Chapter 455 – The Gardener Cloaked in Black (2)

The resounding symphony of a lush golden field permeates the restaurant.
The metropolis of Los Angeles, California is teeming with hotels and restaurants filled to the brim with aristocrats seeking refuge from the civil war.

Two perfectly portioned steaks are served for dinner.
Accompanied by roasted cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and a sauce dusted with pollen.
Having been accustomed to Korean cuisine, this sort of meal is a rare delight.

-cook.

A tender cut of beef oozes juice when pierced with a knife.
When carved into bite-sized morsels and tasted, the meat’s succulence bursts forth between the tongue and teeth.

‘Not too shabby.’

Within Camellia’s realm, I’ve secured a spot nearby to serve as a gardener.
After meticulously considering numerous factors and settling on a residence, I sought out a hotel that offered same-day reservations and sampled a course meal.

‘This is more like it.’

The notion of a king feasting on frozen hot dogs… on soybean paste stew…
I had been so domesticated by Gu-seul’s culinary skills that such a lavish meal had been beyond my wildest dreams.
Hong-Yeon did cook occasionally, but her creations were mostly suitable as accompaniments to alcohol.

“…♬”

Ebony, too, seems to be savoring the meal after a long time. Her cheeks bobbed, and the corners of her mouth gently curled upwards.

“Is it good?”
“…Yes.”

There’s a certain pleasure in watching her enjoy her meal.
Young women of her age, eating heartily, are far more appealing than those striving to starve themselves.

Am I indeed advancing in years?
I offered my portion of meat to Ebony, adjusting the masquerade mask I was wearing.
Both Ebony and I are in unfamiliar disguises.

“Do you remember what I told you?”

– She nods.

“What is it?”
“…The gardener’s job. I heard it involves pruning twigs.”
“Correct.”

Ebony is surprisingly perceptive for her age.
I had vaguely briefed her a few hours ago about our mission following our infiltration into the territory. Despite the lapse in time, she remembered well.

“If our cover is blown or if you sense danger, don’t attempt to fight. Flee immediately.”
“Yes.”
“That’s all you need to remember.”

Our ultimate objective is the ear tree,
Though forcefully seizing it is an option, I yearn to witness firsthand how the World Tree and Flower react.
To get through this mission smoothly doesn’t equate to being skilled.
There are four ear trees in total. Having a firm grasp of the adversary’s tactics could tilt the scales in our favor when the next ear tree is targeted.

While we were dining, Ebony tugged at my suit’s hem.

“I…”
“Yes?”
“…I need to pee.”
“Go on.”

As I gestured towards the restroom, Ebony placed down the meat she was eating and scurried off to the bathroom.

“No need to mention such things.”
“Hmm, excuse me?”

Upon hearing a voice from the side and turning my head, I was met with the smile of a woman I hadn’t seen before.

“Ah, yes, hello.”

Just as I replied in English, my gaze swept over the woman’s form. Judging by the level of her magic power and the state of her aura, she was no Hunter, merely an ordinary individual gifted with undeveloped magic.

Why was she speaking to me if she wasn’t a Hunter?

“…Aren’t you staring rather blatantly?” she asked.
“Oh, I apologize.”

Perhaps she misunderstood my attempt to gauge her magic power, but the woman, now chuckling softly, looked slightly amused. And not entirely displeased, I noted. Her casual speech suggested she was an aristocrat with a rather high nose.

It seemed she was another noblewoman from America, presumably escaping the throes of war.

“You’re quite handsome, that’s why I approached,” she admitted.

Only after hearing her words, delivered with a laugh as she folded her arms beneath her chest, did I understand. She was a Hunter, but not in the sense I was accustomed to.

I responded naturally to her straightforward manner, different than what I was used to in Korea.

“Is that so? Thank you. However-“

Just as I was about to casually end the conversation and send her away, a thought occurred to me. How had I not thought of this before? I had found a simple way to alleviate future burdens.

“Your name? Where are you from?” I asked.
“Jessica. You?”

Regardless of the world, the intimidating appearance was a constant. Clearly, there were many aristocrats here who had sought refuge from the war. Wealthy, good-looking aristocrats who reveled in physical pleasures. Seeing that Ebony had not yet emerged from the restroom, I raised my wine glass to continue the conversation.

* * * * * * * *

“Huh… Ah….”

The crude, animalistic panting spread across the floor, crawling over the blankets.

I had warned her to brace for a back-breaking experience, but was it truly broken? As I stroked her slightly bluish buttocks, redder than anything, the noblewoman trembled.

“Huh… Ah….”

‘She didn’t seem to have much experience.’

If she had come seeking a one-night stand, I would feel at ease. But if she came due to love at first sight, a pang of guilt would strike. As our conversation unfolded, it seemed she only desired pleasure.

Perhaps because she was a carpenter, she had no flab, and her figure was akin to an actress one might see in a foreign film, which served well to satiate my lust.

“Hey,” I called.
“…….”

She flinched but gave no response.

It was an expected outcome, considering I had taken a civilian with the intensity fitting for a hunter.

Western Red Cedar. Perhaps due to the guitar-like quality of the wood, her vagina was a vivid red, and her voice had a sharp, resonant quality.

As for her ability…

I spread my hand, feeling my senses and examining the power added by the king’s power.

‘An archer?’

What a letdown.

In an era where the bow had lost its necessity, even the slenderest gain in power was a cause for satisfaction.

“Awaken.”

As I infused her with healing energy, consciousness swiftly returned. Jessica, legs previously spread wide, hastened to pull her knees together, panting heavily.

“…”
“Can you speak?”
“Why… why aren’t you tired?”

Her tone had softened. The divide between the supernatural and the common folk was ever thus.

“… That was the best, heh… experience.”
“And the nobility, are they mostly here?”
“They all seek refuge from the civil war. Here is the place least destroyed by conflict.”

The noblewoman, perhaps imprinted by our intimacy, was compliant and attentive to my words. As I draped a blanket over her body, I queried further.

“Does it matter that this is Camellia’s territory?”
“…To some extent. The little lord… they provided some… amenities.”

The lord must be one of the Four Great Demon Trees.

Camellia’s influence seemed larger and more benign than I had initially surmised. Given the hotel reservations were nearly full, it appeared a significant portion of American nobility had gathered here.

“Where else could one find refuge?”
“Europe, perhaps Korea… But one must traverse through California to get there.”

It seemed this was the only untouched land in the World Tree’s domain. The East and South were left barren, a wasteland save for the remaining civilians.

“…Hm.”

Still trembling from the residual pleasure, Jessica retrieved a rolled substance from her backpack and bit into it.

“Will you partake as well?”

Drugs, it seemed. I stretched out my hand in refusal.

“I’ve no need. I have something far stronger.”
“…Oh, really?”
“If you were to take it, you would die.”

Drugs were commonplace in the underworld, frequently used without a second thought. Especially amongst the nobility, as their bodies often naturally detoxified the substances, making it a preferred indulgence.

“It’s difficult to procure these days…”

Interesting.

“It appears one of the major drug syndicates has completely collapsed.”
“Hmm, you’re referring to China?”
“Indeed, you’re well-informed. Rumor has it a Flower executive was responsible. Curious… to sever one’s own source of income.”

A slight prick of conscience. I had meddled with more than a few factions whilst purging.

“Perhaps this is an opportunity to quit.”
“…That’s strange. Normally such advice would annoy me, but hearing you say it makes me consider it.”

It must be the pheromones. Simply using them could curry favor, regardless of gender. Every word spoken held weight. I usually kept it in check, but in the process of amplifying my power, it was always active.

With a flick of my hand, I ignited a flame that instantly consumed the drug she held. The room filled with a pungent, suffocating stench, so I magically flung open the window.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed.

“…You were a hunter?”
“Let’s proceed.”

I had heard enough. Lust, sated.
Jessica seemed to have something to say, but my swift movements denied her the chance to hold me back. Before leaving, I cautioned him,

“If you wish to avoid bankruptcy, it would be wise to quit narcotics.”

As they will become increasingly difficult to procure.

* * * * * * * * *

A gardener might easily be mistaken for a simple laborer, yet it is a bona fide skilled profession.

It’s not easy to master, and it requires a deep understanding of various disciplines. Hence, a significant amount of study is needed to become a gardener for a nobleman.

The garden of a mansion is a symbol of the nobility’s stature and reputation. In a sense, a gardener is a manager who practices art.

“We are at the pruning site.”
“Yes.”

I ascended the ladder and explained each point to Ebony, who held the pruning shears, ready to tend to the tree.

“These long, large branches have weak structures. For this tree…it’s better to cut off about this much.”
“Yes.”
“When you cut a tree, sprouts pop out at that spot, right? Cut all of them.”

Trees grow better at the end of the stem than the branch, so if left unattended, they can distort the shape. The form refers to the overall structure of the tree, and maintaining this balance can be quite complex.

“See these small branches? Cut all the weak ones. There are also branches growing in the same direction, both up and down – these are called parallel branches. Cut all of them too.”

As I explained each point, Ebony, who nodded in understanding, looked at me with an expression of surprise.

“How can…”
“How can I know?”

I didn’t want to know either.
I memorized it diligently to infiltrate here.
However, because I had learned it once as a child, I was able to pick it up with a bit of practice.

“Now let’s do it ourselves. But don’t touch those ones over there.”
“…?”
“They must be pruned in the next season.”

Each tree has its own pruning season. It’s complicated to explain each one, and since I won’t be here for long, I chose not to elaborate unnecessarily.

‘…It’s quite uneventful for a first day at work.’

The land was quite large, but there were many gardeners, so it didn’t require too much effort. I chuckled to myself, watching Ebony clumsily pruning the branches.

“Are you doing well, Weeden?”
“Oh, yes.”

The supervisor, David, arrived and surveyed the surroundings, nodding a few times. Weeden is the name of the gardener I am assuming for now. For the record, Ebony is known as Herida.

“It’s impressively quick. It’s not a pace that an ordinary person could keep up with. Weren’t you unawakened?”
“I am a civilian, David.”
“Haha, if that’s true, your talent is extraordinary. You’re still so young. Well… that little companion might need some help.”
“She’ll get used to it in no time.”

“Indeed, the present times are rather comfortable. With magic at our disposal, errors can be rectified. But take heed, for if one errs excessively, one may find oneself indebted with the cost of magical stones.”
“Understood.”

Having responded, I descended the ladder, dusting off my shoulders. The lingering fragrance on my hands uplifted my spirits.

The sight that greeted me when I turned my head was a colossal mansion. The grandest I’d ever seen was Cornus’s abode, but this one was a touch grander still.

Its magnitude was akin to a whole branch of the El Academy.

“And what thoughts does this mansion stir within you?”
“I wonder… who might inhabit such a residence?”
“Ah, interesting. You think of the inhabitants first. Now, don’t be taken aback if the lady engages you in conversation. She doesn’t hold social status in high regard, so you may interact with her casually.”
“Is that so?”
“Though, there would be no forgiveness for blunders.”

I found the atmosphere refreshingly liberating.

– Clatter.

At that moment, a sound emanated from the main entrance.

– Creak.

As the gates opened, a woman in a wheelchair, accompanied by a maid, revealed herself.

A red camellia. Amid her pallid, almost morbidly white skin, her fiery hair shone. This woman traversed the flower garden with her eyes closed.

“The lady appears to have come out.”

Subtle richness, unadorned elegance. A humble beauty.

“Today, she is in red.”
“…Does she usually wear different colors?”
“That depends on her mood.”

The woman, her eyes shut, sat still in her wheelchair, seemingly devoid of all senses, letting the wind caress her. When petals fluttered and brushed against her cheek, it was the maid’s hand, not her own, that brushed them away.

An artificial arm that remained still. A prosthetic leg. Her closed eyes didn’t even twitch.

Her image, intertwined with the flowers, could be seen as quite romantic. But for some reason, to me, it radiated a profound aura of solitude.