Chapter 487 – Peeling layer after layer (4)

"It'll be nice to do that together. We should do such fun things together."

Cale looked toward Alberu who was smiling while saying it sounded fun. Alberu started to speak after seeing his gaze.

"Did you create such a plan because of Elisneh the First?"

He had yet to hear why Cale was going to overturn the Molden Kingdom.
However, he assumed it was something that had to do with taking down the White Star because he had heard that Elisneh the First, the monarch of the Molden Kingdom, was the Illusionist, one of the White Star's subordinates.

"Hyung-nim."
"Yes."

Alberu looked toward Cale who was suddenly looking at him with an observing gaze instead of answering his question with an odd gaze.

'Why is this bastard who is great at creating situations that drive me nuts looking at me like this?'

As Alberu had an ominous feeling…

"Hmm… Hyung-nim, I guess you can fight too."

Cale recalled how the quarter Dark Elf Alberu had enjoyed receiving the bottle of dead mana in the past.

"Hmm?"

Alberu flinched.
He realized the intentions behind Cale's gaze.

'That looks like the gaze I have when I've found someone useful!'

Alberu had once seen his gaze reflected on a window when he found a useful administrator and started to talk to him.
Cale's gaze right now looked exactly like his gaze back then.

'No.'

He could not get involved with this bastard who drove him nuts.
There was a difference between working with Cale and being driven nuts by his actions.

"I'm not fighting."

Alberu sternly shook his head.

"You absolutely won't fight?"

He then flinched at Cale's question.
Cale had asked that question without much thought, but Alberu did not know that.

"…Of course, I will step up if something happens to the Roan Kingdom or the Roan Kingdom's citizens."
"I see."

Alberu started to frown after seeing Cale's soulless response. He bit down on his lips as he asked.

"Why is my dongsaeng asking me such a question? Shouldn't you be telling me about the Molden Kingdom?"
"The White Star is creating a fake World Tree."
"Hmm?"

Alberu flinched, but Cale recorded everything written on the boulder before nonchalantly continuing to speak.

"They're creating it in the Molden Kingdom's palace, and the Elves infiltrated once but their plans failed because of dead mana."
"…Huh?"
"That's why the Dark Elves are thinking about working with my group to help the World Tree out this time. We also plan on dragging the Mercenaries Guild and the nearby kingdoms in the Eastern continent into helping out as well."

Alberu kept his mouth shut.

"Ah, the Elves will be with us as well."

Cale stopped talking and looked toward the quiet Alberu. The two of them made eye contact.

"My little brother that loves to drive me nuts."
"…I drive you nuts? Why?"
"Never mind."

Alberu shook his head before starting to speak again.

"The Roan Kingdom does not have the troops to send to the Eastern continent. You should know that."
"I do."

He didn't know when the White Star would invade the Roan Kingdom. Because of that, the Roan Kingdom was currently gathering as many troops as possible.
Of course, it was being conducted stealthily in order to not make the citizens of the kingdom worry.

Alberu quietly looked toward Cale who knew about that and still asked him to do it together before starting to smile.

"I guess what you want from me is not troops."
"That is correct."

What could Cale need?
Alberu started to speak again.

"You'll need a decent status to get the Eastern continent's Mercenaries Guild and the nearby kingdoms to cooperate with you. It'll be difficult for you to deal with the aftermath alone as well."

There was a difference between Cale Henituse going to the Eastern continent and Cale Henituse representing the Roan Kingdom, one of the strongest kingdoms on the Western continent, going to the Eastern continent.

"And you'll need the Caro Kingdom and Roan Kingdom's confirmation about Elisneh the First's identity and her actions. The Eastern continent's people are more likely to accept such confirmation from someone with a high status."

He smiled majestically at Cale and continued to speak.

"Use my name and cause a ruckus if they get in your way."

If the Eastern continent's kingdoms hinder them…
If someone asks Cale who are you to step up to do this…

"The Roan Kingdom and my name. You can use them as you please on the Eastern continent."

Cale may be a punk, but he wouldn't abuse such power.
He might be a bastard who drives him nuts, but there was a reason Cale was a hero in the Roan Kingdom.

"What are you planning to do if I do as I please and the Eastern continent files a complaint to the Roan Kingdom?"

Alberu shrugged his shoulders.

"Who cares? Are they going to come over and invade? It'll take them a while to come via ships and it would not be possible for them to teleport over. And if they mess with us…"

Cale could see Alberu's eyes that seemed to be sparkling even in this darkness.

"We will stick the Roan Kingdom's flag on the Eastern continent."
"You're quite greedy."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"As you please."

Alberu observed Cale responding nonchalantly and looking away from the boulder and at the stone chamber itself as he asked another question.

"But do you have any proof that the White Star's power, that the sky attribute power is from the Demon World?"
"Ah, you see…"

Cale explained the things that had happened until now as well as information that might prove that his hypothesis was correct.
To finish off, it was time to talk about his recent trip to the World Tree. He chose the things he could share from his conversation with the World Tree to explain.

"What about the Demon World? Did you ask the World Tree about the Demon World?"
"Mm."

Cale stopped talking for a moment after hearing Alberu's question and started to think.

He had taken Elf priestess Adite to the inn after making a deal with Sully, the contractor for the Fire Elemental.
He had to go back to the Elf Village with the World Tree to meet Adite, and he had another chat with the World Tree while he was there.

'What do you think about my thoughts regarding the Demonic race and the Demon World? I'm talking about the White Star's sky attribute power.'

The World Tree said something unrelated to Cale's question.

'As I mentioned last time, there was not much I could see around the end of the ancient times because my sight was covered by darkness.'

The World Tree repeated what she had said when they first met.

The ancient times.
The story about how she could not see the flow of the world because her sight was covered by darkness at that time.

'What is that darkness?'

Cale had asked once more as he had done the first time, and the World Tree responded the same way she did when they first met.

'I can only speak the things that the World allows me to say. I told you this last time, right?'
'Yes, ma'am. You did say that.'
'I also said that I cannot say anything about things I cannot see.'
'That is correct.'

The World Tree stopped talking for a moment as if she was thinking before continuing to speak.

'I could not predict the true body of the darkness. However, the me that lived during that time did see 'darkness.' Unfortunately, that is something I cannot discuss.'

It was the same answer as in the past.

She could not predict the true body of the darkness, however, she did see the darkness itself. But she could not say what that darkness was.

However, the World Tree continued to speak this time unlike in the past.

'Cale. There are not many things I can say.'
'You do not need to push yourself too hard, World Tree-nim.'

The World Tree laughed at Cale who answered calmly before gently continuing to speak.

'I'll tell you one more thing.'

The World Tree had lived much longer than Dragons…
Much longer than the White Star…
The World Tree had existed in this world for a very long time.
The World Tree was a being who was born, died, and reborn again over and over.

'Cale, change your thought process.'

She was telling Cale to change the way he was thinking.

'Why do you need to personally participate?'
'Ah!'

Whether it was the Gate to the Demon World or the Gate to the Divine World…
There was no need for them to deal with it.

'Why do something so cumbersome and try to take care of it yourself?'

Ooooooo-

The World Tree's body started to shake and Cale could hear Adite scream. The World Tree still calmly continued to speak.
She kept talking without stopping as if she was trying to tell Cale even one extra piece of information.

'The gods create contracts with humans. I guess you can say that that is them making deals. Saints and Holy Maidens are people who have contracts with the gods. They don't know about these contracts. They just think that they were chosen and given gifts. It's similar to the vow of death.'

Contract or deals with the gods that people didn't know about, similar to the vow of death.

'No power in the world is given for free. Why do the gods give Saints and Holy Maidens their powers? Although the Saints and Holy Maidens might not know it, the gods deliver their wills to the world through them.'

Ooooooo-

The World Tree's branches started to shake.

'The Sun God tried to get rid of creatures with the darkness attribute that are also part of nature through humans.'

Adite called out to the World Tree and told her to stop.
However, the World Tree continued to speak. She sounded relaxed.

'Furthermore, there are many 'contracts,' similar to how the God of Death receives death as a condition of making the deal to keep the gods' eyes on the world.'

Cale found it shocking that the World Tree was talking about the God of Death's eyes on the world that she would not discuss last time.
The World Tree continued to speak.

'Do you think the Demonic race wouldn't have anything like that?'

'Ah.'

Cale had let out a gasp.
It was at that moment.

Boooom-

The World Tree's largest branch broke and slammed down on the ground.

'They're all the same.'

The World Tree's voice started to get quieter.
She laughed out loud.

'Take a look. They're all trying to shut me up right now.'

Cale focused on the World Tree's voice.

'Cale. Your life, our lives are the only important thing. Do not let them drag you around. Whether it is a deal or a contract… You can do everything as you wish.'
'That is my plan.'
'Haha, yes, yes. Do as you please like how I'm running my mouth however I want. And take a look at Saint Jack and Hannah. Also, look at Cage who excommunicated herself. There definitely exists weaknesses to their contracts and deals.'

Something popped into Cale's mind at that moment.
The World Tree then quietly continued to speak.

'…Later, let's finish our conversation later.'

She then became silent.
She was no longer able to speak.

"Dongsaeng? Hey dongsaeng, why are you blanking out like that? Are you ignoring my question and thinking about something else? No, right?"
"Ah."

Cale quickly stopped thinking about the World Tree. He could then see the corners of Alberu's lips that had twisted up.

"You finally snapped out of it."

Cale slowly avoided Alberu's gaze.

"Ahem. Anyway, the chance that the White Star's power is from the Demon World is high."

As long as the White Star made a deal or signed a contract with the Demonic race that is.

"I guess it's not okay to talk about the World Tree?"
"I guess?"

He could not tell Alberu about the conversation he just recalled nor the conversation he had before that about how the God of Death wanted to make a deal with Cale.
Seeing Alberu quiet made Cale think that the conversation had ended well and continued to record everything in the stone chamber.

That was why he did not see Alberu's gaze.

'Mm. It looks like the God of Death did something to young master Cale so the World Tree was giving him some advice.'

He had received a report from his aunt Tasha through the video communication device earlier.

'Oh right, your highness, young master Cale always tries to brush these issues aside. So my little nephew-nim, shouldn't we do something to prepare in his place?'
'Of course.'

He had agreed with Tasha's suggestion.
Cale did not notice the serious look in Alberu's eyes as he finished recording everything in the stone chamber.
He undid a button after heating up from using his ability before starting to speak to Alberu again.

"Shall we go?"

Alberu returned to his blonde hair and blue eyes appearance and opened the stone chamber's door.

"Sure. We should go now."

It was at that moment.

"Human!"

Cale and Alberu looked at each other in shock.

"…Raon?"
"…It seems like it."

They heard Raon's urgent voice.
Cale and Alberu quickly headed to the surface. Cale could see Raon who was no longer invisible quickly flying down as he passed the middle of the staircase.
Raon started to speak as soon as he saw Cale and Alberu.

"Sorry! I'm really sorry! It was urgent!"

There was a video communication device in Raon's front paws. It had been a while since Cale had seen such an expression on Raon's face and he opened his mouth to ask what was going on.

"What-"
"Bud!"

However, Raon was faster.

"Bud, Bud! They said Bud's f*cking head is gone!"
"…Huh?"

'What is gone?'

Cale felt his mind whiting out.
Raon shoved the video communication device toward him at that moment.

– It's been a while. Young master-nim.

Ron calmly smiled at him.

– He hasn't lost his head yet.
"He said he will lose it soon!"
– That is the case.

Ron faintly smiled as he continued to speak.

– It looks like Bud has become a hostage. We were told to come before they blow Bud's head away.

Cale recalled the conversation he had with Bud before coming here.

'Hahahaha! Just trust me, trust me! The Molden Kingdom? I'll find out everything about it! Just wait! Muhahahahaha!'

Bud who was happy to return to the Mercenaries Guild for the first time in a long while had shouted that to him while drinking bottles of alcohol.
Ron continued to speak.

– According to Bud's close friend, Glenn Poeff, he was captured while being rash.

Cale let out a sigh.

"…By who?"
– By the Molden Kingdom's dethroned princess.

'Hmm? Wait, who?'

Cale looked toward Ron. Ron responded with a benign smile on his face.

– The last princess to lose the battle for the throne against Elisneh the First. He was captured by her.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]