"What do you mean by that?"
Merlin narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly.
'Is he suspicious of me?'
As soon as Raon's name came up, Tachen, who had only been observing the meeting, spoke to me. This meant he had some suspicions. Before denying any involvement, it was important to clarify what he meant.
"You are still interested in Raon Zieghart, aren't you?"
Tachen continued in a calm tone, as if it didn't mean much.
"I'm asking what you currently know about him."
"You're saying I'm interested in Raon Zieghart?"
Merlin twisted her lips slightly, lifting the edge of her mask.
"Isn't that right?"
"No, you're right."
She chuckled and nodded.
'It's better to admit it honestly.'
It wouldn't work to awkwardly deny it.
I've intervened in Omah's events to help Raon more than once. Tachen surely knew that.
"I swore to break Raon Zieghart's neck for consuming Lokta's soul, but when I saw him, he had Lokta's scent, so I couldn't move my hand."
Merlin furrowed her brow, mixing truth and lies appropriately.
"Is that why you disrupted the events of the Holy Sword Alliance, Black Tower, and White Blood Religion?"
As expected, Tachen knew that Merlin had clashed with all three factions. Not hiding it was the right answer.
"Yes. I couldn't let him die right in front of me."
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
Merlin said it was simply that and covered her red lips with the old woman's mask.
"I somewhat understand."
Tachen nodded briefly as if he was convinced.
"Then I'll ask again. Do you know why Raon Zieghart moved so quickly in Sepia?"
"I don't know."
Merlin firmly shook her hand and leaned back on the sand again.
"I saved Raon Zieghart because he was right in front of me. I'm not following him around. Besides..."
She wiggled her raised finger from side to side.
"I'm here, so how would I know his movements?"
"You could use that level of magic."
"I told you. As long as he doesn't die in front of me. I'm not going to do something that troublesome."
Merlin closed her eyes, saying that wasn't her nature.
"..."
Tachen stared at Merlin's mask without saying a word.
"That certainly sounds like you."
He nodded lightly and turned his gaze away.
"The damage from this incident is quite significant."
Despite saying the damage was significant, Tachen's tone wasn't dark at all.
"The death of the Red Demon Swordsman is a gain, but Cassandra and the Crimson Flame Demon... No, the worst part is that the Crimson Flame Demon died without obtaining his power."
He lightly tapped the table with his long, slender fingers.
"The Heavenly Demon will put pressure on us."
The man wearing the Troll Shaman's mask clicked his tongue briefly.
"Damn them. I'll twist their necks if they come!"
The woman wearing the Griffin's mask had veins popping in her neck as if she was already annoyed.
"That's not a big deal. I can smooth it over."
Tachen shook his head and looked up at the sky.
"The problem is that there's someone changing the flow of heaven."
"The flow of heaven..."
"Before starting this, I read the flow of heaven. The World Tree was burning, the Spirit World was collapsing, and the Crimson Flame Demon was reaching transcendence. But..."
A cold chill rose in his previously calm gaze.
"The results were the exact opposite. The World Tree survived, two Spirit Kings were born and stabilized the Spirit World, and the Crimson Flame Demon died. The flow of heaven I saw was completely reversed."
Tachen clasped his hands and supported his chin, his gaze darkening.
"Usually, there aren't many people who can change the flow of heaven. Transcendence. Even among those, only those who have reached the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation can do so with great sacrifice."
"Then, does that mean Raon Zieghart has reached transcendence..."
"That's not it."
He shook his head.
"According to the information left by the Red Demon Swordsman, no, the Blue Serpent Swordsman, he's still only at the beginning of Grandmaster. That's the real problem."
A deep well formed under Tachen's cheek.
"It means Raon Zieghart can change the flow of heaven without reaching transcendence. I wasn't planning to pay much attention to him, but..."
His eyes, radiating a chilling heat, fell on Merlin.
"I'll need to change my thinking a bit."
* * *
"...That's how it happened!"
The baby fox raised its paw as if to say, 'I did well, right?'
"..."
Raon blinked as he looked at the baby fox with Merlin inside.
"You're under suspicion!"
Considering Tachen's words, it was clear he intended to keep an eye on Merlin, even if he didn't say it outright.
No, that dangerous guy might have already predicted the relationship between Merlin and me.
"Yes, that's right."
"If you know that, why are you so calm!"
"I told you before."
Merlin waved her front paw.
"I have no attachment to Eden. It was the same before, but now it really has no value."
She shook her head, saying she was only in Eden to extract information.
"That's not the issue, it's dangerous."
"It's always nice to hear you worry about me. I want to record it."
Merlin blushed and crossed her back legs.
-Ugh, she's really crazy....
Wrath couldn't watch anymore and retreated into the ice flower bracelet.
"Think seriously. You're already in danger."
"I know."
Merlin nodded calmly.
"But it was worth taking the risk."
"What?"
"I got suspected, but I was able to save you. That's enough for me."
She smiled as if that was enough. Her unwrinkled smile felt genuine.
"Sigh..."
Raon held his head and sighed. There was nothing he could say, but there was still something he had to say.
"You did save me, and I'm grateful for that."
"Oh my! Thank you? What's with us?"
"But now, think about yourself."
He ignored Merlin's words and looked into her eyes.
"Don't approach in your true form from now on. Even if I'm in danger, never."
"Hmm, I'll try."
"Not just try, you must. And..."
Raon raised his finger and pressed the baby fox's nose.
"Also, be ready to escape from there."
Considering Tachen's reaction, he might have already started investigating. It's crucial to have an escape route ready.
"I've made some preparations, but since you say so, I'll think it through properly."
Merlin reassured him and patted his hand with her paw.
"Then that's fine."
Raon sighed and nodded.
"Ah, I've received so much of your worry today that I feel full."
Merlin chuckled and burped softly. It was annoying that she looked cute in the baby fox's form.
"Now that I've seen you're safe, I'll be going."
She looked up at the sunlit ceiling, saying it was time.
"Hmm..."
Raon straightened his back and swallowed dryly.
'What's this time?'
As he waited nervously for Merlin's words, she swept her paw through the air.
"This little one wants grooming."
"Grooming?"
"Grooming is when animals use their tongues to clean their fur. They also groom each other to build bonds."
"T-Tongue?"
Raon looked at the baby fox with his mouth wide open.
"This little one lost its parents recently and is all alone. It said it wants grooming, even from a human."
Merlin petted herself, saying it was a pitiful child.
"Oh..."
Hearing the baby fox's story, he couldn't refuse. He had to groom it, even if not with his tongue, at least with his heart.
-Eek!
Wrath crawled out slowly and covered his mouth.
-How pitiful....
Though he said it was pitiful, it seemed like he might be smiling if he opened his covered mouth.
"Then, please!"
Merlin waved her hand and left. The baby fox's black eyes looked into mine.
"Oh..."
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at the baby fox. Making eye contact made it even harder to refuse.
"Just give me a moment to prepare myself."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
'Let's just do it ten times. My tongue might get a bit sore...'
Resolving himself, he opened his eyes and saw the baby fox smiling like a human.
"Hehe."
"Merlin!"
Recognizing Merlin's voice, he immediately pushed the baby fox away.
"As expected, you're different from others."
Merlin chuckled, saying she knew it.
"You don't have to groom with your tongue. You can pet it with your hand."
She grinned, saying she saw something amusing.
"Then, I'll really go now."
With those words, the baby fox's eyes sparkled light brown. This time, she really seemed to have left.
Purr.
The baby fox came to his lap and rubbed its face.
"Alright. I'll do as much as you want."
Raon placed the baby fox back on his lap and carefully stroked it from head to tail.
-Pet properly! Every single strand of fur!
'I get it. Just be quiet.'
Cough.
The baby fox wagged its tail and squinted happily.
'It's not just this little one that's feeling good.'
Surprisingly, petting the baby fox made him feel at ease.
Grooming seemed to bring peace to his heart as well.
As he was petting the fox for a while, the door opened and Rimmer, Dorian, and Yua entered.
"Raon! You're up!"
Dorian ran over, knelt down, and bowed his head.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
He sniffled, saying he was very worried.
"See? I told you there's no need to worry. This guy's body is like steel."
Rimmer smiled and patted Raon's shoulder.
"Young Master!"
Yua, holding a tray in both hands, ran to Raon.
"Be careful."
Raon caught Yua with the hand he had been using to pet the baby fox.
Growl.
The baby fox narrowed its eyes, wondering what was happening.
"Huh? What's with that fox?"
"When I woke up, it was next to me."
He couldn't say Merlin was possessing it, so he pointed to the hole the baby fox came out of.
"It seems to have come in through here."
"Wow..."
Yua looked at the fox with sparkling eyes.
"Do you want to pet it?"
"Yes!"
Raon nodded and lifted the baby fox to hand it to Yua.
"Good girl."
Yua held the baby fox gently and petted it.
Raon watched Yua and the fox, then turned his gaze to Rimmer.
"Is everything over?"
"Why are you asking me? You're the one who handled it all."
Rimmer laughed, saying everything ended when the Crimson Flame Demon fell.
"I was just checking."
"It ended well. The old man survived, the World Tree survived. Some of our kin died, but that was unavoidable."
He muttered not to worry in a voice tinged with sadness.
"You must be hungry, so eat first."
Dorian offered a steaming yellow soup from the tray Yua brought.
It looked like corn soup with small bread pieces, but strangely, it had no scent.
-Oh!
Wrath licked his lips, looking at the soup.
-I've been starving! Where's the soup? Hurry and eat!
'I am hungry.'
Raon nodded and took a spoonful of the soup. Unlike the lack of scent, as soon as he ate it, a rubbery taste filled his mouth.
-Ugh...
"This is..."
"It's soup made from Nadine bread."
Rimmer pointed at the soup and laughed.
"You probably can't eat much since you're not feeling well. I made it so even one bite would be fine."
"I see..."
Raon replied briefly and looked at Wrath. His plump body started to glow red.
-Eden scum! Don't worry!
Wrath raised his fists and ground his teeth.
-I'll destroy all the pointy ears!
'This is not bad?'
Ignoring Wrath's anger, Raon took another spoonful of the Nadine bread soup.
-Urgh...
As soon as the rubbery taste touched his tongue, Wrath's anger naturally subsided.
-Damn this place! I'm never coming back!
* * *
"Sigh..."
Sterin slowly opened his eyelids. Deep fatigue and pain spread from his sunken eyes.
"Guardian!"
"You're awake!"
The guardians who were watching around the World Tree ran to him.
"I'm awake, but it seems I'm very late."
Sterin sighed, looking at the blackened roots and base of the World Tree.
"Do you know what happened?"
The chief elder who was maintaining the temporary barrier approached Sterin and bowed his head.
"I don't know exactly because of the resonance, but I could tell the World Tree was in great pain."
Sterin frowned, saying he felt a burning pain from within the World Tree.
"Then, I'll explain."
The chief elder sighed briefly and sat down next to Sterin.
"It started with Raon Zieghart. He said he had a bad feeling and began a reconnaissance of the Great Forest..."
He explained to Sterin everything that had happened.
"I see. The Spirit King..."
Sterin wasn't too surprised to hear that Raon and Siyana had dealt with the Spirit King, as he had somewhat predicted the situation.
"We owe that boy a great debt."
"Yes. Considering Lady Siyana's awakening, it's a debt hard to repay."
The chief elder nodded in agreement.
"You've changed somehow."
Sterin narrowed his eyes at the chief elder.
"Because I saw something that inevitably changed me."
"I see."
Sterin drew a faint smile and stood up. He almost collapsed, but the chief elder supported his shoulder.
"What is Siyana doing?"
"She is circling around Sepia, regenerating the World Tree's barrier in your stead, Guardian."
"I wanted to tell her myself."
He clicked his tongue briefly, genuinely regretting it.
"Shall we go?"
"I'd like to, but there's something I must do first."
"That's right."
The chief elder nodded with a calm smile, as if he knew what it meant.
"Above all, that comes first."
* * *
Raon left his quarters upon hearing that Sterin had awakened.
"Is the Guardian alright?"
"You'll be surprised how fine he is."
Rimmer smiled and nodded.
"That old man. I don't know how long he'll keep up his Guardian role."
He clicked his tongue, saying it was bothersome. Even though he said that, he probably hadn't slept out of worry.
"Hmm..."
Raon frowned as he walked the path leading to the World Tree.
'It's really burnt up.'
The path from Sepia to the World Tree was filled with black ash.
No matter how skilled the elves were, it seemed like it would take a lot of time and effort to restore the forest.
"Don't worry."
Rimmer waved his hand, as if understanding Raon's thoughts.
"As long as the elves remain, the forest will come back to life. This much can be restored easily."
He smiled confidently about that.
"Worry about yourself. Have you tried using Sword Control again?"
"I tried, but it didn't work. I guess it was a fluke."
"That's a relief. If you managed it right away, I would have given up the sword and started a gambling den."
"Aren't you at that level already? You go every week."
"It's not that much!"
As they walked, joking with Rimmer, they arrived at the World Tree before they knew it.
But there, not only Sterin, but most of the elves staying in Sepia had gathered.
'What's this?'
Finding it strange, he stopped walking.
"Not yet."
Rimmer grabbed Raon's wrist and led him to the center of the World Tree.
"I brought, no, I escorted him."
He smiled and stood next to Sterin.
"You're awake. That's a relief."
Raon bowed to Sterin with a bewildered expression.
"Thanks to someone."
Sterin smiled faintly and looked up at the World Tree. Despite more than half of its base being burned, the great tree still stood firm.
"When I became one with the World Tree, I felt the burning pain. I knew it was an external attack, but breaking the resonance was impossible."
He clicked his tongue briefly, touching the burnt part.
"I thought it was all over when the World Tree was attacked, but I felt the pure energy of fire and water so strongly that even I, in resonance, noticed. Thanks to that, I was able to grasp a small hope."
Sterin's gaze turned to Raon again. It was different from before.
The look that once held pride as if seeing his grandchild now held reverence, as if looking at an equal.
It wasn't just him. The eyes of all the elves, including the chief elder and Erian, were the same.
"I'll start first."
Rimmer walked in front of Raon. He knelt on one knee, holding his right shoulder with his left hand.
"The Yuha Branch Tribe greets our benefactor."
"D-Division Leader?"
Before Raon could express his confusion, Erian on the left came forward and took the same stance as Rimmer.
"The Korn Branch Tribe greets our benefactor."
"The Shihwa Branch Tribe greets our benefactor."
"The Maran Flower Tribe greets our..."
"The Karan Stem Tribe greets our..."
The tribe chiefs weren't just shouting words. Their sincerity turned into willpower that tickled Raon's chest.
"The Guardian of Sepia greets the benefactor of our tribe."
Finally, Sterin stepped forward. He also knelt and bowed his head respectfully. It was as solemn as when facing the World Tree.
Behind Sterin, the chief elder, the elders, and all the elves standing there knelt with their right hands holding their left shoulders.
It was the etiquette seen only when elves showed their true feelings. They conveyed their sincerity with a posture as straight as a tree trunk.
At this moment, the spirits of all the elves resonated. The World Tree spread its bent branches like wings and scattered transparent leaves.
Under the shimmering sunlight, hundreds of elves raised their voices.
"We greet the benefactor of our tribe!"