Chapter 287 – I’m Not the Kind to Do Such Deeds

“One of the Flower’s sanctuaries it is.”

The menacing expression on my face did not dissipate.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?”

The place resembled a garbage dump, reeking of filth in every corner.
Though no lifeless bodies were present, famished children hid nearby, holding their breath as they watched us.

An adult, who seemed to be approaching us, gazed at me from beneath their hood before turning away wordlessly. Flower’s hand shot out in response, driven by emotion.

“Let’s avoid unnecessary conflict.”

My hand halted under the sage’s caution.
The deep blue magical energy coiled around my arm, wavering as if it were about to unleash.

It was difficult for me to control my body, frozen just before casting the spell.

“…What is it?”
“Lee Si-heon, the children are frightened. Please, soften your expression a bit. I implore you.”

Was I too agitated?

As I shifted my gaze to the side of the sage’s chin, I caught sight of several youngsters who appeared to have just been weaned. There were girls who looked to be middle school age and boys who seemed likely to cause a commotion. Most of them had expressions of terror, but a few even glared at me, as though they despised me as an outsider.

They were children who appeared desperate to live.

These youths were at an age to be carefree and playing, yet their cheeks were gaunt. I couldn’t bear to look at their faces, filled with worry and anxiety.

I retracted the magic from my arm.

“Are you saying that the Flower is protecting these children?”

My emotions were already in turmoil due to Gu-seul’s and Tae-yang’s words. My voice became strained with nervousness.

“Is it not you, the sage?”

Feeling as though I couldn’t show a pleasant face, I pulled a mask from my pocket and put it on. The sage remained nonchalant in response to my question. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was my mood that made me think his sympathy for me was distasteful.

It was only after taking a deep breath that I managed to calm down.

“When did I ever say I defended them?”

Soon after, she spoke up.

“Good and evil, beauty and ugliness, they change with the times. I neither hate nor support anyone.”

“Who can’t state the obvious?”

There are positive aspects to this group as well.
Don’t judge the entire group based on a small number.

Do they expect me to quietly accept such words? It wouldn’t satisfy me even if it were torn to pieces right away.
If everyone understood and accepted everything, there would be no negative groups in this world.
Why, go ahead and say that even racist groups are right. Or ask for understanding with a generous heart if someone is killed in the name of environmental protection.

“Don’t obfuscate the issue with trivial words. A flower is a flower, and the fact that the sage brought me here is nothing short of treason from the perspective of the World Tree.”

Although they spoke respectfully, there were no pleasant words to be heard.

I bear no intention of criticizing the sage’s humanitarian aid efforts.
In a narrow sense, it’s a commendable act.

However, the implications behind the name are different. It means there’s a distinction between ordinary people helping children here and a sage doing the same.
The very fact that someone known as a sage repeatedly visits Flower’s dwelling is a significant issue.

“If Flower were to expose this immediately, it wouldn’t bode well for the sage, would it?”
“Does Lee Si-heon expect me to fall for such a scheme?”
“I suppose not, but…”
“Please, calm down a bit more and listen to what I have to say.”

I halted my speech and gazed down at her from above.
The sage still maintained a composed expression.

“First, let’s move on to the next location.”

The sage, attempting to employ spatial magic by invoking her magical prowess.

As I looked at her face, I was suddenly reminded of what Gu-seul had once told me.
There are Flowers who engage in acts of terrorism, and there are Flowers who solely conduct simple relief activities. We are not wicked. We haven’t killed innocent people.

Nonsense.

Even if we set aside the unlikely claim that they never killed an innocent person, as long as Flower acts as Flower, they are essentially in the same boat. No matter how different their methods or how much they argue, as long as their power remains unbroken, they acknowledge their individual roles and tacitly accept them, reaping the benefits that come with it.

Listening to it alone is quite intriguing. From another perspective, doesn’t it suggest that dividing power is a common occurrence even within Flower?

Terrorists are nothing more than terrorists. Unless someone turns their organization inside out. No, even if the entire faction were to be overthrown, they could never escape the stigma that comes with it.

…
It was a world impossible not to loathe.

“Lee Si-heon.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to worry about our destination this time. It’s not a Flower hideout.”

Heat rose to his face. He removed the mask to cool down and regain his composure before putting it back on.

The place they arrived at this time was, once again, a slum.

If there was a notable difference from before, it was the sheer amount of debris from shattered buildings, for some unknown reason. Elderly people and children could be seen rummaging through the rubble, searching for scraps of metal.

The scene revealed the nature of the events that had transpired in this place.

“Long ago, this was the site of a terrible calamity.”

It was here that the forces of Flower and the World Tree had once gathered and clashed. This place had been abandoned by the World Tree, leaving it as desolate as the forsaken dwellings of Flower.

The sage had conducted relief efforts here as well. Astoundingly, most of the children were familiar with the sage, following her with adoring gazes as if she were their savior.

I still couldn’t discern what the sage wished to convey to me.

Her white hem was stained with dust and powdered stone as she watched the children, appearing genuinely content. At times, she even seemed like their mother.

“Have you memorized the coordinates?”

“Yes, more or less. But it might take some time.”

“Let’s stay together for a while. Then, let’s proceed to the next location immediately. After all, we need to have breakfast too.”

The situation was similar in other places.
The atmosphere and direction varied only slightly. The destinations the sage headed to were primarily places where people lived.

Astonishingly, following her around reminded me of the old days.
My memory is hazy because I was very young… Was it kindergarten? There was a time when I diligently followed the Disaster Relief Society, helping my father and the people.
My face even appeared prominently in the newspaper once. In hindsight, that was just one of the images my father had conceived.

“How long has Lee Si-heon been in this world?”
“Don’t you know?”

The sage asked while distributing food to the children.
Being foreigners, no one understood what we were saying anyway.

“Don’t assume I know everything. Hehe. I only know what’s necessary.”
“It hasn’t been a year yet.”
“Then you must not know much about Korea.”
“That’s true.”

I too offered bread to the children. A grubby little child approached, and I couldn’t help but feel wary. Did they not want to eat the bread I gave, instead of one from a sage? With a slightly disheartened expression, the child snatched the bread and stuffed their mouth full.

Fearing they might choke, I handed them a small carton of milk.

“Discrimination between humans and wooden beings is still rampant in this world. Even when children are dying like this, proper supplies are not sent to the scene of terror. Not only is there a lack of resources, but corruption is also widespread.”

“I suppose so.”

“Lee Si-heon, do you know what will happen if Flower and the World Tree wage war?”

How could I know? War is not a subject to be spoken of lightly. Even experts who have dedicated decades to studying it cannot predict the consequences.

“I told you I’d share my knowledge of the world with you.”

“Yes.”

“What do you think would happen if there were a civil war within the Union?”

The Union. That’s America.

You might consider this a digression.
Yet, since Flower’s tale had emerged just prior, it was impossible to simply gloss over it.

Upon reflection, I have yet to see the United States’ national emblem.
Rummaging through my memories, I recall that each state produces its own emblem every week.
Could it be on the verge of fragmentation?

“Is this the Second Civil War?”

The past I knew might differ, so I emphasized the word ‘second.’
Seeing the sage nod his head, it appeared quite similar to the past I knew.
Considering that the nation shares the same name, a somewhat mutual past, and the power dynamics between countries bear little difference to the world I once inhabited.

“It will all crumble.”

The market freezes, and stock prices plummet.
If it were to end there, a sigh of relief might be warranted.
In a situation where the collapse of even a single small country is unpredictable, imagine the consequences if a superpower, ranked among the highest, were to fall.

“And what if it’s on the brink of such an event?”
“……”

“There are many companies that cooperate with Flower. In my estimation, there must be hundreds. And even the state itself.”
“…You’re joking, right?”

At first, I thought it was a terrorist organization with significant power.
However, I recently realized that the extent of Flower’s interference has gradually increased.
The situation had become so entangled and severe that it resembled the inextricable roots of trees.

But even knowing that, the sage’s words still felt like a gross exaggeration.
The idea of the state cooperating with Flower seemed impossible.
After all, there’s no way the World Tree faction would know about it and remain idle.

“Heh.”

The sage wore a smile at the corner of his lips.

“As the voice grows louder and power amasses, unavoidable wars come into existence. I’ve seen it far too many times. Global wars may have different justifications, but ultimately, they stem from national interests and personal ambitions.”
“…So what’s your point?”

“Flower stands at the heart of it all. In comparison to humans, the woodfolk are a minority, and the ideology that cries out for a grand purpose continues to etch steel lines onto guns even now.”

Companies pursue profit.
The fact that they aid Flower indicates there is a reason for such judgment.
Interpreted differently, the sage’s words implied that a global strife could erupt.

Gathering the support of the populace through agitation, changing regimes, and contorting ideologies to incite conflict… Hasn’t this occurred multiple times in the world I once inhabited?
I cannot predict how wars will unfold in this realm teeming with superhuman beings.
In a world where both science and magic have advanced considerably, the very foundations that constitute it could crumble.

It might even transform into an environment uninhabitable for humans.

“Ah… Who might be capable of resolving this predicament?”

None exist.
In the most extreme sense, that is the truth.

Glancing to my side, I noticed the sage observing me intently.

“Perhaps, a king?”

“What, whoa. Me? I nearly fell.”
“You’re the only one with that kind of potential. Of course, there are many choices to be made.”

I snorted.
If a sage were truly wise, they wouldn’t say such things to me.

“A person like me can’t do that.”

It was nonsense. Naturally. That kind of role isn’t meant for someone like me.

“The limit suits me just fine. I’ll have to help in case of a war.”

I’ve never been that kind of person.

* * * * * * *

Awakening from sleep, Lee Si-heon and the sage had disappeared.

After taking a morning shower, Marronnier looked at the empty beds with a sour expression.
Sansuyu must have made a decision yesterday, as she had been shut away in the library for a long time.
It seemed that she and the sage had exchanged some words.

I have so many books to read.

“…”

As a result, Marronnier found herself alone in the room. Normally, she should be reading too, but what can she say?

Lately, she couldn’t focus on anything. Feeling listless, it was all because of that damned man’s face that kept appearing in her mind.

With her wet hair wrapped in a towel, Marronnier glanced at Lee Si-heon’s bed.

*Thump thump.*

The duvet must have absorbed a lot of sweat while he slept during the night. The soft pillow where his face had been resting.

“…no one.”

No one is here.

Marronnier brought her hands together and pressed them against her chest. Her face flushed in time with her racing heartbeat.

…Brainwashing. Lee Si-heon had said it was brainwashing. So, these feelings she was experiencing were ultimately based on falsehoods. The pounding in her chest and the persistent echo of Lee Si-heon’s voice were all fabricated.

Because of this, she couldn’t read her books.

Marronnier tightly closed her eyes.

– Thud.

Her feet landed with difficulty. Slowly approaching the bed, she knelt down and with utmost care, as if caressing precious silk, she gently rolled up the blanket. Then she hugged it to her chest.

“…I’m not a bad person.”

[Blanche, the bad one is that man who resembles a courtesan. You know that, right?]

‘Yes.’

The cells in Marronnier’s head seemed to agree. At such moments, another set of cells, which always countered with a sharp retort, chimed in as if they had been waiting for their turn.

[…Yes, he is the one who’s bad.]

‘Right?’

This time, fortunately, they were in agreement. She covertly pressed her sharp nose between the fabric and took a deep breath.

– Inhale.

The sensation of it filling her nasal cavity, seeming to melt into her bloodstream. Marronnier’s eyes trembled intensely.

“Ah…”

She collapsed onto the bed, laying on her side, and embraced the blanket. Rubbing her cheeks against the pillow, she rolled the blanket vertically and pressed it between her thighs. Then, she felt a slight tickling sensation.

“…”

Little by little, she pushed her hips forward, as if in a spasm. After taking a shower, her clean body carried the man’s scent. She writhed as if smearing it all over herself.

As if reliving that night, Marronnier tightly closed her eyes and squeezed out a pitiful moan from the pressure on her crotch, stifling it into the pillow.

“…Ah…”

Saliva trailed down the surface of the pillow.

Marronnier’s dazed expression, flushed with desire, turned back toward the bedsheet.

“He said it would be over soon.”

This was a drug – a drug capable of momentarily subduing this arousal.

It didn’t take long for the bed to become soaked with Marronnier’s bodily fluids.