Raon lifted his head with a smile.
The World Tree waved its branches as if in welcome, scattering a pure natural energy.
'Thank you for remembering.'
From the moment he saw his ancestor's memory, he was certain. Since the World Tree is a Spirit Beast, it would remember the act of saving its life.
At first, it seemed confused and didn't react, but as soon as the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation energy penetrated its exterior, the World Tree remembered his ancestor and expressed its joy and gratitude with a massive flow of mana.
The wave of emotions emanating from the World Tree was enough to make his chest ache.
"H-how is this..."
The Chief Elder trembled with a pale face.
"Un-unbelievable!"
"How can it react like that to a human..."
"I've never seen the World Tree so lively..."
"Am I dreaming right now?"
The elders and other elves, unable to imagine such a situation, blinked blankly.
"Wow, how did you do this?"
Even Rimmer, seemingly bewildered, swallowed dryly as he watched the shaking branches of the World Tree.
"I told you! That human is definitely the Spirit King's Contractor!"
Erian raised his hands, saying he believed it all along. He was even crazier than Rimmer.
"Raon Zieghart."
Sterin approached, his voice rising in tone.
"What on earth did you do?"
"Yes?
"Others may not know, but right now, the World Tree is expressing its gratitude to you."
He looked up at the World Tree with eyes trembling as if having a seizure.
"Why is the World Tree thanking someone it has never seen before?"
Sterin's gaze returned to him. He narrowed his eyes as if he couldn't understand.
"I thought it was strange when you confidently made the bet. Have you met the World Tree before?"
"No, this is my first time."
Raon shook his head while stroking the World Tree's exterior.
"But how..."
"Right now, the World Tree is not thanking me, but the swordsman of Zieghart."
"The swordsman of... Zieghart?"
"Yes. It's recorded in the Martial Arts Manual of Zieghart that I learned..."
He told everyone that he had seen the memory of his ancestor in a book he had read.
"I can't believe it!"
The Chief Elder shouted that it was a lie and shook his head.
"The World Tree is nurtured by the dedication of elves, not humans..."
"You'll understand when you see this."
Raon swept his hand, burning with the heat of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, over the part his ancestor had filled.
Despite being scorched by the flames, the World Tree poured out mana filled with even more intense emotions of joy. The poignant yet sweet scent of mana brought a natural smile to his face.
"Ah..."
"I can feel it too. The World Tree is shouting its thanks right now..."
"Did Zieghart really help?"
The elves, feeling the intensified emotions of the World Tree, trembled their lips.
"Ha..."
Sterin let out a hollow laugh and held his forehead.
"So that's it. I see..."
"Yes?"
"When I saw the records from that time, there were so many strange points that I thought someone other than an elf had helped. Now my doubts are resolved."
He approached and firmly grasped Raon's hands. A warmth filled with sincerity seeped into his grip.
"Your ancestor saved the elves and the World Tree."
Sterin nodded, now fully understanding the situation.
Raon looked at the trembling Chief Elder and other elders, curling his lips into a smile.
'They've bought it.'
If he had said this from the beginning, he would have been called a madman and immediately kicked out.
But the Chief Elder had set the stage, and the World Tree's intense reaction made it impossible for the elves here to doubt him.
'I can make the most out of this.'
Even though he made a bet, this was Sepia, so it would be hard to get everything he wanted from the Chief Elder. But thanks to his ancestor's story, he could get more than what was promised.
'They won't call me the Spirit King's Contractor anymore.'
Raon maintained his smile and looked at Erian. He welcomed him with an even wider grin, raising his thumb.
"You didn't become the Spirit King's Contractor for nothing! The world is indeed fair!"
Erian still seemed to think of him as the Spirit King's Contractor. He was truly an incorrigible fool.
"There's no one who would doubt after seeing the World Tree so happy."
Sterin looked up at the World Tree for a long time before nodding calmly. He placed his clasped hands on his chest and bowed.
"The Guardian of Sepia greets the Benefactor's descendant."
"We greet the Benefactor's descendant."
Not just Sterin, but the elves surrounding the World Tree also bowed in the same manner, as if they had promised to do so.
"Please don't do this."
Raon waved his hand. He hadn't told his ancestor's story to receive such greetings, so he immediately helped Sterin up.
"It wasn't me, but my ancestor who did it."
"That ancestor isn't here now, is he? You should accept the greeting on his behalf."
Sterin shook his head, saying that elves also know what gratitude is.
"Really, it's fine. I don't need a thank you..."
Raon smacked his lips and looked at the only one who hadn't bowed, the Chief Elder.
"I just want his apology."
"Ugh!"
At his words, the Chief Elder's shoulders trembled violently as if they were being torn apart.
"To think he not only ignored the Benefactor's descendant but also tried to chase him out..."
Rimmer shook his head as he looked at the Chief Elder.
"You should have toned down your personality."
He clicked his tongue, saying the Chief Elder had brought shame to the elves all by himself.
Raon approached the Chief Elder and tilted his chin.
"Are you deaf? I told you to kneel, so why are you still standing?"
"I-I can't believe it!"
The Chief Elder shook his head, biting his lip.
"That a human saved the World Tree, I can't believe..."
"Yeah. Don't believe it."
Raon cut off the Chief Elder's words and nodded calmly.
"Huh...?"
The Chief Elder widened his eyes, as if not expecting him to accept it so easily.
"Believe it or not, it doesn't matter. Just kneel."
Raon pointed to the ground with his finger and curled his lips into a smile.
"Your kneeling has nothing to do with me being the Benefactor's descendant. The great Chief Elder of the elves wouldn't break his promise now, would he?"
"B-but why are you suddenly speaking informally?"
"Because you spoke informally first."
It was amusing that an elf cared about informal speech, but he kindly answered.
-This guy is obsessed with honorifics!
Wrath shook his head in exasperation.
"Ugh..."
The Chief Elder looked around, his face red as if he were about to pass out.
However, the elders and elves were no longer standing behind him.
"Ah, where did the person who said he'd do everything we wanted go?"
Raon finished his sentence with a sneer.
"I'll do it. I'll do it!"
The Chief Elder muttered that elves, unlike humans, do not lie, and knelt on his trembling knees.
"Is that enough now..."
"Nope."
Raon shook his head and called Sterin and Siyana over.
"The bet was for you to kneel and apologize for your rudeness to the three of us. Sincerely, one by one."
He looked down at the Chief Elder with his arms crossed.
"Ugh..."
The Chief Elder bowed his head for a long time before turning his body towards Sterin, who was standing to the right.
"G-Guardian. I apologize for my rudeness."
He bowed his head, his voice trembling.
"You need to tone down your personality a bit."
"Yes..."
"I'll accept your apology."
Sterin frowned but accepted the Chief Elder's apology. It was a response befitting his noble character.
"Whew..."
The Chief Elder let out a deep sigh and looked at Siyana, who was standing to the left.
"L-Lady Siyana. I apologize for saying you were an eyesore."
He bowed his head and asked for forgiveness from Siyana as well.
"I-It's okay."
Siyana, still wrapped in her blanket, nodded her head. Given her personality, Raon thought she would be uncomfortable in this situation, but oddly enough, there was a touch of energy in her voice.
"Then it's my turn now."
Raon gestured with his chin, telling him to go ahead.
"Ugh..."
The Chief Elder groaned as if he were about to faint and looked up at Raon, who was standing in the center.
"I-I was rude to you. I apologize."
Unlike when he asked for forgiveness from Sterin and Siyana, he barely nodded his head and mumbled his words.
"Whew..."
"Not even a proper apology, and you're trying to stand up."
When the Chief Elder sighed and tried to stand up, Raon pressed down on his shoulder.
"What nonsense! I apologized properly!"
He raised a fierce aura, as if he couldn't accept this.
"You didn't bow your head properly, and you lowered your voice, unlike when you apologized to the Guardian."
"T-that's..."
"I told you to apologize sincerely, didn't I? I didn't feel your sincerity."
Raon casually brushed off the Chief Elder's strong aura and wiggled his finger.
"You said you'd do everything we wanted, but you can't even apologize properly."
"Raon's words are correct."
Sterin nodded as he looked at the Chief Elder.
"You definitely said you'd do everything we wanted. You made an oath you shouldn't have, so you have to keep it."
He raised his hand and pointed at the elves watching this scene. It meant to maintain dignity in front of the family.
"Sigh..."
The Chief Elder met the downcast eyes of the other elves and knelt again.
"I-I'm sorry. I was rude to you."
He bowed his head seriously, as he did to Sterin, and didn't mumble his words like before.
"Hmm..."
"That's acceptable."
Sterin and Rimmer nodded quietly, seeming to accept it.
"Then..."
When the Chief Elder tried to stand up, Raon grabbed his shoulder again.
"I'm not satisfied. Do it again."
Raon said it wasn't enough and gestured with his chin.
"What! I lowered my voice and bowed my head properly as you said!"
"You didn't clarify what rudeness you committed. Haven't you written a reflection paper before?"
He only said he was rude but didn't specify what he did.
Since the most important part was missing, there was no reason to accept the apology.
"A reflection paper..."
The Chief Elder's hands trembled like he was on drugs, and he knelt again.
"I disrespected you as a human and treated you like a criminal. I'm sorry."
In the end, he apologized three times.
"Is this enough now?"
"The angle of your bow was a bit off this time."
Raon waved his hand, saying it wasn't enough.
"Ah..."
"Oh..."
"He's crazy."
Despair filled the Chief Elder's eyes, and the faces of the other elves turned pale. They all realized they were dealing with a crazy human.
Raon finally helped the Chief Elder up after receiving six apologies.
"Is it enough now?"
The Chief Elder panted with a face that looked like it had aged a hundred years.
"You haven't given me the Fruit of the Mountain Spirit Tree yet."
Raon shook his head and extended his hand.
"Don't worry. I'll send it to your quarters."
The Chief Elder shook his head, saying he wouldn't cheat on that.
"Then I'll be counting on 100 fruits."
Raon nodded lightly.
"A hundred fruits! What are you talking about!"
The Chief Elder, who was turning around, shouted.
"What?"
"Why did it suddenly become 100 fruits!"
"I always thought it was 100."
"You didn't say that, and now..."
"You said you'd do everything we wanted, so I just didn't mention it."
Raon pointed at the Chief Elder with his finger and shrugged.
"Ugh..."
The Chief Elder couldn't refute and just bit his lips. He was completely trapped by his own words.
"It's 100 fruits. You can't skip even one."
Raon cheerfully waved at the flushed Chief Elder. It would be hard to get 100, but he resolved to get enough to give 2 each to the Light Wind division members.
"I told you, I'd show you what a real troublemaker is."
Rimmer jumped forward and pointed at Raon.
"This guy is the real troublemaker. The greatest troublemaker in the human world!"
He giggled, shouting at the elves to be careful.
-Not just the human world, but all dimensions.
Wrath ground his teeth, watching the scene.
-There isn't a troublemaker like him even in the Devildom!
* * *
The Chief Elder, with a face as pale as a corpse, finally collapsed and was carried out by the other elves.
Raon smacked his lips as he watched the Chief Elder being carried away.
'What should I use the remaining request for?'
-You peeled off the skin, scraped the flesh, and now you're boiling the bones.
Wrath shook his head, saying it was ruthless.
'That's how you eat fish deliciously.'
Raon nudged Wrath with his elbow, saying he knew that already.
-But how did you know your ancestor saved the World Tree?
'I told you earlier. I saw my ancestor.'
-Huh...?
Wrath blinked and then leaned his face in.
-Was that... true?
'Well...'
Raon shrugged and looked at the World Tree.
'It's here.'
There was a spot right above where his ancestor had filled the hole, where his sword had been lodged.
'It was Sword Flight.'
His Sword Flight was different from the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance's and Sterin's martial arts. He couldn't explain it in detail, but it seemed to carry a special power.
'If that's part of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation swordsmanship, I'll be able to use it someday too.'
Raon looked forward to the future and placed his hand on the filled hole.
Wooooong!
The World Tree resonated with a sound like a sword, as if expressing joy.
"Oh!"
"The World Tree gets happy just by his touch!"
"He really must be the Benefactor's descendant."
"A human who makes the World Tree resonate. It's going to be a big deal."
Now, most of the elves here considered him a Benefactor. It wasn't the reaction he wanted, so he felt a bit embarrassed.
'I stomped on the Chief Elder and tried to get rid of the Spirit King's Contractor title, but only strange rumors were added.'
Still, he was glad he could touch the World Tree freely.
Thanks to the title of Benefactor's descendant, no one interfered when he touched the World Tree as he pleased.
Raon took advantage of this and pushed the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation energy into the World Tree.
'It should be in here.'
The place where his ancestor put the bead was definitely around here. If he searched well, he could find it.
However, even after searching for a long time with the heat of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the cold energy of Glacier, he couldn't feel any special energy inside the World Tree.
He detected small traces of fire and water, but the immense energy he felt from the memory was completely gone.
Raon frowned and looked up at the World Tree.
'Did it all become nutrients for the World Tree?'
Hundreds, maybe even a thousand years might have passed, so it wouldn't be strange if the energy from the bead his ancestor left was completely absorbed.
'That's a bit disappointing.'
Raon clicked his tongue shortly and removed his hand from the World Tree.
"Hmm?"
When he turned around, Siyana was looking at the base of the World Tree, having arrived at some point.
"Here..."
Siyana pointed to the World Tree's bark she was holding earlier, revealing one of her eyes halfway.
"Oh, should I move?"
"No, it's just that here..."
When Raon tried to move away, Siyana shook her head.
"This is a place I often came with my mother."
A bitter tone flowed from her low voice.
'Mother...'
Rimmer hadn't found any other family members besides Sterin and Siyana. He didn't ask because he had a bad feeling, but as expected, their parents and other family members seemed to be no longer in this world.
"My mother often came here even when she was pregnant with me and enjoyed the wind the World Tree brought."
Siyana, still holding her blanket, leaned against the part where his ancestor had filled the hole.
"Whenever I come here, I feel at peace."
She muttered that she couldn't come often because she felt self-conscious.
"I see."
Raon nodded and then stopped.
'Wait a minute...'
Listening to her words, something came to mind.
'Wrath.'
-Why are you calling me?
Wrath, who was yawning, slowly rose up.
'You said Lady Siyana has been blocked by something deep and dense since birth, right?'
-Yes, that's right.
He frowned, wondering why Raon was asking again.
'Then there's a possibility.'
Raon approached Siyana and extended his hand.
"Excuse me, but may I take a look at you, Lady Siyana?"