—
El Ragneil, which she had glimpsed with Helkainis’ magic, was a pure white continent.
And Jiwoo saw the place from the air and realized why El Ragneil was dyed so white even though it was a continent of greenery.
It is true that it was covered with greenery, but the pure white Elandos, as enormous and majestic as it was, reached as far as the sky. It was to the extent that the tree bathed the entire continent with its purity as well.
Out of season snow-covered trees seemed to be stretching out to support the sky.
It was like a pure white pillar holding up the heavens, keeping it from crashing down. It made the entire continent of El Ragneil look like a single temple.
“Whoa…”
Jiwoo, who woke up and rubbed her eyes, admired the tree of Elandos, which stretched into the sky from all over the continent. It was more beautiful than she had ever imagined.
“You’re awake?”
Only Lanceil spoke affectionately from up close.
Because of the calm atmosphere, Jiwoo just nodded in silence.
Everyone was all unusually quiet. All of them, who she thought would only be happy to arrive back home, were holding their breath.
She seemed to know. They didn’t land somewhere on the continent and moved slowly to where they lived. Instead, Helkainis was moving them to the place where they lived right after arriving at El Ragneil.
Right where the sick Elandos was.
Jiwoo could feel it right away.
She could see where they were headed. It’s impossible not to realize it after seeing the sturdy and thick snow-white Elandos. She could see the diseased tree, which was stained black and withered. As they got closer to it, the atmosphere changed.
The refreshing atmosphere that she had felt upon entering El Ragneil subsided, and the air around them now felt heavy. It hurt even more than a sandstorm.
Every time she breathed, her nose stung and her mouth would go dry.
They soon stopped. In the distance, she saw a tree as black as if it had been burnt, but still boasting an enormous size.
There was nothing around the tree. Not just buildings, not even a strand of grass. There was only one tree on top of the vast, pitch-black hill.
Lanceil, who was carrying Jiwoo, carefully set her down on the ground. The floor on which she was standing on for the first time in a long time, seemed to emit a dry feeling running through her legs and up to her body even though she was just standing on it.
“We are here.”
“Am I going alone?”
“…We leave it up to you.”
To be honest, Jiwoo didn’t want to walk out of a place like this alone, but it wasn’t to the extent that she wanted to ask them to go with her. Especially after seeing their pale faces. Jiwoo was a human, but to those who grew up under Elandos’ influence, it would be like poisoned earth.
The other group that had followed Helkainis’ group gathered in the back at a distance.
“…Do they intend to watch?”
Enciertes glanced at them and murmured. Looking at the stinging eyes, she felt a heavy sense of responsibility.
“I’ll go with you. Shall we go?”
“Yes…”
Jiwoo took Helka’s hand and walked slowly up the hill.
The dry land was similar to the dispatch sites that she often went to as the Akarna. Walking into a place like this and sprinkle blood in the middle of the soil, the soil will be purified.
This didn’t seem too different. One difference was that there are far more people watching her now. All of them were looking desperate and anxious.
Finally, Jiwoo arrived in front of the black Elandos. The tree seen up close was much larger than when seen from afar.
Its trunk was thick enough that it would take perhaps hundreds of people with their arms wide open just to surround it. It was a diseased tree without even a slight vitality, without a single leaf on its withered branches.
Carefully, she placed her hand upon its surface. She recalled the experience of saving Elandos’ twig. She prayed for a long time, hoping that this tree would come to life.
For them. For her, who crossed the continent to save it.
But nothing changed.
“Ah…”
She stopped breathing. Jiwoo gasped and looked back at Helka.
“Maybe, maybe blood… Do you have a knife or something? You can cut me with magic…”
Helkainis stared at Jiwoo. Seeing that calm gaze, Jiwoo became even more anxious.
They only came here as they believed in the possibility. But if it failed like this, even if Helkainis’ group is fine with it, the other group would have to wait for death.
She must save it. She was the only one who could save it.
Helkainis gently covered her hands, which trembled under the weight of the responsibility.
“Seo Jiwoo.”
With an expression so forlorn that it looked as if he was about to cry, just like when Jiwoo casually cut her wrist and held out the flowing blood, Helkainis called her name.
He held her hands for a long, long time until the trembling in her hands subsided.
“Remember what I said.”
“What… do you mean?”
Helka was not a talkative person. Especially when he was talking about emotional matters.
So Jiwoo noticed that this person wanted to comfort her in some way.
ㅡDon’t do anything. Just like a tree that takes root in one place… Please stay by our side.
Just like that day when he danced with her for the first time, spinning around on top of the temple.
She crossed over from Caranazion to El Ragneil, but Jiwoo still thinks as though she was still living in Caranazion.
Recalling the people of the temple and empire who held her accountable in Caranazion.
However, Seo Jiwoo was not that great. Rather, she was an ordinary person who was saved by being told that she was nothing.
I am not a god.
I did not come into this world to save anyone.
I don’t have to sacrifice myself to save anyone.
I’m part of an ordinary nature that can happen anywhere.
Just like the land, wind, water, and grass that exist in this world.
And now I will stay quietly by their side.
Rooted in one place,
Like a tree.
Warm energy spread from the tree under her palm. It was like the energy given to her from the sick and withered tree.
An Akarna’s power was originally its own—power that could be blocked if she thinks she doesn’t want to pass it on to others. But thinking of it the other way around, isn’t it a power that can be handed over if she strongly wants to hand it over?
‘Live. You will be able to live. Just like I endured in this world.’
Oooong. The tree pulsated loudly.
No, it felt that way. It felt as if this huge tree trunk had a heart that had jumped loud.
Thump. Thump. Pulses spread throughout the atmosphere along the center.
In reality, she couldn’t see any change, but to her it was a strange sensation, as if the heavens and the earth were twisting.
It felt like this tree was sharing her heartbeat.
“Ah…!”
Thump. Thump. As the heartbeat repeated for a while, fatigue set in rapidly. Feeling dizzy, she closed her eyes.
She thought she could hear the wind. The sound of many leaves blowing in the wind.
A pure white light shone through her closed eyes. Feeling dazzled even with her eyes closed, Jiwoo slowly opened her eyes.
Nothing but white in front of her eyes.
Unable to take her hands off the tree, Jiwoo looked up at the sky.
Snow-like leaves were falling from the branches, which were now enriched with pure white leaves.
A sweet, warm scent pervaded the air. Looking back, even the black, barren ground was stained white.
The energy that started from the tree spread out in a circle in line with the sound of Jiwoo’s heartbeat.
Until it finally completely purified the black land.
“Is it, successful…?”
Seeing the surrounding landscape change in an instant, Jiwoo muttered bewilderedly. Even Helka, who held her hand, looked puzzled.
It was as if she had suddenly fallen into another world.
Just like when she first woke up in the temple of Caranazion. At that time, the priest did not hesitate to point his sword at her.
Before she could react, people were running from afar. Lanceil, who rushed in an instant as if he was going to attack her, hugged her. Jiwoo almost lost her balance and fell backwards.
“Ack…!”
Thirty people. Everyone who wanted to be Jiwoo’s husband came this way. With a blushed face and a happy smile.
“Seo Jiwoo, please marry us.”
Rather than the revived pure white Elandos, they ran towards her.
Jiwoo once told them. If they didn’t change their mind, tell her after Elandos heals.
“I like you.”
It was a sudden burst of love, but she thought she could accept it. After all, she is like a tree.
“Yes, I do.”
Jiwoo replied vigorously. Hahahaha. A clear laugh broke out with the answer.
“We’re getting married.”
The warm, fragrant air filled her lungs. One of them held out his hand.
Jiwoo took that hand and danced round and round on top of the white hill like snow had fallen. Even if the partner kept changing, she danced until she was exhausted.
Just like when she took her first breath here, the comfortable and refreshing laughter did not stop.
Like the greenery they loved, a new white smile.
〈 At the End of the Hidden Greenery, Fin 〉
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t/n: I’m crying but this is the end T.T