***Three days before the mercenary group were to set off for the Khingan Range.Shortly after parting ways with Moryne, Yeomyeong left the Saintess and the dwarf behind and returned to his room at the base.Since he had to depart for North Manchuria as soon as he arrived, he didn’t even have the time to unpack in that unfamiliar room.Taking out his phone from the bag ced in one corner of the room, he intended to update Seti about his current situation.<em>What is this?</em>However, when he pulled out his phone, he saw that his inbox was cluttered with dozens of messages from her.Yeomyeong looked at the text messages, each packed tightly with content andcking emoticons, and recalled the thought he had thest time.<em>...Am I really that untrustworthy?</em>A shortugh, followed by bted regret.He felt guilty for not having checked his burner phone until now because he left his bag back at the base camp.He tried to push down the rising emotions and began reading the messages one by one.Thanks to Seti''s decent writing skills, the messages were easy to read.From light inquiries about his well-being to serious discussions about searching for the owner of the Imperial Knight’s sword at the academy.The various messages continued until they all began to convey the same content at some point.


    Be wary of the Saintess.


    Even if he happened to get entangled with the Saintess by some unfortunate circumstances, he should never build an intimate rtionship with her.The warning came with the note that if he failed to keep his distance, the mentally unstable people around her would not leave Yeomyeong alone. And she also especially cautioned him to beware of the Saintess’ mother.Yeomyeong swallowed a bitter smile.<em>It’s already toote.</em>He was already involved with the Saintess and had made a ‘deal’’ with her deranged mother.While the Saintess and the dwarf were talking, the two of them made a secret deal.<em>She is a typical mother who cherishes her daughter so much that she would even terrorize others…</em>Yeomyeong pushed his thoughts about Moryne to the back of his mind. There was no need to try to understand her madness any further.Madness was like ck ink; the closer you get to it, the more stained you be.Anyway, he pulled out the fabricated resume from his pocket to divert his thoughts.It was an item that symbolized a past he could no longer change. As he nced at it, Yeomyeong''s gaze grew colder.He was contemting on whether he should inform Seti that this resume had been discovered, indicating that her behind-the-scenes work had failed.However, considering Seti''s personality, she would surely me herself.A short period of contemtion followed, but there was only one conclusion. Yeomyeong decided to tell Seti the truth because, for some reason, he didn''t want to hide anything from her.He ripped the resume to shreds, tossing aside his worries, and then picked up his phone.The phone only had one saved number on it. Should he give her a call? However, she was probably in ss right now.Eventually, Yeomyeong began to slowly type out a message, feeling unfamiliar with the typing process. Even though it felt like they had just parted ways, he still had so much to write.The mercenary group that tried to use the discovery regarding his resume as leverage, his encounter with the Saintess, and the deal he made with her mother...


    <strong>[To Seti, this is Cheon Yeomyeong. I have received your messages. Sorry for thete reply...]</strong>


    It took him quite some time to write apose message that started with a stiff preface.And just as he was about toplete the message, which exceeded 5,700 characters¹, someone opened the door and walked in.


    ***“Neer... I mean, Cheon Yeomyeong-gun.”The dwarf chaebol from Dungan Heavy Industries, Darulma Dune, made eye contact with Yeomyeong while holding an antique wooden box.“This is a token of apology to show our sincerity.”As Darulma entered the room, a pure fragrance filled the air. It was so strong that the surrounding mana seemed to change as well.And as soon as he smelled it, even Yeomyeong, who knew nothing about elixirs, could tell—this elixir was something precious enough for Captain Kwon to deliver personally.“We managed to procure this elixir specially from beyond the Dimensional Portal. I’m sure you’ll find it to your liking.”“…I will ept it gratefully.”Despite receiving the precious item, Yeomyeong didn’t sound ttered because he realized that this elixir was a gift prepared for the Saintess, not for him.<em>This item is too valuable to have been prepared for a mere mercenary who fabricated his resume.</em>Unless they had given the Saintess something more valuable, this was nothing more than a bribe given to him because she wanted Yeomyeong to apany them.From the very beginning, the mercenary group’s goal had been the Saintess, and Yeomyeong probably wasn’t even in the picture.<em>So, should I be grateful to the Saintess instead?</em>Yeomyeong stared at the wooden box and the dwarf for a brief moment before shifting his gaze back to his phone to finish his text. He added a period and pressed send.Seemingly misunderstanding his actions, Darulma spoke in a hurry.“M-May I give you a brief exnation about this elixir?”“No, there’s no need…”“Elixirs are always like this; if you take them incorrectly, they can prove to be dangerous.”He approached Yeomyeong with his stubby legs and opened the wooden box.<em>Click.</em>The moment the wooden box was opened, the fragrance that had been lingering in the room vanished, almost as if the elixir had absorbed all the air in its surrounding, sealing away its scent.Was this a means of protecting its own potency? From within the vacuum-like wooden box, a translucent green gem emerged.Yeomyeong raised his eyebrows at the sight.The elixir inside the box waspletely different from the ones he knew of. It was a rough, uncut gem-like elixir that sparkled like ss.<em>Weren’t elixirs usually in the form of a pill or in its raw like wild ginseng?</em>Before Yeomyeong’s doubts were resolved, the dwarf began his exnation.“Beautiful, isn’t it? This is an elixir from the famous World Tree.”“...World Tree?”The world’srgest tree, which the Americans set aze to crush the elves'' will to resist—why was that tree mentioned here?“This is a hardened crystal formed from the sap of the World Tree. Now that the World Tree has been burned down, it''s not something you can obtain with money.”“...”“How about it? To obtain such an item, Dungan Heavy Industries…”At that moment, Yeomyeong felt Darulma’s voice was drowning out.To be precise, a single voice overwhelmed all his senses. His vision blurred, and all the hair on his body stood on their ends.- <em>I can sense a connection to that child.</em>A strange voice that definitely didn''t belong to a human.On realizing that the voice wasing from the World Tree’s crystal, Yeomyeong frowned.What was happening all of a sudden…- <em>What are you? How is it that someone like you, with no predetermined destiny, was able to meet that child?</em><em>What nonsense?</em> Yeomyeong tried to respond, but his mouth wouldn’t open.However, just like with Moryne’s telepathy, the World Tree’s crystal could naturally read Yeomyeong’s thoughts and replied.- <em>It seems like you truly know nothing. Haven’t you met any elves recently?</em><em>Elves? I have met them.</em>- <em>How was the situation when you met them? Was it a good connection or a bad one?</em><em>There was no such connection. It was just a fleeting encounter.</em>- <em>You lie.</em>......- <em>But since you... sincerely believe it, it is the truth then.</em><em>What on earth are you talking about? I can’t understand a word.</em>As Yeomyeong tried to focus his mana to regain his senses, the World Tree’s crystal glinted.- <em>There is no destiny, but a connection has been made, and although there is no qualification, sincerity is felt. It may be unfortunate for the demonic human who was supposed to obtain me... but I will dly ept this.</em>...…- <em>Rather than being consumed by a demonic human, I will dly choose you. Now, human whose fate is connected to my child, consume me with joy.</em>With that grand deration, the voice disappeared.As all his senses returned to reality, the mana Yeomyeong had gathered dissipated into the air.Yeomyeong blinked in a daze.“...Cheon Yeomyeong-gun? Are you alright?”Seeing his expression, the dwarf who had been exining the effects of the crystal frowned.The expression was full of the sentiment, ‘Why did he suddenly change?’“It’s just a momentary dizziness... It’s nothing to worry about, so please don’t concern yourself.”It was only a brief headache, nothing more. Yeomyeong massaged his forehead as he looked at the crystal inside the wooden box.<em>What was that just now...</em>The World Tree’s crystal offered no response. It was almost as if the previous conversation never took ce.<em>...Whether it was a dream or reality, I’ll find out more once I consume it.</em>Yeomyeong reached for the crystal, but the dwarf, startled, stepped back and pulled the box away with him.“Didn’t you even listen to what I’ve been saying all this time?”Since he couldn’t say that he hadn’t heard any of the exnations while conversing with the crystal, Yeomyeong kept silent.The dwarf frowned deeply and said.“I told you not to eat it now. The crystal still contains the will of the World Tree. Even Superhuman like you would take a month to digest it.”“...The will of the World Tree?”“Yes, the will. Although it’s a faint thought, but the World Tree is no ordinary being. This elixir is something that needs to be digested slowly, over a long period of time.”Could it be.. was the voice that spoke to him earlier the will of the World Tree? Yeomyeong was convinced of it. There was no evidence to back it up, but his instincts and mana whispered that it was true.“...I understand your desire for the elixir, but we’re leaving in three days at thetest. You can consume the World Tree’s crystal after the mission.”The dwarf said as he tried to put the wooden box away. Though he was trying hard to hide his emotions, it was obvious he didn''t want to give it up.However, just before he could close the box, Yeomyeong snatched the crystal. His superhuman movement was faster than the dwarf’s eyes.“H-huh!? W-Wait!”By the time the dwarf could react, the World Tree’s crystal was already in Yeomyeong’s mouth.<em>Gulp</em>. To his surprise, the World Tree’s crystal tasted like toothpaste.“Didn’t I just tell you not to eat it now?! What on earth are you thinking...!”The dwarf stared in dismay as the crystal traveled down his throat. Regardless, Yeomyeong calmly summoned his mana.“Three days, right? I will digest it before then, so I would appreciate it if no one tries to enter my room in the meantime.”“...”“I promise.”Before Darulma Dune could even reply, ‘Is that even possible?’ mana surged violently from Yeomyeong’s body.The intense mana was palpable even to those who weren’t Superhuman.<em>Damn it.</em>Not wanting to create another problem, the dwarf gritted his teeth and escaped from the room.<ol>1. 5,700 characters in Korean could be considered a very long message. It''s likely equivalent to about 2,000 words if tranted into English, which is roughly twice the length of 5,700 characters in the English alphabet.</ol>