Chapter 288 – Will 3 Days Be Enough?

Following the sage’s guidance, I visited a total of nine slums. Flower managed four of them, while the other five were, in name at least, under the control of the World Tree. In the end, I couldn’t grasp what this woman was trying to tell me.

“Should we head back?”

The sage, her clothes covered in dust, smiled at me with an unreadable expression. She always wore a smile, but her true feelings remained concealed behind it, making it hard to feel any closeness to her. She seemed well-practiced at hiding her true self.

“Sage.”

“Yes?”

“So, what do you want?”

I decided to ask her directly.

“Do you want anything from me? Flowers are, after all, bastards.”

It was a matter of perspective. Tae-yang could understand. It was possible for him to find food and grow under Flower’s protection.

So when he spoke about the Flower, I remained silent.

That’s how it was with Tae-yang. I hardly paid any attention to Gu-seul, except for a few parts. But even Tae-yang didn’t deny it when I referred to the Flower as a repulsive group. Tae-yang knew the truth, in fact.

Even if they claimed to protect the slums, Tae-yang knew what transpired there. I couldn’t know myself, but Tae-yang was one of the test subjects.

I try to maintain my composure in any situation. Knowing that, how would I feel if I said that the Flower was this way or that way?

The sage gazed into my eyes gently. The slightly upturned, pure white eyes resonated.

“I don’t want anything,” I said.

“Usually, people like that are the most desperate. Don’t hide it, speak up,” the sage advised.

And so, she spoke after a short while.

“You make your choices. Sephirot is solely dedicated to recording knowledge and history, wanting nothing more than to observe your footsteps.”

“Then what was the purpose of showing me this? It’s not some novel form of gaslighting.”
“To reveal the aspects you’ve been avoiding. In truth, that’s something we were unable to do for the previous King Mokryeong.”

It’s King Mokryeong once more.
I furrowed my brow beneath the mask.

“Even if you expose the parts I’ve been ignoring, it would only cause immense pain. Are you trying to make me suffer?”
“The price of power, though calling it that seems far too cruel. It is, after all, a power you never wished for. Regardless, it is better to be more informed in order to make wise decisions. I won’t force you.”
“…Fine.”

Such an abstract argument.

“What will you do next?”
“Have you memorized all the coordinates?”
“It seems I’ll need at least a week to commit them all to memory.”
“Then let’s repeat this ritual together every morning until you’ve memorized the coordinates.”
“And then?”

“This time, let’s discuss the flawed system. Having looked at the negative aspects, I’ll also show you the positive ones. We’ll explore which country is on the brink of collapse, and the nature of Korea’s foreign policy. I’ll also reveal the consequences of Flower’s terror.”

Is it a matter of educational curriculum?
It’s true that I’m lacking in that area.
Although the history is similar, the existence of magic and the World Tree has caused all the characters and great figures to change.

The sage’s face, as she listed the various topics she would teach me, appeared excited.
I observed her and sighed inwardly.

What does this woman, the World Tree of Knowledge, truly desire?
At times, it seemed like a simple amusement.
It feels as if she’s sitting in a lofty position, watching the actions of these individuals, and then selecting one who appears somewhat unique, nurturing them, and setting them loose.

I had spoken, but what did I really mean?

The World Tree, claiming to observe from a position of absolute neutrality.

But it’s true that my actions seem nonsensical.
It implies that there’s an ulterior motive.

‘Showing the true nature of the Flower and the World Tree. Does it mean there’s something to gain from it?’

Or is it solely to observe my actions?

The sage endeavored to relay only impartial information to me.
Yet, from the listener’s perspective, the stories were nothing but uncomfortable, and everyone’s tales were repugnant without exception.

“…If you overthink it, you might lose your hair.”
“It’s fine. Fortunately, it seems my father’s genes don’t include hair loss.”
“Hehe, that’s not what I meant. You can listen to it comfortably, like attending a middle school class. After all, I’m simply sharing what I know.”
“…Yeah, alright.”

For my part, I merely accepted it with detachment.

Upon hearing my bitter tone, the sage bowed his head slightly.

“Under normal circumstances, you would have been living an ordinary life.”

“It’s been a while since I accepted it.”
“…If so, I’m glad.”
“I’ve come to like a lot of people.”

I don’t know if the future of that person’s death has been fixed.
Even if I couldn’t understand her perspective on the world, I could understand what she was saying.

“Honestly, I’d like the sage to be among the people I like. Lately, it’s been a bit overwhelming.”

Damn, there are too many enemies.
It would have been nice if even one more person was on my side, or at the very least, not an enemy.
Fortunately, the sage slightly raised the corner of his mouth, seemingly not misinterpreting my intentions.

“Rest assured, neither Sephirot nor I will ever turn our backs on you. You are a person of value.”

I hope so.

* * * * * * * *

When I returned to Eden, the first place I visited was my room.

– Thud.

Upon opening the door, a peculiar yet sweet aroma of flesh wafted through the air.
Had someone been exercising in here?
I paused momentarily, trying to identify the strange, alluring scent.

It was the fragrance of Marronnier.
I turned my head to find Marronnier lying on my bed, deeply asleep.
She must have lain down immediately after washing her hair, as a towel rested on the bed and the sheets were damp.

I reached out and wrapped my hand around Marronnier’s shoulder.

“Is this a cat or a half-cat, half-dog?”

Magical training took place during the day.
Sansuyu wasn’t particularly talented in magic, so she would attend other classes. However, Marronnier and I had tread the path of sorcery.
Regardless of the sage’s ulterior motives, it would be a loss not to learn magic.

“Hey, hey. Wake up.”
“…Mmm.”
“You should sleep in your own bed, not mine.”

At first, Marronnier mumbled in her sleep. Then, she opened her eyes slightly, her gaze capturing my face.

“Lee Si-heon?”

Our eyes met.

“Oh.”

-Thump thump.

The sound of a heartbeat. Flames seemed to flare up on Blanche’s face, as if the situation had escalated again and a gas range was igniting.

“….”

“What are you doing here?”

“…Don’t you knock?”

“This is my room. What do you mean knock? Get up. The sage is calling.”

“The sage? Oh, right. We were in the midst of a trial.”

When Marronnier awoke from her groggy state, her hair was a mess, likely because she had washed it and gone straight to sleep. It was damp and sticking up in places.

It reminded her of a baby cat’s uniquely pointy fur, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

She’s cute.

“Why, why are you laughing?”

“No, it’s just… What about my sheets? Look how soaked they are.”

“Ah….”

Marronnier appeared apologetic, touching the bed. She clenched her mouth and averted her gaze as if suddenly reminded of something.

“…Should we swap them?”

“Fine. Turn your head.”

“Why?”

“Look at your hair.”

When I pointed at the wall-mounted mirror, Marronnier hesitantly touched her own hair. Without giving her a chance to speak, I moved behind her and gently ran my fingers through her hair. I occasionally spent time with Se-Young, Azalea, and Bam, and would brush their hair when we showered together. Perhaps due to a hidden talent, I had become quite skilled at this task.

I used magic to dry her hair, and then carefully arranged it with my hands.

“What are you doing?” she exclaimed.

“Just stay still,” I replied.

I didn’t have much time, so I quickly finished her hair.

“Ugh, I really don’t like having my hair touched,” Marronnier grumbled.

I recalled her usual hairstyle—a pair of pigtails tied with black ribbons, her light blue hair stretching out.

“Goodness,” she sighed.

Despite her initial resistance, Marronnier looked at me with a hint of admiration when she saw her completed hair.

“You seem quite familiar with this. Who have you done this for?” she asked.

“Many people,” I answered.

“What? Several people?” she stammered.

I had occasionally styled Sansuyu’s hair as well.

Recently, there hadn’t been much for me to do, as Sansuyu had been waking up late. Oddly enough, when she slept with me, she was groggy, so I had to take care of various things for her.

I placed the last hair tie on the table and gestured towards the door.

“Let’s go. We need to attend a magic lesson.”
“Ah, wait a moment… My wand.”

Marronnier, holding her wand, followed me with her bare feet clad in white stockings.

“It took a little while.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“It’s alright. Please, have a seat.”

The sage glanced at Marronnier with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, and we each took a seat in a pair of chairs, the origin of which was unknown to us.

Magical training.
It was more akin to a math test than actual training.
Magic, after all, was like a phenomenon of power that blossomed from meticulous calculations. I had struggled quite a bit when taking lessons from Zodiac.

“First of all, I plan to start with the basics, but Lee Si-heon, you’ve already heard this once, haven’t you?”

Before commencing his instruction, the sage glanced at me and uttered a single phrase. Momentarily, I tilted my head, wondering if I had ever heard such a thing before.

“It refers to your master.”
“Ah, Sister Hwangdo? Indeed, if it’s the same theory, you must have heard it.”
“Heh, Hwangdo was truly adorable.”
“Now that you mention it, how did you two meet?”

Though the conversation seemed to take a slight detour, the sage began recounting the story with a nostalgic smile upon his face.

“Well… it was in a dungeon. I once assisted a staggering girl who was on the verge of dying all alone. Strangely enough, her hair color was slightly different? A red-headed child approached me with a request. She was an amusing little one, as three distinct personalities resided within a single body.”

It appeared as though he was referring to the three individuals during their younger, less powerful days.

“Are you saying that the sage has a disciple? I thought I heard that you don’t take on disciples.”

“I can teach you whenever you wish. However, many who have learned from me haven’t achieved significant accomplishments.”
“…A disciple of the sage.”

Marronnier, clenching his fists and gazing at the sage with envious eyes, sent a piercing stare as if it could bore holes through the fabric of his clothes.

“Hwangdo was a true genius. She excelled without requiring guidance… If anyone deserves the title of Archmage, it would suit Hwangdo better than me. No one could match her sheer talent. That’s why I taught her as well.”
“I see.”
“Ah, one thing she always used to say… She wanted to find a love to which she could dedicate her entire life. I wonder if she’s doing well in that regard now.”

Could it be just my imagination that the sage seemed to cast a fleeting glance in my direction?
Hwangdo, I don’t recall meeting her recently.
My master has been too preoccupied with numerous tasks. I occasionally hear that she watches me on broadcast, but we haven’t met face-to-face.
Nonetheless, I sometimes hear stories about her through Zodiac.

It seems that the situation is not particularly dangerous yet. Naturally, this is to be expected when one body contains three individuals, each having attained the pinnacle of their respective fields.

“Ishi-un!”

While I was engrossed in the conversation, Sephirot approached and tapped my knee.

“Will you hold me?”
“Meow!”

I couldn’t help but lift her up and let her sit on my lap. Marronnier gawked at us, glancing at the sage for his reaction, but this had already happened several times before.

“Now that Sephirot has joined us, let’s cease our small talk and return to the lesson. Both of you possess ample aptitude. If I may ask, to what extent are you capable of using magic?”
“I can use most of the magic that is currently known. However, the effects and efficiency don’t significantly differ from those of others.”

Marronnier was the first to respond. As for myself, I don’t know much about magic. My abilities are limited to the level taught at the academy. I can only wield spells up to the highest level of difficulty found in the curriculum’s spellbook.

Of course, even at that level, it is possible to strike the S-class fringe.
The output is the quality and quantity of magical power.
The mindset is to push forward somehow.
My aptitude for wind magic was so exceptional that it suited me well.

“Then, for Lee Si-heon, it’s the quantity of magic that’s the issue, and for Marronnier, it’s the quality.”

With a single nod, the sage raised his hand.
Then, the library vibrated intensely, and books began pouring down from the sky.

– Thud, thud, thud!

A magical tome that accelerates rapidly and stops just before it hits the ground.
With a single gesture, the sage placed them on our desks.

“Let’s study all of this for now.”

Fifteen volumes. 190 pages per volume.
It’s no small task.
I was reminded of the time right before midterms when learning magic, when Hae-nul, who had spread out all kinds of papers and magical circles, shouted that this was nothing.

“Heh.”

Studying, training, and even traveling back to the past – and yet, back to studying once more.

Maroni too wore a slightly pensive expression.

It was not merely a matter of reading, but of understanding, solving the problems oneself, and committing them to memory until fully internalized – a task that felt like one’s insides might burst.

“Three days should suffice, right?”

There were no easy paths along the grand journey of magic.