.

In this situation, there was only one response to seek.

“…Let’s go, mentor.”

I may not know what thoughts occupy the Sage’s mind, but her name holds a prestige akin to that of the Heavenly Demon in the modern era. It was a difficult prospect to pass up.