Chapter 383 – The Cornus Tree (2)

“Grandfather… I don’t understand.”

The national tree of Korea. Mugung responded to Kim Soo-yeon’s words.

The newspaper held by Kim Soo-yeon had countless malicious articles by reporters regarding Lee Si-heon’s heresy judgment. Her hands were shaking.

“Why was this man judged as a heretic? What on earth were the world leaders thinking–”
“There was a reason for it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”

Kim Soo-yeon, who knew both Cornus and Lee Si-heon, understood the current situation very well.

“Both of them… they’re not the kind of people Grandfather thinks they are.”
“Soo-yeon.”

Soo-yeon, saddened by Mugung’s words, lowered her head.

No matter how great the authority of the World Tree was, and even if it was treated like a god, there were still countless people who questioned their choices.

Even more so now, when that authority teeters on the brink of collapse.

Before being deemed heretical, Sansuyu and Lee Si-heon’s reputation had long surpassed the level of mere academy students.

Individuals who would bring a bright future to the world. Together, they rescued victims of disasters and left a trail of benevolent influence wherever they went.

“How many lives has he saved?”
“Likely just as many as he’s taken.”
“…All the national trees must know.”
“Perhaps not. It could all be a distorted version of events.”
“Are you questioning the validity of what I saw, Grandfather?”

At least, that’s how the man appeared to Kim Soo-yeon.

It might be understandable for him to come to Sansuyu’s aid this time. In order to save countless lives at the risk of his own, he gathered the national trees directly from their cradles, minimizing the number of victims.

“……”

Mugung fell silent in response to Kim Soo-yeon’s retort. The old man, feeling the surface of the sofa with his wrinkled hands, sat there and coughed dryly from his parched throat.

“What do you think is the cause? Yes, the reason why Lee Si-heon, the disciple of Heavenly Demon, was judged as a heretic. Tell me.”

Kim Soo-yeon closed her mouth.

She couldn’t know. The thoughts of the world trees were not something one could easily read.

“Because he is a disciple of White Peach?”
“Well, that could be a reason.”
“Do you mean there’s something else?”

The corner of Mugung’s mouth tilted. Kim Soo-yeon’s face hardened at the lascivious, almost animal-like, smile.

It was a smile that felt uncomfortable, even among family.

“It’s a wretched situation. The entire foundation is crumbling.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Soo-yeon.”

Mugung’s head drooped.

“The decisive reason why Lee Si-heon was judged as a heretic is not only because he is a disciple of Heavenly Demon.”
“Then?”
“Your eyes, which try to divide the world into good and evil, are beautiful, but useless as a measure for significant matters. Almost everything has a political component.”

“……”
“Has Lee Si-heon been deemed a heretic?”

Regardless of his popularity, it held no significance to them.

“We merely needed a pretext.”

The movements of the World Tree grew increasingly turbulent with each passing day. Its recent actions made it difficult to discern who was the Flower and who was the World Tree.

One must maintain a broad perspective.

“Cornus of the Cornus family? The failed experiment’s survival is inconsequential.”

Barring a miracle, there was no way for Cornus to survive.

Another secret that Lee Si-heon harbors, shared only with the most trusted. Faith? Even in the midst of such chaos that one couldn’t afford to worry about faith, this method provided an efficient way to handle both matters.

“The World Tree is attempting to kill the Heavenly Demon once again. Alongside his disciple. This time, they’ll succeed.”

By drawing in a man named Lee Si-heon. Together with Si-heon.

“Stealing the Cornus fruit from the Cornus family was just one of the good excuses he had.”

Ever since ascending to the zenith, both Baekdo and Cheondo had been subjected to all manner of pressure. The fact that they could break free from the stigma at any time was a looming threat. Even though the Heavenly Demon currently follows the World Tree, he is becoming one of their greatest internal enemies as the power of Flower grows.

Cancerous cells must be eradicated. They pose a greater danger than Lee Si-heon.

Should the Heavenly Demon turn his back, the balance of power would completely collapse. The same holds true for the other nobles. No one knows when another Cornus incident might occur. Many families had fled to the Flower, seeking refuge. Consequently, numerous noble families were branded as heretics.

“That’s…”

“Do you think it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy?”

As Kim Soo-yeon fumbled for words, Mugung nodded his head.

Though the heresy judgment was undeniably effective in dismantling the status quo, the resulting backlash and side effects were far from insignificant.

As their own flesh was cut away, their faith crumbled as well.

What do they hope to achieve by doing this?

“The World Tree is attempting to reform.”

To abandon the past failures and the system of harmony with humans, opting instead to create an entirely authoritarian system. In contrast, the Flower asserts human rights.

“I have led this country this far. Next, you will succeed me.”
“…”
“Which side you support is up to your choice.”

Mugung gently patted Kim Soo-yeon’s head. A warm smile, one he would never show to anyone else, graced his face.

“For the nation. For the people.”
“…”
“The Mugunghwa must honor only this country.”

Kim Soo-yeon’s face, who had always pursued justice alone, grew more complex.

“Think carefully.”

As Soo-yeon left without a word, Mugung watched her retreating figure and stroked his faded beard.

“However…”

Why were the Three Disasters of the Cornus family guarding that place?

‘I had thought it was a creature nurtured by the Beast King. It must have had no connection with Cornus.’

Regardless, he managed to cut out the heart of the beast, which would have been difficult to handle had it grown just a bit more. Even if it did not die, its collapsed Danjeon would prevent it from ever returning to the battlefield.

A fascinating idea surfaced in Mugung’s mind: if that monster was in any way related to Lee Si-heon.

“Hmm…”

His face turned cold and stern.

“So that’s why… That’s why the oracle was sent down. I was mistaken.”

Mugung reconsidered his thoughts.

“The focus is on Lee Si-heon.”

The Heavenly Demon and the King – it was uncertain if the world capital was aware of this fact. However, given the hasty judgment of heresy, it was likely they knew to some extent. Mugung smirked at the chilling sensation running up his spine.

* * * * * * *

“Don’t ever play such a prank again. I nearly fell.”

Taeyang, who was pulling the wheelchair, struck the top of Aori’s head several times.

He must have intended to lighten the atmosphere with such an act, but it was far too reckless. If dismembering her limbs and sending her tumbling down the stairs was meant to improve the mood, Aori’s sense of judgment was undeniably skewed.

“But is it really alright not to help our king?”
“…If it had been up to me, I would have forcibly intervened. My older brother’s discernment is considerably off.”

He was attempting to tidy up the surroundings. It was a sight often seen with those about to commit suicide or facing imminent death.

Of course, they probably didn’t truly wish to die. It simply implied they had some degree of contemplation. As Taeyang was determined to save the king by any means, he had to dissuade them.

However…

‘Why couldn’t I stop my older brother back then?’

-Kiririk.

Gazing at Aori in front of the rolling wheelchair, Tae-yang found himself deeply troubled.
Losing Aori.
He had thought about it many times. It was inevitable.
If he were to find a creature equal to Lee Si-heon, Aori would be the only candidate amongst the white termites.

He even considered an equal exchange with Aori if his brother were in danger.
Aori had fully fulfilled her role.

“What about the king’s woman?”
“…Well, that shouldn’t be a major issue.”

Although her light paled in comparison to Cornus, Azalea was a splendid aristocrat in her own right.
Lee Se-Young, Star, and Do-won were in positions that the World Tree couldn’t easily touch.

“With the extinction of the Cornus family, the aggro has increased significantly.”
“Aggro?”
“Suppressing heresy and subduing… even your brother has his limits. Beyond this point, the church will crumble. It means that everything the World Tree has accumulated could be transferred to the Flower.”

Lee Si-heon must have made a judgment as well, but it was a dangerously close calculation.

Through the intelligence network of the white termites, I discovered that the conflict among the World Trees has intensified recently.

“It’s just like Flower.”

Much like how the hardliners of Flower forcefully raided the cradle, the annihilation of the Cornus family this time was also the result of some World Trees pushing forward with no regard for the consequences.

“Efficiency is impossible with these damned colossal powers.”

If the organization of the World Trees were to fully unite and operate ideally, the outcome would be catastrophic. Not only would the relationships centered around Lee Si-heon be destroyed, but the figures of the oracle, along with Tae-yang and Aori, would be completely obliterated as well.

Be it Flower or the World Trees, neither can resort to using force beyond a certain degree in the current situation, no matter what may come to pass.

Even if it involves Lee Si-heon, the Heavenly Demon, or Mugung, the forces of opposition have risen to their peak. Anyone could become the fuse that ignites the conflict.

Underneath the savage political arena, massive sticks of dynamite are attached to all influential individuals worldwide. Those who had connections with Lee Si-heon have more than enough potential to become the fuse that sets off the explosion.

“No matter how hard we try, it’ll probably just amount to surveillance. Like that bitch Gu-seul did. Although, even that would be difficult.”
“…”
“If your brother’s women are in danger.”

It would likely be when Lee Se-Young or Azalea had directly provided the reason for betraying the World Tree.

One must take a broader perspective.
If the World Tree had been able to afford it, if Flower’s momentum had been only slightly weaker, then Dowonhyang might not have been established years ago. And Tae-yang wouldn’t have been able to amass such power by exploiting a gap.

“The moment your brother arrived in this world was crucial.”
“Timing?”
“Spring, on this day. I don’t know who it is, but if there’s a World Tree that adjusted for your brother to come to this world… I honestly want to praise them. They provided the perfect foundation and opportunity for growth.”

It was the exact timing that the World Tree couldn’t counter.

Aori’s wheelchair came to a halt halfway.
Tae-yang turned his head and visually checked between numerous buildings.

Even at this very moment, attacks on the World Tree were happening. Terrorism was breaking out. The seeds of rebellion had grown, reaching the verge of exploding.

‘Even the Five Great World Trees wouldn’t be able to handle any more enemies than this.’

Even if they took matters into their own hands.

‘Is there a reason they never attempt to capture my brother?’

Well, that didn’t matter anymore. Lee Si-heon had already become a heretic and was now a fugitive. Since he wasn’t part of a family, there were no punitive forces after him, but returning to normal life would be difficult.

-Boom!!!

Suddenly, a ripple of magical energy was felt in the sky. A white-haired woman descended from a high-rise building.

The face of the person Tae-yang recognized –

“Oh, shit.”

-White Peach.

“Aori.”
“Yeah!”

-Screech!

Aori began to feverishly spin the wheels of her wheelchair. Tae-yang followed Aori with a stunned expression on his face.

“No, you can’t fucking escape like that.”
“Then how… Ah!”

Aori’s eyes sparkled once more.
Those were her eyes when she had a peculiar idea.
Tae-yang hastily spread his arms with a furious expression. The wheelchair toppled over, and Aori’s limbs disassembled yet again.

“Aori’s limbs escape!”

Aori, having broken her arms and legs, leaped from the wheelchair and clung to Tae-yang.
She was incredibly light due to her short stature and lack of limbs.

“Domhangcha!”

* * * * * * *

– Jeobeok, Jeobuck.

Keeiik!

With zombie-like steps, Lee Si-heon entered the house and fell onto his knees beside the bed where Cornus lay.

Various cuts were bound together with bandages.

After infusing power into Sansuyu’s body, he changed his clothes and rummaged through the cupboard.

The rice had run out.

“Should I just… starve?”

He collapsed exhaustedly beside the bed. Turning his head, he gazed at Sansuyu.

A seemingly endless wait.
His body had returned to its original state, and his organs were unharmed.

Lee Si-heon stared blankly at Sansuyu.
When? How long must he wait for her to open her eyes?

At that moment, Sansuyu’s eyelids twitched.
He realized her eyes had been closed. Usually, when he came home, her eyes would open automatically, and she would gaze at him mechanically.

“Sansuyu…?”

At Lee Si-heon’s call, Sansuyu’s eyelids slowly lifted.

“……”

She couldn’t speak yet, but a faint glimmer had returned to her eyes.
Sansuyu mumbled something.

“…Huh?”