Chapter 559 – Somei Yoshino (2)

 
【Flower’s Fifth Executive :: Honeysuckle】
【Lonicera·japonica】
【Alias: Gold and Silver Flower】

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The man caressed an age-worn photograph, his fingers tracing his sparse, stubbled chin.

A photograph, its clarity fading into obscurity, bore the weight of centuries. The countenance of the child, blurred by the ravages of time, was nestled in the man’s embrace.

He carefully ensconced the fractured photograph in a box. Parting his parched lips, he queried his underling.

“Is the work progressing?”
“Yes.”

Four years had passed since Yoshino Haku entrusted her fate to Flower and ATU. She bartered her clan’s vision for the allure of power.

The man harkened back to the words Haku had once imparted to him.

“I need nothing else. If my brother and father perish, it will suffice. The fallout from that, I will hand all over to you. Lend me your strength.”

What could drive one to make fratricide the purpose of their existence?
Haku did not attempt to shroud her motives.

“He shattered everything I was.”

The position of the National Tree was originally his birthright.
However, due to Saku’s superior merits, the stewardship of the National Tree was bequeathed to her.
The ramifications did not stop there. Trapped in a politically arranged marriage, a fate inevitable for nobility, she was denied even a semblance of normalcy.

“Everything, just everything! There’s nothing that pleases me.”

She harbored resentment, and in return, faced rebuke.
In the end, she nearly became the World Tree’s puppet.

Three years prior, Haku was the protagonist who, in alliance with other National Trees, laid siege to the cradle.
Even then, she had sought to extinguish Yoshino Saku, the Japanese National Tree. Her abhorrence for her own clan was evident even without delving into the intricate details.

“…Huh.”

The man roused his foggy consciousness with a swig of liquor.

“There’s nothing quite as futile as a feud within a family.”

Despite this knowledge, the man endowed Haku with his power.
He consigned a fraction of Flower’s elite forces to her. As a consequence, the Yoshino clan was to be decimated that day.

The benefits he stood to gain?
They were plentiful.

The Spirit, an untapped power not yet harnessed by mankind.
Additionally, the Yoshino clan purportedly possessed the means to augment an individual’s affinity to the Spirit.

Securing the power of the Spirit would be a significant asset in the impending conflict against the World Tree.
Honeysuckle, the man, pruned the sprouting leaves from the nape of his neck, muttering to himself.

“One way or another, the World Tree is gradually deteriorating.”

The problem lay with the enemy within.
The challenge was to keep King Mokryeong at bay.

This decision was undeniably informed by an intention to restrain King Mokryeong.
Given that the power of the crown and the Spirit were nearly equivalent. There were manifold uses once he had the means at his disposal.

‘I remain unsure about the king’s course of action. If he chooses to disregard the trials and mimics my steps…’

I ponder whether it would be wise to surrender control,
Or whether a life or death conflict would prove more beneficial.

Engaging directly with the king could publicly be perceived as a civil uprising, a sight that would humor the World Tree.

‘In such a case, I could potentially align with the opposing faction.’

The northern regions of Japan still harbor numerous unresolved dungeons.
The American territory of Flower is, in essence, obliterated by the World Tree.
The extraction of the spirit’s power is an uncomfortable ordeal even for the World Tree’s side.
Keeping the king and the World Tree at odds might not be such a terrible strategy.

‘However, the World Tree’s maneuvers have been notably lethargic of late.’

I am aware that the Demon of Trials has infiltrated the dimension of the World Tree, yet its activities have been notably limited.

‘Perhaps it has begun to menace the World Tree anew?’

Rash actions often invite disaster.
Honeysuckle was plunged into contemplation, awaiting the imminent news from Haku.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Hikan Cherry – Hikanzakura

The cherry blossom that heralds the spring earliest in the year.

Predominantly found in Okinawa and other southern parts of Japan, these trees have an exceedingly short blooming period.
As the subsequent cherry trees unfurl more exquisite flowers, Haku was born into a life overshadowed by the blossoming of these other cherry trees.

– The blooming period stretches from early March to early April.

The being who came into existence following this was Yoshino Saku.
She was the younger sister of Haku.

“Wow! Is this a spirit, sister?”
“Yes. Isn’t it adorable?”

The eyes of the four-year-old child, Saku, sparkled behind the mask.
Her hands fluttered excitedly up and down, and Haku, suppressing a chuckle, gently stroked Saku.

“You’ll learn soon enough. I wonder which spirit will choose Saku?”
“Ohhh… I hope it will be incredibly cute!”

Dear, adorable Saku. My little sister. Haku’s eyes are filled with love.

How could it be that family has been foes from the very beginning?

The two of them were so close that whispers were abundant within the family.
Haku, the elder sister, would always play around the shrine with Saku. Every single day, she was delightfully fond of her little sister.

Whether seated on their knees by the stone lantern of the shrine, teaching about spirits, or playing hide and seek,
Saku followed her elder sister diligently, even once expressing her wish to marry her sister.

“Sister! Sister~!”

Then, one day came.

When Saku attended her first class on Spiritology,
Saku’s unique talent began to bloom.

“The teachers, Saku. Did they praise you for your talent?”
“Really?”
“Yes, yes. They said Saku’s eyes are very… very special!”

She was born with the spirit within her.

For elementalists, sensitivity is usually of paramount importance. However, within the Yoshino household, the ability to perceive spirits was held in higher regard. This was because all offspring within the family lineage were naturally gifted with sensitivity.

“Our little sister has rather enchanting eyes.”

Saku’s eyes were extraordinary. From her tender years, they seemed to capture all the light in the world, much like a flask containing fragments of radiant hues. Each color embedded within, like precious gems, made her eyes glow with an unparalleled beauty.

It was like a rainbow appearing right after a drizzle. Saku was more fitting in a sunlit sunflower field, bright and bustling, than within the somber, crowded shrine.

“Should we try harder?”
“Sure!”

Up until then, Haku had always been supportive of Saku.

The reason for this was likely because she felt secure in her position, never sensing the threat of displacement.

For generations, the role of National Tree was traditionally bestowed upon the firstborn. Haku, being the eldest daughter, was set to inherit this position as per the family customs.

Haku began to step out and attend lessons before Saku. It wasn’t until three years after Haku had started her training that Saku followed her sister’s footsteps.

It was then that the disparity between the two sisters began to emerge.

“Do you happen to know what your sister likes?”

It was merely the beginning when the boy Saku adored started to fancy their younger sister. Heartbreak was indeed a painful experience, but she thought she could handle it. It was just that she wasn’t his type. She could dismiss it as an insignificant matter.

The real issue arose when Saku started surpassing Haku in spirit manipulation. The family was in an uproar as voices suggested that it would be more appropriate to change the successor of the National Tree to Saku. These unsettling words were inevitably whispered into Haku’s ear.

Not long after, Haku received an unavoidable announcement from her father.

“Haku, I apologize.”

Saku was stronger, Haku understood.

She had always embraced the life of comparison and discrimination. Even receiving less love from their father seemed acceptable.

“Sister, sister, look at this. This is my new spirit friend.”

Regardless of everything, Saku had always loved Haku. The only flaw Saku had was that her mind was like a flower garden. She had a habit of always thinking positively, which made her oblivious to the seed of anxiety sprouting in Haku’s heart.

The inferiority complex was taking root, and the gap was widening.

The moment when Haku’s emotions started taking a more distinct shape was when she was used as a pawn in a political marriage, akin to being sold off to a World Tree from another dimension.

Haku had always strived to be a good person. However, she was no longer able to maintain that facade.

She endured, and endured some more. But when she eventually confronted her father, she heard the words she couldn’t bear.

“Father, yes… yes? No matter what, this is just not right!”
“Why are you saying this now?”

Hadn’t she been holding up well?

Upon hearing those words, Haku had no choice but to unleash the pent-up frustrations within her.

– Thud.

Haku had a lover. But her love was cut short by her father’s intimidation.

She found a slow ascent of sorrow when everything was lost. Her life, always compared to her younger sister’s, passed through her mind, igniting her rage. Gradually, her disposition distorted.

The Bihan Cherry blossom differs from other cherry blossoms in its manner of wilting.

Instead of the cherry blossoms that fade, leaf by leaf, giving subtle signals before they fall,
This was a crude flower, its petals dropping off in clusters.

Unbeautiful as it was, she wondered if it wouldn’t matter if it was trampled. Haku began to crumble, bit by bit.

…

…

Her father, who had been suffocating her, died without a word.

Haku gazed at her father’s lifeless body, soothing the spirits that clung to her.

“Indeed.”

How had her anger grown so vast? The question filled her head, but her vengeance wasn’t complete yet. The hand that held her dagger trembled.

“To think you’d die so easily. You damned fool.”

In his final moments, did he wish to find comfort in his guilt? Yoshino, the cold corpse that was once her father, left Haku with a single utterance at the end. She couldn’t recall it, but it was likely an apology.

“Why apologize? Don’t seek solace by yourself. I’ll be following soon.”

Leaving the fallen patriarch behind, Haku narrowed her eyes towards the entrance of the dungeon.

…

She couldn’t forget that moment when the branches of the tree pierced through her flesh. Haku grasped her scarred abdomen.

“The World Tree is meant to fall.”

Even now, some noble scions are likely being used to satiate desires beneath the roots of the World Tree. Suffering befalls the newborn generation, all for the petty justification of maintaining power.

-Clash!

In the violent space where swords and spears crossed, Haku clenched her eyes shut, then opened them.

“Ha, I wonder what my father was so desperate to protect. Shall we see? Come on, let’s move quickly!”
“Affirmative.”

Haku, alongside a handful of elite soldiers, stepped into the dungeon.

…

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* * * * * * * * *

…

…

To date, no book has been discovered that accurately describes the life of spirits and the conditions of the spirit world.

This has led to a divergence of opinions. There’s a prevailing belief that it’s impossible for humans to reach the spirit world.

The light and shadow of the world.

Where there is a shadow, light can appear. But where there is light, no shadow can intrude. It’s perhaps a dimensional issue that spirits can unilaterally enter the human realm.

‘My thoughts diverge somewhat.’

It’s simply that the method remains unknown. I am of the belief that even humans can sufficiently reach the realm of the spirits.

‘Spirits are no different from the World Trees.’

There are certain convictions I hold, derived from the King of Trees and the information I’ve received.

Spirits, beings of magical life, construct a new body in this dimension from their original one, transferring only their consciousness. Eleanor and Lucy reveal themselves in the human realm in the guise of birds.

‘This is not a matter of dimensions, but a simple variation in environment.’

The human realm’s magical energy is markedly meager compared to the World Tree’s dimension. Hence, some World Trees willingly craft their own dimensions, settling within that space. Alternatively, they illuminate environments conducive to human habitation and take root there.

‘In essence,’

It is not a difference between worlds, but between a mountain and the sea. They are merely different habitats. Given environmental differences, if the environment were to improve, the spirit’s main body could invade this human realm.

– Hop, hop.

[Quizzically?]

Entering the dungeon, a rabbit happened to scamper past me, and I seized it by the scruff of its neck.

[Alarmed! Alarmed!]

The rabbit squirmed, caught by its scruff. I contemplated while observing it.

‘Spirits.’

This dungeon provides a favorable environment for magical creatures to exist. Having gained a general understanding of the dungeon’s ecology, I infused magical energy into the rabbit as part of an experiment.

[…Puzzled?]

The rabbit, at a loss for how to react to the magical energy filling its body, extended its paws. Bringing to mind the experience of subduing Eleanor, I took dominion over the rabbit’s body.

– Whooosh!

As the rabbit filled with magical energy, the transformation from a white rabbit to a black one was instantaneous.

[Ecstatic!!!!!♡]