Chapter 454 – The Gardener in Black (1)

Within a room shrouded in darkness, a disheveled brown-haired man raised his long, slit eyes.

“The king has attacked the cradle. The World Tree faction has been deprived of the World Tree of Growth. It means he will start to make his move slowly.”

Germany’s National Tree, A.B.

“Everything has happened as foretold, Prajna.”

Those who gathered around the black table had joined Flower, a group that advocates for the equality of tree beings. In response to A.B.’s words, Prajna, who was seated to his right, touched the pattern in her armpit and replied.

“It’s the future I saw. Do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

India’s Prajna.
Germany’s A.B.
Britain’s Bell.

Key members of the Anti-World Tree Union (ATU). They were independent from the pro-World Tree nations, sharing an economically, diplomatically, and politically aligned relationship.

The brown-skinned Prajna narrowed her eyes as she took out a book tucked between her thighs and opened it.

Countless geometric patterns adorned her entire body. Her foresight, achieved through ancient sorcery, had never failed her.

“…Wait.”

Prophet. A person who can observe the uncertain future. Only three such individuals could be found throughout the entire world.

The Saint of Flower, the World Tree bestowing oracles, and the sorceress Prajna. Each of them pursued different goals, and the futures they aimed to overcome varied, but the events they prepared for were the same.

“This time, they’ll move again. From the World Tree to the Flower, and… even the king.”

Prajna murmured.

“The location is Descanso Garden. What will you do?”

Her fingers pointed below her navel. A circular pattern was situated where her long nails traced her skin. A tattoo drawn on the lower abdomen, where the uterus resides. The tattoos stretching from her thighs, the back of her knees, to her shins resonated, and Prajna exhaled.

“Is the goal still the same?”

At Prajna’s words, A.B and Bell briefly nodded their heads.
Having absorbed the remnants of power scattered by the death of Pianhwa and King Mokryeong’s purge, they had grown to the point where even the World Tree could scarcely be ignored.

ATU is a gathering of individuals with differing objectives.
Though they belong to Flower’s sphere of influence, they are distinctly separate.

Some are present to witness the culmination of sorcery,
while others are here for the sake of simple national interests.

A coalition of interests united by shared goals. The concept of equality is merely a façade.
A.B, after surveying Prajna and Bell in turn, adjusted his mask and raised the corner of his mouth.

* * * * * * * * * *

Feeling overwhelmed,
these were the thoughts in Shiba’s mind as she escaped from her mother’s embrace.

[71 missed calls]

‘Mom, please…! Stop calling me!’

I lied about staying at the academy dormitory with a friend for a while. Even that seems to be a cause for concern.

“…Beep.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing… really.”

In response to Kim Soo-yeon’s worried question, Shiba covered her cell phone screen and answered.

Although Shiba had returned to the embrace of Azalea and her aunts after the cradle raid, it wasn’t an entirely good thing. Shiba’s impulsive actions in the cradle had reached her mother’s ears, and as a result, she had to endure the scolding of her aunts for several days.

– If you do that again, your aunt will be really angry, you hear!? Huh!? I said she’d be mad!!
– Byul, you kind of sound like an old-timer.

Aunt Byul was furious, having been so worried about Shiba. She didn’t say anything, but both Lee Se-Young and Azalea seemed to subtly agree.

In such a tense atmosphere, Shiba couldn’t possibly mention joining a guild in search of a king and fighting. In the end, she arrived at this place without her mother’s knowledge.

“Beep.”

Fire-affinity daughter Lee Shiba (4 years old).
Mother, I’m sorry.

However, one must reap the seeds they have sown themselves.
Shiba, having reversed Mary’s self-sacrifice, clenched her fist with strength and followed Kim Soo-yeon.

“Do you see?”

Soo-yeon, smiling as she pointed to the side.
As Shiba turned her head, she saw countless hunters in her field of vision.

“Everyone here is fighting against the Flower.”

Heroes of this era, unable to simply stand by and watch the current state of affairs.
Among the bustling crowd, Shiba recognized a familiar face.

‘That girl…’

She was the impudent girl Shiba had briefly spoken with during the Forest Keeper Selection Competition.
No, she was a squirrel girl.

The brown-haired girl was leaning casually against the wall, shoving what seemed to be the cheapest menu item from a burger joint into her mouth.
Shiba wanted to strike up a conversation, but…

‘…Well, I guess we’re in the same boat.’

There was no real reason to talk to her, and Shiba didn’t particularly like her either.

Shiba didn’t want to feign familiarity with the girl who callously described her father’s death as a good thing.

She turned her head and surveyed the surroundings a bit more.

People with a level of fame typically seen on TV. Considering the size of this group, she wondered if her aunts would soon notice. Silently praying that Byeol-i, the association president, wouldn’t catch on, Shiba followed Kim Soo-yeon.

【Tree Knights】

The name hung on a pillar above the grand central temple. Countless family crests, reminiscent of those found in medieval Europe, adorned the area, and below them, the names of numerous guilds and mage towers were etched.

“Tree Knights…?”

“Yes.”

Upon saying the name directly translated into Korean, Kim Soo-yeon tapped Shiba on the shoulder and explained.

“They were initially formed to gain the upper hand in the dungeon conflict against Flower, but now they’ve become a massive guild standing tall at the heart of the battlefront.”

Securing dungeons soon becomes the foundation of power. Heroes initially chosen to gather resources have now increased their ranks and wield their swords against the executives of Flower.

“The tasks are simple. Raid dungeons, acquire magical stones… and thwart Flower. Recently, they’ve also taken on the responsibility of protecting the trees that King Mokryeong is targeting.”
“King Mokryeong…”
“Yes, that’s right. The one who attacked the cradle.”

That man.

Shiba, with a face in her mind, asked earnestly,

“Can I meet him?”

Soo-yeon smirked at Shiba’s eagerness. “Well,” she scoffed, pulling a card key from the counter and handing it to Shiba.

“Normally, you wouldn’t be able to participate in such matters straight away, but… I know your skills well.”

Although her abilities are comparable to those of the National Mok, there is no one of the same age who can rival her swordsmanship. With hands-on experience, she may even surpass her current level.

Kim Soo-yeon held Shiba’s talent and skills in high regard.

“Congratulations on joining the Tree Knights.”

Soo-yeon pulled out a business card and handed it to Shiba, who held the card key. Lee Shiba. Shiba tilted her head at the team name written on the three-letter name left by her father.

“Cotyledon?”
“Starting today, this is the team you’ll be working with. You can think of it as a small guild. From now on, you’ll move as a team when tackling dungeons or working on tasks.”
“Team…”

【Cotyledon】

Shiba’s team. Shiba, who was cautiously examining her business card, asked Soo-yeon.

“What team are you on?”
“For now, I’m with you. Cotyledon is a new team, but… compared to other new teams, the treatment is different.”
“Why?”
“Because there are two national champions on the team. You should know, right? Saku.”
“Ah…”

Upon hearing the name Saku, Shiba’s mouth twitched momentarily.

-Shiba-jjang, kawaii~~~!

That voice which automatically played in her ears.

Yoshino Saku. A somewhat off-putting person due to her overzealous approach.

Nonetheless, thanks to Soo-yeon, Shiba had come this far. As a result, the day to meet that man had been significantly brought forward.

A smile crept onto Shiba’s lips as she fiddled with her business card. Soo-yeon laughed in response.

“So, starting next week, it’ll be your first assignment. Are you okay with that?”
“Ah, yes!”

It could be a lengthy and potentially dangerous situation. Although Shiba had been given a few examples and explanations, she never backed out belatedly. She knew it might worry her aunts, but as long as she didn’t mention it, that would be enough. Tired of their overprotectiveness, she had already discussed it with her friends.

“By the way, what exactly is this assignment? A dungeon?”

At Shiba’s question, Soo-yeon lightly shook her head in denial.

“An escort.”

Until the World Tree’s decree came to pass, Shiba’s task was to protect the physically challenged girl. Thus, her first mission commenced.

The Eighth Leaf, in other words, my domain is divided into three distinct regions.

The first region is located in Turkey, managed by Hong-Yeon, where the majority of our military force is concentrated. The second region lies in one of the fractured lands of Northern Europe—an industrial zone in southern Norway. Lastly, the third region encompasses the southern part of China, where we rescue and accommodate the largest number of impoverished individuals.

Among these, the first and second regions were considered territories belonging to the Eighth Leaf even before my time, while the third region is a place I personally discovered and established with a stronghold.

Region two holds the greatest authority for Gu-seul and serves as a hideout for my loyal servant, Engahero. This time, Gu-seul’s expedition would consist of a lengthy journey from the third region to the second region.

“So, what’s the plan for this endeavor?”

A formal attire with minimal exposure.

Guseul, who had undergone quite a few changes in her attire while I was present, returned to her original outfit, a gun slung over her shoulder, and asked me a question.

I, too, am prepared to embark on a journey. In order to find Camellia, we need to scout ahead, establish a hideout, and survey the surroundings.

There’s only one person I can take with me. Mary and others, with their patience and healing abilities, still have much work to do in District 3. Taking them along wouldn’t be particularly helpful.

I have only one companion. I casually stroked the hair of Ebony, who stood by my side.

“…?”

Ebony looked at me, her cheeks twitching, questioning why I was stroking her head. She’s cute, but it would be nice if she could add some words to the mix.

“–You can’t be serious.”

Guseul, who had been watching us, regarded me with a contemptuous gaze, as if looking at trash.

“Finally, laying a hand on your own disciple.”
“Are you insane?”
“Hehehe.”

No matter how rampant my desires may be nowadays, I will not cross the line.

How absurd to suggest such a thing to someone who’s not even fully grown.

Gu-seul giggles, insisting it was a joke, but to me, it seems half-joking and half-serious. Lately, the way she’s been looking at me has been quite unusual.

“So, how do you really intend to deal with it?”

She’s talking about sexual desire.

“In the worst-case scenario, I’d use spatial magic to travel back and forth…”
“What about sourcing it locally?”
“That’s not a bad option either.”

It wouldn’t be a terrible idea to use that route, since selling one’s body is something you can witness quite often if you pay close attention.

“Not bad…? You’re not going to catch any STDs or something, are you?”

As if that could happen. Even if the other person were infected, my body is immune. If anything, I could use my healing powers to treat it.

After I explained that, Gu-seul grabbed my shoulder, shivered, and placed her hand on my forehead. Her soft hand gently covered it.

“That’s odd… You don’t seem to have a fever.”
“Why?”

“Isn’t it true that men who have experienced women don’t shy away from visiting places like brothels?”

With women of such overwhelming beauty, it seemed that Gu-seul was suggesting that it’s hard to be satisfied with those encounters.

“That’s right.”

It’s not about sharing emotions; it’s merely a means to satiate one’s sexual desires. One doesn’t typically fuss over the side dishes while eating a meal. In other words, it doesn’t matter who the partner is.

More importantly,

“You haven’t forgotten my power, have you?”

It’s a mistake to assume that all the women King Mokryeong has been with, through his power, are beautiful. Gu-seul’s eyes, which understood his meaning, were filled with sympathy.

“…When you say it like that, I suddenly feel sorry for you.”

How pitiable.

“…I’ll come back as soon as possible, and I’ll take care of you.”
“That’s fine.”

Despite what he said, Gu-seul is undoubtedly convenient and enjoyable to have around. It’s tedious to search for a partner every time.

I hoisted my travel backpack onto my shoulders and rose from my seat.

“How long do you think it will take?”
“Hard to say.”

There was no definite timeframe. However, we had secured several means of infiltration, so resolving the matter quickly and without much difficulty seemed feasible. If it took longer than expected, Gu-seul might join us midway. But would it really take that long?

Our initial plan was to infiltrate the Descanso Gardens as a gardener and assess the situation. We had obtained the identity of a man who had been hired after an interview.

“Spies are my specialty, after all. In any case, good job.”

Gu-seul reminisced about her days at the academy, giggling as she waved her hand and vanished using a return stone. Ebony, who had listened to our conversation earlier, now turned her gaze to me.

The conversation had been somewhat risqué, but Ebony, seemingly uninterested, silently extended her hand. I had grown accustomed to spatial magic, no longer feeling disoriented by it.

“Let’s go as well.”

One of the Four Great Demon Trees – Camellia.

Whether to subdue or to dominate,
Or perhaps to draw to one’s side.

The future remains unwritten.