Chapter 327

He ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍realized that his soul had fused with the Anomaly.

"What ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do you mean by that……?"

Tatia's ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍face filled with alarm.

"Exactly ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what it sounds like."

"The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Anomaly's main body is certainly here."

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍knew because they had fused.

Unless the main body was destroyed, the Anomaly's curses drifting through this place would continue to circulate.

"It takes roughly a month for a severed Anomaly curse to take shape again. A curse that leaves this place and disappears outside is born here again."

Physically, this was clearly the interior of a sword.

But at the same time, this place was.

"Also a Mind Image World."

Edan was a knight who had mastered 9-Star.

With the help of an old friend, he had trained by entering and leaving the Mind Image World many times—a world that an ordinary superhuman might experience only once, if ever.

Now he could enter the Mind Image World alone.

"At first, I only intended to recover some mental strength."

The Anomaly's curses floated like fish in water, condensed forms of radiance.

Though they lacked proper forms, each possessed power comparable to a god's Authority.

Cutting down such curses consumed considerable mental strength, and Edan, too, needed a place to rest.

He concentrated mana and opened the door of thought.

It did not open.

The more he tried, the more unorganized information seemed to swirl about in his mind.

"The first time concerned Lord."

A being who had walked the world alone as the One God.

How he had come into contact with the Anomaly.

What the Anomaly had taken from him.

"The second was the connection between that thing and the Monster Lord."

A being of rare and immense power among monsters.

He learned that the fellow who had also been his archenemy originated from Lord, and that the Anomaly ultimately intended to devour the Monster Lord.

The Monster Lord had sought to surpass himself and reach transcendence, but the Anomaly discovered his plan to take the Monster Lord's Presence.

The phrase “sleeping with the enemy” suited the situation.

"Then……"

Tatia's voice trembled faintly.

She had guessed what Edan meant to say.

"When I cut down the Anomaly and sealed its power over two hundred years ago, my soul certainly fused with it."

The curses the Anomaly wielded included those related to immortality, regeneration, circulation, and blood.

[If the curses leak out, it will be perfect for discussing the end of humanity.]

"At this rate, all three curses will continue on. I will bear the curses with me."

[It will hurt so much that death will seem a blessing.]

'He was right.'

To walk through a place like this for centuries, swinging a sword alone.

To search for the main body somewhere within, wielding a sword by instinct without proper rest.

Even for a 9-Star knight who had chosen a path of asceticism, it was not easy.

The more he cut down the Anomaly's curses, the more its memories and traces flooded in, leaving his once-radiant Presence in tatters.

Whenever he grew tired of swinging his sword, he sat down where he was and meditated.

He recovered his mental strength by concentrating on processing the information that entered his mind.

At those times, his consciousness was cutting out as though a darkness had fallen.

At first, once a year had been enough. Then it became once every six months, once a month, and now it had increased until he had to do it every day.

He was being devoured.

He had not yet found the Anomaly's main body, yet the Anomaly was consuming him.

He clung to consciousness with difficulty and continued to resist.

Against his will, the frequency with which his consciousness cut out continued to increase.

If he lost consciousness next time, would he regain his senses?

When Adamas came for him again, would he still be wholly human?

Fear.

It was when an emotion unsuited to an undefeated knight began to rise within him.

"You found me."

Simon Eurasia and Tatia de Veritas.

Together, they had lit the corridor of this place.

Simon Eurasia's sword was sharp enough to cut down the Anomaly's curses, while the divine power emitted by Tatia de Veritas kept Edan's mind clear.

Thanks to them, he had been able to cut down hundreds of curses in less than a month.

He could be certain.

Before long, the Anomaly's curses wandering this place would come to an end.

Then only one possibility would remain.

"The possibility that I have become the Anomaly's main body."

"……!!"

Alarm crossed Tatia's face.

"Do not make that face. If you had not found me, I would have become it without even knowing."

At least because they had accompanied him, he could judge the situation more rationally.

"So that is what it was."

Simon looked at Edan with impassive eyes.

"You knew?"

"For curses that nearly brought humanity to ruin, I thought they were not much to look at."

The Anomaly's curses merely floated in the form of spheres.

Certainly, their innate Presence was such that one would need around 9-Star to cut them easily, but.

"I felt no aggression from them."

Neither fighting spirit nor killing intent could be sensed.

They merely made one frown at the occasional recoil.

And Edan's sword had grown dull.

The sword he swung was certainly sharp, but the Presence it gave off was inferior to Simon's, who had not mastered 9-Star.

At first, Simon had thought it was merely worn down from being swung without rest for so long.

It was not.

"The curses we cut down must all have returned to our ancestor."

The curses were reborn through Edan's body as their medium.

It was the process of his transformation—not into Edan Eurasia the knight, but into the Anomaly's main body.

The curses revived in that way would wander this place.

"Yes. Hearing you say so, I no longer have any reason to doubt it."

Edan stopped walking.

He realized there was no meaning in opening up the corridor any farther.

He did not know the whereabouts of the original main body, the Curse of Radiance.

But one thing was certain.

"I have become the main body."

Edan smiled bitterly.

"May I cut you down?"

"Simon……!!"

Edan shook his head at Tatia.

"You must cut me down to protect your world. And I will fulfill my mission as well."

He said he was only sorry that he had to leave the Empire and the Anomaly to his descendants without ending them himself.

"It is an honor for me as well to fight a 9-Star knight."

The strongest knight recorded in history.

Before he was an ancestor, Edan Eurasia was a signpost for all knights.

Rumble—

Immense Haki poured from Simon's body.

It was powerful enough to make even the Curse of Haki seem laughable.

At the same time.

Whoooosh—

Poisonous energy leaked from Edan's body.

The Curse of Extreme Poison.

The worst curse, one that had brought down even the strongest Sword Master.

And.

The Curse of Blood, which passed pain down to blood relatives, and the Curse of Shackles, which prevented every curse from being broken.

The higher curses, sensing a threat to their survival, had revealed themselves.

"It seems letting you defeat me easily will be impossible."

Edan's eyes turned black.

It felt similar to the times his consciousness had cut out.

Blue mana intermingled with poisonous energy and radiated from his body.

Before long, his aura began to run wild as though he had fallen into Oblivio.

The two Eurasians, each holding an Adamas, took a step toward one another.

"Simon…… Edan is……"

"If we do not cut him down here, we will be devoured as well."

Hell would unfold, to the point that the time they had spent walking and cutting curses would seem peaceful.

It would not be easy even for a 9-Star knight and a Saintess.

"Tatia, protect yourself."

"……"

Without a word, Tatia covered herself in divine power.

At the same time.

"Palantir."

The moment Edan seemed to spit out the brief word.

"……!!"

BOOM!!

"Simon!!"

Simon groaned after losing an arm to the immense slash.

"You said you would pass down a technique, yet your method is rougher than I expected."

As though the technique did not come naturally in his current state, Edan's body heaved as he hyperventilated.

In the gap, Tatia's divine power stopped Simon's bleeding.

Remarkably, the severed arm was restored to its original state.

"You could use a Formula like this as well?"

"This is a space no different from a Mind Image World."

It was close to Concept Magic.

"I have not lived an easy life either."

"Congratulations on coming out of the cage."

Simon gave a crooked smile.

"A united front before your ancestor. Refrain from such frivolous smiling."

"Be careful. That strike from earlier does not seem blockable."

Simon shifted the topic by mentioning the danger.

'Using Carpe Illusion here would be suicide.'

Grip.

He tightened both hands around the sword.

Ash-gray mana surged around Simon.

Then.

He took a stance as though imitating the sword path of his ancestor from moments ago.

Roar!

Rumble!

Blue mana and ash-gray mana.

The two compressed powers collided, making space ripple.

Their Mind Images were revealed within the violently shaking space.

A life resisting the Empire as the king of Eurasia and the center of the Kingdom Alliance.

It was as though the arduous journeys of those who chose the life of heroes were being drawn before them.

A gap created by the collision of mana.

Without allowing the two manas to clash, he mingled them.

Not missing that instant.

Simon's sword swung at his ancestor.

"Palantir."

* * *

The eastern frontier.

Once the home of the Eurasia Family, it was now territory of the Vaskia Countdom.

Though the lord of the territory had changed, the buildings there and their functions had not.

The head apothecary's office was the same.

Loen Favre continued her experiments, traveling between the capital, Brussels, and the eastern frontier.

"It does not grow easily."

She murmured as she looked at the tree that had grown only to her waist.

The Great War between the Kingdom Alliance and the Empire was in full swing.

She was spending her time in the frontier because the success or failure of this experiment was important enough to affect the war's outcome.

'The Seed of the Divine Tree Wigdrazil.'

It was an item Killian Eurasia had received as a diplomatic gift from Elvenheim.

Among those forming the Kingdom Alliance together, only Eurasia had been permitted to transplant the Divine Tree.

If they could raise the Divine Tree properly, it would be a great help to them.

The greatest benefit was that they could connect the power of Wigdrazil, remodeled into the Green Magic Tower, to this place.

They would not directly possess the Magic Tower, but they would be able to use its abilities indirectly.

That alone would be an incomparable aid to the frontier's defense and the knights on the battlefield.

Escar, Commander of the Knights, had even given a concrete figure: if her experiment succeeded, Eurasia would be no different from possessing a hundred thousand elite soldiers.

'A hundred thousand…….'

She gave a short laugh at the unrealistic number.

He was usually not one for jokes, so it would not be empty praise or exaggeration.

The trouble was that the Seed of Wigdrazil did not grow easily.

She had employed every method for years, yet getting it to grow as high as her waist was all she had managed.

Neither the fairy guardian dispatched from Elvenheim nor Cornelia's direct descendants had identified the cause.

She had even used the mana of Serena Constantine, commander of Eurasia's Extermination Squad who wielded green mana, and Id, a half-elf member of the Extermination Squad. At most, it made a few leaves grow.

Simon Eurasia, called the strongest knight, had also infused it with mana before his departure, but there was no change.

"This is troublesome."

As she agonized over the unsolved problem.

"Head Apothecary."

She turned at the sudden voice and found her prized disciple.

A child who had reached the middle-to-high rank of apothecary less than ten years after learning medicinal preparations. Not only that, he had already refined a 3-Star Mana Heart.

"Haman."

"You have not found a solution yet."

"It is not easy."

"I have brought the nutrient solution you requested for now."

It was a nutrient solution made by combining the highest-grade potions and various medicinal ingredients, then processing them for a plant.

It had been created only to maximize the effect before the full experiment; the solution itself had no effect.

"Inject it into the roots."

"Yes."

Squelch.

Haman drove a mana-enhanced magic tool into the Divine Tree's roots.

Once the Divine Tree had absorbed enough nutrient solution, they would begin the full experiment…….

Then.

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