<Crazy bastard. And an even crazier bastard (3)>

The group going to meet the Grand Elder was Cale, Clopeh, and Elza.

‘Shouldn’t you stay by the Pope-nim’s side, First Bishop-nim?’

‘The Third bishop will be by her side.’

First Bishop Molde was with that group.

As the bright moonlight was covered by clouds… Cale’s group, who had set out once the night became even darker, hid their bodies in the shadows that were darker than the night itself as they cautiously moved.

Ssssssssss-

A breeze blew by and fluttered the end of Cale’s robe.

Cale’s hand was holding the golden top’s whip underneath the robe.

‘A guard in the three o’clock direction!’

‘A knight is passing by the third floor window of the building that runs east to west.’

Cale looked toward Elza.

Shh. She raised her hand and changed directions.

She headed in a way to avoid the guard.

‘She’s pretty good.’

Elza moved cautiously but without any hesitation as if she knew all of the rules of the guards patrolling around Axion’s castle.

‘Please don’t worry. I’ve done this plenty of times.’

Elza confidently commented.

An odd smile appeared on Cale’s face.

Raon would have asked what he was plotting if he saw this smile.

– You… What are you thinking?

The Super Rock made a comment in Raon’s place, but Cale ignored him.

Cale leisurely followed behind Elza.

‘He truly is extraordinary.’

The First Bishop was observing Cale from the back of the group.

‘Axion made me an offer.’

Molde thought about the offer the Pope had received from Axion.

‘He said he would give me a way to extend my life forever.’

‘…Did you say forever?’

‘Yes. Forever.’

The bishops who had come with them had looked confused at her answer.

Hons was the exception.

The Pope looked at Hons as she asked.

‘The Virtual reality game. He must be talking about that, right?’

‘I believe so, your Holiness.’

‘Axion said that he would give me and only me a chance to experience it.’

Hons had asked her back.

‘Will you tell Commander Cale about it?’

‘He seems to already know even without me telling him. Pfft.’

Casillia had chuckled before sighing.

‘I’m not tempted by this offer at all.’

The First Bishop was well aware of why Casillia wasn’t interested in the offer at all.

He looked at Cale, and Clopeh, who was standing behind Cale as if he was Cale’s shadow, and started to think.

‘She has no reason to keep living.’

The Pope had no desire to live.

She just wanted to destroy things.

‘No.’

But the First Bishop knew better than anybody else that that was not true.

What did Casillia want?

‘That she is alive.

That she lives in this world and has existed as a living being…

She just wants others to know that…

Regardless of the method it takes for it to happen.’

‘Hons. You stay with her Holiness. I will go with Commander Cale.’

It was the reason the First Bishop chose to come with Cale’s group.

The reason was simple.

‘I-’

I want the Pope to achieve her dreams.

I want the Pope to live longer.

The Pope and the other bishops all seemed to have no desire to keep living, but…

The First Bishop was different.

He was a Dragon half-blood, however, whether it was good or bad, he had the least amount of Dragon blood among the group. He showed more human traits, and despite being the oldest of the Dragon half-bloods, had the longest remaining lifespan of the group.

Molde was following Cale Henituse with the small hope that this man may have an answer for them.

‘…He truly is extraordinary.’

Molde was amazed at how Cale was walking through Axion’s castle so leisurely as if he was on a walk.

‘Hmm?’

He then flinched.

It was because the group suddenly stopped walking.

Had he been too immersed in his thoughts?

‘Did something happen?’

The First Bishop raised her head with a stiff look on his face before he flinched.

“!”

At the door heading to the rear garden…

The Grand Elder’s old log cabin was near this place.

And at the door to the log cabin…

“Welcome.”

The butler was smiling as he welcomed Cale’s group.

The First Bishop’s pupils started to shake.

‘Shit!

That guy being here means that Axion is aware of all of our actions.

Then, then-

Has Commander Cale’s identity been found out as well?

What should I do?

Should I head back immediately and leave the castle with her Holiness?’

The First Bishop’s mind went blank thinking that an extremely dangerous situation had happened.

He looked at their guide, Inquisitor 3.

“…….”

Elza’s face was completely pale.

She truly seemed flustered.

‘Fuck!

Let’s run away from here for now.’

Molde made up his mind and walked over to Cale’s side.

‘Hmm?’

He then flinched.

Clopeh Sekka.

Commander Cale Henituse’s guard knight had a gentle smile on his face.

The First Bishop found this to be odd and looked at Cale, only to flinch again.

‘Huh?’

Cale looked relaxed.

It was as if he expected this situation.

That was the right answer.

‘The Butler is waiting at the Grand Elder Elf’s house!’

The Wind Elementals had already told Cale about it.

‘The light is not out in Axion’s study either! I saw Axion looking at the Pope’s building out the window!’

‘None of the knights have come to patrol around the rear garden. They were patrolling at least once an hour until now so that is weird.’

‘The knights have disappeared from the entrance of the rear garden.’

An odd smile couldn’t help but appear on Cale’s face after hearing that information.

‘Wow.’

He truly became curious about this Third Saint Dragon, Axion.

He was certain that the Dragon Lord’s sword would be extremely loyal.

‘But that might not be the case?’

Based on what he was seeing, Cale thought that he might be wrong.

‘He might just be scheming something for the Pope’s group and for me because he is very smart, but…’

IT could be possible that the trap was so clever that even Cale was not realizing it, but…

‘IT feels more like he really wants to chat with me.’

This series of information made it feel like Axion was being considerate of Cale and showing goodwill.

‘What does the Third Saint Dragon wish to talk to me about?’

‘Freedom…! Found it……!’

He did have an idea about what his opponent was doing.

Cale had a relaxed smile on his face as he stepped forward.

“Ah!”

Elza tried to grab him in shock, but…

“…….”

Clopeh’s hand slapped hers away.

Cale peeked at it, stepped forward without saying anything, and pulled off his hood.

The butler bowed respectfully.

“Sir, you are the one who was by her Holiness’s side.”

“You remember that, sir?”

“My memory is quite extraordinary.”

It made sense that he was the butler Axion kept by his side.

“Please have a relaxed conversation with the Grand Elder-nim. We’ve also made it so that nobody will get in your way to see the World Tree, so please don’t worry. I will be at the entrance of the rear garden so please let me know if anything is not to your liking.”

Cale asked nonchalantly once the butler finished speaking.

“What does Axion-nim want to do with me?”

“…….”

The butler was silent for the first time.

Cale quietly observed the butler’s face.

“You see, I… I’ve been to Ryan’s castle, actually, I’ve been to quite a lot of places in this world.”

“?”

The butler looked at Cale with confusion at this sudden change of topic.

Cale looked back at him, smiled, and continued.

“Butler-nim, you truly seem to be loyal to Axion-nim.”

“……!”

“The knights as well… The staff as well… It’s all real and not fake.”

Cale’s reddish brown eyes were staring at the butler as he mumbled. The butler almost turned his gaze at this transparent gaze that seemed to be looking right into his soul, but he maintained eye contact for a bit before lowering his head.

“I cannot tell you much, but… I can tell you my own opinion.”

He calmly commented.

“200 years. Humans are not the only ones who think that is a long time.”

The butler’s eyes looked full of certainty when he raised his head again.

“It is a long time for Dragons as well.”

“…It was a long time for Axion as well?”

A faint smile appeared on the butler’s face.

“An act that you start for fun, or as a ploy can sometimes become real, sometimes become a person’s life.”

‘…The act that Axion started became real?’

Cale thought about the information he received about Axion, not from the Pope but from King Dennis.

The thing it said about Axion…

< Axion pretends to be human. >

He didn’t know why that sentence was the one that was clear and visible in his mind, but…

The butler continued to speak.

“My liege has said that you would accept having a conversation with him if I give you this letter.”

The butler pulled out an elegantly wrapped envelope from his pocket.

Cale received it, debated for a bit, before opening the envelope to read the letter.

“!”

He then got shocked.

He saw something he did not expect at all.

He now understood why Axion was acting like this and why Axion talked to the Pope about her limits.

< I have become a father. My wife will soon give birth. >

Following that statement…

< My wife is human. I truly want to protect my family. Even if that means betraying the lord and destroying this world. >

The information he got from the Haru Kingdom…

< Axion pretends to be human. >

The explanation that came with it…

< He married the princess of a perished kingdom and calls himself Archduke. >

< He created his own territory, calls it an Archduchy, and has accepted humans as residents. >

< We see this as his way of having fun or a means to efficiently rule. >

< However, Axion’s wife is human yet retains her youthful appearance, which we are looking into. >

Now that he thought about it, the Pope and the bishops… ‘Are any of the Dragon half-bloods Axion’s children?

…None of them.’

“Haaa.”

Cale subconsciously let out a sigh-like laugh.

‘I guess it makes no sense that all of the Dragons just want to use the Dragon half-bloods.’

No creatures in the world were all the same.

He folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

“It looks like I will need to have a chat.”

After reading something like that, shouldn’t he at least talk to the guy?

He looked at the butler and asked in an even more relaxed tone than before.

“Then may I take my time with my business first?”

“Yes sir. My liege asked me to make sure everything was convenient for you.”

The butler was tactful and stepped away from the log cabin and walked away from Cale’s group.

Cale watched the butler stand at a distance before motioning to Elza and the First Bishop, who did not seem to understand what was going on, with his eyes.

“Shall we?”

Knock knock.

Clopeh was already knocking on the door.

‘He really knows what to do even without me having to tell him.’

Cale looked at Clopeh with an unsettled look before doing his best to make his face look innocent as the door opened.

Inside the door was the Grand Elder, an extremely young looking Elf that made it almost impossible to believe that he was very old.

More importantly…

“The crazy bastard who overcame the brainwashing is here.”

He was looking at Clopeh as if he was looking at an extremely marvelous creature.

The Grand Elder peeked toward the butler before sighing and motioning to Cale.

“Please come on in. It’s a shabby little place but it should be better than the outside.”

The butler bowed respectfully toward the Grand Elder.

Elza watched in disbelief.

She never expected one of Axion’s trusted subordinates to bow so respectfully toward the Grand Elder.

‘Is there something I don’t know about?’

The last sleeve up the Grand Elder’s sleeve…

As Elza thought that she caught a glimpse of what the Grand Elder was planning…

“Inquisitor 3, hurry inside.”

Elza quickly entered the cabin at the Grand Elder’s calling.

Cale sat down on a chair the Grand Elder pointed to and faced him.

“…….”

“…….”

While nobody could easily open their mouths to say something…

The Grand Elder finally spoke up.

“The World Tree is an immortal existence.”

“Yes, I know, sir.”

The World Tree repeated life and death.

However, it was different from reincarnation.

IT did not become another existence, it repeated life and death as the same existence.

That was why they were immortal.

“So you do know about it.”

“…….”

“The World Tree wishes for her demise.”

“Gasp.”

The First Bishop gasped at what the Grand Elder said.

The Grand Elder didn’t even turn toward him and asked Cale.

“Sir, has the foundation of the world sent you here? You have the scent of the foundation.”

“Yes sir.”

Cale answered peacefully as he thought to himself.

‘The World Tree hasn’t completely lost its mind? It isn’t completely controlled by the Dragon Lord?’

The Grand Elder continued to speak as Cale thought of that question.

“…Then I will ask you without any hesitation.”

The Grand Elder looked at Cale with extremely deep eyes that contrasted his young appearance.

“Will it be possible for the World Tree-nim to disappear?”

Silence filled the cabin.

Nobody dared to open their mouths.

Someone finally managed to say something.

“Umm, if the World Tree wishes not to be healed but to disappear forever… Isn’t it a problem even if we save this world? If the World Tree is gone, who will read the flow of the world, share the will of the foundation, and maintain balance?”

IT was Molde.

Elza’s face stiffened as well.

‘I have made up my mind to see the end of this world with the World Tree-nim.’

She recalled what the Grand Elder had said.

When she heard that the World Tree could not hold on any longer, Elza thought that it meant that only the shell of the World Tree remained with its soul completely offered to the Dragon Lord.

However, she now realized what the Grand Elder meant by the end of this world.

“I’m not sure.”

The Grand Elder calmly answered Molde’s question.

“The flow of this world cannot be returned to how it was before the cataclysmic period. Maybe if the World Tree was perfectly healthy and the foundation had all of its powers, but… Both of them are severely damaged. This world will be destroyed in a few weeks. We cannot turn that back.”

“W, what do you mean?”

As Elza looked in shock…

The Grand Elder had a bitter smile on his face.

“What do I mean? It means that the end is near.”

He then continued to speak.

“Of course, it may not lead to destruction if the Dragon Lord is stopped. However, the world will slowly turn to ruin as we are unable to turn back the destroyed flow of the world. The World Tree has no desire to watch that happen.”

“Wait-”

Elza looked at the Grand Elder without being able to say anything before looking around.

She then suddenly stopped.

‘Hmm?’

The First Bishop was looking at Cale.

Clopeh was smiling gently while looking at Cale.

Elza wasn’t the only one to realize this odd tension in the room.

The Grand Elder quietly observed Cale and asked.

“Am I wrong, sir?”

“No.”

Cale shook his head right away.

“You are right. Your predictions are correct. Well, they are correct, but-”

Cale awkwardly smiled before continuing to speak.

“Umm, the flow of Aipotu will return to how it was before the cataclysmic period.”

Elza’s eyes opened wide and the Grand Elder stood there without saying anything. Cale debated for a bit before honestly explaining.

“I received some powers from the foundation, so I am going to return the aura of the world back to before the cataclysmic period.”

He was basically becoming an air purifier.

“I have also prepared a new seed of the World Tree. This is a seed of a World Tree created from aura that had fallen from a World Tree. I think it will work if I plant it.”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Other than the smiling Clopeh, Cale didn’t pay much attention to everybody else staring at him.

It wasn’t important right now.

“Anyway, there is a way to restore it, so let’s think about destruction or demise later. Let’s block the hole in the World Tree for now. The foundation will keep being looted until we block it. And let’s be honest. Why are you asking me about destroying the World Tree? I don’t know how to do something like that.”

“…….”

Cale continued to speak as the Grand Elder stood silently in disbelief.

“By the way, I thought the World Tree had lost all free will and was being controlled. You are still able to communicate with it, Grand Elder-nim? How do you do it? I wish to communicate with it as well.”

Cale spoke in a refreshing manner.

“Let’s go see the World Tree first! Axion said that he won’t bother us so it should be a breeze.”

Why should they make things difficult?

They already knew what they had to do.

“I am a bit busy.”

He then told the people staring at him about his next plans.

“After blocking the hole in the World Tree, I need to go to the Dragon Lord’s lair before he gets back and loot it.”

The Grand Elder’s deep pupils started to shake. He was looking at Clopeh, who seemed extremely proud of Cale.

He then clenched his eyes after seeing Cale looking like there were no issues and then commented.

“…There’s an even crazier bastard here.”

* * *

Clang.

The door toward the World Tree in the rear garden opened.

—

Translator’s Comments

Oh Grand Elder… the crazier they are the more helpful they are.

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