Chapter 101: Spreading Wildfire(1)

Alan took a deep breath.

Suddenly, his heart began pounding violently.

He instinctively sensed it.

“It’s coming…”

All along the way to Mar Garten, the debt that had flickered in his mind was now approaching.

Ssshhh—

Alan wasn’t the only one who felt it.

The withered branches of the World Tree, which had been embracing the elves for so long, trembled.

At a glance, it looked as if it was lost in desolation, or perhaps shivering from longing.

“M-Mar Garten-nim?”

“Are you all right?”

It happened as the southern elves anxiously looked up at the World Tree.

[Mar Garten…]

The Divine Voice resounded in everyone’s ears.

That mysterious and holy voice carried a strange power.

It was so overwhelming that the elves, absorbed in pouring out their feelings, fell to their knees of their own accord.

Gulp.

Alan swallowed dryly. His eyes moved busily, searching for the Light of the God.

Soon, he found the glass cup.

[Now is the time to awaken.]

The glass cup that had rolled beside the World Tree floated into the air. Though it had seemed empty, it was now filled with Divine Power.

“Ah…”

A bright, radiant Light of the God blossomed in the South Garden.

Expectation shone in Alan’s eyes.

He had faithfully followed the Divine Revelation to come to the South Garden; surely, that dazzling radiance would bestow blessings upon him.

The genius of the Marx Family thought so.

But soon after, he realized his current state was no different from a child awaiting praise.

A rush of humiliation, shame, and an unknown emotion swirled together.

Alan’s expression changed amidst his turmoil.

But only for a moment.

[Reveal yourself before me.]

The glass cup emitted an even brighter light.

And that light became nourishing sustenance for the parched World Tree.

“T-the World Tree…”

The dying tree was slowly regaining vitality.

It wasn’t the fresh greenness of a fine spring day, but it was enough to make the elves feel the word ‘miracle’ come alive.

Ssshhh—

The withered branches trembled once more.

Alan and the elves had just closed their eyes when the boy stood motionless before the World Tree.

“Hor!”

The boy bowed in worship to the glass cup shining before him.

His green hair and golden eyes were a mirror image of Adelgarten, but the aura he exuded was entirely different.

One knee on the ground, gazing at the Divine Power—Mar Garten.

Countless emotions stormed across his face.

After the god disappeared, the long silence he’d had to endure.

How did it feel to finally meet the god he had waited for, without promise or certainty?

“Have you been well all this time?”

Of all the words, that was the only line Mar Garten could manage to utter.

It couldn’t be helped.

The Light of the God, which could have covered the whole world, now barely illuminated this single garden.

Moreover, the Divine Power felt markedly weakened.

“What on earth happened to you? How did your holy power become so diminished?”

He lamented in a voice thick with sorrow.

More than the joy of reunion, more than excitement, he only felt pity and sadness for the god who had fallen so far.

[Mar Garten.]

[I grant you Divine Revelation.]

But the god did not answer his sorrowful question.

Perhaps there was no time for leisurely questions and answers.

[The barrier is broken and the Plague has spread.]

[This means a time of chaos has arrived.]

[You must fulfill your duties as the World Tree.]

The radiance grew even brighter.

The elves dared not lift their heads, pressing their foreheads to the ground.

“I accept your command.”

Thump, thump.

Only Mar Garten looked directly at the light, striking his chest.

His expression was filled with determination.

[My servants shall aid you and your kin.]

Servants.

Alan, who had been pressing his forehead to the ground, perked up his ears.

Who could be called a servant here?

The answer was obvious.

[Alan.]

[I grant you the title of Saint of the South.]

Alan struggled to raise his head.

“Saint of the South…”

The god had called him a servant, a saint. Why did that bring such overwhelming joy?

For a moment, he was filled with a childlike sense of satisfaction at receiving praise he never expected, and he found himself slightly displeased with himself.

Then, the light from the glass cup enveloped Alan.

[You shall not be lost.]

[You will be the lamp that bears my blessing.]

A sacred light bound the dark energy writhing inside Alan.

It wasn’t completely erased, but the magic power, which had been swelling to the brink of eruption, sank deep within him. Alan could feel it with certainty.

“…What must I do?”

Alan’s question was met with the god’s response.

[Gather the Spirits of the Marx Family and go to the Plaguelands where the Plague runs rampant.]

[Prevent the red Plague Army from invading the southern lands.]

[Through this, my name shall resound throughout the land.]

***

The moment the Divine Revelation ended, a dreadful aftermath greeted me.

A pain swept over me, as if my entire body was twisting.

I’d already expected this much.

It wasn’t just any revelation, but a grand one, so the backlash was naturally more severe than before.

Panting, I fell into thought.

Right now, I was writhing on the floor, but the revelation itself had concluded successfully.

Alan no longer showed any resistance toward the god, and was rather moved by the title of saint that had been bestowed upon him.

It seemed that true faith had finally started to take root.

“Hehe…”

To think I had gained the greatest genius in the history of the Marx Family so easily.

This was simply a windfall.

I recalled Alan as I’d seen him just before ending the revelation.

Raising the Spirit Staff filled with the faith of a hundred thousand with all his strength.

It almost felt as if I had tricked an innocent child—guilt even prickled at me.

The title may be ‘Saint of the South,’ but the gift he received was not even as great as Moritz’s sacred sword.

“No, just saving a boy who nearly became a demon is already more than enough.”

Yes, of course.

Even while writhing in pain, I nodded.

If I’d handed out too many things from the start, they’d only think I was an easy mark.

Well, anyway, I’d gained plenty from this revelation.

The southern World Tree and the elves, and even Alan.

This should be more than enough for the Hor Church to thrive on the Southern Continent.

***

For now, recovery was the top priority.

After nursing myself back for a few days, filthy, garish vagabonds arrived at the castle gate.

“Those bastards brought quite a crowd.”

Beyond the castle walls, a wave of crimson Plague Army.

There were easily more than four thousand of them.

“Are those the second generation?”

As I stood atop the walls, squinting, Avart asked beside me.

“No, those are still the first generation. The second generation will attack next.”

Crack.

Avart twisted his neck with a snap, confidence radiating as if no number of generations could faze him.

The axe strapped to his back reflected the light.

“The demon axe. Are you really not going to use it? I gave it to you as a gift.”

That was the demon axe that Poland Helga had gained in exchange for betraying his family and the Northern Continent.

I’d even asked the elves to unseal its magical restrictions, yet Avart showed no intention of using the demon axe’s power.

I hadn’t given it just for him to swing it around as a hunk of metal.

“Ah, so if you just leave this in my room, what do you expect me to do? Come to think of it, you never really explained it, did you?”

He stomped around in anger.

It seemed he hadn’t liked that I’d left the demon axein his room before leaving Riot Castle.

“What, does the betrayer’s face haunt you or something?”

“Hah! As if!”

He let out a fart at my subtle question, saying he didn’t even think about that kind of vermin.

“Yet you can’t even use such a rare Artifact properly?”

No response came. He only glanced at the axe on his back with a complicated expression.

It seemed this wouldn’t be easy.

Well, it was up to him how to use it.

I turned my head, looking for Lord Ord.

He had just come up to the wall.

“All troops have been deployed!”

The shouts of knights and soldiers filled the ramparts.

Even facing the approaching horde, morale was high.

Though fear and tension lingered, their spirits were not crushed.

The soldiers, though still somewhat clumsy, were burning with fighting spirit—a remarkable improvement from not long ago.

Walking through the formation, I approached the lord.

“I’ll ask one last time.”

The lord met my gaze with a stern face.

“With privilege comes duty. Can Riot Castle bear that responsibility?”

I had asked this question several times before.

But I could have asked a hundred times more. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the men of Riot Castle.

“Are you ready to shoulder even half the karma and resentment of the elves?”

Karma and resentment—those were such heavy words.

Ching—!

The lord drew his sword.

“As long as I, Ord, am Lord of Riot Castle, I will not abandon any duty or responsibility!”

His resolute conviction echoed as a firm voice throughout the ramparts.

Ching, chang—!

All around, the knights of the Union raised their weapons high into the sky.

“As long as Riot Castle is in danger, we too shall risk our lives to defend it!”

A declaration of unwavering determination to the end.

In contrast, the Royal Army remained still. They were here by royal decree, and would return after the Plague War ended.

This alone wouldn’t win the trust of the elves.

The elves had shed far too much blood for that.

Still, perhaps the sincerity of the Union had reached them, at least a little.

Ziiiiing—

The air around Riot Castle shifted.

Large and small Magic Arrays intertwined the sky and earth.

Boom, boom, boom.

A tremor spread from deep underground.

“The framework of the garden was finished days ago.”

The last thing needed was the resolve of the elves to activate the barrier, and that had just been fulfilled.

The soldiers of Riot Castle moved in confusion. Then, as if on cue, they turned to look at the castle keep.

Boom, boom, boom—!

A giant, beautiful tree—Adelgarten—rose, wrapping around the castle.

The purest life energy burst forth from its verdant leaves. At the same time, Magic Arrays all over the land sparkled brightly.

“Kieeek!”

The monsters that dared to set foot in the garden screamed.

For them, this place was a hellish maze, a perilous Dungeon.

“And for us, it’s truly a natural fortress.”

I grinned, looking up at Adelgarten.

In my mind echoed an ancient legend, passed down through the ages.

『 We are the Order of Guardians.』

『 No one shall ever trespass here.』

『 Even in death, the Guardians shall protect this place.』

The soldiers and royal knights, who’d been unable to grasp the situation, stood still, dumbfounded.

Their breathing gradually steadied, and their eyes began to burn with fighting spirit.

“All archers, draw your bows!”

“Cannons, aim!”

Before I knew it, the castle’s atmosphere had heated up.

“Whew. Not bad at all.”

Watching the men transform in an instant, I felt a rush of excitement.

Standing at the very edge of the wall, I absently stroked the blade of the White Ghost of the Demon Sword .