Chapter 20: 20

It was thanks to Salutis that she didn’t lose her life despite being trapped in the roots like a little bird in a cage.

Although the roots of the monster had captured the maiden holding the holy sword, they couldn’t hurt her any further.

She didn’t know how much time had passed–eventually, the roots that had trapped Wisteria peeled away with a dry sound. 

At that time, Salutis had said,

“Let it sleep.”

Wisteria didn’t really understand what he meant, but just looked at the monster’s “eye” at the word sleep. It was horrifying, but there was nowhere else to run, and perhaps her senses were numbed by the fact that she had come here prepared to die.

She approached the large eye and reached out a trembling hand to touch it, stroking it as if she were putting a young child to sleep.

As soon as she touched the bark, a black, smoky miasma erupted and invaded Wisteria’s skin.

The concentration was so abnormal that an ordinary human would have died instantly.

Wisteria’s consciousness became hazy even as she was protected by the sword, and she only devoted herself to moving her hand. Then, she lost consciousness.

Eventually, Wisteria opened her eyes again. When she looked up slowly, the monstrous tree’s eye was closed, and the intervals between its breaths, which reminded her of earthquakes, were clearly lengthened.

White buds were growing all over the place.

The black-fog like miasma that had been drifting around the area had also vanished before she knew it.

(…The <Guardian> is the one who puts the Great Dragon Tree to sleep.)

Wisteria understood this. Thanks in part to Salutis, she was truly able to put it to sleep, which was exceptional, and she survived.

However, if this couldn’t be done–the activity of the Great Dragon Tree would go haywire by taking in and attempting to digest a foreign object, a human, that wasn’t originally a part of this world.

It seemed that doing this to force the tree into a dormant state was how it had been up to now.

And perhaps a requirement for the Guardian was that they had to be harder to digest for the Great Dragon Tree.

(…How revolting.)

Unknowingly, Wisteria twisted her face.

It wasn’t directed towards the Great Dragon Tree. It was the thought of having to go to such lengths to regulate the miasma–and of the people who were trying to make others do it. This included herself, who used to know nothing about this.

White buds swayed around the sleeping tree. The scene reminded her of peaceful sleep.

When Wisteria exhaled a long, slow breath…

A strange sound echoed in the sky.

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Wisteria’s head snapped up in the direction of the sound. Above her, a black vortex suddenly appeared in the pale greenish sky.

It wasn’t miasma. She saw this once, twenty-three years ago.

“How absurd, a <Gate> is…!”

Salutis shouted in Wisteria’s hands.

This was the proof that the <Grey Lands> and the world beyond was connected.

Beyond the <Gate>, which resembled a bottomless vortex, Wisteria saw a light coming toward her like an arrow.

The light rushed forward, cutting through the air.

With a roar and impact that shook the ground, the light descended upon this world.

The white buds of the <Great Dragon Tree> flew up like snow.

Beyond the fine snowstorm, a conspicuously shining silver color fluttered.

The sudden visitor who appeared from the <Gate> slowly stood up.

And then, the figure stole Wisteria’s consciousness.

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At first glance, one could tell that they were skilled in the martial arts. A long, dark blue coat with a hem embroidered with gold threads was wrapped around their tall, toned body. Long black boots. A sword at their hip.

A pair of eyes. Human eyes. Dignified silver eyebrows. A perfect nose bridge. Well-shaped lips with not a single distortion.

——She was assailed by a sense of deja-vu so dizzying that it almost swept her off her feet.

“Wha―”

Wisteria’s mind went completely blank. Like the color of the dancing buds.

Only the person who appeared in front of her was in color. Everything else was lost–

Someone blurted out, This can’t be possible.

Long silver hair. Shining golden eyes that seemed to burn.

A beauty that was extolled as a “living jewel.”

——He was supposed to only be in her memory.

“Bright…?”

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