Chapter 107. The World Tree

The following morning, Orion arrived at Caron's lodgings bright and early, and was greeted by a bewildering sight.

"Arghhhh..."

"P-Please... Spare me..."

"A warrior... does not fall... to such agony!"

Three figures lay sprawled across the beds, each one pale and writhing in apparent torment.

Alarmed, Orion stepped forward and asked urgently, "Was there an ambush during the night? I was careless not to station guards around the perimeter—"

Before Orion could finish, the door swung open. A young man with a towel draped around his neck entered, saying, "They're just being dramatic. Nothing to worry about. We just... did a little training last night."

From among the three dead-looking figures, Leo raised his head slightly and shouted hoarsely, "That wasn't training, you lunatic quack! That was human experimentation!"

"Now, now," Caron replied. "Did you not see any progress?"

"Progress?! Because of you, I had to go through so much mana backlash—

Arghhh!

" Leo suddenly coughed up a jet of thick blood. It wasn't the bright red of life, but rather the black of dead blood.

After seeing that sight, Caron roughly dried his hair with a towel, then asked Orion nonchalantly, "You wouldn't happen to have any diluted Dew of the World Tree, would you?"

Orion sighed heavily and reached into his coat, taking out a small vial. He asked, "...What on earth happened last night? Reports said the house was echoing with screams all night."

"Oh, that must've been Utula," Caron replied. "The other two couldn't even manage to scream by the end, right, guys? Here."

Taking the vial from Orion, Caron tossed it toward Leo, who caught it desperately and gulped down half of its contents. Finally able to breathe again, Leo handed the rest to Leon.

"Leon... Are you... alright?" Leo asked weakly.

Leon pushed herself up and took the vial as she fixed a murderous glare on Caron.

"I will be fine," she growled. "I must be fine. So that I can do something to that bastard... Oh, but we should save some for Utula..."

"Oh, the giants heal quickly on their own, so he'll get better soon," Caron said dismissively.

"Caron Leston. You... are dishonorable! I declared... my defeat! Did you have to beat me up like that? You're a merciless cold-blooded fiend!" Utula said.

The room erupted into a chorus of complaints against Caron, each voice angrier than the last. Caron looked at them with a mix of disdain and exasperation before letting out a long sigh.

"And this is why people say you shouldn't take in black-haired beasts," he remarked.

"Leo and I are blonde, you idiot," Leon snapped.

"What? The only one with black hair here is Utula!" Leo shot back. "And by the way, I saw you laughing while you were 'helping' with our mana training!"

"...My name... is Utula of the Black Axe Tribe... not the Black-Hair Tribe..." Utula muttered, still too weak to do much else.

Orion watched the chaos unfold, his expression one of pure exasperation. He let out another sigh, this one heavier than before. He had brought them here as a favor, but none of them seemed normal, so he was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake.

"Oh, that reminds me," Orion said suddenly. "There were reports of strange behavior last night. Someone claimed you, Leo Leston, took off your armor and started... banging on it. Was there any meaning to that?"

"I couldn't communicate with them... We call that pantomime," Leo answered.

"Then Caron, did you put on that circus performance for the same reason?" Orion continued, turning his gaze toward Caron.

"What circus performance?" Caron asked.

"Tossing the crystal orb in the air, catching it, rubbing your face against it—Doing all sorts of ridiculous—" Orion began, but was cut off.

"Stop," Caron said firmly. Preserving what was left of his dignity as a person became his utmost priority.

"That's strange," Orion said, shaking his head in confusion at Caron's urgent tone. "Did you not use the medal?"

"The medal?" Caron asked, puzzled.

"Yes, the spirit medals I handed out yesterday. If you channel mana into them, they summon spirits that guide you through the city."

At those words, Leon quickly pulled a silver medal from her pocket. Concentrating, she poured her mana into it. With a faint hum, a small puppy made entirely of water materialized on her lap.

Caron clenched his fists, glaring daggers at Orion. He asked through gritted teeth, "...Why are you telling us this now?"

"Ah, it must have slipped my mind amid the chaos. My apologies," Orion replied with a sheepish shrug.

"You have no idea what kind of humiliation I—" Caron stopped himself, exhaling deeply. It wasn't worth the energy.

As Caron restrained his temper, both Utula and Leo fished out their medals and attempted their own summons.

Leo successfully summoned a sparrow made of wind that chirped sharply.

"Uuurgh!" Utula, on the other hand, had obviously failed to summon anything. He asked, "Why can I not summon a spirit?"

"Because you don't have mana, you idiot!" Caron shot back.

"This is unfair!" Utula bellowed, his voice brimming with frustration.

"The medals automatically assign a spirit based on the user's affinity. They're rare artifacts imbued with advanced spirit magic. A true treasure, really," Orion explained.

Pride radiated from Orion's voice, but Leo and Leon were too enamored with their new spirits to notice, stroking the tiny beings with awe and delight.

"You should summon yours too, Caron," Orion suggested. "I'm curious to see what appears."

Caron smirked, pulling his medal from his coat. "What if I summon a Spirit King?" he joked.

"...That's impossible," Orion said, shaking his head. "The medals aren't powerful enough for that."

Caron's grin widened and said, "Let's find out."

Artifacts imbued with spirit magic were a first for Caron. He couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement. He was curious what kind of spirit he would summon.

I want something cute too,

Caron thought. Looking at the water spirit Leon summoned, he couldn't help but feel a bit envious. With that thought in mind, he channeled his mana into the medal.

Whoosh.

The medal hummed softly, resonating with his mana. Moments later, a spirit began to materialize. It had elegant footsteps, a sleek tail, and lustrous black fur that shimmered with a mysterious glow.

The spirit that appeared was far from what Caron had expected, but one thing was certain.

Meow.

"A cat?" Caron exclaimed softly.

He was certain that it was a cute spirit. A black cat, undeniably adorable, had emerged from the medal. Without hesitation, it leaped onto Caron's shoulder, rubbing its head affectionately against his cheek.

Leon, Leo, and even Utula stared at the scene with envy.

"It's a cat," Leo muttered.

"I've never seen a spirit like this. What kind is it?" Leon added.

"It's cute!" Utula declared.

Orion, however, wore a grim expression, his brows furrowing deeply.

"What's up with your face?" Caron asked, stroking the cat's head as it purred contentedly.

Orion's voice dropped to a low murmur as he said, "...I'll need to consult the regent about this as well."

"What do you mean?" Caron asked.

"That Spirit isn't one of the four elemental types. In other words, it's not a typical spirit," Orion explained hesitantly before slowly reaching out a hand toward the cat.

But before he could touch it—

Hissss!

The cat bared its teeth, rejecting Orion's hand. Even though he was adept at commanding elemental spirits, he was rejected outright. Orion withdrew his hand, nodding as if something had been confirmed.

"There are spirits outside the dominion of the four Spirit Kings," he explained. "Rare ones, such as wood spirits. This one belongs to that category. Or more precisely, it's among the rarest of them all."

Orion paused, examining the cat carefully. Then, in a somber tone, he said, "A Spirit of Darkness. That's what we call it."

From Orion's serious demeanor, it was clear that something troublesome had just been unleashed once again.

***

Inside the carriage bound for the Temple of the World Tree, where the regent awaited, Orion explained the nature of the Spirit of Darkness to Caron.

"No spirit summoner has ever signed a contract with a Spirit of Darkness," he began. "In fact, it was unclear whether such a contract was even possible."

Orion glanced at the spirit lounging on Caron's lap, its soft purring filling the air. He then continued, "Even I've never seen one before. Also, their summoning method is unknown, their powers a mystery... Some spirit mages have even debated whether they truly qualify as spirits."

"So, what you're saying," Caron said with a smirk, "is that it's an extraordinary little creature?"

"...I'm not sure," Orion admitted.

"Oh well, it's adorable. That makes it extraordinary," Caron said, nodding as he stroked the spirit's silky fur. He added, "If it was summoned using the spirit medal, then it must be a spirit, right?"

"That is correct. You've left a significant mark on the studies conducted by spirit mages," Orion said.

"But why was it what I summoned?" Caron asked.

Orion's answer was immediate. "The spirit medal calls forth the spirit most suited to its user, which means that this one aligns perfectly with your nature."

"Is there no separate name attached to it?" Caron asked.

"Spirit mages tend to treat such spirits as ominous beings," Orion explained. "Most would just call it 'that.' You're free to name it whatever you like."

"A name deserves careful thought," Caron said. "I'll think about it."

"Perhaps the regent will provide more insight. She knows far more than I do," Orion said.

Through the window, the scenery of Galad swept past in a blur. It was a city where spirits, elves, and other non-human races lived in harmony. The early dawn light bathed the streets, giving the city a tranquil charm that felt different from the day before. It was the kind of sight that brought peace simply by watching it.

Caron and his group quietly admired the exotic landscape, knowing such a view was rare in the human world.

"Not a king, but a regent..." Caron mused. "Is there a specific reason why you use that title?"

"The only one who can truly rule us, the elves, is our Mother," Orion replied. "The regent merely governs in her stead. That's why we address her as such."

To the elves, the World Tree was akin to a living deity. Its blessings had propelled their civilization to great heights.

Caron nodded because Orion's explanation was easy to understand. He asked, "What about the elves of the Eastern Great Forest?"

"They're heretics," Orion said flatly. "They no longer serve Mother. I can't say more on that matter, Caron Leston."

"Everyone has their untold stories," Caron said with a shrug.

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

As their conversation continued, the carriage eventually came to a halt before an enormous palace-like structure. The spirits pulling the carriage slowed to a stop.

Orion rose from his seat and said, "We'll walk from here."

Caron and the others followed him out of the carriage.

Before them stood the Temple of the World Tree. Its walls were entwined with lush vines and surrounded by vibrant flora. The structure, though clearly built by elves, felt entirely natural, as if it had grown there over centuries. This was also the closest point to the World Tree in the entire city.

"The regent has come to greet you in person," Orion said.

At the far end of the area, a woman in a flowing green robe had been waiting. Her footsteps were slow and deliberate as she approached. With every step she took, faint laughter from spirits seemed to echo in the air.

"I have been awaiting your arrival," she said, her warm voice resonating softly. Her tone was reverent but not overbearing, carrying a serene gentleness that felt like the whisper of a passing breeze.

"Patrol Captain Orion Windkeeper at your service, Regent," Orion said, dropping to one knee in a formal bow.

Caron adjusted his clothes nervously as the regent turned her attention to him. Though she wasn't a queen in title, her presence demanded the same respect as royalty.

Following Orion's lead, Caron knelt and spoke with a respectful tone. "Caron Leston, youngest grandson of Duke Halo, humbly greets the regent of the elves."

The regent stopped before Caron and gently placed her hand on his right shoulder. She said, "I have awaited you for a very long time."

Then, as if speaking directly into his soul, her voice echoed in his mind.

"The knight with two names."

Perhaps Caron's presence here was more than mere coincidence.