Alex lowered his gaze to the ground, eyes filled with a mixture of rage and humiliation, recalling what had just happened.

The elves of the Shadewardens tried desperately to shake off Alex and Vierno Dentis, but it wasn’t so easy.

They had gravely underestimated the strength of Alex and Vierno.

It was the gap born from their innate arrogance, the conviction that they were inherently superior.

Because of that, Alex had almost caught up to them.

If only the interference of the Lumenis Church hadn’t happened.

“Stop right there!”

Figures suddenly appeared, blocking the path the elves had taken.

White hooded coats.

Over them, layered white armor covering shoulders, forearms, and shins.

Their very presence exuded a suffocating aura of sanctity and oppression—Paladins of the Lumenis Church.

Alex frowned.

“Hey. Who the hell are you?”

“We received a report about a terrorist incident that occurred on the street moments ago. Cooperate with us peacefully.”

“What? And what the hell does that have to do with us?”

“You two, running around alleys in broad daylight. Suspicious, no matter how we look at it.”

Alex was at a loss for words at that.

What the hell are these bastards spouting now?

Turning to the side, he saw that even Vierno wore an expression of disbelief.

“What are you playing at? The ones who caused the terror just ran off over there!”

“Are you certain? And not lying to deceive us?”

“What? Of course I’m certain. We’ve been chasing them this whole time.”

“That’s strange. We’ve been patrolling this area the entire time and saw no such suspicious people—except for the two of you!”

“......”

Alex was about to protest further but shut his mouth.

The other side’s unyielding firmness triggered a suspicion.

“...Damn it. So that’s how it is.”

Alex realized it.

From the start, the Paladins of Lumenis had shown up to obstruct him.

No way they hadn’t seen the fleeing elves. Especially if they’d been lying in wait.

They had seen them, but deliberately ignored it.

The Lumenis Church is helping the elves?

He couldn’t understand why, but knowing they acted out of interest as much as faith, he accepted it.

That meant they had to go around and continue the pursuit.

Just as Alex thought this, a Paladin solemnly warned him:

“Stop. You are now strongly suspected of being terrorist suspects. Cooperate peacefully. If not, we will use force.”

“Hah.”

Alex let out a hollow laugh.

Not only were they blocking the path, but they were determined to cling on and buy time?

He didn’t know what kind of deal they had made with those Shadewarden elves, but—

“This feels downright filthy.”

From Alex’s body surged an overwhelming killing intent.

As if it weren’t enough that these pests were making trouble, now they were calling him a terrorist suspect?

And telling him to meekly cooperate, like they were demanding he hand something over that he’d entrusted to them?

Alex gave a cold sneer.

At his expression, the Paladins’ faces stiffened as their hands moved to their weapons.

“You dare set yourself in opposition to the holy Lumenis Church?”

“Why not?”

“God will never forgive you.”

“Before you worry about that, you should consider whether my sword will forgive you first.”

Alex said this as he infused his sword with aura.

“Enough!”

It was Vierno who stepped forward then.

“That’s far enough.”

“And who are you?”

“I am Vierno Dentis, instructor of Seorn.”

Vierno spoke while producing his identification.

It bore the official seal issued by the city of Rederbelk.

Ordinary people had no need for such identification, but as an elf, Vierno needed it.

Otherwise, he’d be treated as an illegal immigrant roaming without permit.

“We are currently pursuing those involved in this incident. So if you would, step aside.”

“And why should we believe that? You expect us to just let that uncouth, violent thug go?”

“...He is a mercenary I personally hired. He is simply upset at being hindered in his commission. Please overlook it.”

Vierno glanced at Alex.

Clicking his tongue, Alex sheathed his sword.

The Paladins hesitated.

If they pressed further, they’d have to confront Vierno’s standing.

Elf or not, Vierno was a Seorn instructor and held an officially issued city identification.

If the Church tried to suppress him with authority, they’d clash with the Rederbelk City Council.

The Paladins knew this, and so could not go too far against him.

“...We will conduct our own search here. You two should withdraw.”

The Paladin gave the order, barring the path.

It was clear they would not step aside under any circumstance.

Alex clenched his fists tightly.

During this pointless back-and-forth, the elf pursuers had already fled out of sight, hiding themselves.

“What do we do now?”

“...We report.”

“Report?”

“To the one who told me to protect that girl.”

“I will accompany you. I cannot say this is not my responsibility as well.”

“Do as you please.”

* * *

When Ludger heard the report of the incident, his expression did not change.

But Alex could tell.

Ah. The Leader is angry.

Because he showed no emotion, Alex could all the more feel it.

When Ludger truly grew furious, his eyes grew even colder.

At that moment, Vierno, who had been watching cautiously, spoke.

“Professor Ludger.”

“...Professor Vierno.”

Ludger looked directly at him.

Neither had expected to meet under such circumstances.

“Professor, you knew as well, didn’t you? About Sedina’s true place.”

“I only learned not long ago. I thought that if I concealed it properly, no incident would arise, but it has come to this.”

“...It’s all my fault.”

Vierno bowed deeply to Ludger and Alex, his voice filled with regret.

“Why would this be your fault, Professor Vierno?”

“I knew. I knew Sedina’s bloodline, and how she was treated. Yet I said nothing. If I had warned you sooner, it would not have escalated to this.”

“Raise your head. It is not your fault. Even if you had spoken earlier, the Lumenis Church’s involvement was utterly beyond expectation.”

And in truth, the real culprits were the Shadewardens who had kidnapped Sedina.

“Besides, apologies will not change the situation. Or is this merely to ease your conscience?”

“...That is true.”

Vierno raised his head.

Ludger was right.

They could not waste time like this.

“First, we must know why. Why did they kidnap my assistant? What do they intend to do?”

“That is...”

Vierno began, but before he could finish, the door opened and someone rushed in.

“Le, Leader! Just returned from the capital! More importantly, urgent news! The Shadewardens have joined hands with the Lumenis Church—they’re planning to kidnap the last bloodline of the Plante family! We must stop them!”

It was Bellaruna, breathless, blurting everything out in one go.

Satisfied that she had delivered her message, she then noticed the faces inside the room, tilting her head.

Had she come at a bad time?

Her gaze fell on Vierno—then her eyes widened.

“V–Vierno Dentis, Elder!”

“...I did not expect to meet another of our kin in such a place.”

“Wh–Why are you here...?”

Bellaruna turned a questioning gaze to Ludger.

He shook his head.

“It seems we must clarify the situation first.”

* * *

Bellaruna explained everything she had learned in the capital.

Hearing her, Ludger and Alex fell into grave thought, while Vierno was shocked to his core.

“Wait. The dead World Tree lies beneath the capital? And they hacked into the kingdom’s information by connecting to its network? How in the world...?”

Vierno, being an elf and head of his house, possessed vast knowledge, both broad and deep.

Even so, what Bellaruna described defied comprehension.

“H-hehe. It just... kind of happened...”

“That was not praise.”

Ludger’s cold retort made Bellaruna shrink her shoulders.

Clearly, before Ludger, she could not move at all.

“Professor Ludger, just what are you...”

“Professor Vierno. That is not the priority right now. What matters is—what are they after?”

“...You are right. As you know, those who kidnapped Sedina were the Shadewardens, fanatical pursuers of racial purity. And behind them is the Lifret family.”

“They say the Plante bloodline is the final key. What key is that?”

“The key... is essentially the core code that grants access to the heart of the World Tree.”

“The core code.”

Vierno explained further.

“The World Tree is an ancient, colossal being. It enriches the land, never depleting it, a true miracle. Within it lies vast, ancient knowledge and time itself.”

“By ‘lying within’...”

“Yes. The World Tree is not complete. You could say it slumbers. Long ago, elves lived alongside a fully awake World Tree. It was an era of abundance.”

But that age ended.

The fall of the Plante family, its caretakers.

The rise of the Lifret family.

“The Lifrets took the position, but the World Tree weakened greatly compared to before. Even so, our homeland remained fertile. But the elder elves still remember the glory of when the Tree was whole.”

“The Lifrets want to restore that glory.”

“Perhaps more than that. They wish not just for abundance but for elven dominion over the continent. Since the Racial Wars, such thoughts have grown.”

Vierno shook his head.

“They have embraced supremacist ideology—that elves are the most superior, the chosen race. They cry it always: To make the great elves greater still.”

“......”

Ludger was silent.

It was a disturbingly familiar slogan.

He knew it well.

Such ideology had once been called fascism in history.

Fascist elves.

This was far more troublesome than expected.

“To do this, they must awaken the sleeping World Tree. To restore it to its most golden era.”

“So that is why they took Sedina.”

“Yes. When the Plante family fell, it was thought the World Tree’s core code was lost. The Lifrets hid the truth, though the elders ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) suspected. Still, they believed no Plante blood survived.”

But now, after all these years, the last survivor had appeared.

Though half-human, Sedina still bore the blood of Plante.

The code to awaken the World Tree was imprinted deep in her very genes.

“I kept silent, for if word reached the kingdom, disaster would follow. But destiny’s great flow was beyond me.”

“...So you learned late and sought to protect Sedina.”

Ludger narrowed his eyes.

“Who told you this?”

“Would you believe me if I said I discovered it myself?”

Vierno gave a bitter smile unfit for his youthful appearance.

“In fact, that is what I wished to tell you.”

“And that is?”

“There is someone I must take you to meet.”

“Who?”

“Walter Roschen.”

Ludger understood the name instantly.

The only one in the room who wouldn’t know it was Bellaruna, ignorant of outside affairs.

Of course—Walter Roschen was—

“The master of the Roschen family.”

And—

Sedina’s father.