Chapter 63: When I came home… (2)

The power was not disappearing completely; it was simply returning to normal.

There was nothing for Cale to be disappointed about regarding the Fire of Destruction.

'Mm.'

Cale thought that he needed to explain a bit more after seeing the piercing gazes of the people from the Empire and opened his mouth.

"I will just consider it as having experienced many things in this time."

The experience of facing his enemies with overbearing strength.

That was quite the useful experience that allowed him to learn many hints about how to face the Hunter households in the future.

"Of course, I'm not saying that what happened to this world was a good experience."

He thought that something like this should never happen in this world again.

"I just think that there was a lot that I gained."

He gained quite a lot of information about the Hunters.

In addition, having captured the Huayans patriarch and the Blood Cult's Number 7 meant that he would be able to gather even more information.

He also did not cough up blood or faint.

'Things went well.'

Cale nodded his head, satisfied that the situation had been handled easier than he had thought.

The corners of Cale's lips curled up a bit.

"Haaaaaaaa."

Cale looked at the ancient Dragon who sighed deeply. Eruhaben was just sighing without looking at Cale.

Mary was silent, but it was odd seeing Choi Han looking at Cale as if he had a lot he wanted to say.

However, Cale thought that he could probably hear it later and looked toward Imperial Princess Olivia instead.

"I don't think one year is possible, but I will purify things as my power allows while I am here."

He still had ten times efficiency right now, so it wouldn't be bad to purify things without pushing himself too much.

Imperial Princess Olivia opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally speaking.

"…Doesn't your power decrease the more you use it?"

"Probably?"

Cale answered as if it was obvious before adding on.

"Of course, I may have to leave soon if something happens."

Soon, Reddock Huayans… He was planning on meeting with the patriarch to gather information.

He would leave this world if something came up that needed his immediate attention from that conversation.

Oooooong– oooooong–

Furthermore, the God of Death's divine item that is in his pocket… The mirror had been vibrating since a few moments ago.

It seemed to have something to say to him.

'I also need to hurry up and go back home.'

Cale remembered how Beacrox, Ron, and crown prince Alberu had looked when he last saw them.

He also clearly remembered that it was most likely bastards from the Blood Cult who made them look like that.

"…Ha."

Olivia let out a deep sigh at that moment.

'Hmm?'

As Cale became confused at that…

"Oh, esteemed Purifier."

The Pope suddenly started praying.

Cale was even more confused.

"Purifier, I will definitely not forget your sacrifice."

Zero spoke with a solemn look on his face and quite the crazed gaze.

'This is weird.'

Cale felt extremely iffy at this odd situation.

"I knew it would be like this."

Cale realized something was wrong after hearing that comment from the ancient Dragon.

His confusion didn't seem to matter as Imperial Princess Olivia started speaking again.

"We plan on having a meeting with the entire continent soon."

The chief executives of each group were going to meet to discuss how to restore Xiaolen from here on.

"Excuse me."

Cale raised his hand toward Olivia, who looked ready to explain everything.

"There is no need to explain everything to me."

"…Excuse me?"

Cale thought that it might sound a bit cold but still spoke honestly.

"I am someone who is going to leave."

If Cale was not going to purify this entire world, it was up to the people of this world to figure out the rest.

"I believe that the issues of this world are a conversation for the people who are going to continue living here."

Cale looked at Olivia and continued to speak as she closed her mouth.

"I came here today to deliver that message."

Olivia slightly bowed toward him.

'…I am shameless.'

She felt disappointed as soon as Cale said that he was someone who was going to leave.

She also thought that she had been completely shameless.

'These people are people who are fighting against this massive enemy called the Hunters.'

She could not ask such people to stay here.

They had a home as well.

They were people who had left their homes in order to fight these enemies.

'We already received a lot from them.'

Starting with the fall of the House of Huayans, they had learned the true cause of this world's destruction.

They had also stopped it.

"I see. You all are people who are going to leave."

Olivia raised her head again.

"Thank you for everything until now. We will repay you for everything you have done to the best of our abilities. It will be done before you all leave."

Olivia continued to speak to Cale who was nodding his head.

"You may leave now. We are going to start a meeting."

"I see."

Cale got up without any hesitation after hearing the order to get out. In fact, it was Olivia, who had told him to get out, who was looking at Cale and his people with a longing gaze.

"I will see them out."

The Pope stood up.

"Then we will be on our way now."

Cale and the others said goodbye to Olivia and headed toward the meeting room door.

At that moment…

"…We do not plan on scraping by to get out of this destruction. We plan on starting a new era."

Cale heard Olivia's voice behind his back.

Her voice was slightly shaking, but nothing was preventing it from getting her message out.

"We plan on creating a world where both mana and dead mana can coexist."

She stood up.

She walked toward Cale and his people.

"Please tell me your names."

Olivia stood in front of Mary and extended her hand out for a handshake. Mary looked at Cale for a moment. Cale nodded his head.

Only then did Mary shake Olivia's hand.

Mary looked silently at the hand that looked the same as hers before opening her mouth.

"Mary. That is my name."

"Yes."

Olivia continued to speak.

"We will create a world where necromancers as strong as Mary exist."

She let go of Mary's hand and extended her hand out toward Choi Han.

"My name is Choi Han."

"I see. We will make a world where people can grow into sword masters like Choi Han."

"It will happen."

Olivia smiled at Choi Han's response and looked at the Dragon.

"Eruhaben."

"Yes, sir. Umm-"

Eruhaben calmly responded to Olivia, who hesitated for a moment and could not continue to speak.

"It is up to you to convince Aphei."

"Of course."

Aphei was currently the only Dragon in this world.

It was up to Olivia to convince her to help them restore this world to normal.

She thought about what she needed to do before looking at Cale.

"Cale."

"...."

Olivia silently extended her hand for a handshake.

However, Cale smiled awkwardly as if this was a bit strange.

"Your Royal Highness, isn't it a bit early to have this kind of farewell?"

Cale looked at Olivia, who was looking at him as if he was someone who would disappear with the wind, and let out a small sigh.

– Human, did you forget?

He heard the invisible Raon's voice.

'Mm.'

He had indeed forgotten something.

"Mm. Your Royal Highness, there is something I would like to suggest."

Cale remembered what he had forgotten about.

"What is it?"

Olivia cautiously asked.

His casual voice reached her ear.

"I have a peculiar World Tree. Will it be okay to plant it here?"

"…Excuse me?"

'What?'

Olivia wondered what she had just heard.

She looked around.

The Pope and Zero both had rare blank expressions on their faces as they looked at Cale.

'Ah, they heard the same thing too.'

Olivia knew that she had heard properly, but looked at Cale because she could not understand.

"Ah."

She couldn't even hear Choi Han gasping as if he realized something.

"Mm. I have a World Tree that doesn't care if dead mana is nearby."

She could only look at Cale, who continued to say things with an oddly light tone.

"It is still a young World Tree, but… There is no World Tree in this world anyway. I think it will do a good job if you plant this World Tree in the area that is most seriously corroded by dead mana and tell it to maintain the area."

The Molden Kingdom's underground labyrinth…

The fake World Tree that had been at the center of it…

This black fake World Tree had grown up well despite having a dead mana river nearby.

"…Excuse me?"

Olivia could only blankly ask back.

"Oh, this thing is capable of conversation, so it should be cooperative if the conversation goes well."

Cale shrugged his shoulders toward the people of Xiaolen who were looking at him.

"Honestly speaking, wouldn't it be difficult to purify this whole continent with just necromancers, Dark Elves, and black mages?"

In all honesty, purifying all of Xiaolen was also an issue.

"By the sounds of it, you are trying to create a world where the two can coexist. Of course, it sounds like this will be quite the strong world once it is completed."

A world where necromancers like Mary and sword masters like Choi Han could coexist and grow together.

It was possible that Xiaolen's new future might be amazing.

"Anyway… I think that this World Tree will be very helpful for it."

"O, one moment please!"

Olivia showed her palm to Cale to make him stop talking.

"Umm, Purifier, no, Mr. Cale."

"Yes?"

"The World Tree… Umm, will you escort the esteemed World Tree to this world?"

"No?"

Cale tilted his head to the side as he responded.

"I have it on me?"

"…A World Tree, so what you are saying is that you have a World Tree in your possession?"

"Mm. You can say that I am currently protecting it."

The fake World Tree was currently inside a badge after being Embraced.

'The more I think about it, this world is perfect for the fake World Tree.'

A world like Xiaolen which had an extreme level of dead mana was probably better for this World Tree to lay its roots in than a regular world.

"Ah, of course, I do not plan on planting it here if the World Tree says that it does not want to stay in this world."

"No!"

"Excuse me?"

Olivia subconsciously raised her voice before calming herself as much as possible after seeing the shocked Cale.

"Umm, is, is it possible to speak to that World Tree-nim?"

"I don't see why not. I guess it would be good for the involved parties to chat with one another."

"Yes! Please give me a chance to speak to it!"

If such a World Tree really existed as Cale mentioned, it was a new World Tree that was perfect for Xiaolen.

'If a new World Tree appears in this world and Dragon Aphei helps us…'

Then the people and other races living in Xiaolen might really get the strength to stand up once again.

It would be the return of two existences that embodied the world from 300 or so years ago.

Although they would be different from the World Tree and the Dragons of that time…

They were precious existences that would fit this changed Xiaolen.

"Of course."

As Olivia and the other people of Xiaolen sighed in relief at Cale's lighthearted response…

– Human, I think that the fake World Tree will want to stay in this world!

Cale showed his agreement to Raon's comment via silence.

The fake World Tree had grown up in the underground labyrinth under the White Star's suppression and Elisneh's control.

Furthermore, it had even faced Elves that came to kill it.

A world like this that treats it as a revered being would be something that the World Tree could only have dreamed about.

"Then I will be on my way now."

"…Okay. I will see you soon."

"Yes, your Royal highness."

Cale and his people left the meeting room.

Olivia stared at the closed meeting room door for a bit.

Zero opened his mouth to speak.

"…I really can't figure this guy out at all."

"I agree."

Olivia agreed before adding on.

"Maybe he is an existence we cannot dare to make a judgment about."

"That seems right."

Zero scoffed.

"Hehe, a human who is protecting a World Tree. How can such an existence be human?"

"…He could be human. Is it okay to set a limit to what he can do just because he is human?"

Olivia smiled at Zero and the chief executives as she continued to speak.

"We are individuals who will raise this world up once again. We cannot set a limit to what we can do."

"Ha!"

Zero let out a short laugh before nodding his head.

"You're right. We truly cannot set a limit on what we can do."

"That's right."

Olivia and the chief executives still had no clear idea of how to purify this world without Cale.

However, she was looking at the future in a positive light.

'The Agents of Destruction had a lot of other races as well.'

And…

'The Church of the Fire of Purification has people who can at least use portions of the power of the Fire of Purification.'

In addition…

'The Empire has more mages and administrators with profound knowledge of dead mana than anywhere else.'

There were probably other existences still living in different parts of Xiaolen as well.

If they all put their heads together, she was certain that they would be able to find a way.

"Let us start the meeting."

The meeting resumed with Olivia's comment.

On the other hand, the Pope bowed slightly toward Cale outside the palace where the meeting was taking place.

"Oh esteemed Purifier, the church is no longer considered as an evil cult."

"That's great."

The Pope smiled gently at Cale's calm response.

However, that smile quickly disappeared.

"Will you be heading to that place?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The Pope slightly bowed to say goodbye.

"I pray that you can get what you seek."

"That should be the case."

Cale responded and started to walk.

He was headed toward the underground tomb beneath the Emperor's Palace.

It was the place that Eruhaben had looted dry once already.

* * *

This large area where countless jiangshis were supposed to be…

Cale sat on a chair located in the center of that area and started speaking.

"Have you been well?"

He looked at the three people kneeling in front of him and smiled.

"You guys are all still fine."

Blood Cult's Number 7.

Patriarch Reddock Huayans.

The Chief of Staff.

The three of them were kneeling in front of him at a set distance from one another.

"Will you still be fine after today?"

Cale leisurely asked while being the only one to smile brightly.

—
Translator's Comments

Oooo a home for the Fake World Tree!

***

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]