“According to the compass, we’re still heading south.”
D’Élysée nodded slightly at Tarn’s voice coming through the ear-worn communication orb.
They shared identical compasses but were in different locations. This was thanks to Mayfield’s suggestion that they travel separately.
“Would you leave the beastkin child in our care? I’m worried about Egru too and want to establish contact quickly. The child seems to get along well with the twins, so it would be perfect.”
Although he had brought Tarn along to find his brother, traveling alone was far more efficient. If Mayfield could look after Tarn and they could communicate via the orb, there was no reason to continue moving together.
D’Élysée had been traveling nonstop for three days now. Having moved away from the Empire, he occasionally used his aura to increase his speed.
“When you find Egru, bring him back right away. Don’t keep him all to yourself. I really miss him too.”
“…If you behave.”
“Eek! The yellow bad person can’t be trusted after all! Kam! Kum! Say something too!”
“Bad person!”
“Bad!”
“Did you hear that? If you do something bad to us, Egru will scold you!”
Tarn seemed quite happy to have siblings, enjoying his role as the twins’ leader. D’Élysée was secretly pleased to see them getting along.
If Tarn’s obsession with his brother could shift to the twins, that would be ideal.
D’Élysée let the unnecessary chatter drift past one ear as he asked indifferently:
“Has my brother’s direction changed?”
“Move a little eastward! But answer me first!”
D’Élysée, who was turning down the volume on the communication orb, recalled Mayfield’s words:
“I cherish Egru just as much as you do, and I hate Levian equally. Please trust us.”
Unfortunately, that was absurd. To claim she cherished his brother as much as he did.
D’Élysée gently bit his lower lip, his heart aching with anxiety.
More and more people were gathering around his brother. It was becoming increasingly evident that he was an infinitely warm presence.
Would his brother cherish them too?
‘More than me?’
D’Élysée’s expression instantly sank to an ashen color. He could vividly imagine those clear amber eyes reflecting someone other than himself.
‘It would be nice if I could hide him somewhere. A place where no one could covet him…’
For a moment, a delicate light green nape flashed through his mind. He clenched his molars as if biting down, his jaw tightening until veins bulged, and the taste of blood tingled in his mouth.
‘Damn it…’
D’Élysée shook off his hand after roughly running it over his face. He moved quickly toward the southeast.
He wanted to fill his eyes with his brother’s form, which was currently just a mirage. It felt like crossing a desert in search of a handful of oasis.
What should he say first when he met his brother? Whatever it was, an apology had to come first.
And then…
That he missed him.
D’Élysée moved forward, the words hanging at the tip of his lips.
***
Egru stood at the entrance of the World Tree, trying to mentally prepare himself. It was because he was now voluntarily entering a place he had been desperate to escape from not long ago. He needed time to calm his pounding heart.
<system>
- Main Quest: Repair the Damaged World Tree (Current Progress: 0/100%)
- Completion Reward: [Long-term Memories] stored in the underground core will be restored according to quest progress. (Current Backup Rate: 0/100%)
The status window appeared as if pushing him forward. He had hesitated, just taking deep breaths, and now it was already evening.
<system>
- To repair the damaged World Tree, [Relics] are needed. Collect 10 [Relic] fragments scattered across the world and absorb them into the [Underground Core].
‘Relics? H-how am I supposed to know where they are?’
<system>
- Follow the quest in your status window.
- Dangerous adventures require reliable companions.
<system>
- Normal Quest: Increase [Gilbert Quel]’s affinity to recruit him as an [Ally]
As Egru stared at the name, a primitive question suddenly crossed his mind.
‘C-come to think of it, why don’t you tell me to make other people allies?’
<system>
Only important NPCs are eligible.
Who else could become an ally?
<system>
- Based on [User]’s relationship data, 3 examples:
- Levian, Salvanel, Mayfield…
‘Wow! I want to make Miss Mayfield an ally too!’
<system>
- Already achieved 100% [Affinity], cannot attempt [Ally Recruitment].
- [Ally Recruitment] can be attempted at 30%, 50%, and 70% [Affinity] respectively.
‘T-that’s not fair. That’s totally arbitrary…’
The status window disappeared abruptly, as if having nothing to say.
Egru found himself unconsciously pouting. Come to think of it, there was something he’d been curious about all along.
‘Why don’t you appear and help whenever I need it?’
This time, as if able to answer, golden light poured out from thin air.
<system>
- There are limitations to intervening without being detected.
‘Who aren’t you supposed to be detected by?’
<system>
- …Information not accessible.
‘I get it. You always say incomprehensible things.’
It was quite puzzling, but he couldn’t help it.
‘I believe you’ll explain everything clearly someday. Still, thanks for helping occasionally.’
Though it was an unknown entity and quite arbitrary, its constant presence was somewhat reassuring.
The status window emitted light briefly before vanishing abruptly. As if embarrassed.
Egru carefully looked up at the World Tree. The sight of it towering high as if piercing the sky was majestic.
He closed his eyes tightly once, then opened them and looked to the side. In one corner of the flower garden, the bone pile was still there.
It seemed like a kind of warning: if you enter carelessly, you’ll meet the same end as those people…
“Hoo, hoo, haah.”
After a short deep breath, Egru stood up on his trembling knees.
‘I-it’s okay. I can do this.’
He had to make the axe man an ally. They would go on adventures together, help people, and become a great hero.
Egru clenched his fists and stepped into the World Tree one step at a time. But his initially bold stride quickly dwindled to hesitant steps.
“Ugh…”
Memories of the past flashed through his mind like trauma. Even though his wrist that Gilbert had broken was completely healed now, it still seemed to throb.
Each step felt heavier than a thousand pounds. His mouth and entire throat were parched.
‘If he tries to kill me and chases me again this time, will you help?’
The status window only emitted a brilliant golden light without answering.
‘Y-you won’t help this time?’
Egru finally resolved to proceed alone and went deep into the dark passage.
He mentally sorted through words to persuade Gilbert to become his companion. How many times had he peered into rooms where Gilbert might be?
‘Golden light…’
He saw a dim light in the distance. It wasn’t the light of the status window.
Yes, he remembered.
It was the light emanating from the Primordial Well. It had definitely been broken, but had Gilbert fixed it himself? If so, there was a high possibility that Gilbert was there.
‘I-I should go…’
But he didn’t want to.
Suffering from intense mixed feelings, Egru finally approached the well room little by little. His heart raced as if it would burst, and his throat was completely dry.
‘Huh?’
But for some reason, as he got closer to the passage leading to the well room, he heard a strange sound.
‘W-why do I hear water?’
Maybe he’s bathing. The Primordial Well is in there after all.
If so, he shouldn’t look inside. It would be impolite, and Gilbert might go berserk calling him a pervert.
‘Wait…’
The sound wasn’t quite like washing; it was more like a viscous liquid squelching. There was also a rhythmic sound, something dynamic rubbing together.
‘Ah! I see!’
He might be swimming or playing in the water. That explains the intense water sounds. Either way, he had no choice but to wait outside.
Egru crouched with his back against the wall leading to the passage. He hid behind an ivy leaf larger than himself and settled in.
“Mmm…”
Not much time had passed before his amber eyes began to blink slowly.
Was it because he’d come from the cold north to a warm region? Or because fatigue from all his travels was catching up with him as evening fell? His thin eyelids naturally kept drooping as sleep washed over him. The endless waiting didn’t help either.
‘How long is Gilbert going to bathe…’
Unconsciously, Egru picked up a fallen leaf from the ground. It was a massive leaf, large enough to cover his entire body. As he covered himself with the green leaf like a blanket, his body naturally slid to the side.
“Hero, hero…”
That’s when he heard it. A rough, throaty voice.
“Ugh, I miss you…”
Egru’s head nodded drowsily. To his ears, already drunk with sleep, the heated breathing was nothing more than a faint whisper.
“When we meet again, let’s, haah, let’s do it together… Every day…”
The amber eyes that had been barely visible through his eyelids finally closed completely.