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Chapter 44
“If you’ve lived a hundred and fifty years, that’s plenty long enough. I should be calling you grandfather, not anything else.”
“Call me Tower Master. Do you not understand that I am the Tower Master?”
“I didn’t think you’d cling to the title of Tower Master this much. Weren’t you the one who longed for freedom?”
“Hrmm, hrrm.”
“You want to pass on the title to your disciple and finally be free, don’t you?”
“That is…”
Austin was bound by the restrictions of the Tower Master. It was the price for using forbidden magic.
To save the boy Zirke standing before him.
Zirke was a homunculus created by dark magicians. Normally, homunculi were beings that had to be eliminated on sight, but Austin had purified the dark mana flowing within Zirke’s body and accepted him as his disciple.
The result was that he had broken one of the White Tower’s taboos and became tied to a lifelong contract, unable ever to leave the White Tower.
“You know why I rushed here, then. Just say what you want.”
“Please guard the castle while I prepare.”
“Prepare?”
“Yes, there are things I need to do.”
“That’s all you want?”
“Of course.”
“Shall I just wipe everything out for you instead?”
“No! You’re planning to blow away the entire forest, aren’t you?”
“And? Can I not?”
“Of course not! Do you have any idea how important that forest is?”
That forest hid a treasure vault suspected to be a dragon’s lair.
Someday, an expedition would be organized to find the hidden lair—if the forest were destroyed, it would be a disaster. The forest itself must remain intact.
Felix had also said every ingredient he used for his medicines came from that forest.
“Absolutely not! If you do, I’ll get angry! Got it?”
“Ehh… fine, fine. I understand…”
Austin clicked his tongue with regret.
Elia left Austin and Zirke to guard the walls and began her real work with Gaji.
Behind her, Austin’s spells were exploding with loud booms.
[You’re putting on quite a flashy show.]
Stella spoke to her then.
[Master.]
‘Are you going too?’
[I’d like to.]
‘Then go.’
With Elia’s permission, Stella leapt from her arm and dove into the swarm of monsters.
A giant golden serpent’s eyes gleamed as it began hunting the creatures.
[Looks like she’s been holding back a lot too.]
When Gaji muttered that, Elia nodded.
‘Get to work.’
[Fine.]
Unable to bend Elia’s stubbornness, Gaji began channeling the World Tree’s power into the mana stones.
Once all the stones were imbued, Elia packed them into her bag, then ran along the castle walls on her short legs, slotting them in one by one.
As she rushed to plant another stone, someone blocked her path—it was Noah.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m busy, don’t bother me.”
She tried to brush past him, but Noah grabbed her arm.
“What are you trying to do? Do you even know how dangerous this is?”
Elia frowned and shouted.
“I know it’s dangerous, and I’m the World Tree’s guardian! As guardian, I’ll protect this place.”
“What are you doing with those mana stones?”
His eyes went to the stones she had embedded into the wall.
Elia frowned deeply at him.
“Please don’t interfere, Your Highness.”
“What?”
Her eyes flashed sharply as she spoke.
“Don’t touch them. I don’t have time.”
She pushed past Noah.
From behind, Noah watched everything she was doing.
The castle guards lent their hands to help her. The Iron Eagle knights swung their swords to protect her from monsters. Everyone paid attention to Elia and assisted her work.
Even Alexis, down below the wall, frequently looked up at her as if worried.
What on earth…
Noah couldn’t understand.
Elia had shaken off Norman’s hand and gone up onto the wall—was she crazy? With monsters swarming, survival alone was hard enough, yet that tiny child had climbed the battlements?
Why?
The questions only piled up.
That’s why Noah couldn’t leave.
He wanted to keep watching her. Somehow, it felt like he had to.
At last, after planting stones all around, Elia stood in the center of the wall.
All eyes turned to her.
Spreading her arms wide, she cried out in a solemn voice:
“From this moment, I proclaim the entire castle under the domain of the World Tree.”
Her words turned into incantation, spreading across the walls. Golden light poured from the stones, converging to form a massive barrier.
The monsters hurled against the wall were repelled by the shimmering golden defense. From that small body radiated an aura that filled everyone with awe.
Elia felt as if her body was breaking apart. She clenched her legs hard, determined not to collapse—Alexis would worry.
[Elly, stop.]
‘How much longer?’
[Thirty seconds left.]
‘Tell me when it’s done.’
[You’ll be dead before then!]
‘I can endure.’
Her gaze flicked to Austin.
Clicking his tongue, Austin flew over to her side.
“Don’t be so stubborn.”
He stretched out a hand, pouring vitality into her body. Her strength slowly returned.
[Ten seconds left.]
Stella, too, returned to her wrist and lent support.
Ten seconds had never felt so long.
[5… 4… 3… 2… 1. It’s done.]
At Gaji’s words, Elia lowered her hands, drawing back the World Tree’s power. The barrier solidified fully around the castle.
Her mind went hazy, her eyelids heavy. Unstoppable.
“Damn it.”
Alexis dashed forward, catching her small body as it collapsed from the wall.
“M-monsters! They’ve all disappeared!”
Those charging to break the barrier dissolved the moment they touched it.
“A miracle! A miracle has occurred!”
All eyes turned to Elia in Alexis’s arms.
“The young lady has worked a miracle!”
“Hail to the Lady! Hail to the Duke!”
Cheers erupted, pouring praise upon Elia and Alexis alike.
Dmitri, Campbell, even the Iron Eagle knights—all looked at Elia with tears in their eyes.
“Our young lady…”
“Sniff… it’s only because we were weak that she…”
“Enough. Her treatment comes first. Fetch Felix immediately.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“There’s no need. I’m here.”
Alexis turned to see the white-haired wizard.
“You are…”
“Forgive the late introduction. By the young lady’s invitation, I came from the White Tower—Tower Master Austin.”
“Why would the Tower Master—”
“Surely the child’s treatment comes first.”
Nodding, Alexis carried Elia back to the mansion.
Austin examined her once she was laid on the bed.
“Tsk, tsk.”
He clicked his tongue, then turned to Zirke.
“Zirke, bring out the Elixir.”
“Eh?”
“Hurry.”
Zirke hesitated, then pulled the vial from his bag. Just a single drop was said to cure any fatal disease—a legendary medicine.
Austin dripped it into Elia’s mouth, then layered high-grade healing magic on her before withdrawing his hand.
“Her internal injuries are severe. She’ll likely sleep for half a month.”
“That long?”
“Consider it a miracle. Thanks to the World Tree’s blessing, her recovery is already unusually fast. Treatment is complete. We should leave her to rest.”
“I’ll show you to the drawing room.”
Alexis nodded, leading him out. Austin subtly called to Zirke.
“Zirke, go take out the trash outside.”
“Yes, Master.”
Though Austin hadn’t specified who the “trash” was, Zirke seemed to know, heading out without hesitation.
“Where are you sending him?”
“An errand. Pay no mind to my disciple.”
Alexis turned his eyes away from Zirke—only to notice Noah standing by the door.
“Prince Noah.”
“That girl…”
“You must have been worried for Elia. But she’s safe now, Your Highness. Please, you should rest too.”
“Who said I was worried? …Fine, I’ll rest.”
Clenching his fists tight, Noah spun around and left.
In his room, he closed the door and slid to the floor.
He had seen it with his own eyes.
Elia sacrificing her own body to build that colossal barrier.
The proclamation of the World Tree’s domain.
He’d heard of it, but seeing it was different. It was a miracle.
In that moment, Elia had not been a mere girl—she was a messenger of the gods.
The World Tree’s guardian.
So this time… is it different?
Elia had used her power not for selfish greed as in the past, but to protect the duchy.
Noah was shaken.
