Chapter 283 – Eden (2)

Taking a breath, I could detect the delicate scent of coffee.

The lights from the tall ceiling cast a dim glow around the room. Below them, dozens of books brimming with indecipherable characters were stacked like a mountain.

Just moments before arriving here, the sage must have been engrossed in reading, evidenced by the half-open book resting on the desk. It was an antiquated tome, its pink parchment adorned with elegant script.

Curiously, there was a small garden in the center of the room. Within it, countless bears and dolphins, stuffed animals, and mounds of dirt-covered books were strewn about haphazardly. An expensive-looking book featured a crayon tree illustration.

I gazed even further.

Two separate chambers flanked the central area, and beyond them, a majestic glass door loomed.

A glimpse of a library through the purple glass door.

Surrounded in all directions by circular bookshelves filled with books, a spiral staircase ascended as if to pierce the ceiling.

I lowered my gaze once more.

“Tree King!”

There, a small child who appeared to be less than 1 meter tall sat with mud-covered feet. With white hair longer than his own body wrapped around his waist, he pointed ardently.

“Tree King?”

Marronnier was the first to express doubt.

Tree King. As far as I knew, the only being who had reigned as king among the trees was King Mokryeong. How could this little child know that I am King Mokryeong?

Judging by her appearance, she seemed to be the daughter of a sage, but since it wouldn’t be appropriate to question a child, I decided to feign ignorance for the moment. I knelt down, wearing the kindest smile I could muster.

“What is your name?”

Gently extending my hand, I asked the small child.

The little one, shining with a golden light, approached with a bright smile upon hearing my words and took my hand with an excited trot.

Then, taking a closer look at my face.

“…?”

He tilted his head as if something was amiss, reminiscent of when Shiba shook the seedling leaves as a new sprout.

However, his puzzled expression didn’t last long. Soon, he leaped into my arms, a jump no greater than the height of his thumbnail.

“Oof!”

He was a lightweight child with a delicate body that seemed as if it could crumble under the slightest pressure and short limbs.

I skillfully embraced him and lifted him up. A snowflake-like white bundle floated in the air.

“How adorable…”

“Shion. I want to hug him too.”

The child gazed at me with an expression reminiscent of an emoticon formed from initial consonants, just like the cute character faces often seen on the internet.

Both Marronnier and Sansuyu were swiftly captivated by the young child, and it didn’t take long for the three adults to surround him.

“Is he your child? What’s his name?”

“…Ah, well, that’s…”

The sage caressed his cheek and offered a bitter smile in response to my question.

“That is the World Tree of Knowledge.”

World Tree? This little one?

Even at the awkward age of twenty-eight with the physique of a child, Mary, who had been wasting away in her small room, had never become the World Tree.

At that moment, the lively chatter amongst the three of us quieted down.

Silence descended. A small child nestled against me, burying their face in my embrace. The cuteness in their features remained unchanged, but suddenly, it seemed as if a sense of dignity was emanating from their slender shoulders.

“…I didn’t touch it.”

Sansuyu suddenly protested.

“Me neither.”

Right after, Mary also stepped back.

I have nothing to do with this situation. If one were to display such an attitude toward the World Tree of Knowledge, would it lead to the annihilation of the three tribes? It seemed that not even the eldest daughter of a national tree and a pure-blooded noble would be forgiven for such a transgression.

With a creaking sound like that of a machine, they lowered their head.

The World Tree cradled in my arms made gentle eye contact with me through its golden eyes.

Intently.

For a very long time.

“…Uh.”

What would become of me, who had impulsively embraced it the moment I saw it? The worst offender?
No, didn’t the World Tree approach me first?

I imagined myself being handcuffed while offering pitiful excuses.
Unable to bear my rigid posture any longer, the sage finally spoke.

“This is the first time Sephirot has ever rushed towards an outsider.”
“Is, is that so? Is, is this unusual?”

Without answering my question, the sage spread her arms wide and approached me.
The desire to be embraced within her motherly arms was overwhelming, but as I handed her the child I was holding, I was ensconced within her warm chest.

Sephirot turned her doll-like face back towards me and gazed at me once more.

“As you know, participant Lee Si-heon is quite unique. You understand, don’t you?”

King Mokryeong.
Or perhaps it was a matter of the tree’s resonance aligning perfectly.

I still vividly recall the conversation with the star when I first encountered the World Tree of Healing.

“Did you just awaken?”
“Uh-huh…”
“Could you please close your eyes? Hold still. Good~ Well done. *Pat pat*.”

Observing the two of them delicately removing sleep from their eyes with a thin application of magical power, it was hard not to draw certain conclusions. If one were to capture that scene and display it in the city streets, every passerby, without exception, would surely assume they were mother and daughter.

“Anyway, I shall resume my explanation, so do listen carefully. The three of you will now face the third trial within Sephirot’s library for approximately one month.”

The sage gently stroked Sephirot, cradled in his arms, as he continued speaking.

“Food, clothing, and shelter—research, training, and learning—all are managed within this place.”
“Does this mean we cannot leave?”
“If you have a reason to go out, you may do so at any time. However, if you need to contact someone, be aware that this place is shielded from external magical power and transmissions. To communicate with those around you, you’ll need to return to the site of the preliminary competition.”

The sage paused for a moment, observing the three of us, including myself, before placing Sephirot, who was in his arms, onto a square garden bed. The World Tree of Knowledge then settled herself onto a pile of toddler books.

“The tasks and trials for each of you are different, so you may look at anything within this library during your free time.”

“Really? Anything?”

“Yes, anything.”

The sage grinned in response to Marronnier’s astonished voice.

“The magic of Eden… I can…”

Marronnier was so overjoyed that she could barely catch her breath, her voice faltering with every word. Following her, Cornus asked:

“…Are there any books on swordsmanship?”

“Whatever you are thinking of, Cornus, it is all inside here. Be it a comical and absurd love story or a commonplace, pessimistic collection of poems. If it holds value as knowledge, Eden preserves everything.”

The World Tree of Knowledge. Given her responsibility for overseeing this concept, I wondered if she truly possessed such vast knowledge.

For all I knew, Eden seemed to be teeming with knowledge I had never sought before.

-Gulp.

At that moment, saliva slid down my throat.

If played right, information about myself, and perhaps even the present state of the Flower and the World Tree could be discovered.

Maybe even the World Tree of Purity that had been shrouded in secrecy until now. Power surged into both my fists.

‘Purity.’

I called for her in my mind, but no response came.

Feeling a sense of unease, I attempted to summon my status window. No matter how many times I tried, the familiar window failed to appear, as if the connection to the World Tree had been severed.

A space completely isolated from the outside world, capable of even blocking access to the World Tree.

The sage walked forward with a faint smile.

“The room for the three of us is here.”

-Creak.

The door opened naturally, without even laying a hand on it.

I stepped into the room, following the sage’s lead. There were three beds in the fairly spacious chamber. A closet was present, and the blankets and mats were soft, making the space comfortable. However, there were no distinct private rooms.

This accommodation was meant for three. The closet was filled with extra clothes, even containing proper undergarments. Personal items had been prepared in advance, anticipating our arrival. The space included one room, a bathroom, a kitchen, and another bathroom.

Would the three of us be sharing this room? Glancing to the side, I saw Marronnier wearing a highly embarrassed expression. Sansuyu seemed unfazed, but Marronnier appeared to struggle with the idea of living together.

“Are we sharing this room?” I asked.

Since Marronnier was too timid to ask the sage, I took it upon myself to inquire on her behalf.

“Yes,” the sage replied. “But with one man and two women… I don’t mind, but I thought the two of you might feel a bit uncomfortable.”

Upon hearing my question, the sage blinked in surprise.

“Is there a problem?”

Then, suddenly realizing she had forgotten something, she covered her mouth with her hand.

“Ah… indeed.”

King Mokryeong. The sage placed his hands on his stomach and smiled, as if just recalling the name.

“You don’t need to worry about that aspect.”
“No, it’s not about being worried.”
“The bathroom and the toilet are soundproofed, so no sounds leak out. The changing room in the middle of the bathroom as well.”
“What about sleeping?”
“It’s just sleeping, isn’t that okay? It would be a good opportunity to get to know each other.”

With that said, I had nothing more to add. There seemed to be many aspects of living with Marronnier that concerned her, but I could no longer see any reason to object.

Honestly, I was fine with it. I had grown accustomed to living with women by now.

Though I was plagued by lewd desires, I could now endure my sexual urges quite well.

Reflecting on the months I spent with the three Peach Sisters garbed in full-body tights, it was a walk in the park.

“But if it’s too much for you… You can share a room with me.”

Soon, the sage offered another alternative.

“But there are two beds, and one is Sephirot’s bed.”
“Oh…”

If I agree, will I end up sleeping on the floor, curled up? The situation is both amusing and disheartening.

“And there’s no changing room.”
“Why isn’t there a changing room?”
“It was originally a space where I lived alone. I didn’t pay much attention to soundproofing, so noises will leak from the bathroom.”
“…Just tell us to stay on our own.”

Feeling disheartened, I said so, as it seemed like an implicit suggestion to behave modestly.

“I’m grateful for this alone. Yes.”
“…Oh, you can stay with me? Come to think of it, that would be more efficient. I have a lot to discuss with contestant Lee Si-heon.”

However, the sage suggested it once more, as though he truly intended to pursue that course of action.
This individual seems to lack any understanding of gender differences.
I dismissed the idea with a wave of my hand and began to consider alternative approaches.

“Why not stay with Marronnier instead? Sansuyu and I occasionally share a bed, so it wouldn’t be an issue for us.”

My question caught Marronnier off guard, causing her body to tremble in surprise.

“Sl-sleep together!?”
“Yes.”

Admittedly, that arrangement had been prohibited recently due to Sansuyu’s early morning disruptions.
However, given the circumstances, I had no choice but to endure it.
Surely, after being reprimanded once, Sansuyu would refrain from causing further disturbances.

The sage blinked in apparent thoughtlessness before turning to Marronnier.

“Marronnier, would you like to proceed in that manner?”
“…Um, well, it’s just that…”

Marronnier glanced at us surreptitiously.
After mulling it over for some time, she lowered her blushing head and spoke candidly.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be a problem if we proceed as initially suggested…”

And with that, the matter was settled.

With this, the room assignments are complete.

The sage clapped his hands and went into the kitchen, where he pointed at the refrigerator, described the ingredients and dishes inside, and then led us back to the first room.

“Now, shall we proceed with our tasks? Is anyone here particularly busy with communication?”

It’s the third trial, so they’d understand even if I don’t reach out.
It’s fine if I contact Tae-yang and Aori a bit late.
As for Baobab, well, it’s his loss, not mine. If he wanted, he should have suggested a fight earlier.

The three of us, including myself, shook our heads.

“Alright, everyone but Lee Si-heon can enter the library today. I’ll come by shortly to explain how to use it.”

The sage, with a warm smile on his face, clapped his hands again.
Marronnier and Cornus walked toward the purple gate as if in agreement.
Could it be the sheer number of books inside, perhaps tens of thousands or more, that captivated them? Both of them seemed eager to step inside at any moment.

I can hardly wait to get in there.
But you have something to say, so go on.

After sending the two away, I found myself alone with the sage.

“…So.”

A person who knows I am King Mokryeong. As I crawled out of the sage’s room and locked eyes with Sephirot again, the sage who had brought the two inside emerged.

“Do you want to know why I left you alone?”

Now, it’s one-on-one.
No, is it one against Lee?

I watched Sephirot step towards me, one foot at a time. The sage gently grasped Sephirot’s shoulder, wearing a smile filled with maternal love.

Why did you leave me alone?
I have some idea, to an extent.

They’ll likely lay out some unknown knowledge or matters and explain them to me, forcing or urging me to make a choice.

…First, let me ask how much you know about me.
With a confident stance, arms crossed, I asked her.

“So what happened? To the madman who was dragged after being impaled on a tree.”