Chapter 121

“You let me touch the Hero’s belongings.”

“H-Hero? That was yours, Gilbert.”

“Because I belong to the Hero.”

Gilbert murmured while looking down at Egru’s ankle. As his eyes narrowed as if about to grab it, Egru quickly pulled his foot away.

“You’ll need to show it again tomorrow anyway when I apply medicine.”

Gilbert slowly raised his head to meet the amber eyes. After hesitating awkwardly for a while, Egru asked.

“Um, do I really just need to show it and nothing else?”

Gilbert’s lips pressed together. The red eyes, filled with dubious intent, fixed intently on Egru’s groin.

“Absolutely not!”

Egru jumped in place, horrified.

“I’m sorry.”

“Y-yes…”

“Since I apologized, can I eat it now?”

“I told you no!”

Gilbert’s plump lips protruded through his tangled hair.

Egru vaguely thought that Gilbert seemed simpler than expected.

Could it be that letting him suck on my member makes his affection level increase dramatically?

Egru shook his head at the sudden thought. Even for him, that was somewhat uncomfortable.

“Do you care for the Hero, Gilbert?”

Gilbert nodded a couple of times.

“I wonder if they might be the first Hero…”

“There is only one Hero in the world.”

Egru startled at the threatening resonance. It was because Gilbert had exposed his canines with a growl.

But he didn’t lunge forward. The hostility seemed significantly reduced compared to before, which was reassuring.

I’ve heard the first Hero was already executed…

Perhaps Gilbert had served a different Hero.

“I hope we can meet the Hero. I’ll work hard to help too.”

“…”

Gilbert glanced at Egru as he made his solitary pledge, then looked away.

“Can you prove what you mentioned before about the relic?”

“Pardon?”

“The thing needed to completely restore the World Tree.”

“Yes! First, we need to find all ten fragments of the relic…!”

As Gilbert showed subtle interest, Egru happily continued his explanation.

<system>

A total of ‘1’ [Relic] fragment is detected in the [World Tree Underground].

Just then, the status window flashed. After reading the golden information, Egru immediately relayed it.

“It seems one is located beneath the World Tree!”

“The World Tree doesn’t have an underground.”

<system>

• [Relic] location: [World Tree Underground]

Egru tilted his head at the status window that appeared again as if for emphasis.

“But it says there is one.”

“Do you know how long I’ve lived here? The outside seasons have changed easily a thousand times.”

“E-even so…”

<system>

• Use the northern staircase of the [Well of Origin] to descend to the [World Tree Underground].

Though trembling at Gilbert’s suddenly ferocious demeanor, Egru spoke up.

“There’s no harm in believing me just once, right?”

“…”

Gilbert closed his eyes for a moment as if lost in thought. Not long after, he raised his massive muscular body. His wheat-colored long hair dragged on the floor like loosely undone strands of yarn.

“Lead the way.”

“What? Yes!”

Egru promptly stood up and took the lead. They walked briskly through the dark, long wooden corridors in silence.

“So, from what you’ve said, it seems you’ve lived in the World Tree for a very long time, Gilbert.”

“It’s amusing to hear that from a long-ear who lives easily for a thousand years.”

“Long-ear…”

Was he referring to elves?

“Excuse me….”

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice echoed from behind.

Egru stopped and turned around quickly. As expected, there was no one.

Gilbert looked down at Egru with eyes that seemed to question what he was doing so suddenly.

“Gilbert, can’t you h-hear that?”

“What.”

“Sometimes I hear unknown voices inside the World Tree.”

Egru said, looking around at the ceiling, walls, and floor.

“I can’t see their forms though.”

“…Maybe it’s because your ears are big.”

You’re hearing things. Gilbert muttered, looking ahead again. A flustered Egru randomly waved his hands through the air.

“N-no! It’s not in my head!”

“…”

“Really! They talk to me, and they chat among themselves! They even told me what my name means! Egru means ‘dregs’!”

Gilbert looked down at Egru with an expression that seemed to say, ‘Should I keep believing this?’

Though indignant, Egru finally closed his mouth and moved forward. There was no way to prove something invisible even to his own eyes.

“Where to now.”

Gilbert asked. By the time they reached the Well of Origin, whatever little trust existed initially seemed to have hit rock bottom. Egru’s pointed ears drooped progressively lower.

“I-it says there’s a staircase to the north of the well…”

“North?”

The red eyes gazed beyond the glowing well. All that stood there was a thick wooden wall. Now Egru’s shoulders slumped as well.

Knock.

That was when Gilbert began tapping the black wooden wall with his knuckles.

Knock, knock, knock…

Gilbert walked from one end to the other, methodically checking the wall.

Thump.

Unlike the previous solid sounds, one spot produced a louder, resonant noise. It indicated that space was hollow inside.

Before Gilbert could raise his fist, Egru pushed the wall with all his might.

With a clatter, the seams split open. The door, which had nearly been shattered by Gilbert’s fist, opened intact.

“Wow!”

Egru let out a bright exclamation. Inside the door were two sets of stairs. Wooden steps leading both up and down.

“Let’s go right away, Gilbert! Right now—ack!”

Egru’s throat was suddenly constricted as he tried to leap inside. A large hand had grabbed his collar.

“Wait here.”

“What?”

“I’ll be back after dealing with them.”

Gilbert’s black tail undulated slowly. As if sensing a threatening presence and being on guard. Egru swallowed hard, tense in response.

“D-deal with what?”

“Heretics.”

“H-heretics entered the World Tree?”

“They come frequently.”

Gilbert calmly collected his axe from wherever it had been as he spoke.

“That’s why I can’t leave it empty.”

“Ah…”

Egru hurriedly picked up a tree branch.

“Sh-should I help you?”

“No. Don’t come out. You might boost the enemy’s morale.”

“Why?”

“You look weak.”

Gilbert snapped the branch Egru was holding with one hand.

“Don’t come out until I return. You’ll be in the way.”

At such a resolute refusal, Egru sniffled. The distrustful gaze was intensely painful. The neatly broken end of the branch dangled from Egru’s hand.

“Do the h-heretics come to do bad things?”

“They destroy the World Tree and extract resources.”

“I s-see.”

“But if this relic really exists…”

Gilbert mused, looking around the staircase room. His large hand gripped the axe firmly.

“They might have been coming to steal it all this time.”

***

Considerable time passed after Egru was left alone in the well chamber. It felt like about an hour had gone by.

As per Gilbert’s instructions, Egru didn’t step a foot outside the room.

Even when strong vibrations were felt and explosions were heard, he diligently sang songs in his mind. There were also consecutive explosion sounds, as if magic was being used.

Should I g-go out?

But what if he really did boost the heretics’ morale?

Just as the outside noise, which had only been growing more intense, suddenly stopped. Likewise, as the ground’s vibrations subsided, Egru thought this was his chance and rose to his feet.

“Spare me! Please spare me!”

Egru, having gone outside, stopped in his tracks at the sudden screams.

“I won’t come again, I swear—!”

A man in a dark robe let out a shrill scream.

Ah…

Seeing Gilbert’s combat style, Egru had only one thought.

He w-was extremely lenient with me.

Why? Because I looked weak?

Crushed corpses lay strewn across the flower garden. A scene of carnage ensuring no one would leave alive unfolded before his eyes. The large beast’s deliberate movements were incredibly threatening by their mere existence.

Gilbert, who lunged at the intruders in an instant, twisted and tore bones with overwhelming brute force. He hurled his axe at enemies trying to escape in the distance.

“Guurgh…!”

A heretic with an axe blade embedded in his back collapsed. That wasn’t the end—Gilbert also performed a perfect kill confirmation by tearing out vital spots. It felt like watching a hellhound that wouldn’t let go until its prey was dead.

“…”

Eventually, tranquility returned to the World Tree.

Gilbert’s blood-soaked thorax rose and fell deeply. He resembled a predator whose excitement had yet to fully subside.

The amber eyes caught sight of Gilbert’s member, standing erect enough to reach his abdomen.

He g-gets aroused during combat.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t shocked by the brutal scene. Though his fingertips trembled uncontrollably, he absolutely couldn’t let it show.

Calm down, stay calm…

Gilbert was merely using all his strength to protect the World Tree. An outsider like himself couldn’t judge, given the countless trials Gilbert must have faced.

Just then, the red eyes suddenly turned toward where Egru was hiding.

Startled, Egru quickly hid his head, which had been partially exposed.

I need to run away quickly…!

But his limbs wouldn’t move as his mind commanded. His entire body was stiff as if turned into a rigid statue.

“I told you not to come out.”

“Eek!”

A low voice resonated above his head as he tried to crawl away.

Egru cautiously looked up at Gilbert. Though his face was expressionless as always, it was clear that his feelings were hurt.

<system>

[Gilbert Kuel]’s current affection level: -5

This can’t be happening…!

His heart sank at the affection level that had dropped by ’10’ in an instant. He could barely hold back his involuntary whimpering.

But conversely, this meant Gilbert had been deeply hurt.

Wait a minute…

It was then that a desperate idea occurred to him. Though hesitant, with no other options coming to mind, Egru stammered.

“Gilbert, I, I…”

Gilbert no longer even answered. The large figure brushed past. Watching his retreating back leave bloody footprints, Egru closed his eyes tight and shouted.

“Do you w-want to eat my p-penis again?”

“…”

Gilbert stopped abruptly.

<system>

[Gilbert Kuel]’s current affection level: 10

Egru wasn’t sure whether to be happy about this dramatic progress.