Merini slowly opened her eyes, feeling a headache that felt like it could shatter her skull.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she found herself in what appeared to be the interior of the Elposis Kingdom.
Security seemed quite tight, with roots made of Mana of Life tangled everywhere, and her own hands were tightly bound like in handcuffs.
Even her strength was suppressed, making it seem impossible to break free no matter what she did.
Occasionally, voices could be heard.
– “…Sister…”
– “You’ve had a hard time…”
– “Merini…”
There were several individuals.
However, aside from a few, she could definitely recognize two of them.
One was Oboni Ersosa, the master of elves and the elder from the beginning of time.
And the other was…
“You’re awake.”
“…Ah.”
Her younger brother.
Asuka Elposis.
Not the young and small Asuka she had seen for hundreds of years, but the taller version that now glared at her.
“Sister.”
“……”
“Sister.”
“……”
“Say something, will you?”
Under Asuka’s persistent urging, Merini fell silent.
What excuse could she possibly have?
She had been dethroned by Asuka and had resorted to all sorts of tricks to reclaim her position.
She made a deal with the demon known as the Dungeon to summon Asuka, then used the Dungeon’s power to trap Asuka.
In the end, unable to admit her defeat, she nearly killed everyone by seeking help from yet another demon.
‘Even the World Tree, akin to her god.’
“……”
She deserved to die a hundred times over.
‘That position’ tempted her to betray humanity and turn against the World Tree.
Wishing to escape her guilt, she prayed to another god, but the god did not absolve her of her sins.
‘As if saying to solve your own sins.’
It sent her here.
“I see you have nothing to say.”
Asuka nodded and extended her hand to the side.
At that, a young high elf nearby drew a sword and handed it to her respectfully.
That child seemed to have talent as well.
Even if Asuka couldn’t surpass her, she would eventually possess enough talent to do so over time.
…Has a new generation already appeared?
“Merini Elposis.”
She turned her gaze again.
Asuka’s sword was pointed at Merini’s throat.
As the sharp tip touched her, a drop of blood trickled down, flowing along her neck.
Still, she said nothing.
“Right now, I’m your sister. But…”
Tightening…
“…If you keep silent like this, I won’t be your sister for long.”
Asuka Elposis was a Child of the World Tree, a genius bestowed by the sky, and the most likely next queen of the elves.
Merini, who ruined everything, deserved a death sentence according to the laws of the kingdom.
She could even be cursed, ensuring her next life would be just as troubling.
The only reason that wasn’t happening immediately was her status as Asuka’s sister and the firstborn daughter of the former queen.
Because her identity is as Asuka’s sister and the former queen’s eldest daughter.
Merini opened her mouth.
“…Mother?”
“She has fallen into a deep sleep. She was quite shocked by the events involving you two.”
“……”
“Temporarily, another person is taking on the role of king… but they’re not the right fit…”
Elder Oboni said this, clicking his tongue.
At his reaction, Merini shrank back even more, but Oboni used magic to straighten her head and match her gaze.
“Child, do not run away. Your sins are very heavy.”
“…What do you want me to do?”
There was nowhere to escape.
Even the gods had forsaken her, and she had to await her fate before those who held a grudge against her.
Forgiveness… was something she couldn’t even hope to attain.
“I will… await my punishment.”
As Merini closed her eyes, Oboni sighed and looked at Asuka.
Asuka, with her eyes closed heavily, nodded.
“What can we do? We have to work hard.”
“…?”
“Merini Elposis. I strip you of all your titles and qualifications and appoint you as the guardian knight of the World Tree.”
“…Huh?”
“The term is for life. Guard the World Tree until you are buried in the ground.”
“What does that even mean…”
Life mana seeped into her heart.
At first, she thought it was part of the restraints binding her, but it was not at all.
The mana of life warmly enveloped Merini.
“And congratulations.”
As Merini’s restraints were lifted in her surprise, her body thudded to the ground.
A pristine white hand approached her.
“Welcome back to life.”
Asuka.
“We’re sisters again. ‘Younger Sister.'”
“Yo… younger?”
“Now ‘you’ are also a child of the World Tree.”
The child of the World Tree was no longer just one.
Oboni turned his head upwards.
‘…She is still such a warm-hearted person.’
Lily Elbrite.
‘You can overcome this. You can raise her again.’
‘Never give up on yourself.’
She was too generous.
■
“…I understand. I accept.”
The top of the World Tree.
Upon arriving at the heart of the World Tree, the space where one could converse with the World Tree, I immediately made a proposal.
The proposal was simple.
‘Let’s have more children.’
Being a child of the World Tree ultimately meant being a knight who protects the World Tree.
A measure created by the World Tree to guard itself, a loyal escort operating in exchange for power.
However, that position was too limited.
So limited that one would drive their own sister to death to secure a spot.
Of course, as the one granting the power, the World Tree would prefer to have the strongest and most talented individuals remaining, so it wouldn’t matter whether they fought or not.
It’s not like it matters at all.
The problem is that it almost led to the downfall of the World Tree.
“The Child of the World Tree is a guardian knight protecting its massive body, but its power is too strong. Did you give almost 10% of it?”
10%
It may sound like just 10%, but compared to the vast power of the World Tree, that’s way too much.
For a mere single being like an Elf, dealing with such overwhelming power is impossible.
If it weren’t for Asuka, who somehow managed to handle a part of that power, it would have completely fallen into the hands of the Demon after being taken once by Verd.
The Demon used that 10% to wreck the World Tree.
“In other words, it’s about spreading your investment, right?”
“Exactly. All-in can be convenient and yield big results, but the risks are just as significant.”
I nodded at Yena’s words.
Gambling can be somewhat fun, but that’s just for enjoyment; it doesn’t gamble with battles or lives.
‘Life is never light.’
“But isn’t Merini a bit dangerous? She’s practically the root cause of this…”
The one who spoke was Leo, who was standing next to me.
Leo joined me after we finished the dungeon and agreed to guide me to the location of the user with the Multicolored Successor.
“…Hmm.”
Yena’s expression darkened slightly.
“It’s okay.”
“…But.”
“What Merini needs is a position. If that position is satisfied, she’ll carry out her mission without issues.”
Merini orchestrated this plan to obtain her position.
In the process, there were casualties, and she imprisoned her own brother in a dungeon for a whole 300 years.
In the past, there would have been no need for a second thought; she would have been an outright target for ‘elimination,’ but now it’s a bit different.
The casualties caused by Merini were figures from a dungeon repeated hundreds of times, and above all, Asuka decided to forgive Merini.
At first, I couldn’t quite grasp it.
Asuka’s personality aside, her future was now blooming with possibilities, yet Merini obstructed her.
In that process, their mother collapsed, and it almost ended everything.
From Asuka’s perspective, Merini deserved to die a hundred times over.
But that’s only assuming Asuka was ‘unable’ to remember the past 300 years.
It wasn’t just Merini who became one with the dungeon.
Asuka, too, had become one with the dungeon, and while she couldn’t move, she witnessed every action Merini intended.
She saw her struggle over hundreds of years while repeating the dungeon.
She saw her tossing and turning in anguish, sleepless nights to secure her position.
In the end, she even saw her getting devoured by the Demon and falling into corruption.
All of this was witnessed by Asuka.
‘……’
What on earth did she feel?
“…Moreover, she sought forgiveness. So it’s okay.”
“……Hmm. Well, if Lady Lily says so, then it must be alright.”
Leo nodded in agreement, accepting it.
[Lily is absolutely right, lol]
[lololol]
[Lily’s words are basically law, lol]
[Is it all over now?]
[Let’s go get the masterpiece~]
[So where’s the user?]
[Leo is alright]
“So where is that person?”
“That person is…”
“Are you looking for Minoa?”
The World Tree rumbles.
As I nod my head, the World Tree twists a part of itself to create a giant door.
The door is about twice my size, and beside the handle, there’s a hole that looks like it can fit something.
It seems like a keyhole that I can guess.
“Insert my sword.”
“Sword? What sword are you talking about?”
“You pulled out Lily’s holy sword.”
“Huh? No, I can’t pull that out.”
“You did, with strength.”
“???”
Leaving behind Leo, who looks like his circuit has stopped, I insert the holy sword that only the Child of the World Tree can wield.
It feels weird, but I have the power of the Child of the World Tree now, so let’s just go with it.
Dudududu…!
[Oh]
[Oh]
[There it is]
The heavy door opens, revealing someone sitting in the middle.
A man with long brown hair.
His silky robe was wildly disheveled below his shoulders, clearly affected by a curse.
Suuuu…
The man’s multicolored necklace exudes a gray aura.
“…I didn’t expect to see another person.”
Swish.
The man’s eyes slowly open.
Right one is brown, left one is gray.
The left eye, swirling in gray, glances at me and quivers slightly.
“……”
However, it soon regains composure and looks at me calmly.
“It seems the World Tree has become quite generous.”
“Is that you, Minoa? Are you correct?”
“Leave.”
“Huh?”
Minoa firmly blocks our approach with a serious voice.
In response, the necklace emits a gray light.
“My curse is from the mythical age. Just being close to it will devour the opponent.”
“The curse…”
“If you have any thoughts of breaking it, please don’t. Acting rashly might bring disaster.”
If there’s a way, it would be to use a comparable exorcism ability…
“That would be impossible. This necklace is not your ordinary mythical grade.”
“Hmm…”
Is that going to work?
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