Chapter 86: Something That Might Be a Confession
“Are you certain?”
Ethan stared into the void as he questioned Cecilia. She hesitated, clearly trying to avoid answering, but under his sharp gaze, she eventually stammered a response.
“…W-Well… the spirit definitely said it was here… somewhere…”
Listening to her, Ethan turned his gaze forward again. The space ahead marked the ambiguous boundary between the academy and the mountains—a blend of civilization and nature.
But no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find any sign of what they were seeking.
“If the spirit says it’s there, then it’s there. Is there anything else, Cecilia?”
“U-Um, it’s not definitive, but… the World Tree… the World Tree? Anyway, I’m getting a reaction from the World Tree, as well as from them. They’re definitely in front of us. Though, why the World Tree would be here, I have no idea…”
The World Tree.
As far as Ethan knew, the World Tree could not grow outside the great forests of the elves. It was an enormous tree, far larger and thicker than most buildings. Certainly not something you’d find among the ordinary trees on a hillside.
Whether it was a barrier or some kind of manipulation, all Ethan could see swirling in front of him was a fierce energy, ungraspable and alien.
The swirling force seemed to block any approach, pulsating with something akin to both magical energy and demonic aura.
“There’s definitely something there, but I can’t tell if it’s the World Tree. It’s not like it suddenly sank into the ground or flew into the sky, so I’m sure it’s ‘there.’ But we can’t get to it—something’s in the way.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying! There’s something in front of us… Wait, you’re saying we can’t go there? Not that you can’t see it…?”
Cecilia tilted her head, forming question marks with her little spirits as she questioned Ethan. From her perspective, the path forward seemed clear and accessible.
“Yes. Can’t you see it? That swirling energy over there. I thought an elf like you would be able to see it.”
Her pride clearly stung, Cecilia immediately changed her tone and responded defensively.
“W-Who said I couldn’t see it?! I-I just didn’t mention it because… I thought you wouldn’t understand!”
“You should’ve told me anyway. If it were something dangerous, I’d have walked straight into it.”
“Th-That’s true… I’ll make sure to tell you next time. But listen, if that… whatever it is, originates from the World Tree, then we don’t need to worry. After all, the World Tree has one of its children right here!”
Maybe I chose the wrong partner. Ethan briefly entertained the thought but quickly brushed it aside.
He reminded himself to be grateful for her. Despite her unreliable moments, she was an elf who could command spirits—a priceless ally for someone like him, who had lost nearly all his support from the Church and his prearranged collaborators.
As Cecilia closed her eyes, seemingly communicating with something beyond the barrier, Ethan decided not to wait passively.
“Well, anyway, let’s figure out if it’s safe first.”
He picked up a beetle crawling nearby and hurled it toward the vortex.
The beetle flew through the air—and vanished without a trace.
“A wave of… rejection? Why is it… rejecting me?”
Watching the beetle disappear, and hearing Cecilia’s murmurs, Ethan pieced together the situation and sighed inwardly.
So much for going in there.
If they tried to force their way in, they’d likely be erased just like the beetle. That much seemed clear to him.
But Cecilia, apparently thinking something else, began walking slowly toward the vortex.
“That can’t be right… Something must be wrong. Let me check it out!”
The rejection seemed to have deeply shaken her. Denying the reality before her, she moved closer to the swirling force.
“Stop!”
Just before she touched it, Ethan yanked her back. Thankfully, only the edge of her sleeve was shredded by the vortex—it could have been far worse.
“…This doesn’t make sense…”
But her mind remained in turmoil.
Why would the World Tree, the creator of elves, reject its own child?
Having her spirit taken away, and now being denied by the World Tree she thought would always embrace her, shattered her understanding of the world.
“It doesn’t make sense. The Church has abandoned me, the academy is under attack from demons, and an enigmatic princess from the East has shown up. Are you going to give up because of all that?”
The word “give up” snapped her out of her spiral. How could she, as the protector of others, allow herself to be the one needing protection?
“…No. I won’t. Even if none of it makes sense… the Goddess would want me to uncover the truth of it all.”
“Doubt, think, and uncover it. That’s right. But for now, we need to retreat. It doesn’t look like we can do anything on our own.”
Humbled, Cecilia quietly followed Ethan’s lead. Even her spirits seemed to sense that entering the vortex would result in complete annihilation.
“…This is going to take a while, isn’t it?”
“It was never going to be quick.”
Sharing the same determination, they gave up their pursuit for the time being.
***
Feeling both upset and suffocated, I escaped to the shelter I hadn’t visited in a while. The grand tree still stood in its place, exuding its majestic presence.
And fresh magical energy, too.
Finally, I could catch my breath and cool my overheated mind. This gave me a chance to think over what Dogeon had said.
I understood. Even as the protagonist, he was still just a commoner with no backing. Of course, he’d want to build as many connections as possible.
One friend is good, but two are better. One diamond-tier ally is nice, but two are better.
If I weren’t so caught up in my personality, I’d have surrounded myself with people who could enrich my life, too. I could understand that logically.
But my heart refused to accept it. It grumbled in defiance.
I’m aware it’s an ugly desire, but I can’t bring myself to let Dogeon go. He’s the only person here with whom I can truly feel at ease.
Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he saw me as merely friend number one. Sure, I knew he cared about me, valued me more than anyone else, and wanted the best for me.
But somehow, that still felt insufficient.
…If I went just a little further—could I tie him to my side completely? Not as a friend, or even a best friend, but something else, even if it was just in name…
“You were here.”
Just as my thoughts were about to take an inappropriate turn, Dogeon, who had belatedly followed me, interrupted them. I hated being like this during the heat.
I wanted to live with my mind blissfully empty, like usual, but this time, it wouldn’t stop churning. I hated overthinking, especially since every conclusion I reached was bound to fail anyway.
“…Hmph.”
Even if I understood things logically, humans aren’t creatures that move based on logic alone. Still, I didn’t intend to stay completely silent, as I had earlier.
I made sure to let him know I was angry, just enough to get the point across.
“…”
“…”
The problem was, my approach worked a little too well—this time, Dogeon was the one sitting in silence, looking like a mute with his lips sealed shut.
He was the one in the wrong, so why was I the one feeling uncomfortable?
I felt like I always ended up in this position. And even if I tried to push back, I knew I’d lose in the end. An introvert can’t beat an extrovert.
Look at him now, casually sitting beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
In the end, it’s always the introvert who loses. Even though I knew speaking first meant losing, I couldn’t help myself.
“…Don’t you have anything to say?”
Specifically, I was hoping for something like, I only have you—I care about you the most, and from now on, I’ll only look at you. Not an apology.
“Well… I’m not really sure what to say.”
Not sure what to say? Fine, I’ll just tell you. Just say, You’re the most precious person to me.
“…You already know why I’m angry, don’t you? So, let me ask you one thing. No matter how ridiculous I sound, will you believe me?”
The atmosphere suddenly shifted, as if he were about to confess something. What is he stalling for now? If it’s another excuse, I won’t let it slide.
“…Go on. I’ll listen.”
“When it comes to meeting other people… I want you to know there’s a reason I have to do it. But you’re the most important person to me. I might even… like you.”
W-What? Like me?
“So, I’ll be clear about this. Once everything is over, I’ll only look at you. Just hold on until then… Can you do that?”
Wait, what? This is moving way too fast.
I just got hit with a confession—or whatever this is—and then told, Even if I flirt with other people, I’ll come back to you in the end.
…How am I supposed to react to this?
“…Are you seriously, truly saying this?”
I asked, putting a lot of meaning behind my words. I wanted to know if he really expected me to believe him, and—
If he really liked me.
“…I’m sorry. Even though I know it sounds absurd. But I mean it.”
At this rate, I…
…I might not be able to hold myself back.