Eat The World Tree

It was a perplexing statement, so abrupt that I doubted my ears the moment I heard it.

“I don’t need treatment anymore.”

Sansuyu bore the blood of the Cornus Family.

‘Eternal Immortality.’ The family’s aspiration outweighed even her life.

Even Sansuyu herself seemed to think so.

“What are you saying? Why? All of a sudden?”

Her golden pupils wavered faintly before me.

It seemed like Sansuyu had thought about saying this for a long time. Slowly, she conveyed her thoughts.

“Shiheon, I think you’re feeling burdened. This is our family’s issue… You shouldn’t be so deeply involved.”

We had a chance to talk alone in the bedroom not long ago.

She had asked me why I was helping her so much. I answered honestly—I owed Sansuyu, and I cared about her.

Could my words from that moment have sparked this?

Sansuyu immediately denied it.

“No, I’ve thought about this for a while.”

Then why now?

I held back the words that nearly burst out. I needed to keep my temper in check.

For now, I sat right beside her. A forceful approach wouldn’t help.

“It’s not like I’m saying this because I don’t know your condition… Can I hear your reasoning?”

The library, now occupied by just the two of us, seemed to cool rapidly with tension.

“You said you liked me, Shiheon.”

Sansuyu asked cautiously. Her tone suggested she was confirming if what I’d said back then was true, so I nodded firmly.

Her gaze shifted to a different book. From my angle, the title was blurred and hard to make out.

“I didn’t understand the meaning when I first heard it. But now, I think I sort of get it. I… I think I feel the same. That you’re special to me, Shiheon.” ŖÄꞐоＢĘs

Sansuyu, who rarely expressed herself, had never shared her feelings so openly before.

“Affection? Love… I’m not sure about that. But at least, among the people I know, you’re the most.”

Her words were scattered and disjointed, but the meaning got through.

Sansuyu, who struggled to feel emotions for anyone, thought of me as special enough to voice it.

Knowing that filled me with gratitude beyond words.

“So, if I were to get more deeply involved… I might end up hurting you a lot, Shiheon.”

“What?”

How could it come to that? My question was genuine.

But perhaps because of my blunt tone, she hesitated, seemingly unable to accept my reaction kindly.

Lowering her head, Sansuyu’s shoulders shrank.

“This is just between you and me… but our family doesn’t have the best reputation. We might even end up betraying the World Tree.”

I used to think she didn’t know anything.

About the Cornus Family’s sordid side, hidden behind their splendid garden.

I had kept those secrets from her, grappling with them alone.

Had I underestimated her intelligence?

“If something happens to me, then Shiheon, you…”

I stayed silent and watched Sansuyu.

She struggled to choose her words, stammering so much that she seemed on the verge of breaking down.

At last, after much difficulty, she finally said to me:

“Shiheon, you still have a long life ahead of you.”

Words that sounded like a farewell.

She refused treatment. The only help I could offer her—rejected.

Another way to interpret it: she no longer wanted my help.

I was willing to assist Sansuyu anytime.

But I couldn’t force her to live the way I wanted.

If she decided to die for the Cornus Family, I might not be able to stop her.

And now, she was telling me that she wanted to handle things herself.

It was a conclusion she’d reached after much thought.

Frankly, I couldn’t accept it.

“I’m just a burden.”

“When did I ever ask you to think about that?”

Sansuyu swallowed hard. Her pupils narrowed.

“It’s… it’s okay.”

“No, Sansuyu. It’s not just okay. My ability is simply healing. That’s all I can do. If it lets you live a little longer, why should it matter? Do you think it’s too much for me?”

“…But.”

What’s wrong with a friend helping another friend? This much was nothing.

The Cornus Family? I’d eventually face bigger enemies: the Five Great World Trees and the entire Flower organization.

I could handle it.

Sansuyu’s thoughts seemed clearer now, but she still couldn’t put them into words.

That’s why I couldn’t push her further.

At least I understood the gist of why she said what she did.

Seong Jiho probably knew, too. He had left me a heartfelt request to be a good friend to her.

“I still don’t understand why you go so far to help me, Shiheon. Do you… want something?”

“Sansuyu.”

“…Sorry.”

What did I want from Sansuyu?

I could swear, hand on heart—nothing.

I just wanted to cherish my relationships with those around me.

Maybe that was hard for her to comprehend.

If she couldn’t understand, it was natural to feel distant from me.

I didn’t expect her to understand. This feeling was hard to explain in words.

I stepped into this world knowing nothing.

I had tasted groundless criticism, suffered from untimely decisions, and even questioned my identity.

The Tree Spirit King’s role and its traits—were they truly a blessing to me?

Some might approach me for the thrill of gaining something.

Many more would come for what they could take from me or to exploit me.

It’s only going to get worse.

I honestly didn’t know how to express myself.

Even if I lied to others, I wanted to be honest with them at least.

Because these were relationships I couldn’t afford to lose.

I thought I had delayed speaking long enough. With effort, I pried open my lips, stiff from hesitation.

“You have to live, don’t you?”

I raised my head and looked at Sansuyu.

At that moment, her face contorted in pain.

Seeing the expression on my face, which even I wasn’t aware of, her expression crumpled all at once.

For the first time, genuine emotion surfaced on her face.

It was different from before when I had to guess her emotions through subtle changes in her voice or expression.

This was undeniably Sansuyu’s true emotion.

“…S-Sorry. I’m sorry. But… really, I’m only thinking about you.”

Why was she apologizing again?

“At least during the selection competition, how about receiving treatment?”

I offered the next best solution I could think of. Extending Sansuyu’s life by even a few days, a few hours, a few minutes—who knew what kind of miracle might happen in that time?

Perhaps she might succeed in her experiments and survive, even by a margin of seconds.

I didn’t want to give up on that possibility.

“It’s fine.”

Her final answer returned.

“Sansuyu.”

“Yes.”

“Do you remember what I said before?”

Her face filled with doubt. She looked at me with a pained expression, one I still couldn’t get used to.

What I had said before.

There’s something I always declared to the people I cared about. Words I could promise would never change for a lifetime:

-I’m on your side.

“…Never mind.”

But for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say it now.

It felt too cheesy and too out of place in this atmosphere.

Sansuyu was shy and spoke little. While she occasionally expressed herself, her inability to feel emotions made it hard to understand her thoughts.

I thought I had learned enough about her after spending so much time together.

But no one truly understood Sansuyu—not me, not her assistant Seong Jiho, and certainly not her father.

Even her late mother, whose presence still lingered in Sansuyu’s memories—did she understand her daughter’s thoughts?

I felt this situation was far too sudden, though looking back, it seemed like something that was bound to happen eventually.

Perhaps it would take quite some time for my relationship with Sansuyu to recover.

“Doesn’t it feel like it’s been a while since we’ve all gathered together?”

The Sage’s words made all of us seated at the round table glance at her.

As the awkward atmosphere dragged on, the Sage tilted her head in confusion.

“It feels a bit different from the first time, doesn’t it? Did something happen between you all?”

At that, Sansuyu and I flinched slightly, swallowing nervously.

Since that day, even Maronnie had become somewhat distant. Has the binding finally been undone?

Of all times, now? Thinking like that felt selfish, perhaps.

But my mind kept yelling the same thing.

Why now?

“Maronnie?”

“Ah, um… hehe.”

Maronnie glanced between the Sage and the two of us, placing her hand over her chest as she hesitated to speak.

I knew that Maronnie hadn’t said a word while we ate.

Normally, Sansuyu was so expressive in her friendships that she practically clung to others. But today, during lunch, it was clear even Blanche must have noticed the distance between us.

“Well, today, I was going to give you the final task of the third trial. But it seems like it might have to wait a bit. Regardless, I’ll pass along the details.”

The Sage continued, stroking Sephirot, who was perched on her lap.

“…It seems there will be an attack on the Cradle soon.”

The Cradle of Trees. The site of the Forester Selection Competition.

A place teeming with true noble trees, too numerous to count.

In medieval terms, it would be like an attack on a grand ball where kings, dukes, and all the counts had gathered.

Sansuyu, Maronnie, and I remained silent.

We already knew some of this, having heard about it personally from the Sage.

“If there’s an attack, the trials themselves will lose all meaning. You could even see this as a personal request from me.”

“A personal request from you, Sage?”

Maronnie asked, tilting her head. The Sage nodded gently and raised a finger.

“If you accept, I’ll ensure you’re appropriately rewarded under my name.”

The task was so dangerous that the Sage herself was preparing rewards in advance.

Breaking the silence, I spoke.

“Are you asking us to stop the attack? Do you know how many Flower members will be invading?”

“…I can’t say for sure.”

The Sage shrugged faintly, her expression vague.

“But I doubt their entire leadership will be involved. This is likely just for show.”

A declaration of war. That seemed the most plausible motive.

“If they went all in, they could deal a devastating blow to the Cradle. But that would be a reckless gamble.”

It was a calculated assessment only someone as insightful as the Sage could provide.

“Most likely, there will be a few defected hunters or National Trees planted by Flower, along with a handful of mid-ranking officers leading the charge.”

Her words flowed seamlessly, each backed with confidence.

If it were anyone else, they might seem arrogant. But not her.

“In the chaos of the moment, they’ll be short on manpower. I’ll tell you step by step what needs to be done.”

“…Have you considered notifying the Order or the Hunter Association?”

“That would overstep my contractual boundaries.”

So this was her limit.

I didn’t press further.

I already understood what she wanted.

The Sage pulled out a large wine bottle from her lap and placed it on the table.

“Since it seems the three of you are a bit distant right now, I’ll give you some wine to share today. It’s a big event soon—surely a drink or two won’t hurt?”

With a sly grin, she looked at me. What did that smile mean?

Maronnie cast a quick glance at me. Sansuyu also looked at Maronnie and me, her expression slightly worried.

I accepted the wine bottle.

“The three of us?”

“Oh, I’m weak with alcohol. Even one drink might be too much for me.”

I wanted to see that for myself, but fine.

If it could lighten the mood, I’d do whatever it took.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!