Chapter 94 : Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Beneath the Branch of the World Tree (7)

When Frude appeared, the fairies, who had been creating a menacing atmosphere, all knelt on one knee to pay their respects.

Bea and I followed suit, kneeling toward Frude.

Nihel quietly sat on the ground.

The Fairy King nodded, accepting my gesture.

Despite me bringing his son bound in ropes, he showed no anger.

Because I brought him alive and unharmed?

No, it felt like the Fairy King already knew his son’s condition.

Just meeting his gaze made me feel completely exposed.

I couldn’t believe such a being wouldn’t know about his son’s state.

Bea and I rose from our knees.

Immediately, curses erupted from the crowd.

“How dare an elf come here!”

“Where’s the warrior to save our prince?”

Harsh words poured out in the hostile atmosphere.

But both Bea and I were prepared for this.

Bea stood tall despite the venomous glares and curses.

Her stoic expression suggested she was unaffected by the hostility directed at her.

Frude approached Bea first, not me, who had brought his son bound.

Bea flinched but bowed to Frude again.

“I greet the Fairy King.”

“Are you the emissary sent by the elves?”

Bea brushed back her hair, revealing her severed ear to the Fairy King.

A sudden silence fell over the crowd, which had been filled with curses.

Given the elves’ deep attachment to their kin, an exiled elf was a rare sight.

Moreover, Bea’s appearance played a part.

Looking at her, one couldn’t help but be reminded of a legendary elf commander from long ago.

“No, I am not in a position to represent the elves.”

- Then how dare you show your face here?

- Tell the elves clearly! There’s no surrender. Only one race—fairies or elves—will remain in Kipaso!

Despite the uproar, Bea remained calm.

Looking straight at the Fairy King, she said:

“But even without representing the elves, I wish to apologize. For the terrible incident that befell the fairy child, Sarun. I sincerely apologize for his death.”

At Bea’s words, the surroundings fell silent.

Elves and fairies coexisted in Kipaso but never truly lived in harmony.

The fairies knew the elves subtly looked down on their race.

Yet a member of the elves had come, risking death, to bow and apologize.

Everyone seemed shocked, but Frude calmly asked her:

“You were friends with Sarun, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I shared a friendship with Sarun. He treated me warmly, regardless of my age, my ash-colored hair, or the fact that I’m an elf.”

It was a fact even I didn’t know.

When explaining the cause of the racial war, Bea hadn’t mentioned her bond with the deceased fairy child.

“When Sarun came back from playing with you, he would smile brightly and talk about you. But that Sarun is already gone.”

There was no inflection in the Fairy King’s voice.

Yet I couldn’t help but feel an indescribable sorrow seeping from this sage-like being.

“I know your apology carries sincerity. I’m grateful that you were Sarun’s friend.”

Some fairies shed tears.

The fairy child named Sarun must have been deeply loved by the entire clan.

“But I hope you understand that our wounds are too deep to be healed by your apology alone.”

Bea had come with courage.

I had persuaded her, who was reluctant, to come to the fairy territory.

Even when her apology wasn’t accepted, Bea maintained her composure.

No trace of disappointment crossed her face.

She simply bowed deeply again and said:

“I sincerely apologize.”

It wasn’t a demand for her apology to be accepted.

Bea’s sincerity reached not only me and Nihel but also the Fairy King and the other fairies.

“Ugh…”

Amid the silence, one fairy broke the quiet.

It was the Malevolent Spirit, Raldetun.

He wasn’t indifferent to the situation, but he seemed to be in unbearable pain.

I untied the ropes binding Raldetun.

He stumbled and fell but quickly stood up.

He was fighting the pain of the Demonic Energy coursing through him.

His body trembled, but his face, with eyes closed, looked resolute.

Fairy King Frude finally spoke to me.

“Why has a human come this far?”

“I am Polarin Adjak. First, I offer my condolences for the tragedy that befell the fairies.”

“You must be from the Adjak family. Our fairies once joined him on an expedition.”

“Thank you for aiding my ancestor.”

I bowed deeply.

I had no memory of meeting Frude, but the fairies had also participated in the expedition and distinguished themselves.

Once again, I was in a position to ask for their aid in an expedition.

Moreover, I genuinely felt pain for what happened to the boy named Sarun.

So I bowed to the Fairy King with all my sincerity.

“It may be presumptuous in this situation, but I came because I can help Raldetun-nim.”

“…”

“Could we speak somewhere private?”

There were too many eyes around.

The fairies who fought with Raldetun saw his blackened eyes.

But increasing that number further wouldn’t be wise.

Bea’s apology and Raldetun’s poor condition had created an opportunity.

I wanted to seize this subdued atmosphere.

“Your Majesty! We’re in a state of war!”

“Exactly! Humans can’t be trusted!”

The calmed atmosphere began to stir again at my words, but Frude raised his hand to silence them.

Without responding, Frude looked into my eyes.

‘That gaze… there’s something to it.’

It wasn’t a sense of danger, but there was something unsettling about it.

I felt like a gambler sitting at the table with all my cards exposed.

“Follow me.”

* * *

Bea and I followed Frude into his hut.

The door was built for fairy height, so Bea and I had to stoop to enter.

Nihel, no matter how it contorted, couldn’t follow, so it stood guard outside.

As Kipaso’s sacred beast, it would be fine alone even in fairy territory.

‘It’s cozy.’

It was an unpretentious room, unbelievable for a king’s dwelling.

Rather than a built house, it felt like stepping into a massive tree trunk.

Vines and moss grew naturally throughout, making the hut feel like part of nature.

Frude laid Raldetun on a bed.

On the way here, Raldetun had lost consciousness.

Occasional groans confirmed he was alive.

But his fever was intense and black veins protruded across his skin.

Raldetun’s condition was far from okay, even as a figure of speech.

Frude brushed the leaves of a potted plant on a round table.

Golden pollen scattered through the hut.

For some reason, it calmed my mind, and it seemed to affect Raldetun too, as he stopped groaning and fell asleep.

“You said you could help Raldetun.”

“Yes, I’m certain I can.”

“If you’re thinking of using a Demonic Energy neutralizer, it’s useless. If that’s your plan, leave.”

Frude said, locking eyes with me again.

“But it seems you have another card to play. I’ll trust you.”

“…How do you trust me?”

I was pondering how to persuade Frude when he said he trusted me first.

I couldn’t help but ask.

“My eyes are good.”

“Do you see something in my eyes?”

Frude looked like a wizened old man, but he carried a different kind of authority.

“No, I meant my eyes are good. I can see people’s hearts.”

Was he really someone who could see through everything?

Goosebumps rose on my arms.

But avoiding his gaze now would be odd.

An awkward staring contest between me and Frude continued briefly.

“It’s been a while since someone didn’t avert their eyes after hearing about my ability.”

I nodded.

I didn’t know how far he could see, but that wasn’t important now.

“Heir of a hero and one who came from the High Dragon’s Nest. Can you heal my son?”

I nodded.

With a resolute voice, I answered:

“Yes, I’ll definitely heal him.”

* * *

I examined Raldetun’s body with [Ghost Eye].

I could see Demonic Energy raging through his entire body.

Its violent movements were tearing him apart from the inside.

But the quantity wasn’t overwhelming.

I had once expelled Demonic Energy from the demon Derix.

Compared to Derix, this would be much easier, as the amount of Demonic Energy was less.

After inhaling the golden pollen, I looked down at Raldetun, who was sound asleep.

I removed his tattered shirt, ruined from our fight.

His exposed body was revealed as he lay face down. His back, hidden under the clothes, was even worse.

Black veins bulged prominently.

I placed my hand on his prone back.

“I’ll begin.”

Frude nodded.

His wrinkled brow furrowed deeper.

Even a Fairy King’s concern for his son was evident.

Wooong!

My Dragon Heart roared to life.

White light poured from my hand.

I infused vast amounts of mana into Raldetun, slowly pushing out the Demonic Energy within him.

Sizzle.

The sound of burning flesh rang out, caused by the heat from the Demonic Energy’s resistance.

Once I expelled all the Demonic Energy, my palm print would likely remain around his shoulder blades.

But that would be a small price. If left like this, he’d surely die.

I carefully regulated my mana, pushing it in slowly.

There was no need to flood it recklessly like with Derix.

My mana infiltrated Raldetun’s blood vessels, gradually expelling the Demonic Energy.

I first secured the area near his heart, ensuring the Demonic Energy couldn’t reach it, then pushed it out slowly.

“Ugh…”

Raldetun groaned.

But I didn’t stop.

Frude watched with concern but didn’t intervene.

I continued infusing mana.

“Gah!”

Raldetun’s eyes snapped open, and he thrashed.

But I gripped him firmly, subduing his body.

Life gradually returned to his bloodshot, black-tinted eyes.

“Cough, cough!”

Each time Raldetun coughed, black Demonic Energy spewed out.

I manipulated my will to deploy [Intangible Armor], enveloping his mouth to prevent the Demonic Energy from contaminating the surrounding mana.

‘It’s working well. I should send the collected Demonic Energy to Nofen-nim for tracking.’

I was pleased with [Intangible Armor]’s growth.

As Raldetun coughed, I felt the black energy swirling within the [Intangible Armor].

“Argh! Stop!”

Raldetun screamed.

Only then did I remove my hand.

And I noticed.

Distracted by the [Intangible Armor], I had poured more mana into Raldetun than intended.

Mana in the air shares the same properties, but once absorbed through breathing and refined, it gradually changes.

Thus, when another’s mana is infused, it can clash with one’s own, sometimes leading to death.

I placed my hand back on Raldetun’s back, marked with a white handprint.

As I moved to absorb my mana,

“What?”

A bewildering phenomenon occurred.

My mana began consuming Raldetun’s body.

It wasn’t a voracious devouring like Demonic Energy.

It felt like it was embracing the mana weakened by Demonic Energy, but it was still unsettling.

There was no need for [Ghost Eye].

I vividly felt my mana inside Raldetun’s body.

- Damn, it hurts, it’s too painful. But, but… it’s getting comfortable.

Even Raldetun’s thoughts were transmitted to me.

This was a phenomenon that happened with Derix…

Perhaps because I spoke aloud unconsciously,

Bea and Frude stared at me.

I removed the [Intangible Armor] from Raldetun’s mouth, now unconscious again.

Awkwardly, I said:“I successfully expelled the Demonic Energy.”

“You expelled the Demonic Energy ‘well.’”

Frude looked at me intently and said.

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