Eat The World Tree

Chapter 233: Timing (4)

“Hey, little kitten, come here.”

“Shut up, Bell.”

Bell sneered at Maronnie, who was perched on the golem’s shoulder.

“Are you so short that you want to breathe the air up there? How pathetic.”

With disheveled light blue hair and untidy clothes, Bell sneered at Maronnie while tapping Abie’s shoulder.

“Enough. Let’s just welcome everyone for gathering on the second day.”

Despite Abie’s mediation, the two continued to glare at each other.

England, France, Germany.

Economically and geographically, interactions were inevitable, and the relationships among the National Trees were generally like this.

One of the various ways to mock nations commonly used in online communities.

“Bell, how about speaking a bit humbly? Why don’t you go chew on some British cuisine over there?”

“How excellent is British cuisine?”

“…Ugh. Fish and chips. That’s the only thing, and even then, my grandmother’s frying is better.”

“Have you said enough?”

As a National Tree, the pride in their own nation was unmatched.

As Bell gritted his teeth, Maronnie’s eyes turned mocking like a cat’s.

Abie sighed.

“Bell, you started it.”

“Abie, she insulted our country. She needs to fix her personality. Who would take her like this? She’ll live as a virgin forever.”

As a National Tree, until they relinquished the title, marriage, dating, or even sexual relationships were impossible.

It was only possible to marry another tree after at least 50 years.

By then, the second generation of National Trees would emerge.

However, in principle only, scandals among National Trees were bound to happen.

As long as it was done secretly and not caught, it was not a crime.

“V-Virgin! Did you just say that?”

“Hahaha, look at her freak out.”

Maronnie, whose cheeks turned crimson, screamed.

A lurid memory suddenly resurfaced in her mind.

A man’s rough hand, a lewd incident. An obscene memory of being molested forcibly, unable to close her thighs.

The memory of screaming in terror, her arms trembling, echoed desperately in her mind.

“Ugh…”

Maronnie’s face, red as a strawberry, contrasted with her blue hair.

She clenched her shoulders like a threatened cat and bit her lips to express her anger.

“Bell, you bastard!”

“Ha ha ha!”

She must have hit a nerve.

Bell, ignorant of the truth, laughed and returned to Abie.

“Bell, what if Maronnie spreads rumors that you sleep around with women?”

At Abie’s words, Bell gasped.

It was a joke, but it wouldn’t actually happen.

The unspoken rule among National Trees: personal behaviors should not be turned into public issues. They understood the weight of their positions well.

“Well, that’s that. Maronnie?”

Maronnie, who was making strange noises alone, snapped back to reality.

“Uh, what? …What?”

“Why are you reacting like that? Get ready.”

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“Ready for what?”

Abie immediately drew a sword from her waist.

She muttered quietly.

“Now that the team is gathered, we need to organize the cadets.”

The more, the faster. The quicker the cadets were eliminated, the fewer competitors in the Forester Selection Competition.

Eliminating cadets without using magic allowed for an efficient week.

National Trees?

No need to worry as long as three gathered on the second day.

Now, other National Trees were either alone or at most in pairs. Abie’s group was the first to gather three.

As long as they didn’t meet National Trees with abnormal strength who could sweep a whole team alone, it’s fine.

“We’ll operate in the western radius.”

“West?”

At Maronnie’s question, Abie nodded.

“The east… is overcrowded now. The north has that guy.”

“The strange white-haired one?”

“Yeah.”

Plum Blossom.

Even if the trees in the forest hindered each other’s growth, there’s always one tree standing tall alone.

Among the talented ones, some stood out exceptionally.

Like Jung Siwoo of the Academy.

He worked tirelessly to achieve the best with overwhelming talent.

Such trees should be watched carefully. There were a few such individuals.

They thought and did what others couldn’t , always looking ahead.

Their remarkable skills were just a bonus.

“But he doesn’t have a team, right? Why be wary? He’s alone anyway.”

Bell questioned Abie’s cautious words.

“Have you ever fought Plum Blossom?”

At Abie’s words, Bell shook her head. Abie placed a hand on her forehead.

Recalling Plum Blossom from long ago, Abie spoke to her teammates.

“Did you know the origin of the word ‘genius’ comes from ‘genius loci,’ the guardian spirit of the land?”

“All of a sudden?”

“Listen quietly, Bell. Abie has a reason when she talks like this.”

The two stared at Abie, who awkwardly smiled.

“Isn’t it fascinating? The origin of ‘genius’ is like that. The Forester Selection Competition praising the World Tree must be a contest to find such geniuses.”

Guardian of the land.

They protected the World Tree from that land.

The meaning fits perfectly. Though it was a stretch. That tree was strong enough to warrant such talk.

“…I don’t know who the strongest National Tree is. But the closest to a genius is probably him.”

The strength of National Trees was opaque. Comparisons like who won against whom exist but were mere conjectures.

Abie squinted as she recalled that man’s face.

Long white hair, white eyes. A delicate face that could be described as sickly.

Yet, he bloomed flowers with his opponent’s blood without a care.

His talent, what could he say?

Even if you’re considered one of the best, you feel it’s too early to compare yourself to him.

Naturally, he was a man who crushed one’s self-esteem.

“Hu…”

A composed breath escaped Abie’s lips.

Aori and Mok Taeyang.

Graduates of Seoul Academy, Aori and Mok Taeyang were brought into the Forester Selection Competition due to their exceptional combat skills.

As if they were doing a PR presentation, Taeyang and Aori earnestly listed their strengths with serious expressions. They described themselves in such detail that it seemed they might have come here to brag about their multifaceted talents.

However, no matter how well you spoke, if your posture wasn’t good, it was hard to make a good impression.

Squeak, squeak.

No matter how impressive their accomplishments, if they bragged while gobbling down fruit like this, it only made the listener more uncomfortable.

“The fruit is delicious.”

Aori’s deflating comment came at the conclusion.

Why was he listening to their boasting now?

“Sorry. We grew up poor… if there’s food, we just eat it due to instinct.”

“Right. We’re poor.”

“Hey, don’t put it so bluntly.”

Even when we saw them in the cafeteria, their eating habits were quite notable. Look at Ihyang. She kept peeling fruit and giving it to them as if feeding puppies.

“Aori, want to eat this too?”

“Yes.”

She had an annoyingly good personality.

I sat on a suitable tree stump, placing my staff beside me, and watched them.

Geum Taeyang. Despite looking like a character out of a comic book, he’s quite sociable. Although it’s clear that’s just a facade. You could tell by looking into his eyes. He had discerning eyes.

The woman called Aori made strange remarks from the first meeting, so I honestly still couldn’t figure out her personality.

She seemed thoughtless.

A short woman with a somewhat expressionless face but a large chest. Just about that much.

Originally, such people might suddenly cause unexpected trouble.

‘Why did they come to me in the first place?’

They claimed to have discovered Ihyang, but it felt like they openly followed me.

They tracked me precisely along the path I came from. So, it’s more plausible that they were following me rather than Ihyang.

Flower.

I momentarily shelved the hypothesis that came to mind. There was something more important.

‘What could that have been?’

When I saw these two, a shock hit my head as if struck from behind.

It was similar to the first time I saw the daughter of the World Tree, who told me to take care of her mother just before I came to this world.

I had encountered numerous Flowers so far, but I had never had such an experience.

‘World Tree?’

Why would they seek me?

Even with the peculiar case of Baekyang, the World Trees generally rejected me.

“So, what do you think?”

Taeyang, who had finished eating an entire bunch of grapes, asked me.

What did I think?

There was a reason why these two suddenly started bragging about themselves.

It was a suggestion to team up since it was a rare opportunity. To survive in a place dominated by National Trees, there’s no other way. It was an obvious attempt to approach.

‘They’ve practically said it outright.’

Although it seemed a bit abrupt, from Taeyang’s gaze, it felt like he already knew and was speaking.

Something felt strange. This guy also felt what I felt.

In that case, the conversation became easier.

Skipping the preceding dialogue process didn’t matter. As long as the intent aligned.

“You mean you want to team up?”

“Yes.”

Somehow, the conversation felt like I was speaking informally while they were speaking formally.

“Well. I don’t know, but she said she would abstain.”

I first mentioned Ihyang.

Teaming up was indeed a good way to uncover the unknown phenomenon.

‘Sansuyu.’

But I needed to take care of Sansuyu.

If necessary, I might need to extract milk, so I couldn’t afford to form a team.

“Right, haha. Aori and Taeyang are different. I’m out of magic power and it’s going to be tough.”

“Anyway, we’ll get potions while exploring the dungeon, so it’s okay, right?”

“Ihyang, come with us.”

“Um…”

Ihyang trailed off, looking at me and then shook her head.

“It’s still a burden, a burden. It’d be better if you three did it together, right?”

Naturally, as their gazes turned to me, I spoke without changing my expression.

“I also have a team member. I can’t decide without their permission. So, even if I agree, it’s only until we join up with them.”

After joining Sansuyu, we must be together.

Only then could I treat myself freely and handle things I didn’t want others to see.

“Ah… I see. Then how about just until then? For a day or two.”

A compromise. Both sides had a reasonable opinion.

“Sounds good.”

“Then Ihyang, you join us too.”

“Ah, well, okay?”

With me out of the picture, Ihyang also agreed as if it was fine.

A temporary teaming. Four Koreans.

At this level, I could meet Sansuyu without much magic consumption.

It would be practical too.

“Oh wait, I’ll go to the bathroom.”

At that moment, Taeyang got up and put on his coat.

He glanced at me and made a subtle eye gesture.

“How about you?”

“What’s between guys?”

“Hey~ these days, who cares about gender?”

I understood what he meant.

I got up and followed Taeyang. No need to take weapons.

Leaving Ihyang peeling fruit and Aori behind, we moved to a fairly distant spot as if we had an unspoken agreement.

An eerie thicket. Of course, we didn’t come here just to relieve ourselves.

I disliked playing cat and mouse while talking.

As Taeyang started to lower his pants, I asked quietly from behind.

“So?”

“You’re too impatient. And that’s supposed to be my line.”

Impatient my foot.

Taeyang subtly turned his head back.

His gaze was quite sharp.

“Are you curious?”

He continued.

“…This isn’t a certainty. Honestly, it could be fatal. But it doesn’t seem like I’m the only one who felt it. Aori might be a fool, but not to the extent of making sex jokes out of nowhere at a first meeting.”

His jovial voice suddenly lowered.

After a brief introduction, he asked me.

“Tree Spirit King.”

From the past. More than a hundred years ago, the name of a worldwide disaster came out of his mouth.

At that moment, my expression stiffened.