-Tick.
The thread called fate was tautly pulled and then snapped lifelessly. A dark branch of Resentment stretched angrily towards the sky.
"…How, how!"
"World Tree, please calm down."
"Shut up!"
Highly concentrated magic filled with emotion swirled around, and Raymond, sweating coldly, grabbed the branch. A great tree of a size comparable to combining several apartment complexes filled the temple tightly.
"If we just suppress this anger, it will only deplete the World Tree's strength."
"Find a solution immediately."
"Yes."
Raymond bowed his head as if he was driving it into the floor.
Resentment seemed to ease a bit at his devoted appearance, and it calmed down, tidying its scattered branches.
"We must kill him. By any means necessary."
Lee Shiheon, the candidate husband of the World Tree. Initially, no tree had shown interest in him. That's why modifying the quests or changing Lee Shiheon's personality and common sense was much easier.
'I should've blocked the opportunity from the start, but how in the world….'
"Does it make sense? A woman who forgives even rape, where in the hell can you find such a person!"
Resentment knew nothing about Lee Seyeong. It only knew she was a noble and had instructed Lee Shiheon to behave in such a way.
"Why is the woman who hated him the most acting all dumbfounded now?"
The World Tree couldn't modify those connected to it separately, excluding itself. The blood of the World Trees given to the tree people was getting thinner, and it would be highly against logic and causality.
Lee Shiheon, who came from another world, was like malleable clay, easy to manipulate.
So it thought it would be easy to break him, but why.
If there was a change, did it mean he overcame his destined fate? Now that the connection with Lee Shiheon was severed, Resentment could do nothing.
All that was left was a physical solution.
The reason for this situation must be the World Tree behind Lee Shiheon.
'Which bitch is backing that bastard….'
Defending the one who raped a World Tree. Resentment, like scattering its hair, spread its branches widely again, denying the fact that it had been tricked.
"Kill him as quickly as possible."
"Yes."
"Bring him to me alive."
Raymond nodded, a hint of hesitation in his expression as he knelt. His dry lips trembled, and then, as if making a decision, he asked her.
"World Tree, what about Alpha and Beta?"
"Who are they?"
Though he asked with effort, Resentment had no interest in those twins. Too busy with revenge to care, perhaps. Raymond took her words as the World Tree's will.
'So, abandon them.'
Alpha and Beta must have already fallen into other hands, Raymond thought.
'....'
Underneath an alley drenched in a downpour, the image of a trembling young sapling wrapped in newspaper crossed Raymond's mind. Alpha and Beta. It would be a lie if he said he hadn't thought of those nameless trees as his daughters. Even for Raymond, who had given his body and soul to the World Tree, it wasn't easy to utter words of abandonment.
He wanted to save them, but…
Could he?
Raymond bit his tongue bitterly. Sweetness filled his mouth.
"Now go."
"As the World Tree wishes."
Recently, there was news that Alpha and Beta had barely escaped from the institution. Even though he wanted to help, the situation now made it impossible. Raymond left the temple, exhaling a short sigh. However, his emotions were fleeting, and his eyes returned to the fanaticism of a devout believer.
Leaving Raymond behind, Resentment gathered its branches and cursed continuously.
"Huh… damn it."
Its knot was itchy.
[ Connection with the World Tree has been restored. ]
After some time, the status window returned.
"It's been about 2 hours."
The time when the status window could be shattered. There was no specific name for this power, which was ambiguous to call a skill, so following Baekdo's suggestion, they casually named it Heukdo (Black Path).
'Status window.'
[ Name ]
Lee Shiheon (World Tree's Husband Candidate)
[ Age/Height/Weight ]
20 years / 183 cm / 79.18 kg
[ Stats ]
Strength 6.5
Durability 5.6
Agility 5.2
Stamina 6.7
Magic 7.7
Charm 9
Intelligence 5
Potential 20
Luck 10
□ Unique Traits (2)
[Tree Planting Catalogue (S)][Combat Body (S)]
□ Owned Skills (1)
[Heukdo (-)]
□ Temperaments (4)
[King of Tree Spirits (-)][Swordsmanship Quality (B)][Magic Quality (B)][Lewd Devil (F)]
Even though I thought the charm I had painstakingly cultivated was useless, there was no overall change in my appearance. The parting soul was gone, and while crossing the brink of death, my stats had skyrocketed. The sword and magic qualities were abilities I obtained from drawing lots to defeat the Ent. Compared to before entering the dungeon, there was a significant gap.
'…How much will my stats increase if I release the status window?'
It was a continuous surprise, but maybe it made sense. When I was trapped in purgatory, I wondered what would happen to me.
"Ah, that reminds me, Master."
"What is it?"
"Now that it's like this, what happens to the quest?"
Outside the dungeon. A bit further away. As the collapsed dungeon began to lose its shape and crumble, we had set up camp in a forest a little away from there.
"Obviously, there's no need to die now."
Knowing how to escape from the status window, death-related penalties were almost non-existent. My heart sank when I heard Cheondo's definite answer. It was a reaction of relief, not shock.
"Really… Is that so?"
"Yes. I didn't expect it to turn out this way."
The treatment I had received so far flashed through my mind like a lantern. Crimes to survive, deceit to live. I shook off the overwhelming and joyous emotions with a single breath.
"That feels really good."
"But as long as there are rewards, it's better to clear it whenever possible."
That was also true. Of course, the top-grade potion currently at stake was something Cheondo could easily obtain, so it wasn't necessary, but no one knew what might be at stake in future quests. In other words, I could just pick and choose what I wanted to do.
"How do you feel?"
"A bit mixed. Really happy and grateful. But are we going straight to the academy now?"
"That seems to be the case."
I smiled and said to Cheondo.
"We still have a lot of time left, right?"
My actual age, twenty-four. It was still the age when playing was the best.
"What's so good about this?"
In the city of hunters, Seoul. Cheondo, having shed her eye-catching dragon robe and dressed in a cloak buttoned up like a robe, followed me, whining.
"What would you like to eat?"
Stopping by a commoner's restaurant and sitting in a corner, she seemed a bit hesitant before pointing at an item on the menu with her index finger.
"I'll have this."
Ketchup-loaded omurice. It looked sweet at a glance.
"…Master, you like this kind of stuff?"
"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
My subtly mocking tone was met with a cold response. I hurriedly chose something similar and nodded.
"Omurice is tasty. Yes. Then, I'll have that too."
Omurice for two and pork cutlet. The recommendation phrase included a sentence saying it was perfect for children, filled with ketchup, a flavor kids would go crazy for.
When the food arrived, I felt the eyes of others in the restaurant. Wondering if Cheondo's attire was the issue, I looked around and noticed a few glances directed at me.
'Why?'
The question was brief.
"Aren't you eating?"
"Oh, yes, I should."
I picked up my spoon at Cheondo's words. She had already split the soft-boiled omelet, rolling a big mouthful with the lovely rice. The uncut egg rolled over and fell, but as if she was tasting a heavenly flavor, a smile spread on her lips.
Why did she enjoy it so much?
The omurice here tasted quite ordinary. In fact, it was too sweet, catering to children's tastes to the extent that I could easily make it myself.
Well, the last time she ate chicken skewers, she also devoured the sweet stuff. And since she liked sour flavors, maybe sweet and sour omurice was the perfect food for Cheondo.
Her laugh while eating heartily didn't seem befitting of a master. I dipped the sweet potato pizza cutlet in the sour sauce and offered it to Cheondo.
"Ah, try this."
"…Have you finally gone mad?"
"Hey, it's out of gratitude. Because I'm grateful."
Cheondo looked at me hesitantly, then reached out as if she wanted to hold the fork I was holding. With some attention from around us, she sighed and ate it, lifting her hair to the side. The way she licked the sauce off her lips was somewhat provocative.
"How is it?"
"… It's delicious."
It felt like raising a proud cat. No matter how much it resisted the owner's touch, it succumbed to a treat. Such a title didn't seem fitting for the supremely strong her, so I held back my words.
The meal ended quickly.
-Thud.
We left the restaurant and walked the streets, perhaps to digest. All that was left was to find a hotel and places to have fun.
"Do you know any nearby hotels?"
"..."
"Master?"
While considering an expensive hotel, I suddenly noticed Cheondo's gaze fixed somewhere. Following it, I saw a large cinema. Maybe she wants to watch a movie. Movies are fun. Among the posters and billboards, the place her eyes landed was.
'Freak Cure?'
An animated movie.
Staring blankly at Cheondo, she coughed and asked me.
"I was just thinking of something else. A hotel? I'll find one quickly."
Cheondo looked at me with an indifferent face. After a moment of thought, I bitterly smiled. Sometimes, sacrifice was necessary.
"…That. Want to see it?"
Cheondo looked surprised at where my finger pointed.
"…Do you like that kind of thing?"
"Yes, a big, big fan."
As a sign of gratitude, more importantly, it seemed like something she'd enjoy, so how could I not let her see it?
"Do you really want to see it?"
"I really want to."
"…Sigh. Alright."
I questioned whether I needed to go this far, feeling a sense of self-doubt, but I guess if it was good, it was good.
I suppose even Hwangdo or Baekdo should have some hobbies they can't talk about.
'I've used similar lines before, and it seemed like she secretly liked it.'
-Do you like… those kinds of things?
-That's a hobby befitting you.
Thinking of the disillusioned peach sisters made me doubt my choice again.
'No, it's not that.'
I was about to say let's just go when I saw Cheondo, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.
That emotionless girl now had such eyes just for a movie.
"Let's go."
"I guess there's no choice."
I couldn't hold back.
Popcorn and cola, a couple's seat for two. As we entered the cinema, there were quite a few adults around.
Of course, there were just as many children, but maybe it was because this popular animation had so many fans.
I was curious how different it would be from what I knew.
-Ssssss!
The movie started after the ads.
The content was so-so, an anime that straightforwardly portrayed good defeating evil.
As I watched the movie, leaning my chin on my hands on the armrest, I couldn't help but yawn.
It really wasn't my taste.
'Is this really what she likes? Am I just misunderstanding?'
No, that was not it. Tired of the predictable content, I turned to look at Cheondo.
"...!…!!"
Her fists clenched tightly; she was trying to maintain an expressionless face while intently watching the screen.
Her pretty face hid all sorts of emotions, unable to completely conceal her moved feelings, and captivated me for a moment.
Cheondo, oblivious to my gaze.
Pfft.
I let out a chuckle, observing Cheondo's face.
What was the harm in being a bit weird?
My face involuntarily softened in sync with the thrilling side of Cheondo that I hadn't expected.
That was enough. That was all it needed to be.
The time we spent watching the movie alone flew by unnoticed.
Before I knew it, the movie's ending credits were rolling down.