Chapter 60
l57“…….”YpGDru
4jVDNdb“…….”dVQAEgg
wR2CThe two figures, their hair completely drenched in holy water, stared blankly at the ceiling.RmgrBg0
ipR“Their eyes are still dull—it seems the purification wasn’t complete. As a saint, I cannot allow mediocre work, so once more…”60RAXWG
0gN“Enough already!”VcFdR
6XiCzI5“And you dare call yourself a saint?!”2qti
EFEtiqQAria and Verian shouted in shock, spitting insults. At their reaction, Jace smiled in satisfaction.54CP
H2s2oD1“The purification is complete, my lord.”VosLa9
h9Ht7“Good work.”GTsPf4
iOwAj“Thank you. My lord, may I ask you for two sheets of paper?”x3U
oYdbFernan handed him a couple of sheets from the room’s shelf. Jace scribbled a few things and handed them to Aria and Verian.Ns9Paw
xJTXt“What is this…?”yjGIhJP
jNCINs“An invoice.”E7N0D
DUMpvyQ“An invoice?”S9hlO
uPLmoD“I’ve removed the corrupt magic from your brains, so naturally, you must pay for the service, don’t you think?”DWWBT
oTJ4Verian took it obediently, but upon seeing the figures written, he let out a shriek.H1SDnsE
pJs“What kind of scam is this?! Not even the worst thief would charge this much!”Tp3tw
R6QhR“He’s absolutely right! Verian is one hundred percent correct!”kGcWlb
LGSeErrDespite their outraged cries, Jace shrugged with complete calm.anLJ
Z5GJfF“Expensive, you say? I, a saint, personally purified the minds of nobles of distinguished blood like you. How can that be expensive?”rmEUT
h7kkqG“…That…”Z57
peoah“Of course. My work is not cheap. Accept it and that’s that.”HOxFfS3
FZDcIo“How can you change your attitude so quickly?!”k2Az
nVK6Truly, people with big ears were straightforward and carefree. The saint showed an unabashedly worldly smile.y822Ig
gg46My“I’ve never heard that being a virtue.”Luw
EoKWSSince when could “elf” and “carefree” coexist in the same sentence? Fernan let out a snort of laughter.dJsgIO
c8dbQ3“…Fine.”Mul
FzVaZAria accepted the invoice, and Verian could no longer keep protesting. After all, Jace hadn’t said anything incorrect.FTx
8IQ“Then I’ll appreciate if you pay as soon as possible. My lord, I’ll take my leave.”bsF
l94kEz“Are you busy?”LnaSF
gLV18MJ“Yes. During the festival I also have many responsibilities as a saint of the Dragon God Cult…”2sm
P01K94hThe anniversary of the Empire’s founding was approaching, when the first emperor defeated King Colomo and proclaimed the birth of the nation.aBrP
pyKThe academy would celebrate with a festival, and as a saint of the Dragon God Cult, Jace had to oversee several events.AMPOe7D
RNpoJfF“If I find any clue about the corrupt, I’ll send it your way.”Hofz
N4eYRI“I’d appreciate it.”TfDuzK
QQsAnd Jace departed.OUtz
MldBGf“Well, let’s return to the matter.”rj0C
grRbzxFernan leaned his chin on his hand, staring intently at Aria and Verian.XSwm
lYUMYZ“What the hell happened to you two during this time?”Z81LF52
yKtgzI3“Uh…”tzM
6oxAria blinked.uKyVi
fk6q0Hq“I don’t think anything out of the ordinary happened. At least not that I remember—or did it?”lEf
UgweFhq“…Even if you’ve been purified, that doesn’t mean all memories are completely restored.”cLl
PIHnFIn truth, they could remember clearly everything before the contamination by corrupt magic. What remained blurry was what happened under its effect.eCv
vMI“And you, Verian?”uL9SJ
ytcHW“…I don’t remember anything special either. The only thing I could mention is that, even though the time changed, that elf told me the same thing in the same place. Several times.”0ooj
HVX“And what was it she said?”aXtlBx
0u9“That, well…”17vp3f
A7zyyaThe answer came from Aria.au1M
o7b“That there was a problem with the branch of the Mother Tree. I think. Or not? Well, yes, probably that. And that, following her advice, I was supposed to look for a reliable piece and that’s why I came to hire Verian. Maybe.”UReT76l
ItFsgThanks to those words, Fernan could draw a clearer conclusion about how the demon summoning had originally taken place.nNCe
72GE‘A suggestion was implanted in Aria, who was supposed to handle the watch, so that she wouldn’t report the problem, and during that lapse the summoning was carried out.’PAd3L0S
uiIqBut now the future had changed thanks to his intervention.XkXd
KcRbPVIn the past, Aria would have kept the secret to herself until she forgot it, but now, thanks to Fernan’s presence, Verian had also become involved.iPug3Le
hXnnAnd not only them, but also Jace.hE9EG
NqXeEZh‘Perhaps…’6Syk63Y
Ia4CPerhaps he could still prevent the summoning of Andromalius. He didn’t know the exact date, but at least he was certain it would be before the start of classes.0hPi9
3TcTCThe moment when students began returning to the academy and the island regained its bustle after the holidays.8Fez
gCR3Two weeks remained until then, and not many had returned yet.7otMZMx
2wPIf he caught the corrupt beforehand and stopped the ritual, the plan was feasible.DBI
pCTOf course, it was only a possibility. It didn’t mean he truly intended to do it.Zsqu
H5s5HK‘What if the corrupt also know that we met today?’0OGXR
ryUCcFor them, Aria had to be a key figure under watch.foQu
WMnMTXv“Tell me. Who did you meet during the holidays?”czy
rzyCT“With so many. Professor Nania, Professor Elia, Professor Grad, Professor Dominique, Assistant Miller, Assistant Aron, Assistant Pierce, Senior Nopen, Senior Clio, ah, also Professor Valennod! And Professor Rosalia! And…”wg8sEf
LW1Fernan, who had been jotting down all those names without pause, stopped his pen.Q03br
VEg“Are you going to tell me every single name in the academy?”VFu4V
UaI3KYH“It’s just that I saw them all during the holidays.”scl
fFhhf“What I’m asking is if there’s anyone you found suspicious.”qLJNn3
xr0iF“I don’t know. I think there was someone but it’s all blurry, like it’s wrapped in fog.”1k3
GF0x479Nothing useful. Fernan turned his gaze to Verian.AB74P
DLO3M“The same. There’s no one in particular that caught my attention…”rmzx4zS
5u7I“What a headache.”31G0
32NHe thought he had finally found a lead, but it was an illusion.U8Rk6OT
3mw3‘Of course they wouldn’t let themselves be caught so easily.’0yUV
hU5They had been acting from the shadows for a long time without leaving a trace. It wouldn’t be that simple.gSkc6D3
FJDr‘If I think about it, the summoning of Andromalius is completely opposite to the pattern they’ve followed until now. Which proves how dangerous Aint is to them…’KBG
0t2VQJOtherwise, there would be no reason for something so risky.Cv1v6Cw
095lFeO“For now, it’s best to check the state of the branch of the World Tree.”k2yRg68
wRal1It was the only option he had at that moment.zJHG
s0q“…Let’s go.”fMSqN3u
fVpmHH“Yes!”tga
MTBd“Me too?”OnEqx6
rVUn5P“No, you’re not needed.”VUCCxoF
HJKcZFernan stood up.u2yKtoh
RLTYS***TUpk
w6QPb“My God, Mother Tree! How could it end up like this?!”aI3P
SCawZdAh, ah… Even if Aria didn’t need to cry out with such a funeral tone, the state of the branch of the World Tree was clearly dire.iNWq0r
Xy6nB2DThe branches and leaves were completely blackened, and even the soil around it was tainted by darkness.gpGJf
gdBIYGIt was evident that the corruption was complete.hbTjk
pdptBbTAnd that wasn’t all.UNo
sZxiUgTZap!nIw1R
M26a“Ouch!”uymgu0e
ry3When Aria extended her hand, corrupt magic burst forth, causing a violent reaction. She screamed and stumbled back a step.qCk
J4f3u“…This is serious.”0ewC
30S1cZKWhat was strange was that, despite its condition, barely a trace of corrupt magic could be perceived. Fernan didn’t know whether it was because of the effectiveness of the corrupts’ concealment spell or some special property of the World Tree’s branch.HNIN
eTRsxh“Aria, can you purify it?”8YzOzBS
IHzVV“I hate to say this, but it’s impossible.”38Vo
ICUViFPShe explained that not a trace of the forest spirit remained.IOa96
MkVteds“That’s no longer an avatar of the Mother Tree, but something else wearing its form.”nc4U
JPFIt was similar to the undead. Resurrecting a corpse with magic didn’t mean the resulting being was the same as it had been in life.xSB
QkOXEven if sometimes it retained certain abilities of the original body.okr
2Txn“So… it’s already too late.”t5QR
2uJjL“…It’s my fault. If I hadn’t been so stupid as to fall into a mental spell—surely there were plenty of chances to prevent this!”HcxGf
1gZlAria muttered, eyes bloodshot.eWM3
9FcJFor elves, the importance of the World Tree was reflected in the very way they named it.NYfE
RuBFcEAnd now, its avatar had been corrupted by the corrupt. Fernan couldn’t even imagine how an elf must feel seeing this.1Ff
wCoGE8‘Maybe if I lost everything completely, it’d be something like this.’4q15TA
eROCm01Just imagining it gave him chills. Grrr, Fernan ground his teeth, cursing the corrupt.irq
NK2Zl“Whoever it is, I’ll catch them and rip off their limbs! I swear on my name they’ll pay dearly for touching the Mother Tree!”KNVdOCl
GppySo, first.Avy7r
yJ2rAria drew her staff. The mana of the surroundings began to swirl around her like a vortex.YEMM
gCSo8QV“Let’s free the avatar of the Mother Tree.”5w5eQ
FxwwLJ“…What?”xJD6Rp
Pj53QwZFernan, surprised by her sudden decision, stepped between her and the tainted branch.cGheR
lTFX1u“Stop, Aria. It’s still the avatar of the World Tree. Are you really going to destroy it? And you call yourself an elf?”TuY3
AFfS1j“I’d rather destroy it with my own hands a thousand times over than watch those bastards use it. Dad would praise me for it too.”eov7u
c2lNsY0Well, maybe he’d be angry if he knew the avatar had been completely corrupted. Aria lowered her gaze, crestfallen.DXa8u
goLN9Wj“Either way, it has to be destroyed!”vteBgb
om3Ear“If you do, the contract with the academy will be completely void. Are you ready for that?”Vk9gm0e
bdpo6“…That…”3iV
b2HHwoDThe avatar of the World Tree wasn’t just elven property.zMMlPO
in49PoIt was part of an agreement between the academy and Fridien, and destroying it on Aria’s personal judgment alone would be a mistake.saVgafc
89qIu“…Then, what do you propose? Do you have a solution?”ogKAZ
yzh“What were you planning to do?”fG7h
zOzq“Release the soul of the Mother Tree’s avatar and report it to my father. It’s a problem I can’t solve alone.”GWkWyi
InAbA9“I have a better idea.”cHsD
fQn“What is it?”4Hf
Fsj“First, ask Jace for help. We could also use the holy water that cured your head.”nRkR
Gk9bkOAria frowned, unconvinced.7LqKf
sg7C“Pouring a high-level potion on a corpse isn’t going to revive it.”dmC0
0PF“This is different. It’s a branch of the World Tree.”fEkc
j4BU“Hmm…”Fury
Hoq1“I also plan to ask Aint for help. As the legitimate heir of Armian, natural enemies of demons, perhaps he has a solution. Better to try something than to give up without doing anything, don’t you think?”Dd88Df
ISteo“Well, that’s true…”adNVXF
tQlY5gThat tone meant she was almost convinced. Fernan nodded.7qxRA
M9DgThough in truth, he had no intention of healing the branch of the World Tree.o0G
n4wIt was all an excuse to buy time. If they left it alone, the summoning of Andromalius could be completed.Vmh
CSFAnd even if the academy suffered some damage, Aint’s growth was for the good of all humanity, so overall, the balance was still positive.6C7
CKhsIiThe branch would be the catalyst for the summoning but—so what? If they said it had been destroyed by the demon, no one could complain.TpMId
HAoIt wasn’t the original World Tree, just a young avatar that could never withstand a demonic attack.nW9Ve
PT5“Trust me. Has it ever gone badly for you when you listened to me?”tvNF1
3y5wVef“And has it ever gone well? It’s not like we’ve shared that much history together.”bDwgZCJ
ZCW5oShe was right. He had let slip the tone he used with Luina out of habit.7RM
i0GYfWWith her, he had shared experiences the entire semester, but with Aria the approach had to be different.EZOym
FVJaxZ“Doesn’t fighting together on the battlefield count?”eHX90p
0N5ht“That was business.”YBZQju
wOywR“For a merchant, those who travel with him in a caravan are comrades.”WedIwB
RRC“Not for elves.”N25pNBp
RTD8glyThen he had to apply an approach that worked with Aria Fridian.QM7t
FWK“Alright. Do you know the professor from the Knight Department in charge of third years, Edmond Altriach?”g2nr7d
2lC5o“Eh?”r9V
Lxl“I’ll introduce you.”P7BjtUV
AkB“…Oh.”5kpVF8t
ZihK5Aria was momentarily stunned, but nodded out of reflex.oDs
mLaMPj“Alright then!”DMP
OJmEdmond was a direct descendant of House Altriach, one of the Empire’s pillars.I2si
FSmRPHe wasn’t the heir, but bearing the Altriach name and castle was already enough.LWCFa0
LE0hm8O“I’ll trust you, senior. We’re comrades who fought together.”bbQ
j70vHGr“Isn’t it because of the connections?”zPvn
0Fx73W“I won’t deny that plays a part. But even so…”0FTS2
4Yd8AAria’s eyes grew serious for a moment.2QYqmBu
7GbX6“Even if it’s a corpse, I can’t stand to see demons use the avatar of the Mother Tree. I meant it when I said I’d destroy it if necessary.”hhQBpy
slcZHer resolve to shatter it if things went wrong was clear.t0xDZ1Z
w6Qrfp“I’ll keep that in mind.”DJGHd1B
5QiX“Ah, and while we’re at it.”MFN8LzY
F7Ek“Are you good at spiritual summoning?”Qwm
hCf“Is that like asking a monkey if it knows how to climb trees?”OLi9
GQP2Yr“If you help me, I’ll introduce you to someone else.”GwxJJt
UIp“Who?”Rzm
r3HkmAria’s eyes sparkled like stars.RW6R
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