Great Ancient Mage, Acknowledged (1)
The World Tree or the Mother Tree gives birth to the forest fairies: nobody knew about its origin. Some say that the first tree to spread its roots simultaneously as the birth of the world was the World Tree, while others say that it was an arm that a god plucked out and planted in the world to protect it. But one thing that was certain was that this tree was the powerful being and center of all spirits that existed in Middle Earth. It could even work the most powerful miracles.
…To add, one downside was that it was very difficult to communicate with it despite it having a conscious mind.
“Ooh.”
Evan exclaimed as he saw the trees growing taller, the flowers and grass becoming livelier, and the presence of the spirits becoming stronger as he walked deeper into the Mother Forest.
“It wasn’t that overwhelming when I saw them in the game. It might be the fault of the limit of technology.”
“Game?”
“Ah, nothing.”
If Maybell were nearby, she would have naturally corrected his words. Evan reflected as he tapped his lips.
“I just felt that this place is really beautiful.”
“Isn’t it? This place surely is the paradise for all fairies.”
Mirole couldn’t stop smiling at the praise from the person she liked towards her hometown. And Dupa mumbled in silence.
“The Princess ran away from that paradise, though.”
“Dupa!”
An epic battle between the runaway of the paradise and the sunset forest fairy started. Evan ignored them both and took another look around the environment. It was truly an amazing sight that the environment kept on changing as he traversed deeper. Perhaps multiple layers of barriers were being uncovered as they stepped further into the Forest. As the forest fairies live under the protection of this strong barrier, it is expected that they lived in a delusion that their paradise would last forever.
‘Only those who go out to retrieve food know to some extent. The fact that they can’t get rid of the shadows from the Mana Realm that is invading Middle Earth.’
Quietly and slowly, completely and constantly, and after certain a limit, the Mana Realm devours Middle Earth. It was when the Mother Tree had already rotted halfway that the forest fairies realized their response was too timid. The lineage of the forest fairies might have ended there if the Great Ancient Mage and Mirole didn’t protect them with their lives.
“You may have realized that he is walking into the barrier.”
It was at that moment. One of the forest elves whispered into Evan’s ears as he reminisced on Yo-Ma Great War Zero. Her name wasn’t known, but she appeared in the game CG.
“How is it? If we let go of your hand here, can you reach Mother by your own strength?”
“Woojae!”
Mirole suddenly got angry at the unexpected comment from the forest fairy. The other forest fairies, including Dupa, blamed Woojae for speaking nonsense. Still, some of the elves gave her a look of encouragement to taunt Evan more.
‘Woah, nostalgic.’
Evan was deeply moved by the fact that he actually heard the same dialogue in the game.
‘The beginning of the messed-up Mother-in-law quest. It was a quest where I become lost and wander around the forest trying to escape since I didn’t get guidance from the fairies.’
A linked quest to get the recognition from the World Tree or so-called Mother Tree while getting questioned by the forest fairies regarding his relationship with Mirole, like what a sister-in-law would do. The players of the Yo-Ma Great War Zero called this the Mother-in-law quest, and the words from the forest fairy Woojae signified the beginning of that quest.
Once someone stepped into the center of the Forest, he shouldn’t go on his own way without guidance from the forest fairy or the spirits. That would result in getting stuck at the gap between the endless barriers. Those with tremendous mana could resist its force and walk on, but they would completely lose their sense of direction. And they would wander around forever until they starved to death. The Great Ancient Mage wandered around the Forest after deviating from the guide from the fairies, and he escaped the maze through the help of Mirole, who shook off the forest fairies…and that is the summary of the game, but in fact, he had to escape from the maze at all cost until Mirole’s rendezvous.
It took three hours in real-time for Yeo Ban-Min to complete this quest. He browsed the community while cursing at the game mechanics, but he praised himself for being chosen by the game as he saw others being unable to escape the maze after 20+ hours of gameplay.
“Woojae, you are tainting the grace of the forest fairies. We already have recognized his ability and personality, so we are taking him to the Mother. Yet, are you planning to let go of his hand? Are you insane?”
“If he is the chosen one by the forest fairies, shouldn’t he be able to reach the Mother without our help, Ms. Dupa? I believe it is a necessary procedure for him to prove himself.”
Woojae’s dialogue was very smooth, as if she prepared it beforehand. Dupa stared at Woojae as if she were about to rip her apart, but Woojae stared right back.
“Don’t stare at me too much. I just represented the opinion of the forest fairies.”
“I also agree with what Woojae said. It’s too dangerous for us to take him to the Mother like this. I will recognize him only after he makes his own way out of this forest through his power alone.”
“What a stubborn fairy…”
Dupa sighed and checked on Mirole and Evan. However, Mirole nodded in agreement and spoke, which was out of everyone’s expectation.
“Isn’t it a great idea? There’s no reason for the forest fairies to offer him an alliance if he can’t even break through this barrier.”
“Princess!?”
“Zero, so what do you think…?”
Mirole cautiously asked Evan a question, although she confidently replied to the elves. Evan replied after sneering.
“Who do you think I am? This is nothing for me.”
“As expected, I trust you.”
Mirole turned back with a relaxed expression and greeted the forest fairies with a creepy smile.
“Then, let’s start. But if he manages to break through this forest, I won’t ever allow you people to put him to test. Everyone must treat him like a forest elf. Are we clear?”
“Princess…”
“I’m waiting for your replies.”
“Understood!”
The forest fairies nodded in unison. Things weren’t like this in the game. It was because Mirole’s influence wasn’t that great back then. But for some reason, she looked like a queen that reigned over all the forest fairies in the Mother Forest. The difference in her determination resulted in this. Evan was deeply moved.
“Good, then…see you later, Zero.”
“Shout out the word ‘Salvation’ if you can’t possibly escape.”
“My apologies for being unable to help.”
The fairies left Evan, with Mirole being the first one to do so. As he was finally left alone, the peaceful forest was filled up with an unknown cold chill. His sight became limited due to thick fog. And because of it, his five senses seemed to be paralyzed. He couldn’t easily move. Evan came to understand the slight despair he felt in the short text said by the Great Ancient Mage in the game.
‘But still, it won’t work on me.’
Evan started to think that lately, he was using his power to oppress the powers of the world. So, if something existed there, if it was mana, miasma, or some other unknown being, it was possible for him to crush it as long as it existed. In other words, he can just crush this barrier with his Annihilation…huh?
‘Someone is approaching me?’
Is it a monster? As Evan clenched his fist, he shook his head. If there was a monster in the middle of a road towards the Mother Tree, that would be considered a crisis. And this aura…it was a familiar aura that Evan felt just a few moments ago. So, he was more bewildered.
“…Woojae, isn’t it?”
“So, you knew.”
As expected, it was Woojae who showed her appearance in the fog. The elf claimed that Evan should take the trial. Why was she here? Evan tilted his head, and she replied.
“Hey, I’m sorry…for my words earlier. I needed an excuse to meet you alone. Actually, I wanted to talk to you when the Princess wasn’t present.”
Well, well, the scenario that had been twisted once wouldn’t return back to its original course. Evan sighed and replied to Woojae.
“Without her presence…aren’t you worried that I’m fooling her around?”
“I’m concerned whether you are being manipulated by the Princess…”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’ve been told that you’ve lost all your memories. Our Princess is a nice person, but she is too much in giving her best for the survival of the forest fairies…so she might have used you while making a fuss over unimportant matters and fooling you.”
Those were harsh words against the Princess, weren’t they?
“You are a free person. But being chained and used for the sake of the survival of another race is unacceptable. I can’t let it slip by as a person living in the same world aside from the fact that I’m a forest fairy…”
“Woah.”
Evan unconsciously nodded at Woojae’s impassioned speech. Then she approached him and held onto his hand with both of her hands.
“I’ve come to a determination. I’ll set you free. Here, run away with me.”
“Huh?”
Woojae’s eyes burned with passion. And he felt a lot of heat from her hands, too. Some kind of aura arose from her as she stuck her body to Evan.
“If you go with the pace of the forest fairies, you will soon get old and die as you are a human. Such an unfortunate event…that I mentioned earlier shouldn’t happen. I’ll take care of your life from now on…”
“I knew you would do this, Woojae.”
It was at that moment. Another elf appeared through the fog. Evan didn’t even know her name, but she was a female elf.
“Trying to fool a poor human, I won’t let you. He is my pre…I’ll save him. Human, come over here!”
If Evan heard it correctly, she was about to say ‘prey.’ But there was no time to raise an argument. Another elf appeared.
“Aah, I lost the initiative!”
“Woojae, you wicked bitch!”
“She spoke about having no intention to marry except another forest fairy, yet where did your idealism go!?”
“Take your hands off him! How dare you touch my man!?”
“He is mine!”
One after another, they appeared. The elves that appeared confronted each other with Evan in the middle. Some were already taking aim with their bows. Evan ended up smiling.
‘This is their true nature, after all. They were just an erotic race.’
But there was one thing that Evan didn’t know. The smile he made out of being despondent about the current situation caused a charming critical effect on the elves due to his skill Devil’s smile and made the elves run wilder!
“What the hell is going on!?”
A loud voice echoed throughout the forest. It was the forest fairy of the sunset, Dupa! A guardian knight of Mirole, and although being the weakest among the veteran knights, she was a proud veteran warrior among the forest fairies! She shouted with courageous eyes.
“Why are you sparring with each other while in hiding? Count me in if all of you are fighting to take him!”
“Dupa, you are a traitor!”
Mirole appeared from her behind and struck her head. She also held a bow and an arrow in her hands.
“I understand your intentions. Come at me. I’ll crush you all.”
“Princess!?”
“Tsk, this is why I wanted to take him and run away quickly…!”
“Everyone, let’s gather our strength and defeat her first, then we can decide by ourselves! Taking him isn’t late at that time.”
“How about sharing him amongst the winners?”
Aah, no one would have expected the “Sharing Evan among the people” event to recur in ancient times, too! Evan trembled in fear, but after realizing that they wouldn’t reach a conclusion by themselves, he sighed and took a step forward.
“Zero, stay still. I’ll silence these arrogant ones and take you straight to the Mother.”
“Don’t be fooled by the Princess!”
“Human, this way. This is the safest place!”
Trying to make an alliance with the forest fairies might lead to an internal conflict among them. Evan smiled as he was lost for words (The Demon Smile skill got activated), and he reached out his arm. A strong aura that got fired straight from his hand broke all the barriers that covered the area and showed the path towards the World Tree. Under the sky, an enormous tree appeared. It was at a distance that was less than 1km from the current location.
“…”
“…”
All elves, including Mirole, froze up at the hand gesture Evan made. He said while taking a step forward as if nothing happened.
“Here, let’s go to the Mother Tree.”
The Mother-in-law’s quest ended without even starting.
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